David Chalmers Ships captain and Harbourmaster Drummore

[tony ince]

i am trying to confirm data on the above born 1853 died 1911

[LesleyB]

Hi Tony
and Welcome toTalking Scot

What data are you trying to confirm - the dates of birth and death? Where did you find the information you have already?
Have you searched for his birth and death and not been able to confirm them, or are you not sure where to look?

Have you found your man on a census? - that would give his place of birth.

Best wishes
Lesley

[Ann In the UK]

A bit more information may be useful.

However, if he was a 'Master' then I believe it implies he was sailing aboard merchant vessels - in which case, if he became a Master between 1869 and 1911 then he should be listed at Lloyds, but this is the only one I can see -

CHALMERS, David b. Montrose 1834 C20571 Dundee 1863
vol.3 1863-1871; vol.17 no voyages listed

http://www.history.ac.uk/gh/capsC.pdf

Regards,
Ann

[Ann In the UK]

Just had a quick look at Ancestry. I guess this is your man in 1881.


Name: David Chalmers
Age: 29
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1852
Relationship: Head
Spouse's name : Sarah
Gender: Male
Where born: Kirkmaiden, Wigtonsh
Registration Number: 890
Registration district: Kirkmaiden
Civil parish: Kirkmaiden
County: Wigtownshire
Address: 3 Shore St
Occupation: Mariner (Doesn't look like he was a Captain at this point )ED: 6
Household schedule number: 4
Line: 8
Roll: cssct1881_334
Household Members: Name Age
David Chalmers 29
Sarah Chalmers 30
Alexr McCrackan 77
Alexander Chalmers 9
Elizabeth Chalmers 7
Sarah Jane Chalmers 7
Annie Lydia Chalmers 3
Janet Chalmers

And this looks like him in 1861 -

Name: David Chalmers
Age: 10
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1851
Relationship: Son
Father's Name: William
Mother's Name: Sarah
Gender: Male
Where born: Kirkmaiden, Wigtonshire
Registration Number: 890
Registration district: Kirkmaiden
Civil parish: Kirkmaiden
County: Wigtownshire
Address: Whinnyknowe
Occupation: Scholar
ED: 2
Household schedule number: 1
Line: 4
Roll: CSSCT1861_148
Household Members: Name Age
William Chalmer 50 (Father was an ag lab)
Sarah Chalmers 51
Robert Chalmers 11
David Chalmers 10
Margaret Chalmers 4
Janet Hill 81

So I guess the Master above isn't your David or his father.

Sorry if that was no help whatsoever

Ann

[LesleyB]

Hi Ann
The chap was a Harbourmaster - in charge of a harbour. Men who do that job have usuallly had a career at sea before that, so your mariner may fit the bill.

I think harbour master is usually a kind of "settling down" "retiral" type post, but I'll probanly be corrected (or thumped) by those more knowlegeable about these things, but in my defense I do know of two harbourmasters for whom that descrioption fits!

Best wishes
Lesley

[Ann In the UK]

Hey Lesley

I think my dates are out for him, but maybe he's a rellie, you never know. Also, if he was a "Captain" rather than a 'Master' he was probably skipper of a passenger vessel or perhaps he was in the Navy.

However I agree, harbourmasters did tend to be ex mariners - so I won't be thumping you. Can't speak for anyone else though

Regards,
Ann

[LesleyB]

From Tony

Hi lesleyb thanks for post I have located all the census infomation
on david chalmers but have areport on his sudden death in the
wigtown free press stating that he had been a master mariner ships
captain and harbourmaster at drummore none of which have i been
able to confirm from official records

tony

[LesleyB]

There seem to be a few others researching this man:

http://homepages.rootsweb.ancestry.com/ ... uote]Peter Summers Kidderminster, Worcestershire, England

I am descended from the Chalmers of Drummore(Kirkmaiden), my G Grandfather was David Chalmers b1852 d1911. He was the Harbour Master in Drummore, his wife was Sarah McCracken b1848 d1928. I am descended from their daughter Elizabeth McCracken Summers nee Chalmers born in Drummore 1874 died in Stretford Lancs 1938. Her brother was William McMillan Chalmers who was married to Harriet and lived at West Didsbury, Manchester. William was killed in the Battle for Loos in 1915. I am looking for any more of the family anywhere in the world.

21-May-2009 [/quote]

Jeanne carmont" <jeanne.carmont@ntlworld.com>
Subject: Strays from 1881 census 094- Robert McCracken

http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/t ... 1125681420

> Robert McCracken (my gg uncle) was indeed born in Drummore in 1855 and was
> accidentally killed at Wigtown in December 1881, I have not yet found out
> how, but he left a young wife Susan McClure with two children aged 4 and 1
> and another on the way, who she named Roberta, who later married Robert
> Ballantine McMillan. Susan and Roberta were at one time both
> Postmistresses
> in Drummore. There were a lot of McCrackens in Drummore, Robert had 11
> brothers and sisters of which 5 died, leaving 1 sister Sarah McCracken (my
> gg grandmother, married Captain David Chalmers, Harbour Master from 1901-
> to
> his death in 1911) and five brothers. I have got the 1881 census, but
> didn't
> realize he appeared twice, so thank you very much Sam, I will now check
> for
> others that were on boats dotted here and there.
> Regards
> Jeanne

...and we've just had another new member make a post about him:
http://talkingscot.com/forum/viewtopic. ... highlight=

Best wishes
Lesley

[Andrew C.]

Thanks for that link Ann. I was also looking for Chalmers Sailing Captains however mine where William and James from Leuchars in Fife. I found William on the Lloyd's list. Is there any other information I can access from these details?

[Ann In the UK]

Hi Andrew,

God yes. But not online at this stage.

Now you have those details, you need to go to the Guildhall Library in London and see his name listed in the original ledgers (I say go to rather than contact as it is well worth the trip for this alone). You can even take photographs of the actual entry in the ledger - so long as you don't use a flash.

This entry will also give you details of some of the vessels on which he sailed, which will then enable you to find him in Lloyds lists so you can see some of the journeys your ancestors went on.

And, now you also have his Captains number, I'd also urge you to either contact or visit the National Maritime Museum library in London and order his Masters Certificates. These will give you an enourmous amount of detail regarding the steps he took to become a Master (there are several stages), any vessels he was Master or Mate on etc, going back several years.

Following all that, having now obtained a full list of his vessels and, more importantly, their Official Numbers, you will be able to investigate each ship further, both online (I can give you a whole host of places to try) and via various archives around the world. This will enable you to obtain crew lists and agreements, probably for most of the vessels on which he sailed. Just let me know when you get to that stage and I'll post the details - unless you find them by trawling through the enourmous "seafaring" section on here first!).

(EDIT - I've just checked and it turns out that the absolutely excellent seafaring section on here is currently still on a little hiatus - but I'm pretty sure by the time you're ready to trawl through it, the TS team will have sorted it out again. They're good like that ).

I was also able to find an actual photograph of the last vessel my ancestor sailed on (the one on which he drowned) from the National Maritime Museum Library, so it's worthwhile asking when you're there whether they have any of any of the vessels listed.

I know it sounds complicated, but the staff at both places are very helpful.

Regards, Ann


(PS, by the way, the Guildhall library is currently undergoing a refurb. But all of the docs and manuscipts are still available elsewhere nearby, you just have to check online before you go to make sure that you're going to the right place.)