The Scott Family |
Postings in 2025
# 33 April 24 - The Kate Irving in Australia, 1883
The Kate Irving in Australia, 1883
Scott took the Kate Irving to Yokohama in November 1882 and delivered the coal. There are no 1883 documents in the scrapbook, her story for that year is in told in newspaper accounts. She arrived in Australia in the fall, from Puget Sound, with a cargo of lumber, Oregon [Douglas Fir] and Redwood, to be put up for auction.
Port Adelaide is not on the coast, but approximately 10 km up the Port Adelaide River. While starting up the river, on September 15th, the Kate Irving, while under the care of a pilot, grounded on a sand bar at Mutton Cove. She reached the port on October 16 and on October 29th Scott applied for an investigation. The initial report was damage to the copper, but nothing to indicate that the grounding caused leakage. The copper was being stripped and tenders were being invited for purchase of that removed copper. A full enquiry was held on November 20th.
The incident was deemed ‘not serious’ and the inquiry only held at the request of Captain Scott. There was some leakage during the voyage from Puget Sound, ‘not to any great extent’. The vessel ‘steered badly’, [no reason given], although there were two men at the wheel. She grounded twice, was found to have greater leakage and was sent to be stripped and recoppered. ‘The board found that the accident was caused through the bad steering of the vessel, and that no one was to blame’.
Scott disputed the statement that the Kate Irving had leaked on the Pacific voyage ‘she continued tight, with the exception of the passage up the Port River’. It was common that a wooden ship carrying a deck cargo might leak around the stanchions. He felt the steering could have been caused by shallow water, or back water caused by a passing steamer.
In December it is reported that the Kate Irving has been ‘thoroughly overhauled’.
Two other items present conflicting images of Scott. In early December the Port Adelaide Institute gave him a vote of thanks for the gift of a complete set Japanese armour and weapons. [It is interesting to contemplate when and how he acquired these items.]. The second is less favourable:
‘James Scott, master mariner, was charged with assaulting and pleaded not guilty to assaulting [the cook of the Kate Irving].’ The cook had ‘retired to his bunk on account of being a little worse for liquor. It was alleged that Captain Scott, seeing that he did not return to his duty, pulled him out of the bunk and threw him violently on the deck.
‘Several witnesses were called on both sides, and His Worship remarked that no doubt the complainant [Cook Brooks] brought what little injury he had received upon himself. Defendant [Scott] was fined 1s without costs.’
Why would Scott be identified as James Scott? Samuel’s brother was not on the ship. Between November 1883 and April 1884 he was sailing from Dover, England to Pensacola, Florida on the Lennie. Scott was well known in Port Adelaide – how could he be misidentified in Court? The judge’s ruling seems to confirm that the sailing world of the 1880’s was tough for an ordinary seaman.
In February 1884 the Kate Irving left for Callao with a cargo of coal. In Lloyd’s 1884 she is listed with a note: renamed the Alborga #81 in Supplement. In that location she is identified as owned by Stephenson & Smith, registered at Arendal [south-east coast of Norway] and flying the flag of Norway. She was sold several more times, continued to sail until 1908 when she was wrecked in dense fog on a voyage from Bristol, England to Kristiania [Oslo] Norway with coke.
The Kate Irving in Australia, 1883
Scott took the Kate Irving to Yokohama in November 1882 and delivered the coal. There are no 1883 documents in the scrapbook, her story for that year is in told in newspaper accounts. She arrived in Australia in the fall, from Puget Sound, with a cargo of lumber, Oregon [Douglas Fir] and Redwood, to be put up for auction.
Port Adelaide is not on the coast, but approximately 10 km up the Port Adelaide River. While starting up the river, on September 15th, the Kate Irving, while under the care of a pilot, grounded on a sand bar at Mutton Cove. She reached the port on October 16 and on October 29th Scott applied for an investigation. The initial report was damage to the copper, but nothing to indicate that the grounding caused leakage. The copper was being stripped and tenders were being invited for purchase of that removed copper. A full enquiry was held on November 20th.
The incident was deemed ‘not serious’ and the inquiry only held at the request of Captain Scott. There was some leakage during the voyage from Puget Sound, ‘not to any great extent’. The vessel ‘steered badly’, [no reason given], although there were two men at the wheel. She grounded twice, was found to have greater leakage and was sent to be stripped and recoppered. ‘The board found that the accident was caused through the bad steering of the vessel, and that no one was to blame’.
Scott disputed the statement that the Kate Irving had leaked on the Pacific voyage ‘she continued tight, with the exception of the passage up the Port River’. It was common that a wooden ship carrying a deck cargo might leak around the stanchions. He felt the steering could have been caused by shallow water, or back water caused by a passing steamer.
In December it is reported that the Kate Irving has been ‘thoroughly overhauled’.
Two other items present conflicting images of Scott. In early December the Port Adelaide Institute gave him a vote of thanks for the gift of a complete set Japanese armour and weapons. [It is interesting to contemplate when and how he acquired these items.]. The second is less favourable:
‘James Scott, master mariner, was charged with assaulting and pleaded not guilty to assaulting [the cook of the Kate Irving].’ The cook had ‘retired to his bunk on account of being a little worse for liquor. It was alleged that Captain Scott, seeing that he did not return to his duty, pulled him out of the bunk and threw him violently on the deck.
‘Several witnesses were called on both sides, and His Worship remarked that no doubt the complainant [Cook Brooks] brought what little injury he had received upon himself. Defendant [Scott] was fined 1s without costs.’
Why would Scott be identified as James Scott? Samuel’s brother was not on the ship. Between November 1883 and April 1884 he was sailing from Dover, England to Pensacola, Florida on the Lennie. Scott was well known in Port Adelaide – how could he be misidentified in Court? The judge’s ruling seems to confirm that the sailing world of the 1880’s was tough for an ordinary seaman.
In February 1884 the Kate Irving left for Callao with a cargo of coal. In Lloyd’s 1884 she is listed with a note: renamed the Alborga #81 in Supplement. In that location she is identified as owned by Stephenson & Smith, registered at Arendal [south-east coast of Norway] and flying the flag of Norway. She was sold several more times, continued to sail until 1908 when she was wrecked in dense fog on a voyage from Bristol, England to Kristiania [Oslo] Norway with coke.
# 32 April 17 - The Kate Irving in Australia, 1882
While there is a news item stating that Captain Scott, Mrs. Scott and two children passed through Albury for Melbourne in March 1882, there is no reference to the Kate Irving being in Australia until August, so this may be yet another Captain Scott, who happens to be married with two children.
The ship did arrive in Adelaide on August 8th, and the Sydney Morning Herald reported on the gale and the challenge by the Islanders. At the end of the month there is the first indication that the Belyea Company will be selling the ship. An advertisement: “For sale, the A1 Barque Kate Irving, built in New Brunswick, 1878, and classed at Liverpool, July 1880 in English Lloyd’s for 10 years from 1878: coppered and recaulked in 1881. Subject to inspection on Fletcher’s slip during next week. For further particulars apply to Capt. Scott, on board.”
