Richard's retrospective application in 1851 for a certificate of service shows that he had been at sea
from at least the age of 17 as 'Boy', Seaman, Mate and Master. His service career shows him starting
as a boy on the "Diligence" and the "Thomas" - coasting. In 1837 he was a seaman on three different
vessels - foreign trade and Prince Edward Island. (There were very strong links between Appledore
and Prince Edward Island - particularly because of the shipbuilding interests of the YEO family
who had yards at both places. Ships built on Prince Edward Island were often sailed to Appledore
to be completed.)
Between 1841 and 1848 Richard was mate on six different ships all listed as 'Foreign Trade'. In
1844 he married Miriam Matilda Nichols Mole and they had seven children between 1845 and 1862.
On Richard's trip as mate in 1848 he was residing in Plymouth and then became master on the "Minstrel",
a foreign trader out of Plymouth.
Lloyd's "Captains Registers" picks him up at 1856 as captain of the "Mary Matthew". He is then mate on the
"Gypsy" and "Rosaria" from 1856 to 1859. In 1860 he is captain on the "Melody", then the "Prima
Donna", "U.S. Margaret", "N.A. Fairy", mate on the "N.A. La Plaba", captain of the "N.A. Virginia",
"Jacary", "Eva" and "Cuero" - the latter three being on the South America - Brazils run.
In April 1871 whilst captain of the "Cuero" he rescued the master and crew of the American brigantine
"H.F. Eaton" which had sprung a leak and had been abandoned. The rescued were carried to Queenstown - Ireland
(now known as Cobh), a distance of 1500 miles in a stormy passage of eight days. In gratitude and recognition
of this heroic rescue, the American government presented Richard with a beautiful telescope with
an engraved plaque commemorating the event. The presentation was made in 1876 at Falmouth with the Mayor,
Consul for the Netherlands, American Vice Consul and Danish Consul present. At this time Richard
was master of the "Grace" (although the newspaper cutting refers to the "Greece") and Richard was
living at Bude Street - Appledore.
After the "Cuero", Richard was captain on the "Theresa Batters", mate on the "W.M. Batters", "Maggie"
and "Jonie". Between 1874 and 1880 he was captain of the "Florence", "Grace", "Spartan" and "Robert"
(he owned the "Robert" from 1879).
The spelling of the ships' names varies considerably between different documents and even between
different years of Lloyds Register of Ships. For example "Cuero", "Cuerero", "Cuvero".
Richard died in Northam in 1886 and his wife, Miriam Matilda, died the following year.
PORT: BIDEFORD | NO: 4 | DATE: 31.7.1876 | NAME: ROBERT | OFFICIAL NUMBER: 15544
DETAILS OF BUILD: 1835 BIDEFORD (1876 - REBUILT) | PREVIOUS REGISTER: N0. 20 / 29.5.1845
Length: 67.2' | Decks: 1 | Stern: square
Breadth: 20.3' | Masts: 2 | Build: carvel
Height: | Rig: schooner | Galleries: none
Depth: 11.2' | Bowsprit: | Head: man bust
Tonnage: 92.89g/82.4n | Material: Wood
OWNERS:
Thomas Cook,
Alfred Cook, - shipowners, Appledore - each owning 32 parts
(Full ownership of a vessel seems to have been 64 parts - what are the origins of this?)
TRANSACTIONS:
5.3.1878 Thos. Cook died and his 32 passed to his executors, Alfred Cook, and
Thos. Sanders Farleigh, grocer, Torrington
4.3.1878 the executors transferred 32 to Alfred Cook.
11.1.1879 8.5.1878 Alfred Cook sold the whole to Rd. Kelly, mariner, Appledore.
7/5st:
20.4.1887 Rd. Kelly died 20.8.1886 and the whole passed to Matilda Kelly, widow, Appledore
19.4.1887 Matilda Kelly sold the whole to Jessie Kelly, spinster, Appledore
7/15st:
28.5.1887 26.5.1887 Jessie Kelly sold the whole, viz. 32 to each -
Jas. Hookway, clerk; and Geo. Carter, painter; both Appledore
28.5.1887 26.5.1887 the whole mortgaged to Thos. Kelly, organist, Appledore
21.10.1889 17.9.1889 Jn. Francis Maguire, Marshal of the Cork Court of Admiralty
on 14.9.1889 sold the whole to Margaretta Elizabeth Honner, widow, Clonnakilty
18.9.1889 M.E. Honner sold 32 to Jn. Gosnell, master mariner, Ring, Co. Cork
FATE: Vessel sold as a wreck.
REGISTRY CLOSED: 2.4.1895