Harald Loken drowning at Sea 1907

[John Lochen]

I am researching the death by drowning of my late Father's Uncle, Harald Olaf Lochen in 1907. I have identified a death record in the Burial register at Frogner in Oslo for 22nd February 1908. The record has been scanned and from Familysearch.org part digitised, but key information has not been included.

 

Under Folio 197, it states he died on 22nd February 1907, but there is no burial. He is described as Sailor Harald Olaf Lochen, Father: Hans Olaf Olsen; Mother: Oline (Petronelle Villarsen), born on 24th June 1888 in Kr ia (Kristiania).

 

The next three columns provide potentially useful information, but difficult to read. In column 7 states: Kr ia (place of baptism); second line includes Frogner (?) and the next line: m. Loland (?) 1904. I believe this relates to his military record.  Column 8 states: Drammensvein 62, which I know was his Mother's residence in Oslo. Column 9 refers to his cause of death, and I think translates: Drowning at sea on ship Josseurrlls (?) shipwrecked off Holland ......; I attach an extract of page and reference:-

 

Frogner vicarage Church books, SAO / A-10886 / F / Fa / L0004Ministerialbok nr. 4, 1898-1921, p. 197,

 

also: https://www.digitalarkivet.no/kb20061123320874
 

I would like to confirm the details, in particular the ship, location and his Seamen's roll. I hope this may then enable research of his sailing career and the tragic circumstances of death at sea and the reaction in Oslo if many others died on this and other vessels. Possibly there are newspaper records in Oslo of the event.

 

I believe a very great storm occurred in the North Sea on 21st February 1907 with several notable shipwrecks, (e.g.  Great Eastern Railway Company's Mailboat steamer, Berlin, travelling  from Harwich to Hook of Holland was driven ashore in a north-westerly gale when entering a new waterway at entrance to the River Maas, with only one survivor (Evening Express and Evening Mail, Friday February 22, 1907, UK).

 

I have not located Seamen/ military rolls for Loland, if this is the place. Could it be part of a larger catchment and filed under a different name, possibly now scanned?

 

I have not been able to source digital/ scanned records for Norwegian ships or shipwrecks, possibly knowing the name of the vessel would helpful.

 

This topic is my first having just registered with the forum from the UK, and resuming researching my family history of the Lochen/ Loken family, after several years of absence. Any translation or leads would be gratefully received.

[Richard Johan Natvig]

A beginning: The ship's name: Timaru

https://kulturnav.org/a260aa96-2d0e-4c51-824c-5035fa3d662a

all on board drowned.

Endret Januar 7, 2022 av Richard Johan Natvig

[Bjarne Rosenstrøm]

Newspaper article from "Buskeruds Blad", 24. Feb. 1907,  that describes the wrecking off the coast of Denmark

 

https://www.nb.no/search?q="Harald Løken"~4&mediatype=aviser&fromDate=19070101&toDate=19071231

 

 

[Matthias Kolberg]

column 7:

Født i Kr.ia (born in Kristiania)

Konf i Frogner

høsten 1904 (confirmed in Frogner, autumn of 1904)

 

His confirmation is recorded here, no. 32

SAO, Frogner prestekontor Kirkebøker, SAO/A-10886/F/Fa/L0001Ministerialbok nr. 1, 1898-1916, s. 41
Brukslenke for sidevisning: https://www.digitalarkivet.no/kb20060228010754

 

[Bjarne Rosenstrøm]

Newspaper search using the name of the ship: Timaru

 

https://www.nb.no/search?q=Timaru&mediatype=aviser&sort=dateasc&fromDate=19070221&toDate=19070328

 

 

These newspapers can only be read if you have a norwegian VPN.

[Richard Johan Natvig]

https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/ (subscription):

 

Lloyd's List - Monday 25 February 1907

 

Morning Post - Monday 25 February 1907

 

More details in the Norwegian newspapers, understandably.

 

[John Lochen]

Thank you Richard, for your two postings, very informative.