On the 5th of September there is an incident hinting at the nature of ‘life on the docks’ and an example of Scott stepping up and intervening in a dispute. Two sailors on a neighbouring ship were charged with assaulting a police officer. Scott, woken at midnight by hearing a fight, went on deck and assisted the constable. There was conflicting testimony given regarding a knife. The seamen’s defence stated that they had been provoked by others and during a chase had collided with the constable, they did not strike him and did not have a knife. The charge of assault was dismissed; they were fined for ‘riotous behaviour’.
During the time in port Scott dealt with the repairs needed as a result of the gale and on October 3rd the Evening Journal reported on Scott’s letter of thanks for “the courtesy and kindness manifested to him on all sides since his arrival at Port Adelaide.” The ship had been stripped, “trifling defects made good”, recoppered, and now pronounced a ‘first class vessel’. One sentence in the letter suggests that Adelaide may have a poor ‘social reputation’: “[the ladies] have apparently all those good qualities which tend to make home a source of happiness and comfort.”
The Kate Irving then moved to Newcastle to prepare to take a load of coal to Yokohama, and Scott dealt with another problem. On Oct 27th a sailor, assisting in discharging ballast, was struck on the head by a 60 pound stone, severely injured and taken to hospital. Unfortunately, there was no further report, I can only hope he recovered.
There are no more items mentioning the Kate Irving in the Australian papers until October 1883. The ship must have sailed back to British Columbia as the next recorded voyage is Puget Sound to Port Adelaide, June – October 1883. The next post will tell the story of 1883.
While there is a news item stating that Captain Scott, Mrs. Scott and two children passed through Albury for Melbourne in March 1882, there is no reference to the Kate Irving being in Australia until August, so this may be yet another Captain Scott, who happens to be married with two children.
The ship did arrive in Adelaide on August 8th, and the Sydney Morning Herald reported on the gale and the challenge by the Islanders. At the end of the month there is the first indication that the Belyea Company will be selling the ship. An advertisement: “For sale, the A1 Barque Kate Irving, built in New Brunswick, 1878, and classed at Liverpool, July 1880 in English Lloyd’s for 10 years from 1878: coppered and recaulked in 1881. Subject to inspection on Fletcher’s slip during next week. For further particulars apply to Capt. Scott, on board.”
On the 5th of September there is an incident hinting at the nature of ‘life on the docks’ and an example of Scott stepping up and intervening in a dispute. Two sailors on a neighbouring ship were charged with assaulting a police officer. Scott, woken at midnight by hearing a fight, went on deck and assisted the constable. There was conflicting testimony given regarding a knife. The seamen’s defence stated that they had been provoked by others and during a chase had collided with the constable, they did not strike him and did not have a knife. The charge of assault was dismissed; they were fined for ‘riotous behaviour’.
During the time in port Scott dealt with the repairs needed as a result of the gale and on October 3rd the Evening Journal reported on Scott’s letter of thanks for “the courtesy and kindness manifested to him on all sides since his arrival at Port Adelaide.” The ship had been stripped, “trifling defects made good”, recoppered, and now pronounced a ‘first class vessel’. One sentence in the letter suggests that Adelaide may have a poor ‘social reputation’: “[the ladies] have apparently all those good qualities which tend to make home a source of happiness and comfort.”
The Kate Irving then moved to Newcastle to prepare to take a load of coal to Yokohama, and Scott dealt with another problem. On Oct 27th a sailor, assisting in discharging ballast, was struck on the head by a 60 pound stone, severely injured and taken to hospital. Unfortunately, there was no further report, I can only hope he recovered.
There are no more items mentioning the Kate Irving in the Australian papers until October 1883. The ship must have sailed back to British Columbia as the next recorded voyage is Puget Sound to Port Adelaide, June – October 1883. The next post will tell the story of 1883.
#31 April 10 - The Kate Irving, A Narrow Escape, 1882.
Besides the true story of the Enchanter, the search of Australian newspapers also turned up a story of a challenge to the Kate Irving in June 1882. While not mentioned in the report, wife Emma, son Fred 7 years old and daughter Eva Darling just a year old were also on the ship.
Scott was sailing across the South Pacific Ocean at a time when South Sea Islanders were being kidnapped to be taken as slave labourers in Australia. There were retaliatory attacks from Islanders and captains learned to be cautious in the area. Scott’s first voyage from Burrard’s Inlet, British Columbia to Adelaide, Australia, April to August 1882, included a close call.
The Sydney Morning Herald of August 9th reported that the ship had sprung a leak during a severe gale, and that Scott had saved the cargo by devising a windmill to keep the pumps working and the ship dry. This is also documented in the letter from the Adelaide Marine & Fire Assurance Co included in Scott’s scrapbook, praising his actions and awarding him £10-10/- for saving a cargo insured for £1500 but with a value of £9000.
On the 10th the paper added another item: near Palmerston Island a large canoe filled with ‘savages’ (sic) had approached the Kate Irving signalling it should stop; the captain armed the crew, then a breeze sprung up allowing the ship to escape.
On the 15th a longer piece tells the story of June 4th. Imagine master storyteller Scott describing the incident to the reporter: the Kate Irving “was sailing along in the vicinity of Palmerston Island, when a large canoe was observed to be heading off the land with the obvious intention of intercepting the barque. At first the master counted but eight men in the boat, and as the craft approached she suddenly stopped, then took in sails, and lowered the masts, after which the men took to the paddles and ranged within hailing distance. Knowing the ferocious character of some of the South Sea Islanders, Captain Scott at once constituted himself a warlike captain, and calling all hands pointed to the suspicious canoe and exhorted his crew to fight like lions or else run the chances of being eaten by cannibals. The number of souls on board the barque was not very numerous, but the people were fitted out with whatever arms could be handed up, and the master with a warlike sword walked the quarterdeck and harangued his gallant crew to “to or die.” The canoe approached under oars, and one of the savages made frantic signs to the vessel to round-to, showing that they had some notion of the character of sailing ships. This, however, was not the master’s policy, and a breeze springing up the vessel got such headway that the canoe was left behind. When the vessel had evidently got the weather gauge of the savages and the pursuit was of no further avail, it was seen that in the addition to the eight rowers the boat was crammed full of savages, who showed in such numbers that it was more than apparent it was intended to attempt to take the vessel.”
While the description of the Islanders as ‘savages’ and ‘cannibals’ is inappropriate today, this was the terminology in use at a time of conflict between Europeans and Indigenous people.
Besides the true story of the Enchanter, the search of Australian newspapers also turned up a story of a challenge to the Kate Irving in June 1882. While not mentioned in the report, wife Emma, son Fred 7 years old and daughter Eva Darling just a year old were also on the ship.
