Officers and Crew of the

1. Captain: Peter Nicol, 38, Peterhead, Aberdeenshire.

Captain Peter Nicol was born 1861 in the town of Peterhead, Aberdeenshire, the son of Janet ‘Jessie’ Gillan and Peter Nicol Snr a Master Mariner and Sailmaker. He spent a great deal of time in the care of his mother and siblings as his father was at sea for a lot of the time. Peter Nicol Snr began his career aboard the 650 ton ‘Cyclone’ in the late 1850’s under Joseph Hossack. Later he served as mate and sailmaker aboard the ‘Wandering Chief of Banff’, and then the ‘Guiding Star’. Eventually he gained his masters ticket and commanded ships if his own. Peter Nicol Jnr grew up in Peterhead, the eldest of 4 children, he had two younger brothers Robert, and John and a sister, Helen Jane. Whilst Peter Jnr was off at sea the family lived at 10b Love Lane, Peterhead, his mother Jessie acting as defacto household head and carer for the 3 youngest children. The family later moved to 6 James Street, Peterhead where John, a baker, looked after his aged parents along with his unmarried sister Helen.

Peter Jnr grew up listening to the stories of his father’s adventures at sea and it was not long before he followed him into the trade beginning as an apprentice sailmaker at the age of 17. He met and then married Isabella Simpson in 1880, and later this year their first child Peter was born. The family lived in Peterhead with Isabella’s father William Simpson, a labourer, and Elspet Simpson, along with Isabella’s younger sisters Elspet and Mary and younger brother William. Isabella’s elder sister Margaret and brother, John (the eldest son) had already left home. Isabella worked as a shopkeeper to support her and her young son. Peter Nicol Jnr was away at sea for much of the time and it was many years before that had another child. The Nicol’s eldest son Peter died sometime before 1887 and their next child, another boy, born in that year was named Peter in his memory. Their next two boys came in quick succession, William John Nicol born in 1889, and James William in 1890.

Peter Nicol went to sea as a sailmaker aboard the Loch Etive under the command of Captain William Stuart of Peterhead, starting out as an apprentice. Captain Stuart was a friend of his fathers, the two having served together when William Stuart was still learning his trade as a ships mate. Captain Stuart commanded the Loch Etive from her launch in 1877 until his death aboard her in 1896. Peter Nicol jnr, being an intelligent and industrious young man made the most of his opportunities and under Captain Stuarts tuition he was able to take the Board of Trade’s examination for Second Mate. He stayed with the Loch Etive from 1878 until 1893 and worked his way up from apprentice sailmaker to chief officer. The adventures of the Loch Etive were also those of Peter Nicol jnr. With his growing financial success the family needed a bigger home and so moved into 18 York St, Peterhead. William Simpson was working as a coalkeeper and Isabella was running a small store to help make ends meet. Peter Nicol continued as first officer until he gained his Extra Masters Ticket in 1893.

The ‘Loch Etive’, at anchor Hobson's Bay. State library of . Try as he may, Peter could not gain a birth as master and commander of his own vessel. Continuing as chief officer aboard the Loch Etive his luck began to improve when in 1893 his only daughter Isabella was born. This wind change continued when the previous captain of the 900 ton barque Firth of Dornoch, D. Miller, left the vessel and had to be replaced. The ships owners, J. Spencer & Co, of offered command of the ship to Peter Nicol who jumped at the chance of his first command. Bidding a fond farewell to Captain Stuart he left the Loch Etive and headed back to Peterhead for a time. His replacement as first mate aboard the Loch Etive was William Wade, a future master of the Loch Sloy.

The Firth of Dornoch left Glasgow in late December 1893, and arrived in good time in on the 10th of January 1894. Staying in port for a short time the ship left for . For the next few years Captain Peter Nicol plied his trade aboard the Firth of Dornoch travelling from Glasgow, to Sydney, and to Lyttelton in , with trade goods and passengers. Heading home the Firth of Dornoch would sail from Sydney to New Castle for coal which would then be shipped to Timaru and Valparaiso in Chile where it would be exchanged for nitrate that was in high demand in Britain for the production of fertiliser and gunpowder.

THE FIRTH OF DORNOCH. 1895

“The barque Firth of Dornoch, from Glasgow, which we reported in our yesterday's issue’ as having anchored in the quarantine ground, to tranship 600 cases of dynamite, is an iron vessel, built by Messrs Kuasell and Co . of Glasgow, in 1881 her dimensions being—Length 200 ft 4in, breadth of beam 32ft Sin, and depth of hold 19ft, and owned by Messrs J. Spence and Co., of Glasgow. She brings some 1460 tons of cargo, 240 tons of which is for . she is under the command of Captain Peter Nicol, who is on his first visit to this port, and has made the passage in 90 days. Like other vessels which have lately arrived in the colocie3 she sighted a quantity of ice between the meridian of Greenwich and the Cape of Good Hope. Captain Nicol reports leaving Glasgow on February 20, towed to Ailsa Craic, and set sail to a moderate N.JE. breeze, and took her departure from the South Bishop's Rock, bearing S.E. 20 miles, on the 22nd; half moderate winds, principally from north to east, until March 2, in lat. 29.10 N... long. 19 31 W., when the first of the N.E. trades set in, which were fresh, and gave out nine miles south, crossing the equator on March 15' in long. 25 W. on the 23rd day out; then she had variable winds until the 20th, when she met the S.E. trades in lat. 4.25 S., long. 28 30 W. The trades were moderate and gave out on the 27th, in lat. 27.12 S., long. 35.25 W., and were succeeded by a moderate N.E. wind until April 10, in lat. 35.48 S., long. 1.55 W., when she encountered The Firth of Solway: sister ship of the Firth of Dornoch, with same a strong U.K. gale with rigging, livery and deck setting. heavy sea; crossed the http://www.wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?10491 meridian of Greenwich on the following day, in lat. 38.48, on the fiftieth day out, when the gale abated and she had light winds from N.E. to S.E., and on April 22, in lat. 45.56 S., long. 14.40 E., passed two large icebergs, and on the following day passed a number of bergs—several being very large—and a quantity of broken ice, and spoke the ship Frankenstein, of Liverpool, same day, in long. 16.10 E., and on the 24th the wind increased to a etoonx S.W. gale; passed several more icebergs,”

Six feet tall, a solid build with a red beard and hair Captain Nicol cut a rather imposing figure in his blue serge coat and trousers, when he strode about upon the poopdeck. By the late 1890’s Peter Nicol had established himself as a reliable and conscientious ships master. He had made many friends amongst the captains of the Loch Line among whom he could count William Wade as friend. In 1894 James Nicol aged 19, Peter and Isabella’s nephew joined his uncle aboard the Firth of Dornoch as the ships steward. This was his first time at sea. The Nicol’s last child, Robert R Nicol was born whilst Peter was at sea in 1896. At this stage the Firth Line was struggling to compete with the larger steamers so they shifted their attention to the coal and nitrate runs from Newcastle to Chile and onwards to London. When the owners of the Firth of Dornoch found themselves in financial straits they began to sell off their fleet of composite .

Amongst the casualties of this corporate downsizing was Peter Nicol. He found himself without a command when J. Spencer & Co sold his vessel out from under him to A. T. Rosasco of Genoa, Italy, (who much later renamed the ship ESCAMBIA). Peter Nicol went home to Peterhead where he applied for the vacant position of local harbourmaster. He just missed out on gaining the job, which went to Captain Simpson, a relative of his wife. A few days later came an offer from his old company that would change the Nicol’s family lives forever. Captain Nicol was not out of work for long, realising the value of a safe and reliable skipper, James Lilburn had his agents approach and recruit Peter Nicol. After a short negotiation of his contract Captain Nicol was appointed to the command of the 1200 ton barque ‘Loch Sloy’ in December of 1898. Christmas time in the Nicol household was one of celebration and new beginnings. At the behest of his wife, Isabella, Captain Nicol agreed to take onboard his nephew, William John Simpson as an apprentice. Before the Loch Sloy left for her final journey Willie Simpson was taken down to the offices of Aitken, Lilburn and Co’, in Buchanan Street, Glasgow to sign his indenture papers, his father providing the initial fees and his uncle providing sponsorship.

Buchanan St, Glasgow, late 1900's. http://www.oldukphotos.com/lanarkshire-glasgow.htm

With the death of her husband Isabella was shattered. She who had frequently travelled with her husband when he first became captain of the Firth of Dornoch had decided to stay behind to care for their children and her aging father. Suddenly widowed, the death forced the surviving family to move from 18 York Street, Peterhead, to a new shopfront family home in a back lane at 12 Broad Street. Isabella Nicole fell back on her skills as a shop keeper and opened up a shoe and boot store.

18 York Street, Peterhead.

Broad Street, Peterhead. C. late 1900's.

http://tour-scotland-photographs.blogspot.com.au/2010/06/old-photograph-broad-street- peterhead.html

2. First Officer: James MacMillan, 25, South Uist , Inverness-shire.

James MacMillan was born, late 1873, near the village of Howmore, in South Uist, an island of the Outer Hebrides in Scotland. He was the eldest of 7 children, the eldest of 7, 4 younger sisters, 2 younger brothers and the head of the household. James father was a sailor who disappeared and his mother died not long after the birth of their last child. The children were raised by James maternal grandfather, Donald McLellan who lived with his son and daughter on the wild coast of Sandivaig, South Uist, where their uncle Samuel McLellan worked his own coastal boat as a lobster fisherman. James and his brother Donald would often go to sea with their uncle, and it was here that he began his love affair with the wind and waves. The children were spread out amongst their relatives until much older when they lived together after Donald McLellan’s death.

