# Trying to find a mariner who was lost at sea



## littlefrog24 (Sep 25, 2016)

Hi

I have been doing my family genealogy for a little while now, but have just found out from my mother that the man my grandmother called her father was not her biological father.

Apparently Tom Collyer - who I thought was my great grandfather - was the shipmate of my biological great grandfather who was washed overboard on a fishing trip out of Lowestoft. 
This would have been in the autumn of 1885. Tom Collyer and my great grandmother were married beginning December 1885 and she was already pregnant with my Gran.

Basically what I need to find is
1. The ship that Tom Collyer was on in the autumn of 1885.
2. The names of the crew who were lost on this ship.

If anyone can let me know where I can find this info, I would be very grateful.

Jay


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## bswift (Apr 3, 2012)

Jay,

I love a genealogy challenge, but this is quite tough! I can't find anything in the on-line resources I have available to tell us which boat Tom Collyer sailed on I'm afraid.

I though I'd have a look at the local newspaper and see if there was anything to help. There are suprisingly few fisherman reported in the papers lost overboard from Lowestoft in 1885. The only one that fits roughly with your criteria occured on 26 November 1885 when the fishing lugger "Blooming Lily" was approaching harbour and a crew member, William Bryant (18 yrs old of Barnby) was struck by a sail and knocked overboard. Heavy seas prevented any rescue attempts and he was never seen again.

I've also examined the death at sea register for other lives lost from Lowestoft fishing boats. This yielded:-

17 yr old James Mills (cook), lost overboard from the Olive Branch on 3 Dec 1885.
16 year old James Yallop (apprentice), lost overboard from the Samuel & Emma on 9 Dec 1885.
27 year old Jeremiah Forkard, skipper of the Mary Farr, lost overboard 24 Jul 1885.
15 year old Leonard Gray (cook), lost overboard from the Young Harry on 4 Nov 1885.
19 year old Wm Clow (O/S), lost from the Boy Bob on 4 Dec 1885.

None of these seem to me to fit the profile you were looking for, so I'm not sure that it helps and you may just want to file it away and hope it chimes with something else that turns up. If you need the source do***ents, let me know and I'll pop them into drop box and post a link.

Happy hunting,

Bill


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## littlefrog24 (Sep 25, 2016)

Hi Bill

Many thanks for taking an interest in my story. I had put this 'brick wall' on the back burner and not done anymore work on it.

Now with your help I have a few more leads to follow. The source do***ents would be very helpful. 

Thanks again

Jay


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## bswift (Apr 3, 2012)

No problem Jay.

Data is here.
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/xdbakddofsgtpzx/AAD0kgqWxrN44foOagM-MJ62a?dl=0

Bill


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## littlefrog24 (Sep 25, 2016)

Thanks Bill

Regards
Jay


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