BLEWETT BLEWITT BLUET genealogy	21 October 2008
		Dr Geoffrey Mann
BLEWETT family tree BLEWETT family summary BLEWETT ancestor chart		home page geoff.mann@btinternet.com
	3 Henry BLEWETT 1836-189136
spouse's records	m Jane WRIGHT 1860

Henry was born in 1836 in the Cornish fishing village of Mousehole. His father was a fisherman, but died when Henry was only 14, and Henry joined the fishing fleet as a fisherboy.

After two years as fisherboy, he signed on as a seaman on a small merchant sailing ship, and from then on he was almost continuously at sea. He made voyages to Belize, Bombay, Quebec and the Mediterranean before marrying Jane WRIGHT, the daughter of a Mousehole fisherman when he was 23, and the same year he passed the 1st mates examination at Plymouth.

In 1860 Henry began a long association with the firm of Scrutton who owned a fleet of sailing ships trading with the West Indies. He was promoted to 1^st mate in Berbice on board the ‘Amber Nymph’ in 1861, after the existing first mate was dismissed.

In 1864 aged 27, Henry passed the master’s examination at Plymouth, and was immediately given command of various ships sailing from London to the West Indies. Henry now had a wife and two daughters, and the family moved from Cornwall to Stepney to be near the docks when he arrived home. A son was born in Stepney in 1866, and that year Henry was given command of his own ship the Roseau, which he was to captain continuously for the next 15 years.

The Roseau sailed almost exclusively to the Island of St Vincent, taking out food, clothes and all manner of manufactured items, returning with cargoes principally of sugar and molasses. Another daughter and son were born in Stepney, and the family moved to a larger house in Rectory Square. His wife and children accompanied Henry to St Vincent many times. His son Henry Michael learned to walk on board ship and remembered that the ship was often sticky through leakage of molasses.

The age of sail was drawing to a close however, and the sugar trade was diminishing. In 1881 now aged 44, Henry sailed the Roseau for the last time, and that year also, his daughter Rosea died of TB.

Henry signed on in the steam ship Engadine to the Mediterranean and then as 2^nd mate on the steamship Nith where he sailed again to the West Indies. He was promoted to 1^st mate of the Nith in 1883, but the following year, the Nith was sunk while at anchor in Lisbon harbour.

Henry returned to the fishing fleet in Mousehole for a few years, during which time he sold the fishing vessel Mignonette which he had previously bought and which had been used by his brother’s in law. The family story is that he was caught in a fierce storm as he sailed the fishing vessel up the channel, and had to lash his wife Jane to the mast to prevent her from being washed overboard.

In 1889 aged 52, Henry was again appointed captain of a sailing ship, taking machinery from Glasgow to Brazil. The destination was up an uncharted river, and while it was in charge of a local pilot, the ship was wrecked on a sand bar. Back in England, Henry sailed as mate on two new steam vessels being delivered to Durban. Remaining in Durban, Henry signed on as 3^rd mate to a large steamer, the Umtata, going to Madras. Henry was now 55, and while below decks with a cold, the steamer ran aground near Madras. The ship was abandoned on Christmas day 1891, and the crew including Henry made their way some 50 miles to madras in open boats. Henry was taken immediately to Madras Hospital, but died of pneumonia 31Dec1891.

Henry Blewett was brought up and educated as a Methodist, and remained so all his life. There is a family story that he was fond of his drink, and although there is no evidence for this, his son Henry Michael became teetotal. His gold watch and sextant were the only personal possession recovered from the wreck and were delivered to his widow. Jane outlived him for 20 years, spending the latter years in the pleasant surroundings of the Trinity almshouses in Mile End, visited by her children and grandchildren

