Steam Drifter - Eminent

[specialkg]

I have the information for the Steam Drifter Eminent which is on the Lossie fowk site.

Can anybody tell me if this was a fishing boat. ( Probably a stupid question but I am not sure if all these boats are fishing boats or not)

I have an ancestor who died at sea in 1921 and up until finding the boat under Steam Drifters I had been told that his plane had crash landed.  His name was James Mackie and he died at Loch Snizort.  From wording I don't think his body was found.

The information from GRO states he was an Engineman and a crew member of the Eminent.

Was Loch Snizort a place where Burghead boats went to fish back in 1921? 

Are there any records I could search for deaths at sea on my next visit to Elgin.

Any help with this part of my research would be great.

Thanks
Betty

[bervonian]

Hello Betty,

A drifter is a fishing boat that uses a drift-net which is allowed to drift with the tide.  I would say that it's perfectly possible that it fished in Loch Snizort as it's a large sea loch.

[bervonian]

Hi again Betty,

I take it that the entry in the ScotlandPeople index of deaths for a James Mackie, aged 37 whose death was registered at Snizort in 1923 will be your ancestor ?

[specialkg]

Thanks for the reply.

I found on the internet from Scotland's People a death for a James Mackie having died what appeared to be 1.1.1922 but there was no image but it quoted the Marine register number.

I got someone who was visiting GRO to have a look at the register and the information he gave me was the date of death as 19th December 1921, plus the other information I have quoted.

As the information fitted with what little I had, I was hoping I had the right person.

Did you find a death for a James Mackie in 1923?

Regards
Betty

[bervonian]

It seems that the James Mackie whose death was registered at Snizort in 1923 is a different person. I should have been searching the index of the Marine Register and can confirm that in agreement with your information, the death of a James Mackie was entered in 1922.

[specialkg]

Thanks for your time.

The years are different but a bit of a coincidence that there were two James Mackies having died at Snizort.

When someones body is not recovered until a much later date than the date they went missing I wonder what happens.  Is there a record kept at GRO of when the body was found and they register it.  Have you any thoughts on this.

Cheers
Betty.

[bervonian]

I agree that it seems  a coincidence that two of the same name died at Snizort, one in 1921, the other in 1923.  The 1921 death however, was entered in the Marine Register while the 1923 one was entered in the normal register. The only way to be certain that the 1923 death has no connection with the earlier one is to view the certificate.  Have you any idea when and where James Mackie was born?  That said, it looks as if he died on 19 Dec 1921 and the death was registered in the Marine Register on 1 Jan 1922.

[specialkg]

Thanks again for your time.

The next time I have credits for Scotland's People I will have a look for the death in 1923 just to see who he is.

The James Mackie I am following was 26 years old when he married in 1911  I do not have his D.O.B  He was living in Cummingston, Duffus at the time of his marriage.  On the extract from the Marine Register it states he was also living at Cummingston at time of death.

I have a photo of his grave stone.  His name is on a grave stone with other members of the family he married into.  It states lost at sea 1922.

Another one for the pending folder.

Cheers
Betty

[bervonian]

Just as a final, final. I think I've found James Mackie's birth in 1885 at Duffus.  This agrees with his age of 26 when he married  in 1911.
Good luck with your research.