Frederick Le Boeuf
Frederick Le Boeuf
The Straits Times which reported Frederick Le Boeuf's rescue of a French fishing vessel's crew
The Le Boeuf family were seafarers from Jersey. This biography of James Le Boeuf appeared in a family history blog by Miles Meyer in 2014.
Frederick Le Boeuf was born in 1832 to Philippe and Jeanne Ann, nee Le Geyt, in St Helier. He was baptised on 8 April 1832 and was the youngest of 15 children.
In the 1841 England census Frederick (age 9) was living with his siblings Elias (20), Susanna (14), Mary (12), and William (10) in the home of George de Gruchy and his wife Elizabeth. Frederick's father had died in 1835 and his mother died in 1840.
Frederick married Clara Vickery. Clara's older sister Louisa, married Captain Charles De Gruchy. Many of the Vickery children married Le Boeufs and Frederick's brother Elias was an apprentice plasterer under George de Gruchy.
Juan F Pearson
In 1875 Frederick was listed as master on the ship Juan F Pearson, of London. This was a 508-ton vessel that voyaged between London and Sydney, with stops in Valparaiso, Chile. It is known that he was captain of the Juan F Pearson on 19 May 1874, because his son Frederick was born on the ship in the Indian Ocean.
On 10 June 1877 the ship ran aground off Big Mud Island, while on a voyage from Saint John, New Brunswick, to Amsterdam. After this Frederick became the captain of the Saracen. His daughter Kathleen was born on 4 December 1877 on the ship while in Manila Bay, Philippines.
Rescue
The Inquirer, a Perth newspaper, published an interesting article on Frederick Le Boeuf on 14 July 1880.
"The following particulars of which have been handed by the captain of the rescuing ship, the Queen of the Seas, to the Straits Times, and appear in the issue of that journal of May 24. The captain (LeBoeuf) says :
- We left Cape Town on 27 March, and on 22 April made the island of St Paul, about eight miles off; saw on the summit a flag flying, and, thinking that might be a signal of distress, hauled quite close under its lee. Observed at the entrance of the basin a French flag flying half-mast, and at the same time saw a boat making for the ship. Hove to for the boat, and, on its coming alongside, a voice called out, in French: 'We are ship wrecked, and have nothing to eat; will you take us on board,' adding, 'our captain is behind in another boat.'
- "A few minutes after, the captain, a Frenchman, came alongside; his statement was that they were fishermen from the island of Bourbon; that their vessel, a schooner of 80 tons, was a complete wreck, and that they had nothing to eat, except the fish of the island; he implored of me to take them — they were 30 in number, and there were eight more on the island of Amsterdam, 40 miles off. The captain also begged of me to pass by Amsterdam Island and take the others off. Their pleading was such that I resolved to take them on board, although we had still a long distance to go, and my great fear was shortness of bread and water. However, by good management we thought it could be done.
- "By 5 p.m. we had them on board, and proceeded to the other island, arriving there the following morning at 10 o'clock; we soon hoisted in the eight others — thus bringing up the total to 38 — and proceeded on our voyage. Arrived at Anjer on the 10th instant, where we procured yams, and on 16 May we reached Singapore, being 49 days from Cape Town and 23 days from Amsterdam Island.
- "The Frenchman's schooner's name was Decide, and hailed from Bourbon. By what we learnt from the captain they left Bourbon on 22 November, and arrived at St Paul's in December, for the purpose of fishing, expecting to leave again for Bourbon in March. On entering the crater, or basin, she touched on part of the wreck of HMS Megaera, causing the schooner to leak badly. They had just time to haul to the water's edge and heave her down, when they found several planks badly gone. However, they repaired her, and she seemed quite tight.
- "They could not return to Bourbon as early as they wished, as the swell would not allow them to leave the basin; so it was not until the middle of April they succeeded in bringing the schooner to an anchorage outside, where they hoped to load the fish they had caught and proceed to Amsterdam Island for the others and proceed home. The night following, the schooner parted her cables, with the mate and two men on board. She fetched Amsterdam Island, but sprang a leak in the interval. At the latter island but two out of the ten men would venture on board to return to St Paul's, the vessel making so much water ; preferring to remain on the island to risking their lives in the vessel. She also lost an anchor there.
- "However, they returned to St Paul's, having but 30 fathoms of chain and no anchors. They then hauled the schooner into the basin and anchored her with an anchor that was on shore. This was the last vessel of the season, and none were expected over until next year. The captain said they had no means of repairing the schooner, and expected her to fill shortly. On telling them to bring all the food they had, they said they had only about 100 lb of bread, being what remained of the bread given to them by Her Majesty's steamer Comus, when she called there on 29 March. She also gave them tobacco and sugar.
- "This is probably the only instance of relief given to shipwreck persons for many years from St Paul's and Amsterdam Islands. They lie in mid-ocean, directly in the track of vessels from Home, the Cape, and Mauritius, to Fremantle, and the praiseworthy example shewn by Captain Le Boeuf, and in fairness we should add the name of Captain Stephens, in keeping a look-out, might well be followed by ship masters generally if the opportunities of approaching the island are favorable. "
Melbourne
In February 1881, Frederick and his wife Clara, Frederick (6) and Kathleen (3) arrived on the Queen of the Seas in Melbourne. While they were in port Frederick posted an advert in the local newspaper, The Argus. This post stated "Captain Le Boeuf will not be responible for any debts contracted by his crew while in this port."
In August 1886 Frederick arrived back in Victoria aboard the Glance. He is listed as the captain of that ship.
Frederick Le Boeuf recorded his Will and Testament on 24 January 1888 and it is held by Jersey Archive.
In the 1891 England census Frederick is listed as a retired master mariner, living with his wife Clara in St Helier. His son and daughter were at home and additionally a step daughter, Janet Hall, age 23, was living with them. Janet was listed as a school teacher.
Family tree
