In 1902, Thomas Blain Scott (born c1860, Ireland) was convicted of trespass (arising from a matrimonial separation order) and sentenced to 3 months imprisonment [Western Star, 3 Aug 1902]. A warrant was accordingly issued for his arrest but he ran for it.
NZ Police Gazette 1902, Vol 26, Pg 200 states: “OREPUKI – Thomas Blain Scott is charged on warrant of commitment for three months for trespass. Description: A native of NZ [actually Ireland], bootmaker, labourer, and fireman, aged 48 [actually c42], 5 ft 6˝ in., dark hair and moustache and may grow a beard; small scar on left eyebrow, slightly bald, fond of drink, and very quarrelsome … He was seen in Invercargill on the 31st ultimo, and may attempt to leave the colony as fireman on one of the boats.”
It seems the Police never caught up with him.
In 1907, Lake Wakatip Mail, 15 Oct 1907, published a story entitled “HOW A HERO DIED” about the grounding and wreck of the Poitou, a French liner, off the coast of Uruguay, near Montevideo. It reads:
“... one of the few Britishers aboard, a fireman named Thomas Scott gallantly volunteered to carry the line and swim ashore. On reaching the land those there considered it necessary to get a second line to the ship, and, as no one else was game, Scott, already badly knocked about, boldly went into the raging surf. He made a desperate fight to reach the ill-fated steamer, and sank, to rise no more, within ten feet of the vessel's side … No one knows anything of the drowned hero's past, whether he was married, nor in fact anything about the man. The record of his bravery is, however, to remain, as a monument is being erected to his memory by residents of Monte Video and surrounding districts. [If nothing was known about him, the monument won't give any clues about his identity].
There are good grounds for the supposition that the hero … is none other than Thomas Scott, shoemaker … who left Orepuki some five years ago. Since then it is known that he had been employed as a fireman on some vessel, and the heroic deed described above would be but in keeping with his nature. Enquiries are being made on behalf of his relatives from the British Consul at Monte Video.”
I have found no further newspaper reports regarding the outcome of those enquiries, and as far as I can tell the matter has simply fallen into family lore, a great story.
This morning I rechecked Archway and, blow me down, I found the following:
“Central Filing System [record group]
From: W.P. [William Pember] Reeves, High Commissioner for NZ, London, Date 4 Oct 1907
Subject: Inquiry for missing person Thomas Scott.
Date Range: 1907-1907. Last Dept Responsible: Dept of Internal Affairs, Head Office [record group]. Open Access, Wellington. R24761049. Addit. Archive Description: Police Reports Attached”.
Never having ordered a copy of such a record from Archives NZ (and it may be a large file as it contains Police Reports), am I best to take a trip to Wellington and view it in person? I may find it is unrelated. Any suggestions?
John
