Christopher Johnston b.1876

[ZuluDiver]

Hi Sandy,

Thanks for your reply.

I'm not a descendant or a relative of Mr. Johnston; therefore, I'm unable to track him by working backwards from names of family members.

Mr. Johnston was the Master of a steamer named TECUMSEH, which ran aground in 1932 on Inhaca Island (Mozambique, Africa). I'm trying to find out Mr. Johnston's education, which naval school or academy he attended to earn the Master's certification, what were the circumstances of the accident, and whether there were any casualties.

I've discovered a little while ago today that one Mr. Christopher Johnston (Tynemouth) is listed in the death registers for 1932; I'm wondering if it is the same person and whether he might have perished in the accident, or from injuries he might have sustained during it.

I do not have a copy of  Mr. Johnston's certificate, only a list of his voyages, and of the names of ships he was in charge of. On previous occasions my visit to Kew has yielded little, perhaps because I do not know where to search, or how to properly structure my inquiries.

Thank you for your interest in this matter.

[sillgen]

The death in March 1932 is for someone aged 64 so probably not the right one.  It is also before the shipwreck.
The chances of all those with masters' certificates attending a naval college are slim.  I may be wrong but I have always assumed that many learned their trade on the job.
Sorry not to be more helpful - a bit out of my area of expertise!   
Looking at your posts on other sites I feel that this is not a genealogical search so probably not something we can help with.  Someone may prove me wrong of course!
Andrea
PS  It might be worth looking at our occupations board.  There are a few links there.
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/board,296.0.html

[Sandymc47]

Hi Zulu
Regarding adding names of ancestors etc which I mentioned. If you look on your profile it mentions Names and Research areas. Thats where you put the names of your ancestors and if you look at mine I also put the areas they were living in.  It is then easier for anyone else with the same surname to ask if you are related etc. As you can see Silligen the Chat Moderator has also done the same thing.  I am also impressed with the amount of stars they have.
lol.
Hope you find what you are looking for
regards
Sandymc

[ZuluDiver]

Hi Sandy,
Thanks for your recommendations; I've updated my profile and I'm hopeful the additional information will prompt others to come forward with data about Mr. Johnston.
Silligen had suggested a visit to the Occupations site, which I did, and came away with a few more ideas about places to search. For example, I discovered that in South Shields (only a few miles south of where Mr. Johnston's family used to live), there was a school named South Shields Marine College - chartered in 1837, became operational in 1866 - which was created with the objective of training masters and officers of the Merchant Service; students had to be bona fide seamen, already possessing some elementary knowledge, and with the rudiments of an ordinary education.
At this point I don't know if Mr. Johnston attended this college (or if a similar school existed in North Shields), but since his father owned a steamship it would appear logical that his son, who obviously was interested in becoming a mariner, would have attended North Shields Marine College. I also know that in 1903 at Sunderland 26 years young Mr. Johnson passed some sort of examination and was awarded a Master's certification.
I would like to invite any comments from all members of your audience with knowledge of the area, and the customs which were in place in the early 1900's about a youth's education intending to become a seaman.
Thank you.

[Michael Dixon]

Zulu,

 A useful reference book for the shipping industry in Northumberland and Durham, is " A Dictionary of Tyne Sailing Ships 1830-1930" by Richard Keys.

 It contains thousands of ships in alpha order, that were registered to trade in/out of the River Tyne, including specifications, owners, master mariners, voyages etc. The names of owners and Masters were also in alpha order in two other sections.

This book is available in the Tyne & Wear Archives, Newcastle, and Newcastle City Library ( and probably several other places) I am out of England at the moment, so can not refer to it.

I am no expert on marine education, but I know that the South Shields Marine College was/is world renowned.

Michael

[ZuluDiver]

Michael,
Thank you so much for your recommendation.

I have visited the Newcastle City Library and placed an order for some documentation which might be helpful to my research. I'll report back to you when the documentation is received and if I'm still in need for additional information.

Thanks again.