Scott was sailing across the South Pacific Ocean at a time when South Sea Islanders were being kidnapped to be taken as slave labourers in Australia. There were retaliatory attacks from Islanders and captains learned to be cautious in the area. Scott’s first voyage from Burrard’s Inlet, British Columbia to Adelaide, Australia, April to August 1882, included a close call.
The Sydney Morning Herald of August 9th reported that the ship had sprung a leak during a severe gale, and that Scott had saved the cargo by devising a windmill to keep the pumps working and the ship dry. This is also documented in the letter from the Adelaide Marine & Fire Assurance Co included in Scott’s scrapbook, praising his actions and awarding him £10-10/- for saving a cargo insured for £1500 but with a value of £9000.
On the 10th the paper added another item: near Palmerston Island a large canoe filled with ‘savages’ (sic) had approached the Kate Irving signalling it should stop; the captain armed the crew, then a breeze sprung up allowing the ship to escape.
On the 15th a longer piece tells the story of June 4th. Imagine master storyteller Scott describing the incident to the reporter: the Kate Irving “was sailing along in the vicinity of Palmerston Island, when a large canoe was observed to be heading off the land with the obvious intention of intercepting the barque. At first the master counted but eight men in the boat, and as the craft approached she suddenly stopped, then took in sails, and lowered the masts, after which the men took to the paddles and ranged within hailing distance. Knowing the ferocious character of some of the South Sea Islanders, Captain Scott at once constituted himself a warlike captain, and calling all hands pointed to the suspicious canoe and exhorted his crew to fight like lions or else run the chances of being eaten by cannibals. The number of souls on board the barque was not very numerous, but the people were fitted out with whatever arms could be handed up, and the master with a warlike sword walked the quarterdeck and harangued his gallant crew to “to or die.” The canoe approached under oars, and one of the savages made frantic signs to the vessel to round-to, showing that they had some notion of the character of sailing ships. This, however, was not the master’s policy, and a breeze springing up the vessel got such headway that the canoe was left behind. When the vessel had evidently got the weather gauge of the savages and the pursuit was of no further avail, it was seen that in the addition to the eight rowers the boat was crammed full of savages, who showed in such numbers that it was more than apparent it was intended to attempt to take the vessel.”
While the description of the Islanders as ‘savages’ and ‘cannibals’ is inappropriate today, this was the terminology in use at a time of conflict between Europeans and Indigenous people.
#30 April 3 - The Enchanter, part 3: The Wreck
Captain Scott purchased the Enchanter in May 1888, left Cardiff June 1st with a cargo coal, valued at ₤1,500 for the Pacific Steam Navigation Company, headed to Panama. Scott chose to sail via Cape of Good Hope and Australia to Panama, avoiding the storms that were frequent in the Cape Horn route. After a stop in Sydney for provisions and water, on Dec 30th, he headed across the Pacific.
“The Story of the Wreck”, as told by Captain Scott and published in The Daily Colonist, Victoria, BC Sunday May 19, 1889. https://britishcolonist.ca/
“We encountered the usual weather until about April 1st, when we were in Long. 105 W., Lat. 32 S, [approximately 2000 miles from South America, between Valparaiso and Callao] when a heavy gale from the north struck us. For two days we were exposed to the full fury of the gale, which dismantled the vessel and carried away the rudder; besides straining the ship to such an extent that the pumps had to be kept going constantly to keep her from filling. We did our best to jury rig masts and a jury rudder; and tried every means in our power to save the ship. The water kept gaining on us and we finally pinned our hopes on seeing home and friends again upon the flag of distress which we kept constantly flying. … The Wanlock appeared…after a consultation with her officers, we decided to abandon the vessel; it was impossible to save her. … Our crew of fourteen, including my wife and little daughter, …were taken on board the Wanlock during the night of the sixteenth.”
[Daughter Eva was 8, and son Fred, no doubt part of the crew, was 13.]
The reporter continued the description: “The wind shrieked about the dismantled and fast settling craft, and Mrs. Scott and the captain’s daughter had to be secured with ropes about their waists while they were being handed down to the boats, to prevent their being carried away. After they had been safely deposited in the boat, the little girl’s hat blew off and was carried away by the angry waters, She, childlike, was very anxious to recover it, and asked the sailors to stop the boat and let her get it. In the tumult and terror of the night, the little bit of comedy came like a sunbeam to brighten the darkness and cheer the hearts of the shipwrecked crew as they abandoned their floating home.”
“The two captains were old friends, and Capt. Cooper left nothing undone to make Captain and Mrs. Scott and their men as comfortable and happy as they could be under the circumstances. No more bad weather was met with, and after a pleasant run of exactly one month, the [Wanlock] reached Esquimalt.”
Unfortunately the article ends with an error, referring to the Scotts’ “residence in Esquimalt in 1875”. In the 1870’s Scott was sailing on the East coast of North America and in England. He was married to Eva from 1874 til her death in 1878. Scott married Emma in 1880, and their first trip to the West Coast was with the Kate Irving, arriving in late 1881 or January 1882. The family was in Esquimalt for part of 1884, Scott was appointed temporary harbour master in August of that year. By December he was in Cardiff, Wales.
Given the amount of provisions carried for a crew on long voyages, and how carefully they had to be stored and used to maintain balance in the ship, it is interesting to contemplate the sacrifices and adjustments that had to be made to accommodate the extra persons on board.
Captain Scott purchased the Enchanter in May 1888, left Cardiff June 1st with a cargo coal, valued at ₤1,500 for the Pacific Steam Navigation Company, headed to Panama. Scott chose to sail via Cape of Good Hope and Australia to Panama, avoiding the storms that were frequent in the Cape Horn route. After a stop in Sydney for provisions and water, on Dec 30th, he headed across the Pacific.
“The Story of the Wreck”, as told by Captain Scott and published in The Daily Colonist, Victoria, BC Sunday May 19, 1889. https://britishcolonist.ca/
“We encountered the usual weather until about April 1st, when we were in Long. 105 W., Lat. 32 S, [approximately 2000 miles from South America, between Valparaiso and Callao] when a heavy gale from the north struck us. For two days we were exposed to the full fury of the gale, which dismantled the vessel and carried away the rudder; besides straining the ship to such an extent that the pumps had to be kept going constantly to keep her from filling. We did our best to jury rig masts and a jury rudder; and tried every means in our power to save the ship. The water kept gaining on us and we finally pinned our hopes on seeing home and friends again upon the flag of distress which we kept constantly flying. … The Wanlock appeared…after a consultation with her officers, we decided to abandon the vessel; it was impossible to save her. … Our crew of fourteen, including my wife and little daughter, …were taken on board the Wanlock during the night of the sixteenth.”
[Daughter Eva was 8, and son Fred, no doubt part of the crew, was 13.]
The reporter continued the description: “The wind shrieked about the dismantled and fast settling craft, and Mrs. Scott and the captain’s daughter had to be secured with ropes about their waists while they were being handed down to the boats, to prevent their being carried away. After they had been safely deposited in the boat, the little girl’s hat blew off and was carried away by the angry waters, She, childlike, was very anxious to recover it, and asked the sailors to stop the boat and let her get it. In the tumult and terror of the night, the little bit of comedy came like a sunbeam to brighten the darkness and cheer the hearts of the shipwrecked crew as they abandoned their floating home.”
