Heroes and Rebels in the Family Tree—The crew of the BOSTON PIONAIR.

 

Heroes and Rebels in the Family Tree—The crew of the BOSTON  PIONAIR.

Early this past week, the town of Lowestoft paid a fitting tribute to the crew of the BOSTON PIONAIR.  The fishing trawler was originally built in Lowestoft in 1956 for Boston Deep Sea Fisheries and based in Fleetwood.  At some time prior to 1965, the trawler was transferred to Pegasus Trawling in Lowestoft and registered as LT432.

On February 6, 1965, the ship sailed from Lowestoft harbour under the command of skipper Brian Moyse with a crew of nine hands.  She commenced fishing at Horn Reef the next day in the company of two other trawlers the BOSTON WIDGEON the ROY STEVENS.

By February 12, 1965, the weather began freshening with winds forecast up to force 10.  All three skippers decided to move westward to be closer to the land.  At about 7:30 pm the BOSTON PIONAIR was seen hauling her gear and heading off in a west southwesterly direction.  That was the last time she was seen.  For the next two days the weather was very bad with very high seas.

At 6:30 am on February 14, 1965, the BOSTON WIDGEON made radio contact with the PIONAIR.  After a short conversation about the weather and fishing the skippers ended the chat.  That was the last time anyone spoke to the BOSTON PIONAIR.

By February 16, 1965, after repeated failures to contact BOSTON PIONAIR over the past two days a full-scale search was started, including two naval vessels, a shackleton aircraft and over sixty trawlers.  Article belonging to BOSTON PIONAIR were found over 130 miles west southwest of the position she was last seen.  All the crew were lost at sea.

Crew Lost:

Brian Charles Lesley Moyse—Skipper

Gordon Frank Beamish—Mate

Michael James Lark—Bosun

Anthony Alfred Thurston—Chief Engineer

Walter James Thurston—2^nd Engineer

John Richard Gennery—Deckhand

William Stebbing—Deckhand

Michael Lee—Deckhand

Bertie Frederick Charles Moyse—Deckhand and Cook.

Of the nine crewmembers of the BOSTON PIONAIR, Walter and Anthony Thurston were brothers and Brian Moyse was the son of Bertie Moyse.  Seven of the crew  are related to our family tree.  The closest relationship is that of Anthony Alfred Thurston who was married to Jean Maud Adams.  Jean was the granddaughter of George “Pikey” Adams’ brother.

I was unable to find a family connection to Michael Lee and William Stebbing.

Genealogy:  Brian Charles Lesley Moyse 1939-1965 was married to Norma D Martin 1940- and her father was George Martin 1911-1986 and his father was William Alfred Martin 1877-1966 and his mother was Hannah Thompson 1851-1939 and her brother was William George Thompson Sr 1854-1902 and his son was William George Thompson 1878- and his wife was Gertrude Ann Adams 1878-1938 and her brother was George "Pikey" William Welch-Adams 1867-1940.

 

 

 

 

Genealogy:  Anthony Alfred Thurston 1931-1965 was the husband of Jean Maud Adams 1932-2014 and her father was Frederick James Adams 1906-1982 and his father was James Frederick Adams 1869-1915 and his brother was George "Pikey" William Welch-Adams 1867-1940.

Genealogy:  Walter James Thurston 1932-1965 was the brother of Anthony Alfred Thurston 1931-1965 and he was married to Jean Maud Adams 1932-2014 and her father was Frederick James Adams 1906-1982 and his father was James Frederick Adams 1869-1915 and his brother was George "Pikey" William Welch-Adams 1867-1940.

Genealogy:  John Richard Gennery 1941-1965 was the son of Benjamin Richard Gennery 1916-2006 and his father was Richard Benjamin Gennery 1887-1931 and his sister was Elizabeth Ellen Gennery 1871-1947 and her husband was William John Hook 1870-1940 and his mother was Amy Capps 1819-1855 and her brother was Francis Cooper Capps 1812-1873 and his daughter was Rhoda Frances Capps 1842-1908 and her husband was Henry Mobbs 1843-1899 and her father was George Mobbs 1810-1867 and his mother was Elizabeth Beckett 1789-1871 and her father was William Beckett 1766-1834 and his sister was Mary Beckett 1772-1847 and her daughter was Judith (Julie) Snowling 1795-1883 and her daughter was Eliza Dye 1835-1873 and her daughter was Caroline Forster 1864-1906 and her husband was George "Pikey" William Welch-Adams 1867-1940.

Genealogy:  Gordon Frank Beamish 1914-1965 was the son of Esther Gouldby 1889-1966 and her father was Edward Gouldby 1853-1938 and his mother was Mary Ann Lydamore 1813-1865 and her mother was Hannah Utting 1784-1842 and her brother was William Utting 1786-1835 and his son was Robert Utting 1821-1867 and his daughter was Eliza Wroth Utting 1846-1886 and her son was William Cutter 1871-1939 and his wife was Gladys Irene Adams 1912-1997 and her father was Francis "Frank" Henry Adams 1884-1965 and his brother was George "Pikey" William Welch-Adams 1867-1940.

 

 

Genealogy:  Michael James Lark 1945-1965 was the son of Edith Kathleen Buck 1916-1993 and her mother was Anne Maria Taylor 1875-1952 and her mother was Mary Ann Powles 1856-1927 and her mother was Amy Wooltorton 1820-1875 and her mother was Mary Baldry 1785-1856 and her father was William Baldry 1763-1838 and his father was William Felder Baldry 1729-1813 and his brother was John Baldry 1755-1833 and his daughter was Susanna Baldry 1774-1858 and her daughter was Phoebe Mayes 1804-1873 and her son was Thomas Forster 1837-1888 and his daughter was Caroline Forster 1864-1906 and her husband was George "Pikey" William Welch-Adams 1867-1940.

Genealogy:  Bertie Frederick Charles Moyse 1904-1965 was the father of Brian Charles Lesley Moyse 1939-1965 and his wife was Norma D Martin 1940- and her father was George Martin 1911-1986 and his father was William Alfred Martin 1877-1966 and his mother was Hannah Thompson 1851-1939 and her brother was William George Thompson Sr 1854-1902 and his son was William George Thompson 1878- and his wife was Gertrude Ann Adams 1878-1938 and her brother was George "Pikey" William Welch-Adams 1867-1940.