Patrick Whelan sailed in HMS Resolution during Cook’s Second and Third Voyages. His surname appears in the musters and journals variously as Whelan, Wheland, Whelon and Wheilon, while his date of birth is given as either 1732 or 1742, and his place of birth as Limerick or London.
Whelan joined the Second Voyage on 7 January, 1772, as quartermaster, and joined the Third Voyage on 10 February, 1776, as an able bodied seaman (AB). He was made quartermaster on 12 March. Whelan was punished on three occasions.
On 21 May, 1773, with six lashes for insolence to the Boatswain.
On 18 February, 1777, with six lashes for insolence and contempt.
On 5 April, 1778, with six lashes for neglect of duty.
After the Third Voyage, Whelan remained in the navy becoming a gunner. An entry for “Patrick Whelon, gunner” appears in the lists of “Warrants or commissions for service at this rank in the Royal Navy” for 1780,1 and 1786.2
John Robson
References
- Reference ADM 6/22/214. Held at The National Archives (TNA), Kew.
- ADM 6/23/325 and ADM 6/23/351. TNA.
Originally published in Cook's Log, page 35, volume 46, number 2 (2023).