Poll

SHOW READ TOTAL

HOW MANY VOTES
0 (0%)
HOW MANY HAVE READ MY POSTS
2 (100%)

Total Members Voted: 2

Author Topic: Edward Henry Collingwood b.1817 - d.1878 Old Hong Kong  (Read 53483 times)

Offline Daniel Collingwood

  • RootsChat Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 187
  • Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
    • View Profile
Re: Edward Henry Collingwood b.1817 - d.1878 Old Hong Kong
« Reply #9 on: Monday 29 April 13 00:02 BST (UK) »
Joseph Somes was one of the promoters of Lloyd's
Register. In his old age he was partnered by his sons,
and the firm at his death disguised itself under the name
of the Merchant Shipping Company.

T. & W. Smith.

In the history of the Calcutta and Madras
passenger trade, T. & W. Smith, of Newcastle, rank on
an equality with Green aud Wigram.

The firm was founded as far back as the beginning
of the nineteenth century by Thomas Smith, one of
the Smiths, of Togstone, in Northumberland, who,
having served an apprenticeship with a Newcastle
ropemaker, eventually, like George Green at Blackwall,
married his master's daughter and succeeded to his
business. This example of the good apprentice had
two sons, Thomas, born in 1783, and William, born in
1787. The elder joined his father as a ropemaker,
whilst the youngest was apprenticed to William Rowe,
at that time the largest shipbuilder on the Tyne.

108 THE BLACKWALL FRIGATES

In 1808, the year William Smith completed his
apprenticeship, Rowe launched the largest ship ever
built on the Tyne— H.M.S. Bucephalus, a 32 -gun
frigate, measuring 970 tons.

Two years later old Thomas Smith bought Rowe's
business and, taking his two sons into partnership,
founded the shipbuilding firm of Smith & Sons, though
he still continued the ropemaking business with his
eldest son.

The Smiths had not been long in the business before
they turned their attention to the bu'.lding of Indiamen,
at that time almost the monopoly of the Blackwall
Yard. Curiously enough, their first Indiaman was the
Duke of Roxburgh, of 417 tons burthen, built to the
order of their rivals, Green & VVigram.

She was followed by the George Green, also to the
order of the famous Blackwall firm and launched on
Boxing Day, 26th December, 1829. This ship, accord-
ing to a contemporary account, was considered the finest
passenger-carrying merchantman ever built on the Tyne
at that date and the equal of any London-built ship.
She measured 568 tons burthen on a length of 135 feet,
was "frigate -built" and "fitted up with much elegance
for the carrying of passengers." Her life, however,
was a short one, as she was lost on her way to
London from the Tyne. Smith's next Indiamen
was the Duke of Northumberland, of 600 tons burthen,
launched 28th February, 1831. It was soon after this,
however, that the Newcastle firm commenced running
ships of their own to Madras and Calcutta in competition
with Green and Wigram.

(click the Nos. at bottom of each page to read more)
http://www.ebooksread.com/authors-eng/basil-lubbock/the-blackwall-frigates-bbu/page-8-the-blackwall-frigates-bbu.shtml

Offline Daniel Collingwood

  • RootsChat Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 187
  • Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
    • View Profile
Basil Lubbock - The Blackwall Frigates
« Reply #10 on: Monday 29 April 13 21:42 BST (UK) »
(1876–1944) married (1912) Dorothy Mary Thynne née Warner (d.1944). Educated at Eton College, he went to Canada in the gold rush in 1897, and came home round Cape Horn as an ordinary seaman. This was the experience which informed such fiction as Jack Derringer: A Tale of Deep Water (1906), set on a ‘Yankee hell-ship’ with much unconvincing dialect. The first hundred pages or so read like an essay about life at sea; then Lubbock remembers that it is a novel and adds a villain and a heroine. In the second part the hero falls overboard and has some adventures in the company of a cowboy before settling down with his pure woman. Deep Sea Warriors (1909) is similar. Lubbock later fought in the Boer War and the First World War, in which he won the MC, and published a number of non-fictional works about maritime history. He was a keen yachtsman. The writer Percy Lubbock (1879–1965) was his first cousin.

http://www.archive.org/stream/blackwallfrigate00lubb2/blackwallfrigate00lubb2_djvu.txt

http://archive.org/stream/colonialclippers00lubbrich/colonialclippers00lubbrich_djvu.txt

Read more: http://www.answers.com/topic/basil-lubbock#ixzz2Rt383LNZ

Offline Daniel Collingwood

  • RootsChat Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 187
  • Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
    • View Profile
Re: Edward Henry Collingwood b.1817 - d.1878 Old Hong Kong
« Reply #11 on: Thursday 02 May 13 23:46 BST (UK) »
The 19th century stevedores and dockers picked their gangs consisting of eight men. They would converge on the dockside and the 'ganger' would pick his men using his experience. Edward Henry would have seen this process many times not knowing that his decendants, the Alfred Daniels, 1st, 2nd and 3rd, would all become stevedores !