From an early age they spent more time with their aunty Mary Bell McLellan than they did with their mother. The Loch Sloy was James first stint as Chief Officer he having only recently completed his masters ticket. Attempting to build up sea time James was hopeful of eventually gaining a command of his own. At the time of his death James was single, and both his parents were dead. Yet still at home were four sisters and two young brothers. The family lived a 6 Houston St, Glasgow and all were reliant upon him for support. He was their main breadwinner and when his pay Lobster Fishing, South Uist. allotment stopped they suffered. www.ambaile.org.uk

3. Second Officer: Geoffrey J. Twidale, 25, Glentham, Lincolnshire, England.

Geoffrey J. Twidale was born 1874, in Glentham, a village in the West Lindsey district of Lincolnshire. He was the son of John Twidale, an auctioneer and valuer and Charlotte Twidale. The Twidales were farmers working 260 acres of land in the Glentham Cliff district of Lincolnshire. Their first child, Gertrude was in early 1871, but died as a baby. The family’s grief was eventually assuaged with the birth of SS Bendigo Geoffrey in early 1874. By the time he was 7 the family had expanded the farm to 370 acres and employed 5 labourers and two farm boys. Geoffrey grew up in a large farm house and outlying lands gave him plenty of room to explore. The youngest Twidale, Edgar was born in 1883, in Retford, a large market town in Nottinghamshire. By this stage the family had left the farm and moved into town where John Twidale had begun work as an auctioneer and valuer.

Unlike his uncles who were successful Lincolnshire farmers born and bred, Geoffrey and his brother Edgar gained a completely different view of the world as they travelled with their father on business trips to places like the port cities of Hull and Grimsby. John Twidale would often value and auction off ships salvage which in turn brought his sons into contact with ships masters and their officers. By age 17 Geoffrey had managed to persuade his father to allow him to become a ships apprentice hoping to eventually gain his Second Mates ticket. Later his younger brother, Edgar Sydney, a motor engineer would be equally afflicted with wanderlust when he followed in his lost brothers footsteps, migrating to with his wife Emma, aged 39. Edgar later returned to England aboard the SS Bendigo in 1924 from Sydney. Age 42 he and his wife travelled back to the Twidale family home at 8 Drury Lane, Lincoln. Geoff Twidale had completed his Second Mates ticket several years before and just about had enough sea time and education to sit for the Board of Trade’s Masters Certificate. Geoffrey never married and at the time of his death his parents and brother were living in East Markham, Newark-on-Trent. Even though his parents did not rely upon his financial support, Geoff allotted part of his sea pay to them every month.

4. Third Officer: Thomas ‘Tom’ Allan Cleland, 21, Blythswood, Glasgow, Lanarkshire.

14 Queens Terrace, Glasgow.

Tom Cleland was born 1879, in the Blythswood district of Glasgow, a second New Town of elegant town-houses and impressive street-to-street terraces, not far from the offices of the Glasgow Shipping Company. He was the son of Matthew and Margaret Cleland and the family lived at 245 Great Western Rd, Glasgow. Tom’s father was a clerk in an iron-foundry, and worked long hours to support his family. It was through his connections in the iron works through their manufacture of pig-iron ballast, bound for the colonies that Matthew Cleland met the men who would eventually allow his son to take to sea as an apprentice ships officer. Tom was the third of twelve children; he had an elder brother James, and sister Mary, and a younger sister Helen and brother Charles, Margaret and Elizabeth. Margaret (Maggie) died in infancy as did Elizabeth (Lizzie). Mary assumed the mantle of oldest daughter, and was according to relatives, always very solicitous about her family.

By 1891 Tom’s father Matthew was the manager of an Engineering Works and the family was doing quite well in Glasgow society. The family had expanded with the births of John, Matthew, Ellen, Jetta and Hilda and the family had moved into a spacious terrace house on the prestigious Queens Terrace. It was said that Tom always loved the sea, and sailed as a youth on the Clyde, thus no one was surprised when Tom pestered his father to allow him to go to sea. Matthew did not want his son to be just another waterborne ragamuffin so he organised for Tom to be indentured with a reputable shipping company. With Tom taking up an offer of ships apprentice, his younger brother who idolised him was anxious to follow in his footsteps and went to sea aboard windjammers like his brother. Towards the end of the century, the Cleland family had come into its own, with Matthew and Margaret having moved into the exclusive enclave at 1, Holyrood Quadrant, Glasgow, a prestigious neighbourhood of well to do merchants, financiers and business men. Tom finished his apprenticeship by the time he was 19 and gained his second mates certificate having passed the Board of Trade exams. Yet maybe because of his youth, or lack of sea time he could only gain a position as a ships third officer. An officer in training it was up First Mate James MacMillan to show young Tom the ropes. They would stand watch together and Tom, acting as ships bosun was in charge or the forward lookouts when on taking his turn about the deck. Tom’s death in 1899 hit the family hard yet they continued to prosper. Tom’s younger brother Charlie served in the Great War and was killed in 1916. The family scattered far and wide after the war, some making their way to Canada and New Zealand.

Ships Specialists

1. Carpenter: Hugh McBride, 25, Greenock, Renfrewshire.

Hugh McBride was born, 1874 Greenock, Renfrewshire, the son of a single mother, Sarah McBride, an immigrant from Ireland who fled the famine and who came to Glasgow searching for a better life. Hugh’s father, a sailor, had died at sea when he was just 5, and his mother Sarah was left to raise Hugh and

Dumbarton Road, Old Kilpatrick, 1906. his younger sister Susan www.west-dunbarton.gov.uk/onlinestories/archive-photos/ who was two years younger. With her husband’s death Sarah turned to a family friend, George Docherty, a fellow Irishman, for comfort and support. Within months Sarah and George had developed a strong relationship and when Hugh was six his mother remarried, and the family moved into 23 John Street, Greenock within sight of the kirk in which they were married. Hugh lived with his mother and step-father for a number of years as the Docherty clan continued to grow.

By 1891 Hugh had left home to begin life in the Clyde Side dock yards as an apprentice shipwright and carpenter. The increasing friction between him and his step-father meant that Hugh was happy to leave. Reluctant to leave Susan at the mercy of George and his harried mother, Hugh took his sister with him from the current family home at 5 Napier Place, Old Kilpatrick, Dumbartonshire. Hugh and Susan left behind four half brothers and sisters, Edward, Sarah, George and Mary Ann. So it was not without some regret that Hugh left his mother and siblings behind. Once he had completed his apprenticeship Hugh and Susan moved west to Cyrus Place, Mid Yoken, in the East Craigs district of Edinburgh. This was as far away as they could get and still keep Hugh in work. He was in charge of general ships maintenance and would have received a great deal of help from the likes of Peter Cleland who had a good working knowledge of engines and who would have acted as donkeyman aboard the Loch Sloy under the carpenter’s supervision. By 1898 Sarah Docherty had died and Hugh with Susan had built a solid life for themselves. Hugh would have an allotment from his pay sent to his sister who would always have a welcoming home for her brother whom she greatly adored. With her brother’s death, life for Susan became that much harder.

2. Sailmaker: Robert Birnie, 22, Amoy, China.

Robert Birnie was born, 1876, in the port of Amoy, China aboard the whilst his mother and father were in port aboard his father’s vessel. The gaff-rig schooner had just sailed from New Castle with a load of coal and was in port unloading her cargo. He was the son of Elizabeth and Charles Birnie, the latter a well known and somewhat infamous schooner captain. Robert was the 9th youngest of 12 children: Janet, Charles Isabella, Elizabeth (Lizzie), Margaret, Charles 1 St. Mary Street, Peterhead. 2nd, John, Louisa, Robert, Janet, Randolph and Harold Birnie. Early in his career Charles worked on various , his wife Elizabeth frequently following him abroad whilst the children were looked after by relatives.

Charles Birnie was initially an apprentice on a local whaler, going to Greenland for several years hunting seals and whales. He then was engaged in the Southern trade travelling to Australia aboard various vessels, such as the 900 ton barque Cairngorn, on charter to the Black Ball Line which sailed from London to Sydney in 1860, in which he served as second mate under Captain Robert Cairncross. In 1863 he gained his Mariner's Certificate in Aberdeen, and qualified as a Ships Master. He became part owner of the three-masted schooner "Craigewan" and for many years was engaged in the China coal trade travelling from Mauritius, to Lyttelton to China, and the East Indies, often via Newcastle carrying coal for the steamers. Following the sale of this vessel in 1878 following a collision with another vessel collision he captained the local schooner "Maggie & Helen" engaged in the Baltic and coasting trade until 1887 when he retired from the sea to spend more time with his wife and burgeoning family. Later he was employed by the Harbour Trustees as an assistant berthing master and fish market superintendent. Through his career Charles served aboard a variety of vessel, mainly schooners:

 Constance (47297) (Served as Mate) 1863. 'The Cairngorn' Wrecked on 29 September 1863 whilst attempting to enter  Mistress of the Seas (42652) the River Min, China. (Served as Mate) 1865-66.  Zanthus (19452) 1867.  Garron (55348) (Served as Mate) 1867.  Jacob Hatfield (51991) (Served as Mate) 1867-68.  Craig Ewan (58877) 1868 – 1878.

