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captjamesfitzjames.bsky.social
James Fitzjames
@captjamesfitzjames.bsky.social
1.6K followers 200 following 470 posts
Captain James Fitzjames RN (1813-1848?) research by Fabiënne Tetteroo MA / jamesfitzjames.com / BA Art History+MA Naval History / Collector of ephemera
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James Fitzjames @captjamesfitzjames.bsky.social · Nov 11
So many new followers, hello! I'm a historian writing a new biography of Captain Fitzjames of Franklin Expedition fame, debunking the many misconceptions about him & providing exciting new information. Here I'll post about my research & my 19th century collection.
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captjamesfitzjames.bsky.social
James Fitzjames @captjamesfitzjames.bsky.social · 9d
Euphrates Expedition, 30 September 1836: steaming into Baghdad with gay flags. [Charlewood's journal] #NavalHistory
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James Fitzjames @captjamesfitzjames.bsky.social · 12d
John Barrow raises an important point in 1878 that the Titanic people also should've thought of: more lifeboats! [JB's journal]
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James Fitzjames @captjamesfitzjames.bsky.social · 15d
"Thus most fortunately ends our voyage to Busheer, which as a Naval man I think was rather to hastily decided upon, but "Allhamdulilla" every [thing] turns up for the best." Learning the local language!
[June 1836, Charlewood's Euphrates Expedition journal] #NavalHistory
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James Fitzjames @captjamesfitzjames.bsky.social · 19d
Euphrates Expedition, April 1836: Fitzjames was made captain of some useless flatboat which according to every expectation broke and sank with all of their luggage. 🥲 Thank you, Colonel Chesney...
[Edward Charlewood's journal] #NavalHistory
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James Fitzjames @captjamesfitzjames.bsky.social · 19d
Hoping! 👀🙏
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James Fitzjames @captjamesfitzjames.bsky.social · 21d
I wanted to go to Valletta for Caravaggio reasons back then. Such a gorgeous city & probably relatively unchanged from the 19th century. Saw the harbour but had no interest in ships then. 🥲 I'm sure Fitzjames enjoyed all the entertainments that were to be had. The Med Station was the party station.
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James Fitzjames @captjamesfitzjames.bsky.social · 21d
I'm drinking this. 😄 🌊
captjamesfitzjames.bsky.social
James Fitzjames @captjamesfitzjames.bsky.social · 21d
Delicious! Very appropriate. I bought a few bottles of Bajtra when I was in Malta years ago, before I knew Fitzjames. Really want to go back & see the places he went.
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James Fitzjames @captjamesfitzjames.bsky.social · 21d
Felt like writing a new newsletter today: jamesfitzjames.substack.com/p/newsletter-3
Newsletter 3
One year anniversary of FitzFound plus research updates!
jamesfitzjames.substack.com
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captjamesfitzjames.bsky.social
James Fitzjames @captjamesfitzjames.bsky.social · 22d
"I have thought of Absent Friends – absent in The Happy Land – "not lost, but gone before" – let us hope." [John Barrow, 22 Dec 1875] Today last year news came that Fitzjames was finally found, craziest week of my life ensued but thankful for such an incredible historical breakthrough! #NavalHistory
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captjamesfitzjames.bsky.social
James Fitzjames @captjamesfitzjames.bsky.social · 22d
"At Sunset we launched the flat, in very good style, she went in with scarcely any trouble, Fitzjames christens her the Ruggy Banger from the Sheik of Haffra who is about as ugly as the flat." The ruggy what now? 😅 [Charlewood's Euphrates Expedition journal] #NavalHistory
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James Fitzjames @captjamesfitzjames.bsky.social · 24d
You're welcome! I guess those historians are only focussing on the time the expedition was in Iraq, then. They were in Turkey for almost a year before.
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James Fitzjames @captjamesfitzjames.bsky.social · 24d
This was Chesney's expedition. You can read all about it on my website: www.jamesfitzjames.com/expedition-personnel
James Fitzjames
In memory of the man, the myth, the legend
www.jamesfitzjames.com
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captjamesfitzjames.bsky.social
James Fitzjames @captjamesfitzjames.bsky.social · 24d
The expedition was about navigating the Euphrates river which also runs through Iraq. The expedition started in Turkey.
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James Fitzjames @captjamesfitzjames.bsky.social · 25d
December 1835, the Euphrates Expedition was very ill prepared for the Turkish winter...
[Edward Charlewood's journal] #NavalHistory
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James Fitzjames @captjamesfitzjames.bsky.social · 25d
Thank you, yes I have already read Pauline Helfer's book and also 'Euphrat Queen', my German is sufficient to understand most of it. 🙂
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James Fitzjames @captjamesfitzjames.bsky.social · 25d
I photographed all 5 volumes of Edward Charlewood's Euphrates Expedition journals a few years ago, & only now have time to read them. Fitzjames similarly kept a journal during the expedition, but his has sadly 'disappeared'. Only excerpts remain: jamesfitzjames.com/report-by-mr... #NavalHistory
Report by Mr. James Fitzjames (1835)
Fitzjames’ official report from April plus June until December 1835 of the Euphrates Expedition. These parts have been published in Chesney’s book Narrative of the Euphrates Expedition:…
jamesfitzjames.com
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James Fitzjames @captjamesfitzjames.bsky.social · 28d
On the Euphrates Expedition, the crew had been provided with tents that were not meant to be lived in. 🥲 Fitzjames was elsewhere during this particular storm. #NavalHistory
[Edward Charlewood's Euphrates expedition journal, BL]
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James Fitzjames @captjamesfitzjames.bsky.social · 29d
Wish the book didn't cost €110. I downloaded her dissertation on the same topic instead, still have to read it. It sounds like such an interesting and important contribution to the research field!
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James Fitzjames @captjamesfitzjames.bsky.social · Sep 13
❤️ [My John Barrow scrapbook] #NavalHistory #FranklinExpedition
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James Fitzjames @captjamesfitzjames.bsky.social · Sep 11
Thank you! The article is about 11.000 words and I could've written more about the painting and will do so in my Fitzjames biography. 😄
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James Fitzjames @captjamesfitzjames.bsky.social · Sep 11
Thank you! If they don't publish it I'm gonna eat my shoe like Franklin. And Werner Herzog. 😂
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James Fitzjames @captjamesfitzjames.bsky.social · Sep 11
AND NOW WE WAIT. My first ever academic journal submission. Looking forward to receiving feedback! I'm very happy with my research on the painting 'The Arctic Council' and so excited for the day when you can all read it. Lots of new insights & info, 2 years in the making! #NavalHistory
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James Fitzjames @captjamesfitzjames.bsky.social · Sep 10
The words are so similar! Franklin made quite an exhibition of his expedition, getting lost like that. 🥲
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James Fitzjames @captjamesfitzjames.bsky.social · Sep 10
People mixing up the words expedition and exhibition is a thing of all time. Here Leopold McClintock does it in a letter to John Barrow. He's referring to the Royal Naval Exhibition but writes 'Expedition'. [JB's 1891 journal] #NavalHistory
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