Forums Forums Wirral History : Chasing the Past History Information Request St Andrews church

Sorry, dying at the age of 90.

I’m not too bothered about age discrepancies either, Bert. My experience in family history research is that many people of that era had only a rough idea of how old they were – one of my ggfs put down a wrong age in all the censuses from 1841 to 1881. I also agree that a request for military honours from the family of one of ‘Nelson’s Heroes’ would have been accepted fairly readily by the Majestic’s captain without investigation into his exploits. I don’t think there’s much doubt that Corlett had been employed by the navy in some capacity (which had given him the background knowledge to make his stories believable) and perhaps the family had proof by way of a pension, discharge papers or similar.

There still remains the question of why he was listed as being one of the Manxmen at Trafalgar on the IOM stamp site. Perhaps there’s an explanation for that. The obituary in the Liverpool Mercury would have been based on information obtained from either the family or the vicar’s funeral address (which would be based on information obtained from the family!). I am 100% sure that the details would not have been checked before publication. Then, in 1901 a book was published called ‘Manx Worthies’ and Corlett was listed in the military section and his details are almost identical, word for word to the Mercury’s obituary. Apparently this book became recognised as the prime reference book on 18/19th century Manxmen. And so family stories became fact!

I’m not trying to put Corlett down, merely putting forward an alternative which is as plausible as a hero who gets no mention in any official military records.

Nightwalker, its not a question of putting anyone down which you haven't, just trying to reach a factual conclusion, you as well as others have given it their best shot. I prefer to be guided by official records and if there is no record of this man being at Trafalgar we have to go with it. I think this thread has been enjoyable and informative, I'm now going to leave this man in peace.


What about Little loo loo

I've emailed the St. Kilda Historical Society in Aussieland to see if they know anything. There can't have been too many people who died there on the 20 December 1853 and their records might give us a name at least

off topic but my great,great,great, great uncle was the first mayor of St Kilda

Excellent, look forward to their reply.

Just been browsing the early history of St. Kilda to see if there are any clues about Little Loo Loo (there aren't!) and if your ggggu was Benjamin C. he gets a lot of very honourable mentions. Seems like an interesting story here, Derek.

ooo great stuff i hope they reply soon

with there being no reference to age or sex on the headstone could little loo loo have been an animal? or much loved mascot or working animal? (am i the only one thinking about this possibility? ha)

Ships cats were common place aboard vessels before and after that period of time, keeping vermin down their main duty. Whether they would have been thought of high enough to bring one back from abroad for burial, i would have my doubts but who knows, another question would be, would a clergyman at that time be willing to allow an animal to be buried in his churchyard. Headstones couldn't have been cheap, would a ships crew or individual pay for an animal when many a human went without.

As it would take over three months to sail from Australia, whether animal or human presumably the body would have to be preserved in some way (perhaps the same as Nelson's was pickled in brandy). It seems unlikely that an animal would merit the cost involved (though the Victorians could be a strangely sentimental lot at times!). Also, I think a person would have to be important or rich to merit such treatment. I'm coming round to the view that this is a memorial headstone with no body in the grave.

No word from St. Kilda as yet.

Hi

I hope no-one minds but I posted on another website in the hope we might get some help with "Little Loo Loo" & I used TRANCENTRAL's picture if thats ok.

I'm not sure I got any further, but some of the posts you might find interesting, expecially the one were it seems people were trying to figure it out in 1889 just 36 years after the event, so I not sure if this mystery will be solved.

The link is

http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?PHPSESSID=3kq9mhbe2ppjtupsdnmt81k8u1&topic=560678.0

Well done Oxton, I can't believe anyone would go through the trouble of providing a headstone and omitting the real name, i would have thought the name would have been put on and the nickname fondly known by be put on underneath or bracketed.
Just my opinion, i lean towards someone of foreign extraction who was thought highly enough of that they didn't want their passing to go unrecognised or unrecorded.

me and tc went to the civic center today and asked for help, the bloke found another forum on line talking about it and printed it off for us and it just happens to be you so thanx for all your help

we have a walk organised this Sunday (wiki walk thread)to St Andrews so if any of you are interested in seeing the graves or sharing your knowledge it would be great if you popped along

Have just received a response. Not much help but at least they've tried:

Hello Dave
I have been trying to find out about little Loo Loo but to no avail. There was no cemetery in St Kilda in 1853 and Melbourne General Cemetery has lost records in a fire. It would seem that her parents returned to the UK and maybe wanted a memorial to remember her by. It is unlikely at that time that a body could be carried to the UK as a voyage would have taken about 8 weeks. I am sorry not to be able to help you as it is an intriguing mystery

Dorothy Lobert
Secretary
St Kilda Historical Society
PO Box 177
Balaclava 3183
Telephone 0405 510799