Seeking Ship for Lascars Tafezoody & Abdul Hozee (Aden, March 1903)

[Kabirhussain1234]

I’m trying to identify the ship of two Indian lascars awarded by the *Royal Humane Society* for rescuing someone in **Aden Harbour on 30 March 1903** (Case No. 32560). 

**Details:** 
- Names: **Tafezoody** (spelled Taffazul/Tafazzal in records) and **Abdul Hozee**. 
- Likely employer: **British India Line** (e.g., SS Mundra, SS Dwarka). 
- RHS confirmed the award but not the ship name. 

**Request:** 
- Has anyone seen these names in **crew lists** or **Aden port logs**? 
- Which British India Line ships were in Aden late March 1903? 
- Happy to share the RHS letter or collaborate. 

*This documents overlooked lascar bravery—any help is invaluable!* 

[mckha489]

https://www.findmypast.co.uk/image-share/feccd61a-c56a-4299-9dd3-74279e0a69d3

I assume the W should be an A and it is the Matiana?

[mckha489]

Identical piece in a different newspaper.

https://www.findmypast.co.uk/image-share/9b90d38e-c6a6-41de-b6ab-72d075b4658a

Neither has any more heading or other content than I have clipped.

[mckha489]

I understand that although they are indexed at a the National Archives the records for the Royal Humane Society awards are held at the a British Library.
They suffered a cyber attack last year? Or perhaps even the year before, and are still not up and running as they were.
You might have to ask for a researcher to go and look at them on your behalf. As you have the certificate, it will have a date on it, so hopefully not too big a task for them to find.

Would “case notes” give much more information than the newspaper cutting? I don’t know.

Is the ship’s log available? the entry for the day in question might say something (or it might just say the sea was calm and they put a rowboat in to shore for water)

[mckha489]

FindMyPast has a record in Britain, Merchant Seamen, 1918-1941 for an Abdul HOGI who was born in Aden 1884
It says his father was British. It has a very smart photograph.
Unfortunately there isn’t any more to the record, and I can’t see anything for Tafezoody but I may not have found all the variants of spelling yet.

[mckha489]

Poking around a bit more, it does seem any records that might be useful will be at the British Library.

I can’t see anything more in the newspapers. Unless you want to follow route of the ship. But I don’t think it would achieve much, unless you want to get a feeling for the journeys your gg Grandfather did while working on the ships.

entries like. https://www.findmypast.co.uk/image-share/b8bc2a71-612f-4371-8bb8-2b8a49fe30eb

To post to these threads use the blue REPLY button at the top of bottom of the page.
Sometimes replies from new members to the forum do get held up in moderation.

PS when looking for an image of the SS Matiana, be aware there were two ships of that name. The first is your one, and was torpedoed in 1918. The photographs I have found so far are of the later vessel.

[Kabirhussain1234]

Thanks for all the information. Could you be so kind to send me/upload link of the first 3 pages of the newspaper in which the clip was found? Or just the entire page of the story? I'm collecting evidence incase I ever send it to any media house and this story. Lol
I'm not sure if you'll receive this reply or not

[mckha489]

If you go to the British newspaper archive you can search for the two issues I have linked. When you first register you have three free looks. So that will enable you to download the pages yourself.

If you want more you can have a short sub. Can’t remember cost, but I don’t think it is excessive

https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/

Op has asked by PM how to identify the “European man”

Records at the British Library?

Ancestry has lists of Passengers Outward.  Which I suppose would give you some possibilities at least. But did the ship stop anywhere before it arrived at Aden?   I think the ships log is probably the best bet.

Is it at Greenwich?

https://poheritage.com/resource/british-india-steam-navigation-company/

[Kabirhussain1234]

I have registered at the British Newspaper archives but I'm unable to find the first newspaper clipping you added. Ik perhaps I'm bothering you too much but could you send a link to that newspaper from the archives? Or if you yourself could download the newspaper (the first one) and send the file. I'd be so so grateful. It's that I'm not tech savvy at all. This is a heartfelt request to you.

I am searching on ancestry and have mailed Greenwich and they said they would reply in 10 days. I have no clue as to if the ship stopped before Aden.