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General => The Common Room => Topic started by: gmerrall on Thursday 22 November 07 11:23 GMT (UK)
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Wasn't the sure of the best place to pop this question.
I've stumbled over a death at sea record for a relative and I'm having some trouble deciphering it.
I can't make out the first name unfortunately but one genealogy site thinks it's "Smith" which I don't agree with. Also the second line of the entry is a bit of a mystery. I'm presuming "Comet" is the name of the ship.
It's interesting as the person appeared to die 12 Feb but it doesn't appear to have been entered until the end of March.
I've stitched the top and the bottom of the document together to remove surplus entries. Any squinting and tilting of the head appreciated! :)
Cheers,
Graeme
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Is it possible that the word you think is Comet is actually Coroner.
Perhaps an inquest was held when the ship returned to London?
Peter
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Think the ships name was 'Thomas A. Partridge'
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I was going to say the same thing: name of ship was "Thomas A Partridge" (it's written in quotation marks which is the clue). I don't think "Comet" is "Coroner" though - the last "r" is not consistent with the other rs in the rest of the document. Maybe there were two ships, only one of which has quotation marks around it?
I have no idea what the first name is! It looks like Elk or Shelk but it can't be (can it?!).
Here's what I think the second line says:
London M 30.3.1859, Comet, London, "Thomas A Partridge", Mart - Regn. 120, 1859.
Prue
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I think it's Elk.
There's an 8 year old boy Elkanah Merrall in the 1841 census in Stanbury, Haworth.
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:o :o :o
Just when I think I've seen them all, another name comes along to floor me!
That's some nice sleuthing, Shaun :)
Prue
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It wasn't such an unusual name in the past - if you go to the A2A site and search for "Elkanah" it comes up with 253 references. No Merralls though!
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It's interesting as the person appeared to die 12 Feb but it doesn't appear to have been entered until the end of March.
If the death happened at sea (12 Feb.) it should have been registered at first port (which seems to have been London in March).
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Excuse me, Shaun, I don't want to interrupt, but I have a
question. :) :)
What is the A2A list?
Kathleen
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A death from Consumption (TB) would not require an inquest so it must be Comet - as the date the word is sort of attached to is '30 wonder if it's something to do with the ship rather than the person.
I agree about the date the death was registered.
Dot
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Here you are Kathleen
http://www.a2a.org.uk/
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Much appreciated, Shaun.
Kathleen
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From the IGI:
*Elkanah MERRALL was bap 1 Sep 1833, Haworth Yorkshire, son of Stephen MERRALL & Alithea.
There are some 13 children listed to them between 1830 and 1853 - names not quite as exotic as Elkanah.
*Stephen MERRALL m Alethea ACKROYD, 31 May 1830, Bradford Yorkshire
As no doubt you are aware, Graeme, there seem to have been a few MERRALL families in Haworth.
From:
http://www.valendale.myby.co.uk/families.html
"Merrall. Hartley Merrall Acres Mill, Springhead Mill & Springhead House, Oakworth. Two of the Merralls
attended the wedding of Charlotte Bronte. haworth-village.org.uk In 1884 Edwin Robinson Merrall
Built Longlands, Cross Roads. Ebor Mill, Haworth. Hiram Craven sold to Edwin Merrall. Acres Mill
Started life as a machine shop, Berry Smith converted it. Hartley Merrall haworth-village.org.uk "
JAP
PS: The National Archives indicates that the following information was recorded for deaths at sea:
Name of person
Rank/Occupation
Age/date of birth
Address
Date of death
Place of death (This is often given in Lat. and Long.)
Cause of death
Name, official number and port of registry of the ship.
I am wondering, if Comet is the ship, whether Thomas A Partridge might be the master - but
if so why would it be in quotes ...
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The 5-digit number above "Comet" is the vessel's official number (a bit like a vehicle's number plate, except not displayed!).
Partridge was the captain / master of the vessel.
This was from Find My Past, right?
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Hello GreySquirrel,
Well, I'm glad that my theory was right :)
What does it actually say on Find My Past which confirms the ship and master?
Before I posted yesterday, I had tried to find the ship's number on the following site:
http://www.mariners-l.co.uk/IBON-INDEX.html
But you'd have to know - in their list the numbers between 24827 and 24832 (not inclusive) are missing :'(
The Lloyds Register for 1859 would no doubt also confirm the ship's name, and the name of the master.
Have you been able to work out the lat/long? Probably, I thought, the last figures (partially obscured)
on the second line ...
JAP
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Elkanah "Elk" Merrall was my second cousin four times removed.
Born 30 Jun 1833 in Bradford
Christened 1 Sep 1833 in Haworth
Died on the ship Comet 12 Feb 1859 and buried at sea.
Who died in the ship Comet at sea LAT 48 N, LON 8 W, on a voyage to Madeira for the benefit of his health Feb 12th 1859, in the 26th year of his age.
Grave stone - St Michael's & All Angels Church, Haworth
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/188591886/elkanah-merrall