Ship leaving Seaham? First day of WWII - Captain Woods

[saworth]

My father remembers being told of a relative who was captain of a ship carrying coal to Germany, who was captured on the first day of WWII and kept prisoner.  We presume the ship was leaving Seaham as thats where all the family lived and that the man's surname would have been Woods.  Noone else in the family knows of this story and I am at a loss as to where to try and find any more information on it.  My father thinks whoever it was, came back after the war.  I was just wondering if anyone had any access to ship's records for that area and time?  Many thanks

[Ecneps]

Perhaps the story made the newspapers of the day, might be worth checking

Have you tried to work out what the man's first name might have been?


Barbara

[stanmapstone]

There is nothing in "The Times" digital archive.

Stan

[Ecneps]

It may have made the local papers, perhaps

Maybe worth looking at local history sites for Seaham, eg
http://www.east-durham.co.uk/  has a section on shipping, eg
   
SS Newtonards one of the 12 strong Londonderry fleet. During WW1 she fired upon a German Zeppelin bombing the Thames and en route for Scapa Flow her escorting cruiser HMS Drake and a destroyer were both torpedoed. She survived and returned to Seaham


You could also email the site with your query

Barbara

[Ecneps]

There's only one Woods and one Wood family in Seaham in 1901 census and they were coalminers.  Perhaps the captain came from elsewhere.  You could check the 1911 census to see if there was a mariner listed with that name.

Barbara

[saworth]

Many thanks to you all.  I shall try and have a look at the resources mentioned and definitely try to ask more around the family.  I will let you know any outcome!