Ship Hector - Death at Sea 1899

[emanday]

Just received the Marine register extract of my Great Grandfather's death in 1899.

Added Later: The entry gives an official number between the ship's name and the date of death - 44550 (or that 0 could be a D)

BTW - Here's where it happened
http://talkingscot.com/gallery/displayi ... p?pos=-847 Bay of Biscay

He was on the ship Hector, apparently a Fireman, and he was washed overboard. He was only 35 and they even give the Latitude and Longitude of where this happened. No indication of spouse, etc...

I am 95% positive this is my Great Grandfather. He did die only a couple of years after the birth of my Grandmother's younger sister and the age matches. We were always told that he died at sea, but they also said he was a ship's master (I actually previously discovered he was a stoker / fireman), so until I found his death entry I wasn't convinced about the "death at sea".

How do I find out more? Would there have been an inquiry?

[emanday]

I've just had an email from a very nice chap at the Scottish Maritime Museum who provided...

Hector built 1877 by Leslie & Co, Newcastle for Ocean Steamship Co, registered Liverpool
Hector built 1863 by Laing, Sunderland for Livingston, Conner & Co, registered Hartlepool
Hector built 1870 by Stephens, Dundee for Avalon Steamship Co, registered St John's, Newfoundland (this one was a whaler)

...but he didn't know where I'd be able to get any further info on crews and losses at sea for them.

Any ideas?

[Liz Turner]

Mary

Got your reply to the other post, but thought it might be better to continue with this one.

Since you know who built the ship, I wonder if they also sailed them or did they charter them to other companies?? What about local papers/archives in the cities where the ships were registered??

I was lucky enough to find a couple of articles from the "Pittenweem Register" and from a web site about the White Star Line, regarding the death of one of my ancestors in a major storm off the south coast of Ireland - so also perhaps have a look at the local paper where your great grandfather lived?

Sorry I can't be more helpful.

Liz

[emanday]

The Hector with the correct registration number was usually chartered, but the info I found only goes so far. Wouldn't you know it? Not far enough

[Liz Turner]

M

Out of interest (sheer nosiness ) which of the ships is the one you're interested in?

Liz

[emanday]

Actually, Liz, none of those mentioned

My Hector, Official Number 44550 was registered in Sunderland in 1871 and I still can't even find out who and where she was built, or what kind of ship she was.

I'd assume she was built in Sunderland, but apparently this need not necessarily be the case.

[Hugh Stevely]

Hi emanday
I have a SS-Hector 1,979 gross tons, Built at Sunderland by James Laing& Co 1863 Ship-Operator-Temperley Line running in to Quebec Canada could this be your Hector.
Good luck with your search.

Hugh.

[emanday]

Hi emanday
I have a SS-Hector 1,979 gross tons, Built at Sunderland by James Laing& Co 1863 Ship-Operator-Temperley Line running in to Quebec Canada could this be your Hector.
Good luck with your search.

Hugh.

Thanks for that Hugh. Well, the tonnage matches, and she was registered in Sunderland. Is this SS Hector the one with the ON 44550?

If she did the Quebec run, would that have taken her from the UK via the Bay of Biscay? Seems a bit of a detour, but then I know nothing about how these things work. Certainly my rellie was washed overboard in the Bay in 1899.

[Hugh Stevely]

Hi emanday dont think its the one with ON 44550 more like on her way to the Mediterian or back in the Bay of Biscay not Canada good luck with your search.

http://www.norwayheritage.com/p_ship.asp?sh=hectr

Hugh.

[emanday]

Thanks for the suggestion, though, Hugh.

Have to say that the Canada run seemed wrong as I know there were a lot of oriental bits and pieces scattered amongst the family, all of which had been purportedly been brought back by him. However, merchant seamen moved from ship to ship so it was worth looking at.

I've had a bit of (hopefully) good news. The Newfoundland site has about 20 pages of the correct Hector's Crew Lists/Logs for 1896 - 1899. Not a cheap bit of research this, and I only know he was in the crew in September 1899 but, what the Heh! His story has fascinated me ever since I was told the myth of him being a Captain of a Tea Clipper!

With any luck, this will even give me a previous ship if he'd joined the Hector between 1896 and 1899.

"To be Continued"