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Information about persons lost at sea is can be hard to obtain (sometimes there just isn't anything left of a vessel or its passengers and crew, and so even a place or date of loss is difficult to accurately determine). So on this webpage I plan to list snippets of information about Newfoundland Pikes who are known to have been lost or buried at sea.
If you know of a burial/loss at sea that is not listed, or if you have additional information about one of the entries below, feel free to contact me at dapike@mun.ca. Citing sources of information is particularly helpful.
If you came to this page directly, then you might want to know that I have additional information about the Pike families of Newfoundland on my website.
As written in a letter by his grandson Claudius Watts, William is described as having drowned off Cape St Francis, along with 1 or 2 of his sons.
I have seen a few people state 4 July 1833 as William's date of death, but as yet I haven't found a reliable reference to this event.
In two letters I received in 1989 and 1992 from one of Louis' descendants states that Louis died at sea in the Cook Strait. He married at Nelson NZ in 1864. His youngest daughter was baptised in 1877. I'm told that Louis appears in various NZ records as "George Louis" and also "Richard Louis".
The Marlborough Express of 25 October 1911 contains an article in which it is stated that "On May 1st, 1880, the little 29-ton schooner Colleen Bawn left Wellington, in ballast, for Havelock, Pelorus Sound. Captain Louis Pike had a crew of three with him, and three passengers. On May 6th a violent gale lashed the waters of the Strait to fury, and it is supposed the Colleen Bawn was beaten under in it, as no trace of her was ever discovered."
On page 2 of The Harbor Grace Standard of Saturday 15 May 1880 is the following report:
OVERDUE VESSEL
Considerable anxiety has been felt here for some time past with respect to the safety of the sch. Carrie, which sailed from Antigua for this port on the 1st March, and consequently is now out over 75 days. The Carrie is commanded by Capt. Wm. H. Pike, (son of Capt. Geo. Pike of this town), and has a crew of five hands, consisting of -- Leander Curtis, mate; Moses French, Joseph Pippy, and William Ash, seamen; and Patrick Tobin, cook -- all of whom (with the exception of the last-named) are married men.
The Carrie is a fine tore-and-aft schooner of 72 tons burthen. She left this port laden with fish for Barbadoes on the 21st January, and after landing her cargo proceeded on to Antigua where she took on board a full freight of molasses and sugar for Messrs. John Munn & Co. of this place, by whom she is owned.
I haven't any information about Alfred Oratio's death, other than an email message from one of his descendants, informing me that he died at sea in 1885.
Lost on Duff & Balmer's banking schooner in the summer of 1887. Source: a July 2004 post to NFLD-ROOTS-L
newspaper reports from Sept 1887 state the vessel's name to be Ocean Friend
The Twillingate Sun of Saturday 01 October 1887 has an account of the loss of the Ocean Friend of Carbonear, including a list of her crew. Among them are Reuben Pike of Carbonear who is survived by a widow and two children, and Jourdain Pike of Carbonear who is survived by a widow and one child.
In the Twillingate Sun of Saturday 09 March 1889 is a report from Harbour Grace of the death of Albert Pike, belonging to Freshwater, and who was a seaman on the brig William, Capt Tizzard, owned by Messrs Munn & Co. He apparently died at sea, of smallpox, on (or about) 20 January 1889.
Reports in the Harbor Grace Stanard state that Albert Pike died at 4 am on 20 January 1889, and was buried at sea at 4 am on 21 January 1889.
A report in the Evening Telegram of 15 Feb 1889 states that Albert Pike was from Freshwater, and that his children were motherless and are now orphans.
James was lost 30 July 1890 from the Golden City (see this except from the Western Star).
Lost on the Clio, in the Fall of 1895. Samuel's age was 21, as reported in both the Freshwater Methodist burial records and the Nfld Civil Registration death records (but only the latter states his name to be Samuel). The Freshwater Methodist records state (about both the Clio and the schooner Lady May): "Nothing heard on these vessels".
