Death at Sea

Hugh Stevely · Post by **Hugh Stevely** » Wed Jul 11, 2007 10:01 pm

Hi Helen.

I bet that was good reading The last Grain Race very interesting- They had a very difficult life years ago enjoy the Shadow and Sun let us know how you go on.

Hugh.

Thrall · Post by **Thrall** » Thu Jul 12, 2007 1:17 am

Hi Helen, glad you enjoyed Eric Newby; some of his other books are great too though not connected with the sea, particularly "A Short Walk in the Hindu Kush" and "Love and War in the Appenines". He died last October and an enlightening obituary can be found here:
http://books.guardian.co.uk/obituaries/ ... 71,00.html

I will also be most interested to hear what you think of "Shadow and Sun", as I must confess to a vested interest in the vessel the author joined for his first years at sea. She was the "Elginshire", a barque built in 1889 and the reason I started on this genealogical mission, as I inherited the original oil painting that belonged to her first captain, Robert Alexander, and the research I did then revealed that he was in fact my gr.gr.uncle. Thus I became "hooked", a slave to dead people dot com. as Stuart Dalgleish so aptly put it.

Anyway, sorry about the drift; I hope after these two books, you will have a good idea of your William´s life at sea.

Guid hunting,

Thrall

Hugh Stevely · Post by **Hugh Stevely** » Thu Jul 12, 2007 7:56 am

Hi Thrall,

I was looking at a photo of the Elginshire what a fine Vessel.

http://www.slv.vic.gov.au/brodie/0/0/3/ ... 3213.shtml

http://sailing-ships.oktett.net/369.html

Hugh.

Helen G · Post by **Helen G** » Mon Jul 16, 2007 2:43 am

Hi Hugh and Thrall,

I am sooo sorry for leading you both up the garden path which I thought I was heading (with the William, It has taken a virus on my computer for me to sit down and look at the old past papers me I found tonight the original entry to the Greenock Telegraph inserted by William's mother .......

In Memorioum......
Murray.......
In memory of William Murray lost at sea to barque Cumbrae; left Sydney. 23 Feb.

1895.... Gone but not forgotten

A year to the day that William died.

Published in the Greenock Telegraph by his mother Mary Knox Murray on thr 25th February 1896.

Kind Regards
Helen

Hugh Stevely · Post by **Hugh Stevely** » Mon Jul 16, 2007 8:13 am

Hi Helen thats not a prob, i was thinking a ghost-ship could not find it any where but now i may have a bit more info could this be your Vessel.

Cumbrae. Barque, 1360 tons. Built 1894. Left Newcastle NSW and disappeared,1895 [LAH] , 32 tons. #32108.

according to this site it disappeared and lost all hands so to date they have not found where the ship went down and no one lived to tell

my friend is a wreck diver so he explained to me what it meant

Cumbrae. Barque, 1360 tons. Built 1894. Left Newcastle NSW Australia and disappeared,1895 [LAH]

http://oceans1.customer.netspace.net.au/nsw-wrecks.html

Helen G · Post by **Helen G** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 4:29 pm

Hi Hugh

Thanks very much, this could very well have been William's Barque.

Thanks again
Helen

Hugh Stevely · Post by **Hugh Stevely** » Wed Jul 25, 2007 5:09 pm

Search guidelines

Single Ship Report for "CUMBRAE"
IDNo: 1087633 Year: 1883
Name: CUMBRAE Launch Date: 26.12.82
Type: Passenger/cargo Date of completion: 1.83
Flag: GBR Keel:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tons: 916 Link: 1551
DWT: 0 Yard No: 125
Length overall: Ship Design:
LPP: 70.2 Country of build:
Beam: 9.7 Builder: Dobie
Material of build: I Location of yard: Govan (Old)
Number of
screws/Mchy/
Speed(kn): 1C-

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Owner as Completed:
Naval or paramilitary marking :
A: *
End: 1895

http://www.miramarshipindex.org.nz/

Hugh.

Helen G · Post by **Helen G** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 9:52 pm

Hi Hugh,
Thank you for that link, I found the Cumbrae and did some more digging, I found the Shipping News site and also found details for the Cumbrae.

Subsequent History:

Disposal Data:
collision in Crosby Channel, Mersey 11.12.95

Launched 1882: ss CUMBRAE

ss CUMBRAE
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
built by Dobie & Company Govan,
Yard No 125
Engines by Lees, Anderson & Co., Glasgow
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Propulsion: 2 cyl comp. 193hp
Launched: Tuesday, 26 December 1882
Built: 1883
Ship Type: Passenger Cargo Vessel
Tonnage: 916 grt
Length: 230.2 feet
Breadth: 31.9 feet
Owner History:
Clyde Shipping Company Glasgow
Status: Sunk - 11/12/1895

Remarks: Sank in Crosby Channel, Mersey on 11/12/1895 after collision with GERMANIC of White Star Line.

Do you think if I contacted the Clyde Shipping Company in Glasgow, they might still hold some information of the ss Cumbrae?

Thanks again
Helen

Hugh Stevely · Post by **Hugh Stevely** » Wed Aug 01, 2007 6:59 am

Hi Helen, i think if you contacted the Clyde Shipping Company in Glasgow, they might still hold some information of the ss Cumbrae you never know good luck and let us know how you get on.

Hugh.

Helen G · Post by **Helen G** » Fri Aug 24, 2007 9:55 pm

Hi Hugh

Just to keep you updated, I am still awaiting word from the shipping company, will let you know when I hear something.

Regards
Helen