Thomas Crimlisk - First of the Crimlisks
This article is written by John Crimlisk (born 1804) and updated by Tony Crimlisk. It deals with the life of Thomas Crimlisk who came to Flamborough in 1839. All Crimlisks in Filey, Flamborough, Scarborough and Hull all trace back to this one man.
In the early days of the 19th century King George III was still on the throne and the lull in the fighting between England and France was over. The British Fleet, under the command of Lord Nelson, was once more at sea seeking out the French Fleet. It was at this time, in 1804, that Thomas Crimlisk was born in the village of Adara in the County of Donegal in the North west corner of Ireland.
Thomas was born in a village which consisted of a group of whitewashed hovels with thatched roofs, nestling in the valley of the Owentocka River on the shores of Loughros Mor Bay, and surrounded by the Donegal hills. The people of the village scraped a living from small strips of land which they cultivated and by weaving the cloth now known as Donegal tweed. It was a remote area and the common language of the inhabitants was the old gaelic language of Ireland - Gaelic. No information has been discovered as yet regarding Thomas' parents. As a boy he grew up during the final battle of the war, Waterloo (1815) was won by the Duke of Wellington when Thomas was eleven years old.
In 1808 Mary McDevitt gave birth to a daughter, baptised Catherine who was later to marry Thomas. The McDevitt family is a branch of the O'Doherty clan - an old Donegal family - so it is almost certain that Catherine was born in Donegal, maybe in Adara or in Kellybegs - a fishing port on the Atlantic coast about ten miles from Adara.
Thomas was brought up in the Catholic faith; the religion of the people of Ireland. At that time Ireland was inhabited by five million Catholic Irish peasants and one million Protestants of Anglo-Scottish descent who alone had the right to sit in Parliament and hold important positions in the country. English was the language of the officials, and the use of gaelic names was so frowned upon in official circles that the Irish inhabitants found it necessary to adopt English versions of their surnames.
Ireland was a land of extreme poverty owing to bad farming and the vicious system of land tenure. The poverty was increased by the alarming rate at which the population was growing - leading to Jonathon Swift's ironic suggestion that the starving Irish peasants should eat their own children! Thousands of Irish emigrants were driven every year to seek work in the new cotton factories in Lancashire and Clydeside and into the slums of London. A visitor to Ireland at that time describes the peasants and "living on potatoes and whisky". They were at once a tragic, reckless, kind-hearted, superstitious and, by English standards, a lawless and unreliable race. Women sat at cabin doors smoking pipes whilst men in blue cloaks and hats carrying shillelaghs stood at street corners. Yet the visitor found them to be the lightest hearted, knidest and most generous creatures he had ever known.
This then was the country in which Thomas Crimlisk and Catherine McDevitt spent their childhood and youth and married at an early age. They were already married in 1825 when Thomas was twenty-one years old and Catherine only seventeen. The mad old King George III was by now dead and his son the Prince Regent was on the throne as King George IV. How Thomas earned his living until 1925 we do not know; the most likely occupation would be that of fisherman in the port of Killybegs. On the 18th April 1825 however he took a step which, seventeen years later, was to bring him and his family to Filey, Yorkshire, the North East coast of England. Thomas enlisted into the coastguard service at Killybegs, following the example of many young Irishmen of his day who were being recruited for the service with the promise of a brilliant future. Unlike Thomas, who remained in the service for thirty-two years, a great many of them found conditions not up to expectations and deserted at the first opportunity.
For a period of two months after enlisting he remained at Killybegs, the time no doubt being taken up with the issue of clothing and equipment and instruction in his duties and the routine of the Coastguard Station. He then had to make the first of eight moves he he made whilst employed in the coastguard service. On the 11th June 1825 he was transferred to the far North West corner of Donegal, to Dunstaff Head in the townland of Kinnia. It was an isolated place - the coastguard station overlooking Rockstown harbour. The journey to Dunstaff Head, if made in the usual manner employed to transfer coastguards of that time, might have been a little rough. It was the custom to transfer the coastguard and his family by gunboat or revenue cutter, with the furniture piled on deck covered by a taupaulin cover and a canvas screen rigged up between decks to provide some sort of privacy for his wife and children. If the passage was especially rough ad his furniture was damaged it was just too bad - there was no compensation for him. This form of transport was a cause of a great deal of unrest in the service.
For nearly five years Thomas and Catherine stayed at Dunnaff Head. Five years the maximum time allowed at any one station - the idea being that members of the service should not be allowed to become too friendly with the local inhabitants and maybe make friends with local smugglers. During the period 1820-1840 smuggling was at its peak owing to the very high duty payable on many of the goods imported into the country. It has been estimated that about 90% of the population at one time or another bought smuggled goods. In 1827, when Catherine was nineteen years old, their first child Mary was born, and the following year a second daughter called Margaret.
