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Discussion on TQ7468
Re: the plaque commemorating Sir Cloudsley Shovel. He was an Admiral, who had the unfortunate distinction of wrecking a substantial part of his fleet on the Scilly Isles in 1707. They were returning from the Mediterranean, and were unlucky to misjudge their position at the approach to the English Channel. Over 800 men died in the wrecks. Apart from this disaster, he was a succesful and well-loved commander.
One of my wife's ancestor's was reputedly in the fleet, and one of her great-uncles was given the middle name Cloudesly in honour of the admiral. I was suprised when researching my own ancestors to find some of them living at Cloudesley Place Islington in 1861, so both of us have remote connections to the Admiral.
Spelling of his name varies - Cloudsley, Cloudesley and Clowdisley are the most common variants.