“The two captains were old friends, and Capt. Cooper left nothing undone to make Captain and Mrs. Scott and their men as comfortable and happy as they could be under the circumstances. No more bad weather was met with, and after a pleasant run of exactly one month, the [Wanlock] reached Esquimalt.”
Unfortunately the article ends with an error, referring to the Scotts’ “residence in Esquimalt in 1875”. In the 1870’s Scott was sailing on the East coast of North America and in England. He was married to Eva from 1874 til her death in 1878. Scott married Emma in 1880, and their first trip to the West Coast was with the Kate Irving, arriving in late 1881 or January 1882. The family was in Esquimalt for part of 1884, Scott was appointed temporary harbour master in August of that year. By December he was in Cardiff, Wales.
Given the amount of provisions carried for a crew on long voyages, and how carefully they had to be stored and used to maintain balance in the ship, it is interesting to contemplate the sacrifices and adjustments that had to be made to accommodate the extra persons on board.
#29 March 27 - The Enchanter, Part 2: 1888/89
The first hint that there will be more to the Enchanter’s story is in a brief news items in Australian newspapers, December 7th and 8th, 1888: “The German barque Jambaas, which has arrived at Melbourne from Vancouver (B.C.), reports having spoken the barque Enchanter of Liverpool, from Cardiff to Panama, 160 days out on the 1st inst, (December) 30 miles off Cape Howe. The Enchanter was short of provisions, and supplies were sent on board from the Jambaas”. [Cape Howe is the South East corner of Australia, about half way between Melbourne and Sydney.] One December 10th report spoke of being resupplied from the Ketch [Eveline - sp?], and another of the Enchanter’s “long and weary voyage, during which she experienced a considerable amount of bad weather”.
The Australian Mariners and Ships in Australian Waters website lists the Enchanter on December 10, 1888 and has a list of those on board. Once again I am confused. The transcription reads Scott, master; and names: a Mate, Boatswain, Cook/Steward, 8 Able Bodied and 1 Boy. There are two passengers: Captain and Mrs Stephens. But no Mrs. Scott, no Fred [he is not the boy in crew], no Eva Darling.
There can be no doubt that the Enchanter reached Sydney on December 10, 1888. Items in many newspapers confirm that fact, and also that Mrs. Scott and daughter are on board. The voyage had been slow, the September storm mentioned in the Protest of Detainment gives location coordinates close to Durban, South Africa; no doubt the ship was short of water and provisions, with "some of the crew … in consequence of rough weather and exposure stricken down with sickness sickness” by the time it reached Australia. However, according to newspaper items, the intention was to continue the voyage by Monday, December 17th.
Why the ship was detained until the Protest was prepared on December 28th remains a mystery. On Monday, December 31, an item in The Australian Star provides no answer, just more mystery. In the column ‘Central Police Court’: “Barque Enchanter, which recently put in here to replenish supply of provisions and water, resumed her voyage to Panama yesterday.”
There is one more item. The Sydney Morning Herald of January 12, 1889 mentions the Enchanter and a suggestion that there is yet more to the story of ‘accidents’ at sea: “It has been held in some cases by the Courts that where a master takes an unusual course in making a voyage it is a good defence to a cause should an accident occur.”
The Enchanter was on its way to Panama, there was no mention of the ship until a cable from London [UK] dated May 20 arrives in Australia and is picked up by many newspapers: “The barque Enchanter … is reported to have foundered at sea. The crew were picked up by the ship Wanlock.” The news must have been sent out after the Wanlock arrived in Victoria BC on Saturday, May 18th. While many Australian papers carry brief mentions of the fact that the Enchanter had foundered, that the ship was lost but all the crew saved, it is The Daily Colonist of Victoria that publishes a full account of the tragedy.
The Enchanter had proceeded from Sydney with the ‘usual weather’ until April 1st, when it encountered a heavy gale for two days, the ship was heavily damaged and she 'raised the flag of distress’.
The crew continued to work the pumps but the ship was in constant danger of sinking. Finally, after two weeks, the Wanlock appeared and the decision was made to abandon ship. It was a terrible ordeal to transfer to the Wanlock, the wind ‘came in fierce’, there was a ‘heavy sea running’ and one of the lifeboats from the Wanlock was damaged. All, including Mrs. Scott and daughter Eva, were successfully transferred, Captain Cooper was an old acquaintance of Captain Scott, and all were well treated during a month’s voyage, arriving in Esquimalt on May 18th.
Next week’s post will include Captain Scott’s description of the storm and the rescue.
#28 March 20 - The Enchanter, Part 1: 1888
There is a gap in Scott’s history for 1889. On Dec 28, 1888 he filed an Instrument of Protest with Notary Charles Albert Lawrence in Sydney, Australia. The document describes in detail the September 1888 storm that caused him to seek safe harbour. Then there are no more documents in his Scrapbook until a letter of reference from Evan Thomas Radcliffe dated Sept 1890.
The Daily Colonist’s Obituary refers to a storm and the Venture ‘about 1882’; there are so many errors and omissions in the obituary that it was easy to realize this actually refers to the Enchanter in 1888. It mentions that the ship was rescued by a British Steamer heading for British Columbia. Odd, because it is clear that the Enchanter actually made it to Australia. On February 20, 1891 a news item in the Daily Colonist mentions that Scott was “here last year with a ship wrecked crew picked up by the Wanlock”. Again, odd, because clearly Scott was in the UK in 1890 and sailed from Liverpool with the West Indian.
Further research has shown that the trip of the Enchanter was far more complicated! A brief note in The Australian Star Dec 10, 1888 notes that the Enchanter left Cardiff June 21 with coal for Panama and put in for water at Sydney. A item in the Sydney Morning Herald gives more detail: two of her water tanks had leaked out. She was travelling to Panama “by way of the Cape of Good Hope instead of going westward round Cape Horn in the dead of winter”, had a relatively smooth journey but did meet a "westerly gale at Cape Northumberland”.
This does not agree with the description of the storm in the Instrument of Protest, and does not explain why Scott was detained in Sydney and I have yet to find more detail about the detainment. It does explain why the longitude and latitude mentioned in the Protest did not make sense to me. I thought he must have been blown off course across the Pacific; no, he did not take the westerly route around Cape Horn, he crossed the Indian Ocean!
There is still more detail to discover: why was he detained? The Enchanter did not remain in Australia, he was able to sail away, December 30, 1888 to continue the trip to Panama. Next week’s post will be about the Enchanter and the Wanlock.
#27 March 13 - Scott vs the Union part 2
Trying to sort through Scott’s clash with the Seamen’s Union was very confusing - there were several names listed in the newspapers. Finally I was able to find background by searching Google.
