Scarborough Fishing Families

(Mick, our handyman, draws my attention to this interesting web site)

The Harwood and Bullamore fishing family history in Scarborough

This family history features the Harwood and Bullamore fishing families and was typed up by Ian Hollingsworth who had a keen interest in family history. He worked at the Scarborough Evening News and died in 2008. The full history has been contributed to the library and can be read complete with photos in the Vernon Road Library Scarborough room.

Mathew Bullamore was born 10 October,1828 at Trimingham, Norfolk. He appears to have made the journey to Scarborough some time after 1852, and was followed by his brothers
- Jeremiah Bullamore(born September 1836 - died January 1865)
- John Bullamore (born 3 October 1838 , married Jane Pack 25th November 1860)
- James Bullamore (born 1841 who married Hannah Barker 8th Spetmber 1861)

The emigrants from down south were not always welcomed with open arms.

The 1861 census showed that 24 year old Mathew Bullamore was lodging at 2 East Sandgate along with his brother Jeremiah Bullamore. They were both listed as fishermen.

Death of Jeremiah Bullamore A report in the Scarborough Gazette 19th January, 1865. The late gale - all hope has been given up respecting their fishing vessel 'Spirit of the Age' belonging to this port. She is believed to have foundered when off Flamborough Head or the Dogger Bank in the storm of Friday the 6th. The 'Spirit of the Ages' was the property of Mr H Wyrill, and was manned by the following crew:
- David Collison,master
- Park Cowling
- Jeremiah Bullamore (Mathew Bullamores brother) who left a widow and baby daughter Rowena.
- Mathew Wood
- George Cowling, a boy

The children of Mathew Bullamore(born 28th Oct 1828 - died January 1915) and Jane Harwood (1836-1888)
- Mary Ann Bullamore (born 1857 she married Henry Walker)
- George Bullamore (1858-59) died a baby.
- George William Bullamore born 1862 - died when 15 years old
- James Bullamore (1865-1951). He married Sarah Jane Crawford
- Jeremiah (1865-1952) married Selina Truman
- Sarah Ann born 1868.

George William Bullamore was lost at sea, age 10 years old. The report in the Scarborough gazette, 4th November 1869 states "it is to be regretted that the lull in the weather has brought no tidings of the vessel belonging to this port, now missing, the 'John Wesley'. The crew consisted of 11 men, 3 from Boston, the rest from Scarborough. Her sole owner, Mr Jefferson Ward, announced that he had given up hope of the boat. A very singular fatality appears to be conected with the loss of the master of this vessel, Mr William Harwood. His mother was buried yesterday (she died on the 27th October). He has two sisters whose recovery from serious illness is no longer looked for, while by the loss of the vessel his own life and the lives of his son(sic) and father,who sailed with him, are sacrificed". The son was his nephew George William Bullamore age 10 - the son of his sister Jane Harwood. She lost her mother,father,brother, and son all in one tragic episode. The loss of the "John Wesley" with all her crew was witnessed by Richard Haxby,Senior, the Filey Skipper of the Yawl 'Unity' who was powerless to help. The day the ship was lost - 28th October - was by coincidence Mathew Bullamores birthday.

A gravestone in Dean Road cemetry reads "William Bowering Harwood, master of the 'John Wesley' of Scarborough, lost with all hands 28th October 1869; also John Harwood,father of the above age 64; George William Bullamore grandson of the skipper age 10"

In a nearby gravestone is buried Thomas Eves 50 who was also a crew member of the John Wesley

The John Wesley was a 30 ton yawl built in Whitby in 1845. Her rig was foremast, mizzers and jib. She was a drift netter. Her length of keel was 50foot. She normally had a crew of 7 men and two boys.

Children of John Harwood 1805-28 October 1869 and Ann Bowering(1806- 27th October) They had 9 children the first five of which were girls.
- Elizabeth Harwood
- Sarah Ann Harwood
- Mary Harwood
- Jane Harwood who married Mathew Bullamore
- Matilda who married John Ward
- John Harwood
- William Bowring Harwood
- Ann Harwood
- Henry Mark Harwood

In 1851 the census reveals that they lived at 8 Long Greece Steps with three daughters and 3 sons.

Another Scarborough Smack lost : in October 1869 was the smack the 'Rambler' owned by Mr Sellers. She set out for the fishing grounds on tuesday 12 October and was last seen by Scarborough boat the 'Mary Ann' skippered by J Harrison. The crew was
- John Godbolt,master
- James Colman
- William Leach
- Robert Godbolt
- Richard Blogg
- John Bullamore(single)
- James Camp
- John Fraser - a young man of colour who was well known in the town; and a man known as Sunderland John.