 

My late Father Harold Olaf Lochen was named after his deceased Uncle, Harald Olaf Loken, who was the first born of Olaf and Oline Olsen/ Loken. My Father said that he believed the ship had been returning from Australia. The comments in the Morning Post about it having sailed from Melbourne in Australia on a previous occasion now add up.

 

From Google Maps, Flushing appears to be in South West Netherlands. The Timaru vessel must have been caught up in the same great storm as the Steamer The Berlin, as mentioned in my initial posting.

 

Can I track The Timaru's departure from Norway before the disaster, and should I be able to find the crew list and Harald?

 

many thanks, John Lochen

[Richard Johan Natvig]

2 timer siden, John Lochen skrev:

his Seamen's roll

 

SAKO, Drammen innrulleringsdistrikt, F/Fb/L0006: Annotasjonsrulle, 1905-1911, s. 21
Brukslenke for sidevisning: https://www.digitalarkivet.no/ru20090420620021
 

Seems Timaru was the only ship he sailed.

[Richard Johan Natvig]

Akkurat nå, John Lochen skrev:

Can I track The Timaru's departure from Norway before the disaster, and should I be able to find the crew list and Harald?

It might be possible to follow Timaru's departures/arrivals with the help of newspapers, Lloyds and Norwegian papers, although it can be time consuming. The crew at the time of the wreck is in fact listed in the newspaper article Bjarne posted above, Harald Løken is one of them. If you have trouble reading it, just ask, someone will help you (I would but I have to socialize now 🙂 )

[John Lochen]

Thank you Richard, much appreciated.

 

Looking at the Seamen's roll for Drammen, it looks like Harald was logged on the roll on 10/06/1905 and commenced on the Timaru on 31/10/1905 (so age 17 years), leaving Voss (not sure got correct?) with about 1 year 4 months at sea before going down on the shipwreck on 21/02/1907. I guess over this period the ship will have visited a number of ports off the North Sea, if not further afield. I will explore further. Have a good evening Socializing! 

 

Many thanks again, John Lochen,

Newcastle upon Tyne, UK

[Matthias Kolberg]

Not, Voss, but Moss. A port town south of Oslo

[John Lochen]

Thank you Mattias, also for your posting on his confirmation records, appreciated. I have now located on Google Maps!

 

In the enrolment record it also states sailing to a place like:_  Kol or Lrol? Can you advise? https://www.digitalarkivet.no/ru20090420620021

 

In addition, would I be able to find other archive records of the vessel leaving Moss on 31/10/1905, perhaps the ship's Crew and more details of where it had been before arriving at Moss and thence if I can identify its destination port, a similar account? 

 

Many thanks, John Lochen

 

 

[Bjarne Rosenstrøm]

A rough translation of the newspaper article i posted above. It contains a list of the ships crew:

 

A bark from Drammen wrecked on the west coast of Denmark

 

The entire crew has died

 

A telgram from Lemvig at Limfjorden gave notice Friday afternoon: A bark of unknown nationality was beached outside of Fjaltring. An attempt to save the crew had proven impossible. From land the 18 man strong crew was observed as they vanished in the waves. Only one man can still be seen onboard. A new telegram from the same place later reported: The ship is "Timaru" from Drammen. The shipwreck took place around 10 this morning. The ship was broken apart and all 18 people onboard has died. The captain is Johansen. The shipowner is E. B Aaby from Drammen. According to a telegram, recieved via Copenhagen, shipbooks that has driven ashore, lists the crew, besides captain J. Johansen, as shipsmate Kristen Schrøder, Holmestrand, shipscarpenter Carl Kristiansen, Moss, stuert Bernt Christoffersen, Drammen, sailmaker Carl Tollefsen, Svelvig, able seamen Bernhard Jacobsen, Drammen, Christian Mikkelsen, Moss, Julius Carlsen, Moss, ordinary seamen Oscar Olsen Wessel, Svelvig, Marius Lauritzen, Asker, Carl Nielsen, Drammen, Andreas Eriksen, Moss, Ole Mauritzen, Holmestrand, junior seamen Hans Antonsen, Drammen, Harald Løken, Kristiania and Johan Kristiansen, Moss.