The Coast Seamen’s Union was formed in San Francisco in March 1885 to apply to US vessels. The Steamship Sailor’s Union was formed in 1886, and that union was determined to have only union members on all ships. Fuhruseth, quoted in the paper as saying that the Union did not sanction the May 1891 attack on the West Indian, represented the Coast Seaman’s Union, he was the Secretary at the time. In July 1891 he negotiated the merger of the two unions to be Sailor’s Union of the Pacific, and went on to be the President.
Despite the ongoing opposition, Scott continued to sail the coast. In June 1891 the West Indian was chartered to take a cargo to Callao, Peru. In early July she was in Nanaimo, arrived back in San Francisco on July 11 and was chartered to take provisions [food] to Chile. The ongoing civil war had taken men off the land and a country that had been able to export food was now needed to import. On July 23rd she sailed for Iquique with the cargo including a deck load of hay taken on during the night. Scott did little to deny the rumour that there was also contraband on board: ”of course I couldn’t tell that there was anything in the hay, if there was”.
# 26 March 6 - Scott vs the Pacific Coast Seamen's Union
In Captain Scott's Scrapbook, the confrontation between Captain Scott and the Pacific Coast Seaman's Union is told mainly through Scott's eyes, and a report in the Daily Colonist of May 27, 1891. Scott was sailing a British ship under a British flag and had a crew of ‘non-American Union’ seamen. The Coast Seamen’s Union was determined to have a union crew on board. Of course there is a wider story to be told.
On May 22nd a San Francisco paper started its report with: "War was declared against the steamship West Indian... . ". Here is a summary of the long description that followed: a gang of over fifty men gathered at the gangway, their leader checked the surroundings, then shouted 'all ready, go' and they rushed the deck. They were met by Chief Officer [Leonard Pye] Locke, he seized one, then had a gun pointed at his head and had to release his hold; alone, he could not stop the swarm.
Scott arrived on the deck, ordered the police flag be raised and knocked out Locke's assailant; then he and Locke rescued two crew who were being dragged off the ship. Mr. Scammell, the shipping master, had been attacked, he fought off his assailants with his fists; the Union men tried to drag Fred Scott (Captain Scott's son, 16 years of age) to the rail, to throw him overboard, he broke away from their grip.
With revolvers, muskets and bayonets Scott and Locke [and doubt the help of crew] drove the attackers off the ship.
Once on the dock the attackers threw chunks of coal at the steamer. The lady passengers sought shelter in the saloon, one male passenger suffered a head wound from being struck with a piece of coal. Scott aimed a double-barrelled shotgun at the crowd; seeing the gun, it dispersed. A squad of Harbour Police arrived, the dock was cleared.
The police remained as the cargo was loaded, and were there when a telegram was delivered to Mr. Scammell to come immediately to the office of J. Laffin on Beale St. The police advised him not to go, no one of that name could be found at that address, no doubt the telegram was a decoy to bring Scammell to a place of attack.
When things had quietened, Scott went into town, threatening to have the leaders of the mob arrested, and though an angry crowd surrounded him, no one tried to continue the attack. The next day: “Delegate Fuhruseth denied that the Coast Seamen’s Union sanctioned or had anything to do with the disturbance on board the steamship West Indian”.
The disagreement between Scott and the Union would remain tense over the next two years, but there was not another violent confrontation. The issues of conflict were relatively simple, but hard to resolve. The West Indian was a 'foreign' ship, a 'tramp' steamer', picking up charters wherever, whenever, to whatever port things could be arranged; she was in competition to organized freight lines. Rates and thus wages were affected. Sailing under a British flag, different rules applied.
Almost a year later, in February 1892, an item acknowledged that “Captain Scott shipped [hired] his crew in the manner compelled by English laws, and the coast seamen did not think of trying to prevent the [non-American union] from going on board”. … [that the reports being made were] “only the effort of a reporter to ‘get up a sensation’ ”.
In Captain Scott's Scrapbook, the confrontation between Captain Scott and the Pacific Coast Seaman's Union is told mainly through Scott's eyes, and a report in the Daily Colonist of May 27, 1891. Scott was sailing a British ship under a British flag and had a crew of ‘non-American Union’ seamen. The Coast Seamen’s Union was determined to have a union crew on board. Of course there is a wider story to be told.
On May 22nd a San Francisco paper started its report with: "War was declared against the steamship West Indian... . ". Here is a summary of the long description that followed: a gang of over fifty men gathered at the gangway, their leader checked the surroundings, then shouted 'all ready, go' and they rushed the deck. They were met by Chief Officer [Leonard Pye] Locke, he seized one, then had a gun pointed at his head and had to release his hold; alone, he could not stop the swarm.
Scott arrived on the deck, ordered the police flag be raised and knocked out Locke's assailant; then he and Locke rescued two crew who were being dragged off the ship. Mr. Scammell, the shipping master, had been attacked, he fought off his assailants with his fists; the Union men tried to drag Fred Scott (Captain Scott's son, 16 years of age) to the rail, to throw him overboard, he broke away from their grip.
With revolvers, muskets and bayonets Scott and Locke [and doubt the help of crew] drove the attackers off the ship.
Once on the dock the attackers threw chunks of coal at the steamer. The lady passengers sought shelter in the saloon, one male passenger suffered a head wound from being struck with a piece of coal. Scott aimed a double-barrelled shotgun at the crowd; seeing the gun, it dispersed. A squad of Harbour Police arrived, the dock was cleared.
The police remained as the cargo was loaded, and were there when a telegram was delivered to Mr. Scammell to come immediately to the office of J. Laffin on Beale St. The police advised him not to go, no one of that name could be found at that address, no doubt the telegram was a decoy to bring Scammell to a place of attack.
When things had quietened, Scott went into town, threatening to have the leaders of the mob arrested, and though an angry crowd surrounded him, no one tried to continue the attack. The next day: “Delegate Fuhruseth denied that the Coast Seamen’s Union sanctioned or had anything to do with the disturbance on board the steamship West Indian”.
The disagreement between Scott and the Union would remain tense over the next two years, but there was not another violent confrontation. The issues of conflict were relatively simple, but hard to resolve. The West Indian was a 'foreign' ship, a 'tramp' steamer', picking up charters wherever, whenever, to whatever port things could be arranged; she was in competition to organized freight lines. Rates and thus wages were affected. Sailing under a British flag, different rules applied.
Almost a year later, in February 1892, an item acknowledged that “Captain Scott shipped [hired] his crew in the manner compelled by English laws, and the coast seamen did not think of trying to prevent the [non-American union] from going on board”. … [that the reports being made were] “only the effort of a reporter to ‘get up a sensation’ ”.
#1 January 9: New Year's and Christmas Celebrations
As 2024 rolled over to 2025, I wondered: How did the Scott family celebrate New Year’s? There is no information in the documents in the Scrapbook.
