ship lost at sea

[Duvessa]

Hi Wolfie

thank you for replying.  Do you mean that he wasnt on the Cordelia or you cannot find him in the register for any deaths at sea?

I did find a John Farrell on the Pliny which was owned by Lambert and Holt of Liverpool and it sank of New Jersey who drowned.  I dont know if that would be him.  Because he was from Liverpool originally before he settled and had his family in Sunderland I thought there could be a possibility but the record said for the *Pliny* he was from Ireland.  Is there any way that I could find out whether the Pliny sailed from Tyneside?  Also do you know if there is a register for coal colliers and their crew from the mid 1800s onwards?

There may be no connection to coal but My Dad 83 has always said the story went down the family about him going between ireland and whitley bay on a coal ship.  I have studied Whitley bay too to see if in the 1850 to 1870 they were shipping coal but cannot find anything to support it. I know its a needle in a haystack but thats the wonder of the internet there is always someone who is more experienced.

I have paid for 3 hours research in August but they are short staffed at Tyneside Library Research Services so there will be a delay. and I live  in Wales so going over at the moment isnt an option. 

I welcome any hints or tips thank you.

Bernadette

[Duvessa]

Hi Ros

thank you, I did find a John Farrell in on the net and it mentioned Newfoundland but I just ruled him out as I thought it would be somebody who lived there, I didnt realise that there is a data base for non canadian sailors.  I will look into it.

Thank you

Bernadette

[Michael Dixon]

Bernadette,

 Sailing from Whitley Bay  (from your oral history)

 Originally just Whitley, the " Bay" was added in more recent times.

 WB has a beach of sand and no deep water for a ship. Maybe things were different in 1800s.

About two miles north of WB was/is the harbour of Seaton Sluice, that did export coal ( and glass).

About two miles south of WB is the mouth of the River Tyne, which was a regular exit for coal carrying ships.

Michael

[Duvessa]

Thanks Michael

they settled on Sans Street in Sunderland on the 1871 census which wasnt too far from the Sea front looking at the map.  Would you know was this a popular area for Mariners to live?



Kind Regards

Bernadette

[Michael Dixon]

Bernadette,

 Not an expert on Sunderland shipping, but I think it was, as well as other streets, e,g. High St East, Low Street.

 But for shipping, the river front was more relevant than the sea front.

Have a browse through the 1871 census, looking at the occupations !

Michael

[WolfieSmith]

Hello Bernadette,

I couldn't see a death for a John Farrell on the Register of Deaths at Sea that matched your description.

The record for John Farrell on the Pliny, just in case he's your John :

Ship - Pliny, Official No. 78776, Date of Arrival (in UK port) - 24/12/1878, Date of death - 8/10/1878, Age - 30, Rank - AB Seaman, Place of Birth - Ireland, Last abode - Blank, Cause of death - drowning.

Only one other drowning (same date) on the Pliny, presumably in a storm, and it did arrive in a UK port.

Another death of a John Farrell whose age matches better, but the rest doesn't match :

Ship - Lualaba, Official No. 78613, Date of Arrival (in UK port) 29/12/1880, Date of death - 23/10/1880, Age - 40, Rank - AB Seaman, Place of Birth - Toronto, Last abode - Blank, Cause of death - Bronchitis.

Alan.

[Duvessa]

Hi Alan

Thank you for the information, I agree they dont look like a match.  Ancestry.co.uk keeps throwing up a possible hint and it shows in 1881 a John Farrell in the Borough hospital in Birkenhead and he is born in the same year as my GGGrandfather the mariner but it shows his occupation as a ships rigger.  It is possible he returned to Merseyside from Sunderland at some.

I am wondering if he was a mariner could he be a ships rigger?  If so why would it show him as a master mariner on his sons marriage certificate?

I am not that good on marine history yet:(

Kind Regards

Bernadette

[Dangeresdave]

Back to my scarlet pimpernel again..... found out that he died on a ship called Cordelia which left the port of Shields on 21st September 1878 and was not heard of again. I got the ships details and they were headed for Carthagena and/or Escombrera so Spain. Do we know of any bad storms around that date?
Would there be an inquiry as to what happened? How can I find out if anyone was rescued?
Hope someone can help
Thanks
Ros

[Dangeresdave]

Back to my scarlet pimpernel again..... found out that he died on a ship called Cordelia which left the port of Shields on 21st September 1878 and was not heard of again. I got the ships details and they were headed for Carthagena and/or Escombrera so Spain. Do we know of any bad storms around that date?
Would there be an inquiry as to what happened? How can I find out if anyone was rescued?
Hope someone can help
Thanks
Ros