On the 5th January 1830 the move was made to Dunkeehan still on the West Coast of Ireland but further South in the townland of Kilgalligan, barony of Erris, Parish of Kilcommon, in county Mayo. The rough stone built station is now in ruins, but still stands on top of the cliffs at Rinoe Point overlooking the bay called Broadhaven. It is a coast line of high cliffs with Atlantic winds blowing in across the bare, bleak, countryside. Today it is a lonely place. 125 years ago it must have been very cut off from the world. It was here at Dunkeehan that the first son Francis(who was later to spell his name both with and without the final 'K') was born in 1830 and their second son, John,(later known as 'Unity Jack') in 1832. The stay at Dunkeehan lasted just over three years and on 22nd April 1833 they made the short journey to the station at Dulough, still in the wild north-west corner of county Mayo, but further south and overlooking Blacksod Bay. William IV was now King having come to the throne in 1830 on the death of King George IV. In 1834 another son, James,was born. The last move in Ireland took place on the 16th July 1836, still further south, this time to Claggan(now Cleggan) in County Galway. Claggan would be a much better station than any they had been at before, with the possible exception of the short stay at Killybegs. It was a fishing port on the Atlantic coast, a coastline of silver sandy bays where years before men from wrecked ships of the Spanish Armada struggled ashore and where at this time smugglers used to run in cargoes. In 1838 at Claggan, a year after Queen Victoria's accession, the third daughter, Elizabeth, was born.
On the 21st July 1838 Ireland was left behind for good. Thomas and Catherine with their six children, the eldest being eleven years old Mary and the youngest Elizabeth only a few months old, left for England. Sussex and the town of Brighton (actually Rottingdean on the outskirts of Brighton) was the destination. Rottingdean was a village consisting mainly of a high street leading down to the sea at The Gap. Here on the right hand side close to the shore stood the White Horse Inn, a haunt of smugglers, and nearby were the coastguard cottages.
The Coastguard Service (often called the Preventative Guard) had taken over from the old Coast Blockade in the early 1830's. The men transferred to the Kent and Sussex coasts soon found very different conditions from those on other coasts. For one thing the smugglers carried arms. As soon as the coastguard took up his duties he was sworn in by magistrate as a Constable in order to give him better protection in operating against smugglers. However the tour of duty on this coast lasted only fifteen months - during that time (in 1839) Joseph was born. The registration of births, Marriages and Deaths began in England and Wales on July 1st 1837 so from this date we have official records on which to work. The birth certificate for Joseph shows that he was born on the 16th January 1839, the birth being registered at Rottingdean in the district of Newhaven, by his father who is described as a coastguard.
On the 31st October 1839 the family was transferred to Flamborough. It is not clear how long Catherine's mother, Mary McDevitt, had been with the family or whether or not she travelled with them in Ireland. She was, however, with them at Flamborough and would therefore appear to have come with them to England. If the journey from Brighton to Flamborough was made by sea at this time of the year it must have been quite an ordeal for Catherine and her children. The headland at Flamborough in 1839 would, with the exception of the new bungalows and the new coastguard cottages, be such as it is today. The coastguard cottages stand to the right, the old ruined Beacon Tower to the left, and on the headland itself stands the lighthouse built between 1805 and 1806. It would be six years before the railway from Hull to Scarborough was opened and it's believed that Thomas used to walk from Flamborough to Scarborough to attend service at the nearest catholic Church which was St Peter's, Scarborough.
The fifth and last son of the family was born at Flamborough on 10th August 1841 and was named Thomas. The birth was registered at Bridlington by his mother Catherine who, evidently, was unable to write since instead of a signature she made her mark in the form of a cross. On this birth certificate the occupation of the father is given as "Preventative Service". The baptism of Thomas took place in St Peter's Church, in Scarborough, on the 6th September 1841 and the Godmother was Mary McDevitt.
On the 1st July 1842 the family moved to Filey and had its longest stay in any one place - remaining there until the 14th October 1851. Three daughters were born in Filey - Ann, Catherine and Ellin(1843, 1845, and 1847 respectively). Ellin appears to have been the last of the family. The coastguard station at Filey was on the cliff top at the end of Queen Street, but it is unlikely that the family lived there. On the 30th March 1851 a census was taken in England, and on sheet 43 of the Filey District Returns we find the entry relating to Thomas and his family. Their address is given as Back Road. Thomas is described as a Coastguard and the children as Mary (24 years - a dressmaker), Francis (21 years - fisherman). John (18 years - fisherman), James(16 - fisherman), and Elizabeth (14 years - servant). The remainder of the children are described as 'scholars'.
