I thought there was enough on my last post just to winkle you out of your chair but I should have know better; just one sniff of the rabbit and the hounds are off in full chase. Kenjo lines them up and Pam pops up and ticks every ping.
PAM “Believes David was killed in a mining accident”
Kenjo has the inquest for David: died Sandhurst, from (fall of earth).....I wonder if this is a mine cave in. The memorial stone says: David Shennan their eldest son born 26 June 1829 and accidentally killed in the Deep Lead Gold Mine, Huntley Victoria 3 June 1869. Is that helpful ?
When I was looking for Robert Shennan, who was missing on the night of the 1841 Census, I found a Robert Shennan in Liverpool. He too was a mariner but the bells rang out for the address – Sparling Street. Captain John used to stay at Hugh Cameron’s lodging house at number 38. Robert Shennan and his wife Janet were from Caerlaverock, east of Annan, but had been in Liverpool prior to the birth of their eldest child, Robert, who was in 1851, an apprentice seaman. In the early days while Robert senior was at sea, Janet and her son Robert stayed in a boarding house in a Scottish enclave in Toxteth, but, by 1851 they had moved to 59 Sparling Street. Robert’s brother, John was also a master mariner. Not relatives of Ann?, well, not very close. She did not stay with them when she came down to Liverpool to marry John and it was John Henderson, the tailor, who was best man at the wedding. But this is yet another example of the Dumfries nautical presence and the replication of social networks in commercial hubs.
While in Annan, we drove out to Cummertrees, climbed into the cemetery, but found no trace of the Glovers – John Elliot’s mother’s family. On a whim, we carried on into the village, and found the Kirk with a wonderful lych-gate. Just three rows in and there was John Glover: farmer in Malsgill, who died 9th May 1799 aged 54 years also Helen Radcliff his spouse who died 31st January 1799 aged 48 years, also Joseph their youngest son, mariner, he died at Sierra Leone 18th January 1826 aged 34 years, also Anthony Glover their son, mariner, who died at Annan 25th January 1847, aged 63 years . Five years before Anthony’s death, the 1841 census shows Anthony’s wife, Charlotte (Foster) Glover and her daughter, Jane in Queensbury Street in Annan, with three young children, the youngest, 2 year old John Park who grew up to be master mariner and retired to Annan ( census 1901). Four year old, Charlotte Blacklock’s mother, Margaret (Glover) Blacklock had given birth to baby Helen three days before the census took place, hence youg Charlotte farmed out to her Aunt. Father – John, though not a mariner was in one of the other “family” trades – “joiner and cabinet maker”. This link was made thanks to the MIs for the Old Burial Ground.
So John Elliot’s in laws and his uncles were mariners. Uncle Anthony was around up until the year before John was apprenticed to Robert Ewart, Master of the Lawsons. When he was ashore, Robert Ewart lived with his wife and three small children in Port Street, within view of the Manse. He was the son of James Ewart, one of more than two dozen ship owners listed in Pigot’s Directory for Annan (1837). Robert survived many voyages and retired to a house on Watchill, on the eastern edge of Annan. The MIs - and I have only two for the smaller cemeteries - are bulging with mariners. But even at this stage there emerges a much clearer picture of a community with shipping at its centre: John was not a one off.
There is more to be done on the MIs.
I am in contact with Pam - David's descendant - and I await more news from Oz.
