Steamship Edinburgh lost near shetland October 1860

[tkgafs]

I'm not sure if I should post this here or on the midlothian board.

I am trying to find details of the loss of the Steamship Edinburgh which was sailing from Leith to St Petersburgh in October 1860.

the basic details are as follows [from http://shetlopedia.com/Edinburgh]

The Edinburgh, an iron hulled steamship, 66 L x 9 B metres, 778/529 tons or 529 NRT, built 1838 or 1858 (the available records are in dispute), registered in Leith, Edinburgh, Scotland.

This vessel departed Leith, Edinburgh, Scotland on a voyage to Kronstadt, St. Petersburg, Russia on October 3rd 1860 and was presumed to have been lost with all hands at an unknown location generally to the east of Shetland, before mid-December of the same year. The loss is generally accepted to have probably occured sometime during October.

A nameboard identified as belonging to the vessel was recovered on or near Whalsay on December 16th, and a lifebuoy, painted black and marked "EDINBURGH, of Leith" was recovered, also on or near Whalsay, the east side of the isle on this occasion, on December 24th. It is not made clear in the record whether these dates are the actual dates or recovery, or the dates on which the finds were officially reported.

The engineer Henry Ferrier would have been my wifes great great great uncle.

I have a couple newspaper clippings reporting the loss and an inventory will of Henry Ferrier which is dated 15 April 1862 [SC70/1/112 Edinburgh Sherriff Count Inventories] where his sister Helen Ferrier is declared executor as she is next of kin.

apparently a memorial fund was set up in Leith and St Petersburg for the dependents of the 28 crew members, but I can't find any details about it.

I can't find a death certificate for Henry on Scotlands People would one exist ?

Would there have been an inquest into the loss, if so where would I find this ?

Where would I find a crew list for the ship

Any help and information anyone can provide would be gratefully received

Tkgafs

[RJ_Paton]

Unfortunately this incident occurred before the main pieces of legislation came into force regarding the registration of deaths at sea and formal inquiries into the fate of a ship lost at sea.

That said there may be some information available in the minor records at SP and the NAS online catalogue may help if there was any official court proceedings or enquiry into the loss. The National Archives in England also held registers of deaths etc on all British ships and may be able to assist.

A main line of enquiry which should be worth pursuing is via Loyds Register as the ship would have required insurance

[MonicaL]

The only mention of names and personal details that I can see are from newspaper reporting, such as this one from the Glasgow Herald on 22 October 1860:

Dr MacKenzie who was returning to Russia, with wife and children (the four passengers on board - although elsewhere I saw six).

Twenty five of the crew, including Captain Steele, have left wives and families; the remainder of the crew consisted of three or four single men.

Twenty four widows and up to sixty children supposed to be bereaved.

Very little around about the tragedy unfortunately 

Monica

Added: A painting of the 'Steamship Edinburgh' from 1859 www.artnet.com/artists/carl+emil-baag%C3%B6e/steamship-edinburgh-of-leith-FUPcXCCg1qeoZ_I-oEX4aA2

[RJ_Paton]

There is an article in the Caledonian Mercury of 20th October which reports the return of the Ivanhoe after an unsuccessful search for the Edinburgh. The article then mentions the possibility that the Edinburgh was caught in the same hurricane which caused the loss of four other ships. There is also an oblique reference to earlier reports citing heavy deck cargo as a cause of the loss as being incorrect.

The ship was reported as built in 1858 in Leith and at 845tons register was described as the largest ship belonging to the port. Mention is also made of its classification 12 A 1 which is claimed to be the highest specification for an iron ship.

The article refers to Captain Steele and 27 crew and that the ship was carrying 4 passengers and this may account for the reported 30 deaths. (although the figures don't add up)
There is also a very brief mention of a fund having been started in Leith for the assistance of the bereaved families.

[sancti]

No further info than what you have

http://canmore.rcahms.gov.uk/en/site/242481/details/edinburgh+fair+isle/

[tkgafs]

Thank you all for your interest and suggestions,

I'll certainly follow up the lloyds register suggestion

To be honest my real quarry is one of Henrys brother John Ferrier who is an absolute brickwall, so turning our attention to all his siblings in the hope of finding something which will turn John up.

in the 1861 census of Leith the family is living at 11 Macneil place leith

John is aged 21 and living at home with his mother Martha Ferrier,along with another brother William who is 16

Both are listed as Engine Smiths

Their Father is Henry Bow Ferrier who is a journeyman blacksmith and in 1861 is working in Lossiemouth

Their Brother Henry we now know is dead

after 1861 John simply vanishes I can find no record of him anywhere

in 1871 William shows up as a Marine Engineer married to an Elizabeth White and living in Pembroke dock in Wales

But also in 1871 back in MacNeil place Leith their mother Martha is living her granddaughter also called Martha aged 9, and 1881 both are still living together at the same address and in 1884 Martha junior gets married to Robert Scott on the marriage certificate Marthas parents are listed as John Ferrier and Christina Laidlaw both deceased, but there is no trace of a death or marriage for either of them or a birth certificate for Martha Ferrier.

There is a possible Christina Laidlaw living locally of a suitable age but she marries a Melville Fernie on 31/12/1863 and moves away to Fife and then Dundee.

Christinas mother dies in mid 1850s and her father subsequently remarries in 1857, both her father and brothers are sailors, so our absolute conjecture goes like this

This is the correct Christina Laidlaw and she and John do indeeed produce a child, John like his brothers has become a ships engineer and he either dies at sea or simply gets off the ship at another port possibly in another country and never returns before the child is born.

As Christina has no support Martha (the granny) takes the child and brings her up, and when she marries Melville Fernie he will take her but not the first child.

As I said it is simply a theory which could be plausible, but its totally without evidence or foundation.

But having said that we have traced all the rest of the family its only John who is missing and why would you tell the younger Martha that her parents were John Ferrier and Christina Laidlaw if it weren't true.

Any insights or comments would be good

Tkgafs

[sancti]

According to the census where was Martha born?

[seaweed]

The steamship EDINBURGH official number 20432 was launched in June 1858 at the shipyard of Hugh Morton in Leith.
There is mention of Henry Ferrier and the rest of the crew of EDINBURGH in the Register of Wages and Effects of Deceased Seamen in the National Archive Piece BT153/4 page 219. Apart from the fact that date of death was recorded as drowning on  2/Oct/1860 and it seems he owed £3 probably a drawing on his wages there is no other useful information. The page can be viewed on FindMyPast.

[MonicaL]

...in 1884 Martha junior gets married to Robert Scott on the marriage certificate Marthas parents are listed as John Ferrier and Christina Laidlaw both deceased, but there is no trace of a death or marriage for either of them or a birth certificate for Martha Ferrier.

Her death info is very different  Father Archibald, a shoemaker, and mother a Mary Kinnear...not that there is any trace of them either! Although, Kinnear was used for a middle name for one of their children b. 1898, Martha Kinnear Scott?

Monica