A biography of the life of Henry BLEWETT has been published by one of his gr.grandsons, Jack PARSONS and his wife Nora. Entitled “Cornish Fisherboy to Master Mariner” it was published 1993-1995 by Bournemouth Local Studies Publications in four parts: part: 1 “Boyhood in Mousehole” ISBN 0 906287 98 7; part 2 “Mate and Master Mariner” ISBN 1 873887 02 7; part 3 Roseau Days” ISBN 1 873887 05 1; part 4 “Steam, Sail and Shipwreck” ISBN 1 873887 08 6. In addition to the life of Henry BLEWETT, these volumes contain a wealth of incidental information concerning the life and times of mariners in the second half of the 19thC. All four volumes are obtainable from G.M.W.Mann for cost of postage

EVENTS

Henry was almost continually at sea from Sep1853 to Apr1884 and again from May1889 until his death in Dec1891. Details of these voyages are omitted from the following EVENT table but are shown in further tables below

C=Christened

age DATE HB JW

EVENT

14Oct1836 27Nov1836 6Jun1841 4 17Nov1850 14 30Mar1851 14 Sep1853 16 8Sep1860 23 23 7Apr1861 24 24 29Nov1861 25 25 1862 25 25 26Sep1863 26 26 21Apr1864 27 27 11Jan1866 29 29 9Aug1866 29 29 26Sep1866 29 29 2Apr1871 34 34 4q1872 35 35 3q1875 38 38 1878 41 41 3Apr1881 44 44 14May1881 44 44 30Jan1882 45 45 7Apr1884 47 47 1884 47 47 1887 50 50 20May1889 52 52 10Aug1889 52 52 9Nov1890 53 53 5Apr1891 54 54 25Dec1891 55 55 31Dec1891 55 55 8Jul1897 61 31Mar1901 65 10Mar1907 70 3Jan1921 83

Henry born at Mousehole Henry C at the Methodist church Henry at Regent Terrace, Mousehole, with family Henry’s father died Henry a fisherboy on the ship Edwin at Mousehole first voyage as a seaman Henry married Jane WRIGHT at Paul church Jane at 10 Chapel St Mousehole; [Henry at sea] passed 1^st mate exam at Plymouth dau Eliza Jane (Lily) born at Mousehole dau Mary Wright born at Mousehole passed master’s exam at Plymouth son Henry Michael born at 8 Guardham Street, Stepney 1st voyage as master of Roseau son Henry Michael christened at Methodist church Mousehole Jane at Gardham St, Stepney, with 3 children and sister; Henry at sea dau Rosea Henrietta born at Stepney son Charles Alexander born at Stepney Henry a master mariner of 10 Rectory square (PO directory) Jane at 10 Rectory Square, Stepney, with 4 children; Henry on Roseau ended last voyage as master of Roseau at Glasgow dau Rosea died at 10 Rectory Square after 2 months TB Henry shipwrecked in Lisbon harbour family moved to 11 Rectory Square Henry in fishing fleet at Mousehole Henry returned to sea as captain of Dunphaile Castle Henry shipwrecked in Brazil began first of two voyages to Durban, S.Africa Jane at Lynn Terrace, Wanstead, laundress; with Charles; [Henry in S.Africa] shipwrecked on the Umtata near Madras Henry died at Madras of pneumonia Jane applied for Trinity almshouse; granted pension of £2 pa living with her son Henry Michael and his family in Leytonstone Jane admitted to Trinity almshouse Jane died at 17 Trinity Almshouse

PRINCIPAL RECORDS

b=born m=married d=died

C=Christened B=Buried

BIRTH

From family knowledge, Henry was born in Mousehole, Cornwall, son of Michael Blewett and baptised in the Methodist church there; from his mariner’s certificates he was born 14Oct1836. There is a suitable baptism recorded in the Wesleyan Methodist register for the Madron circuit:

C 27Nov1836 b 14Oct1836 Henry s Michael & Mary Ann BLEWETT of Mousehole, fisherman

MARRIAGE

from Paul (Cornwall) parish register

m 8Sep1860 at Paul church by banns; Henry BLEWETT bch 23, mariner, & Jane WRIGHT spr 23 of Mousehole

f: Michael BLEWETT mariner, John Richard WRIGHT mariner; w: Josiah HARVEY, Arabella WRIGHT

