Documents and Articles - New Additions, December 2008

Sent to us by Anthony Cope

COPE Will of Thomas Cope Gentleman of Ross 1846

Wills & Adoms Section
http://www.forest-of-dean.net/joomla/resources/documents-and-articles

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Sent to us by Edward Perry

WIGLEY Will of Joseph Wigley Redmarley 1842

Wills & Adoms Section
http://www.forest-of-dean.net/joomla/resources/documents-and-articles

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The following are some of the recent messages which Don has posted in the forum. As it is more appropriate to have these in our Stories and Articles section, I have made them into PDF files and taken them out of the forum.

You can now view them at:

Stories and Articles
http://www.forest-of-dean.net/joomla/resources/documents-and-articles

ARMSTRONG John Reverend Appointment.pdf
BENNETT Daniel Edward Estate.pdf
BOWKETT William Imprisoned in Tree Trunk 1935.pdf
EDWARDES Thomas Dyer Probate.pdf
EVANS Walter of Newland Probate.pdf
HEALEY R E (Rev) of Tibberton Will 1933.pdf
LINDSAY James Captain of Coleford Shipwrecked 1899.pdf
LYNCH Frederick Reverend of Dymock 1858.pdf
PACE Harry and Beatrice Murder Trial.pdf
PHIPPS Amelia Selina Murdered.pdf
TAUNTON Julia Frances of Newnham Probate 1925.pdf
VAUGHAN James Charge of Poisoning.pdf
WHITTINGTON Richard of Pauntley.pdf

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In recent days we have received a communication from Adrian Breeman which has resulted in some photographs of a Bible presented by Captain James Lindsay to a Maggie Walker being forwarded to us together with Adrian's findings. This information together with a couple of the photographs have been added to the document which can be found under Resources>Documents and Articles>Stories and Articles
Our thanks go to Adrian and if anyone is able to add any information concerning Captain James Lindsay we would be delighted.

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I’ve spent a few hours researching this interesting query, after initial confusion I think I'm almost there ! This confusion is largely because this site's old newspaper Article describes two sailing ships sinking within a few hours & miles of each other in 1899, the “City of York” and the “Carlisle Castle”.
http://www.forest-of-dean.net/joomla/stories-and-articles
On first reading the old Article was not overly-clear, but on second reading page 2 appears to state that it is the Captain of the “City of York” who'd written letters to his wife at “Duncan Cottage, Coleford, Gloucester, England”. I took him to be James Lindsay, following the lead of researchers before me.

From this I searched for PRs, BMDs etc for Lindsays/Lindseys in the Coleford area, but without success. Similarly no obvious luck searching the Census’s etc on Ancestry, altho I did find a James Foster Lindsay aboard ship in the 1891 Census for Alexandra Dock in Newport;
http://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&db=uki1891wales&rank=1&...
However, he's a London-born Chief Engineer of a steamer from Hartlepool, so seems unlikely to become Captain of a large sailing ship.. ?

A general Google showed that forty years later there was indeed a Duncan Cottage in Victoria Road, Coleford, but was this the same house ?.
See “Coleford House Fire” here http://gloucestershirepolicemuseum.co.uk/page_2724158.html

I next searched the BNA “Old Newspapers” site, still looking for “City of York & Lindsay” c1899. This gave hits describing both sinkings within one article, but it appeared that Captain Lindsay was not from “City of York”, but the “Carlisle Castle” ?. At first I supposed this was maybe a newspaper error in the heat of the moment, as it appeared at odds with this thread’s linking of Lindsay to Coleford ?

Re-reading the Article in this FoD site gave this useful passage, on page 8, and the penny dropped !
“Captain Parkin… knew the master of the Carlisle Castle (Captain Lindsay) intimately. It was three years since the unfortunate old gentleman visited this port in the “Niola”, and on that occasion he had his wife with him. Mrs Lindsay……invariably accompanied her husband on his voyages, and it would be singular if she were not with him on this occasion……they had had only one child and that it died.”

I then found this Australian newspaper article confirming this;

"Albany Advertiser (Western Australia) of Saturday 15 July 1899;
The recent gale has left a sad tale behind. This morning, news reached Fremantle, from Rockingham that the barque, Carlisle Castle, 1,460 tons had foundered near Penguin Island, and it is feared all hands are lost........ The statement that Captain Lindsay had his wife on board is not correct."
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/69892897?searchTerm=&searchLimits=l-title=175

Page 9 of this FoD's site Article contains a suggestion that Captain Lindsay of the “Niola”, who usually travelled with his wife, was probably NOT the same Captain Lindsay of the “Carlisle Castle”; however there appears NO suggestion in the article that Lindsay was Captain of the “City of York”, or that it was Lindsay who had a wife in Coleford...

I’m unable to provide a full transcription, but have downloaded the following article if anyone would like to read it. The British newspapers of 14th July 1899 contain an extensive report describing the crew, saying "Captain James Lindsay was about 50 years old and a native of Aberdeen. It was his first voyage on "Carlisle Castle", but had sailed to Australia for a number of years. He leaves a widow, who lives at Forest Gate, but no children.”

