Creer from the Isle of Man - Family history 

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The Line of Creer Sea Captains

 Edward Creer, born 1795 in Braddan, was married to Sarah Dickinson and together they had 5 children, four sons and a daughter. Edward became a sea captain, sailing between the Isle of Man and neighbouring ports. Tragically he was lost overboard from his ship on August 5th 1838 and was drowned at the age of 43.

The Mona Herald of August 7th reported:-

"Accident- It is our painful task this week to announce the loss of Captain Edwd. Creer, of the smack Fame, of this port. The vessel left here on Saturday night, for Liverpool, with a fresh breeze from the S.W., and “cross sea”. About seven miles from Douglas head, the master went below, and shortly afterwards came on deck smoking his pipe. Whilst proceeding to the man at the helm, a sea struck the vessel, when he unfortunately lost his balance and fell overboard. His body has not yet been found. It is supposed that he had on his person, at the time of the lamentable accident, a sum of money amounting to about 40 pounds- in sovereigns, bank notes, and copper; also, a good watch. A reward of 5 pounds will be given to any individual who may discover the remains of the unfortunate and much-respected deceased, on application to his afflicted widow, or at the office of this paper. We particularly request that our brethren of the press in Lancashire, Cumberland, the western coast of Scotland, and the north-east of Ireland, will obligingly notice and give publicity to this paragraph in their respective districts.”

His grave today in Braddan graveyard:      

In 1848, three of Edward's sons, Joseph (b 1826), Edward (b 1832) and Henry (b 1834) sailed to Australia to seek their fortune. Joseph and Henry followed in their fathers footsteps and became sea captains also, and Edward became a ships engineer.

The three of them are pictured here whilst working for the Clarence and Richmond river steamship company:-

Captain Joseph Creer appeared to be the most prominent of the three brothers and a number of newspaper articles reported about him:-

• A description of the work of the Sydney Pilots
• Contemporary report of a shipwreck where Capt Joseph Creer tried to give assistance
• Another Rescue at Sea
• His life and achievements are well described in these two obituaries

All of Edward Creer's (d 1838) children ultimately settled and married in Australia. Joseph for example fathered 15 children and there are many descendants of this line  still living in Australia today.

The maritime tradition was carried on within the family. One of Joseph's sons, Thomas Edward Creer,  became later Manager of the Adelaide Tug Company for example and several descendants served in the Royal Australian Navy.

The most notable subsequent nautical exploits of one of Edward Creer descendants were those of his great grandson Henty Henty-Creer. He was a Lieutenant in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve during World War II and was mentioned in dispatches for his involvement in the miniature submarine attack on the German Battleship "Tirpitz" in a Norwegian fjord in 1943 and where he tragically lost his life.  The family of Lt Henty-Creer still disagree with the official RN version of his death and the fate of the submarine X-5 that he commanded. This is covered in a Sydney Morning Herald report of 1974 and his sister Pamela Mellor (nee Henty-Creer) has co-authored a book on the subject.

Last updated 23/10/2008    © Copyright 2001-2020 by John A Creer  -  Any questions please contact the webmaster by email  

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