DESCENDANTS

1862 Eliza Jane (Lily) b at Mousehole CON (census); m 24Dec1881 Thomas BOOTH

26Sep1863 Mary Wright b at Mousehole CON m 18Jul1883 Charles G TAYLOR

11Jny1866 Henry Michael b at 8 Guardham Street, Stepney m 11Jny1886 Helen A BROOKBANKS

4q1872 Rosea Henrietta, registered at Mile End; d 30Jan1882

3q1875 Charles Alexander, registered at Mile End m Elizabeth WELLBELOVED

26Sep1866 Henry Michael christened at Mousehole Methodist church

certificates

b 26Sep1863 Mary Wright girl at Mousehole Paul;fa: Henry BLEWETT mariner (merchant service); mo: Jane BLEWETT formerly WRIGHT

r 6Nov1863 by Jane BLEWETT of Mousehole Paul, at Penzance

b 11Jan1866 Henry Michael boy, at 8 Guardham Street;fa: Henry BLEWETT master mariner;mo: Jane BLEWETT formerly WRIGHT

r 19Feb1866 at Mile End Old Town, Western by Henry BLEWETT of 8 Guardham Street, Mile End

m 24Dec1881 at St Dunstans parish church of Stepney by license

Thomas BOOTH bch, full, mariner of Stepney & Eliza Jane BLEWETT spr, full, of Stepney

f: Walter BOOTH gentleman; Henry BLEWETT mariner; w: W BOOTH; Philadelphia Rhoda BOOTH

m 18Jul1883 at St Dunstans Stepney after banns

Charles George TAYLOR bch 25 mariner of 11 Rectory Square & Mary Wright BLEWETT spr 19 of 11 Rectory Square

f: William TAYLOR mariner; Henry BLEWETT mariner; w: Henry BLEWETT; Helena Anne BROOKBANKS

m 11Jan1886 at St Dunstans Stepney after banns

Henry Michael BLEWETT bch 20,rope merchant of 11 Rectory Square & Helena Annie BROOKBANKS spr 20 of 113 Stepney Green

f: Henry BLEWETT master mariner; James BROOKBANKS dairyman; w: C T BROOKBANKS, Emma{?} GAINES, Elizabeth Jessie COOPER

d 30Jan1882 Rosea Henrietta BLEWETT age 9 at 10 Rectory Square, daughter of Henry BLEWETT mariner;cause: acute pneumonic phthisis, 2 months

r 1Feb1882 at Mile End Old Town MDX, by L BOOTH sister, of 10 Rectory Square, Mile End present at death

DEATH

certificates

d 31Dec1891 Hy BLEWETT male, 55 or 50, 3rd mate, crew member of Umtata 87070, born Mousehole; last abode Lynn Terrace,

Ramsey Rd, Forest Gate, London; died at General Hospital, Madras of catarrhal pneumonia

d 3Jan1921 Jane BLEWETT female age 83 at 17 Trinity Almshouses widow of Henry BLEWETT master mariner; cause: gastric catarrh

r 3Jan1921 at Mile End Old Town by Chas BLEWETT son, pad, of Weston Works, Weston St, Devons Rd, Bow E.3

letter from Jno DEW master of the Umtata to the Superintendent, Mercantile Marine Office, Tower Hill, London, 22Apr1892

Sir

With reference to your enquiry respecting the death of Mr H Blewitt 3^rd officer of late S S Umtata under my command. I beg to state that the vessel stranded on the Coromandle Coast on the 23^rd December 1891. The day previous Mr Blewitt complained of suffering from a slight cold; after the ship was abandoned on the 25^th December 1891, the crew were landed at Madras in the ships boats, and Mr Blewitt being still unwell, I caused him to be conveyed to hospital at once, where he remained till January 1^st 1892, and on that date I was informed by letter from the ships agents (Messrs Parry & Co) of his death (a copy of which letter I beg to annex). I regret having omitted to make the necessary entries in the official log book, my time was all taken up by the stranding of the vessel, and finally landing the crew rhat it entirely escaped my memory to do so. I am Sir Yours faithfully Jno Dew, Master late S S Umtata

