James Annesley
Encyclopedia
James Annesley was an Irishman who had a claim to be the Earl of Anglesey
. He is perhaps best known today for partially inspiring the novel Kidnapped
by Robert Louis Stevenson
.
, to Arthur Annesley 5th Baron Altham (1689–14 Nov 1727) and his wife Mary Sheffield, the illegitimate daughter of the Duke of Buckingham
.He was initially rejected by his father and left destitute on the streets of Dublin. Then, at about the age of 12 in 1728, soon after the death of his father, Annesley was kidnapped and shipped to an American plantation in Delaware, where he was sold into indentured servitude
, apparently on the orders of his uncle Richard Annesley
. By removing James from the line of succession, Richard was able to claim the title of the 6th Earl of Anglesey
. However after 12 years working in slave labour, James travelled to Jamaica, where he signed on as an able seaman in H.M.S. Falmouth, serving throughout the campaign against Cartagena
, but seeing no action. He was discharged in October 1741.
He returned to Ireland in 1741 and laid claim to his supposed birthright. There followed a protracted legal battle between James and Richard, during which Richard tried on a number of occasions to have James murdered. In 1742 James killed a poacher while out shooting. Richard attempted to ensure his conviction for murder, but forensic evidence indicated that the shooting was an accident. He was acquitted.
Richard's legal defense was that James was not the legitimate son of Mary Sheffield, but actually the illegitimate son of Joan Landy,whom James claimed was merely his wet nurse. The verdict was in James' favour, and his estates were returned to him, although he never took up his titles before he died of a disease at age 44. His uncle Richard died about a year later.
On 14, September, 1751, at Bidborough
, Kent
, Annesley married Margaret I'Anson. She was the second daughter of Sir Thomas I'Anson (1701-1764), 4th Bt., of New Bounds, Kent; Gentleman Porter of the Tower of London
, by his wife Mary, the only surviving daughter of John Bankes
Esq., M.P., of Kingston Lacy
Hall, Dorset
.
's novel Peregrine Pickle, and in the 19th century by Sir Walter Scott in Guy Mannering
and Charles Reade
in The Wandering Heir.
In 2010, A. Roger Ekirch published Birthright: The True Story That Inspired Kidnapped, a biography of James Annesley. Ekirch says that historians had traditionally dismissed many details of the story of Annesley as being fanciful fiction. However Ekirch found a trove of legal documents that show the story as traditionally told was mostly true. This is the first book length study of the case since Andrew Lang
edited The Annesley Case in 1912. The Johnsonian
scholar and mystery writer, Lillian de la Torre
, extensively researched unpublished documents in Ireland in the early 1960s, but her long projected book still remained in manuscript at the time of her death. She did however publish a number of articles in scholarly journals on different aspects of Annesley's life.
by Robert Louis Stevenson
was inspired by the Annesley story. They point to similar storylines, such as an uncle who kidnapped a fatherless and rightful heir at a young age and ships him to the colonies; the heir then returns and claims his birthright from the villainous uncle. It is probable Stevenson was influenced by the Annesley story, as Ekirch says,
However there is no direct evidence, because Stevenson never left any recorded statement about his sources for Kidnapped. Stevenson's wife, Fanny Stevenson, said an inspiration for Kidnapped was The Trial of James Stewart, a contemporary account of the Appin murder
, concerning the killing of Colin Roy Campbell, but this does not preclude there being more than one influence on Kidnapped.
Earl of Anglesey
The title of Earl of Anglesey was created twice in the Peerage of England. The first creation came in 1623 when Christopher Villiers was created Earl of Anglesey, in Wales, as well as Baron Villiers. He was the younger brother of George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham and the elder brother of John...
. He is perhaps best known today for partially inspiring the novel Kidnapped
Kidnapped (novel)
Kidnapped is a historical fiction adventure novel by the Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson. Written as a "boys' novel" and first published in the magazine Young Folks from May to July 1886, the novel has attracted the praise and admiration of writers as diverse as Henry James, Jorge Luis...
by Robert Louis Stevenson
Robert Louis Stevenson
Robert Louis Balfour Stevenson was a Scottish novelist, poet, essayist and travel writer. His best-known books include Treasure Island, Kidnapped, and Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde....
.
