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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Buckinghamshire => Topic started by: mentmore on Tuesday 06 August 24 14:40 BST (UK)

Title: Bucks Herald 1890
Post by: mentmore on Tuesday 06 August 24 14:40 BST (UK)


Bucks Herald 5th April 1890

Message from the Sea

A bottle has been found on the seashore, about two miles from Lerwick, which, being opened,contained the following message.
"Alfred Coleman, Wingrave, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, England. Lost on the Auraima during a severe gale October 24 1889"
It was written in pencil on what seemed to be the leaf of a note-book.

Is this a Hoax?
Title: Re: Bucks Herald 1890
Post by: Watson on Tuesday 06 August 24 15:29 BST (UK)
The Shetland Times, 29 March 1890, page 2, carried the additional detail that the writing seemed to be in a female's hand!

You could try to follow the ship's movements (Aurauna?) in the papers to see if you can disprove the story.  In a similar exercise, I found the Times and its "Shipping Intelligence" very useful.
Title: Re: Bucks Herald 1890
Post by: Milliepede on Tuesday 06 August 24 15:31 BST (UK)
Yes that would be my suggestion too, see if there was such a person and if he was on board etc
Title: Re: Bucks Herald 1890
Post by: ShaunJ on Tuesday 06 August 24 15:35 BST (UK)
The ship was probably the Aurania. No deaths at sea recorded for that ship in October 1889.
Title: Re: Bucks Herald 1890
Post by: Watson on Tuesday 06 August 24 16:02 BST (UK)
This web page has a list of passengers embarked at Liverpool on RMS Aurania, 15 October 1889: 

https://immigrantships.net/v3/1800v3/aurania18891015_1.html (https://immigrantships.net/v3/1800v3/aurania18891015_1.html)

No mention of Alfred Coleman. I suppose he could have been crew.
Title: Re: Bucks Herald 1890
Post by: ShaunJ on Tuesday 06 August 24 17:27 BST (UK)
Quote
This web page has a list of passengers embarked at Liverpool on RMS Aurania, 15 October 1889:

https://immigrantships.net/v3/1800v3/aurania18891015_1.html

No mention of Alfred Coleman. I suppose he could have been crew.

On the 24th the Aurania would have been on its return journey from New York to Queenstown and Liverpool. She arrived at Queenstown on 27th.

Looking at online trees, the Alfred Coleman who married in Wingrave in 1881 and again in 1892 emigrated to the USA sometime after 1901. Perhaps he'd been there before and was returning on the Aurania when he threw the bottle into the sea.
Title: Re: Bucks Herald 1890
Post by: mentmore on Tuesday 06 August 24 23:43 BST (UK)

Alfred Coleman born Wingrave

Thanks for all replies regarding Alfred Coleman of Wingrave.

After searching through lots of paperwork, this has to be a hoax as Alfred Coleman left England 1911 with wife and child for Philadelphia.

A good story I suppose.