The story of a ship wreck; the Garthpool, lost off the Cape Verde Islands, 1929

Hello,

I wonder if anyone can help me.

I am researching the story of a ship wreck, the wrecking of the Garthpool off the Cape Verde Islands, on Armistice Day in 1929; all 34 crew members survived and enjoyed a bit of an adventure on the islands for several weeks before being shipped home as 'Distressed British Seamen,' on the steamship's Avelona Star (12 including the Captain, Passengers and apprentice's) and the Deseado, which arrived at Liverpool with 21 of the crew.

My great grandfather, Christopher Bedford Steel, (1907-1943), nick named 'Scuppers' by the crew, was a passenger/apprentice, on board for the experience of the voyage.

So far I have found a lot of articles, references in lots of books, and various documents from ancestry as well as many photos from several contacts.

I am looking into each of the crew members stories in more detail;
Who they were, what they experienced and what became of them...

I have already got a good idea of several individuals stories but I'm always discovering and learning more.

Several of the crew had particular links to Liverpool;

>>William Taylor, an O.S., his family lived at 10 Neil Street, Liverpool circa 1911 and after 1929. He was born in Liverpool in 1910.

>>William Joseph Reeds, an Australian, stayed at the Sailors Home Liverpool in 1929.

>>Emile Louis (1861-1940) from Mauritius, mostly lived & had family in Liverpool, when he wasn't at sea as a steward or cook. He was married twice, to Grace Albans (nee Todd) and then to Rose Ann Maye. He had a total of about 6 children.
He was on the last Liverpool ship 'Birkdale'; any information about this ship most appreciated.


And here is a full list of the crew>> you never know, maybe one of your relatives was amongst the crew;

David Thomson, 1866-1949, of Anstruther, Fife; Captain of the Garthpool 1926-29; AKA 'Old man' (I have been in contact with his grandson)

*William Loades, 1860-1940, of Kingsbridge Devon; Chief Mate; an old shellback
(Still working on his tree/story)
((I forgot to edit this; it's just William, not Thomas William, though born around the right time/place I have learnt Tom would be a brother/cousin who I think died in 1933; William died in 1940 in Liverpool))

Stanley Butcher, 1905-(not sure exactly when he died), of Hull; 2nd Mate;

Lester Newman, 1901-1977, not sure where from; 3rd Mate (I was in contact with a grandson of his)

William Chenoweth, 1884-?, of Aberdeen Scotland (or maybe Cornwall?); Bo'sun (work in progress; he was on one of the Artic voyages in 'Scot's Discovery in about the 1900's I think)

Emile Louis, 1861-1940, of Mauritius; Cook; Nick named 'Doc' ((As noted above))

William Joseph Reeds, (1902-?), of Australia, sailmaker; married to Margaret Helena (surname unknown); they lived in Warringah, New South Wales, Australia in 1930.

William Joss, (1869-?) of Aberdeen; Steward (Very little known)

John Mcpherson, 1884-?, of Aberdeen; Shipwright/carpenter; nick name 'Chips' (I know very little about him)

Stanley James Hugill, 1906-1993, of Hoylake, Cheshire; A.B. & shantyman;

Timothy James 'Toddy' O'Sullivan, 1907-after 1970, of Waterville, Co.Kerry, Ireland also lived in Co. Cork; Seaman; went on to become a successful hotelier, running the Gresham in Dublin from the 1940's through the 1960's (I have been in contact with his grandson)

Christopher Bedford Steel, 1907-1943, of Farnborough, Hants; Passenger/Apprentice; nick named 'Scuppers' by the crew; I am his great grand daughter

Thomas Herbert Beveridge Oates, 1910-1941, b.South Africa, lived in Dover; Apprentice
(I have found some great details out about this romantic soul; he wrote at length to a sweet heart in the late 1930's, Elizabeth Eadie; I'd love to hear from Oates relatives; but he had no children)

Edward James Smith, 1912-?, of Port Adelaide; apprentice, nick name Sails; son of Walter Thomas Smith, lighthouse keeper of Point Lowly, Spencer Gulf, Australia circa1890's-1903 (There are some great clues here so I'm hopeful an Aussie relative may get in touch?)

Robert G. B. Harrison, 1911-1942, of Newport, Mon, Wales; Apprentice; wife Enid Y Evans, (Some great clues/work in progress ((WIP)))

Henry Walsworth Kinney(2), 1910-1989, of Hawaii; Apprentice; son of HW Kinney, writer; His son is the 3rd HW Kinney, lawyer in New Orleans (I was in contact with his grandson; aiming to re connect)

Felix Rolph Mines, 1912-?, of Chesterton, Cambridge; Apprentice; emigrated to Australia
(I'm in contact with his niece)

William Norman Basson, 1912-1980, of Hemel Hempstead, Herts; Apprentice (WIP)

Edward Ernest Fenwick, 1914-?, of Hull; Apprentice (I have notes on his family tree; I know he ended up in Singapore by 1978, then Captain of the Rajah Brooke)

William Austin Willis, 1914-?, of Bangor, Co Down, Ireland; Apprentice (WIP)

George Collas Hocart, 1908-?, pf Guernsey, Channel Isles; Seaman (WIP)

Charles Dowman (possibley Charles Darby Allen Dowman); 1905-1997?; of Cork; Seaman; wife Rosemary (WIP)

James Alfred McBrearty, 1909-1977, of West Derby, Lanc; Seaman; later Captain and 'Cape Horner' (WIP)

Edward Vyvyan N Fuller, 1907-?, of Liskeard/lived at Withial Rectory House; Seaman; father Vicar of Withial early 20th century (WIP)

Charles McLelland, 1904-?, of Belfast; Seaman (I know very little)

Archibald McVeigh, 1907-1982, of Belfast; seaman (WIP)

Albert McMillan, 1887-?, of Argyle; seaman (Very little known)

Arthur Edward Pearson, 1908-?, of Hull; seaman; possibley one of the 'Hull Pilots' getting certificate (Also Fenwick/Allman possibley one of them Hull pilot too) (Great clues here...)