Here, Basil Lubbock describes how ships crew were 'hand' picked in similar fashion and how the crew joined the 'pecking order of 'perks'

pages 66-68
66 THE BLACKWALL FRIGATES

The chief officer was allowed 2 firkins of butter, 1 cwt.
of cheese, 1 cwt. of grocery, and 4 quarter cases of
pickles as extra provisions ; the proportions of the other
officers being on the same scale as the wine.

The captain was given two personal servants; the
chief officer, second officer, surgeon, bosun, gunner and
carpenter were each giv^en a servant. No wonder that
the Merchant Service was sought after by the highest
in the land.

The Foremast Hands of an Indiaman.

The crew of the Thames are not yet on board,
though they had been chosen before she hauled out of
dock. The business of signing on had been carried out
on board, for the day of shipping offices had not arrived.

The time — 11 a.m. — had been posted up in the main
rigging, and when the hour arrived there were perhaps
two or three hundred men on the docks ide. Most of
these men owed their advance notes to Hart, the Jew,
a noted Ratcliffe Highway slopshop keeper and cashier
of advance notes at high rates. His runners usually
contrived to get their men in the front rank so as to
catch the eyes of the first and second officers and boat-
swain, who, in picking the crew, soon showed themselves
to be expert judges of sailormen.

The pay for foremast hands was 35s. a month; the
advance, which was two months' pay, was at once
pounced upon by the Jews, but Jack boasted that on a
sou-Spainer bound to a warm climate he only needed a
stockingful of clothes. However, it was noticeable
that even if a man came aboard without a sea chest, he
always had his ditty bag, which contained his marlin-
spike, fid, palm and needles, bullock's horn of grease
and serving board.



FOREMAST HANDS 67

In those days there was no mistaking a seaman for
a landsman. He may perhaps be best described as
a full-grown man with the heart of a child. His
simplicity was on a par with his strength of limb, and
his endurance was as extraordinary as his coolness and
resource in moments of emergency or stress.

In appearance he was recognisable anywhere, not only
for the peculiar marks of the sea and the characteristics
of his kind, but for his length and breadth of limb.

In height he towered over the landsman of his age,
whilst his shoulders occupied the space of two landsmen
in a crowd, and his handshake was something to be
avoided by people with weak bones.

His dress was distinctive of his calling, the nearest
approach to it being the rig of the present day man-of-
war's man. He had, however, a fondness for striped
cotton in shirt and trouser, and when he did consent to
cover his feet sported pumps with big brass buckles
instead of clumsy boots. The black neckerchief came
in of course at Nelson 's funeral, being a sign of mourning
for the little Admiral.

As to headgear, his shiny black tarpaulin hat seems
to have become entirely extinct, and the gaily coloured
handkerchief, which was usually wound round the head
in action, would cause one to suspect its wearer of aping
the pirate in these sober-bued days.

Having had a prowl round the ship, seen our furniture
placed in our cabin, and drunk a glass of wine with the
purser, we finally leave the Indiaman and pull back
through the shipping on the first of the flood.
An Indiaman leaving Gravesend.

