On 6 June 1841, Hay was a 17 year old male living in High St, Ferry Port on Craig, occupation Merchant Seaman, with his sisters Jean, Mary and Hellen, brother Andrew, and niece Mary Ann Bruce.[3][4]
In 1848, when Hay was just 24 years old, he was a Shipmaster and the ½ owner (32/64 shares) along with George Jardine, a Master Mariner of Perth, of the 101 ton schooner Ann, registered in Dundee, Forfarshire.[5] They sold Ann in 1849. On the 10 April 1851, Hay was granted his Master’s Certificate of Service, having served as an Apprentice, Mate and Master in the Coasting & Foreign Trades for 15 years. Although being issued two months later, his registration number was 38.386, two before his father’s of 38.388.[6]
Hay Duncan married Ann Anderson on 13 June 1854 in Dundee, Angus, Scotland.[7][8]
Their children were:
Jemima Duncan (1856-)
John Duncan (1858-)
Ann Duncan (1861-1861)
Andrew Duncan (1862-1865)
Hay Duncan (1864-1865)
Joseph Hay Young Duncan (1866-)
Agnes Mitchell Anderson Duncan (1868-1871)
In the 1861 census Hay was living in Dundee, Angus, Scotland aged 39, occupation "River Pilot", with his wife Ann (age 34), and children Jemima (5), John (3) and Ann (0).[9]
In 1869 Hay was Mate on the Elizabeth, a schooner engaged in carrying coal from Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, England, to Dundee, Angus, Scotland, when it foundered off Dunstanburgh, Northumberland, England on 18 April 1869, with Master John Hay and Hay Duncan, both of Perth, drowned.[10]
DUNDEE SHIP TRAGEDY
The steam tug "Rennard" has brought into the river Tyne two survivors of the Dundee schooner "Elizabeth", registered in London, which foundered in heavy seas off the Northumberland coast en route from Sunderland to Dundee. The survivors, picked up after floating for an hour and a half, holding onto part of the galley, are George Square[Squire?] of Perth and David Lowe of Dundee.
Lost were the master, John Hay of Perth; the mate, Hay Duncan of Perth; and a Lancashire sailer living in Berwick St., Dundee.
The vessel's owners have started an appeal fund for the families - two of the widows have four children each, and the third has two children, and the fund stood at 15 pounds within a few days.
By 30th April the owner of the cargo of 180 tons 4 cwts. of coal, Mr. P.M. Duncan, coal merchant, Dundee, had raised a court action against the ship owner, Mr. John Isles, castle Court, Dundee, for the value of the cargo, £83-6s-10d, claiming that the "Elizabeth" was unseaworthy, causing her to founder.[11]
Drowned at sea off Dunstanburgh on 18th April while in passage from Sunderland to Dundee. Hay DUNCAN, Dundee, of the schooner Elizabeth.
It will be recalled that this vessel-while on passage from Sunderland to Dundee- foundered off the Northumberland coast on the night of Sunday 18th April, and the master and two of the crew lost their lives. All the sufferers were married men. Two of them have left widows and four children, and the third a widow and two children. Of the ten children only one is able to do anything towards earning a livelihood. The owners of the vessel have commenced a subscri ption in aid of the destitute families, and it is to be hoped a goodly sum will be obtained for a case so deserving public sympathy. A subscription sheet lies at our office.[13]
Research Notes
Hay was identified as a "daughter" on the baptism record. Some indexes had birth date of 13 August 1823 but the Parish Record is clearly 18 August 1823.[2]
Another possible child was Hay Duncan (1853-1915) who died in Victoria, Australia in 1915. His parents were identified as Hay Duncan and Anderson on his death registration. His birth before his parent’s marriage, no baptism record, and absence in the 1861 census, and a younger brother also named Hay suggests that he may have instead been Hay Higgins, son of Hellen Dempster Duncan and John Higgins, who was 6 years old living with his grandparents in 1861.
Sources
↑ "Scotland Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950," database, FamilySearch Record: XYC6-5FH (accessed 8 July 2023), Hay Duncan baptism on 21 Aug 1823 (born 18 Aug 1823) "Church of Scotland: Old Parish Registers - Births and Baptisms," database, National Records of Scotland, Parish Number: 429; Ref: 30/19; Frame: 529, https://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/ (accessed 8 July 2023), Hay Duncan born or baptised on 21 Aug 1823, daughter of John Duncan & Mary Duncan, in Ferry Port On Craig, Fife, Scotland.
