Liverpool Sailors' Home
Quote from Ted Scaplehorn on 1 June 2020, 19:00We've received the following request for information from a visitor to the website:
"In 1873 my great-great-grandfather, Edwin Charles Swain, was part of the crew of a ship bound from London to Valparaiso, but owned by Liverpool merchants, that was shipwrecked - to be more precise the captain went mad and set fire to the ship (called the River Eden) and its cargo of gunpowder and blew it up half way across the Atlantic. The whole crew was rescued and taken to Brazil from which the majority were eventually shipped home on a ship called the Lusitania. My ancestor however, was put on a Dutch ship instead for reasons that are unclear, but eventually made it home.
I've been researching the story as a whole and found a report in the Liverpool Mercury that described the incident and names the crew members brought back on the Lusitania. It also says they were cared for for a couple of days at the Liverpool Sailors Home so I was wondering if they kept records and if so where they could be found?Any other information/directions you could point me would also be of great interested - I've got all the time in world at the moment to research this amazing story!Thank you in advance and best regards, Alec Swain"
If anyone can help with this enquiry, could they please contact Mr Swain directly at alecswain0@gmail.com and leave a note on this forum.
We've received the following request for information from a visitor to the website:
"In 1873 my great-great-grandfather, Edwin Charles Swain, was part of the crew of a ship bound from London to Valparaiso, but owned by Liverpool merchants, that was shipwrecked - to be more precise the captain went mad and set fire to the ship (called the River Eden) and its cargo of gunpowder and blew it up half way across the Atlantic. The whole crew was rescued and taken to Brazil from which the majority were eventually shipped home on a ship called the Lusitania. My ancestor however, was put on a Dutch ship instead for reasons that are unclear, but eventually made it home.
Thank you in advance and best regards, Alec Swain"
If anyone can help with this enquiry, could they please contact Mr Swain directly at alecswain0@gmail.com and leave a note on this forum.
Quote from Yvonne Foley on 16 June 2020, 20:57Hello, I have replied directly to Alec. What I said was I had not been able to trace any records regarding the Sailors' Home when I was doing my research.
It appears that all records had disappeared but I would check again at the Picton Library when a chance came up to do so. All that is left after the pulling down of the home are the gates that used to be at the entrance. These were traced and restored and placed in City One near where the Sailor's Home used to be. A lot of the Chinese seamen used it and that was the reason for my search. I attached the only photograph I had of the gates along with my email to Alex.
If any one else does have any information I would also be grateful to receive it.
Yvonne
Hello, I have replied directly to Alec. What I said was I had not been able to trace any records regarding the Sailors' Home when I was doing my research.
It appears that all records had disappeared but I would check again at the Picton Library when a chance came up to do so. All that is left after the pulling down of the home are the gates that used to be at the entrance. These were traced and restored and placed in City One near where the Sailor's Home used to be. A lot of the Chinese seamen used it and that was the reason for my search. I attached the only photograph I had of the gates along with my email to Alex.
If any one else does have any information I would also be grateful to receive it.
Yvonne
Quote from Ted Scaplehorn on 18 June 2020, 20:01LNRS Member, Dr Alston Kennerley has signposted his doctoral thesis entitled 'British Seamen's Missions and Sailors Homes 1815 to 1970' which can be downloaded from here. This may not address the exact question that Mr Swain asked, but I have passed the information to him all the same.
Ted
LNRS Member, Dr Alston Kennerley has signposted his doctoral thesis entitled 'British Seamen's Missions and Sailors Homes 1815 to 1970' which can be downloaded from here. This may not address the exact question that Mr Swain asked, but I have passed the information to him all the same.
Ted
Quote from Elfyn Hughes on 3 August 2020, 21:06The architect Sir Clough Willams Ellis was given some of the decorative panels from the Sailors' Home and incorporated them into some of the buildings in Portmeirion. I have attached two photographs taken when my daughter got married there some years ago.
There is also an interesting article here - https://chesterwalls.info/gallery/sailorshome7.html
The architect Sir Clough Willams Ellis was given some of the decorative panels from the Sailors' Home and incorporated them into some of the buildings in Portmeirion. I have attached two photographs taken when my daughter got married there some years ago.
There is also an interesting article here - https://chesterwalls.info/gallery/sailorshome7.html
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Quote from Yvonne Foley on 4 August 2020, 15:37Hi Elfyn
Thank you for the photographs. I shall pass them onto Alex Swain who made the first enquiry. Thank you for responding.
Yvonne
Hi Elfyn
Thank you for the photographs. I shall pass them onto Alex Swain who made the first enquiry. Thank you for responding.
Yvonne
