Rodham Research-Thomas Rodham of Staithes, he died in Scotland in 1923

I did work as a volunteer at Temple Newsam estate in Leeds; the activities were organised by a Michael Rodham. During our times together, and me being interested in family history resource, I discovered that Michael's Rodham's family came from Staithes, Yorkshire-they were boat builders and sea captains. So when researching the family of John James Readman, my great grandfather's elder brother, I discovered that his first daughter by his second wife Sarah Duckering was May, born 24th May, 1883, and that she married a Herbert Brown, born 24th March, 1884, son of Matthew Brown, a sea captain, who was born in Staithes, Yorkshire.

 Then I found that Matthew's father, also Matthew Brown, had married a Jane Rodham, daughter of Thomas Rodham of Staithes.

So I used my account with Ancestry.co.uk and British Newspaper Archives and Family Search.org to some research into the Rodham Family and its connection with my Readman family and other families involved.

The records states thus: Matthew BROWN born 11 March, 1820, as son of a Joseph BROWN and an Elizabeth TRATTLES, married Jane RODHAM, daughter of Thomas RODHAM of Staithes, on 23rd September, 1847. I found the record on Family Search: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NNV4-1GK

The record states thus: St. Thomas' Church, Stockton-On-Tees, Durham, England

Marriage

23 September 1847 • Stockton-on-Tees, Yorkshire, England

Matthew Brown, bachelor, son of Joseph Brown, & Jane Rodham, spinster, daughter of Thomas Rodham, were married at St. Thomas’s Church, Stockton-on Tees, County Durham, on 23rd September 1847.

So researching the family of Matthew Brown & Jane Rodham who had married on 23rd September 1847, I found that their first child, was their daughter, Hannah Elizabeth BROWN, who was born prior to 16th August, 1848, when she was christened at Hinderwell, in North Yorkshire. 

 Their second child was Jane Rodham BROWN, born 27th August, 1854 in Staithes, North Yorkshire, and she was christened at Hinderwell, on 3rd September 1854. 

Their third child was a son, which they named after his father, namely Matthew-he was born 27th August, 1854 in Staithes, and christened at Hinderwell, on 03 September 1854. 

The record on my Ancestry account states this:

Name: Matthew Brown, Gender: Male, Birth Date: 27 Aug 1854

Baptism Date: 3 Sep 1854, Baptism Place: Hinderwell,York,England

Death Date: 3 Feb 1856, Father: Matthew Brown, Mother: Jane FHL Film Number: 550531

So their third child Matthew only lived a couple of years, so Jane & Matthew had a fourth child, which fortunately was a son again, so they named him Matthew  again, after his father.

There is a record of his birth & christening on Ancestry & Family Search as stated like this:

Name Matthew Brown Gender Male Baptism Date 24 Aug 1856 Baptism Place Hinderwell,Yorkshire ,England, Father, Matthew Brown, Mother, Jane FHL Film Number 550531.

Matthew had a sister called Sarah, born 1858, and then a brother called Joseph Thomas, born 1862, then another brother called John William, born 1866. 

The 1861 Census for this family, shows that their mother and father, namely Matthew Brown & Jane Rodham, had other relatives in the area. So on that Census date, which was 7th April, 1861, shows that on that date, Matthew & Jane & their son Matthew, were in Shadwell, Middlesex, visiting the Rose Family. His father Matthew, is named has being a Master Mariner, and a visitor.  His father Matthew, had probably just returned from Japan, where he had been in 1859 as this article stated in the Whitby Gazette on Friday 7 August 1903: in Japan in the summer of 1859, when he commanded the barque, "Countess of Seafield.” Japan had long isolated herself from commercial relations with the world, and the resumption of business intercourse was exceedingly interesting to both the Japanese and Europeans. On June 14th, he chartered the barque for any port in Japan or on the coast of China, and on the 24th received orders to proceed to Kanagowa, near Yeddo, which he reached on July 5th—" a very fine bay, with apparently good holding-ground." Here he was visited by the Japanese authorities, but as the British Consul having gone to Yeddo, he had no interpreter, and written orders had been left that no British subject was to land. On July 9th, Captain Brown landed at Yokohama for a walk.

The rest of the family, namely Sarah etc were still in Hinderwell, staying with their relatives, the Laverick Family as the 1861 Census states:

1861 England Census for Jane Rodham BROWN: Yorkshire, Hinderwell, All, District 6.

67, High Street

 John LAVERICK, Head, Married, 45 years, Ship owner & Past master, born Staithes, Yorkshire.

Mary LAVERICK, Wife, Married, 44 years, Wife, born Staithes, Yorkshire.

George Delaval LAVERICK, Son, unmarried, 16, Sea Apprentice, born Staithes, Yorkshire.

Ellen LAVERICK, daughter, unmarried, 14, Scholar, born Staithes, Yorkshire.

Thomas LAVERICK, son, unmarried, 12, Scholar, born Staithes, Yorkshire.

Hannah E. BROWN, Niece, Unmarried, 13, Scholar, born Staithes, Yorkshire.

Jane Rodham BROWN, Niece, Unmarried, 5, Scholar, born Staithes, Yorkshire.

Sarah Rodham BROWN, Niece, Unmarried, 3, Scholar, born Stathes, Yorkshire.

So the Laverick Family, must have been relatives of the Brown family, so I wonder what it was. 

Matthew BROWN, the sea captain, who had married Jane RODHAM died on 1st August, 1903, at his home at 31 Wilberforce Street, Kingston upon Hull, Yorkshire, England.

