MARSHALLS WHO SLEEP WITH THE FISHES

When researching family history, one gets use to the large number of babies and young children who die. However, I was surprised to discover that several of the Marshall family were drowned. Several branches of the family lived in the West Bank area of Widnes that is on the north shore of the River Mersey. Most of the men were working on boats that operated along the Welsh coast and along the River Mersey. The most common type of boat that they worked on seemed to carry sand for the Pilkington’s glass industry of St. Helens. Various reports in the Widnes Weekly News described the disasters.

December 13, 1884. Samuel Marshall (1865-1884) was my great granduncle. The following was reported in the local newspaper:

“THE DROWNING FATALITY IN THE MERSEY – The body of the youth, Samuel Marshall, who was knocked overboard from the flat ‘Lelia,’ into the Mersey at Runcorn bridge, during a heavy squall on the afternoon of Thursday week, has not yet been found, and a reward has been offered for its recovery. He is the son of Mr. John Marshall, of Penketh, and is described as being 19 years of age, 5 feet 10 inches in height, with a fair complexion and a smooth face. He was dressed in a suit of oilskin, with a blue knit guernsey, blue stockings, moleskin trousers, and Blucher boots. The high wind which was prevailing broke the gaff and boom of the Lelia, which the deceased was assisting to navigate to Liverpool, along with his father and brother, and the falling timbers struck him on the head and fractured his skull. Much sympathy is felt for the parents and relatives of the deceased.”

February 23, 1923. John Henry Marshall (1863-1923) was my great granduncle and Horace Marshall (1901-1923) was my granduncle. Under the headings ‘Mersey Disaster,’ ‘Steam Flat Sinks Off Garston,’ and ‘Three Widnes Men Missing’ the following was reported:

“The Mersey was the scene of another disaster during Thursday night of last week, the steam flat Sandmail, belonging to Messrs. William Cooper and Sons of Widnes going down off Garston. The Sandmail carried a crew of three, all of whom are missing. Their names are:

J.H. Marshall, captain, married, of Wright Street;

Horace Marshall, single, of Irwell Street; and

Richard Bevington, engineer, married, Beaumont Street.

“How the disaster occurred is a mystery. One of the lighted buoys which mark the Garston channel is missing, and it is surmised that the Sandmail fouled the buoy, sustaining such damage that she sank immediately. The vessel was on a trip with sand from Brunswick Dock, Liverpool to Widnes, and would be due to pass Garston on full tide shortly before midnight. When she did not arrive at Widnes inquiries were made, and Messrs. Cooper sent out boats to search the river. In the Garston channel a mast was noticed sticking out of the water, and from the markings it was known to be that of the Sandmail. This discovery was made almost simultaneously by an employee of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway, the owners of the docks at Garston, and an urgent message was sent to the Mersey Docks and Harbour Board that a vessel had evidently sunk. The tide was then rising, and the whole of the mast was soon submerged. In the late afternoon of Friday, as the tide again receded, the mast, and afterwards the funnel and upper works of the Sandmail, came into view. The growing darkness however prevented anything being done in the nature of salvage or even of a close examination. Meanwhile, the news of the disaster had spread to Widnes and also in Garston district, and there were many anxious watchers on the quayside at the docks and from the works on the river front at Garston. Not the slightest trace could be found of the three members of the crew.

“Inquiries at Garston docks as to whether anything untoward had been noticed during the night did not throw much light on the mystery. The Sandmail lay well embedded in the sandbank on the edge of the channel with her bow towards Widnes. A shallow gulley in the bank to the stern of the vessel would suggest that as the boat sank she was continuing on her course and forced her nose into the sand. The position is about three-quarters of a mile south-west of Stalbridge dock pierhead. Officials and gatemen are on duty at all hours on the pierhead, and especially during the period immediately before and after high tide. Nothing unusual was noticed during Thursday night to suggest that any vessel was in distress. One official remembered that about eleven o’clock he heard three blasts from a steamer’s siren, and looked out along the river, expecting that a vessel was signalling that she was about to enter dock, but he could not see anything. It is just probable that these blasts were from the Sandmail as she fouled the buoy, and that she sank so quickly as to pass out of sight, even to the one who heard the blasts. The latter’s attention was first directed towards the mouth of the river, the direction in which any oncoming steamers for Garston docks would be steaming, whereas the Sandmail had gone down on the Widnes side of the docks.

“Messrs. Cooper and Sons sent out their salvage boats to the scene, and the Mersey Dock Board also sent their wreck steamer and a wreck buoy, which were placed in position to warn other vessels of the danger of the submerged wreck. The tides were not favourable over the weekend for any extensive salvage operations.”