CENSUS

1841 Mousehole, Regent Terrace HO107/143/10 dist21 f38

Michael BLEWETT 45 1796 fisherman y

Mary BLEWETT 40 1801 n

Henry BLEWETT 5 1836 y

John BLEWETT 3 1838 y

Mary BENNETS 20 1821 female servant y

1851 ship "Edwin" in Mousehole harbour HO107/1918 f197

James HARVEY ca mar 40 1811 owner of boat and part owner of nets Paul, CON

John BENNETS fi 47 1804 part owner of nets Paul, CON

Benjamin HARVEY fi 20 1831 part owner of nets Paul, CON

Michael BENNETS fi 18 1833 part owner of nets

John NORTH fi 21 1830 part owner of nets Paul, CON

Henry BLEWETT fb unm 14 1837 venture Paul, CON

John BENNET fb unm 14 1837 venture, boy Paul, CON

NOTE:ca=captain fi=fisherman fb=fisherboy

1861 Mousehole, 10 Chapel St RG9/1592

Jane BLEWETT wi mar 24 1837 dressmaker and mariner's wife Mousehole CON

Arabella WRIGHT si unm 29 1832 nurse domestic[?]

1871 Stepney, 8 Gardom St RG10/556 f82/6

Jane BLEWETT wi mar 33 1838 Mousehole CON

Eliza J BLEWETT da 9 1862 scholar Mousehole CON

Mary W BLEWETT da 7 1864 scholar Mousehole CON

Henry M BLEWETT so 5 1866 scholar Stepney MDX

Elizabeth A WRIGHT si unm 24 1847 annuitant Mousehole CON

Jane E ALLINGTON lo unm 29 1842 machinist Warlinghame SFK

Martha M BUSH lo unm 24 1847 seamstress Clerkenwell MDX

1881 Stepney, 10 Rectory Square RG11/482 f26 p48

Jane BLEWETT wi mar 42 1839 captain's wife Mousehole CON

Eliza J BLEWETT da unm 19 1862 Mousehole CON

Mary W BLEWETT da unm 17 1864 Mousehole CON

Rosea Hena.BLEWETT da 8 1873 scholar London MDX

Charles A BLEWETT so 5 1876 London MDX

Arthur P MOSS bo unm 20 1861 theological student (Cambridge)

Kingstown, St Vincent, West Indies

1891 Wanstead, 26 Lynn Terrace, Ramsey Rd RG12/1351 f13

Jane BLEWITT wi mar 52 1839 laundress (neither) Penzance

Charles BLEWITT so 15 1876 picture frame maker's assistant (employed) Stepney

Emma ALLEN lo wid 68 1823 living on own means Huntingdon

4 rooms occupied (all in Lynn Terrace have 4 rooms)

1901 7 Wallwood Rd Leytonstone, Leyton, ESS RG13/1622 f38

Henry BLEWETT he mar 35 1866 rag merchant own act Stepney MDX

Helena A BLEWETT wi mar 35 1866 Stepney MDX

Helena M BLEWETT da sin 14 1887 dress makers apprentice worker Stepney MDX

Elizabeth BLEWETT da sin 12 1889 Stepney MDX

Henry BLEWETT so sin 10 1891 Limehouse MDX

Henrietta BLEWETT da 4 1897 Limehouse MDX

Amy BLEWETT da 2 1899 Limehouse MDX

Jane BLEWETT mo wid 63 1838 Penzance

Ernest JEARY bo sin 24 1877 traveller (soap) worker London, Bow

OTHER

PO Directory

1878-1886 Henry BLEWETT master mariner, 10 Rectory Square

electoral register:

