Correspondence of the Family of Haddock, 1657-1719 The Camden Miscellany: Volume the Eighth

Through a series of letters spanning 1657 to 1719, listeners can step into the world of the Haddocks, a long‑standing Essex family whose name was practically synonymous with the Royal Navy. The correspondence reveals a lineage of captains, commissioners and admirals who served under the Commonwealth, the Restoration and the early Hanoverian era. Their network of siblings, wives and children provides a vivid picture of how maritime service shaped family life across generations.

The letters blend ordinary domestic concerns—marriages, inheritances, and the occasional bout of seasickness—with the dramatic moments of naval warfare, shipboard politics and the logistical challenges of victualling an empire. Readers hear the personal voice of a captain describing a squadron off Dunkirk, a merchant’s report from the Mediterranean, and a son’s reflections on a battle that cost many lives. Together they offer a rare, ground‑level view of England’s rise as a sea power, while preserving the humor and humility of a family that kept naming sons Richard.