A report illustrating the vagaries of life on a yawl is illustrated by an item in the Scarborough Gazette, 16th February 1871: The loss is reported of a young man called Duncan(Frederick William) from Mr Sellers Smack 'Yorkshire Lass'. He was sitting on a tiller singing the sunday school hymn "shall we meet beyond the river" and was suddenly missed by his comrades on board. It is presumed that a wave had struck the tiller and thrown Duncan from his seat. He was the son of David Duncan of 15 Batty Place according to the 1861 census.

Mathew Bullarmore died March 1878, aged 15. The Scarborough mercury of 15th March 1878 reports "FATAL ACCIDENT : On friday night a youth named Mathew Bullamore, 15 years of age, son of Mathew Bullamore, of Quay Street, a fisherman, employed on the smack 'Temperance Pledge' belonging to Mr Richard Sellers, died from the effects of a crush he receieved on the previous wednesday. It appears that the young fellow was stepping from a boat onto the piles of the pier in order to pass a rope to the harbour master, when through the lurching of the vessel, he was caught between the bowsprit and the pier, sustaining broken ribs and severe internal injuries. On the melancholy event being known most of the smack owners testified their sorrow by hoisting their flags half-mast high. An inquest was held on the body before Mr Collinson, the Borough Coroner, at the British Workmens public house on saturday evening. Dr Wright was desired to make a post mortem examination of the body, which he did, and stated that death resulted from eruption of the bladder and left kidney. A verdict of accidental death was returned. The British Workmens Public House was situated on Sandside, a coffee house and reading room."

In 1869 the master of the 'Temperance Pledge' was Richard Donkin. The yawl had a weight of 40 tons and keel of 56 feet. Her rig was fore,jib and mizzen. Carrying a crew of seven men and two boys,she was engaged in trawling and drift lining. She ceased fishing on 6th September 1899.

The 'Temperance Pledge'A year previous in February 1877 there was a report in the Scarborough Post mentioning the 'temperance Pledge'. The storm of 30th of January 1877 caused big tides to completely submerge the west pier, and cover Sandside, flooding cellars, and Foreshore Road with water which reached the bottom of Eastborough. One of the boats returning after the storm was the 'Temperance Pledge' owned by Mr J sellers. She had sustained heavy damage, having lost her mizzen, her bowsprit, lost her gear, and part of the bulwarks were damaged. William Truman, husband of Elizabeth Allen, was lost in this storm.

The Yawl CapernumAnother tragedy with a Bullamore in the crew occured on 26th May 1894, when the yawl 'Capernum' was run down by the steamship 'Polynesian' off Flamborough Head and went down with all hands. Amongst the crew were.
- George Blogg master 57 leaves a widow
- Gardiner Warman, middle aged, a widow and 3 children
- Robert Appleby 30
- James Appleby 18

The chief officer of the 'Polynesian' said that just before the collision he saw an old man and a young boy on the tiller, the only persons on deck.

Mathew Bullamore : In an article in the local paper in 1914, Mathew Bullamore is described as Scarboroughs oldest working boatman at the age of 86 and that he had been on the beach working at Easter and was looking forward to welcoing patrons during the summer.

Mathew died January 1915. The Scarborough Mercury wrote "DEATH OF MR MATHEW BULLAMORE. Well known Scarborough Boatman. The death has taken place of Mathew Bullamore, a well known figure in the east ward. Mr Bullamore who was for many years a fisherman, was a skipper of the yawls of messrs Sellers adn Wyrill at different times for a period of 30 years. Latterly he was a pleasurebaotman, accompanying his son Jeremiah on the coble 'Queen of the Bay'. He was a typical old salt, and was much in sought after as an artists subject. He was a member of the seamans mission and also the Liberal Club. He was a temperance man for 50 years but smoked up to a few hours of his death. He is survived by two sons and 3 daughters. One of his grandsons and a nephew are at the front. The internment took place today at the new cemetry. Mr Bullamore was in his 87th year and won respect of all who knew him. He had weathered more than one gale, and remained vigorous until a short tie before his death."

