This is an archive page for update records up to end of 2008

2002/2003 updates - The Times of the period has been read and its contents summarised under the heading of News Reports, Letters and Comments, and the setting up and progress of the Relief Fund. This has been done, so far, to the end of 1870, and will be continued as soon as possible.

Under the "Characters" heading, Captain Burgoyne's notes have been extended, and Admiral Sir Hugh Childers has been added.

Under the heading of "Descendants Memories", Tom Ivey's notes have been added to; John Walker's are new, with a copy of an interesting newspaper cutting, and two further names, T G Beenham and John Hermitage added; the author's notes on his own ancestor (George Fisher) have been enhanced.

The "List of Memorials" has had additional photos added to Hoxne, Portsmouth and Sutton (Beds).

Added to the "Memorabilia" section is a card bearing a montage of the survivors' photographs and photos of a piece of salvage picked up from HMS Monarch.

May 2003 - Listing of Memorials added to, with additional site at Ipswich and West Firle (East Sussex); transcripts to some previously listed memorials added.

June 2003 - Photos of the National Maritime Museum model of HMS Captain added.

The Times reports on the Captain Relief Fund brought to a conclusion, with reference to the Royal Patriotic Fund for its distribution.

July 2003 - information on Walter Hedger added - letter - Descendant's Memories

Information on recently published book "Náufragos de Antaño" by Juan Campos

Information on Cerberus added to `Context' section.

October 2003 - reference to D K Brown's book "Warrior to Dreadnought" added, together with his comments on the mistakes made.

November 2003 - J Ellis and RJ Magawley added to Descendant's Memories section.

D K Brown article "The Design and Loss of HMS Captain" quoted in the "Where does the Blame Lie?" section of `The Story'; the article also listed in "Further Research"

January 2004 - additional section added describing how the survivors got to shore, and what they did afterwards.

February 2004 - note added to end of `Survivors' section on the possibility of R A Brown having also got to shore.

April 2004 - `Survivors' section revamped to bring all information relating to their stories from other areas of the website, including Francis Merryman's story and the Memorial Photocard (both previously in `Memorabilia'), John Walker's story (previously in `Descendants' Memories'). Also added in this section is new information on John Gribble.

John Gribble and GH Payne added to `Descendants' Memories'.

August 2004 - Charles William Dyer added to Descendants' Memories.

September 2004 - picture of Alfred Ripley added (Descendants' Memories).

Initial information added on taking over of Relief Fund by the Patriotic Fund

October 2004 - A partial translation has been received of Juan Campos book Náufragos de Antaño (referred to under `Other Publications') and duly credited additions have been made under the `Disaster', `Survivors - Hawkey's story', `Descendants' Memories' (George Fisher) sections of the website.

November 2004 - Memorial/headstone to John Avery (lost in the accident) and his wife and daughter, in Milbrook, Cornwall, added.

Obituary to James Ellis added in Survivors section.

December 2004 - information on chapel in windmill dedicated to Captain Cowper Coles added.

February 2005 - picture of magic lantern slide added. Also further information on James Ellis in the `Survivors' and the `Descendants Memories' sections. Note on Alfred Iles added to the `Survivors' section.

April 2005 - picture of old tapestry added.

January 2006 - `Site map' page added; information on memorial to Arthur Hill, Ryde; George Habens, Thomas Kernan and Francis Merryman added to Descendants Memories; words in memorial in Meonstoke church added; further details to memorial entry for Sutton, Beds, added; information on National Maritime Museum, Greenwich added, including information on their Historic Photographs & Ship Plans Section; notes on possible further survivor, T Jeffery added.

February 2006 - Memorabilia items added - binnacle bolt, photo/memorial card and Relief Fund Concert programme

May 2006 - Survivor James May's book quoted at some length

February 2007 - Painted ostrich egg added to Memorabilia section; copy of cover of published Court Martial document added; Survivors listing page revamped with photo added; photos of Cowper Coles and Hugh Burgoyne replaced, together with letter from Burgoynes' widow; report from The Graphic on the May 1870 trials; publication "An Authentic Account" included in Other Publications section; further information on `survivor' Thomas Jeffery

August 2007 - Memorabilia section - added picture of piece of survivors' boat fashioned as book. Some tidying up of the Times  reports and letters, including transferring the Widows and Orphans Fund information to its own chapter in the `Story' section; but no new information added.

October 2007 - Thomas Butcher added to Descendants' Memories; memorial to Hugh Talbot Burgoyne in Brompton Cemetery added to Listing of Memorials

February 2008 - Further information on Captain's flags at Hoxne.

April 2008 - Information added in the Survivors - Conundrum section relating to Robert Mayne, additional survivor.

August 2008 - reports from rest of fleet searching for Captain; personal letter from officer on board HMS Inconstant at time of disaster; private letter from survivor James May added; Times report on Princess Eugenie's escape; newspaper reports on individual survivors stories; text for Further Survivors updated; additional item added to Story - the Specification for the Captain

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