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Post by Les on Jan 20, 2021 19:42:05 GMT
Part 1
William Stranton was a sea faring man the end of the 18th Cenury.
As with most seamen he was involved in smuggling and spent a few times in jail.
1803 October 19th he became a father to a boy also called William.
when the boy was got old he was sent to Walmer boarding school this for a boatman was unheard of
but shows how much could be made from smuggling. 1814 was a bad year for Deal as so much good weather meant Deal made little money.
This meant William could now longer attend the Boarding school.
While strolling along the beach he met by two seamen that needed a extra hand on the scooner 'Nancy'of Deal.
That was owed by Henry Tomas a Deal man that learning who his dad was invited him to join them.
the trip was to Ostend and back to Folkstone.Incuding some contraband.
the next trip was from Folkstone back to Ostend this time a family by the name of Winter and all their household
goods .
From Osend they set of for Portsmouth with a mixed cargo with just the Captain and William when off South Forland the
Captain became ill.So willam had to get help he made for Kingsdown Roads and Amchored up.So he could get help he took the ships boat to Deal and
got help fron some Deal boatmen.
The captain requested that the schoooner be taken to Ramesgate.
this was done and the caro and controband sold.they sold they ship and brughr'Samual and Elizeberth. of Ramsgate'She was a smack. this was leaky and cound not make harbour and was sold.
as no ship William was not neeeded so he was returned to Deal this all before his 13th birthday
more to come.
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Post by Les on Jan 22, 2021 3:03:48 GMT
William Stranton part 2
1816 still a company was formed 'The Fisherman's Friend' or 'The Down's Society' (maybe there was a Downs Society and it formed the Fisherman's Friend) They were to fish in the Icelandic waters.
3 Ships were hired a schooner the 'Apollo' from Sandwich.2 sloops 'Sisters and Prosperity .William joined the Prosperity.
The Prosperity was the only ship with a worth while catch.Willam noted that the captain refused to let any of the Icelandic people aboard as they were as tey were full of vermin and disease .also I a state of poverty and misery. the project failed.
The firm then decided to Cure Herring and Ship them to the west Indies. There were letters sent saying that people were pleased with the barrels were tightly pack and unlike the ones from America that were half full of salt. But their financier's recieved advance remittances then absconded .
The firm collapsed. William Stranton was approaching 15
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Post by Les on Jan 22, 2021 20:12:06 GMT
William Stranton part 3
He then got a place on the 'Speculation' a sloop owned by a Deal man called Mr John friend and Captain Porter.The first voyage was to pick up coal from Shields and take it to Bridgeport next trip more coal from Milford haven to Whitstable .next time carrying Portland stone for Dover to Build the Harbour wall.
Mr John Friend had aranged for the ship to be fitted out for a long trip to St Michael to pick up some oranges in lieu of a debt owed. but they got there to early in the season Liutenant Charles Friend the owners brother arranged a trip to Gibaratar taken a cargo with them and returning with Gibratar rock to make lime. picked up the Oranges and a pasanger a R.N Lieutenant.they set off for London.
but there were gales and the ship sprung leaks that the pumps were working all the time the night was so dark that when they saw a light they were sure it the lighthouse at Dungerness.At Dawn they found they were the other side of the Chanel of Boulogne in shoal water .So they had to ditch everything overboard to get afloat. With a good breeze and luck they managed to get to Ramsgate.
They discharged William with new clthes and a guinea in one pocket and some silve in the other. He had not got to 16 then.
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Post by Les on Jan 23, 2021 18:50:19 GMT
William Stranton part 4
1819 William Stranton joined the 'Lady Lushington'a Ship of 800 tons.
She was sailing from London to Calcutta.They had a problem to start to voyage the The Tames was frozen over ,then near Gravesend the winds were against them. then when they set off again because of the low winds they anchored at the Downs. they were there 4 days a mile from Williams home. The winds picked up and they made good to Madeira . They loaded the ship with wine but a gale blow them from there moorings. The ship was nearly wrecked. More strong winds ripped the canvases to shreds. The crew were putting things right and they found some rum and became very drunk. They managed to get their cargo to Madras and unloaded part of the cargo. Here they caught cholera . They anchored in Madras Roads probably till the cholera cleared up. They took on a cargo of salt at Coringo and a passenger. not long into the voyage the ship was wrecked and William swam ashore . and manged to get to Calcutta. He did not find another ship but managed to get a job supervising a gang loading ships. for this he got 3 repees a day and his rations. It was a year before he got a berth on board the'Albion' £5.10s a month. The set sail for London then ran into Gales for 5 month causing the lose of all it's boats. The Bolwark's nearly all it's saiil's.6 crew members . With 100 men,women and Children invalids (don't know if the gales caused them to be injured) They arrived at Simon's Bay with half a cask of fresh water. William stayed with the 'Albion' and arriving back home after 3 years away. He was nearly 19.
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Post by Les on Jan 24, 2021 17:59:10 GMT
William Stranton part 5 1924 William joined Deal boating business they had 400 men. this business They would get passengers ashore to use coaches to London as often ships were becalmed going around the Thames. They salvaged good from wrecked ships. Embark troops for to ships off shore. piloting ships from Cornwall along the Chanel to the north Sea and further. Life saving .William was puzzled the the lives they saved the did not receive anything for but dead bodies they got paid for. supplying Cables and anchors. and reflating ships stuck on the shipeater(Goodwin Sands) The 'Stephen Lushington' that was in trouble had a cargo of Ladies that were convicts that had been released from the hold for there safty and were all on deck At 23 he was of on his travels again.
