# Matthew Michell

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[Captain](/source/Captain_(Royal_Navy)) **Matthew Michell** (often misspelt **Mitchell**,[1] c.1705 – 29 April 1752) was an English politician and [Royal Navy](/source/Royal_Navy) officer. He served in the [House of Commons](/source/House_of_Commons_of_Great_Britain) as [Member of Parliament](/source/Member_of_Parliament_(United_Kingdom)) for [Westbury](/source/Westbury_(UK_Parliament_constituency)) from 1748 until his death.

## Naval service

### Early career

Matthew Michell was born in around 1705, the first son of Christopher Michell of [Chitterne](/source/Chitterne), [Wiltshire](/source/Wiltshire) and Anne Willys of London.[2] Michell's maternal uncle was [Sir William Willys, 6th Baronet](/source/Sir_William_Willys,_6th_Baronet).[3] Michell joined the [Royal Navy](/source/Royal_Navy) in 1713, aged eight, and was promoted to [lieutenant](/source/Lieutenant_(Royal_Navy)) on 11 April 1729, serving in the 50-gun [fourth-rate](/source/Fourth-rate) [HMS *Advice*](/source/HMS_Advice_(1712)). Michell saw subsequent service as a lieutenant in the 70-gun [ships of the line](/source/Ships_of_the_line) [HMS *Royal Oak*](/source/HMS_Royal_Oak_(1674)) and [HMS *Ipswich*](/source/HMS_Ipswich_(1694)) before he was promoted to [commander](/source/Commander_(Royal_Navy)) in August 1738.[1] At the same time Michell received his first command, the 14-gun [bomb vessel](/source/Bomb_vessel) [HMS *Terrible*](/source/HMS_Terrible_(1730)), in which he served in the [North Sea](/source/North_Sea).[2][1]

Michell moved commands in 1740 to join the 12-gun [cutter](/source/Cutter_(boat)) [HMS *Swift*](/source/HMS_Swift_(1721)), serving in the [English Channel](/source/English_Channel).[1] In June the same year he was promoted to [post-captain](/source/Captain_(Royal_Navy)). At this point he was given command of the 40-gun [frigate](/source/Frigate) [HMS *Pearl*](/source/HMS_Pearl_(1726)).[2][1]

### With Anson

With the [War of Jenkins' Ear](/source/War_of_Jenkins'_Ear) ongoing, *Pearl* was appointed to join [Commodore](/source/Commodore_(Royal_Navy)) [George Anson's](/source/George_Anson,_1st_Baron_Anson) squadron in a [voyage around the world](/source/George_Anson's_voyage_around_the_world).[2] The force sailed to the [South Seas](/source/South_Seas) on 18 September, and while at [Madeira](/source/Madeira) on 3 November Michell was sent to replace Captain [Richard Norris](/source/Richard_Norris_(Royal_Navy_officer)) as the commanding officer of another of Anson's ships, the 50-gun fourth-rate [HMS *Gloucester*](/source/HMS_Gloucester_(1711)). The squadron subsequently rounded [Cape Horn](/source/Cape_Horn) in terrible conditions that saw *Gloucester* receive great damage and high casualties amongst her crew. With the crew sick with [scurvy](/source/Scurvy) and lacking water supplies, Michell succeeded in getting his ship to the rendezvous with Anson at the [Juan Fernández Islands](/source/Juan_Fern%C3%A1ndez_Islands) in July 1741.[2][1]

Michell's crew was so weak after their passage that despite having reached sight of Juan Fernández it took *Gloucester* a further four weeks to make harbour there. The ship was subsequently repaired and Anson sent more men on board to replace those lost.[2] *Gloucester* re-joined Anson off [Paita](/source/Paita) in November, sailing off the American coast before beginning the passage across the [Pacific Ocean](/source/Pacific_Ocean) towards China.[1] *Gloucester* continued to be in poor shape, scurvy having hit the crew again, with Michell reporting in March the following year that around 300 men had so far died on *Gloucester*, leaving only eighty of the original crew. During the passage across the Pacific *Gloucester* was heavily damaged in a storm; the ship lost her [mainmast](/source/Mainmast) and with 7 feet (2.1 m) of water in the [hold](/source/Hold_(ship)) was close to sinking. The crew had been further weakened, with only sixteen men and eleven boys capable of getting on [deck](/source/Deck_(ship)) to work the ship.[2]

