10 September 2014

Was your relative on the Franklin Expedition?

The announcement on Tuesday of the discovery of one of the ships of the Franklin Expedition by Parks Canada led me to wonder, who are the seamen whose remains might still lie among the wreckage?
Here, taken from a compilation of muster rolls at http://www.ric.edu/faculty/rpotter/muster.html and sorted by last name, are the officers and men of HMS Erebus and HMS Terror. Ages given would relate to the departure from England in 1845.

Andrews Joseph Captain of the Hold age 35 HMS Erebus
Armitage Thomas Gun-room Steward age 40 HMS Terror
Arthur Daniel Quartermaster age 35 HMS Erebus
Aylmore Richard Gunroom Steward age 24 HMS Erebus
Bailey John Able Seaman age 21 HMS Terror
Bates John Able Seaman age 24 HMS Terror
Bell   William Quartermaster age 36 HMS Erebus
Berry Alexander Able Seaman age 32 HMS Terror
Best   Charles Able Seaman age23 HMS Erebus
Blanky Thomas Ice Master HMS Terror
Braine William Private age31 HMS Erebus
Bridgens John Subordinate Officers' Steward age 26 HMS Erebus
Brown James W. Caulker age 28 HMS Erebus
Brown Samuel Boatswain's Mate age 27 HMS Erebus
Bryant David Sergeant age31 HMS Erebus
Burt   Thomas Armorer age 22 HMS Erebus
Cann George J. Able Seaman age 23 HMS Terror
Chambers George Boy age18 HMS Erebus
Closson William Able Seaman age25 HMS Erebus
Collins Henry Foster Second Master HMS Erebus
Coombs Charles Able Seaman age28 HMS Erebus
Couch Edward Mate HMS Erebus
Cowie John Stoker HMS Erebus
Crispe Samuel Able Seaman age 24 HMS Terror
Crozier Francis Rawden Moira Captain HMS Terror
Daly James Private age 30 HMS Terror
Darlington Thomas Caulker age 29 HMS Terror
Des Voeux Charles Frederick Mate HMS Erebus
Diggle John Cook age 36 HMS Terror
Downing John Quartermaster HMS Erebus
Dunn Francis Caulker's Mate age 25 HMS Erebus
Evans Thomas Boy age 18 HMS Terror
Fairholme James Walter Lieutenant HMS Erebus
Farr   Thomas R. Captain of the Maintop age 32 HMS Terror
Ferrier Robert Able Seaman age29 HMS Erebus
Fitzjames James Commander HMS Erebus
Fowler William Purser's Steward age 26 HMS Erebus
Franklin Sir John Captain HMS Erebus
Geater Josephus Able Seaman age32 HMS Erebus
Genge Edward Subordinate Officers' Steward age 21 HMS Terror
Gibson William Subordinate Officers' Steward age 22 HMS Terror
Goddard William Captain of the Hold age 39 HMS Terror
Golding Robert Boy age 19 HMS Terror
Goodsir Harry D.S. Assistant Surgeon HMS Erebus
Gore  Graham Lieutenant HMS Erebus
Gregory John Engineer HMS Erebus
Hammond John Private age 32 HMS Terror
Handford   John Able Seaman age 28 HMS Terror
Hartnell   John Able Seaman age 25 HMS Erebus
Hartnell Thomas Able Seaman age23 HMS Erebus
Healey Joseph Private age29 HMS Erebus
Heather William Private age 37 HMS Terror
Hedges William Corporal age 30 HMS Terror
Helpman E.J. Clerk in Charge HMS Terror
Hickey Cornelius Caulker's Mate age 24 HMS Terror
Hoar    Edmund Captain's Steward age 23 HMS Erebus
Hodgson George Henry Lieutenant HMS Terror
Honey Thomas Carpenter HMS Terror
Honey Samuel Blacksmith age 22 HMS Terror
Hopcraft Robert Private age38 HMS Erebus
Hornby Frederick John Mate HMS Terror
Irving John Lieutenant HMS Terror
Jerry    William Able Seaman age 29 HMS Terror
