Sea chest and painting information request

[Neil Fairman]

Sea chest and the Antiques Road Show.pdf

The sea chest above belonged to a merchant seaman, my great, great, grandfather, Edward Coleman. His ship was the Airlie vessel 72545 – built 1875 – Iron sailing vessel 3 masted ship – Built by Alexander Stephen & Sons Ltd. Govan. Involved in the Jute trade. It changed its name in 1899 to Superb.
The ship Superb was sunk by a German submarine. The sinking of the ship happened 50 miles west of Fastnet. The Superb was a Norwegian sailing barque 1,393 tons and was built in Glasgow in 1875. She sailed from Buenos Ayres March 10th for Queenstown. She was sunk at 10.30 on Monday morning 14th of June 1915. Bombs were placed on her to make her sink.
The Airlie was a famous ship and was painted by an artist John Henry Mohrmann in the 'Airlie at Sea'.
On the inside of the sea chest, the painting of the Airlie, has two 5 pointed stars on either side I do not know what they mean? If anyone has any information on this vessel, or Edward Coleman, I would be very grateful.

[Bill Morrison]

Hi Neil. Was your Edward Coleman born in Harwich 1850. If so he was not on the Airlie in1881 from Canadian records but coasting Petrel 11268-- Wellington 16754-- Mermerus 67904.
There is a photo in the Victoria State Library of the Airlie as the Superb it is out of copyright, I did down load it but can't retrieve it will try later.
The Airlie was owned in Dundee as the list.

[Doc Vernon]

Reference:	BT 110/2/37
Description:	Ship Airlie, official number: 72545. When built: 1874. Registry closed: 1899.
Date:	[1891-1900]
Held by:	The National Archives, Kew
Legal status:	Public Record(s)
Language:	English
Closure status:	Open Document, Open Description

Crew List for Ship here as well

Crew List Index Search Results (mun.ca)

The SV Airlie at Sea 1875.jpg

[Doc Vernon]

Just for info

There is an Edward Coleman as Merchant Navy Indentured apprentice age 17 at Grimsby 1882 for a 4 Year Term Finishing in 1886. ??

[Neil Fairman]

AirlieUpload.jpg


Thank you everyone for your input. The information I have on my great great grandfather as a sailor is as follows: Edward Coleman was born in Shadwell, East London in 1859. He was imprisoned between March 1880 to 1884 and so could not have been at sea between these dates. His marriage certificate in December 1888 states his profession as Mariner. The sea chest is from his ship, The Airlie. I do not know what the star shapes on either side of the painting represent. John Walker suggested that they may be a motif of a shipping line, but I do not know. If anyone can answer these questions, I would be very grateful.

[Keith at Tregenna]

Have you a pic of the two 5 pointed stars feature in the PDF,
Would be very helpful to pass around to others that may assist.

Keith.

[Neil Fairman]

Hi, Hi everyone,
Edward Coleman died on the 23rd of January 1913, age 53 in Raine Street Workhouse Infirmary, London.

Thank you Marian I found the information you provided on the 5 pointed star very interesting, especially as the story of Edward Coleman maybe in the next year the subject of a documentary and or book. It may be of little importance, but Edward (Ted) Coleman, led a gang in St. Luke’s, London called the ‘Forty Thieves’. The gang had a 5 dotted tattoo on the web of their left hand that showed they were a member of the ‘Forty Thieves’.

My grandmother always told me that, Edward Coleman’s position was that of a First Mate, but I could never confirm this, as I never knew his sailor’s number. But I found this I found strange as a person of this rank lived in such poverty with his family in East London. But also I could not dismiss this as I’m aware that on a ship, space was so important and that his sea chest is so large. Therefore to be allowed such a large box onboard a vessel its owner had to be a sailor of high rank?


more airlie pics.pdf full airlie art.pdf airlie star.pdf


I enclose images of the Airlie's signal flags. I hope that these may help identify the owner(s) of the vessel at the time Edward Coleman sailed upon it. Any information would be greatly appreciated.

[Neil Fairman]

I enclose images of the Airlie's signal flags and the star (in PDF formatting). I hope that these may help identify the owner(s) of the vessel at the time Edward Coleman sailed upon it. Any information would be greatly appreciated.

more airlie pics.pdffull airlie art.pdfairlie star.pdf

[Keith at Tregenna]

Have you a pic of the two 5 pointed stars feature in the PDF,
Would be very helpful to pass around to others that may assist.

Keith.

Can you add a pic / JPEG rather than PDF.

Would hope to pass onto others that may assist.

Keith.

[Graham Shaw]

Hi Neil. Was your Edward Coleman born in Harwich 1850. If so he was not on the Airlie in1881 from Canadian records but coasting Petrel 11268-- Wellington 16754-- Mermerus 67904.
There is a photo in the Victoria State Library of the Airlie as the Superb it is out of copyright, I did down load it but can't retrieve it will try later.
The Airlie was owned in Dundee as the list.

Just a further note on ownership here from Miramar Shipping Index,NZ

Airlie 72545 1,577 tons blt.Linthouse 1875 for David Bruce and Co;registered Dundee
1895 Owners recorded as Dundee Clipper Line Ltd,Dundee
1897 Owner recorded as W.Montgomery,London
1899 Sold to A/S Superb,Stavanger,Norway.Renamed Superb
1904.Owners now C.L.Endresen,Kristiansand S;Norway
1915 Sunk by explosive device from sub. (U-34) in 51.15N/10.75W on 7.6.15 [Buenos Aires-UK, wheat]