The Unfortunate Demise of Thomas Forster

 

The Unfortunate Demise of Thomas Forster

Thomas Forster (1837-1888) was born about 1837 in Kessingland, Suffolk, England as the fourth son of Isaac Forster (1801-1890) and Phoebe Mayes (1804-1873).  Isaac and Phoebe raised a total of seven children consisting of 6 boys and only one girl, Mary.

Thomas Forster (1837-1888), married Eliza Dye (1835-1873) at St. Peter & St. John Church in Kirkley, Suffolk, England on August 12, 1856, and then Mary Ann Mann in 1879 after the death of his first wife. 

George Forster was the older brother of Thomas Forster.  George, himself, was not a fisherman.  Rather, he owned and operated a fish market in South Lowestoft.  George’s eldest daughter, Louisa Maria Forster married Henry George Fisher in 1877.  George Forster did quite well for himself as a fish store owner.  Having saved enough money to finally purchase his own fishing vessel, he began searching for a boat.  By 1883, George Forster became the registered owner of a fishing vessel he named “White Rose”.  The “White Rose” was known as a “drifter” which is a type of fishing boat designed to catch herring in a long drift net.  Henry George Fisher was a fisherman and sometime after 1883, George Forster gave his son-in-law command of the “White Rose”, and he became the ship Master.  Thomas Forster was a fisherman and was given a position on the boat as an Able Bodied Seaman along with a crew of four other men and a boy.  On March 10, 1888, he was fishing on the vessel “White Rose” when it encountered a storm.  The ship was believed wrecked and its crew of seven were lost at sea.  

The Lowestoft Weekly Press reported the loss on March 17, 1888:

"40 Lowestoft boats were out in the gale which raged Saturday night into Sunday morning last. Considerable damage to our fishing boats. Robert Goldspink lost 60 nets. The Duke of Connaught had a mate washed overboard. The White Rose was lost in the gale."

Among her crew lost that day were:

Master Henry George Fisher (33), son-in-law to George Forster and married to Louisa Maria Forster.

Mate George Knights (53)

Able Bodied Seaman Adam Turrell (20) related to Thomas Forster by marriage 2nd or 3rd cousin.

Able Bodied Seaman Thomas Forster (52), younger brother of George Forster.

Ordinary Seaman George Friend (23)

Ordinary Seaman Robert Ludbrook (21)

Boy Samuel Brown (16)

 

Cook's 1883

Name- White Rose...Owner- G. Forster...Address- Kirkley

Port of Lowestoft Records 1881 to 1811

Name- White Rose...Class- Drifter...Built- Blt S. C. Allerton, 1881...Disposal- 10/03/1888 went missing





 (Pictured is a light trawler, which is similar in appearance to the boat owned by George Forster.  This is not the "White Rose".)


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