Post by KG on Jan 7, 2010 18:59:03 GMT
Master Mariner, Captain Cecil P T Foster,
of Veletta, Kemnay, the Oceans and Barry.
(including an epic journey, 17,000 miles in open boats).
Cecil's father was George Foster, Sgt Gordon Highlanders:
The birth certificate of Cecil was an overseas military one and although it gives parents details it doesn't say where born in Valletta.
Possible that it would have been the barracks hospital (Gordon Highlanders). Floriana Barracks, Valletta.
The birth was registered at 'The Police Station, Valletta.
Birth - 19th January 1887, Valletta, Malta.
'Kemnay'
George Foster, head, married age 36, Sergeant - Instructor of Volunteers, born in England; Alice T Foster, wife, married, age 38, born England; Alice C B Foster, daughter (7) scholar, born England; Cecil P T Foster, son (4) born Malta, British Subject; George F W G Foster son (2) born Aberdeen; Frank T L Foster son (11 months) born Aberdeen.
From the 1891 census, residing at Alexandria Cottage on what is today's Paradise Road (in 3 rooms):
It would appear that the family only resided here for a relatively short time, as there would not seem to have been mention in adjoining censuses. (Information received with thanks from Kemnay)
However, I can only presume that the family would have been posted to and been in Malta after 1884 – (daughter aged 7, born England) until at least 1887 (Birth of Cecil), returning to Scotland prior to the census (1891) The birth of two brothers in Abderdeen suggest this to be approx 1889. Cecil as a two / four year old, may have been to young to really remember and love the village of Kemnay. (“Which was the name of the village where Cecil grew up, attended school etc. before his father died and the family was split up”)
Possibly cared for by relatives and attended school in the village. This would allow for his appreciation and love of Kemnay more. He would have been close to going to sea at the time of the next census. KG
Although, now relatively forgotten in the UK outside of Maritime Circles and family, Captain Cecil Patrick Thomas Foster was in his time world famous his obituary was recorded as far around the globe as New Zealand.
"Christchurch Press" Monday 11 August 1930 - death notice:
Obituary: (London): Captain Cecil FOSTER –
Hero of the "Trevessa" exploit June 1923
Working with a relative we have recently located the shared grave of both CECIL FOSTER and his wife MINNIE FOSTER. Cecil passed away on August 8th 1930 aged 43 years. Minnie Foster died on April 14th 1982 aged 98. The couple are buried at Merthyr Dyfan Cemetery, Barry, South Wales. UK.
The family home (Barry):
“The name of the house (#1 East View Terrace, Barry) was originally known as 'Kemnay' which was the name of the village where Cecil grew up, attended school etc. before his father died and the family was split up. He gave the address with Kemnay as the house name in his will”. The house has been called “Trevessa” for many years and it is not known when the house was renamed, Trevessa is the last ship that Cecil sailed upon and the name change was probably in tribute following his death.
The Straits Times - 28 October 1930: The will of Capt. Cecil Patrick Thomas Foster,
of Kemnay, 1, Eastview Terrace, Barry, Glamorgan,
formerly master of the S.S. Trevessa, which foundered in .....
His Name Was Captain Cecil Patrick Thomas Foster
He married Minnie Richards at St Paul's, Grangetown, Cardiff in 1911.
There were no children.
Cecil served as a first officer in WW1 and was torpedoed twice within 16 hours in two different ships about 320 miles WSW. Scilly Isles and landed at Ferrol, Spain with the survivors. He appears to have worked for the Hain Line since 1902.
I can only assume that with his birth being 1887, he would likely have been in or near the Cardiff or possibly Barry area at the age of fifteen. He may well have already sailed as a cabin boy at a younger age – this remains to be found / proved.
The chance of being torpedoed twice in such a short time frame suggests rather than two ships of the same company, that he was unfortunate to be involved with enemy action again, this time on the rescue ship.
It is well recorded that the good captains WW1 experiences both prepared him for the commanding saving of life in the Trevessa epic and to date his many actions and that of the loss of Trevessa continued and continues to save lives then and since.
From his insistence on carrying condensed milk in the lifeboats, his ability and command and the following quote: etc.
"There is also an account of the loss of the Trevessa in 1924 when the rescuers, although alerted by radio, failed to find the crew, who sailed 1700 miles in open boats, resulting in the regulation that lifeboats in certain categories of ship must carry emergency transmitter-receivers".
So much more from the enquiry would continue in saving life in conflict and peacetime. Captain Foster was completely exonerated and was further received by the King and Queen at Buckingham Palace.
He died 8th August 1930 at Kemnay 1, East View Terrace, Barry.
It is assumed that his medals have been lost or given possibly to a local museum..