I found a report of his life  in the Whitby Gazette that I found using British Newspaper Archives, which gave an interesting account of his life on board sailing ships in Japan.

Whitby Gazette - Friday 07 August 1903

DEATH OF CAPT. MATTHEW BROWN. Captain Matthew Brown, native of Staithes, but for many years, resident in Hull, died at Hornsea on Saturday morning at a patriarchal age. He had been in failing health for some time, but his death was unexpected, and came as a shock to his numerous friends. As one of Messrs. Bailey and Leetham's old captains, he was well known in Hull, and more particularly in connection with the Sailors' Orphan Homes, in which he took deep and unaffected interest; especially after he retired from active service some years ago. The last vessel that he commanded was the s.s. "Durham.” Tall in stature, well-built, and of manly and refined countenance, his appearance excited interest, and made a favourable impression upon all with whom he came in contact. It was an interesting experience to engage with him in a quiet half-hour's chat over varied adventures of his sailing ship days. He loved to dwell upon the old, forceful lives and customs of the Staithes fishermen of fifty or sixty years ago; but he especially retained in his memory his strange experiences in Japan in the summer of 1859, when he commanded the barque, "Countess of Seafield.” Japan had long isolated herself from commercial relations with the world, and the resumption of business intercourse was exceedingly interesting to both the Japanese and Europeans. On June 14th, he chartered the barque for any port in Japan or on the coast of China, and on the 24th received orders to proceed to Kanagowa, near Yeddo, which he reached on July 5th—" a very fine bay, with apparently good holding-ground." Here he was visited by the Japanese authorities, but as the British Consul having gone to Yeddo, he had no interpreter, and written orders had been left that no British subject was to land. On July 9th, Captain Brown landed at Yokohama for a walk. "No sooner landed than we were surrounded by the inhabitants, who, having never seen any Europeans before, thought us as strange beings, and followed us by hundreds all around the town. The men were quite naked, and the women partly naked. They viewed as very much, and felt our clothes and whiskers. Apparently, they are a very harmless race of people, low. stiff-made, and without whiskers." For some days all went well; then a large party of Russians came from Yeddo in man-of war’s boat, and the Japs found them less to their taste than our frank British tars; there was a skirmish, two Russians had to be buried, and a number had to be passed over to the surgeons. So, the good time passed, to be succeeded by greater care on the part of the sailors, and drawing back on the part of the Japs, so that it was, perhaps, with some sense of relief that Capt. Brown weighed anchor on September 17th, firing salute of two guns as he took his departure. Captain Brown’s experiences at Yokohama were varied and interesting, including some provoking cases of insubordination on the part of his crew, but, the details necessarily occupy too much space to be more particularly dealt with here. Captain Brown always regarded his opening the trade with Yokohama as being one of the most interesting experiences of a long and active life, and one full of incident.

 

Looking at the 1861 census for Thomas Rodham and this is the result:

1861 England Census for Thomas & Hannah Rodham the Trattles Family.

High Street, Staithes: 

Matthew TRATTLES, Head, Married, 50, Master Mariner, born in Staithes, Yorkshire.

Hannah TRATTLES, Wife, Married, 47, Master Mariner’s wife, born in Staithes, Yorkshire.

Thomas RODHAM, Head, Married, 74, Boat Builder, born in Staithes, Yorkshire.

Hannah RODHAM, Wife, Married, 79, Boat Builder’s Wife, born Staithes, Yorkshire.

Jane TRATTLES, GDR., Unmarried, 17, Scholar, born Staithes, Yorkshire

Hannah Red Trattles, GDR., Unmarried, 15, Scholar, born Staithes, Yorkshire.

So Thomas & his wife Hannah, who was the daughter of Thomas Trattles and his wife Hannah, is living next door another member of the TRATTLES family, maybe Hannah's brother.

Then in March, 1865, Thomas RODHAM became the honorary agent for the shipwrecked fishermen, and Royal Benevolent Society as this newspaper article informs.

Whitby Gazette - Saturday 11 March 1865

STAITHES. Fishermen’s Relief. We have received a subscription of £2 from Geo. Hebron, Esq., in aid of the fund. Gazette Office. Shipwrecked Fishermen and Mariners’ Society. The undermentioned sums have been received from the Shipwrecked Fishermen and Mariners’ Royal Benevolent Society, by Mr. Thomas Rodham, the honorary agent at Staithes, and paid by him as follows, viz., Mrs. Abraham Cole, £l5 15s.; Mrs. Wm. Cole, £l2 5s.; Mrs. Ed. Unthank, £10 10s. And also Wm. Thompson, £3 10s., and Rd. Thompson, £3.5s., for loss of property. Surely the above-named Society deserves the support of all interested in those who plough the deep. Any person can become an honorary member by yearly payment of 3s.

