Henry BANKS of Bristol c.1828 - 1863

[bristolloggerheads]

Is anyone researching this gentleman? He was mate on the "Tredegar" when it sank on 3rd December 1863 off Clevedon. I am writing about the life of the captain and would welcome anyone with knowledge of this man. He is recorded as being born in Bristol and age 35 when he drowned.

There doesn't appear to be a death recorded in freebmd for him.

Any help appreciated,

Peter

[forefathers]

Do the reports of the accident mention if Henry had any family ? I have found a Henry Banks, aged 40, "barge man", born in Portishead, living in Bristol, on the 1861 census. He was married to a Fanny and had a 7-year old daughter Emily Ann.

Any idea if that's the right man?

[KGarrad]

Portishead was a part of the Port of Bristol, which might explain how Henry came from "Bristol"?
Ships carrying coal were commonplace at Portishead Dock.

From an old Portishead boy!

[bristolloggerheads]

One document says he was of Bristol, the other, born in Gloucestershire.

[forefathers]

I managed to find a couple of reports on this sinking on the British Newspaper Archive site.

It seems as if only one body was ever recovered and that was identified as the captain (but not with total certainty).

I'm wondering what actually happens about registering a death in those circumstances? I'd be interested to hear if anyone knows when/where the death would be registered when someone is presumed dead but no body is found? I will try to find out too. Maybe after the inquest?

[bristolloggerheads]

The captain's body was identified to the coroner (in the pub) by his youngest son although subsequently his eldest son identified it (at the hospital) as the mate, Henry Banks. The body had been 4 1/2 months in the water. The captain had a death certificate issued by the coroner but there is not a trace of a burial that I can find. Unfortunately the hospital burial ground didn't survive WWII if he was buried there.

[forefathers]

I found Henry Banks in the www.findmypast.co.uk Maritime BMDs http://www.findmypast.co.uk/records/maritime/details/D/815209?rT=MARITIME&e=D&sn=Banks&fns=Henry&snNXF=true&fnNXF=true&fnS=M&rC=88 along with a David Jones.

Don't think this tells us much we don't know but PM me if you want to know more and can't access the records yourself.

[bristolloggerheads]

Thanks for the link - as you say, it doesn't add anything but until you look, you won't know for sure.

Peter