Most of the children were born at the family home in Peterhead, Aberdeenshire, but at least three were aboard ship. John was born at in the South Atlantic Ocean, 33.00N27.00W - Approx. 1000 Miles SSE of Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, Louisa Jane was born in Port Louis, Mauritius in 1874, and Robert in Amoy, China. In 1874 whilst travelling from Mauritius to Lyttelton the three masted 191 ton schooner, Craig Ewan was almost lost. This near disaster might have convinced Elizabeth to head to shore with her brood, but it was not to be. The Birnie clan continued tramping about the South Seas. The schooner was their home and Robert like his father was born to the sea almost as if he had saltwater in his veins.

Yet by 1891, Charles Birnie had retired from a life at sea, settling once again in Peterhead with Elspet (Elisabeth) and their many children at 1 St Mary St, Peterhead. After growing up at sea having already travelled the world, it was with his father’s blessing that Robert began an apprenticeship as a sailmaker. The youngest boy Harry was the only other son to follow their father to a life at sea. Robert had only just completed his apprenticeship a year or two earlier when he gained his berth aboard the Loch Sloy. As an idler he never stood watch but was always on call to effect repairs to sails and generally worked from dawn until sunset every day except Sunday. The surviving children stayed in or around Peterhead and by 1899 with Charles Snr having retired Robert was chief bread winner and provide for the family. With his death the family was hit quite hard.

3. Chief Steward: William M. Hardinge, 48, Gloucestershire, England.

William Harding was born in 1850 in Gloucestershire as a young man he moved Greenwich where he met Ellen Manning, the daughter of a London City Missionary and Cheapside silk merchant and warehouse operator Thomas Hooten Boarding House in Croxteth Road, Liverpool. Manning. The couple married in 1877 and lived in her father’s home at 48 Fairshorn Rd, Greenwich. William spent most of his time at sea working as a second cook and assistant steward on ships such as the 2800 ton ss Palestine and later as a second cook on the famous steamship ss Nevada. The steamer operated from Liverpool and regularly took migrants too America to begin a new life. William was based in Liverpool but when not at sea would travel home to Greenwich to spend time with his wife.

ss Nevada.

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~maryross/ships/nevada18691025.html

The couple’s first child, Roland was born in 1878 while William was at sea, this pattern continued when Christopher was born in 1882, and their youngest son Harold born in 1886. None of the boys followed their father into a life at sea and as he was rarely home, Ellen more often looked to her father for support in the raising of her three sons. The family did not want for money though Williams’ wages did help. Thomas Manning had made a name for himself as a canny business man and later as an insurance agent and underwriter. Both Roland and Christopher left school to become Engine Fitters and Engineers whilst the youngest, Harold became a cricket ball makers apprentice. William was responsibke for the full domestic services aboard ship. He kept the ships books, kept track of stores and ordered the food and other supplies needed for a long trip at sea. He also had strong contacts amongst the providores in many ports around the world and knew most of the tricks and cheats used by suppliers to bilk a ship of the supplies he ordered and paid for.

Ellen would have been happy if her husband had come home to Greenwich and taken a job ashore, but William had the sea in his blood and soon found work with the Loch Lines. He maintained rooms at 49 Croxteth Rd, Liverpool yet his main home was in the Manning household back in Kent where his wife, sons and father in law lived a comfortable existence far removed from Williams’ life at sea. After William’s death Ellen threw herself into her father’s missionary work. The family did not want for money but she never got over her husband’s early death.

4. Second Steward: John A. Browne, 26, Liverpool.

John A. Browne was born, 1873, in Liverpool, the son of Sarah Browne and John Keoh Browne, his parents were married at St Francis Xavier’s, Liverpool in 1862 His father was a well known merchant who in his early days had been a wine and spirit seller operating the firm of Browne & Co’. John Browne became the sole proprietor of the company, which operated in and around Liverpool and West Derby. The company eventually went bankrupt forcing the family to move to less luxurious accommodation and for John Snr to look for a new line of work. Eventually he found work through his contacts in the merchant shipping industry and began work as a humble shipping clerk in the Merseyside docklands of Liverpool.

As a child John jnr lived with his elder sister Mary and Francis, and The Forth and Clyde Canal at Firhill, Murano Street's tenements are in younger sister the background. Josephine at 45 www.theglasgowstory.com Teulon St, Kirkdale, Liverpool. By 1891, John’s mother, Sarah had died and John Keoh Browne’s younger sister, Mary Browne had moved in to care for the children. The retired housekeeper became the children’s defacto mother who raised the children while John Snr looked after his business affairs.

By 1891, after Sarah’s death, the family had moved to a new home at 54 Maria Rd, Walton- On-The-Hill, in the heart of Liverpool, Mersey Side. John Keoh Browne was working as a shipping clerk in Liverpool. John Jnr found a job as a grocer’s assistant learning the arts of ordering stock, inventory, and book keeping. John’s sisters had begun to make lives for themselves; Francis was working as a domestic servant for the rich Liverpool tailor, Solomon Berliner, a rich polish Jew who had migrated from German Poland. Mary while still living at home worked as a laundress and Josephine stayed at home to care for her father whilst John went off to sea. Johns neighbour was James Kellie a ships steward aboard the steamship Aramac, he encouraged John Jnr that he could be more than just a grocers clerk. It was through his father’s contacts as a commercial shipping clerk and agent that John jnr was given the chance to see the world. He had already been married once and his wife had died in child birth leaving John responsible for two young children. It was into his sisters arms these children went until John remarried and went onto have another child with his new wife.

At some point a chance meeting between John Browne jnr and William Hardinge whilst both were in Glasgow between ships led John to the offices of Aitken Lilburn and Company. The young man had a family to support and a father who thought little of his career choice so he was more than happy to gain a berth aboard such a well known ship as the Loch Sloy. John wanted to send his children back to live with his sister and tried to get his wife assigned to the Loch Sloy as a stewardess, but was knocked back. This fateful decision at least prevented three young children from becoming orphans. At his death, he left a young wife to care for three young children, the family home in a cramped tenement at 29 Murano Street, Glasgow, was an unhappy place to be.

5. Cook: John Chisholm, 34, Inverness.

John Chisholm was born 1864, in the valley of Glen Urquhart, Inverness. There were no towns in the district but several hamlets. The principal hamlet, Milntown held just 150 inhabitants, and all the others combined came had only about 115 people. The parish was described as exquisitely beautiful, more varied in mountain, hill, dale, lake and stream than any other in the highlands.

John was the son of Evan and Isabella Chisholm and the second child of that name, the first John having died in 1861. His father worked as a white- smith working with tin and pewter. He was the 4th of at least five children; Mary, Margaret, John (died in infancy), and Annie. John did not want to follow his father into the family business and left home at an early age to seek his fortune. Eventually he found work on the Inverness docks, one of Scotland's most sheltered natural deep harbours, working as a labourer loading ships and carting goods to and from the dockside warehouses. He quickly tired of this and soon found himself aboard ship as an MacLean St, Glasgow before being torn down in the apprentice ships baker and cook. He 1970’s worked upon the big steamers http://urbanglasgow.co.uk/archive/glasgow-in-the-1970s- learning his trade. tradeston-to-govan__o_t__t_1597.html John’s father died when he was quite young and his mother died in the mid 1890’s. In 1891 John was working as an assistant cook and baker aboard the 1400 ton tramp steamer, Calliope of Hull working the routes across the Atlantic. When not aboard ship he continued to work the docks just to make ends meet. His sister living at Invernsea had married a steamer captain, the one who have given John his first opportunity to go to sea. John worked day and night to keep the crew fed. The fare aboard the Loch Sloy was nit fancy but it was plentiful. Beans, rice, bread, tinned fruit, potatoes, lime-juice, jam, peas, tinned fish, salted meats, chickens and pigs, and lastly sea- biscuits were all staples aboard the ship. The officers had baked bread three times a week, the men had it on Sundays. Assisting John would have been ‘Paddy’ Cummins the ships deckboy and one or both of the ordinary seamen when time allowed. John had a bunk near the galley right by the donkey boiler and water condenser. Fine on a cold night this same position was hell in the tropics due to the heat and humidity. John would have spent his time sleeping up on deck if the weather allowed. By 1898 John was on his own and living as a boarder at 39 McLean St, Glasgow. He had contact with his sister but that was all. When he died, his passing barely raised a ripple. Ships Apprentices 1. William ‘Willie’ John Simpson, 19, Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire.

William John Simpson was born, on the 25th of March 1881, Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, the son of Isabella and John Simpson. The family lived at 26 Rose Street, Aberdeen, until Isabella died sometime before William’s third birthday. John Simpson was the eldest son of William and Elspet Simpson. He worked as a journeyman plasterer and was away for much of the time. When his father was away young Willie as he was called, spent time at his grandfathers home. So for a time Willie lived with his grandparents William and Elspet at their home in Aberdeen. He was doted upon by his aunts, Elspet, Isabella and Mary, and his young uncle William. Isabella was his favourite as he spent time with her in the family shop she ran from the front of the house. There came a time however when Willie’s father returned for his son.