Life
Annesley is said to have been born on April 15, 1715, in Dunmaine, County WexfordCounty Wexford
County Wexford is a county in Ireland. It is part of the South-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Wexford. In pre-Norman times it was part of the Kingdom of Uí Cheinnselaig, whose capital was at Ferns. Wexford County Council is the local...
, to Arthur Annesley 5th Baron Altham (1689–14 Nov 1727) and his wife Mary Sheffield, the illegitimate daughter of the Duke of Buckingham
Duke of Buckingham
The titles Marquess and Duke of Buckingham, referring to Buckingham, have been created several times in the peerages of England, Great Britain, and the United Kingdom. There have also been Earls of Buckingham.-1444 creation:...
.He was initially rejected by his father and left destitute on the streets of Dublin. Then, at about the age of 12 in 1728, soon after the death of his father, Annesley was kidnapped and shipped to an American plantation in Delaware, where he was sold into indentured servitude
Indentured servant
Indentured servitude refers to the historical practice of contracting to work for a fixed period of time, typically three to seven years, in exchange for transportation, food, clothing, lodging and other necessities during the term of indenture. Usually the father made the arrangements and signed...
, apparently on the orders of his uncle Richard Annesley
Richard Annesley, 6th Earl of Anglesey
Richard Annesley, 6th Earl of Anglesey , known as The Lord Altham between 1727 and 1737, was an Irish peer and governor of Wexford. He is known for the doubts surrounding his claim to the barony of Altham, and for the questions as to the legitimacy of his marriages and therefore his son's claim to...
. By removing James from the line of succession, Richard was able to claim the title of the 6th Earl of Anglesey
Earl of Anglesey
The title of Earl of Anglesey was created twice in the Peerage of England. The first creation came in 1623 when Christopher Villiers was created Earl of Anglesey, in Wales, as well as Baron Villiers. He was the younger brother of George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham and the elder brother of John...
. However after 12 years working in slave labour, James travelled to Jamaica, where he signed on as an able seaman in H.M.S. Falmouth, serving throughout the campaign against Cartagena
Cartagena, Colombia
Cartagena de Indias , is a large Caribbean beach resort city on the northern coast of Colombia in the Caribbean Coast Region and capital of Bolívar Department...
, but seeing no action. He was discharged in October 1741.
He returned to Ireland in 1741 and laid claim to his supposed birthright. There followed a protracted legal battle between James and Richard, during which Richard tried on a number of occasions to have James murdered. In 1742 James killed a poacher while out shooting. Richard attempted to ensure his conviction for murder, but forensic evidence indicated that the shooting was an accident. He was acquitted.
Richard's legal defense was that James was not the legitimate son of Mary Sheffield, but actually the illegitimate son of Joan Landy,whom James claimed was merely his wet nurse. The verdict was in James' favour, and his estates were returned to him, although he never took up his titles before he died of a disease at age 44. His uncle Richard died about a year later.
On 14, September, 1751, at Bidborough
Bidborough
Bidborough is a village and civil parish in the borough of Tunbridge Wells in Kent, England, north of Tunbridge Wells and south of Tonbridge. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 958....
, Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
, Annesley married Margaret I'Anson. She was the second daughter of Sir Thomas I'Anson (1701-1764), 4th Bt., of New Bounds, Kent; Gentleman Porter of the Tower of London
Tower of London
Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress, more commonly known as the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London, England. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, separated from the eastern edge of the City of London by the open space...
, by his wife Mary, the only surviving daughter of John Bankes
Bankes
The Bankeses were an important aristocratic family in Dorset, England for over 400 years. They owned large portions of land throughout Dorset and made significant contributions to the political history and development of the country.-Buildings:...
Esq., M.P., of Kingston Lacy
Kingston Lacy
Kingston Lacy is a country house and estate near Wimborne Minster, Dorset, England, now owned by the National Trust. From the 17th to the late 20th centuries it was the family seat of the Bankes family, who had previously resided nearby at Corfe Castle until its destruction in the English Civil War...
Hall, Dorset
Dorset
Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
.
Historicity
The story was circulated in literature at the time, most notably in Tobias SmollettTobias Smollett
Tobias George Smollett was a Scottish poet and author. He was best known for his picaresque novels, such as The Adventures of Roderick Random and The Adventures of Peregrine Pickle , which influenced later novelists such as Charles Dickens.-Life:Smollett was born at Dalquhurn, now part of Renton,...