Then I looked at the newspaper again for Thomas Rodham, and found this article in British Newspaper Archive in 1866:

Whitby Gazette - Saturday 28 April 1866

STAITHES. Gas Company.—The formation of a company for lighting the town with gas has at length, we are glad to announce, been accomplished. Some time ago we called attention to the subject, and an effort was then made towards it, but without success. It has now been earnestly taken up by a few gentlemen of spirit, and a company formed. On Wednesday a meeting was held at the Black Lion Hotel, for the completing of the arrangements of the Staithes Gas Company limited.’' On the motion of Mr. John Corner, seconded by Mr. M. Snowdon, Mr. John Laverick was appointed Chairman. Mr. Snowdon proposed, and Mr. Parkes seconded, the appointment of Dr. J. V. Laverick as Secretary; and Mr. R. Verril moved, and Mr. W. Thompson seconded, that Mr. Thomas Rodham be the Treasurer of the company. It was also agreed to engage Mr. W. C. Holmes, of the celebrated firm of Holmes and Co., Huddersfield, to erect the works. On the motion of Mr. Thompson, seconded by Mr. Verrill, Messrs. Gray and Pannett were appointed the solicitors. The capital of the company was fixed at £1.500 in 300 shares of £5 each, of which 144 shares were taken up at the meeting. Mr. Holmes offered to take all the shares not taken by the people in the place, so that the works are certain to be carried out. The valuable services of the Messrs. Holmes and Co., of Huddersfield and London, who have been engaged in the erection of numerous gas works both in England and on the continent, have been secured, and as the, will be personally interested, the completion of the works with all the latest improvements, and in substantial manner, may relied upon.

So Thomas Rodham became the treasurer of the new company, and Dr. John Valentine LAVERICK, was the secretary. 

 Researching the Rodham family further, sure enough this was the same family of Michael Rodham-they were boat-builders & sea captains. Michael told me that his great grandfather was a Thomas Rodham who had died in Leith,  Scotland, having been drowned. So I took out an account with Scotland's people to look for evidence of Thomas Rodham's death. Using my Ancestry account I also went in search of his early life too if I could find anything there too. Michael did tell me that Thomas lived in Staithes, Yorkshire in a house called "Sunnysides". I also used my account with British Newspaper Archive to look for the article about the death of a Thomas Rodham, and found this result.

Edinburgh Evening News - Thursday 17 May 1923

TUG MASTER DROWNED AT LEITH. The body of man recovered from the old dock at Leith. Deceased, who has been identified as Thomas Rodham (50). was the master of the steam tug Bullgar, of Leith. He was a native of Yorkshire and had been missing since Saturday. He is believed to have fallen into the water while proceeding aboard his vessel. His home address was Sunnyside House, Staithes, Yorkshire.

Fife Free Press, & Kirkcaldy Guardian - Saturday 19 May 1923

A man named Thomas Rodham, master of the Leith tug Bullgar, has been found drowned in the East Old Dock Leith. He had been missing since Saturday. It is supposed that it was when he was about to go aboard his ship that he had fallen into the water. Mr Rodham, who was 50 years of age, belonged to Yorkshire.

The Scotsman - Friday 18 May 1923

MASTER OF LEITH TUG DROWNED . —A man named Thomas Rodham , master of the Leith tug Bullgar, has been found drowned in the East Old Dock at Leith . He had been missing since Saturday. It is supposed that it was when he was about to go aboard his ship that he had fallen into the water.  Mr Rodham , who was 50 years of age.

So these articles show that Thomas had lived in a house in Staithes called "Sunnysides"

Just recently, I was informed by another researcher, that he had found a photograph of Matthew Brown, the sea captain sitting down, with his colleague, George Delaval Laverick, another sea captain.

So this is that Captain Matthew Brown:-

This is his colleague George Delaval Laverick & Captain Matthew Brown.

So now I know, that George Delaval LAVERICK, was the cousin of Matthew BROWN, as that record of the 1861 Census has showed me, that on that date, whilst Matthew & his parents were in London, in Wapping Gate, his other children were still in Hinderwell, staying with their cousins, the Laverick Family.

Thomas Rodham's parents were Thomas Rodham & his wife Sarah Ann, nee Sanderson. This is their marriage at the local parish church of St Hilda's, Hinderwell.

"Thomas Rodham, 20 years, bachelor, joiner, of Staithes, son of Thomas Rodham, Joiner, & Sarah Ann Sanderson, 19 years, spinster, of Staithes, daughter of Ralph Sanderson, were married in St Hilda’s, Hinderwell on 10 August 1867. " It would appear from several records that Ralph Sanderson was a fisherman, but I can't find him on many official records like census.  

Thomas was born within 4 months of Thomas & Sarah marrying, just got to get his birth record to find out exactly when that was. The birth record states: 1867 Birth in Sub-district of Lythe, Yorkshire: 98: 22 November 1867, Thomas Son of Thomas RODHAM, Boat Builder & Sarah Ann RODHAM, formerly Sanderson. Informant Sarah Ann SANDERSON to John Pearson, registrar on 4 December 1867.

The Rodham's named their children according to the Victorian naming order, naming the first born son after his father, so that's why Thomas was called Thomas, like his father & grandfather before him! The family lived in Staithes, in North Yorkshire, at the bottom of a steep hill that goes down towards the sea, where there is a harbour formed from the little stream going down into the sea called Roxby Beck.

Young Thomas grew up in a household dominated by the sea & boats. His grandfather, aged 52 also called Thomas of course, was the head of the family business when his grandson was first born into the Rodham family. Thomas's great grandfather, another Thomas had died the year before Thomas was born. The business had developed from being a joiners shop in 1811 into a thriving boat builders by the time Thomas was growing up in Staithes. In point of fact Thomas's grandfather sold the business in 1891; the then advertisement read:

Whitby Gazette - Friday 02 October 1891
FOR Sale-the old established BUSINESS of the late Mr. THOMAS RODHAM, Boat Builder, Joiner and Painter & Undertaker &c. carried on by the Rodham family of Staithes for over 80 years. The premises may be rented on advantageous terms.