26 Rose Street, Aberdeen.

Arrangements had been made between Willie’s grandfather, William Simpson Snr, and his nephew, Robert Simpson of Mull. Young Willie would travel to Mull where John had work and Willie would travel with him. Despite protests from his daughters old William Simpson would not be swayed in his thinking. Willie travelled north with his father and was left in the care of his cousin’s domestic help. Robert Simpson was a single man living and working as a distillery manager at Ledaig Iona Cottage, located at the Tobermory Distillery on Mull. After agreeing to initially foster Willie (as John was unable to care for his son and maintain his job as a journeyman plasterer), Robert formally adopted the young boy when John died. Willie and Robert lived with domestic help in the manager’s residence at the distillery. They maintained this relationship until Robert met and later married Jessie Simpson in 1894, Jessie was 14 years younger than Robert but they made the relationship work. The family vacated the managers cottage at the distillery and moved into a larger home at Burnbank

Former Manager's House is 'Iona Cottage'. Mull, Tobermory, Eas Brae, Ledaig Distillery http://canmore.rcahms.gov.uk/en/details/741041/

House, Breadalbane Street, in Tobermory. Their first child Robert Simpson jnr was born in 1896. By this time Willie had completed his studies and was working for father in the distillery learning how to run the business and acting as an agents assistant when Robert travelled to Glasgow with shipments of whisky bound for the colonies.

By the time William was 18 he had begun to get rather restless. He had always loved the sea spending much time on small as a lad, and dreamt of life beyond the shores of Mull. He was a frequent traveller on the coastal schooners that carried cargo and passengers to and from the island. Williams’ real father, John Simpson was the elder brother of Isabella Simpson who had met and married an up and coming ships officer named Peter Nicol from Peterhead. Isabella had kept tabs on her nephew and had kept in contact her cousin Robert over the years, and after discussions with him it was decided that Willie would be allowed to reconnect with his family. Both families agreed that it was better if Willie did not know of the close bond between Isabella and himself. Isabella encouraged her husband to take Willie on as an apprentice officer. It would have been upon the Firth of Dornoch, but that plan fell through when the ship was sold. Instead Peter Nicol and Willie John Simpson travelled from Peterhead to Glasgow and as Captain Nicol signed on as Captain of the Loch Sloy, Willie signed his indenture papers, his uncle provided the sponsorship and recommendation and Robert paid his fees. On the 5th of January 1899 William John Simpson set sail with his uncle aboard the Loch Sloy. They were seen off by Isabella and her children who waved them farewell, confident that the men would return in the autumn.

Having survived the wreck of the Loch Sloy, Willie John returned to London then Glasgow as an apprentice aboard the Loch Vennachar. He was greeted by his father Robert Simpson, and his aunt Isabella Nicol who finally revealed to him the extent of their familial relationship. Feeling somewhat at a loss, Willie stayed on the Loch Vennachar and other Loch liners and finished his apprenticeship without further mishap. After a short, yet successful career at sea William left the merchant navy to take up the life of a herring fisherman. In later years he lived upon a houseboat on the river at Great Yarmouth leading a lonely life having never really gotten over the shipwreck or the truth about his family.

Fisherman’s Wharf, Yarmouth c. 1900. http://www.maritimeheritageeast.org.uk/themes/fishing/great-yarmouth-fishwharf

2. George W. Youden, 19, Dover, Kent, England.

George Youden was born 1880, in the port city of Dover, Kent, the son of Sarah (Sarah WALLACE), and John Youden. The Youdens married in Kent in 1872, George grew up at 2 Beaconsfield Road, Kent and was the youngest

2 Beaconsfield Road, Kent of at least six children; Henry, William, Adelaide, Wallace and Dora Youden. George’s father worked as a House and Commission Agent, working as an auctioneer, a receiver of goods on consignment and a private money lender and underwriter. He was able to buy and sell land as well as speculate on housing and commercial ventures. It was John’s commercial contacts and George’s love of the sea that allowed him to find a berth with the Glasgow Shipping Company. George was in his final year as an apprentice and upon returning to Glasgow would have sat for his Second Mates ticket at the Board of Trade. George was the only member of his family to take to the sea. While the others grew up in the busy port city they lived their lives quite differently.

Kent, Dover, Admiralty Pier in the 1890's. www.oldukphotos.com/kent_dover.htm

George was a late inclusion aboard the Loch Sloy. For some reason he had missed his berth aboard the Loch Rannoch which had already departed. At the last minute he was transferred to the Loch Sloy. As the senior apprentice aboard the barque he had to quickly establish himself. This meant knocking the occasional apprentices head about a bit. However with Simpson being the Captains favourite, there was little chance of this happening to him whilst he slept in the poop. John Youden died around the same time as his son, yet Sarah lived to a ripe old age and spent her years in the family home. Two of Georges siblings, Henry (a law clerk), and his spinster sister, Wallace were both killed on the 28th August 1942 when a German bomb destroyed Henry’s home in Beresford Terrace Dover Wallace had been visiting with his second wife Maude when the bomb hit. Of all the Youden children, only Adelaide Youden lived to a ripe old age dying at the age of 87 in 1965.

3. Thomas H. Leach, 18, Hull, Yorkshire, England. Thomas Leach was born, 1881, in the town of Kingston upon Hull, in Yorkshire. He was the son of Charlotte Leach and George Leach. Tom was the youngest of three boys, the elder, George (b.1877), then Arthur (b. 1879, died in infancy) and finally Tom. The boys were cared for by their nanny Louisa Davison especially when they travelled with their parents upon their frequent overseas voyages. The family when not at sea lived at 7 Boynton Street, Hull and early in their marriage George Leach was away for months at a time. In the late 1860’s and into the 70’s Captain 7 Boynton Street, Hull. Leach was master and commander of small 300-400 ton wooden barques travelling between Britain and Australia. In 1869 he commanded the 400 ton barque ‘Ceylon’ sailing from London to Brisbane. Later in the 1880’s Captain Leach was in command of the 340 ton barque, ‘Bonanza’ arriving in from Puget Sound with a load of lumber. George’s career continued in the smaller until he eventually gained a position with the Wilson Line. From this time forward the family’s fortunes improved dramatically and George was able to spend much more time at home with his family.

“The town of Kingston upon Hull lies at the point where the River Hull and River Humber meet. Throughout its history the port has enjoyed successful trade links with most of the ports of Northern Europe, from Antwerp in the west, to St. Petersburg in the east, Le Havre in the south and to Trondheim in the north. These commercial links have brought great revenue to the town, as well as adding to her cultural and communal development. Though migrants have been travelling to or via the port for most of her history, it was during the period 1836 - 1914 that Hull developed a pivotal role in the movement of transmigrants via the UK. During this period over 2.2 million transmigrants passed through Hull en route to a new life in the US, Canada, South Africa and Australia. Originating from Denmark, Finland, Germany, , Russia and , the transmigrants passed through the port, from where they would take a train to Glasgow, Liverpool, London or Southampton - the UK ports which offered steamship services to the 'New World' they had dreamed of.” www.norwayheritage.com

The Wilson Line operated a regular route between Scandinavia and Hull. The first route was established to carry the mail between Sweden, Norway and England with a departure from Gothenburg every second Saturday, calling at Christiansand on the way to Hull. From Hull migrants would travel by train to Liverpool and thence to New York. The Leach family were frequent passengers aboard George Leach’s ship the brand new Wilson liner, the 1300 ton S.S. Volo. From 1891 onwards the ship made the regular run from Trondheim - Bergen - Stavanger – Hull. When not at sea the leach family lived in their new home at 23 Morpeth Street in Hull.

1300 Baltic Steamer SS Volo, Wilson Line. www.norwayheritage.com

At a young age Tom expressed the desire to follow in his fathers footsteps. George Leach insisted that he learn his craft under sail just as he had 25 years before. George thought it would make Tom into a much better mariner, rather than simply chipping rust and stoking coal aboard some steamship. He had made many friends amongst the clipper ship owners whose vessels made the colonial runs to Australia and New Zealand. Amongst those was William Bennett of the Loch Vennachar. Suitably impressed with the reputation of the Loch Line ships and masters he marched his son down to the offices of the Glasgow Shipping Company and had them draw up indenture papers which he duly signed then paid the £50 bond for the privilege. Captain Leach was confident that under the right ships master his son would get the maritime education that he deserved. Tom was signed onto the Loch Sloy. The barque had some openings and she was a well though of vessel, sturdy and sound with few vices. Captain Wade had an excellent reputation and those who served under him considered themselves fortunate.