Her Name was “Trevessa”
THE S.S.TREVESSA
`Twas in the Indian Ocean in nineteen twenty-three,
The Trevessa perished by the head in a raging sea,
Loaded in Port Pirie her cargo heavy zinc,
Bound in time for Antwerp until about to sink,
The heaving seas were flooding in, the vessel taking water,
In the hold, the concentrates like wet cement or mortar,
Pumps there could not handle it, as bilges could not drain,
Engineers tried everything but toiled and fought in vain.
Abandoning Trevessa in the early hours of morn,
Shocked by her quick foundering soon after in the storm,
Embarking in two lifeboats the crew of forty-four,
Commenced upon their voyages of epic ocean lore,
The wooden craft were clinker built, eight foot beam and strong,
A single mast with lugsail and twenty-six feet long,
The Mate in charge of one boat cast off to sail and row,
Westward to Mauritius - two thousand miles to go.
The Old Man took the other one to find Rodriguez Isle,
Mostly in good spirits in Merchant navy style,
They tried to sail together but after six rough days,
The Mate’s boat proved the slower so went their separate ways,
Keeping up the headway, they pulled at times with oars,
Ignoring painful sunburn and agonising sores,
They lived on basic rations, doled out with discipline,
Plus cigarettes with matches and baccy in a tin.
The seventeenth day in the Old Man`s boat saw two men pass away,
Nine succumbed in the other one by exposure cold and spray,
Though four of them delirious carried out self-slaughter,
By ignoring well known orders and drinking of salt water,
Captain Cecil Foster had braved the first World War,
Knew how to stock the lifeboats as he’d been sunk before,
Stowing extra water and tins of milk condensed,
Along with hard ship’s biscuits carefully dispensed.
Experience and foresight served them very well,
He’d saved the lives of many with now a tale to tell,
Of surviving heavy seas, trying to steer a course,
Through extremes of weather and latitudes of Horse,
Days then weeks were counted, declining all the while,
`Till navigating coral reefs off Rodriguez Isle,
Mauritius bound, the Mate’s crew, later made landfall,
Carried then ashore - for they could not walk at all.
J.Earl Aug. 2008
The zinc concentrates were loaded in the form of a kind of slime which
water could not percolate. The sounding rod could not detect water in
the holds nor could the bilge pumps reach it. Engineers started to cut
off the heads of the rivets in the collision bulkhead to allow the
water to escape into the forepeak where the pumps could reach it.
However, the bulkhead began to bulge and crack and they were forced to give up the attempt.
There is also a great book titled '1700 miles in open boats' by Cecil Foster. This is the account of the loss of the S S Trevessa by her Master, ...
of Veletta, Kemnay, the Oceans and Barry.
(including an epic journey, 17,000 miles in open boats).
Cecil's father was George Foster, Sgt Gordon Highlanders:
The birth certificate of Cecil was an overseas military one and although it gives parents details it doesn't say where born in Valletta.
Possible that it would have been the barracks hospital (Gordon Highlanders). Floriana Barracks, Valletta.
The birth was registered at 'The Police Station, Valletta.
Birth - 19th January 1887, Valletta, Malta.
'Kemnay'
George Foster, head, married age 36, Sergeant - Instructor of Volunteers, born in England; Alice T Foster, wife, married, age 38, born England; Alice C B Foster, daughter (7) scholar, born England; Cecil P T Foster, son (4) born Malta, British Subject; George F W G Foster son (2) born Aberdeen; Frank T L Foster son (11 months) born Aberdeen.
From the 1891 census, residing at Alexandria Cottage on what is today's Paradise Road (in 3 rooms):
It would appear that the family only resided here for a relatively short time, as there would not seem to have been mention in adjoining censuses. (Information received with thanks from Kemnay)
However, I can only presume that the family would have been posted to and been in Malta after 1884 – (daughter aged 7, born England) until at least 1887 (Birth of Cecil), returning to Scotland prior to the census (1891) The birth of two brothers in Abderdeen suggest this to be approx 1889. Cecil as a two / four year old, may have been to young to really remember and love the village of Kemnay. (“Which was the name of the village where Cecil grew up, attended school etc. before his father died and the family was split up”)
Possibly cared for by relatives and attended school in the village. This would allow for his appreciation and love of Kemnay more. He would have been close to going to sea at the time of the next census. KG
Although, now relatively forgotten in the UK outside of Maritime Circles and family, Captain Cecil Patrick Thomas Foster was in his time world famous his obituary was recorded as far around the globe as New Zealand.
"Christchurch Press" Monday 11 August 1930 - death notice:
Obituary: (London): Captain Cecil FOSTER –
Hero of the "Trevessa" exploit June 1923
Working with a relative we have recently located the shared grave of both CECIL FOSTER and his wife MINNIE FOSTER. Cecil passed away on August 8th 1930 aged 43 years. Minnie Foster died on April 14th 1982 aged 98. The couple are buried at Merthyr Dyfan Cemetery, Barry, South Wales. UK.