So you can see the number of businesses attached to the Rodham family, so no doubt young Thomas too would have learnt all about the process of building a boat plus the sailing of it too. So Thomas was the first born & in census year of 1871, his brother was born named after his mother's father Ralph Sanderson. So in the census of 1871 the family are recorded living in Back Road Staithes, with a servant girl of 16, Martha Garbutt probably looking after little Ralph.

Back Road, Staithes, in the Parish of Hinderwell.
Thomas RODHAM, Head, Married, 23, Joiner & Boat Builder, born Staithes, Yorkshire
Sarah RODHAM, Wife, Married, 22, Joiner & Boat Builder’s wife, born Staithes, Yorkshire.
Thomas RODHAM, Son, Unmarried, 3, Born Staithes, Yorkshire
Ralph Sanderson RODHAM, Son, 2 weeks, Born Staithes, Yorkshire.

They had a servant girl called Martha Garbutt, a 16 year old born in Staithes, Yorkshire.

The other family that is going to be involved with Thomas are the Boyes Family, who in the same year are living near the hamlet of Boulby, just a little bit further along the cliff from Staithes towards Loftus or Lofthouse in those days. The head of that family in 1871 is John Hornby Boyes, a tailor/draper, married to Elizabeth , with several children including Ruth aged 4 living at Boulby Barns. 

John BOYES, Head, Married, 37, Tailor & Draper, Born Kirkdale, Yorkshire
Elizabeth BOYES, wife, Married, 35, born Kirkdale, Yorkshire
Samuel BOYES, son, Unmarried, 11, Scholar, ditto, ditto.
Benjamin BOYES, son, UM., 8, ditto, ditto.
Ann BOYES, daughter, Um., 6, ditto, ditto.
Ruth BOYES, daughter, Um., 4, ditto, ditto.
Arthur BOYES, son, Um., 6months, born Easington, Yorkshire.

Thomas BOYES, Boarder, Um., 26, born Kirkdale, Yorks.

The map below, dated 1890, shows Boulby Barns & the disused Alum Mine.

So it looks like the family moved to Boulby about 1870, from Wombleton, near Kirby Moorside, maybe in conjunction with the rise in Alum mining in the area of Boulby & Skinningrove. Such places could always do with someone to make their clothes & repair them. However in 1871, I see that the Alum mines started to be shut down, so maybe the Boyes family then moved into Staithes, which I am  sure would have needed a tailor/draper too.

In 1877, Thomas's mother died, which must have caused him a big upset then as well as the rest of the family. 

Whitby Gazette - Saturday 27 January 1877

DEATHS: January 17th, at Staithes, aged 28 years, Sarah Ann, wife of Mr. Thomas RODHAM, jun., boat builder.

 The funeral would have been held & Sarah Ann buried at St Hilda's church, Hinderwell, records will be at the Borthwick Institute in York, so must pay that a visit, an interesting day out! 

About a year later Thomas's father married again to a local woman called Ann Elizabeth Robinson, who hadn't been married before:- this record from Family Search website, probably visible at the Borthwick too for more information. 

09 November 1878 • Yorkshire: 

Thomas Rodham, widower, 31 years, son of Thomas Rodham, a joiner, married Ann Elizabeth Robinson, spinster, aged 33, both of Staithes, in Yorkshire, on 09 November 1878.

So by the next Census of 1881, Thomas is 13 years of age, ready for leaving school and going out to work. His brother Ralph is at home, & now he has two sisters too.

1881 Census in Staithes
Thomas RODHAM, Head, Married, 34, Boat Builder, born Staithes, Yorkshire.
Ann RODHAM, wife, Married, 35, born Staithes, Yorkshire
Thomas RODHAM, Son, Um., 13, Scholar, born Staithes, Yorkshire
Ralph RODHAM, son, Um., 10, born Staithes, Yorkshire
Eleanor RODHAM, daughter, Um., 1, born Staithes, Yorkshire
Mary J RODHAM, daughter, Um., 2 months, born Staithes, Yorkshire.

In the same census, the Boyes family are to be found in Staithes.
1881 census for Ruth Boyes & Family
Entry 40: 
John BOYES, Head, Married, 48, Tailor & Draper, Born Wombleton, Yorkshire
Elizabeth BOYES, wife, Married, 46, born Wombleton, Yorkshire
Samuel BOYES, son, Um., 21, Born Wombleton, Yorkshire
Ann BOYES, daughter, Um., 16, Servant (Dometic), born Wombleton, Yorkshire.
Ruth BOYES, daughter, Um., 14, Scholar, Born Wombleton, Yorkshire

Arthur BOYES, son, Um., 10, Scholar, born Easington, Yorkshire

Rebecca BOYES, daughter, Um., 8, Scholar, born Staithes, Yorkshire

Thomas BOYES, son, Um, 5, Scholar, Born Staihes, Yorkshire

So John & his family moved to Staithes at least by 1873, probably after the alum mines shut down. This Ann Elizabeth Robinson, which the marriage record & 1881 Census says she was born in Staithes, well prior census say other wise. Sure enough using Family Search I found this record for the christening of Ann Elizabeth Robinson: 

12 October 1845, Anne Elizabeth Robinson, daughter of John & Ann Robinson of Liverton.

Liverton is a hamlet not far from Loftus-this is a photograph of the church where Ann was christened

Ann's dad John, a blacksmith was married to a Sibbel Smales, they lived in Liverton all their lives-in 1881 they were still there whilst their daughter was living in Staithes with Thomas Rodham and his son Thomas, they had a daughter later called Sibbel Smales Rodham, probably after Anne's mother Sibbel Smales-she died in 1885.