*Gloucester* had a new mast [jury rigged](/source/Jury_rigging) but sailed very poorly with it. Unable to stop the leaks in the [hull](/source/Hull_(watercraft)), Anson ordered *Gloucester* to be abandoned and set on fire on 13 August.[1] The surviving crew were taken on board Anson's ship, the 60-gun fourth-rate [HMS *Centurion*](/source/HMS_Centurion_(1732)). *Centurion* was also in very poor condition and Michell, despite being a supernumerary, worked with the officers on board to supplement the seamen in keeping the ship afloat until she reached [Macao](/source/Macao).[2] At this stage Michell was allowed to leave the squadron and take passage home to England in a Swedish merchant ship. He arrived in June 1743, thus missing Anson's capture of the [Manila galleon](/source/Manila_galleon) in the same month. Michell and the other officers who had returned to England were feted in public for their part in the expedition and favourably received by the [Admiralty](/source/Admiralty_(United_Kingdom)).[2][1]

### Downs Station

Without a command, Michell spent several months on [half pay](/source/Half_pay) before in October he was given the 60-gun fourth-rate [HMS *Worcester*](/source/HMS_Worcester_(1735)).[2] The ship formed part of [Admiral](/source/Admiral_(Royal_Navy)) [Sir John Norris'](/source/John_Norris_(Royal_Navy_officer)) fleet from January 1744.[2][1] Still commanding *Worcester* in 1745, Michell was appointed commodore of the [Downs Station](/source/Downs_Station). When France invaded the Netherlands in 1747 the ships under Michell's command served off the [Flanders](/source/Flanders) and [Zeeland](/source/Zeeland) coasts, playing an important role in ending the [Second Stadtholderless Period](/source/Second_Stadtholderless_Period) in the [Dutch Republic](/source/Dutch_Republic). The Dutch politician [Willem Bentinck van Rhoon](/source/Willem_Bentinck_van_Rhoon) wrote to [John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich](/source/John_Montagu,_4th_Earl_of_Sandwich) in May saying that Michell's "diligence, activity, prudence, and spirit are quite remarkable, and will gain him universal admiration".[2]

## Political career

Despite Michell's success with the Downs Station he was not happy. In poor health due to the scurvy he had caught on Anson's expedition, he described his command as "this Cursed Station".[2] At the [1747 British general election](/source/1747_British_general_election) Prime Minister [Henry Pelham](/source/Henry_Pelham) had Michell stand with [Chauncy Townsend](/source/Chauncy_Townsend) as the [Whig](/source/Whigs_(British_political_party)) candidate for [Westbury](/source/Westbury_(UK_Parliament_constituency)), the constituency in which Chitterne sat. Anson had recommended Michell to Pelham. Michell was still at sea at this time and was represented locally during the election by his brother Robert. Pelham and Townsend jointly paid the fees Michell owed for the process. He lost the election and subsequently wrote to Anson that "By my brother's account I have had a great deal of injustice done me by the [returning officer](/source/Returning_officer).[3]

Michell had the result of the election overturned in a [petition](/source/Election_petition) and was seated on 16 March 1748.[2][3] He then resigned from the Royal Navy.[2] In parliament Michell consistently supported Pelham's administration until he died, apparently in the prime of his life, on 29 April 1752.[2][3]

## Personal life

Michell married Frances Ashfordby, the daughter of John Ashfordby of [Cheshunt](/source/Cheshunt), [Hertfordshire](/source/Hertfordshire), on 4 March 1749. Ashfordby brought with her a [dowry](/source/Dowry) of £20,000, . Together the couple had a son and a daughter.[2] Their daughter, Anne, married the naval officer Captain [Richard Onslow](/source/Sir_Richard_Onslow,_1st_Baronet) in 1773.[4]

## Citations

1. Laughton (1894), p. 334.

1. Williams (2008).

1. Lea, R. S. ["Michell, Matthew (?1705-52), of Chitterne, Wilts."](https://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1715-1754/member/michell-matthew-1705-52). History of Parliament. Retrieved 18 February 2023.

1. Cock (2008).

## References

- Cock, Randolph (2008). "Onslow, Sir Richard, first baronet". [doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/20795](https://doi.org/10.1093/ref:odnb/20795)
- Laughton, John Knox. Vol. 37.
- Williams, Glyndwr (2008). "Michell, Matthew". [doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/18658](https://doi.org/10.1093/ref:odnb/18658)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Matthew Michell](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthew_Michell) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthew_Michell?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.