Tom Needham joins the Navy Tom was 13 when he joined the navy in 1864, a young Irish boy who had grown up beside the sea on the coast of County Kerry. His father George Needham had at one time been a captain in the … Continue reading Tom’s ships
Category: Occupations
“My dear sister…” November 1865
A letter home from a young sailor, an Irish boy on a British ship, in 1865: Addressed to "My dear sister..,” this letter was probably written to Belinda Needham, Tom’s older sister, the one of his five sisters to which he seems closest. A transcript … Continue reading “My dear sister…” November 1865
Tom goes to sea
I was very excited toward the end of last year to receive a comment on my blog from Scott Anderson, a descendant of Thomas Needham: I am the great, great, great grandson of Thomas Needham, my grandfather was Thomas Needham Sitler, my uncle John Needham … Continue reading Tom goes to sea
Coastguard
I had a letter from my mother's cousin, Keith Walmsley, a few years back. I had asked him what he knew about our Irish forbears - my great great grandmother (who is Keith’s great grandmother) was Mary Hickson, who came out to Australia with her … Continue reading Coastguard
Kerry Revival 1861
While doing online research on the Needham family I came across the following statement in an article from the Cambridge (Massachusetts) Tribune from 1901. Mr. Needham owes his conversion to the great religious revival which swept over Ireland in the year 1861. Mr. and Mrs. … Continue reading Kerry Revival 1861
Forgotten tales 