John Tregerthen Short 1785 – 1873

Prisoners of War in France 1804 -1814. Available to read online.

https://archive.org/details/prisonerswarinf00haingoog

A few months ago Mr Adrian Tregerthen Short from St Ives Cornwall booked a room with us for the night of 19^th April.

Adrian’s four times removed great grandfather, John became a sailor in St Ives and at the age of 19 was taken prisoner by Napoleon’s navy. He was marched from Dieppe to Givec in northern France, where he was held prisoner for 10 years. With the Russians approaching in 1914, the prisoners were released and marched south to Bordeaux during 16 weeks. He arrived in Bordeaux on 27^th April 1814.

John kept a diary of his travels.

A local ship-owner, Mr Edward Hain, came across his diaries in the early 1900’s and knowing the Tregerthen family he contacted them and handed the diaries over to the family. The diary concerning his imprisonment and march through France was published in1914 and can be read on line. See link above.

Thiviers is mentioned in the diary and John passed through the town, on his way to

Bordeaux, on 19^th April 1814! Adrian, his great great, great, great grandson retraced John’s march exactly two hundred years later keeping the same time and finally arriving in Bordeaux on 27^th April 2014 to hopefully a grand reception!         
Author:
Thivers Hotel (G+)