Shipwright, SS Clan Drummond

[Lyntochter]

Hi, my great grandfather, John Dougherty, was the shipwright on the SS Clan Drummond which foundered in the Bay of Biscay in 1998.  He left a widow and six children and I am wondering if she would have received any compensation from the shipping company.   

If anyone knows or would be able to point me in the right direction I should be grateful.  I am not sure exactly where they lived in 1998.   At some point between 1891 and 1901 they moved from Greenock to Govan in Glasgow.  The ship sailed from Liverpool but the inquiry was held in Glasgow.

[GrahamSimons]

1898 not 1998, presumably? As late as World War 2, when a ship sank, the pay of the crew was stopped immediately - it didn't even continue until the survivors reached the shore. So my guess is that there would have been nothing. There might have been an appeal - many lives were lost, so it was newsworthy - and local papers just might help there.

[seaweed]

I concure with Graham that no compensation would have been payed.
The link is the official report of the sinking.
http://www.plimsoll.org/resources/SCCLibraries/WreckReports/17532.asp

Some basic details of CLAN DRUMMOND official number 86669
http://www.crewlist.org.uk/data/viewimages.php?year=1899&regtype=MNL&page=74&reference=9776&name=CLAN DRUMMOND

Her 1898 Crew Agreements which will give you some background information of your ancestor. are available from here for a fee.
http://www.mun.ca/mha/holdings/viewcombinedcrews.php?Official_No=86669

[Lyntochter]

Thank you Seaweed and GrahamSimons for your replies.  You confirmed what I thought.  I am hoping to write a story about the sinking and the effect on the family and it had occurred to me there might have been a possibility although I rather doubted it.  Thank you too for the link to the official report which I had seen but from a different link.  I think it will be quite useful for my story as it is quite detailed. 

According to family history, my g.grandfather was not supposed to be going to sea again but 'they' (presumably some official from the shipping company) came to the door pleading with him as they were suddenly short of ship's carpenter.

[Lyntochter]

Oh yes, sorry - it was 1898 not 1998.   

[seaweed]

. Thank you too for the link to the official report which I had seen but from a different link.  I think it will be quite useful for my story as it is quite detailed. 

Could you give me the link you refer to? Other sources are always useful.
Thanks, SW

[Lyntochter]

Thank you SW for the other links which I will investigate.  For some reason I didn't see them on my first reading.

I have just checked the other links and in fact the official report was the same link you gave.  My earlier investigations had uncovered a report from the Liverpool Mercury:

http://www.old-merseytimes.co.uk/clandrummond