They returned to Flamborough on the 14th October 1851, no doubt this time by railway, and remained there until 30th August 1857 when Thomas was discharged from the service. The Paymaster General Records(Civil Pensions) state that he was granted a pension of £37.10.0 a year as from September 1857. A reorganisation of the service had begun in 1856 and all the older men, and those without sea going experience which would fit them for duty with the navy in an emergency, were being discharged. This may have been the reason for Thomas leaving the service at this time.
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Mary McDevitt(McDavitt) died on 31st August 1870. The death certificate (Ref: HB920974) describes her as a widow of Neil McDevitt(MCDavitt, farmer), gives the cause of death as "Apoplexy 1 day certified" and her age as 102 years. Present at her death was Eleanor Kelly (Ie her youngest granddaughter "Elli"). In the 1861 census Mary was described as a "former laundress" aged 86 years(sic). She is buried in grave N.G. 11/5 Dean Road Cemetery, Scarborough.
Catherine Crimlisk (nee McDevitt) died died on the 24th March 1873 at Friars entry, Scarborough from 'dysentry certified'. Her age is given as 65 years. On the death certificate her husband Thomas is described as being 'Gate keeper on the Spa - Scarborough" - entry 474. Catherine is also buried in Dean Road cemetery, Scarborough.
Thomas Crimlisk died on 14th March from 'Chronic Bronchitis' at 27, Union Street, Leeds, the home of son-in law William Day who married Elizabeth. His age is given as 64 sic. He was described (by Ann Witty) as being very dark - she was told the family had some French blood in it. His service records (ticket no 260,313) of 1845 however show:"age when ticketed 45. Can write - yes. Coastguard boatman. Height 5 feet 6 inches, hair dark, eyes hazel,complexion fair(sic). First went to sea as a fisherman in 1816".
The story is told that when (in 1871) Thomas was living at the cottage on the beach (5 Undercliff, Filey) with his son John he had a heart attack and appeared unconscious. He was lying in the parlour surrounded by his four sons - Francis, John, James, and Thomas (the women of the family not present according to Irish custom) James(jim) suddenly said "there's nowt we can do here - I'm ganning to mak a cup a tea" and got up to go. To everyone's astonishment the figure on the bed sat up and said "and mak me one too!"
A photograph of four of Thomas' sons, James, John, Francis and Thomas is reproduced in "Patterns for Guernseys, Jerseys and Arrans" by Gladys Thompson (1969: Batford - London: Dover Publications Inc. New York)ISBN: 0-486-22703-0
POSTCRIPT: George Matthew Crimlisk (1895-1975), a great grandson of Thomas, and father to Anthony Trevor (Tony) Crimlisk, was, in the 1920's, a lifeboatman at Spurn Point under his Uncle, Robert Cross (1876-1964) In his time Robert Cross was the most decorated coxswain in the lifeboat service. In 31 years sercive before, during and after the war, he was responsible for saving the lives of 647 men. For one particularly hazardous rescue in 1922 he and the crew were awarded a vellum from the Royal National Lifeboat Institute signed by Edward VIII.
Picture above : Thomas Crimlisk - one of Thomas Crimlisks sons.
Picture above : The Crimlisk Brothers James,John(b1832),Francis(b1830), and Thomas (b1841). All sons of Thomas Crimlisk
Picture above : George Matthew Crimlisk was awarded a velum by the RNLI. It was signed by Edward VIII.
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• The Crimlisk fishing family history in Scarborough Filey and Hull
• Customs Officer during golden age of smuggling in Scarborough
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• French merchants and smugglers on the Yorkshire coast
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• Primitive Methodism amongst the Scarborough Filey and Flamborough fishing communities
• Smuggling of contraband along the Scarborough coast
• The life of a Riding Officer or preventative in the golden age of smuggling
• The early years of the Scarborough Lifeboat
• Scarboroughs Heyday of Inns,smuggling and illicit stills
• Scarboroughs first Lifeboat and its first rescue in 1801
• Trawling During WW2 around scarborough and the North - East coast
• Filey and the gales of 1860,1867,1869 AND 1880
• aThe coble boats of Filey Flamborough and Runswicks Bay
• A sea shanty about a storm on the Scarborough coast
• Church first and Church last - Filey methodists and St Oswald's
• Charles Dickens account of Filey and Scarborough graveyards
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