23 Morpeth Street, Hull

4. R. Mulligan – No reliable information available.

5. Francis Lyons, 17, Great Yarmouth.

Francis Lyon’s was born 1883 in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk. He was a solidly built and muscular young man with a back injury that required him to wear a back-truss when he worked. He was the son of Sarah Goffin (nee Lyons) and a man named Rolfe. His mother when first married worked as a silk throwster (a person who twists silk or other fibres into yarn), for Grout & Co.'s Silk Crape Factory. Young Francis lived with his mother, and Clara Tooley, a lodger, and char (Tea) lady, in the St Andrews workers cottages near to the dockside factory in which she made a living. Francis grew up never knowing his biological father, and spent much of his time playing with the neighbour’s children, Joe and Charlie Lyons (his cousins). Both boys were of a similar age to Francis and with Sarah working long hours, he spent most of his free time at the Lyon’s home next door. Emma Lyon’s was Sarah Goffin’s sister-in-law, her husband was Sarah’s brother. Their father John Lyons was a former master mariner and the family had many connections in the trade. When Sarah died Francis was immediately taken in by his Aunt Lyons and Uncle. He was formally adopted becoming a brother to Joseph (b.1882), Charles (b.1885) and Emma (b.1889), James (b.1891). Francis fit right in having grown up with The Docks, 1893, Grimsby. his cousins and having www.thisisgrimsby.co.uk/pictures/ been cared for by his aunt. Emma Lyon’s husband was a master mariner and first mate so was frequently away at sea aboard the various clippers operated and managed by Aitken, Lilburn & Co’. Francis and Joseph followed their father to sea, both becoming apprentices with various shipping lines. The family in later years moved from Yarmouth to Humber Square in Grimsby and for much of the time Emma was left to raise the youngest two on her own. Later after his mothers death James moved away and Emma found work as a domestic servant with Joseph Dear, a timekeeper for the Wilson Line of Hull. The same Line connected with another of the Loch Sloy apprentices, Tom Leach. The boys Frank and Joe were introduced to the Loch Lines by Geoffrey Twidale, a friend of their fathers. It was through his connections that they eventually found their way north and into the employ of the Glasgow Shipping Company as apprentice ships officers. Francis was just a first or second year apprentice when the Loch Sloy sank. A strong lad it was quite a shock to Will Simpson when he found out that Frank had been killed.

www.tappin-family.org.uk/images/Grimsby

Able Seaman

1. Peter Cleland AB, 24, Bothwell, Lanarkshire.

Peter Cleland was born 1875, Parkneuk, Lanarkshire in Holyton, a town in Bothwell parish, Lanarkshire, on the Caledonian railway. Surrounded by a well-worked part of the Lanarkshire coal fields, and heavily involved in the industry and traffic connected with the working of the mines, it experienced considerable increase of prosperity from the opening of the Cleland and Midcalder railway in 1866. Built by the Caledonian Railway and opened in 1869, it provided a link between Glasgow and Edinburgh through the mining communities of Lanarkshire and West Lothian. Peter’s parents were Peter Cleland snr and Janet Cleland (nee Strang). They were married 18 January 1868 in Holytown. As a young couple the Clelands lived with Janet’s uncle, Peter Morris, a weaver from Hamilton who owned the Morris family home of Park Neuk.

Peter Cleland snr worked as an Engine Keeper in one of the local coal-mines operating and maintaining the steam engines that operated the water pumps, ventilation fans, elevators and various donkey engines needed to operate the mine. Going to work in the coal pits was the destiny of most young men and boys who grew up in Holyton, and Peter Cleland jnr was no exception. By the age of 16 he was working as a Pit Labourer in the same mine complex as his father. James was the third of nine children, (the eldest John died as an infant), his elder brother William was a baker in Holyton. Peter’s younger siblings were John, Janet, Agnes, Marion, and Matthew.

Park Neuk, Holyton, Bothwell. Life in the pits was not one for Peter, after trips to Glasgow where he witnessed the great windjammers travelling up and down the Clyde River. At 17 Peter left home and signed on as an ordinary seaman, learning his trade under the watchful eyes of the more seasoned sailors. His knowledge of steam engines proved useful as he often found himself helping to repair and maintain the donkey engines and boilers and condensers that were essential for the safe operation of the large iron ships. For a time Peter worked as a Donkeyman aboard a variety of steamers and coastal boats before throwing this in to take to life under sail. His skills with steam engines and boilers saw him gain berths as a Donkeyman aboard clippers maintaining the cantankerous machines as well as working as a regular Able Seaman. In 1898 he found a birth aboard the Loch Sloy. Peter was a popular and much sort after able seaman who had

worked for the Loch Line previously. Peter boarded with other sailors at Bardowie Street in Glasgow when he was not abroad. The family continued to live in a terrace cottage at the Cross Roads in Holyton. At the time of Peters death William was working as a bag and barrel merchant, John had taken over his position within the local bakery, but later left the job to become and engine keeper like his father. Janet was still at home looking after her parents, Marion had gained a job as a General Domestic Servant, at Newhouse Farm on the Glasgow & Edinburgh Road, Agnes had moved to Coldstream where she worked as a farm servant, and young Matthew at just 15 had been working for the last 3 years as a labourer in the same colliery that his father and brother worked in, the same one that Peter had escaped by going to sea.

2. John Buchanan AB, 35, Uig, Ross-shire.

John Buchanan was born 1864, in the crofting and fishing settlement of Islivig, in the district of Uig on the island of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides. John’s mother was Anne Mathison, a serving girl who had John when she was just 15. The pair lived with Donald and Catherine Macauley, tenant crofters who worked for an absentee lord. With little to do after attending the parish school John gained work as a deckhand aboard his fathers’ fishing smack where he learned the ways of the sea. John’s father John Buchanan was a fisherman and crofter from Valtos who lived with his wife Catherine who was the local school house mistress. John jnr had a half brother and sister, Malcolm and Catherine.

The Island of Lewis chiefly consists of low, barren, heath covered hills and flat moors, watered by numerous small lakes. The coast is flat and indented with bays abounding in cod, ling, dog-fish, coal-fish, and lobsters, for which the island was famous. As John grew older he realised there was little to keep him on the island. Being the bastard son of a serving maid the social stigma alone was enough to make John and outsider in the tight knit religious community in which he grew up. Seeing the larger sailing vessels that by passed the outer islands tempted John to a more exciting life on the high seas. John left behind his mother and a younger brother Malcolm. Malcolm had taken over Johns place on the family fishing boat that had been operated by the boys father to supplement the family income when farming was not enough. John Jnr rarely made it home to the islands. At the time of his death in 1899, John was living in the town of Plockton, Ross-shire, on the shores of Loch Carron, with his wife. John’s mother Anne had left Lewis Island and her vile husband and was living on the Isle of Skye. His father continued to be a farmer and his son Malcolm continued to operate the family fishing boat catching cod and lobsters. Catherine his sister stayed in Vlatos working on the family farm before gaining work as a domestic servant for a rich family on the mainland.

3. John Finlayson AB, 29, Inverness.

John Finlayson was born 1868, on the Isle of Skye, the largest and most northerly island in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland, in Inverness-shire. He was a strong heavily built man who took pride in his appearance. He was the son of Jessie and Donald Finlayson and general carter and haulage contractor from Knockbain, and spent his early years on the island. John was the second of at least 8 children; Jessie, John, Donald, Catherine, Ann (who both died before the age of 10), Jane, Williamina, and Catherine. The family later moved to Inverness, situated at the mouth of the River Ness and at the southwestern extremity of the Moray Firth, where Donald Finlayson expanded his business whilst the family set up home at the corner of Thornbush Road & Kessock Ferry in Inverness, later the family moved to 7 Abban Road, Inverness. The house being just down the road from the River Ness allowed John to grow up seeing the great ships as they anchored in Moray Firth and unloaded their precious cargos. In turn he witnessed thousand of sailors and migrants take to the sea for lands beyond his ken.

John took to the sea early in life and by his early 20’s was sailing all across the world. In 1890 he served aboard the 1400 ton ship ‘Hilton’ sailing out of 63 Clyde Street, Invergordon. Liverpool. He also worked as an Able Seaman aboard the wooden barque ‘Lizzie’, sailing from Falmouth, to New Zealand, China, Macau, New Castle and over much of the Pacific before heading home to England. John would hop aboard ship where ever he could find a decent birth. One of the more famous ships he sailed upon was the steamer, ‘Alne Holme’. In 1893 whilst sailing aboard her the crew rescued the passengers and crew of the ‘SS Clutha’ that was sinking off of Caiffa in the Mediterranean. She had been sailing for Alexandria with a load of grain and oranges. Later the ‘Alne Holme’ was wrecked herself in 1895 off Burriana while sailing from Carthagena to Liverpool with ore and fruit cargo. So the foundering of the Loch Sloy was not his first brush with death. John continued to find work travelling the world eventually finding his last berth aboard the Loch Sloy in December 1898. John’s luck however finally ran out when his ship came to grief just before dawn on April 24th 1899.

Kessock Ferry, c.1905. www.theinvernessarchive.org/picture/number35.asp

By 1891, not long after John had gone to sea, the family moved again to 22 Upper Kessock Street Inverness where her father had given up the haulage business after his partner Donald Fraser had died, and was working as a general labourer. Williamina was still at home helping to care for her aging parents and younger siblings, Jane had died, Jessie had married and moved away, Donald had become a journeyman plumber, and Catherine was still at school. At his death in 1899 John’s father Donald had already died and the remaining family had moved to 63 Clyde Street, Invergordon. John was still single, and he and his widowed mother had three family members dependent on her & John for there livelihood. His death was a hard blow and one from which his mother Jessie did not recover, she died before 1901 leaving her two youngest daughters and one of their children to fend for themselves. When he was found John was wearing blue serge trousers, fine woollen undergarments and matching socks, a grey woollen singlet and a finely made striped silk shirt.