In 1887/88 the family was on the A L Palmer, sailing between Madras and Balasore, and despite some cases of dysentery ‘all quite well’. Since James is writing his account of the voyage ‘after the fact’, while he and Samuel were adjusting to the tragedies and new future plans, it is not surprising that earlier, no doubt happy, celebrations with two young children, were omitted.
In the early 1880’s they were on the Kate Irving, but again, no mention of Christmas nor New Year’s celebrations. In December 1888 they were in detainment in Australia, Scott having sought ‘safe harbour’ after the Enchanter was blown off course on the way to Panama. The Instrument of Protest was filed on December 28th, maybe a result of having to spend celebration time under such circumstances.
The only real clue that Christmas was special is included in Forester’s account of the West Indian voyage. On the east coast of Chili, close to the tip of South America, they celebrated Christmas Eve with ‘turkey and plum pudding’ ‘singing and dancing on the quarter deck’. ‘On the 31st December, the day broke - calm and peaceful’, ’intensely hot’. ’[We] fired one or two shots [at shoals of porpoise]’. ‘The evening was deliciously cool [with moonlight, and the appearance of the water ] . . . caused by the phosphorous, was a sight to be remembered.
How unfortunate that there are no ships’ logs nor a diary from Eva or Emma expressing their thoughts on the voyages.
As 2024 rolled over to 2025, I wondered: How did the Scott family celebrate New Year’s? There is no information in the documents in the Scrapbook.
In 1887/88 the family was on the A L Palmer, sailing between Madras and Balasore, and despite some cases of dysentery ‘all quite well’. Since James is writing his account of the voyage ‘after the fact’, while he and Samuel were adjusting to the tragedies and new future plans, it is not surprising that earlier, no doubt happy, celebrations with two young children, were omitted.
In the early 1880’s they were on the Kate Irving, but again, no mention of Christmas nor New Year’s celebrations. In December 1888 they were in detainment in Australia, Scott having sought ‘safe harbour’ after the Enchanter was blown off course on the way to Panama. The Instrument of Protest was filed on December 28th, maybe a result of having to spend celebration time under such circumstances.
The only real clue that Christmas was special is included in Forester’s account of the West Indian voyage. On the east coast of Chili, close to the tip of South America, they celebrated Christmas Eve with ‘turkey and plum pudding’ ‘singing and dancing on the quarter deck’. ‘On the 31st December, the day broke - calm and peaceful’, ’intensely hot’. ’[We] fired one or two shots [at shoals of porpoise]’. ‘The evening was deliciously cool [with moonlight, and the appearance of the water ] . . . caused by the phosphorous, was a sight to be remembered.
How unfortunate that there are no ships’ logs nor a diary from Eva or Emma expressing their thoughts on the voyages.
Postings in 2024
#3. James and the Emma Marr
Following the death of wife Eva and infant daughter baby Eva, Samuel was emotionally broken and could no longer stay in India, on the A L Palmer. James, his brother and the writer of the memorandum that started my search, also left the ship and joined the crew of the Emma Marr bound for Akyat. I searched and searched but could not find a location for Akyat. My searches always ended with a Filipino tagalog word meaning ‘to take something upstairs’ and a reference to a Filipino gang. It did not make sense and was not a link I wanted to pursue.
After publishing Captain Scott’s Scrapbook mutinies, mining and mysteries, I decided to look again for James H. Scott - where did he go? The BAC-LAC Ship Registrations 1787-1966 gave little information on Emma Marr. Once again, I had luck. This time when I googled Emma Marr I had a new hit: the Naval Marine Archive: The Canadian Collection in Picton ON. A treasure trove of information! The Emma Marr was owned by Francis Tufts of Saint John, New Brunswick. Captain Shields, also of Saint John, NB, was the Master from September 20, 1877 to April 20, 1880, then again May - September 1880.
He sailed the ship from Liverpool to India on June 8, 1878, arriving at Bombay (Mumbai) on Nov 24, 1878. Eva had died on the 8th. Captain Shield and his wife took ‘the baby’ on board the Emma Marr for two weeks, but it was ill, getting worse and died December 8th or 9th, the memorandum and death notice differ on the date. James joined the ship in December 1878 and was on the voyage to Akyab, not Akyak, between Feb 1 – March 3, 1879. With the correct spelling of Akyab I was able to locate it in Burma (Sittwe, Myanmar). The ship then returned to Cochin (Kochi), India arriving there June 25, 1879. The ship left India and returned to Liverpool by the end of the year.
I have continued to look for James and his career. While there are still gaps to fill, he was sailing in Europe in 1894. I hope to make another post about James in the future.
#3. James and the Emma Marr
Following the death of wife Eva and infant daughter baby Eva, Samuel was emotionally broken and could no longer stay in India, on the A L Palmer. James, his brother and the writer of the memorandum that started my search, also left the ship and joined the crew of the Emma Marr bound for Akyat. I searched and searched but could not find a location for Akyat. My searches always ended with a Filipino tagalog word meaning ‘to take something upstairs’ and a reference to a Filipino gang. It did not make sense and was not a link I wanted to pursue.
After publishing Captain Scott’s Scrapbook mutinies, mining and mysteries, I decided to look again for James H. Scott - where did he go? The BAC-LAC Ship Registrations 1787-1966 gave little information on Emma Marr. Once again, I had luck. This time when I googled Emma Marr I had a new hit: the Naval Marine Archive: The Canadian Collection in Picton ON. A treasure trove of information! The Emma Marr was owned by Francis Tufts of Saint John, New Brunswick. Captain Shields, also of Saint John, NB, was the Master from September 20, 1877 to April 20, 1880, then again May - September 1880.
He sailed the ship from Liverpool to India on June 8, 1878, arriving at Bombay (Mumbai) on Nov 24, 1878. Eva had died on the 8th. Captain Shield and his wife took ‘the baby’ on board the Emma Marr for two weeks, but it was ill, getting worse and died December 8th or 9th, the memorandum and death notice differ on the date. James joined the ship in December 1878 and was on the voyage to Akyab, not Akyak, between Feb 1 – March 3, 1879. With the correct spelling of Akyab I was able to locate it in Burma (Sittwe, Myanmar). The ship then returned to Cochin (Kochi), India arriving there June 25, 1879. The ship left India and returned to Liverpool by the end of the year.
I have continued to look for James and his career. While there are still gaps to fill, he was sailing in Europe in 1894. I hope to make another post about James in the future.
#4. Eva Darling Scott
misidentified as Eva Darling Locke previously!
Samuel married Emma Darling Locke in Halifax on June 24, 1880. They are on the English census taken April 3, 1881. The family, living at 37 London Street, Fleetwood includes baby Eva as age 0, and she is listed on the England and Wales Civil Registration Birth Index for April, May and June 1881 – but no exact date of birth is given. Eva was baptized by Vicar J Pearson 24 July, 1881 at St. Peter, Fleetwood, Lancaster. The baptism may have been arranged quickly, as the family left for Argentina two days later.