It's possible to follow Thomas Rodham's career at sea using his Board of Trade applications for 2nd 1st Mate and Master Mariner.

On 9 August 1890, makes an application to the Board of Trade to take the examination as 2nd Mate. At the time on the form his address is given as 29, South Scarboro St, West Hartlepool, and he pays a fee of £1 to take the exam. 

He gives his experience at sea as follows:

Between 27 June 1882 & 13 December 1882, he is on board the "Roehampton", as the ships boy, for a period of 5 months & 17 days.

Then on 28 February 1883 to 2nd August 1883, he again is on the "Roehampton"for 5 months 6 days as ship's boy.

Then between 3 August 1883 & 21 March 1884,"Roehampton" 7 months 19 days as a Ordinary Seaman (O S)

Then between 4 March 1886 to 25 January 1888, on board"Roehampton" again as A B (Able bodied Seaman)

Then between 24 March 1888 & 7 January 1889 he is on board "Star of Bengal" as an A B, that's for 9 months 15 days altogether.

Then from 10 April 1889 to 2 May 1890 he is serving on board "Stuart" a barque, for 1 year 6 months 23 days again as an A. B.

On the application form he completes the form thus:

"Stuart" a  Barque, tonnage: 911 Registered & Number, Liverpool 76549 serving as A. B. from 10/4/89 to 2/5/90 Total time 1 year 6 months 23 days Carrying Freight.

"Stuart was a British Iron Sailing Barque of 912 tons built at Dundee in 1877. On the 6th April 1901 when on route from Liverpool bound for New Zealand with a load of porcelain, whiskey and a general cargo when she came to grief on the north coast at Porth Ty Mawr (near Porth Colmon) on a foggy and drizzly morning. The vessel eventually broke in bad weather."

A barque (bark) is a sailing ship with at least three masts, all of them fully square rigged except for the sternmost one, which is fore-and-aft rigged.

It's even possible using newspaper articles that published the movement of ships, mainly carrying mail to see where these ships were sailing to and from. 

For example: "Roehampton"

E. WITHY & COMPANY, MIDDLETON, HARTLEPOOL

Name ROEHAMPTON

Type Iron Cargo Ship

Yard Number 107

Launched 03/05/1882

Completed 06/1882

Off. Number 85168

Engine builder T. Richardson & Sons, Middleton, Hartlepool

Engine type C. 2cyl. 180HP

GRT 2143

Length (feet) 285.6

Beam (feet) 36

First owner Steel, Young & Company, London

Category: News

York Herald - Thursday 29 June 1882

Hartlepool: Sailed June 28: “Roehampton”, South Shields, light (new ship)

Thomas Rodham: Career at Sea: 1882-1893

Using newspaper records & Thomas’s applications to gain his mate & master qualifications, it’s possible to follow his career at sea. On 9th August 1890, he makes an application to take an examination for second mate. He makes an oath before a J.P. in West Hartlepool in the form of a letter to the Board of trade because his letters to Captain Stitch on board “Stuart” have come to nothing-the captain has not given him a testimonial, so he applies to take the exam without the testimonial. In the application form he lists the ships he served on that dates served as thus:

 “Roehampton” Steamship, (S S) of 1890 tons registered at London, number 85168 served on this ship in the capacity of a boy from 27/6/82 to 13/12/82. Service on board- 5months 17days carrying freight.

On Wednesday, June 28, 1882, Thomas was on board “Roehampton”, which was a new ship, built at West Hartlepool, when it sailed from West Hartlepool carrying ballast to South Shields. So just a short trip on the North Sea. The newspaper reported that the captain of the ship was called Sanderson.  (Northern Echo (Darlington, England), Thursday, June 29, 1882 )

The ship, with Captain Sanderson in charge  was loaded and sailed to Antwerp on Monday July 3rd from Newcastle (The Leeds Mercury (Leeds, England), Wednesday, July 5, 1882;), unloaded & then on July 7, sailed to London (Northern Echo (Darlington, England), Monday, July 10, 1882) This newspaper names the owner of the ship as Steel, Young & Co. 

The Captain being Sanderson might be a relative of Thomas Rodham-maybe his grandfather, as his father, Thomas Rodham had married Sarah Ann Sanderson, though she had died in 1877.

Having arrived in London, the “Roehampton” is then chartered by Messrs Gray, Dawes and Company. The Liverpool Mercury says that the “Roehampton” was a steamer, chartered by Messrs Gray & Dawes to sail from London to the Persian Gulf on Monday 24th July 1882.(Liverpool Mercury etc (Liverpool, England), Thursday, July 27, 1882)

The ship called in at Tunis, probably to take coal on board, and left there on Sunday August 1st for the Persian Gulf via the Suez Canal. (The Leeds Mercury (Leeds, England), Wednesday, August 2, 1882) It went via Malta, and left there on August 2nd for Kurrachee (The Standard (London, England), Friday, August 04, 1882)

