A case of mistaken identity that continues to be repeated

By Fabiënne Tetteroo
25 September 2021 [edited 29 July 2022 and 19 February 2026]

Many books and online sources say that Fitzjames already knew Edward Couch before they both joined the Franklin Expedition in 1845. This information appears to come solely from William Battersby’s biography of Fitzjames. According to Battersby, Fitzjames was on HMS Excellent together with Couch in 1837 (Battersby, Mystery Man, 2010, p. 113), and this same Couch, as lieutenant of HMS Blonde, was in command of two gunboats during the Battle of Zhenjiang on 21 July 1842. (Battersby, Mystery Man, 2010, p. 132) In the Franklin Expedition letters book, May We Be Spared To Meet On Earth, the short bio of Couch repeats this information. (Potter et al, 2022, p. 380)

But it was actually a different Edward, with the last name Crouch, who was on the Excellent and the Blonde. Fitzjames had probably never heard of young Edward Couch before 1845. So let’s set the record straight about this mix-up of Edward CROUCH (born 1816) and Edward COUCH (born 1823).

Edward COUCH

– Baptised 27 August 1823 in Camberwell, London.
– Son of Captain James Couch (entered Navy 1789, retired 1846), and Mary.
– Edward Couch was not, as Battersby says, on HMS Excellent in 1837-1838. That was Edward CROUCH, from December 1835 until April 1837:

– The service record on Edmund Wuyts’s website appears to be of the right Edward Couch. According to that, Couch joined the Navy as a Clerk’s Assistant in 1837 on HMS Russell. He then switched to a different line of work, entering as a Volunteer First Class on HMS Queen on 8 December 1841. The Queen joined the Mediterranean Fleet and did not go to China. [Source] Couch was lent to HMS Scout on 2 June 1842, but the Scout was also in the Mediterranean. [Source]

– Couch was appointed as a mate on the Erebus on the Franklin Expedition in 1845.
– He passed his lieutenant’s exam on 5 May 1845, shortly before Erebus sailed, and he was eventually promoted to lieutenant on 24 May 1847.

This is an interesting account of a lawsuit that took place to determine if it was Edward or his father James who had died first, to settle the inheritance of both men. The author used Battersby as her source for Couch’s service record.

Another Edward Couch:
There is also an Edward Couch who was promoted to Lieutenant on 14 May 1845.

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Edward CROUCH

– Born 3 December 1816 in Titchfield, died 1847.
– Son of Commander E.T. Crouch, R.N.
– Entered the Navy in 1830.
– HMS Excellent, December 1835 until 21 April 1837.
– Lieutenant on HMS Blonde during the First Opium War, China 1842.
[Source: William R. O’Byrne, A Naval Biographical Dictionary.]

Mentioned by Vice-Admiral William Parker in The Nautical Magazine and Naval Chronicle (1843)

[There is a portrait of Edward Crouch that was auctioned at Bonhams in 2013. Alas, there is no picture of the portrait. If the present owner of this portrait should read this, I would love to show the portrait of Edward Crouch here for the sake of completeness.]

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Fitzjames about Edward Couch

In Fitzjames’ letter to Elizabeth Coningham from 10 June 1845, where he describes his Erebus messmates, he begins by describing Couch and, after him, Stanley and Des Vœux, whom he says he knew from their time together in China. Fitzjames didn’t need to tell Elizabeth how he knew Le Vesconte and Fairholme, because she had met them. It looks like Fitzjames did not know Couch and Sargent before. The following is quoted from the published, edited letter in The Nautical Magazine (1852):

“Crouch [sic] is a little, black – haired, smooth – faced fellow good humoured in his own way; writes, reads, works, draws, all quietly. Is never in the way of anybody, and always ready when wanted ; but I can find no remarkable point in his character, except, perhaps, that he is, I should think, obstinate. Stanley, the surgeon, I knew in China. He was in the Cornwallis a short time, where he worked very hard in his vocation. Is rather inclined to be good looking, but fat, with jet black hair, very white hands, which are always abominably clean, and the shirt sleeves tucked up ; giving one unpleasant ideas that he would not mind cutting one’s leg off immediately— if not sooner. He is thoroughly good natured and obliging and very attentive to our mess. Le Viscomte [sic] you know. He improves, if possible, on closer acquaintance. Fairholme, you know or have seen, is a smart, agreeable companion, and a well informed man. Sargent, a nice, pleasant – looking lad, very good natured. Des Vœux I knew in the Cornwallis. He went out in her to join the Endymion, and was then a mere boy. He is now a most unexceptionable, clever, agreeable, light – hearted, obliging young fellow, and a great favourite of Hodgson’s, which is much in his favour besides.”

In Fitzjames’ original letter, he wrote the names of Couch and Le Vesconte correctly; the misspellings are the editor’s (William Coningham?).

It is now clear that Edward Couch did not serve with Fitzjames on the Excellent, nor in China. Battersby simply confused Edward Couch with Edward Crouch, and subsequently, no one checked any musters or service records, repeating Battersby’s mistake.