Storm and Company of Robin Hood's Bay.
Richardson PEARSON
Certificate of Competency No. 05777
transcribed from the Shipping Gazette of 26 Nov 1894
“Captain killed at sea. The steamship Fylingdale
of Whitby has arrived in Cardiff from Weymouth with extensive
damage to her hoists and bridge and the Mate reported the death
of her captain Richardson Pearson of Robin Hood’s Bay,
Whitby. The Mate states that shortly after leaving
[Nicolaieff] in the Black Sea between [....] and five weeks ago,
the crew were engaged at work between the bunkers and holds of
the vessel and in order to go [from one to the other?] they used
a ladder. The captain who was superintending the work had
occasion to ascend the ladder in order to go into the upper
portion of the hold and while he was there [someone?] removed the
ladder from the original position. When the captain
[returned?] to descend the ladder, he did not notice that it had
been moved away and in stepping over the top he put his foot as
he thought on the top rung, he fell into the lower hold and
sustained some very severe injuries. He lay unconscious for
five hours and in this [state?] he died.”