On 26 October 1859, cousins Andrew Buchan (23) and Robert Buchan (17), drowned when their boat was overturned by a strong wind in deep water (Robert was incorrectly named Arthur in the article). The cause of death given on their death records was, “Drowning Near the Boat Shore”. John Buchan, Andrew’s brother, certified that both were buried at St Combs Churchyard.
Aberdeen Journal, 5 October 1859, p3, c6
Their fathers, Andrew Buchan and Arthur Buchan, were brothers. Arthur Buchan, father of 23-year-old Andrew, was my 4th great grandfather; and brother of my 3rd great-grandmother, Helen Buchan. Helen was 19 when her older brother, and younger cousin, drowned (she would marry James Findlay two years later). I can only imagine the devastating effect this tragedy had on the family.
Andrew was the one who “left a widow to lament his fate”. He was described as ‘married’ on his death record, but infuriatingly did not give his wife’s name. There was a likely 1857 marriage record to an Isabella Buchan in Rathen, but it was difficult to establish which of the many Isabella Buchans this could have been.
Death Records of Andrew and Robert Buchan (1859)
I had to cough up the credits and order the marriage record to make sure it was the right one. Sure enough, Andrew’s parents were recorded, confirming it was the correct people. Isabella’s parents were also recorded but leads to another issue… which of the many ‘William Buchan and Elizabeth Duthie’ couples are they?
PLEASE NOTE: The charts shown on this post have an error. The father of Elisabeth Buchan (b1874) was not a granddaughter of John (Park’s Jockie) Buchan (b1792). Please see the post ‘Five Men Drowned – Connections and Corrections’ for an updated chart and explanation.
In the final post of the series, I mentioned that I had not been able to find any direct link to my family from any of the five men. However, I thought it would probably be a good idea to show the links that are there.
How the five men connect to my family (click to enlarge image)
Alexander Ritchie Buchan was my second great-grandfather.
Charles Bruce was the father-in-law of Alexander’s brother Peter.
Andrew Buchan was the cousin of Alexander’s brother-in-law (husband of sister Jessie).
Alexander Strachan and Andrew Strachan were the father-in-law and brother-in-law of Jessie’s husband’s cousin (Elisabeth).
Andrew Bruce does not currently have any known connection to my family.
Please note: these are the closest connections as they currently stand. The families of St Combs were so entwined, there are bound to be other ways they link and less distant connections may be discovered in time.
UPDATE:
Less than a day after posting the above, I was able to connect Andrew Bruce. It turns out that Andrew was actually the nephew of Charles Bruce.
Connection chart updated (click to enlarge)
Apparently though, Andrew is more closely connected to my family via a different route:
Closest Connections to my family (click to enlarge)
This can be expressed in many different ways – none of those being straight forward.
We could say:
My second great grandfather’s uncle married the second cousin of Andrew Bruce.
OR
My third great grandfather’s brother married Andrew Bruce’s second cousin.
OR
Andrew Bruce was the second cousin of my third great grandfather’s sister-in-law.
OR
Andrew Bruce was the second cousin of the wife of Alexander Ritchie Buchan’s uncle.
OR…
… (It could go on and on.)
Whichever way, I’m glad a connection has been made and will be sure to update here when closer ones are found.
Of the six men who were aboard when a heavy wave swamped a fishing boat on 9 February 1872, James Buchan was the only survivor.
Unfortunately, I have been unable to determine exactly WHO this man was since, unlike the men who did not survive, the newspapers gave no information that could narrow this down. No age, marital status or family information for James was mentioned in any of the articles. There were at least 20 James Buchans recorded in the Lonmay area on the 1871 census. Even after ruling out the ones who were below the age of 15 and above the age of 60, we are still left with 10 possible James Buchans that could have survived that fateful night. So, sadly, this is where the search must end.
Disappointingly, I’ve also not been able to find any direct link to any of the fishermen involved in this tragedy. If I do manage to find any connection in future, I’ll be sure to update.(See connections update here)
…two of the bodies that had become entangled with the buoys and lines were washed ashore, but the other three remain unrecovered. Buchan Observer and East Aberdeenshire Advertiser, 16 February 1872, p3, c3
The Three Buried at Sea
Of the five men who drowned when their boat was overturned near Rattray Head on 9 February 1872, the bodies of Charles Bruce (40), and father and son, Alexander (50) and Andrew (20) Strachan, were never recovered.
Charles Bruce
Charles was the son of fisherman Andrew Bruce and Margaret Buchan. He was one of at least eight siblings who grew up in the small fishing cottage of 35 St Combs.
He married Mary Strachan on 23 February 1854 and by 1871, they had at least seven children. They were all recorded living at number 99 (East Row) on the 1871 census.
