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of His Majesty’s Mails, almost opposite them were the City 
Markets and the Guildhall, and but a short distance away 
loomed up the Abbey with its Gothic tower dominating the 
picturesque and busy area below. 
S. Whitchurch, as a youth, came from Frome to reside in Bath, 
and as a seaman had in early manhood an adventurous career. 
After voyaging round the world he entered the Navy and served 
in the Monmouth off the American coast during the War of 
Revolt. In the action off the Island of Grenada, July 6th, 1779, 
between the English and French fleets, on the Grafton, Captain 
Collingwood, he was in charge of the signals ; on August 5th, 
1781, in the Alert, he was present at the action on the Dogger 
Bank between the English and Dutch fleets ; and on April 12th, 
1782, he was in the West Indies with Rodney in the action which 
drove the French fleet from those seas, and in one action was so 
severely wounded that the scars always remained visible. In 
1788, as an Ironmonger and Brazier, he was in business at No. 3, 
Bridge Street ; and in the Bath Herald and Register of March 3rd, 
1792, he appears as Secretary to “The Royal Universal Tontine, 
commenced December 26th, 1791, for 7 years for the benefit of 
survivors.” In 1797 this Society was known as the “ Bristol 
Universal Tontine.” Always conspicuously loyal, in December, 
1792, he signed the book of the “Bath Loyal Association for 
preserving Liberty, Property, and the Constitution of Great 
Britain against Republicans and Levellers.” 
On September 23rd, 1796, 
“SAMUEL WHITCHURCH 
IRONMONGER, BRAZIER, SMITH, TINMAN & CUTLER 
Respectfully informs his Friends and the Public, that he is 
removed from his old situation, to, The New House and Shop, 
next the Greyhound, in the Market Place, and directly facing 
Bridge Street.” 
lor many years Whitchurch worked with such energy in 
