Description:
The white marble memorial records the death of Mary Wales, widow of William Wales (1734-1798), astronomer on Captain Cook’s second voyage.
The memorial is mounted on the back wall inside the church of St Mary & St Clement, Clavering.
History:
Mary Wales (nee Green) married William Wales in 1765 at Greenwich, astronomer on Captain Cook’s second voyage. She was the sister of Charles Green, who was astronomer on Captain Cook’s first voyage.
Mary was the mother-in-law of Lancelot Pepys Stephens, who was incumbent at Clavering from 1818 to 1834, and married Mary Judith Wales. Rev L.P. Stephens’ memorial lies adjacent to the Mary Wales memorial in the church, he died 7 years after his mother-in-law, who died in 1827 while living with her daughter and son-in-law at Clavering. She lies buried in the churchyard.
Inscription:
Plaque:
MARY,
RELICT OF WILLIAM WALES ESQ F.R.S.
ASTRONOMER WITH CAPT. COOK
IN HIS SECOND VOYAGE ROUND THE WORLD.
SECRETARY TO THE HON : BOARD OF LONGITUDE,
AND LATE MASTER OF
THE ROYAL MATHEMATICAL SCHOOL;
CHRIST’S HOSPITAL
DIED 29TH JANʸ. 1827
AGED 88
GPS Coordinates: 51.965647, 0.143160
References:
Cook’s Log, page 1362, vol. 20, no. 1 (1997)
Cook’s Log, page 13, vol. 29, no. 1 (2006)
Cook’s Log, page 26, vol. 29, no. 2 (2006)
Website: http://www.recordinguttlesfordhistory.org.uk/clavering/Captain%20Cook.pdf
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