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I knew that James Harris, born in Dundee in 1864, ran away to see and worked as a cabin boy on boats that sailed on the Elbe. I had a previous post about him and found at least one of the ships he sailed on in 1881.

This week I got the medical notes on his grandfather Alexander Harris, dating from 1876, in which he told the doctors that his youngest son had run off to sea, which had vexed him much. His youngest son was John, born in 1854.

I am wondering if he meant his son or his grandson. Problem is that it could be both: John's mother died in 1868, when John was 14, and there had been problems in the family. It's possible that his father Alexander had ran off with another woman.

I'm not certain how well Alexander would have know his grandson James: Alex was in Glasgow in 1869 when he remarried and still there in 1871. His health began to deteriorate around 1874, so he may have gone back to Dundee then.

Does anyone have access to seaman's records to see if wee Johnnie also ran away? John Harris was born in 1854 in Newburgh in Fife, father is Alexander Harris and mother Sarah Fyfe.

Any help or opinion of who ran away exactly much appreciated.

Greenvalley

I found records for Alexander Harris stating that he lived at

Isdale's Land in Arbroath Road in Dundee.

I also saw someone who lived at Isdale's Land Milne's East Hynd, Dundee
Isdale's Land, Guthries Close

So I am beginning to assume this isn't really a geographical location but may be a generic description for something. But what does it mean?

Anybody?

Greenvalley

I found this newspaper article and I wonder what you all think. Was Mrs Harris still married and with her husband? Or is the fact that he gets no mention whatsoever mean that he was no longer around?

Yesterday evening, between seven and eight o’clock, a fire took place in a small grocer’s shop in Taylor’s lane occupied by Mrs Harris. Flames and smoke were observed by some of the neighbours issuing through the door, and instantly alarm was given. The hose belonging to Seafield Works was at once put into operation, and by it and the assistance of the neighbours the fire was speedily extinguished. The fire broke out below the counter among some butter casks, and as the material in the shop was of a highly inflammable character, most of it was completely destroyed. There are three rooms adjoining the shop, and had it not been for the prompt manner in which the progress of the flames was arrested, there can be no doubt they would also have been consumed. As it was, the furniture they contained was considerable destroyed by water. The damage done by the fire is by no means extensive. It was impossible last night to estimate it; but Mrs Harris had her property insured with the North British and Mercantile Insurance Company.

Greenvalley

I am tracking James Harris, born 1864 Dundee who according to family lore ran away as a boy aged about 10 and sailed up the river Elbe. On his return he rejoined his dad who was a tailor but later went to Glasgow.

I managed to find details of James aboard the Arundel Castle in 1881. From the details I managed to get I assume that it was a small boat/ship (don't know the difference). There are several vessels of this name, but the one I am looking at has registration number 47012 and was built in 1863 and registered to David Gay from Crail, in Fife. So the boat was local and information I found on the Gay family is that they were both fishermen and merchant seaman.

But how do you find out if this Arundel was a small fishing boat or a larger vessel, whether it stayed near the coast or sailed accross the oceans? I tried entering the name and number, but that always leads back to the same information I already haven. Did small ports have their own files and does anyone know if they are still available?

James' previous ship was the Pacific, also in 1881, registration 83631, built in Berry's Ways Australia 1897 and registered in Sidney in 1881.

So does anyone reckon it is wrong for me to assume that James was in Australia when he joined the crew of the Pacific. So he must have sailed there on another boat, before 1881 as crew but is not on any official crew lists. Are there perhaps other sources I can try to find out?

Advice much appreciated

Greenvalley