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Hall, Basil, 1788-1844

We have 1 book for this author.

Basil Hall (December 31, 1788 - September 11, 1844) was a naval officer, traveller, and author, the second son of Sir James Hall, 4th Baronet, an eminent man of science.

Although his family home was at Dunglass, Haddingtonshire, Basil Hall was born in Edinburgh. He joined the navy in 1802, was commissioned a Lieutenant in 1808, and later rose to the rank of Captain.

He was one of the first British Naval Officers to visit Korea, and wrote Voyage of Discovery to Corea (1818), also Travels in North America in 1827-28, a lively work which gave some minor offence in the U.S. due to his criticisms of native mores. His best work was Fragments of Voyages and Travels (1831-40). He also wrote some tales and romances and contributed to scientific journals. His writing and keeping a journal had been encouraged by his father at the commencment of Hall's naval career, and his many publications are the extracts of notes in his personal journal.

He was declared insane later in his life and died in the Haslar Hospital at Portsmouth.

Basil Hall was married March 1, 1825 to Margaret Congalton (d. 1876), the youngest daughter of Sir John Hunter, Consul-General in Spain by his spouse Elizabeth Barbara, sister to Sir William Arbuthnot, 1st Baronet.

In addition to a son, their daughter Eliza married Admiral William Charles Chamberlain.

References

  • National Archives of Scotland (GD206/2/545) contains a letter from Captain Basil Hall, R. N., to John Tod, Esq., concerning the announcement of his marriage to Margaret, youngest daughter of late Sir John Hunter, Consul General in Spain, on 1st March, 1825.
  • The Royal Families of England, Scotland, and Wales, with their Descendants, etc., by Messrs. John and John Bernard Burke, London, 1848: vol. 1, pedigree CXXVI.
  • Ten Parishes of the County of Haddington, by John Martine, edited by E. J. Wilson, Haddington, 1894, p.215.


External links


This biographical information was gathered from the Basil_Hall page, courtesy of the Wikipedia project.

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The Lieutenant and Commander Being Autobigraphical Sketches of His Own Career, from Fragments of Voyages and Travels

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