Sarah Rowley and captains' wives as informal shipboard staff

Rowley married Sarah Burton in 1759 after returning from French captivity. She was the daughter of Bartholomew Burton, governor of the Bank of England, and the couple had seven children. Sarah may also have spent time aboard ship with her husband, as some captains' and senior officers' wives did. Long commissions otherwise separated naval families for extended periods, so going to sea could be the only practical way to live together. These women could function as an informal part of a commander's staff and social household. This adds financial and domestic context to an officer corps usually described through battles and promotions.