Genealogy Chat

can anyone tell me how to find out about a reli of mine who was killed in a ship off Brighton in 1900.There was a mass funeral of 7 coffins and the streets were crowded.The ship was a torpedo destroyer called 'dispatch'.I think his service no was CL or H 4280.They were buried in the Brighton and Preston cemetery on 14 th april 1900.I havent a clue how to find navy records.thanks.

Hi Lesley Have you tried his name in the National Archives Royal Naval Seamen registers (1873 - 1923) - £3.50 to download the record. Information about records etc here:- http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/royal-navy-service.asp Worthwhile putting his name in just to see. (The Times Online has an article about several men (Bluejackets) who died in a drowning accident, but that is Tuesday 10th April 1900 at Brighton and the Torpedo Destroyer was called 'Desperate'. Name of some of the men was Smith, Ferrer, Hailstone, Stewart, Gosford and Cole. Gail.

Try a google search to find out about the incident and the ship and then try the National Archives online. Lesley, are you sure of that year? I did a quick google and would have thought such a tragedy would immediately jump out but it hasnt. Was it an accident as there were no conflicts on at that time on our coast.

Heather,Yes I'm 100% sure as I have the photo of the funeral and a card with the mens names on and their ages.I dont know how the accident happened.Iv'e tried google for the cemetry to see if there is a list of buriels but I just get a few ww1 and ww2 no other.I have pictures of the other ships he served on as well and hid discharge papers.

Hi Lesley I take it that none of the names of the men above tally with the names you have, there are a couple of articles about this accident but cannot see mention of another. Gail.

HMS DESPERATE was a destroyer completed in February 1897 and later broken up in 1920. She served the Great War in the Portsmouth Local Defence Flotilla. I think there is more to this story and am checking.

How about this? News of the World 15 Apr 1900 Disaster to Bluejackets - Boat Swamped at Brighton - Seven Seamen Drowned. A deplorable disaster happened off the West Pier, Brighton, by which seven bluejackets of the torpedo boat destroyer Desperate were drowned. All the bodies have been recovered. During the morning four torpedo boat destroyers, the Bittern, Mallard, Desperate and Cheerful, belonging to the Chatham Division, arrived off the town and between four and five o'clock in the afternoon a whaler put off from the Desperate to go ashore. Twelve men were in the boat, six of them having obtained leave to go ashore, while the remainder were to tow the boat back. There was a fresh wind blowing, and just as the boat approached the pier a terrific sea swept over it completely swamping it. Immediately there was a scene of great excitement on the pier. One gentleman rushed off to the coastguard station, and the lifeboat was quickly launched. Other boats also put off to the rescue. Meanwhile, to the distress of the spectators, one by one the bluejackets were seen to sink under the waves until half their number had disappeared. The lifeboat rescued the others, who were nearly all in a state of insensibility. One was sent back to the ship and five others were brought ashore, three of these (John Smith, Albert Rowe, and Alfred Elliott) being taken to a house in Cannon-place, where they were carefully attended to, whilst the other two were conveyed to the hospital. One at the hospital was named Macallam. His mate's name has not yet been ascertained. One by one the sea began to give up its dead, and within an hour the mortuary near the Town Hall had received the lifeless bodies of four stalwart bluejackets. Their names were G. Smith, C. P. Fenner, J. Stuart and W. Hailstone. One the following morning the fifth body was washed ashore, that of R. E. Wells, whilst the body of a sailor named Hockham was found on the rocks.

that is the one.thank you all.my reli is the gosford one if you can find anything else I.d be so gratefull.He was my g grangmothers brother.thankyou again.

Hi Lesley There are two articles in the Times, one about the accident and the other about the inquest. It says the deceased were:-........ note the names are slightly different in the newspaper report that Clive posted. J G Smith C P Ferrah J Stewart W H Hailstone .............P W V Gosford R E Cole Very sadly it says the last two were washed ashore the next morning, It says 12 men were in a gig made for 10, but all men were sober. Gail. x

Just found another article about the funeral, and also naming Walter Russell Hockham as the 7th man. It states they were all buried in Brighton Cemetery on Saturday afternoon, with all seven graves forming the shape of a cross. 20,000 people attended the funeral, including the Mayor and Mayoress. Gail.