↑ 2.02.1 "Church of Scotland: Old Parish Registers - Births and Baptisms," database, National Records of Scotland, Parish Number: 429; Ref: 30/23; Frame: 527, https://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/ (accessed 8 July 2023), Hay Duncan born or baptised on 21 Aug 1823, daughter of John Duncan & Mary Duncan, in Ferry Port On Craig, Fife, Scotland. Transcript:
Duncan Augt 18. 1823 Born Hay daughter of John Duncan and Mary Duncan & Baptized on Augt 21st
↑ "Scotland Census, 1841," database, National Records of Scotland, Ref: 429/ 1/ 31, https://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/ (accessed 8 July 2023), Hay Duncan (17) in Ferry Port On Craig registration district in Fife, Scotland.
↑ "1841 Census of England, Scotland and Wales," database, The National Archives of the UK, Kew, Surrey, England; Reference: HO 107; Piece: 429; Page: 31, FreeCen Transcription (accessed 8 July 2023), Hay Duncan (17), Merchant Seaman, on High Street, Ferry Port O Craig in Ferry Port o Craig registration district in Fife, Scotland. Born in Fife, Scotland.
Name
Sex
Age
Occupation
Birth Place
Jean Duncan
F
25
Sempstress
Fife
Mary Duncan
F
20
Sempstress
Fife
Hay Duncan
M
17
Merchant Seaman
Fife
Helen Duncan
F
13
Fife
Andw. Duncan
M
9
Fife
Mary Ann Bruce
F
3
Fife
↑ Phillip J. Duncan. Tay Valley Family History Society. “Owners & Vessels associated with the small ports of the River Tay 1824-1854.” ISBN 1 903179 17 3. Transcript:
118; Owners: George Jardine, 32/64 Master Mariner, Perth; Hay Duncan, 32/64, Shipmaster, Ferry Port on Craig; Vessel: Ann; Type: Schooner; Tonnage: 101. 780/3500; Owned: 1848; Sold registered Dundee 1839
↑ "UK and Ireland, Masters and Mates Certificates, 1850-1927," database with images, Original data: Master's Certificates. Greenwich, London, UK: National Maritime Museum; Certificate Number: 38.386, Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry au Record 2271 #564077 (accessed 8 July 2023), Name: Nay Duncan; Estimated Age: 28; Birth Date: 18 Aug. 1823; Birth Place: South Ferry, Fife; Issue Date: 10 Apr. 1851; Issue Port: Custom House, Newcastle Upon Tyne.
Masters Certificate of Service
No 38.386
Number thirty eight thousand three hundred and eighty six
Hay Duncan
Born at South Ferry County of Fife on 18th Augt 1823
Has been employed in the capacities of App, Mate & Master 15 years in the
British Merchant Service in the Coasting & Foreign trades.
Bearers Signature Hay Duncan
Granted by the REGISTRAR GENERAL OF SEAMEN, LONDON by order of the BOARD OF TRADE
Issued at Custom House Newcastle
This 10th day of April 1851
↑ "Scotland Marriages, 1561-1910," database, FamilySearch Record: XTVH-X4W (accessed 8 July 2023), Hay Duman marriage to Ann Anderson on 13 Jun 1854 in Dundee, Angus, Scotland, United Kingdom.
↑ "Church of Scotland: Old Parish Registers - Banns and Marriages," database, National Records of Scotland, Parish Number: 282; Ref: 230/489, https://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/ (accessed 8 July 2023), Hay Duman marriage to Ann Anderson on or after 13 Jun 1854 in Dundee, Forfarshire, Scotland.
↑ "Scotland Census, 1861," database, National Records of Scotland, Ref: 282/1 33/ 8, https://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/ (accessed 8 July 2023), Keay Duncan (39) in Dundee First District registration district in Angus, Scotland.
Foundry Lane, Dundee
Name
Relation
Status
Sex
Age
Occupation
Birth Place
Heay Duncan
Head
Married
M
39
Rivle Pilot
Tayport, Fifeshire
Ann Duncan
Wife
F
34
Married
Dundee, Forfarshire
Jemima Duncan
Daughter
F
5
Scholar
Dundee, Forfarshire
John Duncan
Son
M
3
Dundee, Forfarshire
Ann Duncan
Daughter
F
1 Mo
Dundee, Forfarshire
↑ "UK, Registers of Births, Marriages and Deaths at Sea, 1844-1890," database with images, The National Archives of the UK; Kew, Surrey, England; Registers of Wages & Effects of Deceased Seamen; Class: BT 153; Piece: 9. Transcript:
1869 Register of Accounts of Wages and Effects of Deceased Seamen, &c., received and disposed of.
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