4. Johan ‘John’ Olsson AB, 35, Sweden.

Johan Olsson was born 1864, his home port was Goteberg in Sweden, the second largest city which lies by the sea at the mouth of Göta Älv—the river running through the city—and is the largest seaport in the Sweden. In 1841 the Scotsman Alexander Keiller founded the Götaverken shipbuilding company. The Scottish influence permeated much of Gothenburgs seafaring culture with names like Glenn and Morgan, which in the rest of Sweden were rare, as was the use of a Scottish sounding "r" in the local dialect. Johan like thousands of his countrymen sought work on British ships because the pay and conditions were generally better than those of the Norwegians, Germans, or even their own countrymen. British ship owners liked to employ the Swedes because many had a good command of English, were excellent sailors and were relatively cheap to hire.

Johan began his career as a deckboy aboard the 700 ton wooden barque, Anna Goudey. He sailed under Captain Robert Hibbert taking oil from America to France on regular runs across the Atlantic. The ‘Anna Goudey’ was sunk when her cargo of oil exploded while on a run from Philadelphia to Le Havre in 1884. However by then Johan had transferred to the barque the ‘Alice Cooper’ as an Able Seaman at the age of 18. His time with the ‘Alice Cooper’ was short lived when its master, Captain Harding was charged with manslaughter in 1882. The captain was charged after he failed to rescue a crew member who had fallen overboard and was drowned while sailing from Calcutta to Boston.

Gothenburg Harbour. www.playle.com/listing.php?i=HOMERBOB5513&PHPSESSID=a.

After a long an eventful career, 35 year Johan Olsson transferred from the American runs to the more lucrative colonial runs from Europe to Australia. To his British friends he was known as John Olsson and along with Paul Blanowski from Prussia and George Caelard he was one of just three foreign sailors aboard. For the Loch Line clippers this was a rare occurrence and spoke volumes for the respect that the ships officers place in John’s skills as an open water sailor and his ability to communicate clearly with his fellow crew.

5. Paul Blanowski AB, Prussia.

Originally named Bolanowski, Paul like thousands of others was born in the Polish section of East Prussia near the city of Danzig. It lies on the southern edge of Gdańsk Bay. Danzig was Poland's principal seaport and historically an important seaport and shipbuilding. Beside the German-speaking majority, the city was home to a large number of Polish-

The Advertiser Monday 9 June 1902, page 4 speaking Poles, Jewish Poles, and Dutch. Driven from his home by the discrimination against Poles, Paul Blanowski like thousands of Prussian-Polish seamen sought work abroad rather that stay at home. Work within the British, Finnish and Norwegian merchant fleets was far preferable than life aboard a German square rigger.

The Ferdinand Schichau shipyard at Elbing, Danzig, c 1898. http://keadive.gr/the-sad-story-of-ss-burdigala-former-ss-kaiser-friedrich/

German Empire 1871. www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~wggerman/map/germanempire.htm

6. John Terry AB, 38, Ramsgate, Kent, England.

John Terry was born 1861 in Ramsgate, Kent. He was the son of John Terry snr, a fireman and stoker aboard a Thames Steamboat, and Sarah Ann Beaney. John was the eldest of 9 children, the others being; Thomas, Ambrose, Frederick, Elizabeth, Annie, Ada, Charles and Harriet. When he was young the family lived at 5 Prospect Place, Ramsgate and they stayed there until the family home became to small and larger accommodation was required. They moved to the parish of St Mary Magdalene Bermondsey in the parish owned cottages at New Place, on New Road in the shadow of St Mary Magdalene Church in Surrey.

John jnr as he grew older often accompanied his father aboard ship and at a young age was learning his trade as an ordinary seaman and later as an Able Seaman and Fireman like his father. With a growing family John’s wages were not enough so Sarah began to take in boarders to make ends meet. After spending time aboard coastal steamers, John lied about his age and took St Mary Magdelene Church. ship aboard a steamer as a trimmer, bound for Australia. Arriving at Sydney in 1875 he soon found work aboard the 500 ton Iron paddle steamer CITY OF BRISBANE. John worked as a trimmer aboard the steamer using all the skills his father had taught him as a boy regularly travelling from Brisbane to Sydney and back again. He stayed aboard the City of Brisbane for two years then in 1877 he transferred to the 500 ton steamer Elamang continuing his work as a trimmer. This was followed in 1878 with a stint aboard the The Ellerman Bucknall liner City of Adelaide a 900 ton steam barque that operated between Sydney and Melbourne and Adelaide. John worked as a fireman and stoker and in 1878 was involved in the rescue of sailors from the barque Jane Spiers that came to SS Elamang grief near Twofold Bay, just north of the www.clydesite.co.uk/clydebuilt/viewship.asp?id Port of Eden, NSW. He continued aboard =14936 the City of Adelaide and other Bucknall liners for a number of years gaining valuable experience but he wanted more.

Despite a successful career in Australia, John felt the pull of home and finding a berth aboard a London bound steamer, worked his way back to London by 1881. He moved back in with his parents for a time and found that his younger siblings had found work in a book printing company working as compositors and book binders. The family had moved to tenement number 6 in Ridge Street behind St Mary Magdelene Church. John snr was at sea working as a Fireman aboard the steamship Petrel and later the Patagonia operating out of Liverpool, and Sarah was acting head of the house. John’s siblings were working hard to support the family; Ambrose, 16, was working as a baker at a biscuit factory, Fred, 13, worked as a print readers boy, Elizabeth, 10, Annie 8 and Ada 6 were still at school, and the youngest Charles 3 and Harriet 6 months were still at home being cared for by Sarah. George Brown a compositor at the same book printers boarded at the Terry family home and John found that life had moved on and that he no longer fit into the family structure. His father was away at sea and the rest of the family were heavily involved in the book printing company. There was little room for a wayward seaman within the Terry home. Eventually John moved out and headed back to sea.

SS City of Adelaide.

With his experience gained aboard the City of Adelaide steam barque, John found he had developed a love for sail. A capable and skilled able seaman John found that his skills were in great demand especially when ships masters learned that he knew his way around a ships boilers and donkey engines. Thus it was that John eventually found work on the great iron bound clippers on the colonial run from Britain to Australia. John snr died in 1887 and John jnr found little reason to visit home. At the time of his death in 1899, John had all but lost contact with his family. His mother Sarah was still alive and being cared for by her children; Thomas worked as a wool dipper, Ambrose was married to a woman named Maria and worked at a greengrocers, Fred had completed his apprenticeship as a printer and was working at the book printery, Elizabeth had passed away as had Annie, and Ada and Harriett worked as book keepers from the same printer that employed Fred. Charlie had joined his brother as a compositor and thus the family prospered despite the deaths of so many of its members.

7. William Mitchell AB, 28, Glasgow.

William Alexander Mitchell was born on the 4th of May 1871 in Glasgow, Lanarkshire. He was the son of David Mitchell and Jane Love. David was a general labourer and the family lived at 131 Saltmarket St, Calton, Glasgow. He was the fourth of 10 children; David, Ann, Matthew, William, Robert, Samuel, Jane, Martha, Elizabeth and Maggie. John Mitchell worked in the saltmarket, one amongst hundreds of itinerant workers who lived in the cramped and filthy backstreets of Calton. The family home was a cramped two story tenement off of the main market square. Every day was a struggle and William grew up in poverty, and when he was just 4, David the eldest died aged just 11 years old.

As he grew up William began working at first with his father and later upon the docks along the River Clyde. It was here and in the Singing Saloons of the Salt Market that he heard the stories and songs of travellers and sailors from across the sea. At the age of 13 or 14 he left Glasgow aboard ship beginning his life firstly as a deck boy and finally after many years as an experienced able seaman. In his long career at sea he was involved in two other ship wrecks, once off of the Sandwich Islands, and another time at New Providence. As he grew older William spent little time at home as his family scattered across the globe. Anne married Michael Condry and stayed in Glasgow, Matthew left the poverty stricken streets for a new life in America where he settled in Pennsylvania, Robert followed in his brothers footsteps and moved to Ontario, Canada, Sam followed William to sea beginning his career as a steward aboard the SS Martaban in 1891, he later drowned in 1901 when the ship he was on sank. Jane, Elizabeth and Maggie all died young and Martha met and married and Irishman, Patrick Kearnan in 1897 before moving to Dundee. This was the same year that Williams father David died in the cramped family home in Salt Market Street.

Saltmarket Street, Glasgow. C.1880’s. by Thomas Annan, British National Library When back in Glasgow William would often stay with his sister Annie and her husband Michael at their home 3 Errol St, Glasgow, in the heart of Glasgow. Their home was just a stone’s throw from the River Clyde and the Govan Docks. Martha lived there too for a time before marrying. Michael and Annie Condry worked as a tobacco spinners and Martha stayed at home to care for their child Catherine. This home was a welcome respite from the oppressive poverty of Saltmarkets backstreet and alley ways. This however did not last as in 1892 while William was at sea Annie and her daughter (just 1 year old), both died. This left Martha to fend for herself, forcing her to move back home. Michael later remarried and named his next daughter Catherine also.

