Papers relating to the life and naval service of Lieutenant Charles Hare.

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Administrative / biographical background
Charles Hare entered the Navy in 1801 aged 11. In 1803, at the outset of the Napoleonic Wars, Hare was serving in HMS MINERVE as a midshipman when the ship was captured, and he spent six years as a prisoner of war in France before escaping while disguised as a French officer. Shortly after his escape in 1809 he was promoted to lieutenant. From 1810-1814 he served in the River Plate, West India Station and the Bay of Fundy. From 1814-1815 he served in the Bermuda and Jersey stations, and was employed in the Secret Service on the coast of Normandy. Despite his belief that he deserved further promotion, Hare remained a lieutenant until his death in 1859.