Johns Robert Able Seaman age24 HMS Erebus
Johnson Thomas Boatswain's Mate age 28 HMS Terror
Johnson William Stoker age 45 HMS Terror
Johnson Charles Able Seaman age 28 HMS Terror
Jopson Thomas Captain's Steward age 27 HMS Terror
Kenley John Quartermaster HMS Terror
Kinnaird Goerge Able Seaman age23 HMS Terror
Lane  John Boatswain HMS Terror
Lawrence   Edwin Able Seaman age 30 HMS Terror
Le Vesconte H.T.D. Lieutenant HMS Erebus
Leys    David Able Seaman age 37 HMS Terror
Little Edward Lieutenant HMS Terror
Lloyd Henry Able Seaman age26 HMS Erebus
Male Reuben Captain of the Forecastle age 27 HMS Terror
Manson Magnus Able Seaman age 28 HMS Terror
Mark William Able Seaman age24 HMS Erebus
McBean Giles Alexander Second Master HMS Terror
McConvey Thomas Able Seaman age24 HMS Erebus
McDonald Alexander Assistant Surgeon HMS Terror
McDonald David Quartermaster age 45 HMS Terror
Morfin John Able Seaman age25 HMS Erebus
Murray John Sailmaker age 43 HMS Erebus
Orren William Able Seaman age34 HMS Erebus
Osmer Charles Hamilton Purser HMS Erebus
Pearson Alexander Corporal age30 HMS Erebus
Peddie John Smart Surgeon HMS Terror
Peglar Harry Captain of the Foretop age 37 HMS Terror
Pilkington William Private age28 HMS Erebus
Plater Thomas Stoker HMS Erebus
Pocock Francis Able Seaman age24 HMS Erebus
Reddington Phillip Captain of the Forecastle age 28 HMS Erebus
Reed William Private age28 HMS Erebus
Reid James Ice Master HMS Erebus
Rhodes William Quartermaster age 31 HMS Terror
Rigden James Captain's Coxwain age 32 HMS Erebus
Sait Henry Able Seaman age 23 HMS Terror
Seeley Abraham Able Seaman age34 HMS Erebus
Sergeant Robert Orme Mate HMS Erebus
Shanks William Able Seaman age 29 HMS Terror
Sims David Able Seaman age 24 HMS Terror
Sinclair Robert Captain of the Foretop age 25 HMS Erebus
Sinclair William Able Seaman age 30 HMS Terror
Smith William Blacksmith age 28 HMS Erebus
Smith Luke Stoker age 27 HMS Terror
Stanley Stephen Samuel Surgeon HMS Erebus
Stickland  John Able Seaman age24 HMS Erebus
Strong William Able Seaman age 22 HMS Terror
Sullivan John Captain of the Maintop age 28 HMS Erebus
Tadman Thomas Able Seaman age28 HMS Erebus
Terry Thomas Boatswain HMS Erebus
Thomas Robert Mate HMS Terror
Thompson George Able Seaman age 27 HMS Erebus
Thompson James Engineer HMS Terror
Torrington John Leading Stoker age 19 HMS Terror
Tozer Solomon Sergeant age 34 HMS Terror
Walker James Able Seaman age 29 HMS Terror
Wall    Richard Ship's Cook age 45 HMS Erebus
Watson Thomas Carpenter's Mate age 40 HMS Erebus
Weekes John Carpenter HMS Erebus
Wentzall William Able Seaman age 33 HMS Terror
Wilkes Henry Private age 28 HMS Terror
Wilson Alexander Carpenter's Mate age 27 HMS Terror
Wilson John Captain's Coxwain age 33 HMS Terror
Work Thomas Able Seaman age41 HMS Erebus
Young David Boy age18 HMS Erebus


22 comments:

Unknown said...

I don't have any relatives (that I know about) among the members of Franklin's last expedition.

But, I do have cousins who are descendants of John Barrow, the Second Secretary of the Admiralty who sent Franklin on this and other expeditions.

See "Barrow's Boys, The Original Extreme Adventurers" for more background.

Bill Clayton,
Surrey, BC

Anonymous said...

