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  1. #11
    Settling in
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    Hi, it's me begging assistance again! I've now found several newspaper reports into the sinking of the Camerton and the loss of Henry. One report in the London Evening Standard says they believe that neither the ship nor the cargo were insured. If that was the case, that must have been a hefty loss to the owners but what I want to know is would Henry's widow Elizabeth have been eligible for some kind of compensation? She was left with three children 6 and under and two of 8 and 13. On subsequent census returns, she is listed as being a laundress and then in 1881 is awarded a room in the Charterhouse, an almshouse in Hull where she dies aged 87 in 1897.
    The ship owners were W & CL Ringrose, I searched the Hull History centre catalogue to see if there are any company records that might tell me if there was an insurance payout or give any reference to payments made to Elizabeth but there doesn't seem to be. I'm not sure where else to look really.
    Last edited by JillCuth; 05-12-2020 at 4:04 PM. Reason: spelling

  2. #12
    Brick wall demolition expert!
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    I do not know for certain, but any compensation would, in my opinion, have come either from the employer / ship owner, or possibly through a charity collection; you often notices in old newspaper of people trying to raise money for someone who has suffered a charity.

    If there was no insurance pay-out, then it seems possible that there would have been no money from the employer / ship owner.

    From your descriptions of her in later censuses it looks as though she was reliant on her own means and parish relief.

  3. #13
    Settling in
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    Thanks Megan, I'm of the same opinion. Seems incredible to us now that someone could be left a widow through something work related and not be eligible for some help but those were the times they lived in.
    The Charterhouse wasn't parish relief by the way. It was a private charitable organisation founded in 1384, it has a fascinating history and is still running today, providing sheltered accommodation. Back then, potential residents applied for a room and after a period of time on the waiting list, their eligibility was voted on by the board of trustees, some of whom had to be town council members. Elizabeth was awarded a room by a majority of one vote. I find myself wanting to go back in time to slap those who voted against her! haha.

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