Lost on the Clio, 10 Nov 1895 on a voyage from Alicante. The Clio was apparently only 1 year old, and was owned by John Rorke & Sons. Source: a July 2004 post to NFLD-ROOTS-L
Lost on the Clio, 10 Nov 1895 on a voyage from Alicante. The Clio was apparently only 1 year old, and was owned by John Rorke & Sons. Source: a July 2004 post to NFLD-ROOTS-L
Lost with the Castlebank which departed Newcastle NSW on 24 September 1896 destined for Chile.
The Nfld Civil Registration death records list all three deaths on 15 September 1900, with the place of death being "Off St Pierre", and the place of burial as "At Sea". Ages are recorded as follows: Archibald 16, Lewis 40, and Samuel 22.
The Nfld Civil Registration death records list Martin's place of burial as "At Sea". His age is stated as 35.
Lost overboard from the schooner Gwladys (official number 99996). Survived by a wife, two sons (one in Boston and another master of Messrs C & A Dawe's schooner Lolita A and four daughters. Sources: a July 2004 post to NFLD-ROOTS-L, Harbour Grace Standard of 26 Jan 1906 and 02 Feb 1906.
William was lost 24 March 1911 in the wreck of the S.S. Bruce. (see "In Peril on the Sea", page 36).
In the Evening Telegram (page 6 of Saturday 25 March 1911) it is noted that William had been engaged by Mr M.F. Carroll to go to a Whale Fishing Plant in British Columbia. On page 5 of the Monday 27 March 1911 edition of the Evening Telegram, it is stated that "William Pike, of St. Lawrence, 25 years old and married, drowned."
The 26 March 1911 issue of the New York Times refers to "James Pike of St. Lawrence, N.F."
Washed overboard from the schooner Dorothy Baird, 01 Nov 1911. Source: a July 2004 post to NFLD-ROOTS-L
The Nfld Civil Registration death records list James' death as having occurred at sea on board the SS Southern Cross on 31 March or 01 April 1914. His age is stated as 42.
The Nfld Civil Registration death records list Francis' death as having occurred at sea on HMS Clan McNaughton (or MacNaughton) on 25 February 1915. He was 20 or 21 years of age.
As noted on this webpage, Robert was lost on 09 Nov 1917 from the Creusa G at age 24.
The Nfld Civil Registration death records list William's death as having occurred at sea on 9 November 1917. He was 24.
The Nfld Civil Registration death records list a John Pike who died at sea on 25 August 1927. The registration number is 293982.
Probably this is the John Samuel Pike (aged 42 and with 7 children) mentioned at www.lostatsea.ca as having perished on the schooner Joyce M Smith in the great gale of August 1927.
Edward was 17 and son of Edward Pike. He was lost 21 Oct 1932 (see the Daily News).
The book "Lost at Sea" by Robert C Parsons states that Kenneth was lost from the vessel Partanna.
Died on 11 July 1942 from the SS Port Hunter. Donald is described as a son of Mrs M Pike of Port Saunders on this webpage.
Lost on the night of 14 Oct 1942 when the SS Caribou was torpedoed by German submarine U-69. James Pike was among the crew of the Caribou, while George is recorded as being a civilian (that is, not one of the several military personnel who were on board).
R.T.Pike is mentioned on this webpage, which states that he was the Chief Engineer Officer for the Caribou, that his parents were Richard and Louise Pike of St John's, and that his wife was Selina Pike of St John's. Given that RT's full name was "Richard Thomas James Pike", I believe that the "James Pike" who is sometimes listed as a crew member is actually in reference to RT (RT went by "James", as this is how he was enumerated in the 1921 census of Nfld).
As noted in the Encyclopedia of Nfld & Labrador, William Jordan died when the HMS Avenger was torpedoed by German submarine U-155 about 100 miles west of Gibraltar on 14 Nov 1942. He was born in 1915 and was a son of Jordon Pike & Minnie Martin.
Douglas' death is recorded in the Freshwater Methodist church records, which state that he was killed in action about 13 November 1943 and was buried at sea by the Royal Navy.
As noted on this webpage, John was 22, single, and lost from the vessel Sandy Point in October 1966.
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Last Modified: Saturday, 09-Oct-2021 14:29:11 NDT