Thomas Ramster (bap. 6 May 1821 at St Mary's Church, Brixham, Devon), son of William Ramster and Elizabeth (Betty) Johns, married Ann Collier (bap. 21 Apr 1822 at St Mary's Church, Brixham, Devon), daughter of Nicholas Collier and Elizabeth Wood, at St George's, Ramsgate, Kent on Christmas Day, 25 Dec 1845. Thomas' profession, as well as that of both their fathers, was Fisherman. Neither could read and write and both signed with an X. Witnesses were William Carlile - yet another Fisherman married to Thomas' sister, Sarah Ramster (b. 1815) - and Mary Ann Ramster (b. 1814), who was also Thomas Ramster's sister.
Thomas Ramster's Merchant Seaman Register Ticket was issued at Ramsgate on 4 Jul 1846, and tells us he was born on 22 Apr 1821, in Brixham Devon, so then 25, was 5ft 3½in, with brown hair, blue eyes, a fair complexion and no [distinguishing] marks, who first went to sea as an apprentice in 1835. This record states that he was able to write. Obviously, a quick learner in those few months, or not.
Thomas and Ann Ramster had ten children:
- Ann Ramster b. 1846 D Quarter in ISLE OF THANET Volume 05 Page 535, bap. 27 Dec 1846 at St George's, Ramsgate
- Sarah Elizabeth Carlile Ramster b. 1850 J Quarter in KINGSTON UPON HULL Volume 22 Page 496, bap. 31 Mar 1851 at Hull Holy Trinity
- William Ramster b. 1853 D Quarter in KINGSTON UPON HULL Volume 09D Page 161, bap. 2 Oct 1853 at Hull Holy Trinity
- Mary Ramster b. 1853 D Quarter in KINGSTON UPON HULL Volume 09D Page 161, bap. 2 Oct 1853 at Hull Holy Trinity
- Thomas Ramster b. 1855 S Quarter in HULL Volume 09D Page 180, bap. 5 Aug 1855 in Hull, Yorkshire
- Nicholas Ramster b. 1857 D Quarter in HULL Volume 09D Page 199, Died at 1 Week in 1857 D Quarter in HULL Volume 09D Page 154 and was buried on 3 Nov 1857 at Hull Holy Trinity
- John Ramster b. 1857 D Quarter in HULL Volume 09D Page 199, bap. 27 Dec 1857 at Hull Holy Trinity. Died at 9 Months in 1858 S Quarter in HULL Volume 09D Page 128 and was buried on 16 Jul 1858 at Hull Holy Trinity
- Catherine Ramster b. 1859 (1860 M Quarter in HULL Volume 09D Page 196), bap. 28 Dec 1859 in Hull, Yorkshire
- John Ramster b. 1861 S Quarter in HULL Volume 09D Page 196, bap. 21 Jul 1861 in Hull, Yorkshire
- Agnes Ramster b. 1863 M Qtr in HULL Vol 09D Page 213, bap. 29 Mar 1863 in Hull, Yorkshire. Died from Broncitis at 10 mths in 1864 M Qtr in HULL Vol 09D Page 151 and was buried on 19 Jan 1864 at Hull General Cemetery.
Clearly William and Mary b. 1853 were
non-identical twins, who both survived into adulthood, whereas their also twin brothers, Nicholas and John b. 1857, did not. This is the only time I've seen two sets of twins born in the same family.
The Kentish Gazette on 22 Feb 1848, reported on:
ALLEGED CRUELTY TO A BOY
The magistrates of Ramsgate were occupied for some time on Thursday last, the adjournment examination of an alleged case of barbarous treatment, which was believed to have occasioned the death of a sea apprentice, named William Dixon, aged only eleven years, on board a smack belonging to Mr J Lane of Ramsgate.