February 17, 1928. Henry Marshall (1904-1928) was my first cousin twice removed. Under the headings ‘Widnes Vessel Wrecked In Storm’ and ‘Six Lives Lost In The River Mersey Disaster,’ the following was reported:

“Quite a gloom was cast over Widnes on Sunday when it became known that a vessel owned by Messrs. Wm. Cooper and Sons, of Widnes, had been wrecked and that the crew of six had been drowned. The disaster occurred somewhere about midnight on Friday during the great storm, but owing to varying circumstances the news did not become known until Sunday morning, although there were various rumours on Saturday night that something serious had happened. The vessel involved was the sand grabber Grinkle, and the crew were as follows:-

Captain James Acton (55) of Ampthill Road, Aigburth,

Archie Carmichael (56), first mate, 6 Viaduct Street,

Isaac Rathbone (60), Engineer, 97 Cholmondley Street,

John Rathbone (38), his son, of the same address,

Henry Marshall (24), Seven Road, Lowerhouse Lane, Widnes

Ashley Yates (49), Heath Road, Weston Point, Runcorn.

THE ILL_FATED VOYAGE

“The Grinkle left West Bank Dock, Widnes, on Friday morning in order to load sand from the banks in the vicinity of Eastham and Bromborough. The sand is largely used by Pilkington Bros., of St. Helens, in the manufacture of glass. After obtaining her load she commenced the journey for home on the incoming tide, and the last that was seen of her was about 10.30 on Friday night. At that time she was off Bromborough, and another boat was following in her wake. The latter, however, does not appear to have proceeded on her journey, but to have taken shelter. The Grinkle was expected into West Bank on Saturday morning’s early tide, but when she did not arrive no alarm was felt. It was thought that she had proceeded to one of the Liverpool docks. During Saturday afternoon, however, word was received at Widnes that what appeared to be a wrecked barge was lying on a bank off the Oglet. It was then that some little anxiety began to be displayed in regard to the Grinkle. The Liverpool docks were communicated with, but all enquiries failed to locate the Widnes vessel. Suspicion was then aroused that the sunken ship off the Oglet might be the Grinkle, and closer investigation proved this to be correct. She was lying on her side, said Mr. J.H. Cooper on Sunday, when questioned, and was partly submerged. A thorough inspection on Saturday evening was not found possible, but on Sunday the vessel was boarded and an examination so far as circumstances would allow was made. No bodies were found, and the engine room telegraph was at “full speed ahead.” The Grinkle carried two lifeboats, but both of these were missing, and it was impossible to tell whether they had been released by the fury of the gale or by the unfortunate men in an attempt to save their lives. On Sunday one of these boats was found on Frodsham Marsh, having apparently been left by the high tide. It is presumed that the Grinkle would be at the spot where she was found about midnight, and at this time the gale was at its height. What brought about the mishap, however, will probably never be known.

THE UNFORTUNATE VICTIMS

“The unfortunate victims of the disaster were all regarded as skilled men in their particular calling. Captain Acton, previous to taking up residence in Aigburth, resided in Lord Street, Runcorn. He was formerly a member of the Ellesmere Masonic Lodge at Runcorn. He had been in the employ of Messrs. Cooper for a number of years, and took over the captaincy of the Grinkle after the death of her former master, Mr. Fred Hosker Wilkinson.

“Archie Carmichael, the first mate, was also an experienced man, and had had a long connection with boats engaged in river traffic.

“The loss of Mr. Rathbone and his son is particularly distressing. Their tragic deaths recall the fact that a daughter of Mrs. Rathbone was drowned in the Lusitania disaster. Mr. Rathbone and his son were well known in Runcorn, and were both members of the Ellesmere Lodge of Freemasons.

“Harry Marshall was a son of Mr. Amos Marshall, a well known West Bank resident, who some years ago went to reside at Penketh. He was married and leaves a widow and one child.

“Mr. Ashley Yates was well known and respected by all in Weston, and by a very large circle of friends in Runcorn. For some years he worked for the Runcorn firm of Able’s, but 13 years ago last Monday he commenced his employment on the river, and had been on the Grinkle for about 18 months. He previously served on the Sandmail and the Severn, but on each occasion he had left them a week before they became involved in serious accidents.

THE LOST VESSEL

“The Grinkle was an iron vessel, 136 feet long by 38 feet wide, and she had a carrying capacity of 400 tons. She had been in the possession of Messrs. Cooper and Sons for two years. She was formerly under the command of Captain Fred Hosker Wilkinson , who drowned some two years ago in one of the Liverpool docks. She was regarded as a strong seaworthy boat, and was fitted with apparatus which enabled her to load herself.”

March 16, 1945. Captain Richard Lee (1896-1945) was the son of Sarah Marshall, my first cousin twice removed. He was the captain of the steam hopper ‘D’ that went down loaded with sand and all five crew were lost. It was suspected that she was sunk by a mine that was left over from the 1941 blitz of Merseyside.