Arthur Bullamore : The grandson was Arthur Bullamore, son of Sara Ann Bullamore, he died in the Dardenelles in 1919, after the war had ended. The Scarborough Mercury, 7th March 1919 wrote "SCARBOROUGH MAN DROWNED OFF TURKISH COAST. Deckhand on Government drifter. News has been received by his mother, who lives at Whitehead Hill, that Arthur Bullamore, deckhand in the RNR and one of the crew of the drifter 'Lively' has been drowned. All the information that has been officially supplied is that Bullamore has lost his life, but a sister at the Weston Home , Portsmouth, has informed the relatives that the fatality occurred on the Turkish coast. Bullamore, who attended Friarage School, commenced his seafaring career with Samuel Normandale on a local trawler. The news of his death after hostilities have ceased has created a painful impression. He was aged 24 and had served 4 years."

James 'Rimmy' Bullamore : son of Mathew Bullamore, was interviewed just after the Second World War, when at 85 he was also the oldest working boatman, he told the reporter "I go to bed about dusk and am on the south shore by dawn every morning". And on the conditions at the time he said "You get twice as much money today as you did in my fathers time, it is only worth half as much, and it will only buy you half the stuff" but tempered it with a typical "but whats the use of grumbling".

Censuses
- 1841 Mathew Bullamore lived in Trimingham, Norfolk with his mother and father (George and Rebecca Bullamore)
- 1851 Mathew Bullamore is still living in Trimingham with his parents aged 22
- 1861 Mathew Bullamore has moved to Scarborough and is living at 9 Tuthill with his wife Jane and two children. There is a child servant living with them aged 14.
- 1871 Mathew is still living at Tuthill with his wife Jane and 6 children
- 1881 Mathew is living in Quay Street with his wife and four children aged between 10-17 years at the bottom of Salmon Steps.
- 1891 Mathew has remarried and living with Maria Marshal who in the 1881 census is living at Salmon Steps with her husband Thomas Marshall. They live at 4 Spread Eagle Lane with two of Mathews grown up children Jeremiah (27) and Sarah Ann(24).
- Mathew and Maria still live at 4 Spread eagle Lane along with Jeremiah 32, Sarah Ann (30) and the grandson Arthur aged 6.

The children of Jeremiah Bullamore(1865-1952) and Selina Truman (1875-1965)
- John William 1905-1907. Died a baby
- Walter 1907-1980. Worked for Bobby Gray in the butchers on Princess Square and later at Boyes.
- Isabella 1909-2000 Married Lesley Hollingsworth.
- Alice 1914. Married Stanley Cooper
- George 1917-1941

Jeremiah 'Miah' Bullamore fished out of yawls and cobles with his father Mathew Bullamore in his younger days, and around the turn of the century was employed as a pilot by the rich owners of the steam yachts which visited the coast in the season. In later years he operated his coble ' Alice' as a pleasure boat, taking fishing parties, and ferrying holiday makers between the West Pier and Lighthouse pier. I can remember him taking me round the passenger vessel 'Royal lady' just before the Second World war, and also been told to hide under the front of his coble when I went out fishing with him until we were clear of the lighthouse at the beginning of the Second World war, because of wartime restrictions on taking anyone out of the harbour. He was what you would call taciturn, he never said a lot, although I spent a lot of time in his company. He used to send me for a half ounce of twist, cost 9d, which he used to chew as well as smoke. 'Miah' and his brother 'Rimmy' were both regular attenders in later life at the Bethel Mission where they enjoyed their singing. When He was well over 70 he still took fishing parties out the back of the wall(East Pier) in the 'Alice' , I could not have rowed the coble that distance when I was half his age.

Potters Lane bombing : On 14th October, 1940, at about 8-40pm a German parachute mine exploded in Potter lane causing extensive damage, killing 4 people and injuring 31 . The casualty toll could have been higher but for the fact that quite a few residents were at a dance at the Olympia. A lot of houses were so badly damaged that they had to be demolished, and so Potter Lane, Andersons Terrace, Shorts Gardens, Potter Terrace(ie Hong Kong) and the first four houses in Castle Terrace disappeared. Jeremiah and Selina Bullamore were sheltering under the kitchen table; but they did not get a scratch. They moved up to Lyell Street whilst the houses were being repaired. We came down ( all the gang of urchins from Fieldside) to look at the devastation and a huge crater were the corner shop had been.

A second land mine fell on the castle Dykes later in the war. We watched the bomber one Saturday morning circling at a very high altitude before it dropped its cargo. The long scar it left down the Dykes , devoid of vegetation, was where the display was laid out for the Coronation of Elizabeth II.