A fortnight later we find the Thames lying at
Gravesend with the Blue Peter flying. We get aboard
and then spend our time watching the busy scene.

http://www.archive.org/stream/blackwallfrigate00lubb2/blackwallfrigate00lubb2_djvu.txt

68

Offline Daniel Collingwood

  • RootsChat Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 187
  • Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
    • View Profile
Re: Edward Henry Collingwood b.1817 - d.1878 Old Hong Kong
« Reply #12 on: Friday 03 May 13 23:12 BST (UK) »
Was Edward Henry infatuated with the great Australian Gold Rush which began in the 1850's ?
I believe he was and on many of his journeys he learnt more. I also wondered if he got his ideas from deportees sent to Australia (of which one Patrick Kerr) he stood as witness at the old bailey on 15th May 1848 the case of simple larceny of the theft of copper from a ship -Earl Grey
Ships carpenters in those days were second only to the first mate and received perks in the pecking order of the ships compliment. Some shipwrights were afforded a lacky or servant helper, so EH was held in high esteem by his shipmates?
He would have seen some terrible sights in 1850-1870 Australia of convicts running loose over uncharted territory, uncaptured and searching for gold. The early townships would have been, in some cases worse than living in Poplar. Any hopes of settling here in Oz may have been only a dream.
His last fatal voyage in the Dharwar(Dhaewar?) in 1877-8 was probably taken with a heavy heart as now he was a widower after the death of his wife in 1876, Ann Merritt. I suspect after 20yrs of his first voyages, now he was going to try his hand in a much more modern and civilized Australia ? Possibly with the view of bringing his children over at a later stage? Alas, it wasn't to be !
We know he was buried in Hong Kong, so the ship was either close in to port or actually in port. IF hull-ship repairs are not too urgent they are usually done when port is reached.
I believe he died in port by falling into the sea whilst repairing the hull. It may have been some time before his body was found floating in the Hong Kong harbour.
His shipmates along with the 1st officer would have taken his body to Old-Hong Kong infirmary in a cart hired from the locals. Certification of cause of death by the coroner and then registration of death. His men, possibly the whole crew and captain would have held a short service at the local church where he was then interred in O-HK churchyard, believe October 1878. A head-stone was bought by his men. Details of old Edward's ID to the registrar in H-K MAY HAVE BEEN GIVEN BY WHAT THEY KNEW OF HIM rather that by official documents which may not have been on hand, hence the sketchy report of him being from Blackway(Blackwall), aged 51yrs(did he tell his pals he was 51 in fact he was 61). His middle name,Henry has been omitted on the cemetry documentation...maybe his mates didn't know his middle name.
Lastly...his closest shipmates, possibly two and the First Mate would have passed the news on to his family in person many, many months after his death when the ship arrived back if it did, maybe a couple of his mates embarked back to England on another ship to give the news to his children living at Blackwall, Ellerthorpe St?
This could explain the theory that he died in 1880...the delay in getting news back home?

One interesting  thing to ponder on...shipwrights in those days sometimes made a couple of spare coffins along with the ships main carpenters. As Edward was a skilled carpenter.....did he make his own coffin?
...Daniel Collingwood...i'll post again when i find more on all of our ancestors!


Offline Daniel Collingwood

  • RootsChat Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 187
  • Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
    • View Profile
Edward Henry Collingwood d.1878 CREW LIST DHARWAR
« Reply #13 on: Tuesday 07 May 13 00:26 BST (UK) »
I have located the crew list of the DHARWAR -1878.

http://mariners.records.nsw.gov.au/1878/05/032dha.htm

She left London for Sydney 14th May 1878. It is not certain if the DHARWAR participated in the tea trade to Hong Kong and Shanghai. BUT she pulled into Hong Kong to bury my dear old great-great-grand-dad-Edward Henry.Around 1875-77 tea clippers turned to the 'wool fleets' and carried both cargoes to fill up their holds. The Dharwar was one of the 'Iron Clads' fully rigged for sail and engines she was quite fast. She was luxuriously decked out and Edward Henry is fourth rated among the ships crew as carpenter/shipwright, and very well paid. So far i have been unable to ascertain his exact cause of death. Maybe someone out their knows? Did he drown by falling overboard or some other kind of accident?

http://www.bruzelius.info/Nautica/Ships/Merchant/Sail/D/Dharwar(1864).html

Built in 1864, she was fulled rigged, iron body sail/engine. Constructed for the Australian emmigrant and wool trade. Provisions were also made for the transportation of convicts.

nb..Edward's age on the crew list is given as 58 but this may be Edward telling porkies as he was 61 in 1878...and the oldest crew member by 16yrs. I don't think he wanted to retire back home in dreary Poplar. Australia was the 'new' New Adventure but maybe he was getting to the age where his life became an indecision. Australia and the gold rush was underway...Edward was losing his sea legs?

