James Montagu

In the north west tower chapel in the nave of Westminster Abbey is a free standing white marble statue to Captain James Montagu.

Memorial

An over-life-size figure of James in naval uniform stands on a pedestal on which is a carved relief of a naval battle flanked by two large lions. Behind and above his figure is one representing Victory and she originally held a laurel wreath above his head. At the back of the pedestal is a relief of two seated mourning sailors. At the sides are a trident with a crown and a laurel wreath formerly encircling the word 'Constitution'.

The sculptor was John Flaxman, and it was completed in 1804. The monument cost over 3,000 pounds and originally stood on the south side of the nave in the third bay, in front of the Bovey monument. But in 1808 it was moved to its present position.

The inscription reads:

Erected at the public expense to the memory of James Montagu, who was killed on board the Montagu, which he gallantly commanded in the memorable victory over the French fleet off Brest on the first of June 1794, in the forty second year of his age and twenty eighth of his service

His Life

He was born on 12th August 1752, a son of Admiral John Montagu (died 1795) and his wife Sophia (Wroughton). His brothers were Admiral Sir George Montagu (1750-1829), and Edward Montagu (1755-1799), an army officer. After several years at sea his father appointed him to the Mercury.

He later served on the North American station and took papers announcing the capture of Rhode Island by Sir Peter Parker and General Clinton back to England. While sailing on the Hudson river his ship was sunk when it hit a submerged wreck but he was cleared at the court martial. Later he saw action off India. His last ship was the Montagu in which he was killed in a battle against the French, on what was called the 'Glorious First of June' 1794. He was buried at sea.

Parliament voted the funds to put up his monument within weeks of his death, together with a monument to Captain John Harvey and Captain John Hutt, who died in the same engagement.

Further Reading

Oxford Dictionary of National Biography 2004 (James, his father and brothers)

"The Glorious First of June 1794" edited M. Duffy and R. Morriss, 2001

"The politics of public monuments: parliamentary commissions of monuments in Westminster Abbey 1798" by Susan Jenkins in Sculpture Journal vol. 30,1.2021

Flaxman's design for the monument is at the Henry Moore Foundation, Leeds, and the contract drawing is in the National Archives.