Drowning in Elie Harbour

[Vscheipel]

Hello

I was very, very lucky to get a hit for one of my ancestors in the OPR Death Records that were recently posted. In fact, my hit came with quite a little story.

On November 12, 1784, three men, James Brown (my ancestor), John Allan and Andrew Ovenstone were returning home aboard a schooner when it overturned in Elie harbour. Although rescue efforts came quickly, all three men drowned. All three men were residents of Elie.

It is also mentioned in the note attached to the death record, that my ancestor, James Brown, narrowly escaped a similar situation on May 16, 1778 and refers me to this date in the parish record.

Is there any way, I can perform a search on the ScotlandsPeople website for this particular date without actually putting a last name in the search field? I am assuming, perhaps incorrectly, that on May 16, 1778, somebody died in a similar incident and that there may be a note attached to this record indicating that my ancestor survived.

Also, does anyone have any ideas on where I might look for more information on the incident that actually killed my ancestor.

Thanks for any help!
Veronica

[AndrewP]

Hi Veronica,

Is there any way, I can perform a search on the ScotlandsPeople website for this particular date without actually putting a last name in the search field?

No, the search won't work without a surname (or partial surname with wildcards).

Also, does anyone have any ideas on where I might look for more information on the incident that actually killed my ancestor.

It may be worth making contact with the Scottish Fisheries Museum in Anstruther (a few miles along the coast from Elie) to ask if they have the information you are seeking.

http://www.scotfishmuseum.org/index.html

All the best,

AndrewP

[Vscheipel]

Thanks Andrew

I will give the fishing museum in Anstruther a try!

Veronica

[Lindsay]

The pre1855 deaths CD from the Fife FHS lists the following men as dying in Elie on 16 May 1778:

Andrew Ovenstone, fisherman, husband of Janet Allan, drowned, recorded under birth of son, Andrew, 22 May 1778
Andrew Black, brother of William Black, drowned, recorded on births 22 May 1778
William Black, brother of Andrew Black, drowned, recorded on births 22 May 1778

This should let you access the 1778 record, although it looks like you may need to look at the birth record for Andrew Ovenstone, 22 May 1778. I'd be interested to hear what it says.

[Vscheipel]

Thanks Lindsay for your assistance with this. I had tremendous success with the information you were able to give me. Here is what the note attached to Andrew Ovenstone birth record said...Note: Andrew was actually a girl.


"This child's mother named her Andrew from affection to the memory of her husband who was lost together with Andrew and William Black, two brothers, between the Ferry Chapel and the Harbour of Ely, in view of their families and several others by a sudden squall (?)overselling their boat between three and 4 o'clock of a fine afternoon, the sixteenth of this same month of May. They were three fine sprightly young fellows and much regretted.

Of the whole crew only James Brown (my ancestor), an old man, was saved, who got hold of the Keel of the boat and hung by it till he was taken up by a boat which came to their assistance.

Their connections were somewhat various for in the persons of these three men, five children lost their fathers & three women their husbands. One woman lost her husband, her brother and brother in law and another, her husband and brother in law. A man and his wife lost each their son and son in law. Another man and his wife, their son in law. Two young women lost two brothers each and one widow woman, her two sons and chief support."

Unfortunately, my ancestor's luck did not hold up and he parished in a similar incident six years later.

Veronica