Hinde, Edwin Thomas, Commander, c.1816-1869.

The collection consists of letters written by Hinde to his family during his career on the West Coast of Africa and the West Indies. The letters are divided into two groups: those written to his family from the ATHOLL, BLACK JOKE, FAIR ROSAMOND and DRYAD between 1829 and 1832 during service on the West Coast of Africa; and those written from the SERPENT from the West Indies between 1833 and 1836

Administrative / biographical background
Hinde went to sea in July 1829 in the ATHOLL, Capt Alexander Gordon, possibly a friend of the family, seeing service on the West Coast of Africa. In 1831, while Midshipman in the DRYAD, Capt John Hayes, he was officially reported for the conduct he displayed in her tender, the BLACK JOKE, at the capture by boarding of a slave vessel of superior force. In December 1831 he moved from the BLACK JOKE into the FAIR ROSAMOND until July 1832 when he returned home in the DRYAD. In the two tenders he saw a good deal of action which he describes in his letters. Between 1833 and 1836 Hinde served aboard the SERPENT in the West Indies. The ship was not a happy one but apparently one of the more efficient sloops on the station. She cruised unsuccessfully for slavers, carried troops to various places in cases of insurrections by freed slaves and went to Para to watch British interests. Hinde was promoted Lieutenant in 1844, Commander in 1857 but never served at that rank. He retired in 1867 and died at Bushey Heath in Middlesex in 1869.