My great great grandfather was Thomas Honey - Warrant Officer and ship's carpenter on HMS TERROR.

I am searching for information about his birth, family etc

Jeremy Barham

Unknown said...

Petty Officer Thomas Armitage, gun room steward on HMS Terror was my great great great Grandfather. Any genealogical or historical information regarding him would be gratefully received.

G R Tapp

Anonymous said...

John Smart Peddie who was Surgeon on HMS Terror married my x2 Great Aunt Eliza Matilda Hancorn on 28 September 1843, two years before he died on the Franklin Expedition.

Olwyn Venn
England

Anonymous said...

My wife's ancestors were also the Honey brothers. If Mr Barham would like to get in touch we can probably exchange some details (not sure how these postings work)!

Anonymous said...

Thomas Honey was my gggg uncle,his brother John my ggg grandfather. Samuel my 1st cousin 4x removed. I've studied the Honey family over the years (some old cart-de-visites started me off), amassed much detail of the Devon genealogy but only just found out about this. Would be interested to hear from Mr Barham and anon, maybe I could help with family info.

Pixie

Ian Jolly said...

My great great grandmother, Isabella Adelaide Hull nee Cann, was the sister of George Cann

Unknown said...

My great, great, great, great grandfather was Daniel Bryant. I'm very excited to see what they may discover!

Unknown said...

Josephus Geater was my 4x great uncle and brother to my 3x great grandfather. I have a newspaper article from the Aberdeen Weekly Journal date Wednesday, 12 Jun 1895 where his widow Mary Ann (nee Duncan) was interviewed.

John

Unknown said...

My 4x Great Uncle was Josephus Geater. I have a newspaper article from the Aberdeen Weekly Journal dated Wednesday, 12 June 1895 who interviewed his Widow Mary Ann. I can email it to anyone who is interested at djmuir1957@gmail.com

Simon Hoar said...

My g/g/g/ uncle was Edmund Hoar of the Erebus. His brother, my g/g/grandfather Henry Hoar, was also Royal Navy.

Kaypilk said...

William Pilkington, Royal Marine on Erebus, was my 1st cousin 3x removed - my great grandfather's 1st cousin.

Unknown said...

Able Seaman Josephus Gaiter (I know it as a different spelling) was my G G G Grandfather, I too have a newspaper cutting about him, probably from the same paper as John Muir mentions.

Unknown said...

Able Seaman Josephus Gaiter (different spelling) was my GGG Grandfather, we also have the cutting referred to by John Muir.

Anonymous said...

My Grandmother was Amelia Work from Kirkwall so I'm wondering if Thomas Work was a relative. I need to get on Ancestry and try to find out! Any Work relatives on here?

Unknown said...

My wife is a McConvey so Thomas would have been a cousin

Anonymous said...

I was just checking the list. Under officers it says that Edward Couch was a "mate". Yet photos of him show that he is a "lieutenant". I wonder why? Hope you can help me out. Fred Couch

Jeff Honey said...

I'm a present day "Honey Brother" whose grandfather was Frederick John Honey born April 25, 1892 in Plymouth (like the crew men). Anyone aware of our connection then? Thanks,
Jeff

Anonymous said...

My mother's 2xgreat-uncle was AB William Sinclair age 30 from Scalloway, Shetland on the Franklin Expedition. One of two Shetlanders aboard HMS Terror.

Unknown said...

Josephus Geater was my 4th Great Uncle and was the son of Richard Geater and Philliss Wilkinson. He was married to Mary Ann Duncan and they had four children.

Unknown said...

Josephus Geater was my 4th Great Uncle and was the son of Richard Geater and Philliss Wilkinson. He was married to Mary Ann Duncan and they had four children.

Stephen Burke said...

James, Whitlelock Brown was the Caulker on HMS Erebus. He was my Great Great Great Great Grandfather on my mother's side, father of my mother's Great Great Grandmother, Frances Brown and husband of Sophia Sarah Sims Brown (nee Beaumont). While born in Kent, England, he would have been recruited/served in Tasmania, Australia at some point prior to the expedition, as almost all my family are Tasmanian by service, birth or transportation.