Heroes and Rebels in the Family Tree—William Joseph Fletcher and the Tragedy of the Teal Duck

 William Joseph Fletcher was born in October 1863, in Lowestoft, Suffolk, England as the fourth child of seven to John Oldham Fletcher (1832-1886) and Eliza Burwood Garwood (1832-1905).   He was baptized on November 1, 1863 at St. Margaret’s Church, Lowestoft.  William Joseph’s father was a fisherman. And his grandfather, Samuel Fletcher was a shipwright. In 1861, John Oldham Fletcher was a Master of the vessel named “Joseph”.

In 1881, William Joseph Fletcher was the cook aboard the “Renown” of Lowestoft.  George Boaks was the boat’s Master along with William N. Easter, Mate from Aldborough, Suffolk, James H. Jacobs, Able-Bodied Seaman from Oulton, Suffolk, and William Spall, Ordinary Seaman from Halesworth, Suffolk.

By March 5, 1899, William Joseph had received his Mates certification and was working aboard the fishing boat The Teal Duck when the boat foundered and all the crew aboard were believed lost at sea in the South Ness near the Shetland archipelago of Scotland. 

William Joseph Fletcher was just 36 years old when he perished.  He never married.  In total, 8 sailors lost their lives in the tragic accident.  The most interesting aspect of the loss of the fishing vessel is the recorded voice of one of the witnesses to the tragedy which had been preserved by Professor Alexander Fenton around 1958.  You may read about the disaster and then hear Mr. Robbie Isbister tell the story of what he saw.  With a heavy Scottish accent, it is difficult to understand everything he said, but with the summary of the accident below, you may surmise what he was saying.

(Ctrl + Click) on the link below to hear the recording.

The fishing boat, the Teal Duck, foundered on the South Ness... - Tobar an Dualchais

THE FISHING BOAT, THE TEAL DUCK, FOUNDERED ON THE SOUTH NESS OF FOULA

Contributors

Isbister, Robbie (4813)

Fieldworkers

Fenton, Prof. Alexander, 1929-2012 (2801)

Date1958

Summary

Gaada Stack is a popular sight for tourists who venture to Foula.
The fishing boat, The Teal Duck, foundered on the South Ness of Foula and was lost with all hands.

The fishing vessel, the Teal Duck, had been sheltering on the lea side of the island [Foula] till evening, when she shifted to the west side, then the wind shifted to the north-west. Robbie Isbister recalls seeing the ship's light at midnight. Next morning he saw a lot of wood in the sea, including a mast, then pieces of the vessel on the rocks. He met two men who told him the rest of the vessel was on the South Ness, and there was no sign of the crew, but Robbie wanted to check again and was lowered by rope. He checked every crevice but found nothing.

He believes that the steam boiler had exploded on contact with the cold water. The ship's bow lay up among the cletts [coastal rocks]. Robbie speculates that the crew would all have all been sleeping apart from one man in the wheelhouse and another in the boiler room. Eight men and a dog were lost. They would have had no chance.

Item Notes

The Teal Duck was 25m long, wooden hulled, and registered in North Shields. She was lost with all hands on the night of 5 March 1899. The Teal Duck was captained by George Robinson who was born in Amble, Northumberland in 1852. He was a master mariner who resided in North Shields.

Boiler exploded and 8 crew lost their lives.

1.      George Robinson, 47, Master, Amble, Northumberland

2.      William Joseph Fletcher, 36, Mate, Lowestoft

3.      James Blakey, 41, Engineer, Ovingham

4.      James Fryer, 22, Fireman, Hebburn

5.      John Stewart, 47, Fisherman, North Shields

6.      William Dougal, 38 Fisherman, Eyemouth

7.      John Scott, 29, Fisherman, Eyemouth

8.      David Anderson, 38, Cook, Burntisland

Genealogy:  William Joseph Fletcher 1863-1899 was the son of Eliza Burwood Garwood 1832-1905 and she was the daughter of Ann Burwood 1793-1874 and her father was Henry Bell Burwood (Fish Merchant/Boat Builder) 1766-1851and his father was George Burwood 1743-1823 and his mother was Judith Salter 1707-1773 and her mother was Judith Farrow 1680-1718 and her mother was Anne Mewse 1654- and her father was Philip Mewse 1629-1673 and his father was John Mewse (Fisherman) 1592-1667 and his son was Simon Mewse (butcher) 1641-1719 and his son was Simon Mewse (butcher) 1672-1741 and his son was Simon Mewse 1695-1736 and his daughter was Mary Mewse 1727-1797 and her daughter was Elizabeth Curtis 1756-1831 and her son was John Curtis Adams 1797-1873 and his son was William Frederick Adams 1848-1907 and his son was George "Pikey" William Welch-Adams 1867-1940.

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