RootsChat.Com

General => The Common Room => Topic started by: Bekki on Friday 13 April 12 23:16 BST (UK)

Title: Sunken Ship Passenger Records
Post by: Bekki on Friday 13 April 12 23:16 BST (UK)

Hi

Can anyone tell me what happens to the actual passenger lists of a ship that sinks? Do they go down with the ship of do they stay ashore when the ship leaves port ?

A relative of mine was drowned on the 'Northfleet' on route to Tasmania in 1873, when the ship was sunk due to a collision off the south coast of England (Dungeness).    :'(

Nearly all passengers were lost including the Captain and most of the crew.  The passengers were civilian workers on their way from Gravesend in Kent, to build the new Tasmanian railway.

There are many reports on the Internet about the sinking of the Northfleet and lists of both survivors and those who died in the tragedy are available but show just names and ages - no address, family, marital status etc

My ancestor George Attryde aged 35 was listed as 'died'.  I would like to find out more about him as according to the 1871 census he was married to Ellen but with no children.  He was unmarried on 1861 census. 

Ellen (surname not known as I can't find her marriage details) does not appear on the name list for the ship, so I guess she was not aboard.

So if the ships list goes down along with all the other records on board - how do they know who is on board? If the passenger lists stays ashore - where can I find it for the Northfleet ?   ???

Can anyone help please ?

Thanks Bekki

Title: Re: Sunken Ship Passenger Records
Post by: andycand on Friday 13 April 12 23:32 BST (UK)

Hi

A passenger list would have been handed in at the port the ship sailed from. The link below has information about UK lists.

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/looking-for-person/passengers.htm

Andy

Title: Re: Sunken Ship Passenger Records
Post by: Bekki on Saturday 14 April 12 09:09 BST (UK)

Thank you Andy

It seems that the 'Northfleet' falls between all the dates for the lists given on the National Archives website.

I originally found the Northfleet on TheShipslist.com - ShipWrecks, but it just gave a list of all deaths/survivors and ages. 

I was hoping that there would have been more information on the original passenger list  - so that's why I wanted to know if the list would have been given to the departing port or taken onboard and handed in at the arriving port (in that case it may have gone down with the ship)

Thanks
Bekki

Title: Re: Sunken Ship Passenger Records
Post by: tup1 on Monday 16 April 12 20:44 BST (UK)

Hi Bekki,

If you Go to site (intheboatshed.net) you will find info on the sunken ship and at the bottom you will find responses and the one from a r hillary dated 28-2-2012 says they have a copy of the full passenger list and you can reply to him/her.
Hope this helps.

Kathy

Title: Re: Sunken Ship Passenger Records
Post by: Bekki on Monday 16 April 12 21:50 BST (UK)

Hello Kathy

That's great thank you................  I have left a message on their notice board and hopefully I will get a response. 

Will keep you posted

Thanks
Bekki