The Glasgow Herald reported that on Friday, August 11th, the steamer, “Roehampton” from London, cleared Suez Canal and sailed on to the Persian Gulf. (Glasgow Herald (Glasgow, Scotland), Monday, August 14, 1882). So Thomas, aged 14 had completed his first trip through the Suez Canal, which had been completed 5 years earlier. The ship coaled at Aden, and left there on Monday August 28th for the Persian Gulf. (The Bristol Mercury and Daily Post (Bristol, England), Tuesday, August 29, 1882) It arrived at Kurachee on Monday September 4th “Kurrachee Monday, The Gray, Dawes Steamer, Roehampton arrived here yesterday” (The Bristol Mercury and Daily Post (Bristol, England), Tuesday, September 5, 1882) (Kurachee could be Karachi.) The ship stayed in Kurachee until Saturday, September 9th, when it then sailed in the morning. (The Sheffield & Rotherham Independent (Sheffield, England), Thursday, September 14, 1882) It’s possible it was carrying a load of pilgrims for Jeddah, so that they could celebrate the Haj at Mecca. The ship then went on through the Suez Canal on its return voyage to London-still on charter by Gray, Dawes & Company a shipping line & insurance company which later became a travel agent. It left Suez on Monday November 6th (The Bristol Mercury and Daily Post (Bristol, England), Tuesday, November 7, 1882) It left Port Said on November 22nd for London (Glasgow Herald (Glasgow, Scotland), Thursday, November 23, 1882)

It arrived in Gravesend on Tuesday December 12th, having been to Bussorah, which was a city used by the East India Company now known as Basra.( Liverpool Mercury etc (Liverpool, England), Wednesday, December 13, 1882)

Here Thomas left the ship, only to re-join it on 28 February 1883. On his application for second Mate he records this trip on “Roehampton” as thus:

“Roehampton” Steamship (S S), 1890 tons,  registered in London,  number 85168 in capacity of ship’s boy from 28/2/83 to 2/8/83 a total of 5months & 6days carrying Freight.

Newspaper evidence for the first part of the ship’s voyage in 1883 is sparse-I did find a record for the Roehampton being at Malta on a voyage to Suez on Monday 19th March The Bristol Mercury and Daily Post (Bristol, England), Tuesday, March 20, 1883), then then on March 22nd it left Suez for Singapore (The Standard (London, England), Monday, March 26, 1883), from where it went to Calcutta, and then sailed back to London passing Dover on July 11th (The Morning Post (London, England), Friday, July 13, 1883) and then it went to Cardiff, where it left there on 9th August bound for Bombay.( The Standard (London, England), Friday, August 10, 1883) Thomas was on board it again, but now promoted to O.S. (Ordinary Seaman) His application form reads:

“Roehampton” Steamship (S S), 1890 tons, registered, London number 85168, in capacity of O S (Ordinary Seaman) from3/8/83 to 21/3/84 a total period of 7months, 19 days carrying Freight.

He arrived in Bombay on September 10th (The Morning Post (London, England), Tuesday, September 11, 1883) On the 22nd September, Thomas left Bombay for Jeddah (The Morning Post (London, England), Wednesday, September 26, 1883;)   The Roehampton ended up in Jeddah, having not gone to Camaran on the way for its 1,500 Moslem pilgrims on board to undergo quarantine as per the new regulations introduced a year ago against cholera. But when the ship reached Jeddah, the Turkish authorities repulsed it-they wouldn’t allow the pilgrims to land to go their haj at Mecca, so not unreasonably the pilgrims turned on the crew & started to assault them, seizing the boats so that they could get ashore, but the Turkish troops fired upon them killing and injuring them. The newspapers are very sparse in their coverage of this affair, and there isn’t any news of the “Roehampton” until 1884. So Thomas Rodham aged 15 was certainly seeing the world!

The Standard (London, England), Tuesday, March 04, 1884: “Badsworth, “Roehampton & Granville bound for Genoa have arrived at Suez. So it appears that after the affair in September/October 1883, “Roehampton returned to London, then returned to Moulmain in Burma, and then returned to Genoa via Suez Canal.

The ship went to Malta first arriving on Sunday March 9th from Moulmain which is in Burma (Liverpool Mercury etc (Liverpool, England), Tuesday, March 11, 1884) then left Malta on March 11 for England, arriving at Falmouth on Thursday, March 20th (Glasgow Herald (Glasgow, Scotland), Friday, March 21, 1884) According to his application, Thomas left the ship on 21st March, so left it at Falmouth to most likely go back to Staithes by train. Meanwhile the “Roehampton” returned to Gravesend on the 22rd March from Moulmain reads “The Standard (London, England), Monday, March 24, 1884.”

It now looks like Thomas had 2 years away from sea, not returning to join up with the “Roehampton” again on 4 March 1886.

“Roehampton” Steam ship, S S 1890 tons, Registered, London, number 85168 in capacity of A. B. from 4/3/86 to 25/1/88 total period of 1year 11months and 22 days carrying freight.

The newspaper reports start about a month after the date that Thomas joined the ship, so “Malta, the “Roehampton” from Antwerp arrived for China. So Thomas was off to China-he was now an able bodied seaman, so he would have some knowledge about navigation. (The Morning Post (London, England), Thursday, April 01, 1886;) On April 5th it arrived at Port Said, ready to sail though the Suez Canal. By May 2nd the ship was at Singapore as reported by the Morning Post again on May 7th. A month later, on June 7th, the same newspaper reported that the “Roehampton” had arrived at Hong Kong.