1881, 1882, 1883 at 10 Rectory Square

1884, 1885, 1885/6 at 11 Rectory Square

marine records

Documents include the applications and certificates issued to Henry as mate and master; crew lists and log books of ships he sailed in; Lloyds list which records the dates and destinations of these voyages; bills of entry for the ships entering harbour; local newspapers, particularly those of St Vincent in the West Indies, which recorded arrivals and departures of ships and much incidental information concerning cargo and crew.

application for certificate of competency as only mate

Henry BLEWETT of Mousehole, Penzance, Cornwall, born at Mousehole , 14Oct1836; passed by examiners at Plymouth 29Nov1861, certificate no: 24699

application for certificate of competency as master

Henry BLEWETT of Mousehole, Penzance, Cornwall, born at Mousehole , 14Oct1836, certificate no 24699; application dated 13Apr1864

passed in navigation and seamanship at Plymouth 21Apr1864

application for renewal of master’s certificate

Henry BLEWETT of 11 Rectory Square, Stepney Green London, born 14Oct1836 at Mousehole, Cornwall

do solemnly declare that my certificate of competency no 24699 was lost at Lisbon, being sunk by the mail steamer Ville de Pernambuco whilst moored to a buoy ready to discharge cargo on 7Apr1884 crew rescued by two boats not sufficient time to save any documents or effects, steamer sinking in 15 fathoms water time from collision to disappearing from 10 to 15 minutes

declared at Mansion House, London 8May1884; new certificate issued 8May1884, at nil charge

record of service shown on certificate applications:

Sep53-Jan54 Elizabeth of Bristol; OS [=ordinary seaman]

Oct54-Apr55 Melbourne of London; OS

Nov55-Oct56 Robert Ritson of Maryport AB

Nov56-Jul57 Mercy of Penzance AB

Nov57-Apr58 Greyhound of Penzance b’swain

Jun58-Dec59 Beryl of Penzance mate

Jny60-Mar60 Fisher of Workington mate

Oct60-Nov61 Amber Nymph of London b’swain

Dec61-Apr64 Spheroid of London mate

65- 66 Spheroid of London master

Aug66-May81 Roseau of London master

Jul81-Sep81 Engadine of London 1^st mate

Nov81-Apr84 Nith of W.Hartlepool 2^nd mate

The Elizabeth of Bristol has not been positively identified; it was probably the 46 ton smack owned and captained by H CAWSEY which sailed between Ireland, Cornwall and France in the period before Sep53 and after Jan54, but voyages and crew agreements between these dates have not been found.

Voyages made by H Blewett before he became a master, as shown by Lloyds List, crew lists and agreements

SHIP	DATE		PORT	AGE [1]	RANK	CONDUCT	WAGE
Melbourne	29Oct1854	d	London #	18	OS	VG VG
	15Dec1854	a	Belize
	12Apr1855	a	Penzance
Robert Ritson	15Nov1855	d	Liverpool #	19	seaman	VG VG
	19Apr1856	a	Bombay
	20Oct1856	a	Liverpool
Mercy 24736	15Dec1856	d	Penzance #	20	seaman	G G	£2-15s
	14Jan1857	d	Cardiff
	8Feb1857	a	Malta
	6Apr1857	d	Gibraltar
	1Jun1857	a	Quebec
	23Jul1857	a	Bristol
Greyhound 5752	8Nov1857	d	Penzance #	21	boatswain	VG VG
	19Dec1857	a	Leghorn
	14Feb1858	a	Gibraltar
	31Mar1858	a	Bristol
	Apr58-Jun58	c	Penzance/Bristol etc
Beryl 19351	Jul58-Dec59	c	Penzance/Swansea etc +	21-3	mate		£3-00s
Fisher 8697	4Jny1860	at	Swansea	23
	27Mar1860	at	Swansea
Amber Nymph 27905	4Oct1860	d	London #	23-4	boatswain	VG VG	£3-10s
	21Dec1860	a	Berbice
	27Feb1861	a	London
	10Mar1861	d	London #	24	boatswain	VG VG	£3-10s
	11May1861	d	Dominica
	11Jun1861	a	London
	26Jun1861	d	London #	24-5	boatswain	VG VG	£3-10s
	21Jul1861	a	Berbice		mate [2]		£6-00s
	28Oct1861	a	Plymouth
	30Oct1861	d	Plymouth
	5Nov1861	a	London
Spheroid 24864	18Dec1861	d	London #	25	mate	VG VG
	19Jan1862	a	St Vincent
	25Feb1862	d	St Vincent
	8Apr1862	a	London
	13Apr1862	d	London #	25	mate	VG VG
	18May1862	a	St Vincent
	5Jun1862	d	St Vincent
	11Jul1862	a	London
	12Aug1862	d	London #	25-6	mate		£6-00
	9Sep1862	a	St Vincent
	1Nov1862	d	St Vincent
	13Dec1862	a	London
	7Jan1863	d	London	26
	13Feb1863	a	Martinique
	28Mar1863	d	St Vincent
	1May1863	a	London
	23May1863	d	London	26
	26Jun1863	a	St Vincent
	22Aug1863	a	London
	14Nov1863	d	London	27
	9Jny1864	a	St Vincent
	17Feb1864	d	St Vincent
	31Mar1864	a	London