[TracyW]

Hello there

Just a couple of other snippets for you. If you follow the 1881 family through the censuses backwards and forwards, Christopher's father was Thomas who in 1851 was an Engineer, in 1861 was a Steam Tug captain, 1871 was a Steamboat Capt, then in 1891 was a Waterman. He must have died by 1901 as his wife Dorothy can be found as a widow, and there is a FREEBMD entry for 1892 of a death of a Thomas Johnston aged 57, and the age fits.

Thomas' father was Walter Johnston and in 1851 & 1861 was a coal trimmer.

There is a great book by Ron Wright called Beyond the Piers (published by The People's History) which talks about some of the fishing history of North Shields. In the 1860's the steam paddle tugs were often used to tow the sailing smacks and luggers in and out of harbour when they couldn't sail from lack of wind. The tugs didn't always have much to do and were constantly searching for work. In 1873 there were 145 steam tugs registered on the Tyne and there was much competition for work.

In November 1877 William Purdy, a steamboat captain, fitted out his own boat with trawl nets and set out on his maiden fishing voyage to much derision, but his trip was successful and the Messenger, his boat, became the first steam trawler on the Tyne. My gt-gt-grandfather Alexander Fyall was in the crew on that first trip. After that, many paddle tugs were converted to fishing trawlers.

Unfortunately, apart from what you have already found, I haven't much to add on Christopher. However, Ron Wright's book also tells the tale of Richard Irvin, who set up a cannery in the early 1900's and eventually had interests in the African Fishing and Trading Company, with many trawlers from North Shields ending up sailing around the South African coast. Could this be a link?

If you Google 'Richard Irvin Tyne Brand History' you'll get some results to help and a link to the book mentioned.
Best of luck

[ZuluDiver]

Hi TracyW,

Thank you so much for devoting time to research on my behalf.

I had been working on a somewhat similar strategy by starting on the UK Census for 1881, backwards to1871. It was thus I ascertained that Christopher's father's name was Thomas Johnston (born in 1835); his mother's name was Dorothy Ann Johnston (born in 1842). The couple had 7 children (Jane E., Thomas, James H., Dora A., Christopher, and Ethel M. Johnston). The family's address was 28 Trinity St - Chirton (North Shields). Mr. Tomas Johnston (head of household) was listed as a Steamship Owner. His sons Thomas & Christopher (I don't know about James H.), must have followed in his footsteps because they were both subsequently listed as "Mariner Seas" and "Steam Engine Maker Fitter" for Thomas and Christopher respectively.

In the 1901 Census there are listings for Christopher (then 33 years old), as having married Sarah C. Johnston of the same age; by that time there were 3 children, all girls, Lily (9y), Ethel (6y) and Alice Y. (3y), all living at 54 Lawson St - Chirton.

I read with great interest your account of how your gt-gt-grandfather got started in the fishing boat business. No doubt the entire area from Sunderland, through South Shields, to North Shields and beyond, in that era was thriving with activity, especially those businesses relating to the sea, or devoted to shipbuilding, ship repair/maintenance, etc. Have you been able to trace his descendants and what were their occupations since?

Once again, many thanks for your recommenations, your interest and assistance.

[ZuluDiver]

Hello:  Here's what I've been able to put together from various sources concerning Mr. Christopher Johnston:

   Birth:                 March 1876
   Where Born:     North Shields, Northumberland County
   Died:                 (Deceased date unknown)
   Mother:             Dorothy Ann Johnston (deceased date unknown)
   Father:              Thomas Johnston (deceased June, 1892)
   Siblings:            Jane E.; Thomas; James H.; Dora A.; Amy; Ethel M. (6)
   Married to:        Sarah C. Johnston (deceased date unknown)
   Marriage Date:  December 1902
   Children:           Lily; Ethel; Alice Y. Johnston (3)
   Profession:       Steam Engine Maker Fitter; Master Mariner

If anyone can add information to complete the above profile it would be very much appreciated. Thank you.