Archive for July, 2009

Wreck of Atlantic Liner “Eider” off Atherfield

A North German iron steel screw steamer of 5000 tons register and 7000-horse power, and was built by the Fairfield Co. (formerly John Eider & Co.) en route from New York to Bremen. She carried 163 crew, about 227 passengers, 500 sacks of mail and £300,000 worth of specie, ie silver ingots, boxes of gold, […]

Wreck of the Sailing Ship “Irex”

Steel built full-rigged 2248 tons, crew of 36 hands, on her first voyage with cargo of 3600 tons of iron sewerage pipes for Rio Janiero, wrecked at Scratchells Bay. This is a list of the names mentioned in the report by the IOW County Press 1st Feb 1890, a very detailed report.  HUTTON Capt (Commander) .. […]

“Sirenia” Lifeboat Disaster off Atherfield

Coroner’s Inquest & Public Enquiry  & Funeral (IW County Press 17 Mar 1888) (names listed in the order of mention) MCINTYRE Duncan. .. Capt of the “Serenia” MUNT Moses. .. Coxswain of Brighstone lifeboat age 57 – drowned COTTON Thomas. .. Mate of the Brighstone lifeboat – drowned HAYTER John. .. Commanding the Brooke lifeboat. […]

Naval Heroes of the Past

8 Feb 1879 – IW Advertiser, Ryde & Ventnor Times Extracted from the ‘Lifeboat’, the journal of the Lifeboat Institution, from the supplementary lists of Medals of the institution, none of the names of the officers published can be traced in the official lists, so the society concludes that some, if not all, of these […]

Shipwrecks off the Isle of Wight

This is a list of Shipwrecks around the Island.  I will be extracting names mentioned from the press reports. The ones I have transcribed already are marked and listed on another page .American Ship over 1,000 tons ashore on Brooke Ledge: William Singer 1858 Guernsey Brig ashore at Goose Rock close to Needles: Anglo Saxon 1879 Austrian Barque on the rocks at […]

Royal Navy Service Records

THE RECORDS BELOW ARE FOR PEOPLE THAT STATED THEY WERE BORN ON THE ISLE OF WIGHT. THERE IS A GREAT DEAL MORE INFORMATION AVAILABLE ON THE ORIGINAL DOCUMENT AT KEW.  NATIONAL ARCHIVES REF: ADM 188/398 Service no:  225807 name: Sidney George COFFEN d.o.b:  16/06/1886 born:  Ryde, Isle of Wight occ:  Market Gardener description: 5’2″/dk brown hair/blue […]

General News

THE ITEMS BELOW ARE EXTRACTED FROM EARLY COPIES OF ISLE OF WIGHT NEWSPAPERS.  17 MAY 1862 .. BLOWING UP A TREE .. On Thursday afternoon some men were engaged on the premises occupied by Mr. OLLARD, at Ryde, in taking the roots of a tree from the grounds.  As the process of digging and hewing […]

Accident Reports

Interesting snippets to enhance your family history. Below are items I have found in the local newspapers, that give details of accidents, which only resulted in injury rather being fatal.  These are only brief details, in most case more information is available, this is denoted by a succession of dots…… 12/08/1854 – CORNEY, his wife, […]

Police from census 1851-1871

The list below is not comprehensive, I have only listed the ones that I have come across in my searches. 1851 HO107/1663. folio 108. page 1. Newport Isle of Wight Holyrood Street George GRAPES. 47. Inspector of Police. Newport, IW. (and family). 1851 HO107/1663. folio 110. page 4. Newport Isle of Wight Holyrood Street Thomas […]

Police Snippets from Old Newspapers

I have put a succession of dots …… where there is more in the report, if you would like the rest, just contact me. 4 Sept 1852 – AGREE TO TAKE THE PLEDGE .. William WAY, for being drunk and disorderly at Ventnor, was fined 5/- with 7/6d, or to be made very uncomfortable in the stocks […]