Death of William Attwooll Bennett, Master Mariner, after 1851

[toffeebear]

Hello!

I am trying to look for a death record for William Attwooll Bennett, who was a Master Mariner.

He was born 14th May 1811, and baptised 2nd June 1811, son of Richard and Rebecca (nee Attwooll) Bennett, in Portland, Dorset.

He married Thamar Curtis in Liverpool, 13th October 1841. They had four children, Rebecca Attwooll Bennett (1842), Samuel Curtis Bennett (1844), Jemima Fulcher Bennett (1846), and William Attwooll Bennett (1847). Thamar died 10th March 1849 in Horsleydown, London.
All four children were born in London, but baptised at Holy Trinity in Weymouth, in October 1851 (it doesn't mention that either parent is deceased, but Thamar definitely has died at this point).

I have found William recently on the 1851 census in Cardiff - HO107/2455/314/21, as a widowed visitor with the Taylor family. All his children are living with two aunts in Portland - HO107/1857/576/46.

On both of William's daughters' marriage certificates he is described as Captain, deceased, in 1866 and 1869.

I found William on the Register of Seaman's Tickets BT113/237 - his number being 472395.
I also found him on the Register of Seamen series II - number 5375, detailing service on Commodore and London.
And more recently I found his Master's Certificate of Service on A******y, number 35906, which was issued 14th June 1851. This gives details of the vessels he has served on.

So, William must have died sometime between 1851 and 1866, possibly at sea.

If anyone can find a death record for him, I would be very grateful!
Thank you for reading!

Toffee

[sami]

Hi Toffee:

Found a Maritime BMD on findmypast:

Bennett, W.A.
September 3, 1864
Ship: Oriental Queen
Series: BT153 - Registers of Wages and Effects of Deceased Seamen
Box: 0005
Page: 596

Hope it helps.

sami

[toffeebear]

Wow! Thank you ever so much Sami! That one definitely looks like a possibility.

Is that series at TNA? I'll have a look at their website.

Thanks again Sami!   

Toffee

[toffeebear]

Hi,
I looked at that death you found on FindMyPast, it could be him, there aren't many details. Just that WA Bennett was on the Oriental Queen, date of engagement was 1/6/64 (I think), and it looks like it says "vessel suppd lost abt 3.9.64".
The helpful librarian where I was found an article dated Feb 18 1865 in the Standard, which says five ships were reported as missing, and one of them was the Oriental Queen, which was sailing from Sunderland to 'Shanghae'. Apparently she passed Anger on Sept 3rd and nothing was heard of her after.

The thing that is puzzling me, is that the captain was Captain Walshaw in the article, however my ancestor was a Master too. The vessels he mastered earlier in his career were of 74-300(?) tons. As he got older would he have been 'downgraded' from captain? Is it likely he was on bigger ships in a smaller capacity?