Tracing a Master Mariner 3

Calcutta port with shipping

In the 1840s George Caithness was master of various ships as listed in his Claim for his Master’s Certificate. These voyages were all for the ‘foreign trade’,taking him as far afield as South America as well as slightly nearer home to the Mediterranean. By 1849 he was sailing to Calcutta in the barque Nizam, built in 1847 by J Mearns’s yard; her home port was Sunderland. She is listed in the North of England Maritime Directory and Shipping Register 1848.*

During these years George was away from his family for extended periods of time. He had married Caroline Miller, though so far no record of this event has been found. 

Their first child, Caroline Ann, was born in Southampton in 1843, followed by another daughter, Eleanor, at Hartlepool in 1845 and a son George John whose baptism was recorded on 13 November 1850 at Monkwearmouth ‘to George and Caroline Caithness of Monkwearmouth Shore’, George is described as Master Mariner.

Caithness family entry 1851 Census Monkwearmouth. Click to zoom.

The children and their mother appear in the 1851 Census at North Quay, Monkwearmouth, with Caroline as Master Mariner’s wife ‘and Victualler’. George is absent, though probably not on the high seas.

'George Caithness, late of the Quay-side, Monkwearmouth, Durham, Mariner and Publican - In the Gaol of Durham'

A news report shows that George had got into financial difficulties and was consigned to Durham gaol for debt; he appeared in court on 9 August 1850. The details given below indicate how much George had moved around and that he had frequently been ‘out of employment’. This was not uncommon for Master Mariners.

It seems George had tried to make a living ashore as a publican, given the vicissitudes of life as a merchant captain. These must have been hard times for his wife and family.

George's name appeared in Perry's Bankrupt Gazette 27 July 1850

However, this downturn passed. George received his Master’s Certificate in June 1851 and continued at sea in the Merchant Service.

What is a Master Mariner?

A master mariner is a man judged to be qualified to be in charge of a vessel, and is frequently referred to in non-official sources as a captain. Master mariners were issued with a certificate, many of which have survived, but these records are not complete and only cover service between 1845 and 1927

Examinations for Masters were introduced in 1845, but did not become compulsory for the foreign trade until 1850, and the home trade (i.e. those trading in UK coastal waters and with north European ports) until 1854.

Research guide C2: The Merchant Navy: Tracing people: Master-mariners, mates and engineers:

www.rmg.co.uk/researchers/library/research-guides/the-merchant-navy/tracing-people-master-mariners-mates-engineers

*Source: The Sunderland Site: vessels built at Sunderland 1847
http://www.searlecanada.org/sunderland/sunderland122.html

Acknowledgement

Tom Sheldon

Tracing a Master Mariner 2

Trinity House Brig; National Maritime Museum, Greenwich*

From March to December 1848, George Caithness was master of the 191 ton brig Fortitude sailing to Rio. She is listed in Lloyd’s Register for that year:

By February 1848 he was master of Nizam, trading to Calcutta. Not long afterwards George submitted his claim for his Master’s Certificate, the latter being issued on 20 June 1851.

The Master's Certificate gives name, estimated age, birth date, birth place, issue date, issue port and certificate number: George Caithness, 34, 5 Jul 1817, Ealing Hants, 20 Jan 1851, Sunderland, 36461. His actual birth year was 1818 and he was born in Eling, Hampshire, not Ealing. [From www.ancestry.co.uk All UK and Ireland Masters and Mates Certificates 1850-1927]  

Merchant Navy Captain

Merchant Seamen’s Records

The majority of records relating to merchant seamen are held at The National Archives, Kew. These include the First, Second and Third Registers of Merchant Seamen's service, 1835–1856.

At findmypast search 1.6 million records of Merchant Navy Seamen 1835-1857. From 1835, the central government began to monitor a potential reserve of sailors for the Royal Navy, resulting in the creation of thousands of records that identify individual seamen. The main series are the ships' agreements and crew lists, from which the registers of service were created. These are volumes from The National Archives' record series BT112, BT113, BT114, BT115, BT116, BT119 and BT120.

www.findmypast.co.uk/search/merchant-navy-seamen

* This unsigned ship portrait probably dates to the 1830s or early 1840s at latest. The rig is rather unusual, since while essentially that of a brig it includes a gaff to the foremast rather than a fore-staysail.
www.bbc.co.uk/arts/yourpaintings/paintings/a-trinity-house-brig-172879

Acknowledgement:

Tom Sheldon

Tracing a Master Mariner's career

Gradually adding events to an ancestor’s chronology is a satisfying indication of progress made, gaps filled and increased understanding of what made him/her tick. This is happening now in the case of George Henry Caithness, brother of James Ramsay Caithness.

