Noble Arrowsmith was born in 1749 in London, the son of Robert and Elizabeth Arrowsmith. Robert, a pork butcher from All Hallows Lambeth, had married Elizabeth Hollis from St. Dionis Backchurch at St. Giles Camberwell in 1741. Noble was born on 16 February and baptised at St. Dionis Backchurch on 21 February. A younger brother, John, and a sister, Elizabeth, both died in infancy. An older brother, Robert, died in 1773 aged 29. Their father, Robert, died in 1776, and their mother, Elizabeth, died in 1793. Arrowsmith joined Adventure on 11 February 1772 as AB for Cook’s Second Voyage. He was serving in HMS Resource when he wrote his will in November 1778. There is no record that he married. He died in late 1780 or early 1781. Only his mother, who proved the document on 3 May 1781 and was living in Leadenhall Market, London is mentioned in his will.1
John Robson
References
- PROB 11/1077.
Originally published in Cook's Log, page 34, volume 34, number 4 (2011).