The next newspaper report isn’t until Monday December 6, when the Liverpool reported “Hong Kong-The “Roehampton” put back with donkey engine disabled. So whether the ship stayed in Hong Kong from June 7th & then sailed from there soon after, back to Antwerp & then back to Hong Kong again, but then starts off again only to be put back because of the donkey engine which probably was used to pull up the anchor & operating pumps etc., On November 7, 1887, the ship arrived at Sydney from Calcutta.  The ship then made its way back via Suez Canal again because December 30 it arrived in Aden. (The Standard (London, England), Monday, January 02, 1888)-then on January 19th it arrived in Gibraltar, & then on January 26th it arrived in London Docks-as the newspaper reported” London Dock-arrived “Roehampton” steamer, from Sydney. (The Standard (London, England), Thursday, January 26, 1888) 

So then Thomas left the “Roehampton” again in London on 25 January 1888.  Now he joined a new ship-“Star of Bengal”, on 24 March, 1888, as an A. B. So in his application form for 2nd Mate he writes:  

Star of Bengal Ship, 1797 tons, registered in Belfast number 63957 in capacity of A.B. from24/3/88 to 7/1/89 a total period of 9months & 15days carrying freight. This was a sailing ship, a square rigger.

Another website describes this ship thus: 

An iron full-rigged ship built in 1874 by Harland & Wolff, Belfast, as Yard No. 86. Dimensions 80,15×12,26×7,17 meters [262'8"×40'2"×23'5"] and tonnage 1870 GRT, 1797 NRT and 1684 tons under deck.

1888 March 30 - July 22: Sailed from Cardiff to San Francisco in 114 days.

1888 September 5 - December 26: Sailed from San Francisco to Falmouth in 112 days.

1889 February 7 - May 3: Sailed from Liverpool to Calcutta in 85 days.

So Thomas on board this sailed from Cardiff to San Francisco, then back to Falmouth, but he left the ship in 1889, before it sailed to Calcutta.

Certainly the newspapers also report this: From Cardiff, on 30th March, the ship, “Star of Bengal”, of Belfast, Master, De Gruchy for San Francisco. (The Belfast News-Letter (Belfast, Ireland), Tuesday, April 3, 1888)

Arrived at San Francisco, on the 22nd inst., the ship “Star of Bengal of Belfast, De Gruchy, from Cardiff. (The Belfast News-Letter (Belfast, Ireland), Thursday, July 26, 1888)

Signalled off the Lizard: December 26:- Wind, N.W., fresh, weather, squally, sea, moderate, “Star of Bengal, of Belfast, from San Francisco for Falmouth., it arrived at Liverpool on January 7th.1889. So that was when & where Thomas left the ship and went back home again. He remained there for about 2 months, the joined the iron barque, “Stuart” Master Captain Stitch, from 10 April 1889 until 2 May 1890, a total period of 1 year, 6 months & 23 days. The “Stuart”, was a 911 tons Barque, so a sailing ship, registered in Liverpool, number 76549 in capacity of A. B. again.

A barque (bark) is a sailing ship with at least three masts, all of them fully square rigged except for the sternmost one, which is fore-and-aft rigged.

Thomas was on board this ship when it arrived in Middlesborough on April 15th bound for Cape Town (Liverpool Mercury etc (Liverpool, England), Monday, April 15, 1889)

The ship went by way of Taganrog, which is in Russia, where it went to the rescue of the steamer “Devonia”. The Liverpool Mercury on Monday, April 22, 1889 reported”

Wrecks and Casualties

Taganrog: April 18: The steamer Devonia in 15ft: Jettisoned from Nos. 1 and 2 holds about 400 tons; discharged about 500 tons. Am getting divers. Will wire extent of damage tomorrow. Will proceed with temporary repairs pending arrival of the Stuart.

The next report is some 6 months later when the Stuart sailed from Pisagua (Peru) Sailed: December 31: “Stuart for the United Kingdom or Continent.”(Liverpool Mercury etc (Liverpool, England), Friday, January 3, 1890)

So on Second May, 1890, Thomas left the Stuart and did not join a ship again until 10 September 1890. He may have been at home or at an address in West Hartlepool, 29, South Scarborough Street from where he made his application to become 2nd Mate. He was busy writing letters to Captain Stitch of the “Stuart” to ask for a testimonial so he could apply to take the exam for second mate. 

He passed the examination for Second mate at Sunderland on 21 August, 1890. On the form he had to complete his description-which says

 Height 5 feet 5½ inches, complexion Fair, Tattooed “LOVE” on right arm, hair & eyes coloured brown. He was awarded his Second Mate’s certificate on 29 August 1890. 

Back in Staithes, however, things were happening in the Boyes family too. Whilst Thomas went to sea, a Ruth Boyes, became a pupil teacher at the Board School at Hinderwell, where a Thomas Rodham was one of the Board members. It's difficult work out which Thomas this was, it could have been our Thomas's father, or his grandfather, both were living in Staithes in 1884.

I found this article in 

NORTH COUNTRY NEWS . 

Northern Echo (Darlington, England), Wednesday, February 13, 1884; Issue 4366.

Staithes School Board

At the Monthly meeting of this Board held last night there were present Dr. Laverick, chairman, Mr. Brotchie, Mr. Rodham, Mr. Featherstone and Rev. H. Sims.

A letter was read from Miss Ruth BOYES resigning her situation as monitor in the Staithes school, and this was accepted by the Board on condition that she remained until May according to her agreement. Dr. Laverick thought that the Board should direct their earliest attention to their undoubted responsibility for the lives of children committed to their charge during school hours. He referred especially to the recent case of a child falling into the fire through being admitted into the school before the ordinary time, when there was no teacher present. The Board resolved that all teachers should be furnished with keys so that the school could not be opened without their knowledge. In the case of some delinquents in payments of school fees, the Board directed that they should be warned and summoned if necessary.