They were both mariners who began their careers at the Lower School, Royal Hospital, Greenwich after the early death of their father, James Caithness. One of the documents pertaining to George’s acceptance at Greenwich is a declaration sworn by his mother, Ann Caithness nee Scorey, in October 1827, stating his birth date to be 5 July 1818.

  

George’s birth year is given as 1817 on his Master’s Certificate issued in January 1851. He was baptised at St Mary’s, Eling, Hampshire on 9 August 1818 and although baptisms were not always immediate it seems Ann’s statement giving 1818 as the year George was born is more likely to be correct.

So George was only about 9 years of age when he was admitted to the Lower School and boys were expected to remain ‘as long as the Directors thereof shall think proper’ - usually till they were 14. They were then ‘at the disposal of the Directors to serve ‘in the Royal Navy, Royal Marines, or Merchant Sea Service’: George like his elder brother James was destined for the latter.

Fortunately, details of George’s career after Greenwich are revealed on his Master’s Claim for Certificate of Service, listing names of the ships he served in and the relevant dates. It’s stated that he served as ‘apprentice, seaman and mate from 1830 to 1840 and since that period as master’. Two of the ships he was with in the early years were the Leonidas (home port Southampton), as apprentice, and Comet (home port London), as mate.

As master, his ships from 1843 to 1849 were Rosebud, Schiedam, Victoria, Fortitude and Nizam, with destinations as diverse as America, the Mediterranean, Brazil and Calcutta.

The unusually-named Schiedam is listed in Lloyd’s Register.* The latter is a valuable source when tracing a master’s career, bearing in mind that there may be unexpected variations of a surname: George’s name is given as Cockness, Cartness and Catness, none of these an obvious choice when searching.

The Victoria is also listed in Lloyd’s Register – ‘Catness’ master – and the abbreviation ‘Sw’ indicates she was a Snow, a square-rigged ship similar to a brig but with a trysail mast added. It was in this ship that George experienced the volcanic phenomenon in 1845.

*www.lr.org/about_us/shipping_information/Lloyds_Register_of_Ships_online.aspx

Acknowledgement

Tom Sheldon

Captain George Caithness and the Undersea Volcanic Eruption

Brig in a Storm

Great Balls of Fire

The Sydney Morning Herald reported on Thursday 17 November 1845, under the heading ‘Marine Phenomena’, ‘a circumstance of singular interest … similar to what has been experienced by other mariners in various parts of the world.’

Captain Caithness, of the brig Victoria, reports that on the 18^th instant (June) at nine o’clock p.m., a heavy squall took both top-gallant and royal masts over the side; at the same time no appearance of a squall. 

At eleven o’clock called all hands to reef the topsail; then blowing hard at S.S.E. to S.E.  All hands proceeded aloft to reef the main-topsail: in a moment it fell calm, and all hands complained of being so hot, and so much sulphur and dust, they could hardly remain up aloft, and it was worse on deck, the ship at the same time labouring. 

Half a mile from the ship saw three balls of fire come out of the sea; this lasted about ten minutes. Another heavy squall from S.S.E., and then the ship soon ran into the cool atmosphere. The position of the ship, as well as he could judge from observations taken at noon was – latitude 30 deg., 40 min., 56 sec., longitude 13 deg., 44 min., 36 sec., by two chronometers.*

  

Despite the lack of a forename in the news report this was certainly Captain George Caithness (1818-1895). That he was master of the Victoria at the relevant date is confirmed in his Master’s Claim for Certificate of Service. This document, dated September 1850 and listing the vessels in which George served, provides vital details of his career. 

To be continued

* Interpreting the coordinates in the newspaper article as 30° 41’ north and 13° 45’ west as the only logical location, puts the observation about 200 km north east of the Canary Islands off the coast of Morocco. Google maps show undersea mountains and the Canaries still have a few active volcanos.

Acknowlegements

Tom Sheldon

Peter Hay

Passengers to Natal: Asiatic 1880

Asiatic arrived 6 November 1880
reported in Natal Witness 11 November 1880

ARRIVED: 
Nov 6 
Asiatic, U R M S, of Southampton, WC Crutchley, 2089 tons, from Cape Town and intermediate ports. Cargo general.

