Gruchy ships' captains

From Jerripedia
Jump to navigationJump to search




Gruchy ships' captains








  • Gruchy, ?. Master of Defiance, probably a privateer, 1705-1715.
  • Gruchy, ?. Master of the 74 ton brig Eclipse, in 1796; C. Hemery, owner.
  • Gruchy, Francois (1745-1818), son of Charles and Elizabeth Gruchy (La Chesnee, Tr). He had, at one time, been a sailor in the Royal Navy. [1] He was Master of Betsy, in 1799, [2] in the Newfoundland trade.
  • Gruchy, Henry (1824- ), son of Jean and Charlotte Le Marinel (St P), husband of Elizabeth Laffoley. Master of a Ship, in the UK Census, St Helier (1861), living at 27, Aquila Road, St Helier.
  • Gruchy, James, son of Thomas (St B). Master of Expedition Packet, 1763-1764.
  • Gruchy, Jean (abt.1779?- ). Master of the 37 ton sloop Joseph H. Grace (1809), Elie Durell, owner, of the 39 ton cutter Property (1811), Durell and others, owners, and of Sisters (1817). He was one of two Jean Gruchys at this date, who were masters, creating uncertainty as to which commanded which vessel in the 1820s, see below.
  • Gruchy, Jean (1797-1860), son of Charles and Elizabeth Pinel (Champs Clairs, Tr). Master Mariner. Being one of the two Jean Gruchys, born in the late 18th century, who were masters, it is uncertain which of the two commanded which vessel. This Jean may have been Master of Hebe (1827), and probably was Master of Thebe (1835) and the 190 ton brig Pomona (1835-1837), of which the master was co-owner, with Hamon. The 1851 census shows him as an unmarried, retired Master Mariner, living in Trinity.
  • Gruchy, John (1851-1913), son of Charles and Anne Gruchy (La Ruette, Tr), husband of Mary Ann Valpy. He was 1st Mate (1878) and Master (1883), when his address was “Victoria Village, Trinity, Jersey”. Master of SS. Naparima (1895-1896) and SS. Crown of Grenada (1902). When in command of the former, on the 13th April 1895, he successfully carried out the rescue, in bad weather, of the crew of a Russian schooner that was about to founder in mid-Atlantic, for which the Russian Government presented to him in gratitude, a silver chalice. He lived at Khartoum Villa, Beach Road, George Town, and was buried in Grouville.
  • Gruchy, Jean George (1810- ), son of Philippe and Anne de Gruchy (Tr). Master Mariner. His married wife and children were living in St Helier in 1851, with Jean George being probably away at sea: UK Census, St Helier (1851). He and his family appear to have left the Island shortly after this date. He was the father of John George junior, a Mariner, who settled in February 1862 in Boston, USA, becoming a U.S. Citizen in 1883.
  • Gruchy, Philippe (1767-1815?). Master and owner of the 45 ton sloop Ann and Mary, which he offered for sale on 4th January 1803 in the Gazette de L`Ile de Jersey. The vessel was described as suitable for trade with Southampton or Holland, namely for coastal trade. He was afterwards Master of the 35 ton sloop Joseph John (1803-1804-), which he owned jointly with de la Haye and Le Cronier, [3] his mother having been Susanne Le Cronier. He married in 1793 at St Helier, Marie Luce (1769-1856).
  • Gruchy, Philippe (1818- ), son of Philippe and Elizabeth Pinel (St J) and husband of Susanne Le Rossignol. Master of Princess Victoria (1841), Venus (1846-1852), Ariel (1847), Pallas (1851) and Eliza (1852-1853).
  • Gruchy, Pierre (1825-1895) (St J), brother of Thomas, below, and husband of Elise Gruchy, his cousin. Master in 1853, [4] living in St Clement. He went to sea as an apprentice 1842-1845, was 2nd Mate 1845-1846, Mate 1846-1849, and then Master 1849, gaining his Master`s Certificate (No. 40,593) at Bristol: UK and Ireland, Masters and Mates Certificates, 1850-1927, at www.ancestry.co.uk
  • Gruchy, Thomas. Master of Black Prince, in 1780.
  • Gruchy, Thomas (1836-1874) (St C), son of Philippe and Marie Esnouf (St J), brother of Pierre, above, and husband of Esther Ann Coutanche. Master in 1867 and 1871. Father of Thomas Philip, below. [5]
  • Gruchy, Thomas Philip (1861-1901), son of Captain Thomas and Esther Ann Coutanche (St C). He gained his Master`s Certificate (No. 08963) at London on 6th January 1887. His previous employment was given as having been on square rigged vessels. On burial, his description was “Captain, Merchant Service”.

Notes and references

  1. Val Ford, in Gruchy, Footprints in the Sands of Time, 65
  2. Chronique de Jersey, (Sept. 1799)
  3. J. Jean, in Jersey Sailing Ships, (Chichester: Phillimore & Co., 1982), 96.
  4. On marriage
  5. St Clement Parish Register and 1871 Census, respectively