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Some Special Interests => Occupation Interests => Topic started by: kit54 on Wednesday 03 February 16 20:29 GMT (UK)
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Hi,
Please could someone help?
I have been told that my relative was a seaman on board a ship called "Ella", which was wrecked on 21/11/1878; I have no more information at all.
Please, can anyone verify this for me and possibly give me any more detail?
I'd be very grateful for any help/advice.
Thanks,
Kit
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hi have you googled ship wrecks you could try this site http://www.theshipslist.com/
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I can't find a ship called Ella. What was the name of your relative?
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Can't find an exact match except for the Ella Gladstone
Ella Gladstone; Brig; 225 tons; Owned by G. Wilson, Adelaide; Built in 1860. Registered at Melbourne. On 21 July 1878, Ella Gladstone with a cargo of timber, was lost off Quindalup.
was also used as a transport ship
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Hi,
Thanks for your replies.
I've been trying to find more info on google, but have had no success.
My relative was called Martin Forrest and according to his Second Mate's Certificate, the Ella's Port of Registry was N'Castle (probably Newcastle) and it's Official No: 28869.
I don't know the type of ship it was, but he was based in South Shields.
I don't think it was the Ella Gladstone, as the details do not match.
Thanks,
Kit
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Nothing on FindMy Past's deaths at sea for a Martin or a M Forrest.
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Hi,
Thanks for that - he didn't die at sea, but on his statement of service, he stated that Ella was wrecked on 21/11/1878. I just want to know if anyone can verify that fact (and it would be nice to know (if it was right), what happened exactly, especially to the crew, including Martin Forrest.
Thanks,
Kit
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The Times (London, England), Friday, Nov 22, 1878 Latest Shipping Intelligence. Wrecks and Casualities. The Ella B., from Liverpool for Charlotte Town has been abandoned.
Stan
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Shields Daily Gazette February 13, 1879
South Shields Police Court
Deserting A Ship
Martin Forrest,seaman,Green Street,for deserting the ship Ella,in which he was engaged,on the 21st December,1878,was sentenced to six weeks imprisonment with hard labour.
....
Wonder if the date is wrong?
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That's interesting, so I wonder if the story was made up to cover that? Have you tried looking for him in 1881?
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The wooden barque, Ella, of Newcastle, official number 28869, 672 tons, built 1857 Maine USA, ex Humphrey Purinton, was still being listed in Lloyd's Register in 1899. Was then owned by T. S. Blues & Co. Previous owner was R. J. Lindsay.
1874
http://www.archive.org/stream/lloydsregisters51unkngoog#page/n232/mode/2up
1889
http://www.archive.org/stream/lloydsregisters28unkngoog#page/n224/mode/2up
1894
http://www.archive.org/stream/lloydsregisters12unkngoog#page/n188/mode/2up
1898
http://www.archive.org/stream/lloydsregisters14unkngoog#page/n128/mode/2up
1899
http://www.archive.org/stream/lloydsregisters14unkngoog#page/n128/mode/2up
Rex
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The report in the Times is for the "Ella B" but the date fits what Kit posted.
Stan
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The Ella B was lost 9 October 1878. She was a new wooden Brig of 299 tons, ON 77661. Built Charlottetown PEI and registered Prince Edward Island. Owned by Peake Bros & Co. Was in ballast from Liverpool to Charlottetown. Crew of 3, none lost. Wind WNW Force 10. Abandoned in lat. 48.33N, lon. 23.43W. North Atlantic. Casualty caused by stress of weather, thrown on her beam ends and ballast shifted.
From HOC Parliamentary Papers. 1880 [C.2625] Shipwrecks. Merchant ships--foundered and missing. 1st January 1873 to 16th May 1880.
There were a total of 244 British ships foundered and missing in 1878, which was about average.
Rex
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Hi,
Many, many thanks to you all for all your kind help and replies; I really am very grateful.
At least I now know that the Ella (ON: 28869) was not wrecked on 21/11/1878 (so no wonder I couldn't find anything online about it's sinking!).
I also know that the ship that Martin was serving on was NOT the Ella B (wrong Official Number), but I still am very confused!
I can't understand how the Ella B (ON: 77661), could be lost on 9/10/1878, but then be abandoned just before The Times cutting on 22/11/1878. Do you think that it was the same ship?
I also can't understand, why, if the ship he was on, was the one abandoned on 21/11/1878, why he was prosecuted for deserting it.
(By the way, Martin is on the 1881 Census, living in South Shields with his family).