The family home (Barry):
“The name of the house (#1 East View Terrace, Barry) was originally known as 'Kemnay' which was the name of the village where Cecil grew up, attended school etc. before his father died and the family was split up. He gave the address with Kemnay as the house name in his will”. The house has been called “Trevessa” for many years and it is not known when the house was renamed, Trevessa is the last ship that Cecil sailed upon and the name change was probably in tribute following his death.
The Straits Times - 28 October 1930: The will of Capt. Cecil Patrick Thomas Foster,
of Kemnay, 1, Eastview Terrace, Barry, Glamorgan,
formerly master of the S.S. Trevessa, which foundered in .....
His Name Was Captain Cecil Patrick Thomas Foster
He married Minnie Richards at St Paul's, Grangetown, Cardiff in 1911.
There were no children.
Cecil served as a first officer in WW1 and was torpedoed twice within 16 hours in two different ships about 320 miles WSW. Scilly Isles and landed at Ferrol, Spain with the survivors. He appears to have worked for the Hain Line since 1902.
I can only assume that with his birth being 1887, he would likely have been in or near the Cardiff or possibly Barry area at the age of fifteen. He may well have already sailed as a cabin boy at a younger age – this remains to be found / proved.
The chance of being torpedoed twice in such a short time frame suggests rather than two ships of the same company, that he was unfortunate to be involved with enemy action again, this time on the rescue ship.
It is well recorded that the good captains WW1 experiences both prepared him for the commanding saving of life in the Trevessa epic and to date his many actions and that of the loss of Trevessa continued and continues to save lives then and since.
From his insistence on carrying condensed milk in the lifeboats, his ability and command and the following quote: etc.
"There is also an account of the loss of the Trevessa in 1924 when the rescuers, although alerted by radio, failed to find the crew, who sailed 1700 miles in open boats, resulting in the regulation that lifeboats in certain categories of ship must carry emergency transmitter-receivers".
So much more from the enquiry would continue in saving life in conflict and peacetime. Captain Foster was completely exonerated and was further received by the King and Queen at Buckingham Palace.
He died 8th August 1930 at Kemnay 1, East View Terrace, Barry.
It is assumed that his medals have been lost or given possibly to a local museum..
Her Name was “Trevessa”
THE S.S.TREVESSA
`Twas in the Indian Ocean in nineteen twenty-three,
The Trevessa perished by the head in a raging sea,
Loaded in Port Pirie her cargo heavy zinc,
Bound in time for Antwerp until about to sink,
The heaving seas were flooding in, the vessel taking water,
In the hold, the concentrates like wet cement or mortar,
Pumps there could not handle it, as bilges could not drain,
Engineers tried everything but toiled and fought in vain.
Abandoning Trevessa in the early hours of morn,
Shocked by her quick foundering soon after in the storm,
Embarking in two lifeboats the crew of forty-four,
Commenced upon their voyages of epic ocean lore,
The wooden craft were clinker built, eight foot beam and strong,
A single mast with lugsail and twenty-six feet long,
The Mate in charge of one boat cast off to sail and row,
Westward to Mauritius - two thousand miles to go.
The Old Man took the other one to find Rodriguez Isle,
Mostly in good spirits in Merchant navy style,
They tried to sail together but after six rough days,
The Mate’s boat proved the slower so went their separate ways,
Keeping up the headway, they pulled at times with oars,
Ignoring painful sunburn and agonising sores,
They lived on basic rations, doled out with discipline,
Plus cigarettes with matches and baccy in a tin.
The seventeenth day in the Old Man`s boat saw two men pass away,
Nine succumbed in the other one by exposure cold and spray,
Though four of them delirious carried out self-slaughter,
By ignoring well known orders and drinking of salt water,
Captain Cecil Foster had braved the first World War,
Knew how to stock the lifeboats as he’d been sunk before,
Stowing extra water and tins of milk condensed,
Along with hard ship’s biscuits carefully dispensed.
Experience and foresight served them very well,
He’d saved the lives of many with now a tale to tell,
Of surviving heavy seas, trying to steer a course,
Through extremes of weather and latitudes of Horse,
Days then weeks were counted, declining all the while,
`Till navigating coral reefs off Rodriguez Isle,
Mauritius bound, the Mate’s crew, later made landfall,
Carried then ashore - for they could not walk at all.
J.Earl Aug. 2008
The zinc concentrates were loaded in the form of a kind of slime which
water could not percolate. The sounding rod could not detect water in
the holds nor could the bilge pumps reach it. Engineers started to cut
off the heads of the rivets in the collision bulkhead to allow the
water to escape into the forepeak where the pumps could reach it.
However, the bulkhead began to bulge and crack and they were forced to give up the attempt.
There is also a great book titled '1700 miles in open boats' by Cecil Foster. This is the account of the loss of the S S Trevessa by her Master, ...