Eva travelled with her parents until 1890 when at the age of 9 she was left behind in England to attend school, Grosvenor Academy in Seacombe, separated from the family for the first time. The 1891 English census lists Eva as boarder with John and Eliza Hopkins at #1 North Mead [Rd?]. John’s occupation is ‘teacher’, maybe at the Academy.
Emma went to Liverpool in 1893 to visit Eva. Eva’s obituary states ‘she was taken ill’ but it is not clear – was Emma ill or Eva? Samuel rushes to join them and ‘on her recovery’ they all head for Canada and Vancouver. Eva died on the train, just past Winnipeg, June 1, 1893, and is buried in Mountain View Cemetery [Vancouver, Greater Vancouver Regional District, British Columbia]
The inscription on the grave stone; from : FindaGrave.com
In Loving memory of Eva Darling dau. of Capt. S.F. & Mrs. E D. Scott. Died June 1, 1893 aged 12 years.
A precious one from us has gone
A voice we loved is stilled
A place is Vacant in our home
Which never can be filled
There will be no post on Sunday August 18, I will be away from my computer, cycling the Great Waterfront Trail Adventure 2024.
https://waterfronttrail.org/great-waterfront-trail-adventure/gwta/
misidentified as Eva Darling Locke previously!
Samuel married Emma Darling Locke in Halifax on June 24, 1880. They are on the English census taken April 3, 1881. The family, living at 37 London Street, Fleetwood includes baby Eva as age 0, and she is listed on the England and Wales Civil Registration Birth Index for April, May and June 1881 – but no exact date of birth is given. Eva was baptized by Vicar J Pearson 24 July, 1881 at St. Peter, Fleetwood, Lancaster. The baptism may have been arranged quickly, as the family left for Argentina two days later.
Eva travelled with her parents until 1890 when at the age of 9 she was left behind in England to attend school, Grosvenor Academy in Seacombe, separated from the family for the first time. The 1891 English census lists Eva as boarder with John and Eliza Hopkins at #1 North Mead [Rd?]. John’s occupation is ‘teacher’, maybe at the Academy.
Emma went to Liverpool in 1893 to visit Eva. Eva’s obituary states ‘she was taken ill’ but it is not clear – was Emma ill or Eva? Samuel rushes to join them and ‘on her recovery’ they all head for Canada and Vancouver. Eva died on the train, just past Winnipeg, June 1, 1893, and is buried in Mountain View Cemetery [Vancouver, Greater Vancouver Regional District, British Columbia]
The inscription on the grave stone; from : FindaGrave.com
In Loving memory of Eva Darling dau. of Capt. S.F. & Mrs. E D. Scott. Died June 1, 1893 aged 12 years.
A precious one from us has gone
A voice we loved is stilled
A place is Vacant in our home
Which never can be filled
There will be no post on Sunday August 18, I will be away from my computer, cycling the Great Waterfront Trail Adventure 2024.
https://waterfronttrail.org/great-waterfront-trail-adventure/gwta/
#5 Eva Janet Scott’s poem
Eva’s poem ‘I am lonely at night’ is grouped at the end of the scrapbook with the other items related to the voyage of the A L Palmer. I interpreted it as being Eva’s reaction to Ebby’s death and her struggle to put her grief into words. The poem is very hard to read, faded, with damaged paper.
While researching Locke family history, I exchanged emails with a cousin researching the Pye family, particularly William Henry Pye. William was the brother of Mary Pye who married Ebenezer Locke, the parents of Leonard, Eva and Emma. Margaret has quite a different take on the poem and suggests that Eva did not sail with Samuel on the Belle Walters in 1875 but remained in New Brunswick with baby Frederick while Samuel took two voyages to England. The poem was written to express her loneliness as a young bride and new mother, separated from the man she loved.
Margaret has a much keener sense of poetry than I and I must admit that her interpretation makes good sense to me. It may even explain why Eva, Frederick and baby Ebby joined Samuel on the A L Palmer: the couple could not bear to be parted. With either interpretation there is one question: why does she use the third person plural ‘they’ in the poem?
Of course nothing is straightforward when it comes to researching ships in the 1870’s!
The Library and Archives Canada, Ships Registrations, lists the Belle Walters as build in Hillsborough, New Brunswick with official number 59190. The Seafarers of the Atlantic Provinces lists the Belle Walters, with number J868069, sailing from Newport, England on 27 Oct 1875 and arriving in Liverpool, England 30 July 1876; Samuel joining the ship on 25 Dec 1875 in Cardenes [Cuba], West Indies. The second voyage was 22 Aug 1876 from Liverpool England to Liverpool England, arriving 17 Dec 1876
The Naval Marine Archive – the Canadian Collection lists two Belle Walters, both built in 1868. One in Hillsborough #59190, and one in Saint John #9001938. There is no additional information on the latter, but the information for #59190 closely matches that given on the Seafarers pages. It seems that Samuel sailed to the West Indies in late 1875, joined the ship in Cuba, and sailed to the UK and was there until at least Dec 1876 – a long separation from Eva and Frederick!
Eva’s poem ‘I am lonely at night’ is grouped at the end of the scrapbook with the other items related to the voyage of the A L Palmer. I interpreted it as being Eva’s reaction to Ebby’s death and her struggle to put her grief into words. The poem is very hard to read, faded, with damaged paper.
While researching Locke family history, I exchanged emails with a cousin researching the Pye family, particularly William Henry Pye. William was the brother of Mary Pye who married Ebenezer Locke, the parents of Leonard, Eva and Emma. Margaret has quite a different take on the poem and suggests that Eva did not sail with Samuel on the Belle Walters in 1875 but remained in New Brunswick with baby Frederick while Samuel took two voyages to England. The poem was written to express her loneliness as a young bride and new mother, separated from the man she loved.
Margaret has a much keener sense of poetry than I and I must admit that her interpretation makes good sense to me. It may even explain why Eva, Frederick and baby Ebby joined Samuel on the A L Palmer: the couple could not bear to be parted. With either interpretation there is one question: why does she use the third person plural ‘they’ in the poem?
Of course nothing is straightforward when it comes to researching ships in the 1870’s!
The Library and Archives Canada, Ships Registrations, lists the Belle Walters as build in Hillsborough, New Brunswick with official number 59190. The Seafarers of the Atlantic Provinces lists the Belle Walters, with number J868069, sailing from Newport, England on 27 Oct 1875 and arriving in Liverpool, England 30 July 1876; Samuel joining the ship on 25 Dec 1875 in Cardenes [Cuba], West Indies. The second voyage was 22 Aug 1876 from Liverpool England to Liverpool England, arriving 17 Dec 1876
The Naval Marine Archive – the Canadian Collection lists two Belle Walters, both built in 1868. One in Hillsborough #59190, and one in Saint John #9001938. There is no additional information on the latter, but the information for #59190 closely matches that given on the Seafarers pages. It seems that Samuel sailed to the West Indies in late 1875, joined the ship in Cuba, and sailed to the UK and was there until at least Dec 1876 – a long separation from Eva and Frederick!
