James Alexander Seton
| James Alexander Seton | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1816 Fordingbridge, Hampshire, |
| Died | 2 June 1845 (aged 28-29) Portsmouth |
| Cause of death | Infected gunshot wound |
| Resting place |
St Mary's Church, Fordingbridge 50°55′15″N 1°47′42″W / 50.92078°N 1.79509°W |
| Nationality | British |
| Occupation | None |
| Known for | Last British person killed in a duel on British soil |
| Spouse(s) | Anne Susannah Wakefield (1838-1845, his death) |
| Children | One |
| Parent(s) | Colonel James Seton, Margaret Findlater |
| Military career | |
| Allegiance |
 United Kingdom
|
| Service/branch |
 British Army
|
| Years of service | 1837–1838 |
| Rank | Cornet |
James Alexander Seton (1816-2 June 1845) was the last British person to be killed in a duel on English soil.
James Alexander Seton was born in Fordingbridge, Hampshire, in 1816, the son of Colonel James Seton and Margaret Findlater. He was of Scottish descent, being a descendant of the Earls of Dunfemeline. His grandfather was Vice-Admiral James Seton, governor of St Vincent in the Caribbean. Thanks to inherited money, he was a wealthy man with no need to work for a living.
Seton served briefly as a cavalry officer. Between March 1837 and March 1838 he was attached to the 3rd, 11th and 12th Light Dragoons. His rank was never higher than that of cornet, and his short military career ended around six years before the duel. Despite this he is styled "Captain Seton" in many histories of the event.
He married Anne Susannah Wakefield in May 1838 and they had one child, Marion Frances.
Some time during the early 1840s James and Susannah Seton rented rooms in Southsea near Portsmouth, Hampshire. In May 1845, James Seton met Isabella Hawkey, the wife of Lieutenant Henry Hawkey, an officer of the Royal Marines. Seton began a pursuit of Isabella, visiting her at her lodgings when her husband was absent and offering gifts. Henry Hawkey heard rumours of this and forbade his wife to see Seton.
On 19 May 1845, the Hawkeys and James Seton attended a ball in the King's Rooms, Southsea, a gathering that was held weekly. There, James danced with Isabella. There was an altercation in which Hawkey openly insulted Seton, calling him a "blaggard and a scoundrel"
Early the next morning, Hawkey was visited in his lodgings by a naval officer, Lieutenant Rowles. Acting as Seton's second, Rowles issued Hawkey with a formal challenge to a duel. Hawkey later visited a gunsmith's shop with a shooting gallery where he briefly practiced shooting. Later, he bought a pair of duelling pistols from another shop and spent the afternoon practicing with them.
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