William continued his life at sea finding work aboard the windjammers that regularly made the run from Scotland to Australia. In December 1898 he signed on as an able seaman aboard the Loch Sloy. Having been wrecked twice before William was confident that this safe and unassuming vessel with her almost spotless record and with a reputation as a safe yet not overly fast vessel, was his kind of ship. She was barque rigged with an experienced crew and her captain was well known as a careful and generous mariner. Having survived the wreck of the Loch Sloy, William Mitchell and the other survivors were transferred back to Adelaide where they spent some weeks recuperating from their ordeal. Of the three survivors, only William Simpson decided to head back to Britain. All were scheduled to leave Adelaide aboard the Loch Rannoch, but were delayed by having to appear as witnesses at the Marine Board enquiry. Will eventually travelled on to Melbourne aboard the Loch Vennachar and later back to Britain. William Mitchell after nearly 15 years at sea and having survived three separate wrecks decided to stay ashore in Adelaide. He later The backstreets of Saltmarket, Glasgow. moved to Victoria and from there.... Photo by Thomas Annan, British National Library.

8. Duncan McMillan AB, 22, Dundee, Forfar, Scotland.

Duncan McMillan was born 1877 in Dundee Scotland. He was a solidly built young man with a clearly spoken, Scottish accent, bright red hair, fair and skin, just 513” in height. Dundee lies within the eastern central Lowlands on the north bank of the Firth of Tay, which feeds into the North Sea. The rise of the textile industries, particularly jute, brought with it an expansion of supporting industries, notably of the whaling, maritime and shipbuilding industries. At its height, 200 ships per year were built there. Duncan McMillan was the son of Helen McMillan, an Irish woman born in 1848, and Duncan McMillan snr, a native of the Isle of Skye born 1847. Helen was the daughter of Irish migrants who fled Ireland during the Great Potato Famine and settled in the Lochee district of Forfar, on the outskirts of Dundee.

A jute mill worker, Dundee. c1908. www.thecourier.co.uk/Community/Heritage-and-History/article/11817/dundee-s-industrial- heritage-jute-and-globalisation.html Many of the Irish migrants found work in Dundee’s growing textile mills. At its peak in the 1860s and 1870s the jute processing industry in Dundee employed some 50,000 people in over 60 factories located across the city.

The Vault, a curious Dundee back street which ran from High Street behind the Town House to meet St Clement's Lane. The area was demolished when the new City Square complex was built.

Duncan McMillan snr met Helen when she worked in one of the many jute mills dotted around the city. She was a jute spinner and Duncan snr worked upon the railways as a labourer. For a time the family moved about as Duncan’s job upon the railroad took them from Edinburgh to Aberdeen. Eventually however they were forced to settle in one place, back near where Helen had her family – Dundee. Both soon found work in the mills, Duncan working as a canvass maker and Helen as a jute spinner. Their children would one day join them in the industry that came to dominate their lives. Their first child Jane was born in 1868, followed by Maggie in 1873, two other children had been born but did not survive infancy. Life was difficult for the McMillan’s and life in the mills was cheap. The loss of a child whilst devastating to the family was an unfortunately regular occurrence. Duncan jnr followed in 1877 and his younger brother Alexander in 1879. Annie was born in 1882 and the last McMillan child Mary in 1885. All the children were born and grew up in the family home at number 3 ‘The Vault’, Dundee.

Eventually every member of the McMillan family worked in the jute mills. By 1891 Duncan snr worked as a Twins Canvasser, Helen stayed at home to care for the younger children, Jane, Maggie, and Duncan jnr all worked as jute preparers. Jute preparers would prepare the raw jute for spinning into yarn. Jute was used to makes ropes, sacking, carpets and the backing for linoleum. Work in the Dundee jute mills of the 19th century offered little but drudgery, exhaustion, low wages and constant danger. Whaler Leaving Dundee. Most of the workers were http://content.lib.washington.edu/cdm4/item_viewer.php?CISOROOT=/fishima women and children (they ges&CISOPTR=34384&CISOBOX=1&REC=5 cost less to employ) and employment law was virtually non-existent. This life however was not for Duncan who could see what it did to others in his family. Ever the adventurous spirit, he had since a young lad witnessed the whaling ships that sailed to and from Dundee’s docks to bring the oil that greased the wheels of industry. Duncan McMillan jnr left Dundee not long after his 15th birthday aboard a Dundee Whaler bound for the Arctic Seas and their rich fishing grounds. In the years after his departure he rarely came home. While away his mother, Helen died leaving the youngest children to be raised by relatives. The heat, dust, grease and oil fumes caused a condition known as ‘Mill fever’, which would lead to respiratory diseases like bronchitis. She was not the only McMillan to succumb to such a disease.

Eventually Duncan McMillan, the hardened and nuggetty Able Seaman tired of life aboard the whalers. The wages were low and the work hard and dangerous. By comparison the work aboard the ‘Lime Juicers’ was relative luxury. Yes the hours were long, the pay poor and the food lousy, but at least it was regular, predictable and allowed him to visit family once in a while. Life at sea had transformed his short and wiry frame into a muscular body hardened by the rigours of life as a mariner. In 1898 he found himself in Glasgow between berths. He had already spent some time aboard clippers and was no stranger to their workings. He signed onto the Loch Sloy as she loaded up at the docks and like the other members of the crew expected a reasonably quiet run. The Loch Sloy was between captains but she had a reputation as a safe and reliable vessel. The ships eventual fate was obviously not on his plans and such was the magnitude of the disaster that he decided that life ashore with the likes of his firm friend, ‘Jim’ Mitchell was better than an uncertain life at sea. Duncan decided to remain in South Australia and sought work in a place where the wages were higher, the air cleaner, and the opportunities greater. Making a new life for this independently minded individual was not going to be difficult. Dundee, Dock Street, Victoria Royal Arch. Date 1900 www.scotlandsplaces.gov.uk/search_item/image.php?service=RCAHMS&id=166777&image_id=SC1 132331 9. George Caelard AB. France

Finding an able seaman like George Caelard aboard a British ‘Lime Juicer’ was something unusual. Most French seamen served aboard the Bounty Ships sponsored by the French Government where the food and general comforts of the ships were much better than those from Britain. Only French citizens could work as crew members aboard these vessels and it was rare for them to seek work aboard foreign vessels.

10. Bernard Sterne AB, 25, Poland, Germany.

Bernard Sterne was born 1875 in north-western Poland, then part of Prussia. He was the son of Esther and Bernard Sterne, a hairdresser. The family were Jewish immigrants who had fled persecution in their homeland and had settled in the Jewish quarter of St Mary’s in Paddington. As a result of the three partitions of Poland between 1772 and 1795, together with the decisions of the Congress of Vienna in 1815, Jewish Street Market Wentworth Street London 1895. the northern portion of Poland http://theedwardians.blogspot.com.au/2011/05/jewish- passed into the possession of street-market-wentworth-stretv.html Prussia and the central provinces were made into a kingdom by Alexander of Russia. Poland has always been restive under foreign domination and one instance of this was uprisings which broke out in Warsaw in 1830. The fall of Warsaw to the Russians led to a mass emigration of thousands of Poles, mainly to England, France and America. The repressive Prussian laws introduced in former Polish territories were directed against the Jewish working classes. There were a number of restrictions which, among other things, aimed at forcing the Jews out of the country as long as they could not produce evidence of possessing appropriate wealth. The Sterne family migrated to England in 1878-9 along with hundreds of others members of the Jewish community. The report of the Lancet medical journal special sanitary commission of 1888 indicated that in practice they were faced by a community which was Jewish 'in blood and creed', but 'to a great extent Polish in their instincts, customs and predilections'. The Sternes were friends of Albert Lowy, the Rabbi for the Jewish community in Paddington. The two eldest boys were born in Germany as the family moved west to escape Poland. Bernard was born Isidor Sterne and was the eldest of five children; Isidor, Abraham, Rebecca, Helena and Emily. The family maintained a comfortable home at 2 Woodfield Place in Paddington.

From an early age Bernard was groomed to follow in his father’s footsteps in business. Indeed at 16 he was an apprenticed to a Jewish watchmakers in Manchester whilst his father continued to dress the hair of Paddington’s well to do ladies. 169 Holland Road, Kensington West. Abraham worked as a shop assistant and the younger girls were still at school. This quiet life however was not for Isidor. Before he turned 20 he left his job and took to a life at sea. Tired of the constant discrimination and his life at the jewellers Isidor fled his job which in turn brought shame upon his family. Changing his name to Bernard he left Manchester as an ordinary seaman aboard an outbound ship. After several years at sea he came back to Britain to discover that he was still being pursued and so changed his name again. This time he became James Mosborne from Manchester. His friends knew something of the truth, but his real family had long since lost track of him and continued on with their lives in Paddington.

Long after Isidor and had left home, the remaining members of the Sterne family moved to a salubrious four story Terrace in the well to part of London at 169 Holland Road, Kensington West. Just as his brother had Abraham had changed his name to Arthur to avoid the stigma and persecution that came with his name. Rebecca and Amelia found work as school teachers working for the county education board while Helen, the middle daughter stayed at home to care for her aging mother. The family lost Isidor after his several name changes and it was many years after his death in 1899 before they finally learned the truth. His father, Bernard Sterne, died in 1904 never really knowing what had become of his eldest son.

Ordinary Seamen

1. Robert John Haddow Smith AB, 27, Edinburgh, Midlothian.

The Manse, Haddington.

