Liverpool & South West Lancashire FHS - Forum

I'm looking for the birth and first marriage of Capt Richard Crompton, Master Mariner, born around 1810. Father Thomas Crompton, Master Mariner. When he died in 1859 he lived Foyle Villa, Bootle. He married his second wife Hester Ray 15 July 1841 at St Bride's Liverpool. His residence was 'Londonderry', his wife was from Essex. Together they lived St James's Street.

I know nothing of his first wife, but there were two children from that marriage: Robert Stevenson Crompton 1835, and Martha Jane b1837 Ireland.

It's possible he's Irish, I know little of Irish records and haven't found him searching Londonderry. I know he sailed back and forth: his memorial states "Richard Crompton, Master Mariner, died 9th Feb 1857 age 47 having sailed between Liverpool and Londonderry for 22 years, he crossed the channel about 2444 times without any accident, having travelled 611,000 miles in that time".

Would be grateful for any information/connections.

Do you have census entries for the family? Hester would appear to be in Everton in 1851.

As Richard was a Master mariner it may be worth consulting Lloyds Captain's registers for more information?

I'd look for evidence of his first marriage possibly in Londonderry

You probably have the newspaper entry, I just wondered if it gave any more information about his life but no such luck.

Liverpool Mercury etc (Liverpool, England), Friday, February 13, 1857; Issue 2943.
Feb 9 at his residence, Bootle, age 47 Captain Richard Crompton for many years commanding steamers sailing between Liverpool and Londonderry.

Hilary, thanks for coming back to me. I do have the census entries yes, Hester is in Everton in 1851, but then back at Foyle Ville, Bootle in 1861 until she died in 1973. I also have her Will 1873 leaving 'under £1,500'. I can't find any trace of Richard in a census, but that's not surprising since he was constantly at sea. I also have their marriage certificate showing Richard's father as Thomas, also a Master Mariner. Hester was also widowed (married surname Williams). She brought five children to the marriage (5 births registered only 3 of which were mentioned in her will, so may not have survived). They went on to have two more, my great grandmother Matilda, and Eleanor, 9 in all. They must have been affluent as Martha remained single, had no occupation aged 34 and was an annuitant later in life.

Nothing on Ancestry shows up for Richard or daughter Martha on Ancestry or the Irish Genealogy site. I don't know where else to look for Irish records. She could well have been born in Ireland and baptised elsewhere.

Thanks for the tip on the Captain's Registers, I'll follow that through. I don't know if that will help with his birth place though.

Mary

Thank you too for coming back to me. I don't have that extract from the Echo, but thanks for that too. My quote in the original post is from a memorial I found online.

I notice you list Lunt as a name you are researching. Richard and Hester's daughter Matilda (my ancestor) married a James Watkins. His sister Elizabeth married a Robert Lunt in 1866, Bootle and they had 5 children: James Watkins Lunt 1867, Elizabeth Ann Winstanley Lunt 1872, Robert Winstanley Lunt 1872, John William Lunt 1874 and Mary Watkins Lunt 1878. I've never found any connections or followed Robert back but would be interested in whether we have a connection here.

Hi Frances

This is the only entry for the family at Lloyd's:-

Index to the Captains Registers of Lloyd's of London (Guildhall Library Ms 18567)

CROMPTON, Robert (Robt.) Stevenson b. Londonderry 1835 C13700 Liverpool 1861

vol. 3 1861-1873; vol. 17 1874-1876


Robert Stevenson Crompton's birth/baptism in Derry/Londonderry in 1835 is available on Roots Ireland:-

http://www.rootsireland.ie


There's a Richard Crompton son of Thomas Crompton and Martha who was baptised on 30 Oct 1809 at Hull, Yorkshire (on Ancestry's Christening records).


Blue

Thanks for the info on Lloyd's and rootsireland.ie. That gives me some leads.

I picked up the baptism in Hull, and thought it likely because of Martha, but can't be sure on that one.

Hello Frances, I'm sorry to say that I don't have those names in my tree, my Lunts went from West Derby - specifically Deysbrook Lane, and previously Wavertree with baptisms being at All Saints, Childwall.

I've come across the names in browsing and wonder if one of our other members - Elsa Mary - may have them in her tree, due to her moving house (and countries I believe - from Spain to France) she hasn't been online for a while, perhaps it would be a good idea for you to send her a pm http://www.forum.liverpool-genealogy.or ... ile&u=1175 and see if she is still picking up notifications.

Kwr is another member with an interest in the Lunt name, again a different branch from myself, so maybe you will have some luck.