's novel Peregrine Pickle, and in the 19th century by Sir Walter Scott in Guy Mannering
Guy Mannering
Guy Mannering or The Astrologer is a novel by Sir Walter Scott, published anonymously in 1815. According to an introduction that Scott wrote in 1829, he had originally intended to write a story of the supernatural, but changed his mind soon after starting...
and Charles Reade
Charles Reade
Charles Reade was an English novelist and dramatist, best known for The Cloister and the Hearth.-Life:Charles Reade was born at Ipsden, Oxfordshire to John Reade and Anne Marie Scott-Waring; William Winwood Reade the influential historian , was his nephew. He studied at Magdalen College, Oxford,...
in The Wandering Heir.
In 2010, A. Roger Ekirch published Birthright: The True Story That Inspired Kidnapped, a biography of James Annesley. Ekirch says that historians had traditionally dismissed many details of the story of Annesley as being fanciful fiction. However Ekirch found a trove of legal documents that show the story as traditionally told was mostly true. This is the first book length study of the case since Andrew Lang
Andrew Lang
Andrew Lang was a Scots poet, novelist, literary critic, and contributor to the field of anthropology. He is best known as a collector of folk and fairy tales. The Andrew Lang lectures at the University of St Andrews are named after him.- Biography :Lang was born in Selkirk...
edited The Annesley Case in 1912. The Johnsonian
Samuel Johnson
Samuel Johnson , often referred to as Dr. Johnson, was an English author who made lasting contributions to English literature as a poet, essayist, moralist, literary critic, biographer, editor and lexicographer...
scholar and mystery writer, Lillian de la Torre
Lillian de la Torre
Lillian de la Torre was an American novelist and a prolific writer of historical mysteries. Her name is a pseudonym for Lillian de la Torre Bueno McCue....
, extensively researched unpublished documents in Ireland in the early 1960s, but her long projected book still remained in manuscript at the time of her death. She did however publish a number of articles in scholarly journals on different aspects of Annesley's life.
Kidnapped
A. Roger Ekirch and others have said that the novel KidnappedKidnapped (novel)
Kidnapped is a historical fiction adventure novel by the Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson. Written as a "boys' novel" and first published in the magazine Young Folks from May to July 1886, the novel has attracted the praise and admiration of writers as diverse as Henry James, Jorge Luis...
by Robert Louis Stevenson
Robert Louis Stevenson
Robert Louis Balfour Stevenson was a Scottish novelist, poet, essayist and travel writer. His best-known books include Treasure Island, Kidnapped, and Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde....
was inspired by the Annesley story. They point to similar storylines, such as an uncle who kidnapped a fatherless and rightful heir at a young age and ships him to the colonies; the heir then returns and claims his birthright from the villainous uncle. It is probable Stevenson was influenced by the Annesley story, as Ekirch says,
It is inconceivable that Stevenson, a voracious reader of legal history, was unfamiliar with the saga of James Annesley, which by the time of Kidnapped’s publication in 1886 had already influenced four other 19th-century novels, most famously Sir Walter Scott’s Guy Mannering (1815) and Charles Reade’s The Wandering Heir (1873).
However there is no direct evidence, because Stevenson never left any recorded statement about his sources for Kidnapped. Stevenson's wife, Fanny Stevenson, said an inspiration for Kidnapped was The Trial of James Stewart, a contemporary account of the Appin murder
Appin Murder
The Appin Murder occurred on May 14, 1752 near Appin in the north-west of Scotland, and it resulted in what is often held to be a notorious miscarriage of justice...
, concerning the killing of Colin Roy Campbell, but this does not preclude there being more than one influence on Kidnapped.
Sources
- A. Roger Ekirch (2010). Birthright: The True Story That Inspired Kidnapped. W.W. Norton. ISBN 978-0-393-06615-9
External links
- "Kidnapped!", by A. Roger Ekirch in common-place.org Vol.11, No.1, October 2010
- The Foundation of Scott's Guy Mannering, a retelling of Annesley's life, The Gentleman's MagazineThe Gentleman's MagazineThe Gentleman's Magazine was founded in London, England, by Edward Cave in January 1731. It ran uninterrupted for almost 200 years, until 1922. It was the first to use the term "magazine" for a periodical...
, July 1840, pg.39-42. - The Trial of Mrs Mary Heath, court transcript 1743
- The Trial of Richard Anglesea, court transcript 1744