Heroes and Rebels in the Family Tree—The Crew of the Donum Patris (Part 1)

 

Heroes and Rebels in the Family Tree—The Crew of the Donum Patris (Part 1)


The British fishing vessel Donum Patris (LT 282 owned by Mr. J. J. Breach) was a Lowestoft-based boat that was lost at sea in a gale while herring fishing in the North Sea, with all nine crew members drowning. She left Lowestoft Harbour on the 6th of December 1886 and was believed lost in the gale on the 8th December 1886.

The incident occurred when the vessel was believed to have capsized. Wreckage, specifically a clinker-built boat found bottom up, was sighted drifting past the Smith's Knoll Light Vessel and matched the description of the missing vessel. The crew members who were also lost were identified as Skipper James Greengrass, 31; Mate Thomas Boyce, 30;  Seaman John Ayers, 26; Seaman William Barber, 20, Wingfield;  Seaman John Fish, 21, Beccles; Seaman Samuel Gower, 20; Seaman John Smith, 24;  Boy George Snowling, 17; and Seaman George Youngman, 27. 

The loss of the Donum Patris is one of the incidents listed on a fishermen's memorial and part of the history of the Lowestoft fishing tradition, which saw several vessels and crews lost in the mid-20th century due to various incidents at sea. 

I have discovered that three of the crew from the fishing vessel Donum Patris are related in our family tree.  But, I suspect that most of the crew have a family connection based upon the surnames of the crew, and as I uncover that connection, I will add them into this blog and post the story of the fisherman and his family's history.  Part 2 will begin the story of Skipper James Greengrass.

 

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