One of the many interesting facts to come to light in this project are the number of family members who worked on the waterways and seas.
Up to now we have discovered, ‘Shipwright’,’Waterman’, Pierhead Man’ ,’Ferryman’, ‘Flatman’, ‘Seaman’, ‘Master Mariner’, ‘Able Seaman’,’ Boy’, and ‘Cook’ .
Joseph Davies was born in Chester in 1827. His father, Joseph was a ‘Shipwright’ and his mother Sarah (Garner) Davies was also from Chester.
At the age of 24 he is recorded on he 1851 census as being a visitor in someone’s house and working as a ‘Seaman’. He went on to become master of his own Vessel.
Because of his work it was hard to track him through the years, as he was rarely at home. We then found records from various sources giving details of the vessels he served on. During the period 1873 to 1883 there are accounts of him and his son Joseph (314. Born 1861) in the Port of Runcorn Registers. These show their position, where they were living, and the names of the boats they were in charge of. In 1873 the name of their boat(s) were ‘John & Henry’, so I assume that this was a pair of working Narrowboats. We would like to find out more about those journeys. Later on he would become Master of ‘Brackley’ a 79 ton ship working out of Runcorn Docks
Credit: Sue Byrne, The National Archives. Family History Society of Cheshire.
Account of Voyages and Crew of Home Trade Ship.
A list of voyages undertaken by Joseph Davies and his crew aboard the vessel 'Brackley' in 1884.Joseph Davies (Mariner 312) Joseph Davies (Able Seaman 314)
Credit: Port of Runcorn. The Mercantile Marine Office.
| Date | Port of Departure | Port of Arrival |
|---|---|---|
| 21st Jan 1884 | Penarth | Liverpool |
| 25th Jan | Liverpool | Penarth |
| 8th Feb | Penarth | Runcorn |
| 16th Feb | Runcorn | Newry |
| 28th Feb | Newry | Pwllheli |
| 24th March | Pwllheli | Fleetwood |
| 31st March | Fleetwood | Penarth |
| 7th April | Penarth | Runcorn |
| 16th April | Runcorn | Dublin |
| 30 April | Dublin | Pwllheli |
| 8th May | Pwllheli | Runcorn |
| 6th June | Runcorn | Dublin |
| 8th June | Dublin | Pwllheli |
| 12th June | Pwllheli | Runcorn |
| 16th June | Runcorn | Penarth |
| 24th June | Penarth | Runcorn |
| 27th June | Runcorn | Penarth |
| 30th June | Penarth | Liverpool |
| Peter Wright.Aged 16 Born in Runcorn. Ships Cook | Joseph Davies Aged 59 Born in Chester. Master of Vessel | Joseph Davies (Son) Aged 23 Born in Chester. Ships Mate |
Joseph Davies (Master of Vessel ) (312) Joesph Davies (Able Seaman) (314)
| SURNAME | FORENAME | AGE/Y.O.B. | WHERE BORN | RANK | ADDRESS | YEAR | VESSEL | O/NUMBER | DOC REF |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DAVIES | JOSEPH | 43 | CHESTER | MASTER | 1873 | JOHN & HENRY | 1465 | NS 10/4 | |
| DAVIES | JOSEPH | 45 | CHESTER | MASTER | 1874 | JOHN & HENRY | 1465 | NS 11/3 | |
| DAVIES | JOSEPH | 45 | CHESTER | MASTER | 1874 | JOHN & HENRY | 1465 | NS 11/4 | |
| DAVIES | JOSEPH | 48 | CHESTER | MASTER | BROOK ST RUNCORN | 1876 | DUKE | 24117 | NS 12/33 |
| DAVIES | JOSEPH | 14 | RUNCORN | BOY | 1876 | DUKE | 24117 | NS 12/37 | |
| DAVIES | JOSEPH | 48 | CHESTER | MASTER | 1876 | DUKE | 24117 | NS 12/34 | |
| DAVIES | JOSEPH | 15 | RUNCORN | BOY | 1876 | DUKE | 24117 | NS 12/34 | |
| DAVIES | JOSEPH | 48 | CHESTER | MASTER | 1877 | DUKE | 24117 | NS 13/31 | |
| DAVIES | JOSEPH | 16 | RUNCORN | AB | 1877 | DUKE | 24117 | NS 13/31 | |
| DAVIES | JOSEPH | 48 | CHESTER | MASTER | 1877 | DUKE | 24117 | NS 13/32 | |
| DAVIES | JOSEPH | 52 | CHESTER | MASTER | 9 RUTLAND ST RUNCORN | 1880 | DUKE | 24117 | NS 16/24 |
| DAVIES | JOSEPH | 19 | RUNCORN | AB | 1880 | DUKE | 24117 | NS 16/24 | |
| DAVIES | JOSEPH | 55 | CHESTER | MASTER | 9 RUTLAND ST RUNCORN | 1880 | DUKE | 24117 | NS 16/25 |
| DAVIES | JOSEPH | 20 | RUNCORN | AB | 1880 | DUKE | 24117 | NS 16/25 | |
| DAVIES | JOSEPH | 55 | CHESTER | MASTER | 1881 | DUKE | 24117 | NS 17/22 | |
| DAVIES | JOSEPH | 1827 | CHESTER | MASTER | RUTLAND ST RUNCORN | 1882 | DUKE | 24117 | NS 18/28 |
| DAVIES | JOSEPH | 1828 | CHESTER | MASTER | RUTLAND ST RUNCORN | 1882 | DUKE | 24117 | NS 18/29 |
| DAVIES | JOSEPH | 56 | CHESTER | MASTER | RUTLAND ST RUNCORN | 1883 | DUKE | 24117 | NS 19/22 |
| DAVIES | JOSEPH | 54 | RUNCORN | MASTER | RUNCORN | 1883 | DUKE | 24117 | NS 19/23 |
| DAVIES | JOSEPH JNR | 16 | RUNCORN | O/S | 1877 | DUKE | 24117 | NS 13/32 | |
| DAVIES | JOSEPH JNR | 20 | RUNCORN | AB | 1881 | DUKE | 24117 | NS 17/23 | |
| DAVIES | JOSEPH JNR | 21 | RUNCORN | AB | 1881 | DUKE | 24117 | NS 17/24 | |
| DAVIES | JOSEPH JNR | 1861 | RUNCORN | AB | 1882 | DUKE | 24117 | NS 18/28 | |
| DAVIES | JOSEPH JNR | 1862 | RUNCORN | MATE | 1882 | DUKE | 24117 | NS 18/28 | |
| DAVIES | JOSEPH JNR | 22 | RUNCORN | MATE | 1883 | DUKE | 24117 | NS 19/22 | |
| DAVIES | JOSEPH JNR | 23 | RUNCORN | AB | 1883 | DUKE | 24117 | NS 19/23 |
Credits: Port of Runcorn Registers; 1863-1913; Cheshire Archive & Local Studies & Runcorn Family History Society.