FRANK MORLEY GURNEY
On the picturesque St Cwfans island, Anglesey `Church in the bay` there is a gravestone for Frank Morley Gurney who drowned in July 1869.
“ To the memory of Frank Morley Gurney son of Mr F K Gurney of Moore Park Villas Walham Cross London who was drowned in Porth Trecastell the 31st of July 1869 in his 21st year"
I `ve often visited this lovely place and always wondered about this young man, who was he; what about his family, and more importantly are there any relations around now that probably don’t even know that he existed?
With a little research I have managed to discover the event that happened all those years ago, and a little more about the young man and his family
The North Wales Chronicle August 7th 1869
Wreck of a Vessel and Loss of Life.
“During a gale on Friday the Iron Barque Dalton (Capt. Towill ) bound from Valparasio to Liverpool with a cargo of wheat, copper ore, honey etc was driven out of her course and struck between 12 and 1 o` clock on the rocks near Trecastell in Anglesey. In getting to the boat to save themselves one of the crew was thrown into the water and drowned, and another received very serious injuries from falling to the deck while trying to reef the sails. The ship, which is the property of Captains Steel and Bell is still on the rocks, but so far steady, and it is the opinion of the owners and experienced engineers that she can be got off without any serious damage should the weather continue fine. All hands are hard at work to save ship and cargo, and the owners and Captain Cawkit with the skilful aid of Mr Paul the engineer and other of their staff are labouring hard for this object”.
The Dalton was a fairly new vessel, registered at 592 tons, she had been launched by Messrs Bowdler , Chaffer and Co a few weeks earlier and Capt Towill, an experienced seaman was well known on the West Coast Trade.
Valparasio is on the coast of Chile, and played an important geopolitical role in the second half of the 19th century, when the city served as a major stopover for ships traveling between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans by crossing the straights of Magellan and Cape Horn.
Western Mail Cardiff Friday, August 6, 1869;
Obituaries
`On the 31st July drowned while nobly volunteering to save papers of value from the ship Dalton wrecked in Carnarvon Bay, Frank Morley the dearly beloved son of Mr F K Gurney of Woodstock Street, and Moore Park Villas, Fulham, in his 21st year. `
Even though he died in July 1869 the death wasn`t registered until June Qtr 1870 at Anglesey.
Frank was born in 1848 and was the youngest son of Frederick Kingston Gurney and Matilda nee Morley; his brothers were Frederick Kingston and John Henry
By 1871 John Henry has become an “ Heraldic Artist` and Frederick Kingston jnr had joined Her Majesty’s Navy.
Frederick Kingston senior was an engraver and draughtsman with his own business.
Sadly his wife Matilda died in 1850 leaving him with three young sons, they were cared for by Matilda`s mother for a while He remarried ten years later.
Frederick Kingston Gurney died in 1906 at the age of 90.