Thankyou all again for your help.I have Photos of him .His name was Arther William Vale Gosford.The photo of the funeral looks like the day of lady Di's funeral.They can hardly get the carriages through.I have a card,like a mourning card,the top has been torn off but it says, DISASTER Tuesday,april 10th 1900 R E Cole aged 25 C P Fennah aged 22 T Gladwell aged 23 A W V Gosford aged 30 W H Haistone aged 29 J Stewart aged 24 Signalman Hockam Late of the Torpedo-boat Destroyer 'Dispatch ' Interred at the Brighton and Preston cemetery, Brighton,Saturday,April 14th,1900. The card has a black suround. I have tried to print out your answers so I can keep them with the other stuff but it wont print.Thanks again.PS.It was sad to think that he was washed up in the morning.

To Everyone who helped me to find this.
I have found out all about it and have been to brighton and visited the grave. I left a flower on it to show that he still has someone who cares as the grave was in an awful mess. I have been in touch with the navy who say they don't look after graves so I suppose it will carry on into decline as I can't go digging the area to find where the graves are. There is no sign of them being in the shape of a cross anymore.Thankyou to everyone who helped me.

Hi Lesley,
I read this thread some 7 years after you initially posted here. My Gt. Gt. Uncle was Charles Parry Fennah(179778). He was one of the men who drowned in the accident. My father (who was named after him) has often talked about finding his grave. I would love to show him the photo you talked about and the funeral card. Charles Fennah was from Liverpool and was one of seven brothers. Sadly, Charles hadn't learned to swim. I am going to arrange a trip to see the grave. If I can find it!
Best regards,
Alan Fennah

Hi Alan and welcome to the boards.

If you wanted to contact Lesley, it would be best if you were to click on his name and send him a message.

As long as he hasn't changed his registered email address and can still access it, he will be notified that you want to get in touch.

+++DetEcTive+++ Many thanks. I've sent a message. Alan.

I've been researching this accident and I have found numerous reports about the incident (My Gt Gt. Uncle was C.P.Fennah). I have discovered descriptive newspaper articles about the funeral procession through the streets of Brighton. Here's one of them.

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London Gazette - April 1900

The interment of seven victims of the terrible boating disaster, which occured off Brighton on Tuesday, took place on Saturday afternoon at the Brighton and Preston Cemetery. The Coroner's inquest on signalman Hockham, whose body was not recovered from the sea until Thursday, took place on Saturday morning, before Mr.G.Vere Benson, at Black Rock, and a verdict of "Accidental drowning"
was returned. Afterwards the body was removed to the Brighton Town Hall, and the deceased was buried with his other ill-fated comrades of the torpedo-boat destroyer 'Desperate'. The arrangements in connection with the funeral were made by the Chief of the Coastguard at Brighton in conjunction with Mr George Denyer, of Lewes Road, and the interment took place with full naval honours. Each coffin, which was of polished elm, with black fittings was enveloped in a Union Jack, and six of the bodies were borne to their last resting place in three pair-horse hearses; but that of Hailstone, whose relatives live in Brighton, was conveyed in a single hearse. The seven graves are situated near the chapel, five being arranged in a row, north and south, with one on either side, so that the whole constitutes the form of a cross. The cortege was timed to leave the Town Hall at quarter to three. The bands of the 1st Sussex Volunteer Artillery and the 1st Volunteer Battalion Royal Sussex Regiment were in attendance, and there was a body of Coastguard pall-bearers and a firing party of the Coastguards, of whom about forty officers and men were present. The names of the deceased are: William Henry Hailstone, aged 29: R.E. Cole, 25; A.W.V. Gosford, 30; J.Stewart, 24; T.Gladwell, 23; C.P.Fennah, 22; and signalman Hockham. - The route from the Town Hall to the Cemetery was Bartholomews, East Street, Castle Square, Grand Parade, Richmond Place, Lewes Road and Hartington Road.

__________________ end________________

If anyone has any photographic references regarding this incident I would love to see them or even a photo of the graves as they are now as I plan to visit in the summer. Thankyou... Alan Fennah.