William James ELLERY was born on 14th July 1829 at Bodmin, the son of John William ELLERY, a wheelwright, and Thirza LAMPIER. On 19th June 1854, at Padstow, he married Frances CHAPMAN. And at that time he described himself as a blockmaker.It is clear that he worked in the shipping industry as between 1856 and 1868 he gave his occupation as 'shipwright' and although his second child was christened in Padstow, he gave his place of residence as the port of Devonport. The family always lived in Padstow however. William signed the Crew Agreement of the 'John' on 26th April 1855, and the events of the subsequent journey towards Quebec are now known. He is known to have been deeply affected by those events. It has not yet been established how many other journeys William had undertaken between England and Canada or the United States. One such voyage made by the 'John' was on the same day of the year, 3rd May, three years earlier, 1852. On that occasion Charles Rawle was her Captain on the journey to New York. Undoubedly, she would have made several voyages each year. In 1871, William's wife and children were living in Padstow with his mother-in-law, Rebecca CHAPMAN. William was absent that year, perhaps at sea. The Devon newspaper, 'Western Morning News' featured an article on the sinking of the 'John' in 1950. That prompted his grand-daughter, Miss A.L. ELLERY of Padstow, to write with her recollections of him. She stated that she possessed William's tool chest. She continued "… he was the ship's carpenter on the ill-fated John, and it was this tool chest that was partly the means of saving his life. He could not swim. Also I have records saying that he made a raft out of detached pieces of timber on which a boy apprentice, a woman from Jersey, and nine male passengers were saved. He was present at the trial at Bodmin but did not give evidence as he said nothing he said then would undo the terrible disaster. William James Ellery died on June 6th, 1920, at the age of 95, and as far as was known was the last survivor of the John." The only woman from Jersey known to have survived was Susan Thornby. In the report 'The Barque John' of 17th May 1855, her husband, Mr Thornby, makes reference to the exertions of the Carpenter (although he names the boatswain, Elliott). Samuel Rogers is the only boy from Jersey known to have survived. |
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