Biography of Captain Christopher Gunman 1634-1685
On 17 May 1634 Captain Christopher Gunman was born.
Evelyn's Diary. 14 Nov 1675. Being Sunday, my Lord (age 47) having before delivered to me his letter of attorney, keys, seal, and his Will, we took a solemn leave of one another upon the beach, the coaches carrying them into the sea to the boats, which delivered them to Captain Gunman's (age 41) yacht, the "Mary". Being under sail, the castle gave them seventeen guns, which Captain Gunman answered with eleven. Hence, I went to church, to beg a blessing on their voyage.
In 1677 Captain Christopher Gunman (age 42) was the first captain of Mary.
In 1682 Captain Christopher Gunman (age 47) was court-martialled for the loss of the The Gloucester.
On 25 Mar 1685 Captain Christopher Gunman (age 50) died.
Evelyn's Diary. 26 Mar 1685. I was invited to the funerall of Capt. Gunman (deceased), that excellent pilot and seaman, who had behav'd himselfe so valiantly in the Dutch warr. He died of a gangrene, occasion'd by his fall from the pier of Calais. This was the Captain of the yacht carrying the Duke (age 51) (now King) to Scotland, and was accus'd for not giving timely warning when she split on the sands, where so many perish'd; but I am most confident he was no ways guilty, either of negligence or designe, as he made appeare not onely at the examination of the matter of fact, but in the Vindication he shew'd me, and which must needes give any man of reason satisfaction. He was a sober, frugal, cheerfull, and temperate man; we have few such seamen left.