Article and pictures © Sandra Cardwell

This is a photograph of Captain Charles Henry Double’s brother who was the Great Grandfather of Sandra Cardwell, who says, “His name was Albert John Double and he married Dorothy Peet Pratt. Her mother was a Peet from North Meols and her father a Pratt from Leith in Scotland. (OK ‘Can’ the joke).”

“I know that like his older brother he, Albert John, was a mariner. Had been from at least 1881 when he was 14. Probably followed in the same path i.e. on the fishing smacks etc. I think he may have also been employed by Trinity House but haven’t been able to confirm that yet. I have no idea what the uniform was and hope that someone seeing it may hold the answer. It may just be the Royal Naval Reserves as I think he was a skipper on one of the trawlers used for coastal protection in the 14-18 war.”

“He is the one who had the Trawler Boiler Cleaning and Engineering business on Wyre Docks and eventually from offices at 76-78 Dock Street which my Grandfather Albert Henry took over on his fathers death in 1923.”

“Here too is the Flyer which was printed for Albert Henry’s invention the ‘Double Life Light’. Unfortunately, as I think I mentioned already, one of the companies he hoped would make the lamps for him modified the design slightly, re-patented it and sold them under their own name. Grandad didn’t make any money at all.”

From the Archives of Fleetwood Chronicle

WRECKED IN NEW ZEALAND. Local Fisherman’s Thrilling Story
FIGHT FOR LIFE IN SURF.
Perilous Climb Over Rocks to Safety

New Zealand papers to hand this week contain a vivid story by a former Fleetwood fisherman William Henry Double, of the loss of the new 216 ton steam trawler the ‘Thomas Bryan’, which was recently wrecked at Rusporon Heads, Coromandel Peninsula.

“In four and a half years mine sweeping I never had such a night” said Mr Double in relating his experience to an Aukland newspaper representative.

Mr Double, who has many relatives and friends in Fleetwood, which he left about three years ago, added that he was at the helm when the trawler ran on the rocks shortly before midnight.

“A Norwegian seaman, Helgeson” he said “was on lookout duty on the bridge and he saw the rocks a second before I did. I put the helm hard over but she was a bit slow in coming round to it and we struck. The propeller went first and then the lifeboat, which was swung aft. ”

AT THE MERCY OF THE SEA

“With the propeller gone, we were done. We were at the mercy of mountainous seas, which burst over us with a roar. Capt. James Holt was splendid. It looked pretty hopeless but there was no panic. Everyone kept his head. The ship settled down a bit and the deck was awash. We clung to the rail for hours. The sea increased in violence and we became more and more exhausted”.

“Drenched to the skin and so miserable that one or two of the chaps felt like releasing their grip and ending it all, we hung on till low water. As the tide receded a black ledge of rock showed up every now and again as the swirling water foamed back. Eventually the skipper gave the word and we went for it, one at a time running the gauntlet of the surf. A rope was lowered over the side and each man had to wait till a wave receded and make a dash shoreward. It meant a fight for life in the surf but all ten of us survived”.

SCALING STEEP CLIFFS

“Huddled on a ledge below the frowning cliff with the sea beating remorselessly on the base, out plight seemed hopeless. Wet to the skin and chilled by the bleak spray drenched wind, we started to climb the cliff which was from 1850 to 2000 feet high”.
“It seemed that dawn would never break. I went up the face of the cliff from ledge to ledge to ledge and thought I would never reach the top. Exhausted I threw myself on the grass when I did get there. Down below I could see the wrecked trawler like a kiddies toy. The deckhouse was in flames”.

“When daylight came, I found that none of my companions had followed me up the cliff face and I felt dejected when I discovered that I had to climb down the other side which was as steep and difficult as the one I had ascended. I tore my hands badly in the descent”.
“The rest of the crew I discovered later, had found an opening in the cliffs and gone in another direction. Not one was lost. We lost everything except what we stood up in”.

Article from Fleetwood Chronicle Circa 1918

Fleetwood Family’s War Service
Captain and Mrs Double, of London Street Fleetwood, received word that their son Pte P Double L.N.L Regiment (Loyal North Lancashire)., lost his life through the sinking of the M.V. Leinster. Pte Double was 18 1/2 years of age, and joined the colours a few months ago, prior ri which he was employed as a clerk with Mr Fred Kelsall, trawler owner, Fleetwood. His father and five other brothers all volunteered for service.

The father, Capt. H. H. Double R.N.V.R., who is 60 years of age and has been on active service 3 1/2 years The eldest son Serg, C Double M,M, is 27 1/2 years of age and has been with the colours 3 1/2 years Petty Officer W Double, with a similar period of service, is 26 years of age Seaman Harry Double, 24 1/2 years of age, died at Falmouth six months ago. Pte. Ren Double, Kings Own Royal Lancaster Regt. is 23 years of age, and has been in France two years. Mr Joe Double 20 1/2 years is in the Merchant Service. Pte. P Double was drowned on the Leinster, and the two youngest sons are in the Church Cadets and Boy Scouts respectively.

The MV Leinster was a civilian vessel, a Mail ship and normally moved with an escort. But, just maybe and only speculation on my part, because the English Government were at that moment in talks with the Germans about ending the hostilities it looks as though the ship left port without escort. It was hit by three torpedoes from a German U Boat not long after leaving Dun Loaghaire. Of 700 people on board 500 died.