What about this great breaking out in Ireland, is it doing any injury to ye in Kerry? I hope the next letter that you will write to me, that you will let me know all about it. (Letter home, November 6, 1865) So wrote young … Continue reading Tim Fenian
Tag: Thomas Needham
Tom’s ships
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
Missing home
In November 1865, 14 year old Tom Needham wrote a letter home to his older sister in County Kerry, Ireland. Tom was a 14 year old sailor on the HMS Narcissus, a frigate in the British Navy, which was, at the time of writing, deployed … Continue reading Missing home
“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
Forgotten tales 