# crew lists (for foreign voyages) found for these voyages

+ six-monthly agreements (for coastal voyages) found for 1Jul-31Dec1858 and 1Jny-30Jun1859

[1] these are actual ages, not ages given on the crew lists which are sometimes a year or two older

[2] the first mate Henry STEVENS was discharged at Berbice for wilfully leaving and neglecting the ship, and Henry BLEWETT was promoted 1^st mate in his place

Voyages made by H BLEWETT as master

SHIP	START	age	DATES AT DESTINATION	END
Naparima	13May1864 London	27	18Jun-14Jul1864 Trinidad	27Aug1864 London
Montrose 43948	27Oct1864 London #	28	1Dec-28Feb1865 St Vincent	9Apr1865 London
Georgetown 20591	3May1865 London #	28	30May-23Jun1865 Barbados	28Jul1865 London
Spheroid 24864	18Oct1865 London	29	10Dec-13Jny1866 St Vincent	18Feb1866 London
	2Mar1866 London		6Apr- 1May1866 St Vincent	13Jun1866 London
Roseau 19770	9Aug1866 London	29	21Sep-31Dec1866 St Vincent	7Feb1867 London
	21Feb1867 London	30	13Apr- 1867 St Vincent	17Jun1867 London
	22Jun1867 London	30	24Jul-21Aug1867 St Vincent	2Oct1867 London
	26Nov1867 London	31	29Dec- 5Feb1868 St Vincent	9Mar1868 London
	24Mar1868 London	31	23Apr-14May1868 St Vincent	25Jun1868 London
	1868 London	31	12Aug-14Sep1868 St Vincent	20Oct1868 London
	15Dec1868 London	32	21Feb-20Mar1869 St Vincent	21Apr1869 London
	2May1869 London	32	4Jun- 8Jul1869 St Vincent	5Sep1869 London
	26Sep1869 London	32	10Nov- St Vincent	30Jny1870 London
	5Mar1870 London #	33	1Apr-19Apr1870 St Vincent	22May1870 London
	2Jun1870 London	33	2Jul- 1Aug1870 St Vincent	8Sep1870 London
	16Dec1870 London	34	15Jny-13Mar1871 St Vincent	24Apr1871 Clyde
	5May1871 Clyde #	34	1Jun-23Jun1871 St Vincent	26Jul1871 London
	18Aug1871 London #	34	20Sep-17Oct1871 St Vincent	20Nov1871 Clyde
	16Dec1871 Clyde #	35	13Mar- 6Apr1872 St Vincent	9May1872 Bristol
	22May1872 Bristol #	35	20Jun-13Jul1872 St Vincent	13Aug1872 London
	17Nov1872 London #	36	30Dec-11Mar1873 St Vincent	24Apr1873 Bristol
	8May1873 Bristol #	36	4Jun-25Jun1873 St Vincent	24Jul1873 Liverpool
	31Jul1873 Liverpool #	36	4Sep- 1Oct1873 St Vincent	17Nov1873 Bristol-12Dec1873 London
	17Jny1874 London #	37	2Mar-10Apr1874 St Vincent	22May1874 Liverpool
	3Jun1874 Liverpool #	37	6Jul-24Jul1874 St Vincent	5Sep1874 Liverpool
	21Sep1874 Liverpool #	37	31Oct-21Nov1874 St Vincent	4Jny1875 Bristol
	29Jny1875 Bristol #	38	10Mar-30Mar1875 St Vincent	7May1875 Clyde
	26May1875 Clyde #	38	21Jun-18Jul1875 St Vincent	3Sep1875 Liverpool-13Oct1875 London
	28Oct1875 London	39	21Dec-20Feb1876 St Vincent	3Apr1876 London
	16Apr1876 London #	39	28May-24Jun1876 St Vincent	2Aug1876 London
	19Dec1876 London #	40	11Feb-31Mar1877 St Vincent	12May1877 London
	24May1877 London #	40	10Jul- 1Aug1877 St Vincent	8Sep1877 Liverpool-25Sep1877 Troon
	17Oct1877 Troon #	41	11Dec- 5Jny1878 Demerara	8Feb1878 Queenstown-22Feb1878 St Nazaire
	14Mar1878 St Nazaire#	41	May-30May1878 St Vincent	12Jul1878 Liverpool
	15Jny1879 London #	42	19Feb-16Apr1879 St Vincent	1Jun1879 London
	7Jun1979 London #	42	18Jul- 1Aug1879 St Vincent	11Sep1879 London
	29Oct1879 London #	43	10Dec-22Jny1880 St Vincent	29Feb1880 London
	12Mar1880 London #	43	15Apr- 7Jun1880 St Vincent	17Jul1880 Bristol
	12Oct1880 Cardiff	43	25Dec-26Jan1881 Cape Town
			10Mar- Apr1881 St Vincent	14May1881 Greenock

