Capt. John (Jack) Adams

Peter Chapman from Saltfleetby, brought the above collection of items to me for publication on our village website.

They belonged to his Grandfather Walter Chapman who was born in Saltfleetby. These had been kept by Walter's daughter Kathleen when he passed away, and have been with Peter, since his Aunt Kathleen passed away in 2001.

The items are a Beautifully Ornate Framed Funeral Card, a photo copy of the card and a typed copy of what was obviously a article printed in the local newspaper to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Saltfleet Shipwreck, it tells of the 39ft sloop 'Try' - Shipwreck on the Saltfleet Haven/Saltfleetby shoreline on February 19th, 1882.

Captain John (Jack) Adams

Tragedy struck Captain John Adams on February 19th 1882 when his boat the 'Try' was wrecked and he lost five members of his family.

The boat was sailing in Saltfleet Haven when it got into trouble and the anchor broke. Captain Adams was the only member of the crew to survive.

His wife Harriet Adams aged 26 (nee Harvey), and their three youngest children, Robert aged 5 years, Herme, aged 3 years, and Louise, aged 1 year 8 months, and his 19 year old brother Robert all lost their lives on that fateful day.

The crew and injured members were taken ashore where despite medical assistance Harriet sadly died. Although some said she died of a broken heart, the reality was of complete exhaustion and hypothermia.

This is the Funeral Card kept by Walter Chapman - my scan of this card does not do it justice, it is Beautiful.

On Thursday 23rd February 1882, Harriet Adams aged 26, daughter’s Louise, aged 1 year 8 months, Hermia aged 3 years, son Robert aged 5 years and John’s brother Robert Adams aged 19 years, were buried in Louth in the presence of about one thousand people, such was the popularity of this family.

The Typed Copy of the Newspaper Article reads as follows:

THE SALTFLEET SHIPWRECK.

Story in Verse of 50 Years ago

Recently, in Ventura's "Village Diary" series, mention was made of a shipwreck which, 50 years ago, caused the loss of Saltfleet lives in the Haven. It was a wild night, with a tearing wind, making the breakers mast high and in the raging sea the sloop went ashore and broke up. A poem, composed at the time and telling the story of the tragedy was brought to the Standard office this week. It belongs to Mr. C. Grantham junior of Front Street, Nth. Somercotes. who lived with his parents from 1917 to 1924 as caretakers in the Old Manor House Saltfleet.

The poem which is printed on a square sheet of decorated paper is entitled “The Saltfleet Shipwreck”. but bears no name of the author. Each copy was priced at one penny. Though not written in the best tradition of verse, never the less captures the spirit of the wreck, though it goes to some lenghs of explanation.

It reads as follows:-

THE SALTFLEET SHIPWRECK

T'was on a bitter, stormy night,

When the shipwreck did occur.

Down in Saltfleet Haven

Which no doubt you all have heard.

John Adams was the captain

With his wife and children three,

Likewise his brother, aged nineteen

Were toiling hard at sea.

The weather and the storm were such

That caused them much delay,

And twice they had to anchor

In Tetney Road that day.

At four o’clock in the afternoon

The Haven they did reach,

Where the pilot and his men

Saw them from the beach.

They went to their assistance

Did all that men could do,

But the storm did get so violent

Which made them anchor too.

Such a storm was not expected

Which caused their chains to break

And then they found to their dismay,

The vessel it did leak.

Then to the pumps they then did go

The captain’s wife as well,

Toiling hard they did their best

To save the children and themselves.

They gained upon the water

And thought that all was right

When the other cable chain did break

Which filled them all with fright. .........

...........The vessel taking water fast

All intercourse cut off.

They at the mercy of the storm

Did feel themselves quite lost.

The children they fetched out of bed

And kept them in their arms,

But when they'd done their very best

They could not keep them warm.

Thus they kept on shivering

As the waves kept crashing o’er,

Those three dear little children

At last they were no more.

Oh what must be the feelings,

Of those kind parents hearts,

Likewise those most noble men

Who held them in their arms.

One by one they left this world

Their spirits took their flight,

Into the haven of Sweet Rest

Where there is no dark night.

The brother also passed away

The wife unconscious got,

Then the captain fell as well,

Most terrible was their lot.

The coastguard to their aid did come

And took them to the shore,

But only for a little while

Death came and claimed one more.

May god become the captain's friend

And keep him on his way.

That when death shall call him hence

They may meet where all is day.

Caption John (Jack) Adams, the only member of the family on board to survive the disaster, stayed in Saltfleet with his remaining son and daughter (John and Jane). He eventually remarried and raising a further nine children. His descendants still live in the area to this day.

The 'Try' was salvaged and put back to work but was eventually wrecked in 1900, almost in the same location at Saltfleet where at low tide along the coastline of the Rimac Nature Reserve at Saltfleetby she can still be seen to this day.

John Adams Died on the 17th February 1927 aged 73 years, he and his second wife Alice are buried in the nearby graveyard of St. Botolph's Church, Skidbrooke.