The North-Eastern Daily Gazette (Middlesbrough, England), Wednesday, March 12, 1884; Issue 5212. 19th Century British Library Newspapers: Part II.
Staithes School Board

At the monthly meeting of this Board held on Tuesday night, Dr. Laverick presiding, the Clerk reported that Miss Ruth BOYES, the Staithes pupil teacher, wished to leave immediately. The Board therefore resolved to grant her application. On account of the very heavy doors in the school room, Dr. Laverick moved that these doors should be divided in two, and this was agreed to. Miss Millar, the mistress of the Staithes Infant School, sent in her resignation, and the Chairman remarked that the Board had been badly treated by several mistresses. They invariably left just before the examination; it was unanimously resolved on the motion of Mr. Rodham, to accept her resignation for June 24th. The school attendance reports were considered very good, and several projected changes in the teaching staff were deferred for the consideration of the next monthly meeting.

So after 1884, aged 17 Ruth left the school and went back home again-maybe she joined the school as a monitor to see if she liked teaching, she became a pupil teacher, but clearly didn't like it and left the school in March 1884. 7 years later in the census of 1891 she is recorded as  being at home with her parents on Cowbar Bank, Staithes.  You can see it on this map of Staithes, though called Colburn Bank, you can also see the school and the railway line.

1891 census Ruth BOYES
Entry 78: Cowbar Bank: John H. BOYES, Head, married, 57, Tailor, Born Wombleton, Yorkshire
Elizabeth BOYES, wife, Married, 55, Born Wombleton, Yorkshire
Samuel BOYES, son, single, 31, Tailor & Cattle Dealer, ditto, ditto
Ruth BOYES, daughter, single, 24, no occupation, ditto, ditto,
Arthur BOYES, son, single, 20, Assistant Butcher, Born Boulby, Yorkshire
Thomas BOYES, son, single, 15, Miller’s apprentice, born Staithes, Yorkshire.

 Yesterday, Thursday 29 September I visited Middlesbrough Reference Library and with help of the staff there loaded onto the Microfilm Reader Marriages at Easington, Yorkshire, looking for the marriage of Thomas RODHAM & Ruth Boyes. The marriage record on Free BMD states this: 
 Boyes Ruth,   Guisbro',  9d 773
Rodham Thomas  Guisbro'  9d 773
Knowing that Ruth had been living in Easington I wondered if that was where she married Thomas, and bingo! there was the marriage as seen below.

The marriage record reads thus:

197: September 4 1893 Thomas Rodham, 26, Bachelor, Mariner, of Cow Bar, Staithes, son of Thomas Rodham, Boat Builder, deceased & Ruth Boyes, 26, spinster, of Cow Bar Staithes, daughter of John Boyes, Tailor were married by banns at Easington Parish Church, by banns, by John Jenkins, curate, witnessed by Samuel BOYES, Arthur BOYES & Eleanor RODHAM-both bride & groom signed the record.

After the wedding, Thomas went back to sea and soon obtained his Master's Certificate on 27 August 1894. 

In the census of 1901, Ruth is living in a house called Cammy Side House, High Barris, Staithes.

1901 census for Ruth RODHAM
84: Cammy Side House, Ruth RODHAM, wife, Married, 34, born Wombleton, Yorkshire
John Thomas RODHAM, son, 6, born Staithes, Yorkshire
Annie BOYES, sister, single, 36, born Wombleton, Yorkshire.

So son John Thomas RODHAM was born 1895 in Staithes, one record says that it was 10 June 1894.

Thomas's daughter Muriel was born in Staithes on 11 April 1903. The next event I found was the death of Ruth Rodham. I found this whilst trawling for newspaper reports about Thomas Rodham: This was that article:
Whitby Gazette - Friday 02 December 1910
In Memoriam: In Loving remembrance of my dear wife, Ruth RODHAM, who died at Staithes on December 3rd, 1909. We miss her and mourn for her in silence unseen,
And dwell on the memories of times that have been;
We loved her life, and that love we keep still.
No one on this earth her pace can fill.
Still dear to the memory of her husband, son, and daughter.
 I went  looking for her burial at Staithes-in the burial records for St Hilda's Hinderwell, but the entries in the records at the North Yorkshire Archives at Northallerton go to 8 August 1909, but then the next entry, which should be entry 2128 is unreadable, so it might well be that of Ruth, but I couldn't read it. So if there is a stone in the cemetery at Hinderwell then it will take a visit there to look for it. Certainly the churchyard had to be extended to make a cemetery-I found article about the formation of a burial board with John Valentine Laverick as Chairman & a committee member being Thomas Rodham. In the 1911 Census as usual, Thomas Rodham is not at home, so his children, John Thomas Rodham & Muriel Rodham have to stay with relatives, because he hasn't a wife, so no mother to look after the children. So they go and stay with their Boyes relatives.

So John Thomas RODHAM, in 1911, is with Samuel BOYES is his home in High Street, Staithes-Samuel is a tailor, like his father, his sister Annie, also single is there with him. John T. Rodham, in 1911, aged 17 isn't working.  Anyway Thomas marries again soon in 1913 to a Rebecca BOYES, sister of Ruth BOYES, at Hull somewhere in January, February or March. So you see how the Boyes family play a large part in the life of Thomas Rodham. Trying to find out what Thomas was doing all this time is quite difficult. Certainly in the war years-1914-1918, he was working in the merchant navy, he got a war medal.