Robert John Haddow Smith was born on the 20th of January 1872, at Haddington, East Lothian. He was the son of Jean Haddow, and the Reverend Robert Nimmo Smith who was the Presbyterian Minister of the town of Haddington. Roberts’s father went to school and university in Edinburgh, he graduate and was ordained a deacon and sent to Livingston as an assistant to the minister there. He was transferred to Haddington in 1870 where he met the daughter of church elder, Andrew Haddow. In 1871 he married Jean Haddow and the couple moved into the Haddow household. Robert was born in 1872 and after which the family moved into The Manse to assist the aging Reverend with Robert acting as church deacon and often filling in when the reverend was ill or away. In 1874 Mabel Smith, the couples’ daughter was born and in 1875 Robert Nimmo Smith was appointed as the minister for Haddington when the previous incumbent died.

Robert H. Smith had grand plans for The Manse and the church he presided over and soon became obsessed with the building renovations to great cost to his family. He dreamed of a beautiful sanctuary and restored transept. The floor was lowered and red pine blocks laid, plaster was removed from the walls, and two new galleries, east and west, were built. A new organ was installed in the east gallery. Pulpit, baptismal font, lectern, communion table, and several stained glass windows were furnished as the result of generous donations. Only the mullions of the great east window and of the south window were restored, leaving the choir and the transepts open to the skies.

Jean Haddow Smith fell in early 1881, as she developed a consumptive cough. As she deteriorated Robert N Smith threw himself into his work. Jean died 26th October 1881, leaving two young children, Robert Jnr aged 9, and Mabel aged 7. Grief stricken Robert left the care of his children to a local woman named Mary Anne Tod, the daughter of a fellow minister in a neighbouring district. Within two years Robert N had overcome his grief and married Mary Anne on the 2nd January 1883. At age 11 Robert was old enough to feel angry and resentful towards Mary Anne. His restlessness would see him leave home before too many years had passed.

Robert N and Mary Anne had three children together; Francis Clement Nimmo Smith, b. 10 Oct 1884, Austin Nimmo Smith, b. 15 Dec 1886, Mary Dorothea Nimmo Smith, b. 8 Jan 1889 and Hilda Nimmo Smith, b. 5 Apr 1891. Robert worked with his father as Deacon in Haddington for a number of years, but for reasons unknown he left his quiet, comfortable life in Haddington and in a completely unexpected move jumped aboard a ship in 1898 for a ship bound for Australia. When Robert died in 189 his family was informed in Haddington, his father held service in honour of his lost son and all those killed on the Loch Sloy.

2. Archibald ‘Archie’ Martin OS, 19, Govan, Lanarkshire.

Archie Martin was born 1879 in Govan, Lanarkshire, a large portion of south-west Glasgow located on the banks of the River Clyde. The area was heavily industrialised and noted for its textile mills and being the center of the world-renowned Clydeside shipbuilding industry. He was the son of Margreat Inglis and John Martin, a maritime blacksmith. Archie Martin was the second youngest of 10 children; James (b.1964), Margreat (b.1867), John (b.1868), William (b.1871), Sybillia (b.1872), Alexander (b.1877), Archibald (b.1879), Mary (b.1882), two others died in infancy.

Archie’s father John spent his entire working life, from about 1854, in the Govan shipyards working for the Clydeside shipyard and engine builders, D & W Henderson, who were also partners in the Anchor Line of steamers. In his early career John worked as a blacksmith fashioning and repairing the iron fixtures and fittings need for the building, repair and maintenance of the many ships coming out of Henderson’s shipyards. He began his career as an apprentice with the newly formed company, Handysides & Henderson in 1855, the company was formed when the Handsyside brothers recruited the successful Captain Thomas Henderson to develop an intercontinental brokerage business. Thomas Henderson was the son of a ship’s captain from Pittenweem in Fife.

In 1872 the Barrow Steamship Co. was formed in partnership with the Duke of Devonshire and ships were transferred between these two companies, with D & W Henderson also assisting the Duke’s Barrow Ship Building Co in the design of their first ships. Meadowside Queens Dock, Glasgow. c.1900. Shipyard was www.mitchelllibrary.org originally developed by Tod & MacGregor. David and William Henderson, who owned a marine engineering works in Finnieston, bought the yard in 1873. The Henderson brothers were also partners in the Anchor Line, for whom they built thirty-two ships between 1876 and 1911, as well as undertaking considerable repair work.

As the two Handyside brothers retired, their places in the partnership were taken by Thomas Henderson’s brothers and the firm was renamed Henderson Brothers; John Henderson assisted Thomas in the management of the shipping services, while David and William established the Clydeside shipyard and engine builders, D & W Henderson. In 1877 two companies upon whose vessels John Martin worked were those of the Glasgow and General Shipping Companies, owned by Aitken, Anchor Line Flag. Lilburn and Coy. It was one of these in particular that John played a major role in its manufacture. This one vessel was the Loch Sloy.

John Martin continued with the Anchor line as it changed owners and locations. As the family grew in number they moved several times, around the Partick and Govan districts. John’s work kept them close to the shipyards and in time he came to supervise a large team of smiths, riveters, hammermen and the like as the ship building industry grew and the firm’s reputation saw orders for ships increase dramatically. As the elder boys grew they too left school and joined their father in the ship building industry. By 1881 James Martin was working as an apprentice boiler maker, Margreat had left school to work with her mother as a dressmaker and seamstress, and John worked as a messenger by in the shipyards office.

D&W Hendesron’s MeadowsideShip Yards bottom center, Govan. www.historicglasgow.com/index.php?page=multimedia By the beginning of the 1890’s almost the entire family was involved in someway in the ships building industry working in the Henderson shipyards producing ships for many different company’s who wanted both sail and steam driven vessels. The family was now living in a terrace house at 4 Donnie Place in Govan, a stones throw from the docks. John Martin was a master marine blacksmith who supervised a team of workers in the Henderson Yard. James had married a much older woman Euphemia, he moved into 9 Cross Street and had two children of his own. He now worked as a supervising iron ships plater. Margreat had also left home to become a dress maker in her own right, and John had left the ship building industry and followed his dream, studying art at university. The younger children continued in the family businesses with William working under his father as an apprentice blacksmith, Sybella worked as a dressmaker alongside her mother, while Alex, Archie and Mary stayed at school.

The end of the decade saw great change in the industry; sail had given way to steam. In 1892 John Henderson died, followed by David in 1893 and both Thomas and William in 1895. Without the brothers leadership the company began to stagnate and drift. The shipyard was sold in 1899 The name was changed to 41 Gardner St, Partick, Glasgow. Anchor Line (Henderson Brothers) Ltd. in 1899 and there was a period of consolidation in which the fleet came to include fewer, but larger more specialised ships for it’s North Atlantic and Indian Routes. This was the first formal use of Anchor Line as part of a ship owning company : previous ships had been owned or managed under the names of various Henderson’s. Cunard purchased Anchor Line in 1911 to gain access to Anchor’s lucrative emigrant trade.

Some of the steamships that John Martin and his sons worked upon were; the S/S Algeria, S/S Anglia, S/S Arabia, S/S Asia, S/S Bohemia, S/S Dalmatia, S/S Galatea, S/S Nubia and the S/S Scotia. At the end of John Martins working life he was working in the Anchor Lines Henderson Shipyards, Meadowside employed as a

S/S Bohemia master angle-iron smith www.clydesite.co.uk/clydebuilt/viewship.asp?id=5308 responsible for the manufacture of the giant ships frames upon which his son, James and crew would attach the iron plates. Alex worked as a time keeper in the shipyards main office keeping track of time worked, workers pay and the time crews worked on particular jobs. Archie worked in the yard alongside his brothers and father but a life in the yard was not for him. Like his brother John, Archie was one to follow his dreams. John had finished university and had trained as a Nonconformist Minister in the Scottish Church. With the sail of the Anchor line in 1899, John Martin snr retired and lived at home being looked after by his daughters and wife. He perhaps tried to persuade Archie to stay ashore, but at the age of 19 the headstrong young man was determined to escape the bone grinding labour of life as a ship builder. The sense of coincidence was not lost upon his aged father when Archie gained his first berth aboard a ship his father had worked in more than 20 years before.

3. Patrick ‘Paddy’ Cummins OS, ‘Deckboy’, Ireland. No reliable information available at this time.

Patrick Cummins was a stowaway found aboard the Loch Sloy in the hold after she had set sail. An immigrant from Ireland he was seeking passage from Britain, yet had no money. He had probably tried to gain work aboard the barque in the days prior to her departure, and had likely worked upon the docks as a stevedore’s labourer prior to stealing his way aboard ship on the night before she left Glasgow. Clipper ships had a very small crew, it was one of the great things about the design, very fast and very few people necessary to run it. More room for cargo and fewer wages to pay out, increased profit margins. And not many places to hide in.

The chain locker, carpenter's store or baggage spaces on the ‘tween deck were probably the best places to stay hidden until the barque was well out to sea. Paddy only revealed his presence when hunger forced him from his hiding place. The vessel was by this time well away from land. He was dragged before the captain and threw himself on the deck before the skipper’s feet, begging not to be sent back home. After being left in the not so tender care of the first mate, Patrick or Paddy as he was called aboard ship was told he could earn his passage as a deck boy assisting where ever he was needed. Often this meant being pushed around by the apprentices and the assistant steward under whose charge he was often put. He quickly learned that a deck boy was a "Gofer" or called at sea a "Peggy". This name apparently came from the word Peg leg, as describing men who had lost a leg or part thereof and were fitted with a replacement wooden stump. These men were employed to perform menial tasks on sailing ships, as were deck boys. Paddy Cummins in the end was well liked by the crew and probably had the makings of a fine seaman.