S/V Kate Sturrup carried WWI volunteers to Jamaica in 1916, Capt. Arnold Ingraham

by Eric Wiberg

MAILBOAT NAME: S/V Kate Sturrup
PAST NAMES: none
DIMENSIONS: schooner, 51 tons, Official # 91695
CONSTRUCTION: wood
YEAR BUILT: 1890, probably in Dunmore Town, Harbour Island, Eleuthera
EARLY CAREER: Harbour Island, Spanish Wells, Nassau
BAHAMAS CAREER: replaced the S/V Dart briefly in 1892, but supplanted by the Dart the following year. Served Harbour Island – Nassau via Spanish Wells. Later sold to Jamaica.
OWNERS: Henry William F. Sturrup, Dunmore Town, Harbour Island, Eleuthera
CAPTAINS: Arnold Ingraham, at least c.1900
FATE: in 1890, 1910, and 1915 she is listed as still being owned by Mr. H. W. F. Sturrup of Harbour Island. By 1930 she was owned by Lascalles de Merrode & Company Limited, Kingston, Jamaica, however she was still registered to Nassau, NP, Bahamas. The Kingston Gleaner cites her in the January 5th 1924 edition, as well as May 30, 1925, so the schooner’s life spans at least 35 years… (by 1925 she was serving the Jamaican ports of Black River, Sav-la-Mar, Lucea & Montego Bay).
NOTES: From Anne & Jim Lawlor’s “The Harbour Island Story,” MacMillan Caribbean, Oxford, 2008: “Although briefly replaced in 1892 by the Kate Sturrup, the schooner, Dart, had the contract to carry the mail, freight and passengers from 1870 until 1922, when the MV Endion replaced her.” (p.248).

Presumably the schooner was named after a family member of the owner, Henry William F. Sturrup.

The S/V Kate Sturrup literally sent young Bahamian men of the Third Bahamas Contingent off to the First World War, along with another vessel named the Zellers. Apparently the Tribune editor, Captain Dillet, went with them to Jamaica for the story (not as far as the front). Here is an account of their sending-off from “The Tribune” of Thursday May 10, 1916:

“His Excellency the Governor made a short pithy speech which was greatly appreciated. No time was then lost in getting the men on to the “Zellers” and the “Kate Sturrup.” Soon the tug “Colonia” had the two vessels in tow. The Police Band discoursed a variety of music in fine style from the deck of the “Colonia” while she was towing the “Zellers” and the “Kate Sturrup,” and when a rag time item was on, many people, both on the boats and on the land, swayed themselves to the time thereof in rhythmic fashion. Those who witnessed the scene will not easily forget it, and many who would scorn to weep loudly found a strange choking sensation at the throat as this new body of soldiers left our shore…. …Those of the contingent who sailed on the “Zellers” were under the care of Capt. Cole, while Capt. Dillet had the control of those who embarked on the “Kate Sturrup.”

Source: http://ufdc.ufl.edu/UF00084249/02592/2x?vo=11

Captain Dillet was also an editor of the Tribune, according to the May 13, 1916 edition.

Source: http://ufdc.ufl.edu/UF00084249/02594/2x?vo=12

 From a law case (concerning land and cotton), we learn that “the cotton proceeded against was

arrested on board of the “Kate Sturrup,” “Mischief,” “Glynn ” and “Leaon.” The captains of each vessel are given, however the names are garbled, but using the various citations this can be deduced:
  1. Arnold Ingraham, master of the ‘”Kate Sturrup”
  2. John T. Alburv, master of the “”Glynn.” and
  3. Gran? ? master of “Leaon”

Source: http://www.archive.org/stream/cu31924017501283/cu31924017501283_djvu.txt

On Saturday April 12, 1913 the Tribune verified that the Kate Sturrup was still plying between Nassau and Harbour Island, notwithstanding that it may have been replaced in the contracted mail run by the S/V Dart in 1893:

“Dr. A. T. W. Johnson, Medical Officer of Harbour Island, having spent his 7 days vacation leave here, left on the Schr. “Kate Sturrup” this morning.”

Enigmatically the next column reads “…the mail Schr. “Columbia” returned from her first Windward Mail trip yesterday morning.”

Source for general information on vessel: http://ufdc.ufl.edu/UF00084249/02010

Source: http://www.shipindex.org/ships/kate_stirrup

Kingston Gleaner: http://newspaperarchive.com/kingston-gleaner/1925-05-30/page-24/