Charles Edward Allman, 1908-1972, of Sculcoates(I think born Hull); seaman (cluess....)

William Taylor, 1910-?, of Liverpool (grew up at 10 Neil Street); seaman
((As noted above))

William McPherson Hutton, 1876-?, of Kinghorn, Fife, Scotland; Purser; enginner and later at 'Cape Horner' as he sailed on the Viking in 1934, kept a diary and wrote a book 'Cape Horn Passage...'

Peter Kerr Smiley, 1879-1943, born Paisley, Scotland but family Irish; Major in Boar War; MP for Antrim North circa 1908-1911; purser on Garthpool (I have met his grandson)

Alfred James Pazolt, 1876-1956, of Boston, USA; purser twice on Garthpool; Artist and wrote two articles on his Garthpool experiences (I have some great notes on Pazolts history but more most welcome)

Jean Gloro, 1898-?, French Canadian (not exactly sure); seaman; in Pazolt's account, 'the frenchman' or 'Frenchy' was a thief... (Tricky one this; any French researchers help most appreciated)

Any information, help and advice would be most appreciated,

Thanks,

All the best,

Bye for now,

Jessica S. Fox

Hi Jessica,welcome to Yo!:nod: Hopefully, Captain Kong, or Brian Daley,might be able to help?

Thanks Steve, I look forward to learning more! All the best, bye for now, Jessica

Hi Jessica, and welcome to Yo! :)

The Cape Verde Islands should have some interesting archive material regarding the wreck? If you haven't already done so, I'd make this my next holiday destination? They're only a bit further south than the Canaries, so there should be some deals to be had?

I did a google on "Thomas William Loades" and he appears on several sites, so in that regard, you're doing the right thing by way of publishing the names as widely as possible.

It sounds like an interesting project, and I'm sure some of the ex-sailors on here will be able to help you further.

Good luck,

Daz

Hi Jessica

Welcome to the site. I note Stan Hugill's name among the shipwrecked crew. As you say, he was a shantyman and also author of the book Sailortown about Liverpool's old dockland area, Paradise Street, with all the old stories of the sailors and the boarding house keepers and prostitutes. I see that Stan did write, The Loss of the Garthpool. Here's a Google on Stan and his connection to the ship. Good luck to you in your project. I also see you have started a website: http://www.thegarthpoolproject.webs.com/ :)

All the best

Chris

Dear Daz,

Thanks for your email; I have emailed various people at the Cape Verde Islands (island archives was one of the first enquiries I made) but I've not actually got any information yet; I was given a few details of who to email but I have never had any replies, but I think I'll go through my archived emails and try these old emails again, see if there might be some up to date emails to try or something like that.

Well, yes, a trip to the Cape Verdes is something I have considered at some point in the future, but I don't have an awful lot of money at the moment; I think I'd put a bit of planning into that trip, it would be a great adventure...

I had forgotten to change Loades details; I have been in touch with a grandson (or great grandson) of Loades and I have just corrected my post as his name's just William, not Thomas William; I found Tom born in about the right year, same place, Kingsbridge Devon but there was a William also born around that time/place, & the family confirm this matches rather than the former (a brother or cousin?), so easy mistake.

And thanks for your email Chris; yes, I have googled Stan Hugill & seen his books in the British Library, but thanks for your feedback; and I have several great archives featuring him, and I am also in contact with his grandson, as well as shanty friends/colleagues/associates/fans. He is a fondly remembered & great character.

Thanks again for everyone's messages so far; I look forward to learning more!

All the best, bye for now, Jess

Hi Jessica,
Last year I saw a film on TV about Stan Hugil, he was telling the story of the Blue Funnel ship he was on in 1940 that was shelled and sunk by a German ship, Stan was on the wheel and the Captain and Mate were killed next to him.
The Germans got the plans for Singapore and what the British govenment were going to do in case the Japs attacked it.

The the full history of the Garthpool, ex Juteopolis is on www.wrecksite.eu she was a sailing ship designed for the Jute Trade, it is copy write or else I would have copied it for you. There is also a photo of the ship.

Dear Captain Kong,

Thank you very much for your email; I wonder, what channel was the film on? I would have loved to have seen that. If it was one of the discovery channels, or the like, it may be repeated sometime, hopefully....I had read Stan was a POW in WW2, but I hadn't read details about his experiences. He was a great character; I have seen footage of him before, as I have a copy of a 1970 film about the Garthpool.

Yes, thanks for the Wreck site link, but I was the one who submitted the initial listing for the Garthpool there, as it wasn't listed before; other people have added to the entry since but my name should still be mentioned somewhere on there.

Thanks a lot again, I'd love to know more about when that film of Stan was shown!
All the best,
Bye for now,
Jess