Passengers from Southampton: 
Mrs A Davis and maid 
Mrs and Miss Pacvis 

Mr and Mrs Burden 
Mr and Mrs Gresham 
Mr and Mrs Rabbish 
Miss Boocock 
Messrs 
Leyall 
Stock 
Warne 
Dabb 
McWilliam 
H Shroder 
P Shroder 
Givers 
Mr and Miss Atkinson, 
4 Misses and 2 Masters Atkinson
 and native servant 
Mr E Hope 
Mrs Knight and 2 Misses
 and Master Knight 
Miss Reeves 
Miss Allen 
2 Misses Mesves 
Miss Capel 
Mr and Mrs Mathews 
Mr Clausen 
Mr Finston 
Mr, Mrs and Master Ker 
Mr and Mrs McKenzie 
Mr H Pepper 
Mr Reed 
Mr and Mrs Hewitt 
Mr H Neimeyer 
Mr, Mrs, Miss and 2 Masters Mare 
Mr, Mrs, 2 Misses and Master Sutherland 
Mr and Mrs Chrichton 
Mr, 7 Misses and 2 Masters Williams

From Cape Town to East London: 
Capt. Spondow

From Algoa Bay to East London: 
Mr, Mrs, 2 Misses and 2 Master Browse 
Messrs 
Long 
Lumsden 
Kellan 
11 Volunteers 
Capt. Walker

From Algoa Bay to Natal: 
Mrs Wells 
Messrs 
Scoones 
Gurdts 
Thomas 
Kullett 
Burley 
Colgate 
Brown and Hickson

- E. Baynton, agent.

Ancestors in British India

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Passengers on Teuton depart Natal 1880

URMS Teuton sailed 2 November 1880
Natal Mercury 4 November 1880 reported shipping as follows:

Arrived: 
Oct 31, Fides, 273 tons, Hyman, from London, Aug 11. Cargo, general. 
- JT Rennie and Sons, agents.

Sailed: 
Oct 30, St. Mark, U.S.S., of London, 1098 tons, Johnson, for Point de Galle. Cargo general. 
- E Baynton, agent.

Oct 31, Crossowen, brig, of Glasgow, 835 tons, Weeks, for --- 
- Parker, Wood and Co., agent.

Oct 31, Zulu, 3-masted schooner 280 tons, of London, Lincoln, for Madras Coast. 
- Bullard, King and Jarvis, agents.

Nov 2, Teuton, U.R.M.S. of Southampton, 2313 tons, Manning for Cape ports. Cargo colonial produce.

PASSENGERS:


For East London: 
Messrs 
Forth 
C Fondson 
R Staple 
Lambard 
WR Ellis

For Port Elizabeth: 
Messrs 
Sparks 
W Parking 
Beyhin

For Cape Town: 
Captain Graumann 
Messrs 
Tee 
Harrowell 
Arderne 
C Knox

For England: 
Mr and Mrs Harcombe 
Messrs 
J Brown 
E Brunskill 
HC Green 
FW Moxon

- E Baynton, agent.

Nov 3, Adonis, S.S. tug, of Mozambizue, Roberts, for St. John's. Cargo Government stores. 
- De Waal and Co., agents.

Nov 3, Lotus, brig. of Yarmouth, 200 tons, Little, for London. Cargo general. 
- JT Rennie and Sons, agents.

Nov 3, Parana, barque, of Rostock, 399 tons, Rening, for Guam, in ballast. 
- JT Rennie and Sons, agents.

Nov 3, Somtseu, S.S. tug of London, 47 tons, Jewitt for Umzimkulu. Cargo general. 
- TN Price, agent.

Nov 3, Wilhelm Neyer, brigantine of Stralsund, 282 tons, Miedbrod, for Zanzibar in ballast. 
- H and T McCubbin, agents.

Passengers to Natal: Dane, Quathlamba, Moor 1880

Dane arrival 2 October 1880 reported in Natal Witness October 7 1880

Oct 2, Dane, U.S.S., of Southampton, 3646 tons, Symons, from England and Cape ports. Cargo, general.

PASSENGERS 
From Southampton:
Messrs 
Molesworth 
Wand 
Mrs Beviss 
Mr and Mrs Martin 
Mr HE Eva 
Mrs Liddicoat
 and children 
Mrs Horner 
Messrs 
Laing 
Liddicoat 
Wilson 
Stupple (2) 
Oelfener 
Maddison 
Anderson 
McDonald 
Heron 
Murray 
Luke 
Ullocker 
Mr, Mrs, Master and Miss Macklin 
Mr, Mrs, Master and Miss Snap 
Messrs 
Sanders 
Maconochie 
Plowman 
Berry 
Budge 
Cruickshank 
Garrod (2) 
York 
Richards 
Davidson 
Mcnaught 
Black 
Clarke 
Misses Campbell 
McGibbin 
Mr and Mrs Forsyth 
Mrs J Roberts 
Mr D Roberts 
Misses (2) and Master Roberts 
Mr, Miss and Masters (2) McIntosh

From Algoa Bay: 
Miss Neill and three natives

- HJ Watts, agent.

