Family Historian User Group

BillH wrote: ↑

06 Feb 2019 17:31

I was told by someone on the Norway Rootsweb Mailing List that there was a death notice in the Bergens Tidende (Bergen newspaper) that says "he passed away in an accident in Bay Roads, Cardiff". Unfortunately the person that told me this did not give me any information about the date the notice appeared or any transcription of the notice. I have tried to contact her via the list, but have not received a reply.

I have an update on this that I thought I would share since so many people helped me originally... in case they might be curious.

I did finally get in contact with the person that sent me this death notice. It was in the 13 July 1912 issue of the paper.

Today I found another announcement published in the Bergens Annonce Tidende (another Bergen newspaper) on 15 July 1912.

It said "he passed away in an accident in Bary Roads, Cardiff". I'm thinking this might be a misspelling of Barry Road in Barry near Cardiff, Wales, but I really don't know. His church death record said he drowned which would seem unlikely on Barry Road although I see there is a Barry Waterfront with a lot of piers so it might be referring to that.

Bill

You may be unaware that in the UK in earlier times the word 'roads' refers to "a body of water sheltered from rip currents, spring tides, or ocean swell where ships can lie reasonably safely at anchor without dragging or snatching. It can be open or natural, usually estuary-based, or may be created artificially." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roadstead

There is an 'Admiralty Chart 1182: Barry and Cardiff Roads with Approaches'.

So "Bary Roads, Cardiff" probably refers to that body of water off Cardiff, Wales.

Mike,

No, I was not aware of the word used in that manner.

Since the definition you provided talks about a sheltered area, might Barry Roads be referring to the Barry Dock area at these coordinates?

51°23'54.5"N 3°16'06.2"W

Is that the body of water off Cardiff, Wales that you were referring to? So far I have been unable to find a copy of that map online that is large enough for me to read the print.

Bill

Mike,

I should have read the wiki article from your link before replying. It says "A roadstead can be an area of safe anchorage for ships waiting to enter a port, or to form a convoy". So is it more likely the water outside the port of Barry than inside the port itself? Or could it apply to the water outside the port of Cardiff as well?

Thanks,
Bill

I've tracked down this map showing Barry Roads off Barry Docks.
See https://mapcarta.com/31572718
Barry Roads is a roadstead in Wales. Barry Roads is situated south of Palmerstown, south of Sully Brook.
Latitude
51.3877° or 51° 23' 15.6" north
Longitude
-3.2354° or 3° 14' 7.5" west

Mike,

I think we've finally got it nailed. He must have drowned while his ship was anchored or moving through Barry Roads.

That looks like a great mapping site. I've bookmarked it for future use.

Thanks again!
Bill