Captain William Sanderson (1795-1842) of South Shields, died in Quebec

[dtcoulson]

Hi people,

Findagrave has a picture of a headstone named for Captain William Sanderson, of the ship Free Briton, who died in 1842 at the age of 47. The stone says he was "of South Shields". The burial place is along the St Lawrence somewhere near Quebec City. I have not been able to find any other reference to him anywhere.

Anyone able to pair him to data in South Shields or Newcastle?

I have asked about Sandersons before, several years back, but not this particular fellow.

-DC

[AlanBoyd]

It’s ambiguous – the gravestone has “of the brig Free Briton of South Shields”.

Was it perhaps the Free Briton that was of South Shields?

[AlanBoyd]

Lloyds List 31 July 1812 has at Quebec, the arrival of the Free Briton, arrived from Shields.

Obviously this is 30 years earlier. What was the lifespan of a trading vessel in those days?

ADDED:
1854 Glasgow Chronicle
Free Briton, Shields, sailed for Quebec.

[AlanBoyd]

Strangely the newspapers have a lot of references to “Free Briton, Sanderson” in 1846. Perhaps a brother who took over?

[hanes teulu]

Le Journal de Quebec, 13 Juillet 1847
Arrivages 9 Juillet
Navire - Free Briton, Sanderson, Cork, á ordre do., 185 passagers

(note - the brig FB left Cork 27 May)

The Morning Chronicle, Quebec, Aug 16 1847
PORT OF QUEBEC
Cleared Aug 14
Brig - Free Briton, Preston, South Shields, H S Dalkin

mmmm?

[dtcoulson]

Thanks Alan,

The 1846 references: do they give any further detail?

There was one, possibly two William Sandersons born c.1825 who worked as a mariner from Newcastle area. I have seen a certificate for him, something like a graduation cert that qualified him for command of a ship though it has been a long time since I saw that document and don't remember it well.

If born in 1795 he would have been 17 in 1812 when the Free Briton appeared in Quebec. Hardly old enough to have been its master. I wonder, how long does it take to rise through the ranks and be given command of a ship? Age 30? 35? Just guessing. But that would take us to 1825-1830. If the ship made regular passage between South Shields and Quebec (again, a guess) then Capt Sanderson could as easily have made his home in Quebec as in South Shields. The mention of the ship on his gravestone implies that he was still serving in his capacity as captain at the time of his death, in which case we'd be looking at a journey in 1842. A man of 47 could easily have a son in his twenties, perhaps a seaman in his own right, a fellow born c.1820. Just putting that out there as a possibility.

-DC

[hanes teulu]

This refers to a Free Briton built 1845.
https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/North_of_England_maritime_directory_ship/oeENAAAAQAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=brig+free+briton&pg=RA1-PA11&printsec=frontcover

[AlanBoyd]

That explains the sudden rise of mentions in 1846.

[AlanBoyd]

You’ve probably done this, but there are no baptism candidates in South Shields around that date (searched at Durham Records Online).