VOYAGES made by H Blewett on steamships a=arrive d=depart

SHIP	DEPART	PORTS OF CALL						RANK monthly wage & age
Engadine 81607	31Jul1881 d London #	17Aug1881 a Salonika	20Aug1881 a Constantinople	25Aug1881 a Odessa	3-8Sep1881 at Nicolaieff	14Sep1881 a Malta	26Sep1881 a London	1^st mate £9-00 44
Nith 67554	24Nov1881 d London #	16Nov1881 at Dartmouth	29Dec1881 d Demerara	20Jan1882 a London				2^nd mate £6-00 45
	26Jan1882 d London #	28Jan1882 at Dartmouth	16-24Feb1882 at Demerara	16Mar1882 a London			[1]	2^nd mate £6-00 45
	18Mar1882 d London #	20-21Mar1882 at Penarth	24Mar1882 a London					2^nd mate 45 4s per day
	30Mar1882 d London #	1Apr1882 at Dartmouth	22Apr1882 a Demerara	2May1882 a Trinidad	22-23May1882 at Greenock	30May1882 a London		2^nd mate £6-00 45
	2Jun1882 d London #	3-4Jun1882 at Dartmouth	23Jun-3Jul1882 at Demerara	25Jul1882 a London			[1]	2^nd mate £6-00 45
	28Jul1882 d London #	17Aug1882 a Demerara	22-23Aug1882 at Berbice	26Aug1882 at Demerara	17Sep1882 a London		[1]	2^nd mate £6-00 45
	12Oct1882 d London #	3-11Nov11882 at Demerara	3Dec1882 a London					2^nd mate £6-00 45-6
	15Dec1882 d London #	18Dec1882 at Dartmouth	7-16Jny1883 at Demerara	10Feb1883 a London			[1]	2^nd mate £6-00 46
	16Feb1883 d London #	17Feb1883 at Dartmouth	8Mar1883 a Demerara	27Mar-13Apr1883 at Galveston USA	8May1883 Newport News	31May1883 Bremerhaven	9Jun1883 a S.Shields	1^st mate £8-00 46
	14Jun1883 d Newcastle #	27Jun-1Jul1883 at Malta	2-7Jul1883 at Susa	18Jul1883 at Dartmouth	23Jul1883 a Leith			1^st mate £8-00 46
	1Aug1883 d Leith #	5Aug1883 at Copenhagen	13-25Aug1883 at Cronstadt	5Sep1883 a London				1^st mate £8-00 46
	8Sep1883 d London #	16Sep1883 d Newport Mon.	14-27Oct1883 at New Orleans	5Nov1883 a Newport News	30Nov-17Dec1883 at Bayonne	23Dec1883 a Newport Mon		1^st mate £8-00 46-7
	29Jan1884 d Newport Mon	4-8Feb1884 at Plymouth	22-29Feb1884 at Savona	3Mar 8Mar 10Mar 15Mar 16Mar 18Mar 27Mar 1884 Malta Const’ple- Sulina Galatz Ibrail Sulina at Malta			5-7Apr1884 at Lisbon [2]	1^st mate 47