Offline Daniel Collingwood

  • RootsChat Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 187
  • Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
    • View Profile
Re: Edward Henry Collingwood b.1817 - d.1878 Old Hong Kong
« Reply #14 on: Saturday 11 May 13 23:41 BST (UK) »
http://mariners.records.nsw.gov.au/1859/02/007cam.htm

http://mariners.records.nsw.gov.au/shipdate.htm

http://mariners.records.nsw.gov.au/1859/02/scan.asp?filename=007cam.gif
  This is the actual scan and has been transcribed incorrectly, but he had a carpenter's,mate with him.  He is his son, Edward Robert  aged 17, b. 1842 and Alfred Daniel's older brother(b. 1846), Edward Robert (http://www.rebus.demon.co.uk/census/collingw.htm

  There were large numbers of Collingwoods in Australia.  Maybe visiting relatives out there too?

 http://mariners.records.nsw.gov.au/results.htm?cx=004861337844262330206%3Ayq_2tgjydtg&cof=FORID%3A11&q=collingwood&sa=Search&siteurl=mariners.records.nsw.gov.au%2Fsearch.htm&ref=mariners.records.nsw.gov.au%2F&ss=1608j293952j11

Offline Daniel Collingwood

  • RootsChat Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 187
  • Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
    • View Profile
Re: Edward Henry Collingwood b.1817 - d.1878 Old Hong Kong
« Reply #15 on: Sunday 19 May 13 18:09 BST (UK) »
Did Edward Henry Collingwood plan to live in Australia? Some evidence is becoming available that his son Edward Robert, b. 1842 may have indeed emigrated to Melbourne after 1861. I am currently trying to find out the truth of E.R.
He was  carpenter's mate to his dad E.H. on the ship Camperdown, 1859 travelling to Sydney. Maybe this was a 'feeler' to see if Australia was worth moving to. Old man Edward may have spent time there but he always came home to his family roots. If young Robert, did in fact move to Australia could Old Henry have been on a 'working' visit to his son via Hong Kong,1878 on the Dharwar, where he died in a hospital there from fever (pneumonia)?
Some posters on roots-chat have found evidence for an Edward Collingwood that died in 1896, father also called EDWARD. And some refs to an Edward Collingwood travelling between Melbourne and Sydney in April 1874 as a steerage passenger on the Dandenong steamer....needs some more research?
http://mariners.records.nsw.gov.au/1874/04/063dan.htm
As it appears that Old Henry's son Edward Robert went missing, i'd like to put it out to researchers who may already know what happened to my great-grand uncle? He was born 101 years before i was born, which i find fascinating.
http://mariners.records.nsw.gov.au/results.htm?cx=004861337844262330206%3Ayq_2tgjydtg&cof=FORID%3A11&q=dandenong-april+1874&sa=Search&siteurl=mariners.records.nsw.gov.au%2Fsearch.htm&ref=www.GenesReunited.co.uk%2Fboards%2Fboard%2Ftrying_to_find%2Fthread%2F1096458&ss=18411j31711437j20

Offline Daniel Collingwood

  • RootsChat Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 187
  • Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
    • View Profile
Edward Henry Collingwood b.1815, 1817, 1820 ???
« Reply #16 on: Monday 20 May 13 23:37 BST (UK) »
When was he really born?
Here he is shown as 46 in 1861 which means he was born in 1815. The Hong Kong death records show him as 58 in 1878, therefore born in 1819-20 ?
EH was 2yrs younger than his wife Anne Merritt, here she is 48 in 1861, so born in 1813 but she is only 51 in 1871 according to the transcribed entries, so born in 1820?.
There are many mistakes on these data sets making it very difficult to trace with accuracy.
Maybe the ship entries for EH are most accurate his age given on the 1859 crew list Camperdown as 40yrs, therefore born in 1819.
http://www.rebus.demon.co.uk/census/collingw.htm

http://mariners.records.nsw.gov.au/1859/02/007cam.htm


Offline Daniel Collingwood

  • RootsChat Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 187
  • Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
    • View Profile
Re: Edward Henry Collingwood b.1817 - d.1878 Old Hong Kong
« Reply #17 on: Wednesday 22 May 13 23:36 BST (UK) »
THE SCAN..CAMPERDOWN, 1859, crew list
Edward H Collingwood, carpenter, (age 40 )
Edward R Collingwood, carpenters mate, (son, age 17)

http://mariners.records.nsw.gov.au/1859/02/scan.asp?filename=007cam.gif