Forest Gate is in east London, just north of the docks; so not related to our Forest, another mental red-herring perhaps ?. Other newspapers confirm Lindsay was a native of Aberdeen, which also explains the Bible connection to that port five years earlier. The iron sailing ship "Carlisle Castle" was built & registered in London, and carried general cargos around the world; in this voyage between Glasgow, Fremantle and back to London.

More information about the loss here;

http://web.archive.org/web/20060819084231/http://www.museum.wa.gov.au/collections/marit...

http://demelzacarlton.com/tag/carlisle-castle/

http://www.mcb.wa.gov.au/Libraries/Fremantle_Heritage_Walk_Trail_Images/31_Carlisle_cap...

So this all indicates to me that the writer of the letters to his wife in Coleford was in fact the Captain of the "City of York", and so NOT Captain James Lindsay.

---------------

I’ve searched the old newspapers for more details of the loss of the “City Of York”, but the brief reports I've found only give it’s Captain as “Jones, an Englishman”.
However more general internet searches provided the following sites, which state he was Phillip H. Jones. I've no reason to doubt their findings, altho I am surprised I cannot find more references to him in the BNA, or particularly the Welsh Newspapers site given their liking for local stories. Phillip Jones' ship was famous as a record-breaking iron bargue, only slightly-slower than the smaller clipper “Cutty Sark”, also built on Clydeside in 1869. Sadly Captain Jones and ten crew drowned with their ship. Despite at first being blamed for the loss, I’m pleased to say he was subsequently exonerated by Parliament.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_of_York_%28barque%29

http://web.archive.org/web/20060826204351/http://www.museum.wa.gov.au/collections/marit...

So far I'm unable to find Captain Phillip H. Jones or his wife in the local Census', altho I have found a namesake who was born in Cheltenham in 1844, served in the Royal Navy all his life, but died in Woolwich, London in 1894.
Similarly I cannot find related local PRs, or his widow in the local Census, etc. There are, of course, several Jones in the Coleford area including a few Phillips.

I hope this has helped clarify things, I can fully understand why others may have been thrown off the scent by the initial Articles.

If anyone else can help to tie-down the Coleford link, I'd be very grateful, thanks.

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Just a note to say "thank you" to Jefff for his research. One must assume that the letters were sent on to the Captain's widow and are not available for research. Hopefully further research will ultimately reveal the exact Coleford connection.

Admin

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Thanks Admin. Yes I agree regarding the letters.

I've just reminded myself that, contrary to my past expectations, sometimes I must deliberately search within a specific collection of the Ancestry site, rather than wait for it to automatically display what I thought I was obviously searching-for, when I'd selected it's "Search All Records" option ?!
A few weeks ago I found this direct approach seemed necessary, or at least wise, to gain hits from their Criminal Records, and now I see it's necessary wrt the Crew Lists within their Travel Collection.

Ancestry also appears very poor at offering hits for "Philip"s as well as "Phillip" as typed...

Nevermind, good to live n learn, searching the Crew Lists gives the following excellent set of Records;

Second Mate's Certificate of Competency for the Merchant Service, awarded 18.7.1884;
Name: Philip Hughes Jones
Estimated Age: 21
Birth Date: 1863
Birth Place: Yorkley, Gloucestershire
Issue Date: 18 Jul 1884
Issue Port: London
Certificate Number: 014505

First Mate's Certificate of Competency for the Merchant Service, awarded 19.8.1887;
Name: Philip Hughes Jones
Estimated Age: 24
Birth Date: 1863
Birth Place: Yorkley, Gloucestershire
Issue Date: 19 Aug 1887
Issue Port: London
Certificate Number: 014505

Master's Certificate of Competency for the Merchant Service, awarded 31.5.1890;
Name: Philip Hughes Jones
Estimated Age: 27
Birth Date: 1863
Birth Place: Yorklery, Gloucestershire
Issue Date: 31 Mar 1890
Issue Port: Bristol
Certificate Number: 014505

Captain Jones was clearly a very capable man to be commanding such a large ship when "just" 27 years old, altho' I don't think this was particularly unusual in the Navy in those days.

--------------------------------------

Name: Philip Hughes Jones
Registration Year: 1863
Registration Quarter: Oct-Nov-Dec
Registration district: Monmouth
Inferred County: Monmouthshire
Volume: 11a

1871 Census, The New Inn, Parkend.

Given Name Surname Relationship Age Estimated Birth Year Gender Birth City Birth County Birth Country.