 

"Timaru" departed from Antwerpen on Feb. 19th, loaded with coke and was destined to Kristiania. According to Veritas' registry the "Tiamaru" is an iron bark weighing 1314 tonnes, built in Grenock in 1874.

[Matthias Kolberg]

29 minutes ago, John Lochen said:

In the enrolment record it also states sailing to a place like:_  Kol or Lrol? Can you advise? https://www.digitalarkivet.no/ru20090420620021

Possibly, Udl., short for Udlandet: going abroad. The same abbreviation is also used below on the same page (also Utl.-utlandet, ud- is an older spelling)

 

Newspapers from November 1905 report that Timaru is headed for Sundsvall (Sweden)

 

 

Endret Januar 7, 2022 av Matthias Kolberg

[John Lochen]

Thank you Bjarne for your translation of the text, its most informative and much appreciated.

 

I note that Harald Olaf Loken was a Junior Seaman. He would have been 19 years age, having only having had experience on this one vessel for 16 months. What a tragedy.

 

I seem to recall from a conversation long ago with my Father that a Seaman was seen holding onto one of the masts when it was sinking, and I would like to think that this was a young and fit Harald trying to survive against all odds. 

 

I note that the ship beached off the coast of Denmark on sea described as Vesterhavet, only two days into sailing from Antewerpen. 

 

Many thanks,

 

John

[Bjarne Rosenstrøm]

5 of the crew washed ashore and was buried in Denmark. 1 at Husby church (possibly the captain) and 4 at Lyngvig church (none of them identified).

 

The wreckage was later sold at auction for the sum of 490 kroner.

 

https://www.nb.no/search?q=Timaru&mediatype=aviser&sort=dateasc&place="Norge;Viken;;Drammen;;;;"&fromDate=19070301&toDate=19070331

 

 

 

 

 

 

[John Lochen]

Thank you Matthias for the additional information. it looks to me that the Timaru had sailed along the coast from Sweden to Norway, down to Denmark and then on to the Netherlands, I guess it probably did this on a regular run, delivering coal to various ports, possibly in exchange for timber? 

 

From the records Richard identified, it had been to Melbourne Australia 12 years prior to the shipwreck (1895) whilst under English ownership, and was on a different trade, conveying frozen meat to the UK.

 

I see that the ship was built in 1874 so would have been 33 years of age when it was shipwrecked. I guess that the storm was very strong and affected many vessels, but perhaps its age was not on its side and it was less able to withstand the storm with a heavy cargo of coal. 

 

I have been provided with a wealth of information this evening, and only wish I could convey this to my Father's generation. 

 

Many thanks, John

[Matthias Kolberg]

According to news reports following the shipwreck, the sailmaker Karl Tollefsen wrote bottled messages as the ship was torn apart on the coast of Denmark. Two of the messages were recovered:

 

”Ifald ingen af os blir reddet, saa strander ‘Timaru’ den 22. Farvel alle mine kjære”

”Farvel kjære Kone og Børn. Karl Tollefsen, Svelvig, Norge”

 

”In case none of us are rescued, the ‘Timaru’ stranded on the 22nd. Farewell all my loved ones”

”Farewell my beloved wife and children. Karl Tollefsen, Svelvig, Norway”

 

From Namdalens Blad, 30 April 1907

Endret Januar 7, 2022 av Matthias Kolberg

[John Lochen]

Thank you Bjarne, most interesting postscript. 

 

I presume the burials would have been recorded in the Church records for Husby and Lvngvig in Denmark, possibly also other (such as Police/Court records given the circumstances). Can anyone advise if these are available digitally, though I realise its outside the remit for Norway archives?

 

Would there have possibly been a Tombstone/ Monumental Inscription, given the circumstances? Just a thought.

 

Many thanks, John 

[John Lochen]

Thank you Matthias,

 

How very poignant.

