Death at Sea

Helen G · Post by **Helen G** » Wed Jun 13, 2007 11:09 pm

Hi Hugh,

I had alook at the links you added very interesting reading, I found an interesting family namely Patrick Murray travelling with his wife and 7 children (sadly they were not my rellies).

I will keep you informed of anything I come across.

Many thanks
Helen

Thrall · Post by **Thrall** » Wed Jun 13, 2007 11:45 pm

Hi Helen, I can recommend two books which would give you an insight into your man´s life at sea: "The Last Grain Race" by Eric Newby where he describes life before the mast on a barque just before WW2, very well written. See:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Last-Grain-Race ... 0330318853 from 2GBP

and also: "Shadow and Sun" by Neil Campbell who was close to your man in time, joined a barque in the first years of last century so probably the nearest you´ll get to his circumstances. See:
http://www.amazon.com/s?ie=UTF8&rh=n%3A ... ell&page=4
only in hardback.
Both sailed to Australia and back to UK, but survived.

Guid reading,

Thrall

Helen G · Post by **Helen G** » Thu Jun 14, 2007 12:47 am

Hi Thrall

Just sent away for The Last Grain Race by Eric Newbury at the pricely sum of £3.84 (the book was only 94 pence, postage and packaging cost the rest).

I am not a seafaring individual

(I must sadly admit that I get sea sickness between Gourock and Dunoon which is only a 20 minute journey at most, I do not take after my father or gg-grandfathers).

I thank you for the link and will keep you informed.

Thanks
Helen

Hugh Stevely · Post by **Hugh Stevely** » Thu Jun 14, 2007 10:45 am

Hi Helen and Thrall thanks for the info have a look at this link.

http://a1300401.uscgaux.info/forms-docs ... arques.pdf

Hugh.

Helen G · Post by **Helen G** » Sat Jun 16, 2007 1:01 am

Hi Hugh and Thrall,

Hugh, that last link was very interesting reading and I thank you for sharing it with me.

Thrall, I recieved "The Last Grain Race" this morning, I am looking forward to reading the Journey of Eric Newby.

Thanks again
Helen

DavidWW · Post by **DavidWW** » Sat Jun 16, 2007 9:45 am

I thibk that Newby was in one of Gustav Ericson's sailing ships, - this book describes this fleet.....

The last tall ships : Gustaf Erikson and the Åland sailing fleets, 1872-1947
by Georg Kåhre; Basil Greenhill: Publisher: New York : Mayflower Books, [1977] | ISBN: 0831754605.

David

Thrall · Post by **Thrall** » Sun Jun 17, 2007 2:30 am

Hi David, yes, he bought up the sailing ships and tried to keep them running despite the economic odds being against him.
I think one of the more remarkable points was that the language spoken on board these ships was often Finnish which perhaps only a handful of the crew spoke, but orders were none the less delivered in that most difficult tongue. (I speak fairly well advised, as I know several Finns and have a daughter who has been at university in Finland, apart from visiting often myself).
Marieham, Gustav Ericson´s home port is however in the Aland Islands which are Swedish speaking, so I reckon it was dependant on the captain´s linguistic preferences!

Helen, I´m sure you will enjoy it, and then perhaps try the other.......

................. despite the cost.

Orraverrabest,

Thrall

DavidWW · Post by **DavidWW** » Sun Jun 17, 2007 9:36 am

Hyvää huomenta Thrall

On a 25 hr booze cruise out of Stockholm - if the ship was at sea for more than 24 hrs duty free booze could be purchased, - I visited Marieham, where the Pommern forms the basis of a maritime museum. See http://www.pommern.aland.fi/history.htm .

Erikson actually made reasonable profits, as he insured the cargo but not the hull ! (or was it the hull and not the cargo ?..........)

What was totally fascinating to a Scot was to see how much of the equipment was supplied by companies from the Glasgow area, - but not really surprising as she was built by J. Reid & Co in Port Glasgow.

Jutellaan toistekin!

David ........ Koti ei ole koti ilman saunaa.

Hugh Stevely · Post by **Hugh Stevely** » Sun Jun 17, 2007 12:25 pm

God middag all.

The Pommern a good Vessel in her days.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pommern_(ship)

Mariehamn.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mariehamn

Trevliq dag!

Hugh.

Helen G · Post by **Helen G** » Wed Jul 11, 2007 9:36 pm

Hi Hugh, Thrall and David,

I have just finished "The last Grain Race", I found it very interesting reading. They had a very difficult life and I found it beneficial to the research I have been conducting for my FT both from my outlook from a young boy at the of 22 (great uncle William and also my gg grandfather Burow who travelled from Germany pre 1897).

I am awaiting the arrival "Shadow and Sun" and look forward to reading this as well.

Thank you all for this information and if I find anymore information I will keep you all informed.

Kind Regards
Helen