Jeremiah Bullamores last years : Jeremiah continued working on his coble until virtually the end, even though he was ill, he just did not want to give up. I think the Harbour Master took his license away at the end. So he had to sell the coble. He died 24th October 1952, the last of the ferry boatmen, and one could say the last of a breed. His coble 'Alice' was moored in the outer harbour in the great storm of 1953, and was totally wrecked,, the name plates were salvaged and are in the possession of my cousin, Valerie, whose mother Alice Bullamore, the boat was named after.

Selina Bullamore : Selina Bullamore was a real Yorkshire lady, she had a wealth of songs and dialect poems, which sadly have gone with her. She died 28th November 1965. When we were married in 1959 she was well over 80, and she sent a card and a note with the following lines -

Just a little verse for you(the bride), and may you happy live,
Much joy I wish thee bonny bride, sweet consolations give.
For think not all your pleasures flown, because you've signed your hand
Some brighter hours than ere you've known, may pass in wedlock band.
[from Dear Grandma Lena]

Mickey Thumb : A poem by Selina Harwood

As I wus gannin ta treacle shop for alf a pund a treacle, who do ya think ah met,
But me sweetheart Mickey thumb. He asked me if I'd gan and see his works,
So I thawt a bit, and I thawt a bit, and I thawt ah shouldn't mind
Ee, and it wur' a works.

A'd no sooner got aime and tak mi bonnet off then a knock kem at door,
It wur Mickey Thumb's brother, he asked me if I'd gan and see Mickey Thumb, he wur ill,
So I thawt a bit, and I thawt a bit, and I thawt ah shouldn't mind
Ee and he wur ill.

Ah just gets aime agen, when another cums ta door. It wur Mickey Thumbs mutha,
She asked me if a'd gan and see Mickey Thumb he war dead.
So I thawt a bit, and I thawt a bit, and I thawt ah shouldn't mind
Ee and he wur dead.

Ah just gets aime agen, when another knock cums t'a door, It wur Mickey Thumbs Fatha,
He asked me if a'd come to Mickey Thumb's funeral.
So I thawt a bit, and I thawt a bit, and I thawt ah shouldn't mind
Ee and he wur a funeral.

Sum laughed,sum cried, and I fair attishoed over his grave, in luvin memory of me old sweetheart Mickey Thumb



Other articles that you may find interesting

•The history of the Scarborough fishing industry
•Scarborough fishermen and the U-Boats by Godfrey Arthur
•Luggers and yawls in the filey fishing industry
•The early years of the Scarborough Lifeboat
•The history of Filey Lifeboats
•Losses amongst Filey fishing cobles
•Filey fishermen in 1862 - yawls and cobles
•Log of the German U-Boat which sank eleven Scarborough trawlers in 1916
•Scarboroughs Lifeboat - the huge storms of October 28th 1880
•A common ancestry - The Filey Jenkinsons
•Three Scarborough trawlers sunk by mines in 1920
•Theakston's guide to the Scarborough fisheries 1866
•The 200 year history of scarboroughs RNLI
•Scarboroughs Old Town and its connection to the sea
•The Merrie Islington - sunk by a U-boat off Whitby
•Scarboroughs first Lifeboat and its first rescue in 1801
•Watching for ships by the harbour walls in Scarborough
•The fishermen and fisheries of Robin Hood's Bay in 1838
•Migrations of fishing families - Filey - Yarmouth and Ramsgate
•Scarborough trawlers sunk and wrecked in the modern era
•Robin Hood's Bay - The Storm family website
•The German bombardment of scarborough in the First World War in 1914
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•German U-boat sinks 11 Scarborough Trawlers in one night in World War One.
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•Charles Dickens account of a shipwreck at Filey
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•The U-Boat campaign in the First World War
•Ranter Chapel revival in Filey
•Filey and the Great War - minesweeping and influenza
•The port of Scarborough in the late 15th Century
•The Womens work in the Filey fishing industry
•Thomas Hinderwell - history of Scarboroughs fisheries
•Attacks On Trawlers in Scarborough in WW2
•The RNLI rescue of The Rohilla,1914 at saltwick bay - Whitby
•The loss of the Scarborough trawler Heritage in 1993
•Scarborough's harbour and the coal trade. Thomas Hinderwell
•The early trawlers - Yarmouth and Barking and Brixham
•Trawling During WW2 around scarborough and the North - East coast
•Fishermen tell the politicians what they think in 1883
•Trawler boat names - romantic shhips names
•A preachers trip on a Filey Herring yawl
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