 

I recall when I was about 7 years of age that with my Parents, we went on a ship from England to the Canary islands and back for a long spring holiday. My Father Harold, wrote a message in a bottle and sometime later, we received a letter back to say that it had been found. We were surprised and my Father responded to the finder with a reward. This was light hearted and fun, and in stark contrast to the message Karl dispatched in such despair.

 

John

 

[Richard Johan Natvig]

11 timer siden, Bjarne Rosenstrøm skrev:

5 of the crew washed ashore and was buried in Denmark. 1 at Husby church (possibly the captain) and 4 at Lyngvig church (none of them identified).

 

Four unidentified bodies found on the 3rd of March '07, presumed to be from Timaru, the first three presumed to be about 20 years old, the fourth between 20 and 30, descriptions of tatoos, hair colour, height, buried at Lyngvig churchyard (Lyngvig Klitkirkegård)

 

Churchbook: Holmsland Klit Sogn, Kontraministerialbog 1869-2003 (https://www.sa.dk/ao-soegesider/da/geo/geo-collection/5) 

 

https://www.sa.dk/ao-soegesider/da/billedviser?epid=17123884#164232,27578961

(I hope this link works).

[John Lochen]

Thank you Richard,

 

The link worked and I can see the 4 rows of text and note the ages 20, and 20 to 30 years.

 

Its good to know that the sailors found were buried, it provides a better tribute.  

 

I have managed to find the church on Google Earth and viewed a number of photos of the church. It looks immaculately well kept. It has the dates of 1869 to 1955 on the front of the tower, so guess that the churchyard may now be closed, although the north section beyond the church might be an area for burial of ashes, and another area to the east possibly an extension with informal footpath. From the photos and aerial view it looks like the churchyard is dividend into very neat clipped hedge compartments with low head stones and some individual plants with alot of hardstanding (I am a retired landscape architect so incidentally quite interested in the design). 

 

From the text you have kindly referred me to, I have translated the legend (aided by google) and understand the questions asked. If you have a moment, I would be interested to understand what at least one line states, as its quite difficult to read the handwriting as well as being in Danish, in particular, there seems to be quite alot of text in column 4 and in particular the last person they have written alot more about. Having reread the transcript of the text by Bjarne as above, it looks like there were three junior seamen at the end of the list, including Harald Loken, so it would be intriguing to suggest they may be the three that were buried aged 20 or so, though never going to establish.

 

I will now try to find from the Seamen's  Rolls, the Journal of Ships, and look for the Timaru, when it arrived and set off from Drammen about 31/10/1905 with Harald. I also think that the ship may have called at various times at Holmestrand, Moss, Svivig Asker and Kristiana, from the names of the deceased.

 

Many  thanks, John

[Richard Johan Natvig]

1 time siden, John Lochen skrev:

If you have a moment, I would be interested to understand what at least one line states, as its quite difficult to read the handwriting as well as being in Danish, in particular, there seems to be quite alot of text in column 4 and in particular the last person they have written alot more about.

 

An attempt:

 

Transcriptions of the fourth column,

 

first sailor:

Paa højre Arm findes tatoveret: et ?kvindeligt? Billede, et Anker, en Due, samt Hans Andersen, Drammen; paa venstre Arm: H.A. i en Buket. Højde circa 70 Tommer. Haaret mørkeblondt, et lysblondt Overskæg.

(On the right arm is tattooed: a ?"female"? image, an anchor, a dove, as well as Hans Andersen, Drammen; on the left arm: H.A. within a bouquet (of flowers). Height ca 70 inches. The hair dark blonde, a light blonde moustache.

 

Note on the name Hans Andersen, Drammen: One of the sailors named in the crew list above (Bjarne's newspaper clipping) is a Hans Antonsen, Drammen. Perhaps error in the newspaper? Or a misreading of the tattoo?

 

second sailor:

Haaret blondt, et lille lyseblondt Overskæg. Et ?...? overfladigt Saar over venstre Øje. 65 Tommer høj.

