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20 items, including references, certificates of discharge, letters, legal documents relating to compensation after the fatal collision, concluding with a reference for Bailie's son, John, apprentice mariner. The life story of a mariner told in a handful of documents. Born in about 1831, Bailie began as carpenter on the Golden Light, sailing to Quebec twice under Captain Vaughan who commends Bailie as a 'quick and excellent workman'. In 1866 he is discharged from the Catherine, 136 tons, while at Malaga, Spain and is sent home by the British Consul as a 'distressed mariner', 'a native of Scotland' (although elsewhere described as being born at Belfast) and 'wishing to go there'. The following year, Bailie served on the brig Canadian Lass as mate, and is commended by the captain for his 'sobriety and honesty'. There followed service on the Golden Light again, the Lahloo as second mate, chief mate of the barque A.W. Singleton, he was then put in charge of the Canterbury (described as 'derelict') taking the ship to Sydney, Australia until March 30th 1870. He is commended for his 'praiseworthy' protection of the ship 'and when she again became waterlogged on her homeward voyage his services were of material assistance in getting the ship to port'. After repairs Bailie sailed as mate in the ship back to England. The agent for the owners of the Canterbury, R.B. Monkman, commends Bailie for his 'perseverance, courage, sobriety and thorough trustworthiness'. During 1871, he served on the Canterbury and the Lochiel as mate on trans-Atlantic voyages to Mobile, Quebec and New Orleans. On a voyage as Captain of the Liverpool-built three-mast ship, Lenore, Bailie was drowned along with eight of his crew, when his ship was run down in fog by the steam ship, Charles Dixon, in the North Sea, 9 miles off County Durham. The Lenore was leaving the Tyne on a voyage to Bombay, India. At that time, he and his family were living at Glasgow Street Ardrossan, Scotland. After his death, James's wife Mary claimed compensation; she says that her husband was '45 years of age and no more' and as Master of the Lenore earned £19 a month (recently increased to £21). Her 19 year-old son, also named James, was on the fatal voyage with his father, but was saved - the other children are recorded as Elizabeth (14), Thomas (11) and John (5). Mary gives her annual income from her husband as between £150 and £200, plus £25 p.a. to the eldest son. James Bailie's estate amounted to £744.7.11d. Messrs. Bucknall & Sons, owners of the S.S. John Dixon, paid compensation of £300 to the widow of Alexander Pollock, carpenter on the Lenore; the amount paid to Mary Bailie is unclear. The final manuscript is a reference for the Bailies' youngest son, John, April 14th 1893, provided by the Master of the S.S. Baron Belhaven, where John served five months of his apprenticeship; like his father he is described by Robert Crosby as 'honest, truthful, & strictly sober, a good helmsman & active young seaman.' PLEASE NOTE: For customers within the UK this item is subject to VAT.
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