William Paynter
1870 - 1888
Photos: Left: Fred and William c. 1875 (I guess);
Right: Fred, Lilian, William c.1882 (I guess)
Outline his Life: The following
information was sent to me by Ray Farnsworth
(see email dated 11 Jan 2005):
- Born at Freelands, Alnwick Oct 8 1870, third child (
2nd son) of Henry Augustus Paynter and Henrietta Paynter ( nee Newman).
- Little is known of his early life but some photographs
of him as a young boy are held at Freelands.
- He was bound as an apprentice seaman at London on Nov.
25 1886 for 4 years to C. Nicholson, a ship owner from Liverpool.
- His first voyage was on the sailing ship CUMERIA (net
1284 tons, built Birkenhead - Ship No. 63195). The voyage was from London
to Melbourne and "any port or places in Australia, New Zealand, India,
China, Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, West Indies, America, trading backwards
and forwards as the Master may require until the return of the vessel to
a final port of discharge in the United Kingdom. Voyage not to exceed 3
years". The voyage in fact ended on March 27 1888, at North Shields
(mouth of the River Tyne, some 35 miles South of Alnwick), having started
in London in Nov. 1886.
- The crew consisted of 20 men, together with 4 apprentices.
One of his fellow apprentices was Henry Middleton Dand of Alnwick
who was no doubt a close personal friend, as the Middleton Dand family
was well-established and known in Alnwick, and friendly with the Paynters
(ref. Ediths and Olives diaries/records).
- Family, anecdotal information suggests that William was
not at all keen to continue his career as a seaman but, during his short
break at home in April 1888, was persuaded by his father to continue/complete
his apprenticeship. He sailed again on the CUMERIA on April 20 (from N.
Shields).
- His reluctance to sail again is now understandable from
an examination of the Crew Agreements of the CUMERIA (copies held at Freelands).
On his opening voyage to Melbourne, one of his fellow young apprentices,
George Dickson, was killed by "a fall from aloft whilst at sea".
This resulted in a Certificate completed in Melbourne on April 15
1887 at the Mercantile Marine Office. Furthermore 10 members of the
crew deserted at Melbourne (replaced by others); two others failed to join
the ship in Melbourne, one deserted in Valparaiso and one other was declared
sick in Valparaiso (syphilis). A further motley collection joined the ship
in Hamburg just before the final short trip across the North Sea to North
Shields. Most of these were foreign and were defined as "Runners"
and " did not appear to sign their formal release after docking in
the UK". What a collective experience for a 17 year old- hardly surprising
he didn't appear to keen to continue!
- However he did, and sailed on the CUMERIA from N.Shields
on April 20 1888 on a voyage to Valparaiso. The Master, C.J. Hilton and
First Mate, A.L. Hurry were unchanged. The rest of the crew were a mixture
of Swedish, Danish, German, Irish, and English. Again there were 4 apprentices
including Henry Middleton Dand and William Foster Paynter. The vessel
was not heard of after June 12 1888 and 25 lives were lost "supposed
drowned". I believe the last contact was somewhere near South
Africa (see correction below). My final note is that apparently
WF Paynter was owed £4/7s/6d, "to be accounted for". A
certified copy of the entry in the Marine Register of Deaths is held at
Freelands.
Ray Farnsworth offered further information and the illustration
below in an email dated 25th Jan 2005 as follows:
"I have obtained a copy of picture of the "Cumeria"
from the Hilton family. I have now been authoritively advised that the
Cumeria was last sighted on June 12th 1888 at Lat. 30degrees South, Long.
50degrees West off the South American East Coast, between Port Alegre and
Rio Grande, about 300 miles North of Montevideo. I had previously understood
(wrongly) that the ship was last seen off the South African coast."
Below is a copy of a very early photograph
of the Cumeria sent to me by Ray Farnsworth in July 2006 taken in San Fransisco
in 1872 (copyright is with the museum in San Francisco)
An earlier note from Ray dated July 2002, stated: "I
did the original research re the fate of William, your Grandmothers brother.
The family data was that he was lost on The Conway. I checked with detailed
maritime records both in the UK and in Nova Scotia, and came up with the
true ship record and crew lists etc. It was definitely The Cumeria".
Ian Caldwell relates
a similar story which concludes with the following anecdote: "William was presumed drowned but his body was never found.
His mother always laid an extra place at the table every Christmas for him
as she never knew for certain he was dead."
Page last updated 29 Jul 2006 - Photo added of the "Cumeria".