(The hair blonde, a small light blonde mustache. A ?...? superficial wound over left eye. 65 Inches tall.)

 

third sailor:

Tatovering paa højre Haand: to sammenlagte Hænder, paa Armen: et Kvindehoved, et Hjærte med Pil og to sammenlagte Hænder. Et Anker med norsk og svensk Flag. Paa venstre Haand: En Ørn siddende paa en Gren. Paa Armen: et Tværbaand paaskrevet "Friends", et Hjerte med to sammenlagte Hænder, en Kvindefigur paa en Kugle. 65 Tommer høj med mørkeblondt Haar og et lille lyst Overskæg.

(Tattoo on the right hand: two folded hands, on the arm: a woman's head, a heart with an arrow and two folded hands. An Anchor with Norwegian and Swedish Flag. On the left hand: An eagle sitting on a branch. On the arm: a cross-band inscribed "Friends", a heart with two folded hands, a female figure on a ball. 65 Inches tall with dark blond hair and a small light mustache.)

 

fourth sailor:

Tatovering paa højre Haandryg: en Stjernefigur, samt Bogstaverne M.S. eller M.L. - Paa Underarmen: Et Hjerte med Tværbaand paaskrevet "Love" samt en Kvindeskikkelse (Danserinde). Paa venstre Haand: Tatoveret Ring på venstre Ringfinger, og paa Underarmen en ?Flue?. 61 Tommer høj, mørkeblondt Haar, rødblondt studset Fuldskæg. Næseryggen lidt puklet paa Midten.

I Grænsen mellem Panden og den behaarede Del af Hovedet til højre for Midtlinjen findes et circa 2 cm langt med uregelmessige Rande omgivet  Saar i hvis Bund Kraniet ses. Paa Næseryggen findes en mindre Hudafskrælning.

(Tattoo on back of right hand: a star figure, as well as the letters M.S. or M.L. - On the forearm: A heart with a cross-band inscribed "Love" and a female figure (Dancer). On the left hand: Tattooed ring on the left ring finger, and on the forearm a ?Fly?. 61 inches tall, dark blonde hair, red blonde trimmed full beard. The bridge of the nose is slightly humped in the middle.)

 

Note on the letter M.S. or M.L.: Name of one of the crew:  Marius Lauritzen

 

 

 

[John Lochen]

Thank you so much Richard, its quite an incredible transcript, and having attempted a few words myself using a google translator, realise how difficult it is not speaking the native tongue and then also reading old lettering. Infact I should have said you did incredibly well finding the burial records of the sailors in the first place from the Danish archives. 

 

The translation you have given me is very distinctive and enables the imagination to bring to life these Seamen and crew, especially with their very distinctive tattoos. I am not one for the modern trend of tattoos everywhere, being from a more conservative generation. However reading the text they come across as very traditional seafaring features that one would have expected. Its also great that possibly two of the crew have been identified from the descriptions. I guess that the second sailor having no tattoos might have been younger and leaves me the thought that this might have been Harald Loken, but just a thought.

 

I have not managed to find my way around the Journal of Ships category under Seamen's rolls, sufficient to see ships either arriving from Moss to Drammen or onward passage after 31/10/1907 when Harald  Loken was embarking on his life with the Timaru. I guess that either the rolls have not been scanned or don't exist for this category, or I am looking in the wrong place. 

 

The only other thing that I can now think of to do, is contact the Minister at Lyngvig church and see if there is any remaining burial plot or commemoration for these Seamen and possibly the same for Husby church. Whether there was any commemoration service for the crew, at Drammen, is also another thought. 

 

Many thanks again, as I would not have been able to find any of this without your (and your colleagues) very helpful assistance.

 

John

[Richard Johan Natvig]

Glad to be of help. I have found the death/burial records of two of the other sailors in Danish churchbooks, in case you are interested, the ship's carpenter shipswright Carl Christensen, and Carl Nielsen.

Endret Januar 9, 2022 av Richard Johan Natvig