52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks - 'Favourite Photo'

It is difficult to choose a favourite photo as those of us who are fortunate enough to have any of their ancestors will agree.  They are all pretty special but this one of family aboard my great grandfather’s barge ‘Sea Gypsy’ has to be up there.  Perhaps a Sunday afternoon picnic on the river?

I just love that my Great Grandmother is actually pouring tea into a cup and saucer – who would do that these days? ……and she has on her ubiquitous floral pinny!

Although this photo was taken in 1932 Edward had acquired the barge much earlier and had enjoyed most of his retirement sailing the Rivers Stour, Orwell and Deben in Essex and Suffolk.

‘Grandfather’ in the photo is my great grandfather, Edward Henry Wilkinson, together with his wife Cassandra Elizabeth (Palmer), my grandfather, Raymond Wilkinson and his brother-in-law, my great uncle Robert Lock.

Edward Henry Wilkinson was born 1^st May and baptised 23rd June 1861 in Tollesbury, Essex.  As with his forefathers, Edward had an affinity with the sea; firstly, as a fisherman and oyster dredger and then, after his marriage in 1885 and their move to Harwich then to Dovercourt, as an AB aboard the ferries of the Great Eastern Railway (GER) running between Harwich and the Hook of Holland. For the year 1891 he was an AB aboard SS Brandon and his known ferries between 1906-1907 were the SS Cambridge and SS Brussels as mate, then, after gaining his Master’s Certificate for a home trade passenger ships on 15th May 1908, he served in SS Brussels as first mate and then Master on SS Essex and SS Brussels until his retirement in 1913.

He was fortunate not to have served on a sister ship SS Berlin when it was wrecked on the night of 20th February 1907 just off the Hook of Holland in a terrible storm. 128 of the 144 persons on board died that night; 40 of whom were crew.

Edward was not listed on the 1901 census with his family; he was probably still at sea on that night.
On 1911 census Edward is shown living in Dovercourt listed as 1st Officer Home Trade, Great Eastern Railways, (Marine) but by 1912 according to Kelly’s Directory for Suffolk he had moved to Ipswich, where he is listed as Master Mariner.

Even after he retired Henry did not give up on the sea; he took on part-time work as Captain of a paddle steamer ferrying between Ipswich, Harwich and Felixstowe and it was during this time that we believe Edward bought his beloved ‘Sea Gypsy’. My grandfather, Raymond Wilkinson recalled tales of their family jaunts out on the river during those halcyon days between the wars. What joy!

Sea Gypsy on the River Orwell

On 13 May 1934, two years after the 'favourite photo' had been taken, Edward died of heart failure whilst out for a walk. He was buried at Whitton -cum-Thurlston, Ipswich on 16th May 1934.