WILLIAM MYLREA vs WILLIAM COWLE, WILLIAM CHRISTIAN & THOMAS LACE

Court Action - 1800 (Bride)

ACTIONS

Bride

-2-

William Mylrea of the town of Ramsey, mariner, complaineth against William Cowle, William Christian and Thomas Lace all of the parish of Bride and showeth that the plaintiff being master of a certain smack or vessel called the Flying Fish of and belonging to the port of Ramsey was on or about the beginning of the month of November 1798 hired or freighted by the defendant, William Cowle, to proceed with the said vessel from the port of Ramsey to the Water of Cree in North Britain for a cargo of wood or timber

That the plaintiff proceeded with the said vessel to the water of Cree accordingly and took in a cargo of timber and ... for the said defendant Cowle and attempted to return therewith to the port of Ramsey aforesaid but the plaintiff with his said vessel was upon the 27th of November aforesaid put ashore at Cree town in north Britain aforesaid and was afterwards to wit the 7th of December 1798 driven with his said vessel into the Isle of Whitehorn by stress of weather

That upon or about the ninth of December aforesaid whilst the plaintiff? was employed taking such necessary steps for clearing the said vessel and proceeding upon his voyage the defendant did most .... take the command of the said vessel from the plaintiff and did against the consent and not withstanding the remonstrances of the plaintiff take away the said vessel from the Isle of Whitehorn leaving the plaintiff behind them in the Isle of Whitehorn aforesaid when the plaintiff was detained a considerable length of time and the said vessel and her paint or small boat were made damaged and injured during the time the same were unlawfully withholden by the defendants as aforesaid by which unlawful doings of the said defendants the plaintiff charges that he is damaged in the sum of fifty pounds and therefore brings this suit for recovery thereof according to the course of the Common Law

Def non comfin?

At a Court of Common Law holden for the northern District at Ramsey the ... day of May 1800

The names of the jury sworn to try the issues between said parties

William Vondy, foreman, Lezayre

John Cottier, Bride

John Kaighan, Michael

Robert Joughin, Maughold

Thomas Croaghan, Lonan

John Fargher, Lonan

The said jury upon their oaths say that the plaintiff recovers ten pounds damages. As witness their subscriptions

Signatures of above listed men follow

The said jury delivered this their verdict in Court to me. John F. Crellin

 

Between William Mylrea plaintiff and William Cowle, William Christian & Thomas Lace, defendants - At Law

Depositions of witnesses taken in the said cause at a Court of Common Law holden for the northern district at Ramsey the 13th day of May 1800

John Tear of Ramsey being sworn and examined in the part of the said complainant deposith and saith-

That he knows the plaintiff and also William Cowle, one of the defendants

That the deponent was in the Island of Whitehorn in the month of December 1798

That while the deponent was at Whitehorn aforesaid, the plaintiff and the said defendant William Cowle put in there by stress of weather in the smack or vessel called the Flying Fish whereof the plaintiff was the master

That the deponent understood that the said boat was freighted by the defendant to bring a cargo of timber from the water of Cree to this island and that the plaintiff had given Bail for landing the said cargo at Stranraer (?) in order to save some Custom House charges

That upon the plaintiff's arrival at Whitehorn he was then pursued by his said Bail who threatened to arrest him unless means were taken to get his bail cancelled

That thereupon the plaintiff gave up the said Custom House papers to him the said Bail who proceded with the same to the Custom House in Wigton ... procured as the deponent understood a sufferance to land the said cargo at Whitehorn instead of Stranraer

That the deponent became the security the said Bail that the plaintiff should remain at Whitehorn until his said Bail should return from the said Custom House in Wigton

That before return of the said Bail from Wigton, the said defendant Cowle and others ..... away the said boat called the Flying Fish from ...... aforesaid against the consent of the plaintiff ... in the presence of the deponent warned the said defendant Cowle and others not to do so

That the plaintiff was left by the said defendants at Whitehorn aforesaid where he remained several days

That the said defendnt and others took away the said vessel as aforesaid .... either the boat's papers or any Custom House .....

That when the plaintiff was left at Whitehorn he was obliged to borrow money or main to maintain himself ... as the deponent understood

John Tear

Isaac Vondy of the town of Ramsey being sworn and examined deposeth and saith-

That he knows the several parties in this cause

That the deponent was in the island of Whitehorn in or about the month of December 1798

That whilst the deponent was at Whitehorn aforesaid the boat called the Flying Fish whereof the plaintiff was master was put in there by stress of weather having on board the plaintiff, the defendant and others

That the deponent was present upon a Sunday morning when the plaintiff warned the defendant in presence of witnesses not to take away the said boat from Whitehorn aforesaid informing that at the same time that he had been obliged to give up the said boat's papers for the purpose of detaining the said boat until the determination of the Custom House at Wigton should be known respecting the bond that had been given for landing the cargo of the said boat at Stranrair

That the said papers were so given up to John Tear, a witness examined in this cause, who had become security

That the plaintiff and also the said vessel should remain at Whitehorn aforesaid until the said determination of the

and for some strange reason, I have no more images!

[Ref: Lib Plitor 1780]

NOTES

  1. The William Mylrea in this Court action was probably son of John Mylrea and Ann Howland, and baptised in Ramsey in 1756 - there is no other candidate
  2. John Mylrea was a cooper, and the youngest son of William Mylrea & Katherine Cowle, baptised in 1725 in Ballaugh. Like his older brother Nicholas Mylrea snr, John was obliged to strike out on his own while his oldest brother Thomas inherited the family estate (Ballacooiley) from his uncle John who died without issue. Nicholas snr had been fortunate enough to be able to purchase land from Thomas and start his own Mylrea family estate (Ballacorraige)
  3. John Mylrea married Ann Howland in Maughold, 1749; Children - Ann (baptised 1750), Margaret (1752), Elizabeth (no record of baptism between 1752 & 1756), William (1756), Catherine (1763); also John (1753-1758) & Mary (1755) who also must have died
  4. If the William Mylrea whose will was probated in 1844-1846 is the individual in this court action, then he died in impercunious circumstances in 1836 at the age of 80
  5. There are no other records associated with this family, although the probate inquiry idenfied a son William who was off island, and the most likely candidate would be William Mylrea who married Isabella Cowley (als Corkill) in Douglas in 1819. This man was a cooper, working for Henry Holmes & Sons, herring curers, first in Douglas and later in Liverpool
  6. The only other known possible individual might be William Mylrea, son of Edward Mylrea and Susannah Cashin, and born about 1775. He was born and lived in Peel so it seems unlikely that this is the plaintiff. Moreoever, he would only have been 25 years of age, whereas the son of William Mylrea and Katherine Cowle was aged about 45

Associated Documents

Last updated: Apr 2022