The Man from Tregantle, Torpoint, Cornwall.

[Simon Owens]

Sounds like it was Inspector Clusoe in charge of the case Simon. If they had a description of him or a photograph the first place they would have looked was where most seamen frequented the local bordellos and pubs. Ah well maybe he was one of the few seafarers who didn’t imbibe. Good hunting you’ll get there if you persevere . JS

If you feel as though you are having no success still carry on if you feel justified in doing so. Up until a couple of years ago I had been trying to pinpoint a person for over 30 years , this was because I thought he may have been an accessory to a marine disaster. It preyed on my mind for that length of time and everyone I had contact with in the same sphere of the disaster I questioned , the first break was talking to someone over 10,000 miles away who gave me a clue , a year later someone from this site sent me an old photo of a newspaper clipping and I recognised the person straight away although he was 30 years older. So I had carried around thoughts for 30 plus years , fortuanetley I was wrong in my suspicions , which I was very thankful for , as would still be looking for him to this day. It can get to be an albatross round your neck. So hope you are looking for the right reasons. Cheers JS

Many thanks for your comments and your experience of looking for someone. In this case there were no photographs or descriptions because it is an unidentified body story and not a missing person story. All they found of the gentleman's body was his skeleton. The coroner thought he may have been there for about 4 years. And I get what you mean about the reasons for trying to solve these type of mysteries. In my case, the story is very local to me. The gentleman's grave stone is in a cemetery a mile or so away. It's very easy to get obsessed with these type of searches but I am not going down that route. My philosophy is that if the gentleman finally wants his name on his gravestone and that he is happy for me, a living human being, to help in the matter, then I will continue to etch away. I feel quietly confident that I am doing the right thing-for the time being anyway. Many thanks for your input.

[Simon Owens]

Or just thought he had shipped out on a tramper and if he had no family he would not be missed, and if he had a family it was still in the days of snail mail where contact could run months behind as letters chased the ship around the world and we know a lot of seamen didn't bother to write home

Thanks for your comment Ivan. And yes, the investigation back in 1982 was done using primarily snail mail between CID and various police stations, and also with the Merchant Navy. We hopefully have the advantage in 2025 with near instant messaging, databanks, and far better forensics. I am encouraged by my gentle investigations so far.

[Simon Owens]

Hi, many thanks for all your input. I am enjoying looking through this site and learning about the Merchant Navy life. I have watched videos, read posts and seen photographs. Not only is it personally interesting but it also helps bring The Man from Tregantle's story more to life, for me anyway. I enclose my latest post. It's on a buymeacoffee site, but don't worry about buying me a coffee(!), all my posts are free to look at, and I welcome the audience from you all. I feel progress is being made and am working on my next post. They come out weekly. This site greatly encourages me and although I would never promise to crack a story like this, I am finding it difficult to suppress my optimism that this could happen.
https://buymeacoffee.com/m25roundabout/progress-3381266

[Doc Vernon]

Hello Simon
Well once again i say its a good Story you write,on your site and i hope that possibly one day you may indeed find some answer to this Mystery.

Thank you also for the Inclusion Text concerning this site in your Story it is appreciated, and helps to boost this good Merchant Navy Site i am glad that you find it interesting and helpful.
The Lads on here always do try and help where they can.

So onwards with your investigations, and al i can say to you is Good Luck.

Cheers

[Simon Owens]

Hello Simon
Well once again i say its a good Story you write,on your site and i hope that possibly one day you may indeed find some answer to this Mystery.

Thank you also for the Inclusion Text concerning this site in your Story it is appreciated, and helps to boost this good Merchant Navy Site i am glad that you find it interesting and helpful.
The Lads on here always do try and help where they can.

So onwards with your investigations, and al i can say to you is Good Luck.

Cheers

Many thanks DV. I was wondering whether it might be appropriate to write an article about this in your article section. It would save people having to go to my blog. Good idea? Many thanks for your comment.

[j.sabourn]

Simon for your information if you don’t already know as is mentioned in one post many moons ago, I was involved personally in one attempted murder on one vessel , and subject to the court information of another murder and two attempted murders on the same vessel off the coast of Chile. One of the members on this site has a post up of the second headline case titled “ My worse Xmas at sea” . What I am trying to tell you is on information I received on good authority is that in the decade you are talking about Scotland Yard had a team on short notice just for such emergencies on British Flag ships to fly anywhere in the world. That particular vessels ships focsle head bell now hangs in the murder room at Scotland Yard, or it did 50 odd years ago. All the best . The British police force used to be top notch in years gone by , and like the Canadian Mounties usually got their man ( or woman ) Good searching . JS

[j.sabourn]

#26 PS post 34 by Derek Brooks. worse Christmas at sea. JS

[Simon Owens]

Simon for your information if you don’t already know as is mentioned in one post many moons ago, I was involved personally in one attempted murder on one vessel , and subject to the court information of another murder and two attempted murders on the same vessel off the coast of Chile. One of the members on this site has a post up of the second headline case titled “ My worse Xmas at sea” . What I am trying to tell you is on information I received on good authority is that in the decade you are talking about Scotland Yard had a team on short notice just for such emergencies on British Flag ships to fly anywhere in the world. That particular vessels ships focsle head bell now hangs in the murder room at Scotland Yard, or it did 50 odd years ago. All the best . The British police force used to be top notch in years gone by , and like the Canadian Mounties usually got their man ( or woman ) Good searching . JS

Many thanks JS. I will take a look.