Liverpool & South West Lancashire FHS - Forum

I have come across a mention of one of my ancestors - William Laurinson Gordon - in the Liverpool Mercury saying he died suddenly on 8 Jan 1863 in Bonny, West Africa. He was a cooper, presumably on a ship, as I know there was a lot of palm oil trade between Liverpool and West Africa at that time.

My first query is this: is there any way I could find out which ship he was on? I know he was married in 1860 and had a child in 1861 (1861 census). He may have had a son called William Thomas Gordon in 1862 but I still need to check this out. Hence, I would seem to have a 'window' when he was likely to have left Liverpool.

Next: given that he died abroad, would there be an English death certificate that might give me more explanation of how he died?

As always - looking forward to hearing any ideas my fellow family historians may have.

Regards,
Glen

Hi Glen,
Deaths on foreign soil or in foreign waters outside the UK would not usually have a death certificate issued by the GRO.

There is one very near match death in the Maritime Death Listings. Date of death out by a couple of days but the area is correct. This could be him.

Death: GORDON, Wm
Date of death: 3 January 1863
Place of death: Bonny
Port belongs to: Liverpool
Ship's name: Dorothy [Ship's ID # 15888]
Cause of death: Yellow Fever
Series: BT153 - Registers of Wages and Effects of Deceased Seamen
Box: 0005; Page: 213

There were at least 15 crew deaths from Yellow Fever on the Dorothy on that voyage. William's effects were sold and the proceeds are shown as £3 - 11s - 6d. I believe that sum would have been given to his widow or next-of-kin. In 1860, £3 11s 6d would have the same spending worth of 2005's £154.30

About Bonny.... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bight_of_Bonny

Nice find DS, I did look but am not very good with that Maritime Deaths index, need more practice.

What can I say?! I wouldn't have known where to begin!

Thank you very much, DS, and thank you, Mary, for even trying to help.

Regards,
Glen

Glen,
You should be able to access the actual page which details the William Gordon death I found either on the National Archives site or with credits on Findmypast.

If you have a problem PM me.

Thanks -I'll give it a go.

I've looked again at the Liverpool Mercury item and it does indeed say Jan 3 rather than 8 now that I know that is the likely date.

Just one further point - any idea why the newspaper would name his father rather than his wife? It says he was 'the oldest son of Mr William Gordon, late of her Majesty's customs at this port'.

Glen

Only a gut feeling about that one, perhaps his father was a well known person there, have you looked into him at all?

Hi Mary.

Yes - I've traced him from the time of his marriage in 1827 to his death in 1869. Can't find his birth certificate as he as born in Scotland about 1803 and this is something I'll need to look into more closely.

In 1827 he was a mariner - perhaps this is how he came to move from Scotland to Liverpool - and later he became a 'tide waiter'. Although I know a little about this job, I don't know whether it was considered to be particularly prestigious. His death certificate describes him as an 'Officer H.M. customs'.

Anything here of interest do you think?

Glen

Re Tide Waiter... Not a prestigious name but a job of considerable responsibility.
See.. http://wiki.fibis.org/index.php?title=Tide_Waiter

And here on Rootschat...
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=624951.0