Please, if anyone can shed any light on this, I'd love to hear from them.
Thanks,
Kit
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News of the wreck of the Ella B took six weeks to make it to the newspapers. The full story is in the Chicago Daily Tribune, 23 Nov., 1878.
SHIPWRECK.
Special Dispatch to The Tribune.
PHILADELPHIA, Pa., Nov. 22.--The Norwegian bark Victor, Capt. Hensen, came into port with the shipwrecked crew of the British brig Ella B. on board, whom she had picked up at sea in an exhausted and almost dying condition, on the 13th of October last. The Ella B., Capt. Samuel McLean, and nine seamen, sailed from Liverpool early in October for Prince Edward's Island. On the 9th a great hurricane came up. The brig heaved, pitched, rolled, dipped, fell over on its side, tossed and swayed till the masts began to break, and finally to snap like pipe-stems. The Captain and crew with axes endeavored to clear the wreck. While engaged in this work they were suddenly knocked off their feel by a great heave, and the ship stood with its bow in the air and its stern in a mighty chasm below. When the ship fell and the waves washed over its deck It was found one man was missing. He had been washed overboard. The ship was leaking in many places, and began to fill with water. The Captain and the crew abandoned her in a small boat. The sea was running so high that it was with the greatest difficulty the boat could be kept afloat. They made a drag-anchor with an empty clothes-bag and thirty fathoms of line attached, and threw it overboard. By this means they managed to keep the boat up to the wind. Every man was kept at the oars. Twice the water rushed over them and filled the boat. With their hats and hands they bailed it out. Twice the boat began to sink, when the men threw over clothing, provisions, and everything but the clothing they wore to save themselves. The wind began to fall at length, but they were without food, cold, and almost dead with exhaustion. For eighty-four hours they were at sea in this condition. No signs of rescue were visible. Death seemed only a matter of a short time. The men went dropping their oars in despair, when suddenly one of their number sighted a vessel. It was the Norwegian Victor, from the Port of ****? Sound, bound for Philadelphia. A signal was made, which the vessel saw, and it bore down upon them. Capt. Hensen, of the Norwegian vessel, lowered his boat and took the wet, starving, and almost dying men on board. From that time till their landing in Philadelphia yesterday, the Norwegian Captain and his crew treated the shipwrecked men in the kindest possible manner. Vice-Consul Crump, of the British Government at this port, has received the crew, and will provide for them, and send them to their homes in Prince Edward's Island. They are almost entirely destitute of clothing.
In the parliamentary report I posted earlier the crew number appears to be an 8 rather than a 3, which would make more sense considering the size of the vessel.
Perhaps your relative, or someone else, read in the news about the loss of the Ella B, and assumed it was his Ella. The Ella B was a new vessel, five months old, first registered on 9 May, 1878, at Prince Edward Island. http://www.islandregister.com/1878newvessels.html
Rex.
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Manchester Times, November 16, 1878
The Barque Ella, Captain Brodie, of Newcastle, which left the Tyne bound to Marseilles, put back, and reports having struck ground on Haddock Bank, and was obliged to return to the Tyne for repairs.
Probably sprung a leak and still undergoing repairs by 21 Nov.
Rex
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Hi Rex,
Thank you so much for that - I am now confident that the Ella B was not Martin's ship, but the Ella was.
I think that, whilst it was undergoing repairs, around about 21/11/1878, he deserted, hence his appearance in Court on 13/2/1879. (I think that the date of 21/12/1878 is either wrong, or perhaps it took longer to repair the ship). I think that him stating on his Service record that the ship was wrecked on 21/11/1878 was a deliberate lie to cover up his desertion etc.
This has been a real eye - opener for me - Martin went on to be a very solid man, and a very good and brave Captain (rescuing other seamen), with quite a distinguished career!
So, I really am so grateful for all of you who have so kindly replied - thanks to you, I think that the problem has been explained (in a very interesting way!).
Thanks again,
Kit
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There is also this report in the Shields Daily Gazette - Saturday 16 November 1878
Damage to a Newcastle Barque
The barque Ella, Captain Brodie, of Newcastle, which left the Tyne about a week ago, bound for Marseilles, has put back to Shields Harbour damaged and leaky. The master reports that about mid-day on Sunday last the vessel struck the ground on Haddock Bank, thereby receiving damage and becoming leaky.
Stan
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Hi Stan,
Thanks very much for that - it's lovely to have and I really do appreciate your kindness.
Kit