# crew lists found for these voyages

[1] Henry’s son Henry Michael was a member of the crew on these voyages as a steward

[2] report in Lloyds List: the Nith lying at her buoy with a cargo of maize from Ibrail was this morning run into by the Ville de Pernambuco which cut her down below the water line causing her to sink in about a quarter of an hour. The crew of the Nith were taken off by a boat from the Kolga, Swedish steamer, which was lying near at the time

Later Voyages made by H Blewett

Dunphaile Castle 43973 (sailing barque) H Blewett master (crew list found)

20May1889 dep Glasgow with cargo of machinery for works of John Grant & Co

29Jul1889 arr Bahia (Brazil)

2Aug1889 continued up river in charge of local pilot

10Aug1889 Dunphaile Castle grounded and leaking in Marahu river

11Aug1889 towed to near the works of John Grant and machinery unloaded; ship declared unseaworthy

22Aug1889 H Blewett in Bahia

25Sep1889 court of inquiry held into grounding

24Jan1890 H Blewett handed over control of ship wreck

12Mar1890 H Blewett sailed on S.S.Don from Bahia

29Mar1890 H Blewett arr Southampton

The Court findings included the following:

‘That no blame attaches to the master Mr Henry Blewett or the mate Mr Peter Jacobs under the circumstances for the first and subsequent serious stranding of the vessel inasmuch as on both occasions she was under the charge of a pilot’

The Court therefore orders that the certificates of competency of Mr Henry Blewett, master and Mr Peter Jacobs, mate of the barque Dunphaile Castle be returned to them respectively

William Bell (steam dredger), H.Blewett mate

9Nov1890 dep Renfrew

24Nov1890 at Teneriffe

3Jan1891 arr Durban, South Africa

The William Bell, a new steam dredger, was delivered to the Natal Harbour Authority to make a deep water entrance to the harbour at Durban

The crew list has not been found, and presumably H.Blewett returned to England on a regular steam ship

Richard King (steam tug), H.Blewett mate

15Aug1891 dep Dundee

23Sep1891 at Las Palmas

26Sep1891 arr Durban

The Richard King . a new steam tug was delivered to the Natal harbour Authority. The crew list for this voyage was found

H.Blewett remained in Durban and signed on in the large steam ship Umtata

Umtata 87070 (steam ship) H.Blewett 3^rd mate £4-15s per month

7Nov1891 dep Durban

8Dec1891 arr Calcutta

16Dec1891 dep Calcutta

22Dec1891 ship grounded approaching Madras

25Dec1891 ship abandoned

31Dec1891 H.Blewett died in Madras Hospital of pneumonia

the documents for this voyage and the inquiry into the grounding have been found; they show that H.Blewett was already suffering from a chest infection before the wreck

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