Death record of Charles Bruce
After the tragedy, Mary appears to have remained at no. 99. She was recorded there in the 1881 census with two of their sons, Andrew (13) and William (10), her visiting daughter Jane (24) and infant granddaughter Mary Stephen (4 months). Daughter Mary was working as a servant a few doors away (house 95).
All of Charles’ children appeared to have either worked in the fishing industry, or married fishermen and remained nearby, except Mary, who married printer/compositor James Joss in 1886 and emigrated to Canada c1912.
(A memorial for Charles and Mary was erected by their family in the Lonmay Kirkyard.)
Alexander and Andrew Strachan
Alexander and Andrew Strachan were father and son.
Alexander was the son of Andrew Strachan and Jane Greig. He married Margaret Whyte on 4 October 1846 at Lonmay.
Alexander and Margaret’s son Andrew was born about 1850 and grew up in St Combs with his three younger siblings, Barbara, Gordon and John, before following in his father’s footsteps to become a fisherman.
Death records of Alexander and Andrew Strachan
After the deaths of her husband and son, Margaret remained at 85 East Street until at least 1891. In the 1901 census, she was recorded at 19 East Street with her daughter Gordon (yes, daughter!), who had stayed with her mother since the tragic event.
Eldest daughter Barbara married fisherman Andrew Noble in 1875. They lived at nearby Cairnbulg (no 60) with their four children for most (if not all) of their lives.
Youngest son John stayed in the area but did not appear to remain in the fishing industry – he was recorded as a tailor in 1881, a carter in 1891, and a butcher’s labourer in 1901. He had married young Elizabeth Ann Buchan in 1890 and they had a daughter, Maggie Ann.
Two of the bodies were also picked up by the boat, but both were quite dead. Dundee Courier, 12 February 1872, p2, c6
The Two Recovered
Of the five men who drowned when their boat was overturned near Rattray Head on 9 February 1872, only two were recovered. The bodies of Andrew Buchan (34) and Andrew Bruce (24) were taken ashore in the boat that rescued James Buchan, the sole survivor.
Death records of Andrew Buchan and Andrew Bruce
Andrew Buchan
Andrew Buchan was the son of fisherman Andrew Buchan and his wife Elizabeth Buchan. He was the eldest of eight siblings, all born and bred at St Combs.
Andrew married Catherine Buchan on 7 November 1861.
In 1871, Andrew and Catherine were recorded at 54½ Mid Row, St Combs with their four young children, Mary, Elspet, Andrew, and James.
After Andrew’s tragic death, his widow Catherine was recorded in the 1881 census still at 54½ with their sons, Andrew and James, now 13 and 11. She appears to have at least had some support from Andrew’s parents who were ‘next door’ in number 54 (54 and 54½ appear to be attached).
Eldest daughter Mary married James McLean in 1886 and Catherine was recorded in their Peterhead home on the 1891 census. Catherine appears not to have remarried.
Daughter Elspet (15) appears to be working as a servant for Peter Bruce in 1881. She later married fisherman William Shand in 1886 and lived in Peterhead.
Son James broke with family tradition and became a baker in Govan, Lanarkshire, marrying Willamina McDonald in 1893.
It is unclear what became of Andrew – due to his common name, tracing him reliably (and cheaply) was not possible. Any information would be welcome.
Andrew Bruce
Andrew Bruce was the son of fisherman Peter Bruce and his wife, Isabella Murray. He grew up with at least six other siblings in St Combs.
Andrew married Ann Buchan, daughter of fisherman John Buchan and Elizabeth Cow in 7 April 1870. Their first child, Peter, was born only five months later. He was born at Peterhead, which may have been the home of a relative. Andrew stated that he was present at the birth when registering it a few days later.
In 1871, Andrew, Ann, and 6-month-old Peter were recorded in the census at 81 East Row – the home of his father. Nine people were in the house that night (2 April).
Andrew Bruce with his wife and son in the 1871 census
Less than a year later, Andrew was drowned. At the time, his wife Ann was a few months pregnant with their second child. Their daughter was born in July (at 96 St Combs) and was named Andrew Ann in honour of her father.
Ann never remarried. In the 1881 census, she was recorded with her son Peter, and her widowed father, John Buchan at 96 St Combs. Ann was described as a grocer. In 1891, she and her father were still at Number 96 but Ann was now recorded as a ‘merchant (Bread-seller). This time, 18-year-old daughter, ‘Andrewina’ was with them.
Son Peter had broken with family tradition and become a joiner. He had moved to Lanarkshire by 1891 and married Margaret Anderson the next year, staying there until his death in 1924.
Ann died at 96 St Combs in 1895, aged 45, of “Influenza Bronchitis”. Two years later, daughter Andrew married fisherman William Strachan and lived in St Combs until her death in 1954.
