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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
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NAME
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COMMENTS
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Capt John Humble, age 57?
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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
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Mrs Humble
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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
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Rev John Robb of Dunkeld, age 39
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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.
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Master James Dawson, age 7
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Son of Mrs Sarah Dawson. Died from exposure on Harcar Rock. Buried in Bamburgh churchyard (unmarked grave).
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Miss Matilda Dawson, age 5
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Daughter of Mrs Sarah Dawson. Died from exposure on Harcar Rock. Buried in Bamburgh churchyard (unmarked grave).
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Mr John Gallaher (or Gallagher)
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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).
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Mr William Douthy
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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).
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Uncle of Ruthven Ritchie
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Mr Ritchie? Cabin passenger. Drowned
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Mr Bell
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Cabin passenger. Factor to Lord Kinnoul. Travelling with the Ritchies. Drowned
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Mrs Patrick from Hull
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Cabin passenger. Wife of a master mariner. “Wife of Captain Patrick of the Clara”.
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Mrs Robert Alison of Dundee
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(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
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Mr Alison
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Son of Mrs Alison, father of Master Alison (or Ellison) “son of Robert Ellison” Drowned
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Master Alison
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Son of Mr Alison, grandson of Mrs Alison (or Ellison) “grandson of Comptroller of Dundee”
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Mr Baxter
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Cabin passenger. A ship master going to visit friends in Dundee. Drowned
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Mr Brown of Perth
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Cabin passenger. Presumed to be son of Mr Brown, ship-builder, Dundee. Drowned
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Mr J McLeod of Glasgow
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Cabin passenger. Partner in McLeod & Davidson. Drowned
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“Mr MacLeod”
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Cabin passenger. Manufacturer of Glasgow. SAME AS ABOVE? OR RELATED?
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Mr John Arnot
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Cabin passenger. Farmer from Craigie Park, Perth and Pittacher Farm, Crieff. Married Margaret Dick on 8 January 1808. Drowned
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Mr James Perston of Glasgow
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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
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Daft Smith Churchill of Nottingham
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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.)
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Miss Martin of Aberdeen, and one child
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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]
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John Duncan of Balbrogie, Perthshire
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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
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John Grant of Louth, Lincolnshire
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(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 –‘]
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William Grant of Louth, Lincolnshire
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Presumably a relative of the above. [from ‘Chronicles Of The Sea’ Oct 6, 1838]
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Mr Scott of Dundee
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Drowned [from ‘Chronicles Of The Sea’ Oct 6, 1838]
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Master Scott, age 7
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Son of the above. Drowned. [from ‘Chronicles Of The Sea’ Oct 6, 1838]
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“Mr & Mrs Allen and one child”
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“Said to be from Russia” [from ‘Chronicles Of The Sea’ Oct 6, 1838] Both drowned.
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“The body of a man unknown”
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(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 –‘]
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George Black of Tayport, Fife
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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.
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Unknown male
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Crew: Steward
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Unknown female
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Crew: Stewardess
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Unknown male
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Cabin passenger, Russian
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Unknown male
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Passenger or Crew? Cast ashore near Green Hill Rocks (south of Bamburgh)
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Unknown male
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Passenger or Crew? Cast ashore near Green Hill Rocks (south of Bamburgh)
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“Also 4 possible unknown casualties”
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Passengers or Crew?
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