Stephen would have probably gone to see at the age of 13 - following in his father's footsteps.
Our first record of his maritime career is his retrospective application for a Certificate of Service,
applied for at Bideford in 1851.
He states his employment has included Apprentice, Mate, Master, for 24 years and lists the ships
on which he has served.
At the age of 13 he was an apprentice for four years on the "Ellen" - a foreign trader. Then
a seaman around the British coastal ports for three years. At the age of 20 he became a Mate, still serving in coastal waters.
The following year (1835) he married Elizabeth Moulton and they had their first of nine children.
Between 1835 and 1843 he became a Master Mariner serving on the same ship (the name of which is as yet indiscipherble in the
Captains' Registers - Guildhall Library London). Up until 1857 his voyages seemed to be local and mainly out of Bideford.
In 1857 he became captain of the "Intended" on her voyages to North America. He had this command until 1860 during which time his
wife, Elizabeth, had their last child. He was then on the "Nestor" for about ten years, although for a few months in 1868 he was
on the "Sir Francis Drake".
In 1870 he transferred to the "Express" which became stranded ashore on 25th November and condemned on 19th December.
His wife, Elizabeth, died in 1871 and is buried in Appledore churchyard.
His next ship was the "Excell" on which he lost his papers. The application form for renewal of
his certificate states: Certificate of Service 42793 was destroyed at:- "Hamburg or on the voyage from
Hamburg and Appledore between the twenty ninth of May and the thirty first day of May last and on
what occasion and how it was lost I cannot say." (Greenwich Maritime Museum)
In 1877 he was on the "Elizabeth", in 1877/78 the "Arcana" and finally the "Galatea" on which he
died of Yellow Fever at the age of 64 in 1879.