'John Deman' returns to Greenwich - new character actor launched for Black History Month
Laura Wilkinson
25 September 2006
On 1 October 2006 the Greenwich Foundation for the Old Royal Naval College (ORNC) and the National Maritime Museum (NMM) will launch a new character actor ‘John Deman’, a black Greenwich Pensioner, who will give his first performances during Black History Month 2006.
Inspired by Andrew Morton’s painting United Service (1845), displayed in the National Maritime Museum, researchers from both the Greenwich Foundation and National Maritime Museum have uncovered the story behind the black Pensioner depicted in the painting.
A number of significant facts about John Deman have been found by the researchers who initially had only one source to work from: his name, which was detailed on the index of the painting. Together with other sources of evidence a new performance-led learning resource illustrating John’s life as a black sailor and as a Pensioner in Greenwich in the early 19th century has been created with Spectrum Drama and Theatre Projects.
John Deman was born in the West Indies around 1774 and as a boy, aged about 13, joined the Navy travelling to England where he served on various ships in Admiral Lord Nelson’s fleet. There is no record of John Deman in any of the pay books or logs for the ships at the Battle of Trafalgar therefore we can assume he was injured at one of Nelson’s earlier battles, perhaps at the Battle of the Nile.
The research hasn’t uncovered exactly how he was injured but it must have resulted in him being unfit for active duty for he entered the Greenwich Hospital for Seaman around the turn of the century.
Andrew Morton’s painting depicts a meeting of army and navy veterans viewing the Naval Gallery paintings (the Painted Hall at the ORNC was once the ‘National Gallery of Naval Art’ before the NMM opened in 1937). To keep themselves occupied Pensioners often gave tours of the Painted Hall and in this painting John Deman, along with the other naval Pensioners, is shown entertaining the army veterans.
John Deman’s death was recorded in 1847, two years after Andrew Morton’s painting was displayed at the Royal Academy.
Following the launch of Black History Month on Sunday 1 October ‘John Deman’ will become a regular performer for the public events programme and education workshops at both the Old Royal Naval College and the National Maritime Museum.
Events for Black History Month
Dates: Weekends in October (except 29 October)
Times: 12:00, 13:00, 15:00
Location: NMM
Meet John Deman and hear about how he became a sailor, leaving his West Indies home to serve with Admiral Nelson. Free
Dates: Saturday 21 October
Times: 12:00, 13:00, 15:00
Location: NMM & ORNC
The National Maritime Museum and Old Royal Naval College are offering a free tour on Trafalgar Day. The tour will begin at the Museum in front of Andrew Morton’s painting The United Service which depicts John Deman, and then continues on to the Painted Hall in the ORNC.
Suitable for families, the audience will hear about life at sea and in Greenwich as a black Pensioner in the early 19th century.
Visitor Information
Old Royal Naval College:
Admission free
Opening times: Mon-Sat: Painted Hall, Chapel & Visitor Centre 10:00 -17:00, Sun: Painted Hall & Visitor Centre 10:00 – 17:00; Chapel 12:30 – 17:00
For further information visit www.oldroyalnavalcollege.org or call 020 8269 4799.
National Maritime Museum:
Admission Free
Opening times: 10:00 – 17:00 daily
For further information visit www.nmm.ac.uk or call 020 8858 4422 / 020 8312 6565 (recorded information)
