- Birth........ 1835 Great Carlton
- Baptism... 4 Jan 1835 Great Carlton
- Marriage.. 1852 Louth
- Spouse....William George Bancroft
- Death....... 14 Nov 1914 Caradoc, Ontario
- Burial ......
Immediate Relatives
Click on underlined name for details of each relative
- Father..... George Willerton
- Mother..... Mary Johnson
- Spouse..... William George Bancroft
- Children......
Notes
- During the mid nineteenth century, life in Europe was a struggle for many and word of a
better opportunity in the USA and Canada was tugging at the more adventurous or
desperate minds. Scandinavian countries were losing citizens at a rapid rate, as was
Germany and many of its neighbors. Great Britain was full of anticipation concerning life
across the North Atlantic, with many making the journey and returning, to boost further
the excitement of living abroad. As a seafaring nation this would be of no surprise.
Englishmen had always been sailing off somewhere, conquering and making new lives.
So on April 4, 1854 the first of our venturers sailed from Liverpool, England, on board a
maiden vessel, the US BLACK HAWK, advertised as being modern, fast and ready for
long service. She was bound for New York, a journey of more than thirty days
depending on wind. Unfortunately that dreaded of associates, the Weatherman,
intervened and on this, her maiden voyage the ship encountered a hurricane in the mid
Atlantic. On April 17 the ship was completely dismasted. With the hull damaged and
water coming in from all directions it must have been a frantic time for those aboard the
floundering vessel.. Cargo and personal effects were going over the side, damaged
pumps were being operated by passengers while crew members attempted repairs.
This description of conditions is taken from the Captain?s report. All was not lost
however and other travelers appeared by chance. All aboard were rescued and
distributed among four passing vessels. After the BLACK HAWK was finally abandoned
on April 24, each sailed off to various ports. The ship CURRITUCK, which had come
upon the BLACK HAWK on April 21, arrived in New York on May 17, 1854." On board,
amidst the 356 rescued passengers where my great grandparents, William and Ann
Bancroft (Willerton) and their eldest son, William along with the elder William?s younger
brother David, his wife and daughter."A very fortunate bunch
- Birth........ 1835 Great Carlton
- Baptism... 4 Jan 1835 Great Carlton
- Marriage.. 1852 Louth
- Spouse....William George Bancroft
- Death....... 14 Nov 1914 Caradoc, Ontario
- Burial ......
- Father..... George Willerton
- Mother..... Mary Johnson
- Spouse..... William George Bancroft
- Children......
- During the mid nineteenth century, life in Europe was a struggle for many and word of a better opportunity in the USA and Canada was tugging at the more adventurous or desperate minds. Scandinavian countries were losing citizens at a rapid rate, as was Germany and many of its neighbors. Great Britain was full of anticipation concerning life across the North Atlantic, with many making the journey and returning, to boost further the excitement of living abroad. As a seafaring nation this would be of no surprise. Englishmen had always been sailing off somewhere, conquering and making new lives. So on April 4, 1854 the first of our venturers sailed from Liverpool, England, on board a maiden vessel, the US BLACK HAWK, advertised as being modern, fast and ready for long service. She was bound for New York, a journey of more than thirty days depending on wind. Unfortunately that dreaded of associates, the Weatherman, intervened and on this, her maiden voyage the ship encountered a hurricane in the mid Atlantic. On April 17 the ship was completely dismasted. With the hull damaged and water coming in from all directions it must have been a frantic time for those aboard the floundering vessel.. Cargo and personal effects were going over the side, damaged pumps were being operated by passengers while crew members attempted repairs. This description of conditions is taken from the Captain?s report. All was not lost however and other travelers appeared by chance. All aboard were rescued and distributed among four passing vessels. After the BLACK HAWK was finally abandoned on April 24, each sailed off to various ports. The ship CURRITUCK, which had come upon the BLACK HAWK on April 21, arrived in New York on May 17, 1854." On board, amidst the 356 rescued passengers where my great grandparents, William and Ann Bancroft (Willerton) and their eldest son, William along with the elder William?s younger brother David, his wife and daughter."A very fortunate bunch