#7: More on James H Scott
Trying to sort out the life of Samuel’s brother, James Henry Scott, from online genealogy sites is challenging. Even narrowing the family information by including a birthdate exact to within five years and specifying father’s name ‘William’, gives thousands of possibilities. Looking for records of ships seemed to be a better place to start.
The BAC-LAC site: Ship’s Registrations 1787-1966 has limited information. The Seafarer’s of the Atlantic Provinces, 1789-1935 usually uses the original registration number, not the ‘official’ number. If you search BAC-LAC with the original number – there will be a ‘no results’ response. Better to just put in the name of the ship, scroll down through all with the same name and find a match as to date and/or place built or registration. The Maritime History Archive, Memorial University of Newfoundland has a wealth of information, some of which is also available in The Naval Marine Archive – The Canadian Collection.
I first knew of James H Scott from the memorandum he wrote about the voyage of the A L Palmer and knew that he had achieved his Mate’s papers in 1878 and following Eva’s death transferred to the Emma Marr. He probably stayed with the Emma Marr until it returned to England in December 1879, then somehow made his way to Germany. On April 8, 1880, he joined Samuel’s ship the Royal Charley and sailed from Bremerhaven, Germany to Cardiff, Wales, discharged there on May 1, 1880. He makes his way to Londonderry, Ireland and joins the Kate Covert as Bosun, a step down from first mate, on June 22. The ship sails to Dunkirk, France arriving there October 6, but somehow James is discharged on August 14th in Baltimore, Maryland, USA with the note ‘deserted’. I could not find an explanation as to how or why the discharge would be in Maryland.
James’ career does not progress smoothly. Several ships, breaks in service, joining and discharged in the middle of voyages. After leaving the Kate Covert in Maryland, a year later, September 10, 1881, he joins. the Souvenir in Antwerp, Belgium again as 1st Mate. The ship sails from Antwerp on September 15 and arrives in Liverpool on March 15, 1882. But again confusion: James was discharged ‘by mutual consent’ in Saint John, New Brunswick on February 7, 1882.
His next ship is the Lennie, again he is Bosun. While the Seafarers list the ship as sailing from Antwerp on September 15, 1882, and arriving in Bordeaux, France February 27, 1883, James joins the ship in Saint John, New Brunswick on January 18, 1883. He is discharged in Bordeaux on February 27th. However, he is back on the ship in November 1883, joining it in Dover, England on the 15th and sailing as Bosun to Pensacola, Florida where he is discharged ‘with mutual consent’ on April 1, 1884.
And then there is a long gap in maritime information. The next, and last, ship where I found James was the Highlands. Again, he was in Antwerp, Belgium and joined the ship as Bosun on June 27, 1894. It sailed from Antwerp on the 29th and arrived in St. John, New Brunswick March 13, 1896. However once again James has not stayed for the full voyage, he was ‘discharged with mutual consent’ in Cardiff on August 3, 1894.
It will take many hours in the files in the Maritime History Archive to find more information about the ships and their crews. Unfortunately, there are not crew lists for the dates that James was on board. One rather surprising, to me, detail did show up in the records ‘Agreement and Account of Crew’. On each ship, with the exception of the Highlands where no crew lists exist, in the box detailing provisions allowed is the note: ‘at the Master’s option No [spirits, alcohol, grog] allowed’. What? A sailor without rum? This will definitely take more research!
All the above-named ships were built in Canada, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. A powerful reminder of the importance of ships in the Atlantic Canada economy.
Trying to sort out the life of Samuel’s brother, James Henry Scott, from online genealogy sites is challenging. Even narrowing the family information by including a birthdate exact to within five years and specifying father’s name ‘William’, gives thousands of possibilities. Looking for records of ships seemed to be a better place to start.
The BAC-LAC site: Ship’s Registrations 1787-1966 has limited information. The Seafarer’s of the Atlantic Provinces, 1789-1935 usually uses the original registration number, not the ‘official’ number. If you search BAC-LAC with the original number – there will be a ‘no results’ response. Better to just put in the name of the ship, scroll down through all with the same name and find a match as to date and/or place built or registration. The Maritime History Archive, Memorial University of Newfoundland has a wealth of information, some of which is also available in The Naval Marine Archive – The Canadian Collection.
I first knew of James H Scott from the memorandum he wrote about the voyage of the A L Palmer and knew that he had achieved his Mate’s papers in 1878 and following Eva’s death transferred to the Emma Marr. He probably stayed with the Emma Marr until it returned to England in December 1879, then somehow made his way to Germany. On April 8, 1880, he joined Samuel’s ship the Royal Charley and sailed from Bremerhaven, Germany to Cardiff, Wales, discharged there on May 1, 1880. He makes his way to Londonderry, Ireland and joins the Kate Covert as Bosun, a step down from first mate, on June 22. The ship sails to Dunkirk, France arriving there October 6, but somehow James is discharged on August 14th in Baltimore, Maryland, USA with the note ‘deserted’. I could not find an explanation as to how or why the discharge would be in Maryland.
James’ career does not progress smoothly. Several ships, breaks in service, joining and discharged in the middle of voyages. After leaving the Kate Covert in Maryland, a year later, September 10, 1881, he joins. the Souvenir in Antwerp, Belgium again as 1st Mate. The ship sails from Antwerp on September 15 and arrives in Liverpool on March 15, 1882. But again confusion: James was discharged ‘by mutual consent’ in Saint John, New Brunswick on February 7, 1882.
His next ship is the Lennie, again he is Bosun. While the Seafarers list the ship as sailing from Antwerp on September 15, 1882, and arriving in Bordeaux, France February 27, 1883, James joins the ship in Saint John, New Brunswick on January 18, 1883. He is discharged in Bordeaux on February 27th. However, he is back on the ship in November 1883, joining it in Dover, England on the 15th and sailing as Bosun to Pensacola, Florida where he is discharged ‘with mutual consent’ on April 1, 1884.
And then there is a long gap in maritime information. The next, and last, ship where I found James was the Highlands. Again, he was in Antwerp, Belgium and joined the ship as Bosun on June 27, 1894. It sailed from Antwerp on the 29th and arrived in St. John, New Brunswick March 13, 1896. However once again James has not stayed for the full voyage, he was ‘discharged with mutual consent’ in Cardiff on August 3, 1894.
It will take many hours in the files in the Maritime History Archive to find more information about the ships and their crews. Unfortunately, there are not crew lists for the dates that James was on board. One rather surprising, to me, detail did show up in the records ‘Agreement and Account of Crew’. On each ship, with the exception of the Highlands where no crew lists exist, in the box detailing provisions allowed is the note: ‘at the Master’s option No [spirits, alcohol, grog] allowed’. What? A sailor without rum? This will definitely take more research!
All the above-named ships were built in Canada, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. A powerful reminder of the importance of ships in the Atlantic Canada economy.
ContactDo you have a question, comment, or book review for Margot? Please fill out the form below.
|
