Ship wreck "The Bachelor"

[viblir]

Can anyone out there give any info on the wreck of The Bachelor,

wrecked around Valla Sound en rout to Willminton America from Leith with imigrants in the 18th Century (maybe)

 

this is verbal history we are trying to nail down.

[viblir]

I'll answer my own question, after some more digging about:

 

May 16, 1774

Edinburgh Evening Courant

On Monday last arrived at Leith, the Batchelor of ditto, Capt. Ramage, from Zetland. She failed from Thurso in Caithness on the 14th September with 280 emigrants, for North Carolina; but meeting with high and contrary winds was put back to Stromness. Some days thereafter setting out again they got as far as the Butt of the Lewis, when the wind turning against them, and blowing furiously, their long boat was staved, one of the rudder-bands broken, and their pumps choaked; however, after some days of great distress, and eminent danger of being wrecked on the west side of Zetland, they got into Vaila Sound on the 3d October.—Most of the passengers being poor people, who had sold all their effects to pay their freight, and the shipmaster not being obliged to maintain them on shore, were now in danger of starving, but fortunately for them the Vice Admiral-depute was present at their arrival, and a witness to their distress: Moved with compassion he wrote to the gentlemen and clergy of the country, representing their pitiful situation, and forthwith liberal contributions of money, meal and potatoes, were sent from all corners. On the 24th October the ship being repaired and ready to sail, she was driven from her anchors in a high gale, her bottom damaged, and two of her anchors broken: All possibility of proceeding on the voyage for some time being now taken away, the poor people were dispersed through the different parishes of that country: They were kindly received and liberally maintained for upwards of six months by those hospitable islanders. The ship was found insufficient to proceed, and has come to Leith to be repaired; and as her timbers are broken, it will take some weeks before they are in a condition to go to sea again. The passengers are still in the same destitute situation: About 200 of them who have nothing to maintain themselves on, are just now reduced to the greatest extremity, and unless some speedy relief is afforded them they must certainly perish. Many of them are able and willing to work, but cannot find employment. The Rev. Messrs Scot Johnston, and Logan, ministers of Leith, and Mr. William Taylor merchant in the Luckenbooths, Edinburgh, have with becoming zeal interested themselves in this really piteous case, and have raised, and still are raising, such charity as any well disposed person may chuse to give on the occasion.

 

December 19, 1774

Edinburgh Evening Courant

For EDENTON, North-Carolina,

The BATCHELOR of Dysart, george barclay, Master, a good vessel, (has excellent accommodation for passengers) now lying in Leith harbour, and is ready to take in goods, will be clear to sail by the 10th January 1775.

For freight or passage apply to Jamieson and Carmichael merchants, Exchange, Edinburgh, or the master at Dysart.

N.B. At the above Jamieson and Carmichael’s ship may be had, Broad Cloths, Hunters ditto, Shalloons, Gorderels, Futrians, Flannels, Hats, Stockings, and all kinds of furniture for mens apparel, upon the lowest terms.

 

 

 

Source

http://www.ncpublications.com/colonial/Newspapers/subjects/Imm.htm

[Gaepshot]

I seem to remember reading an account of the voyage somewhere, a few years ago that they also had an outbreak of disease, I think it was smallpox, during which they impounded some children in the fo'csle. As they came near Vaila sound the dead children were thrown overboard.

The destitute families were lodged from October until April of the following year, some people decided to stay on in Shetland and their descendants can trace their family names back. One man called Balfour who was a blacksmith stayed on and I believe his anvil is still in existence.

The Scots magazine gives an account identical to the Edinburgh Evening Courant with the additional information :- " Some of these emigrants having taken an uninhabited house in the Pleasance, in the suburbs of Edinburgh, distributed themselves into the several rooms, and as the rooms have no grates they were obliged to light their fires upon the hearths. One of the chimneys in a room in which a husband , a wife, a son and a maidservant had taken up their abode, not venting properly, the smoke had such a meloncholy an effect upon these people that next morning, May 4th the two women were found dead, and the father and son survived till next day. The four were interred in two graves in the Chapel-of Ease-Churchyard, and a prodigious number of spectators attended the funeral. "

[Kevin]

One man called Balfour who was a blacksmith stayed on and I believe his anvil is still in existence.

 

Kathleen Tait who has done extensive research on the Balfours was telling me about this theory on the Balfours that some folk had, however, as well as myself, she was able to trace that line of Balfours back to before 1774. There are many Old Parish Records linking that line of Balfours to Clousta as far back as the 1730s if I mind right.

 

Not sure where the story would have come from? unless there were other Balfours on the ship?

[Kevin]

Edit - posted yun twice somehow

[Gaepshot]

I've just been checking some other family names and they don't link to the " Batchelor " either it must be another Urban Myth!

[Vicky.g]

Hello! Just reading this thread 13 years after it was posted. I heard that the passengers or boat hands who ended up staying in Shetland changed their surnames to the name of the places they had come fae. Balfour is a place in Orkney, other Shetland names that could have come round this way are Moffat (my relations) and Abernethy. I wid love to fin out mare.

[MuckleJoannie]

I am also interested in the Batchelor of Leith as my mother told me that her family, the Frasers, originated from her. However I have never found any proof of that. there does not seem to be a definitive version of what actually happened easily available. Christine de Luca recently published a novel based on what happened. She used the Walls parish records for her story. These records are avaialable online at Scotlands People but they are hard to follow as there is only photocopies of the originals, not transcriptions.

I am not sure about the story of the surnames. I can find a John Moffat born on Papa Stour about 1705 on Bayanne and there are Abernethys and Frasers recorded in the mid 18th century.

[Vicky.g]

I think that the people who were recorded were those who planned to emigrate to Carolina, so it could be that people working on the boat weren't recorded. No wonder they would have wanted to jump ship with the terrible conditions on board! I've just ordered The Trials of Mary Johnsdaughter by Christine de Luca, a novel based on the story of the Batchelor in the hope of finding out more.

[MuckleJoannie]

I've seen the names of crew members somewhere, possible the kirk records.