HMS Speedy - Dr. James Guthrie, commander and crew, albeit briefly

On Facebook this morning, Maritime Great Britain linked to a post on THE DEAR SURPRISE blog, discussing a post by Marion Elizabeth Diamond on the Historians are Past Caring blog, which raised the question, “Was this the real Stephen Maturin?”   Ms. Diamond answers her own question with the suggestion that Patrick O’Brian may have based his character of ships’ surgeon/spy, Stephen Maturin, on the doctor and scientist, Augustus Bozzi Granville, who did indeed serve in the medical service of the Royal Navy.

Bozzi Geneville may indeed have served as an inspiration to O’Brian.  I have always thought that O’Brian borrowed from the life of Joseph Banks for both his characters, Maturin and Joseph Blaine.  Bozzi Geneville looks like a reasonable candidate, as well.   Nevertheless, we should not forget Dr. James Guthrie, who provided the very literal inspiration for O’Brian’s Dr. Maturin.

To find the genesis of Patrick O’Brian’s Aubrey/Maturin series of novels, twenty one in all, one need look no farther than Lord Cochrane‘s The Autobiography of a Seaman.  O’Brian lifts the events in his first Aubrey/Maturin novel, Master and Commander, directly from Cochrane‘s The Autobiography of a Seaman.   Cochrane’s little brig is  HMS Speedy, whereas Aubrey’s is named Sophie.   Aubrey and Cochrane generally look alike.   Cochrane’s highly successful cruise in the Speedy is replicated virtually prize for prize by Aubrey in the Sophie.   The highpoint of Cochrane’s cruise is the taking of a 40 gun Spanish chebeck frigate, Gamo, by the tiny Speedy.  In Master and Commander, the main difference from Cochrane’s account is that O’Brian gives the Spanish ship the more colorful name of Cacafuego.  O’Brian himself acknowledges in the author notes to his novel, Far Side of the World, that the first novel of the series is based on Lord Cochrane and the Speedy.

So, if O’Brian borrows heavily from Cochrane in Master and Commander, what does this have to do with Stephen Maturin and who the hell is Dr. James Guthrie?

When Cochrane attacked the Spanish frigate, Gamo, in 1801 he could not outgun her, so he had to take the ship by boarding.  Unfortunately, he was outnumbered almost six to one. He had his crew blacken their faces and scream like demons as they boarded the frigate. The attack was so bold and sudden that the Spanish quickly surrendered. As Cochrane needed every man in the boarding parties, he left one one person at the helm of the Speedy, the ship’s surgeon, Dr. James Guthrie. O’Brian copied the battle in  Master and Commander with his Dr. Maturin at the brig’s helm.

One can only imagine Patrick O’Brian reading Cochrane’s autobiography and coming across the intrepid ship’s surgeon, both in temporary command and, at that moment, the entire crew of the  little brig, and thinking, “wouldn’t that make for an interesting character.”   Whether Dr.Guthrie was the literary inspiration for Dr. Maturin is unlikely. There is no evidence to suggest that Guthrie was either spy nor naturalist. Nevertheless, if he was not the literary inspiration, he appears to be the literal inspiration for O’Brian’s doctor.

Cochrane writes of Guthrie:

” The doctor, Mr. Guthrie, who, I am happy to say, is still living to peruse this record of his gallantry, volunteered to take the helm; leaving him therefore for the time both commander and crew of the Speedy, the order was given to board, and in a few seconds every man was on the enemy’s deck- a feat rendered the more easy as the doctor placed the Speedy close along with admirable skill.”

In his dispatch to the Admiralty Cochrane mentions Dr. Guthrie:

I acknowledge with pleasure as well as the assiduous, skilful, and philanthropic attention of Mr. Guthrie the surgeon, to the wounded.

Dr. James Guthrie retired to Newburgh, North Fife in Scotland and built Guthrie Lodge on the banks of the River Tay.  He died at 82, in 1862. His obituary from the Fifeshire Journal 11 December 1862, Newburgh;

The Late Dr. Guthrie – The funeral of James Guthrie, Esq., M.D., of the Royal Navy took place here on Monday, at 2.30 P.M. A large attendance accompanied his remains to the Cemetary. We observed present, Mr. Wemyss, M.P., and R. Cathcart, Esq. of Pitcairlie. Dr. Guthrie was widely known in Fife, in which he acted for many years as a J.P. We will not venture to relate what we have heard of the many heroic deeds he performed while at sea; but we can say he possessed dignity without loftiness, and familiarity without meaness, which commanded respect from all who knew him. His benevolence knew no bounds, and among the poor and needy of this place he will be greatly lamented. [Our readers will recollect that  Lord Dundonald, (Thomas Cochrane), in his autobiography, paid a most graceful compliment to the nautical skill, and sailor-like daring of his friend Guthrie.

Jennifer Reid Artist has a gallery in Guthrie Studio at Guthrie Lodge.

Thanks to the site War of 1812: Privateers for the information on Dr. Guthrie.