1800's Southport Peters family mystery

[Hilary]

Sefton libraries produced 2 books on the Mexico disaster which contain the pictures I think you are referring to. I can't really see a resemblance to the men in your photograph. Also Benjamin, Ralph's son would have only been a small boy in the 1860s. The men who crewed the Eliza Fernley were poor men and their families really struggled post the disaster.

I researched the family for a man who was descended from Ralph's daughter. I'm hoping I still have the research but so far haven't laid my hands on it.

I would agree with others that you need to work back proving each step. It's easy to go wrong. This afternoon I was revisiting a part of my family and discovered I'd married someone off to the wrong woman, the daft thing was the father in law was living in the house on census night so I had a wonderful clue I missed.

[MaryA]

In addition to the book mentions by Education Officer above, you talking about shrimps brought to mind a book, written by Harry Foster called "Don E Want Ony Srimps?: The Story of the Fishermen of Southport and North Meols"

[Jon Maddox]

Thank you for your help and reading suggestions. I can work back I believe. My nan Dorothy was born 1926, the daughter of Susanna Peters born 1880, the daughter of John Peters born abt 1859, the son of Ralph Peters born abt 1827. I am from the fishing families. The picture is the mystery.

[Jon Maddox]

I apoligise for not knowing how to reference or what's ok or not on here. Can I copy a page with links to prove the path I follow? I have seen a copy of the 1911 census where it looks like a decision was made. Susan A written looks to have been changed to Susanna. From there on in she was Susanna Davies. I know of family stories that go as far back as John Peters, Ralph's Son. I found records of John living at the address I expected to find him in Birkenhead. I'm sure of my links and I'm not looking for research or much of any ones time. I don't know what to do with the photo. the clues I was given were far from cryptic, Southport, Peters and Lifeboatmen. I did know that it could not possibly be Ralph's son Benjamin pictured. He was not born until 1862, at the very end of the short period of time that this type of photography was being used. The picture is the reverse negative framed. I've been told (bizarrely) in a memorial frame that has been used upside down.

[Bertieone]

Hi Jon,

Regarding the photograph, is it possible, one is Ralph Peters and the other is one of the Wright's.

Ralph Peters married Alice Wright, 1852, Ormskirk, there were 2 Wright's lost in the tragedy, are they connected to Alice?

Crew members lost,

[MaryA]

We do often find names change to similar, often perhaps because they were known by the nickname at home and it stuck, so Susan A to Susanna would be acceptable.

[Hilary]

I personally doubt that the photo was of the Peters or the Wrights. The area where they lived was a poor area and then men in the photo look better dressed etc than I would expect for the area.

It was some years ago that I did the research which was then all sent to a family in Canada. I found the family's email address and contacted them with the news that a descendant of the Ralph Peters family also researching the family. They would like to get in contact. If you wish to contact them please PM me your email address which I will forward on to Canada.

Ralph and his son have a grave with gravestone in Duke Street Cemetery. There is also a large memorial to the men in the same cemetery.

[Jon Maddox]

Thank you all again. Bert I now think that it could likely be of Rigby brothers. Thank you for reminding me that Alice was a Wright. I only know of one Wright who died that sad night as it was found that those early newspaper reports were wrong. A young man called Peter Wright left a devastated widow who also lost a brother, a cousin and an uncle from the Rigby family.
If Alice and Peter Wright were related, which seems very likely as Alice's parents appear to have had 12 local births. That could explain how Rigby brothers would be known to my line of the family as great uncles? The man on the right of the photo could well be Thomas Rigby who died aged 62. The pictured is at least 20 years earlier. My nan never thought the photo to be of bloodline as such, it's always been said to be great uncles. The Victorian postcard does show some of the Rigby family very well dressed compared to others at the time.

[Hilary]

If you wish to contact the Peters family I did the research for some years ago please send me a PM with your email address and I will pass it on to them. They are in Canada and would like to make contact with you.

[Jon Maddox]

This is a very sad day in my family story. Today Ralph's great granddaughter, my children's greatest of great grandma's has passed into the pages of our history. Nan has been in poor health for sometime with my sister nursing her. RIP our wonderful beautiful wise Nana XX

Thank you for the offer of an introduction to other family, it is appreciated just maybe not the right time.

[MaryA]

Please accept our condolences to you and your family.

[Hilary]

My condolences to you and your family.

I will explain the situation to the other family and that in the future you would like to contact them.

[Jon Maddox]

Thanks for the condolences. Today is a strange mix of sadness and relief. I'm enjoying having my head in history more than it being in present day. I have family I love that I don't keep in contact with enough and think that's part of the holding back with contacting new.
I am interested to learn peoples thoughts on the Rigby photo theory? There were marriages between the Peters, Wright, Rigby, Robinson and Ball families that I know of. I have read before that most of the men in the Eliza Fernley were related in some way.

Thanks again
Jon

[Hilary]

Wright is one of the most common surnames in the area. There are also many Rigbys, Balls and Robinsons in the area. To see if the families relate you'd need to do trees for each family to see where or if they meet.

The men from the lifeboat all lived around the same area. It was called Ecclesfield and though the houses had been built 20 - 30 years before they were small and lacking facilities. Boundary Street was one of the poorest areas in Southport at the time.

[MaryA]

I'm so glad we have some local history knowledge in Hilary.

I have family I love that I don't keep in contact with enough and think that's part of the holding back with contacting new.

I would imagine this is going to be a time for family gatherings, perhaps you may find that one of them is as interested in their ancestry as you are and this might be a time to arrange a future meeting to chat about it, they may have seen the photograph or similar or know some stories that could help.

[Jon Maddox]

Thanks for priceless local knowledge again Hilary, and to you again for your thoughts Mary. My nan was the last of her brothers and sisters and we only have a small family down South. I feel that I am now the keeper of stories and I feel honored with it. I made a promise to my nan that her story will live on.

[Jon Maddox]

Ralph's wife was Alice Wright born 1828, her brother was John Wright born abt 1838. John Wright married Margaret Rigby born abt 1837. Margaret's brother John Rigby lost his son Timothy Rigby and his daughter Margaret lost her husband Peter Wright.
In the Sefton publication it says that Thomas Rigby was the uncle of Peter Wrights wife (I now know her to be Margaret). Thomas Rigby is also known to be the father-in-law to John Ball.

I think I am related in some way to most of the men lost from Southport that tragic night? The scale of the local and family loss is only now truly becoming clear for me. Those poor widows and children. I am very proud to be learning their stories. I'm guessing it's no wonder those times were never really talked about as life moved on across our generations.

Thanks again
Jon

[Jon Maddox]

I'm getting very lost with the mix of names, husbands and wives, cousins and second cousins. The surnames are bouncing backwards and forwards across the generations as much as the first names. They were all close for sure

[BarbaraW]

Have you made a tree of some kind either online or on paper? It's essential or you will get in a muddle if you have a lot with the same names.

[Jon Maddox]

I am distantly related to Thomas Rigby, The man that I think could well be pictured to the right.