Thanks, Mary

Hull makes sense it's a sea port Richard's father was also a mariner so Hull would have been a suitable place to base the family.

Blue

Hi Frances,

There's a couple of newspaper stories that mention Richard I don't know if you have them already:-

1. "Loss of the Maiden City Steamer" in July 1846
2. "Wonderful escape from Shipwreck" in March 1849


I also found this advert from the Liverpool Mercury of 20th October 1854:-






Blue

I don't have any of this! Thank you so much! Did you find them through the Newspaper Library or the Record Office? I would like to get copies.

Hi Frances,

Liverpool City Council Library membership gives home access to 19th Century newspapers I think most libraries have this facility. Both these extracts are from the Lloyd's Weekly London Newspaper there was coverage by other newspapers but I think these are the best. If you would like the full size JPEGs and PDFs of these images message me your e-mail address and I'll send you them:-


Lloyd's Weekly Newspaper 19th July 1846




Lloyd's Weekly Newspaper 18th March 1849





Blue

These are a real bonus, thank you very much for seeking them out.

I have just come across your post re. Richard Crompton and have some information about his first wife and family. I have been researching Cromptons in Derry and Tyrone and thought Richard might be part of the Derry branch because of his connections with the city but if his father's name is Thomas it looks less likely. Anyway this is what I have - his first wife is Jane Kernaghan (Carnaghan) born about 1815, possibly from Donegal. They married around 1830 and in 1833 both sailed from Derry to St John, New Brunswick on the bark "Edward Reid", Richard was the mate. In 1839 he was captain of the steamer "Robert Napier" and the "Lyra" in 1855. They had four children Ann b. Ireland 1831, Robert Stevenson b.Derry 1835, Martha Jane b.Ireland 1837 and Thomas b.Liverpool. The family grave is in St Augustine's church in the city walls in Derry and I have a copy of the very touching inscription to Jane from her husband. I think she might have died in childbirth as Thomas is buried with her. If you have any more information about Richard or his parents I would be grateful to hear it, I am still keen to tie him into my Derry Cromptons somehow!
Best wishes Joan

Hello Joan

This is wonderful! This is definitely the right Richard; his second wife Hester left a will with beneficiaries named as Robert Stevenson and Martha Jane, "children of my late husband Richard Crompton", Matilda (my great grandmother) and Eleanor. The census shows Martha Jane as born Ireland 1837 and Robert Stevenson was born 1835. There cannot be two families with the same slightly unusual names and dates surely. Richard gives his father's name as Thomas Crompton, Master Mariner, on his marriage certificate to Hester. You are querying this? There is no mention anywhere of Ann - might she have died as a child? She would have been 10 at his remarriage.

I have the marriage certificate and wills of both Hester and Robert Stevenson which I am happy to send you if you would care to exchange email addresses. I will PM you with mine.

I also have Matilda's family photograph album. The first two pages contain portraits of two elderly people and they are followed by photos of Matilda and her younger sister, two boys I haven't identified, then photos of my grandfather growing up. I think it's a fair assumption that the two elderly people are Richard and Hester. I can send you a copy if you would like. I would love to receive whatever information you have on the Irish connection.

Best wishes

Frances

Hello Joan, welcome to the forum.

Wonderful that two relatively newcomers to the forum (I'm sure Frances won't mind my saying that) have made such a great and quick connection to each other.

That is really interesting Frances and I would love to receive copies of the photographs. I have somewhere the copy of the grave inscription which I can send you. Unfortunately we are decorating bedrooms at the moment and all the furniture is piled into one room which is, of course, the room I have all my notes stored in! My husband also took a photograph of the grave, which is quite substantial, and if he can find that on his computer I will send it as well. It is quite possible of course that even though he was born in Derry he was not connected to the Crompton family living there, they came over from Bolton in the C18 and were sailmakers, ship's chandlers and merchants with connections in Liverpool and Manchester. They also had a shipping line briefly in the early 1830s - "Crompton, McKye and Alexander"- so you can see why Richard seemed such a good fit!
I can't remember where I found the information about his daughter Ann, it has been a while since I researched this particular area, but I will go through my notes when I can get at them.

Best wishes Joan

Thanks Joan. I have received your email.

Interesting that you mention them owning a shipping line. If the connection is sound perhaps this influenced Richard and his father becoming sea captains?

Best wishes

Frances

Some records for him on here:-

http://www.ancestry.co.uk/home/new.aspx ... ch=Inbound


Blue

Thank you so much for that! I also found one for his son, Robert Stevenson Crompton. I think this also confirms he was born in Hull; I had a question mark over that.

Thanks again.