Appreciating the generalization of the question I nevertheless was interested in anyone's perspective as to the capabilities of a Master Mariner during the 19th century. As close as I can determine my gg grandfather was a Sea Captain/Master Mariner for 50+ years from the 1830's through the 1880's. His cargo often consisted of coal, pig iron, timber, sugar or molasses. On many voyages he transported immigrants from the UK to Australia, New Zealand, Canada or the United States. A few of his other more frequent destinations included India, the Philippines, Singapore, Malta, Antigua, Trinidad, Barbados, Brazil and Cuba. Other than a good working knowledge of the sea and sailing ships I suspect MM's needed to be excellent leaders of men and capable of managing the commercial aspects of these voyages. I would love to hear others' opinions on the topic.

On 11/08/2011 21:03, Gordon Shank wrote: > Appreciating the generalization of the question I nevertheless was > interested in anyone's perspective as to the capabilities of a Master > Mariner during the 19th century. > > > > As close as I can determine my gg grandfather was a Sea Captain/Master > Mariner for 50+ years from the 1830's through the 1880's. > > > > His cargo often consisted of coal, pig iron, timber, sugar or molasses. On > many voyages he transported immigrants from the UK to Australia, New > Zealand, Canada or the United States. A few of his other more frequent > destinations included India, the Philippines, Singapore, Malta, Antigua, > Trinidad, Barbados, Brazil and Cuba. > > > > Other than a good working knowledge of the sea and sailing ships I suspect > MM's needed to be excellent leaders of men and capable of managing the > commercial aspects of these voyages. > > > > I would love to hear others' opinions on the topic. > > > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to MARINERS-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message > > I think you can add to the list physical courage. Thomas Hodgson, my great, great great grandfather, who I mentioned earlier this week was a master mariner. Whilst serving on the John Sugars as a 1st Mate he along with the Captain were accused by members of the crew of scuttling the ship for insurance (the ship sank in heavy weather in the Atlantic off Spain and the crew were rescused from the small boats). This was found not to be true and the crew were charged with conspiracy. The trial involves a detailed description of the the voyage from the Captain, Mate, Vessel Owner and other vingettes from the crew. This the captain talking about how they tried to plug the leak: "we had very heavy weather on Christmas-day, and the cabin sky-light was broken in by a sea---we had then close reefed topsails, and part of the day close reefed main-topsails, and I believe we had also a storm trysail only---more bulwarks were then washed away---from the 25th to New Year's Day the weather continued very heavy, and on New Year's Day, Hodgson, the chief mate, stated that either the carpenter or cook had told him that there was water coming into the ship forwards---I went down into the lower forecastle, and saw water coming in through a leak in the bows---it was an opening in the wood ends---I think the water was a little above, and a great body of water came in every time the vessel dipped---I made every effort to stop the leak, and the chief mate and the carpenter helped me---the leak was two or three feet, I think, and my impression was that the ends had started---the carpenter, myself, and the chief mate were slung over the bows, and we got a piece of wood and a piece of flannel nailed over the wood end---I was over the bows several times that day, but it was impossible to stop over any time together, the vessel was plunging too much---I did my best to stop the leak, and it kept a little water out, but not all" In addition to the courage they needed to be pretty hard men This is Thomas Hodgson talking about keeping the hands on the pumps "the pumps were kept constantly going on the day before the ship sank---we had a difficulty all along to keep the men to the pumps; it was as much as I could do to get them out of the forecastle, out of their berths---they had very hard work some days, they were fatigued and exhausted; but previous to the 5th they only wanted pressing to the pumps; but the day before the ship went down I had to lug them out of the forecastle and drive them to the pumps---I talked to them quietly in the first place, and found that did not take effect, so I was obliged to hammer them to the pumps---I mean that I rope's-ended them to the pumps" If you want to read more about the voyage the transcript of of the trial is here: /Old Bailey Proceedings Online/ (www.oldbaileyonline.org, version 6.0, 11 August 2011), May 1860, trial of WILLIAM COX (17) WILLIAM LEHMANN (29) JOHANN FERDINAND BESCHOTT (25) JOHANN POLL (22) WILLIAM HANSCHILDT (21) (t18600507-481). All the best Gavin

Greetings, Perhaps a glimpse of one gentleman might help? Robert Karl Miethe rounded Cape Horn forty-two times, and was alive at age of 97 in 1974. He suffered injury during a storm whilst a master. A broken collarbone, one kneecap dislocated, and was gashed severely on the head. He supervised the setting and strapping of his shoulder, ordered the mate to knock back the kneecap with a belaying pin, and sew up the scalp. "Pinch the sides together and sew like a sailmaker". Twenty-four stitches later he returned to the deck to take charge. Peter On 2011-08-11, at 2:03 PM, "Gordon Shank" <gdshank@comcast.net> wrote: > Appreciating the generalization of the question I nevertheless was > interested in anyone's perspective as to the capabilities of a Master > Mariner during the 19th century. > > > > As close as I can determine my gg grandfather was a Sea Captain/Master > Mariner for 50+ years from the 1830's through the 1880's. > > > > His cargo often consisted of coal, pig iron, timber, sugar or molasses. On > many voyages he transported immigrants from the UK to Australia, New > Zealand, Canada or the United States. A few of his other more frequent > destinations included India, the Philippines, Singapore, Malta, Antigua, > Trinidad, Barbados, Brazil and Cuba. > > > > Other than a good working knowledge of the sea and sailing ships I suspect > MM's needed to be excellent leaders of men and capable of managing the > commercial aspects of these voyages. > > > > I would love to hear others' opinions on the topic. > > > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to MARINERS-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message

Wooden Ships and Iron Men . Mick ----- Original Message ----- From: Peter Monks To: Gordon Shank ; MARINERS@rootsweb.com Sent: Friday, August 12, 2011 12:27 PM Subject: Re: [MAR] Characteristics of a Master Mariner Greetings, Perhaps a glimpse of one gentleman might help? Robert Karl Miethe rounded Cape Horn forty-two times, and was alive at age of 97 in 1974. He suffered injury during a storm whilst a master. A broken collarbone, one kneecap dislocated, and was gashed severely on the head. He supervised the setting and strapping of his shoulder, ordered the mate to knock back the kneecap with a belaying pin, and sew up the scalp. "Pinch the sides together and sew like a sailmaker". Twenty-four stitches later he returned to the deck to take charge. Peter

Hi Gordon I too have a Master Mariner/Sea Captain I have traced all over the world. I found his obit it doesn't say much, to me it also says volumes. The following Obituary appeared in the Belfast Newsletter 4 November, 1869: DEATH OF CAPTAIN SHAW: Our readers will learn with regret from our paper of to-day the death of Captain Samuel Shaw, at the time of his decease, the oldest master mariner in Belfast. In early life he was a successful master in Langtry's line of packets in the Liverpool and London trades. For upwards of the last twenty years of his life he acted as clerk of ballast under the Belfast Harbour Commissioners. Through life he was remarkable for his knowledge of navigation, and devoted pursuit after its development. As an officer of the port he was revered by all on account of his many talents and quiet inoffensive disposition He was born about 1789. Regards Lyn In Oz.