IDENTITY STATEMENT
Reference code(s): GB 0402 EO
Held at: Royal Geographical Society
Title: OMMANNEY, Adm Sir Erasmus (1814-1904)
Date(s): 1842-1857
Level of description: Collection level
Extent: 3 boxes
Name of creator(s): Ommanney | Sir | Erasmus | 1814-1904 | Knight | Arctic explorer | Admiral
CONTEXT
Administrative/Biographical history:
Born, 1814; entered the navy, 1826, under his uncle, John Ommanney; passed his examination, 1833; mate in the brig PANTALOON; appointed to the transport COVE (Captain Clark Ross), which was ordered to Baffin's Bay to release a number of whalers caught in the ice, 1835; joined the frigate PIQUE (Captain Henry John Rous), 1836; appointed to the DONEGAL as flag-lieutenant to his uncle, now Sir John Ommanney, commander-in-chief on the Lisbon and Mediterranean stations, 1837; commander, 1840; served on board the steam sloop VESUVIUS in the Mediterranean, 1841-1844; second in command, Franklin search expedition, 1850-1851; Deputy Controller-General of the Coastguard, 1851-1854; commissioned the EURYDICE as senior officer of a small squadron for the White Sea in the Russian War, 1854; appointed to the HAWKE, blockship for the Baltic, and was employed chiefly as senior officer in the Gulf of Riga, 1855; appointed to the BRUNSWICK, going out to the West Indies, 1857, and later the Channel Fleet, 1859; senior officer at Gibraltar from 1862; promoted to flag rank, 1864; retired, 1875; died, 1904.
CONTENT
Scope and content/abstract:
Papers realting to Sir Erasmus Ommanney's career in the Royal Navy, to his part in the administration of poor relief in Ireland from 1847-1849, and the Franklin search expedition of 1850-1851, including documents concerning his appointment as a midshipman; an order book and letters and reports from and to Ommanney on board HMS VERSUVIUS in the Mediterranean 1842-1844; official letters from the HMS MIRANDA and HMS BRISK in the Baltic fleet; a rough report and letter book of 1858; a personal letter book of 1851-1887 and other correspondence (with the Admiralty, Hyde Parker, William Walpole, Captain Hamilton and Sir James Graham); a folder of sketches, mainly of Arctic subjects, by George Morant, W H Church, and Ommanney; papers concerned with the Franklin search expedition of 1850-1851 when Ommanney was Captain of HMS ASSISTANCE, including a log book; order book; official reports; Admiralty communications; reports and correspondence exchanged among ships; personal letters (Dr. J Richardson, Captain John Ross, John Barrow, H Austin, Lady Franklin and others); and a scrap book of papers about the ASSISTANCE, RESOLUTE, PIONEER and sledge parties, copies of the Franklin reward poster, posters and programmes printed on board ship, sketches and notes.
ACCESS AND USE
Language/scripts of material: English
System of arrangement:
As outlined in Scope and Content.
Conditions governing access:
Accessed via the Foyle Reading Room. Free of charge for Fellows, Members and those with valid academic identification. All other users pay a charge and must bring identification in order to register on arrival.
Conditions governing reproduction:
Photocopying at the discretion of the Archivist, and subject to completion of 'application for copies' form. No reproduction or publication without permission of the IBG-RGS Archivist.
Finding aids:
Detailed box list available in the Foyle Reading Room.
ARCHIVAL INFORMATION
Accruals:
Archival history:
Immediate source of acquisition:
Unknown
ALLIED MATERIALS
DESCRIPTION NOTES
Archivist's note: Prepared by an Archives volunteer using existing finding aids. Revised by Sarah Drewery.
Sources: Oxford DNB.
Rules or conventions: ISAD(G) ed. 2, name authority NRA
Date(s) of descriptions: 24 May 2001; Aug 2008