www.GraceDarling.co.uk
The Grace Darling Website - Legendary Victorian Heroine
LIST OF CASUALTIES OF SS FORFARSHIRE, 7 SEPTEMBER 1838
A list of some reported names. Estimated number of casualties 43. Many were never recovered.
Casualties
|
NAME
|
COMMENTS
|
|
Capt John Humble, age 57?
|
Captain of SS Forfarshire. Born in North Shields. Captained the steamer Neptune between Hull and Newcastle; Eclipse between Newcastle and Leith, then the Forfarshire, between Hull and Dundee. Drowned
|
|
Mrs Humble
|
Capt John Humble’s wife, travelling on-board. They had a married daughter, Ann, born in Blyth 1804. Also a son (a painting of Capt Humble with his son hangs in the Olde Ship Inn, Seahouses). Drowned
|
|
Rev John Robb of Dunkeld, age 39
|
Born Lamington, Lanarkshire 23 September 1798. Ordained as minister at Dunkeld Cathedral 14 June 1834 where a plaque commemorates his death with these words: "To the memory of Rev John Robb, who on a voyage for the benefit of his health, perished by the wreck of the Forfarshire steamer off the Fern Islands." Died on the wreck. Buried in Bamburgh churchyard.
|
|
Master James Dawson, age 7
|
Son of Mrs Sarah Dawson. Died from exposure on Harcar Rock. Buried in Bamburgh churchyard (unmarked grave).
|
|
Miss Matilda Dawson, age 5
|
Daughter of Mrs Sarah Dawson. Died from exposure on Harcar Rock. Buried in Bamburgh churchyard (unmarked grave).
|
|
Mr John Gallaher (or Gallagher)
|
Steerage passenger, age 40. Originally from Ireland. Lived in Dundee His body was found in the wreck, three days later. Buried in Bamburgh churchyard (unmarked grave).
|
|
Mr William Douthy
|
Crew member: Fireman. Washed up on shore three weeks and one day after the ship was wrecked. Body found near Monk’s House, between Seahouses and Bamburgh, prompting a second inquest. Buried in Bamburgh churchyard (unmarked grave).
|
|
Uncle of Ruthven Ritchie
|
Mr Ritchie? Cabin passenger. Drowned
|
|
Mr Bell
|
Cabin passenger. Factor to Lord Kinnoul. Travelling with the Ritchies. Drowned
|
|
Mrs Patrick from Hull
|
Cabin passenger. Wife of a master mariner. “Wife of Captain Patrick of the Clara”.
|
|
Mrs Robert Alison of Dundee
|
(Listed as “Mrs Ellison, wife of the Comptroller of Dundee, Robert Ellison” on the Museum display board). “Of Peasholme, York” [from ‘Chronicles Of The Sea’ Oct 6, 1838] Drowned
|
|
Mr Alison
|
Son of Mrs Alison, father of Master Alison (or Ellison) “son of Robert Ellison” Drowned
|
|
Master Alison
|
Son of Mr Alison, grandson of Mrs Alison (or Ellison) “grandson of Comptroller of Dundee”
|
|
Mr Baxter
|
Cabin passenger. A ship master going to visit friends in Dundee. Drowned
|
|
Mr Brown of Perth
|
Cabin passenger. Presumed to be son of Mr Brown, ship-builder, Dundee. Drowned
|
|
Mr J McLeod of Glasgow
|
Cabin passenger. Partner in McLeod & Davidson. Drowned
|
|
“Mr MacLeod”
|
Cabin passenger. Manufacturer of Glasgow. SAME AS ABOVE? OR RELATED?
|
|
Mr John Arnot
|
Cabin passenger. Farmer from Craigie Park, Perth and Pittacher Farm, Crieff. Married Margaret Dick on 8 January 1808. Drowned
|
|
Mr James Perston of Glasgow
|
Cabin passenger. A descendant has contacted www.gracedarling.co.uk with this information: Born in Glasgow in 1800. Partner in Perston, Bannatyne, Moir & Company, Glasgow, muslin manufacturers. James had a young family. His brother, Andrew, married Daft Smith Churchill's sister, Mary Cartwright Churchill. Drowned
|
|
Daft Smith Churchill of Nottingham
|
Cabin passenger. Manufacturer, age 44. Related by marriage to fellow casualty, James Perston, his sister married James' brother, Andrew Perston. His remains were washed ashore and are interred in a family vault in Nottingham Cemetery. (A film of his Monument can be seen on YouTube which states he was a hosiery manufacturer in the 1830’s in Nottingham.)
|
|
Miss Martin of Aberdeen, and one child
|
Of 28 St James’s Street, Aberdeen. This lady had considerable property on her person; it is said 300 sovereigns, in some part of her dress.” Presumed drowned. [from ‘Chronicles Of The Sea’ Oct 6, 1838]
|
|
John Duncan of Balbrogie, Perthshire
|
Passenger or crew (a descendant has contacted gracedarling.co.uk with photos of a family memorial erected in 1842 in the churchyard at Coupar Angus, Perthshire) Drowned. Photos: John Duncan Memorial - kindly supplied by Arthur Duncan (a descendant).
|
|
John Grant of Louth, Lincolnshire
|
(Buried) Embleton. 4 October 1838. “A body apparently of a gentleman supposed to have been on board the steam vessel Forfarshire. His linen was marked ‘J.G.’” [This information from George Carter’s google site: ‘Soldiers Sailors and Strangers Burials 1800 –‘]
|
|
William Grant of Louth, Lincolnshire
|
Presumably a relative of the above. [from ‘Chronicles Of The Sea’ Oct 6, 1838]
|
|
Mr Scott of Dundee
|
Drowned [from ‘Chronicles Of The Sea’ Oct 6, 1838]
|
|
Master Scott, age 7
|
Son of the above. Drowned. [from ‘Chronicles Of The Sea’ Oct 6, 1838]
|
|
“Mr & Mrs Allen and one child”
|
“Said to be from Russia” [from ‘Chronicles Of The Sea’ Oct 6, 1838] Both drowned.
|
|
“The body of a man unknown”
|
(Buried) Warkworth 23 October 1838. “Supposed to belong to the steam boat Forfarshire, wrecked on the Fern Islands. Age not known” [This information from George Carter’s google site: ‘Soldiers Sailors and Strangers Burials 1800 –‘]
|
|
George Black of Tayport, Fife
|
Headstone, discovered by Samuel Simms, a postgraduate student at the University of Dundee in 2016 . Previously unknown, we can now add George Black to the list of confirmed casualites. We have yet to confirm his status as passenger or crew . . Click thumbnail photo ( supplied by Samuel Simms with thanks ) to expand the detail.
|
|
Unknown male
|
Crew: Steward
|
|
Unknown female
|
Crew: Stewardess
|
|
Unknown male
|
Cabin passenger, Russian
|
|
Unknown male
|
Passenger or Crew? Cast ashore near Green Hill Rocks (south of Bamburgh)
|
|
Unknown male
|
Passenger or Crew? Cast ashore near Green Hill Rocks (south of Bamburgh)
|
|
“Also 4 possible unknown casualties”
|
Passengers or Crew?
|
 |
 |
 |