HOME
SURNAME LIST
NAME INDEX
SOURCES
GEDCOM FILE
EMAIL US |
FOURTH GENERATION
102. George Sayer
(29) was christened on 31 May
1851 in Saham Toney, Norfolk, England. He died on 13 Oct 1890 in drowned.
Master of the "Florence" a 21 tons cutter, in 1883, 1885 and
1886.
The Examiner, October 18, 1890.
FATALITY AT SEA.
CAPTAIN G. SAYERS LOST.
News was received in town yesterday that Captain George Sayers, one of the
most genial and thorough seamen that ever traded out of Launceston; had
been washed overboard from the ketch Robert Burns and drowned. The flags
on all the vessels in port and at the shipping offices were at once hauled
down to half-mast, and it is no conventionality to state that a perfect
gloom was thrown over the wharves, the lamentable occurence being almost
the sole topic of conversation among Captain Sayer's numerous friends. he
sailed out of Launceston and the Coast ports for about twenty years, and
had charge of a large number of crafts, including the schooner Esk and
ketches Florence and Robert Burns. Latterly he was in the last-named
vessel several years, and had just returned to her after an absence of
about five months in the ketch Wellington, and one month in the s.s.
Devon. The following memo. was posted at the Electric Telegraph-office
yesterday:- "Circular Heads reports at 10.30 a.m.-The ketch Robert
Burns, three weeks out from Launceston to Melbourne, arrived here at 7
p.m. yesterday in charge of the mate, who reports that the master, George
Sayers, was swept overboard and drowned on Monday afternoon whilst the
vessel was in the vicinity of Hunter's Island." Our Circular Head
correspondent telegraphed last evening:- "Last night the ketch Robert
Burns arrived in charge of the mate, Mr. Percy King, who reported the loss
of Captain George Sayers, master, under the following circumstances. The
ketch cleared at Launceston on the 1st inst. for Melbourne, which port has
not yet been reached, owing to adverse weather. Left the shelter of Hunter
Islands on the morning of the 13th inst., and shaped a course for
Melbourne with a light westerly breeze. The wind gradually drew ahead, and
when about 30 miles had been made freshened into a gale from the
north-west. Sail was reduced, and the captain decided to let the vessel
run before the wind, and he and King started to reef the main rail. As the
vessel wore round she heeled over as though to capsize, and the captain,
who was to leeward of the boom, was washed overboard. The life-buoy fell
short of Sayers, who grasped a fishing line towing astern and shouted out
"wear the ship King, wear her!" The next moment the line parted,
and poor Sayers, heavily clad in oilskins and seaboots, sank like a stone.
The vessel returned and hove to for some time with a look-out man aloft,
but the captain was seenn o more."
He was married to Mary Ann Rebecca Gregory on 14 Aug 1870 in
Launceston, Tasmania, Australia. Mary Ann Rebecca
Gregory (29) was born in 1852
in Launceston, Tasmania, Australia. |