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Post by Les on Jan 25, 2021 6:33:28 GMT
William Stranton part 6
He found a berth on a ship(tried to find the name of it with no luck but the BBC did a Timewatch program on it maidly from a Bella's book about him). He got £3.19s a month. Plus stores. The first Voyage was to Oporto with a cargo of Barrel staves. The Captain stayed in his cabin with a good supply of Gin so the crew had to sail the ship by themselves.
They took on a cargo of Cork for Liverpool at Oporto . They call into Faro on their wat to Liverpool. At Faro He visited a gaol that had about 40 ladies all expection and had been gaoled fortheir sin. At Liverpool William left the ship and made his way back to Deal. It took 6 days to reach Paddington by inland waterways. he had taken 6 months. At Deal he went back to the Deal boating businness
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Post by Les on Jan 25, 2021 12:29:35 GMT
William Stranton part 7
With the Dealboating business William brought shares in a lugger'Ox@.a galley-punt'Fox'a small punt and other thinks.In the next few years He wasbusy attending toshipping in the Downs,with a bit of smuggling.there is a report from willliam himself an which he and his friend William Makins lost a cargo to the Custim House Boat. They had removed some of the bags of ballast.Replacing them with bales of silk and Satin. As the custon men appoched them the carmly walked away.a got away . the satin alone fecht £1,700 at auction. the custon men recieved £150 each. 1829 William had the misfortune to see a scooner and a brig o the main wrecked and 2 of his friends drowned. the scooner had a cargo of wine and was washed up onto the beach and the men and women using the wood also wash up and they made bonfires and were having a rave on the beach. 1830 William He piloted a ship into Dover.He decieded to walk back to Deal but it was Snowing heaverly. but he lost his way.with a bit of luck he came apon a stach and buried himself in. For 3 months he was on crutches he had frost bite and lost all his toe nails. and a few more months befor he was back I Sea Trim.(William Stanton's words)
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Post by Les on Jan 25, 2021 19:49:17 GMT
William Stranton part 8
On December 31 1930 William Stranton heard a distress gunfrom abrig on the Goodwin Sands that he answered and Boarded the brig only to find there was no hope of saving the brig but was stranded himself.He watched helplessly as each crew member was washed overboard. then a Gigantic wave took Willam overboard. He was picked up by a boat from Ramsgate. He wrote 'That the freezing water and the buffeting he took he took, the men who that saved had toget him ashore for which there was no reward.,and yet the needy boatmen turned their backs on bales of goods worth £20 a man.
After a few more wrecks he got involved in smuggling again he help to get 60 half-anker of spirits sunk just off shore. but the coastguard caught him. He was taken the the barracks at Walmer to wait trial. He was medically examined ,this was If he was founf Guilty he would have a chaise of prison or Volunteer for the navy for 5 years. At his trial with the help of a solicitor from Dover he pleaded that he was only fishing and he hoored the barrels. He was found not guilty. but he did not have Line or net with him.
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Post by Les on Jan 26, 2021 5:17:54 GMT
William Stranton part 9
In 1832 HMS Larne was heading for the Goonwin Sands and they let go the anchor to stop the ship going onto the sands the anchor went through the bows and ended up on the Sands William stanton took his boat the Fox out to help. The Captain had decieded that the ship was lost. but William disagreed with that after a dedate the Captain let him try. So the tide went out leaving the ship on dry sand they removed the Anchor from the bows patched up the hole pumped the water out and with kedge anchors put out the as the tide returned Deal boats pulling the ship off.This worked. For this The Govement rewarded the £60 for all the Deal boatmen. The Goverment policy was everyone should help save Govement property. William got from the Captain of HNS Larne a certificate stating if he was aapprehended for smuggling he souls be treated with leniency.
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Post by Les on Jan 26, 2021 13:30:05 GMT
William Stranton part 10
1832 2 men and William Stranton went to the House of Commons for an enquiry into the fact that if they did not know someone of high rank or being a freeman.They was not going to become a fully accredited pilot was zero. The Duke of Wellington after the enquiry intervened and the system was altered.
1834 William Stanton with aid from the Duke's valet attended Walmar Castle.The Duke found out his wants ,and grinace's The Duke rectified the situation.
William Stranton had an examination by the a board.
He was found competent then made a Pilot of the Cinque Ports Fellowship. William Stranton description was aged 31 ,5'7 tall, fair hair and complexion. With a scar on his forehead. He gained his own flag: quartered White: Blue: Red and White.(I don't know much about flags but if anyone knows would be interesting to know).
1836 William Stranton along with some Deal boatmen went to Sandwich Bay and the raise the 'Fontuna'hoy that had sunk there.
1837 his father was fishing for mackerel with Mr T.Pettit and the pair of them drowned.
This year he saved 400 people the passage's and crew of a river steamer that was from London and trying to get to Ramesgate.
a gale blow up and with no one on board was experienced at sea so with the help of Aaron Burton and Mr West both qualified pilot's took over and got the steamer into harbour.
William Stranton in 1838 with James Ralph and William Pain took the lugger 'Mariner' along the English coasts surveying harbour's and channels.
they also did the Flemish and Dutch Coasts.
1841 William Stranton got permission from the King of Holland to survey the coast but not the channels,he also visited the Belgian and French coasts.
one evening at 2200 hours sometime in 1843 William Stranton was callled to Pilot 'Cyclops' to Ostend and following the Royal yacth with Queen Victoria a aboard ,which he thought was a great honour.
William Stranton was now in great demand for which he had sevaral certificates for..
the last record of his accevements was a newspaper cutting .He was part of a crew average age 69 that went to the scene of aon Brake Sands the same year 1871 he helped save 3 people from a lugger.
A Surperannuates Chinque Port Pilot at 58 Lower Street Deal died on 27th February 1878 this was William Henry Stranton
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