Oct 3, Quathlamba, barque of Aberdeen, 467 tons, Early, from London (July 17). Cargo, general.
Note  * Interesting details and a story about Captain Early appear on

http://www.fotolog.com/earlywarm/7910286/

PASSENGERS 
Mr, Mrs, Master and Miss Holcombe

- JT Rennie and Sons, agents.

Oct 3, Moor, U.S.S., of Southampton, 3686 tons, Griffin, from England (Sept 6), and Cape ports.

PASSENGERS 
From England: 
Mr and Mrs Mathers, child and maid 
Messrs 
W and HK Wood 
Morris 
Pollok 
E Escombe 
Mrs Jenkinson 
Misses Gibson and Church

From Cape Town: 
Messrs 
Smith 
Dauret 
Stevens 
Mr and Mrs Loveday, three children and maid 
Mrs Wilson and child 
Miss Crowder

From Algoa Bay: 
Messrs 
Creagh 
Trotter 
Hepburn 
Mr and Mrs Dell 
Mr and Mrs Champion and maid 
Misses Marran and Wilkins 
Mrs Gammon and four children

From East London: 
Messrs 
Tuttaw 
Daniel 
McIntyre 
Mrs and Misses (2) Holman 
Miss Bompas 
Mrs and Master Tulley and servant 
Mr and Mrs Taylor 
Mrs Knowles 
Miss Street 
28 coolies

HJ Watts, agent.

Wreck of the Luna Natal 1880

Another Wreck on the Back Beach: Natal Mercury 6 September 1880

On Friday afternoon (Sept 2) some sensation was created in town by a rumour to the effect that another ship had been driven ashore on the back beach, and become a wreck. On further inquiry the rumour proved true, and though the day was inclement, large parties were to be seen winding their way to the back beach to witness the struggles of the schooner Luna, after parting her anchor at the outer anchorage, in drifting slowly towards the shore. The Luna is a schooner of Elsfleth, 22 tons, (Captain) Grube, and arrived at this port with a general cargo, Messrs. J.T. Rennie acting as agents.

It was at 2.30 when the flag-staff on the Bluff signalled the danger of the vessel, when, with a promptitude that was highly commendable, the port officials under Captain Airth were at once on the beach, and by means of signals directed the vessel to the shore, just at the end of West Street East. A south-easterly gale was blowing at the time, and though all possible efforts were made by the men on board to get the ship's head to the wind and brave the blast, the attempt was fruitless, and a little after 3 o'clock the vessel was stranded, where pointed out by the pilot.

The rocket apparatus was quickly put into use, and though the vessel was rolling violently amid the huge breakers, the line was got through the rigging; but here again, as in the case of a ship stranded a short time since, the crew seemed quite unable to understand the working of the apparatus until Mr. Chiazzari boldly plunged into the waves, and by following the line of the apparatus was able to get on board, where he at once had things put in order, and in a short time the crew was landed.

Though there was a thick drizzling rain and rather a stiff breeze blowing, there was a large concourse of people on the back beach, and help was willingly tendered by all in assisting the crew ashore. All were loud in their praise yesterday of the expert style in which the work was performed by the port officials.

The officer in charge of the rocket apparatus complains of the manner in which the public crowd round coming inside the rope, and preventing the men from performing their duty. Much valuable time is thereby lost. As in many instances precious lives depend upon promptitude of action by those on shore, it would be as well if this were kept in mind in future.

Late at night the vessel was rolling heavily among the breakers within 50 yards of the shore. The opinion is that she will become a wreck.


This later proved to be the case. The Luna, a British brig (referred to as a schooner in the Mercury) of 184 tons, built in the Sunderland yards, was on a voyage from London. The rocket apparatus at Natal once again proved the means of preventing any loss of life in the shipwreck. Mr Chiazzari was of the firm of Landing Agents, Harcombe & Chiazzari.

Shipwrecks on the Wild Coast

If, like me, you love maps and are fascinated by the turbulent Wild Coast, its pioneer and trading families, and especially by the many shipwrecks which for five centuries have occurred along its shores, look no further than the wonderful map of this area available at www.slingsbymaps.com

Among the wreck sites marked are:

Ivy 1878

Sao Joao 1552

Sao Bento 1554

Grosvenor 1782

Nossa Senhora de Belem 1635

Forres Bank 1958

Santo Alberto 1593

Africa and Agatha 1853

Hercules 1852

Oceanos 1991

There’s a strong but controversial possibility that in July 1909 the Blue Anchor Liner Waratah may have disappeared between Coffee Bay and Hole in the Wall on this very coast. 

Read more about this intriguing mystery of the sea at www.waratahrevisited.blogspot.com and also right here on Mole’s blog pages via the search facility.