Richard Jones Head (Innkeeper) 38 1833 Male West Dean Gloucestershire England
Susan Jones Wife 36 1835 Female West Dean Gloucestershire England
Henrietta Jones Daughter 11 1860 Female West Dean Gloucestershire England
Philip Hughes Jones Son 7 1864 Male West Dean Gloucestershire England
James Jones Son 5 1866 Male West Dean Gloucestershire England
Fanny Granger Boarder 26 1845 Female Bristol Gloucestershire England
Mary Brown Servant 21 1850 Female Newnham Gloucestershire England
John Hughes Visitor 12 1859 Male Coleford Gloucestershire England

Next door is;
James Hughes Head 42 1829 Male West Dean Gloucestershire England
Anne Hughes Wife 42 1829 Female Newland Gloucestershire England
Elizabeth Hughes Daughter 19 1852 Female West Dean Gloucestershire England
Sarah Hughes Daughter 16 1855 Female West Dean Gloucestershire England
Agnes Hughes Daughter 8 1863 Female West Dean Gloucestershire England
William Hughes Son 3 1868 Male West Dean Gloucestershire England
Elizabeth Hughes Sister-in-law 44 1827 Female Stanton Gloucestershire England

National Probate Calendar of Wills;
"Philip Hughes Jones of Coleford, Glos, Master-mariner, died 13 July 1899 at sea.
Administration Gloucester 29 September to Harriet Jones, Widow, Effects £252, 15s, 6d."

From GlosBMD,
Birth Details
Child Surname Child Forename Father Surname Mother Surname Mother's Former Name Year District Office Register Entry
JONES Philip Hughes JONES JONES HUGHES 1863 Forest of Dean Monmouth, Coleford 19 198

And this site's PRs;
Record_ID: 112689
Entry_Number: 740
Year: 1863
Month: Dec
Day: 6
Parents_Surname: JONES
Child_Forenames: Philip Hughes
Fathers_Forenames: Richard
Mothers_Forenames: Susan
Mothers_Surname:
Residence: Yorkley
Occupation: Publican
Officiating_Minister: Jno[John] Jos[ep]h Ebsworth Incumbent
Event: Baptism
Memoranda: son of
Notes:
Register_Reference: P245 IN 1/11
Page_Number: 93
Parish_Chapel: Parkend
Soundex: J520

The ONLY marriage on FreeBMD for a Philip Hughes Jones is this one, which seems a reasonable fit for a seafaring man;

Surname First name(s) District Vol Page
------------------------------------------------------
Marriages Jun 1894 (>99%)
------------------------------------------------------
Brown Harriet Sunderland 10a 783
Jones Philip Hughes Sunderland 10a 783

Think this is Philip's parent's marriage ?;

Surname First name(s) District Vol Page
------------------------------------------------------
Marriages Dec 1857 (>99%)
------------------------------------------------------
Hughes Susan Gloucester 6a 465
Jones Richard Gloucester 6a 465

================================

Just found this prior thread which refers, briefly;
http://forum.forest-of-dean.net/index.php?id=23833

================================

Here's a very sad Baptism given the date, two days before Phillip drowns !!

Record_ID: 147073
Entry_Number: 589
Year: 1899
Month: Jul
Day: 12
Parents_Surname: JONES
Child_Forenames: Phyliss Harriet
Fathers_Forenames: Philip Hughes
Mothers_Forenames: Harriet
Mothers_Surname:
Residence: Coleford
Occupation: Master Mariner
Officiating_Minister: John Bond (Vicar)
Event: Baptism
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register_Reference: P245 IN 1/12
Page_Number: 74
Parish_Chapel: Parkend
Soundex: J520

Record_ID: 11955
Entry_Number: 309
Year: 1895
Month: May
Day: 13
Parents_Surname: JONES
Child_Forenames: Dorothy Emma Seaborn
Fathers_Forenames: Philip Thighes [sic]
Mothers_Forenames: Harriet
Mothers_Surname:
Residence: Newland Street
Occupation: Master Mariner
Officiating_Minister: C E Saunders
Event: Baptism
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register_Reference: P93 IN 1/7
Page_Number: 39
Parish_Chapel: Coleford
Soundex: J520

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This is Philip's baptism:

Year: 1863
Month: Dec
Day: 6
Parents_Surname: JONES
Child_Forenames: Philip Hughes
Fathers_Forenames: Richard
Mothers_Forenames: Susan
Mothers_Surname:
Residence: Yorkley
Occupation: Publican
Officiating_Minister: Jno[John] Jos[ep]h Ebsworth Incumbent
Event: Baptism
Memoranda: son of
Notes:
Register_Reference: P245 IN 1/11
Page_Number: 93
Parish_Chapel: Parkend

Parents' marriage:
Groom Surname Groom Forename Bride Surname Bride Forename District Parish Building Year Register Entry
JONES Richard HUGHES Susan Gloucester Gloucester St Michael 1857 35x No 1 433

and Philip's marriage:
First name(s) PHILIP H
Last name JONES
Marriage year 1894
Marriage day 03
Marriage month Apr
Place HENDON
Groom's first name(s) Philip H.
Groom's last name Jones
Groom's age 31
Groom's parish -
Bride's first name(s) Harriet
Bride's last name Brown
Bride's age 25
Bride's parish -
Description St. Ignatius
County Durham
Country England
Record set Northumberland and Durham Marriages

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I spent some time researching this last year and wrote my findings in an brief article.
Feel free to correct me on any mistakes and publish to the site if appropriate.

Jones PDF

Let me know if theres anything else to be added and I can correct.
Cheers,
Dean

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