The following are the particulars:-
Edward Lynden deposed that he was an apprentice to Mr Lane and was serving in the smack Adolphus. About a month ago they left Ramsgate to fish the
Silver Pits. The crew consisted of five persons, viz: Thomas Ramster, the master, George Butts, the second hand, and William Blackburn, himself, and William Dixon, three apprentices. They had been at Silver Pitts a day or two, when the apprentice Dixon
committed himself, and the captain of the vessel (Ramster) flogged him with a piece of line for so doing. He did this three of four times, and was flogged each time for it by the captain with a line, and once with a piece of net. When he was flogged with the net he was quite naked, and laid across the
dandy wink. Previous to his being flogged, each time, he was stripped and washed with a mop in the sole tub, which was on the deck of the vessel. William Blackburn sometimes used the mop, and witness saw marks on his back when he was stripped. Blackburn on three occasions put a rope round the waist of Dixon, and put him overboard, and gave him several dippings. At daylight on Tuesday morning, when on deck, witness called Dixon up out of the forecastle, where he slept, when the trawl was hove up. He afterwards saw Dixon lying on the deck in the lee scuppers, and all hands came on deck. Dixon was stripped and washed with a mitten on the deck. He could not stand, but was held up to be washed. He was afterwards taken down into the cabin, wrapped in a blanket, and laid before the fire. They rubbed him before the fire, put on a shirt, and laid him in the bed cabin. He was then quite dead. Dixon had not had anything to eat since Monday at dinner time, which was about twenty-four hours before he died. The captain said he was not to have anything to eat. Witness did not make this statement before the coroner at the inquest on Dixon, as he was afraid he would catch it when he got to sea, all the crew having told him that he was not to say anything more than he was asked. Blackburn told him he was not to say anything about dipping the boy overboard. Dixon had been on board of the vessel about three months.
George Butts [apparently unwilling] corroborated portions of this evidence.
Mr John Medmer Goodwin, surgeon, Ramsgate, deposed, that he had made an examination of the body of the deceased. The viscera were generally healthy. The stomach was empty. There were marks, external and internal, of two blows on the back of the head, which might have produced concussion of the brain, but he could not swear that these had been the cause of death.
The Chairman severely reprimanded Ramster and Blackburn, and held them to bail to appear at the next Sandwich quarter sessions. (Ramster's bail was £50.)
What the result was at the quarter sessions, I cannot report as I have neither access to those records, nor can I find any further records in the press. The lack of the latter might indicate that nothing 'exciting and newsworthy' occurred.
The boy, William Dixon, according to the registration of his death, in 1848 M Qtr in ISLE OF THANET Vol 05 Page 425, was 13. He was buried on 6 Feb 1848 at St George's, Ramsgate. It hasn't been possible to trace his birth, or parents.
What we don't yet understand is what 'committed himself' means in this context and that was terrible enough to merit floggings. Someone with more experience of the sea will hopefully enlighten us. Although, my instinct is to think, as it was repeated and also because of all the washing, that the boy became sea sick. We cannot apply modern sensibilities: I really wouldn't be surprised if sea sickness was then treated as a failing, worthy of punishment or that would respond to shock.
There is anyway no evidence to suggest that the Ramsters had to run away from Ramsgate and indeed the obvious reason they moved to Hull was related to the discovery of "
the renowned Silver Pits, near the
Dogger Bank". Before 1850 Hull wasn’t really a fishing port, but it was this, along with the arrival of the railway, that changed its history. "The “
Silver Pit” was discovered and fishing boats began to arrive in Hull. The Brixham trawler was ideally suited for this particular kind of fishing." Thomas Ramster, therefore, was also "
one of many fishermen from Kent and Devon who had migrated north to Hull for the better prospects offered by its proximity to the bountiful Dogger Bank and Silver Pits fishing grounds."
Thus in 1851, Thomas Ramstay (sic) (28) Fisherman; Ann Ramstay (sic) (28) Fisherman's Wife, both from Brixham, Devon; Ann Ramstay (5) born in Ramsgate, Kent and Sarah Ramstay (0) born in Hull, were all lodging in the household of Jane Crespin (27) Fisherman's Wife at 1, Ellis Place, Holy Trinity, Hull, Yorkshire.
In 1861, Thomas Ramster (39) Fishing Smack Owner was living at 5, Edwards Place, Holy Trinity, Hull, with Ann Ramster (37), Ann Ramster (14), Sarah E Ramster (10), William Ramster (7), Mary Ramster (7), Thomas Ramster (5), Catherine Ramster (1) & William Collier (21) Fisherman from Plymouth, Boarder.
In 1871, in
Kingston Street, Holy Trinity, Hull, were Thomas Ramster (50) Smack Owner; Ann Ramster (49) - this time both, incorrectly, listed as being from Ramsgate, Kent, which I suppose depends if you're asked where you [last] came from as opposed to where you were born; with William Ramster (17) Master & Block Maker Apprentice; Thomas Ramster (16) Commercial Clerk; John Ramster (8), Ann Ramster (24), Sarah E Ramster (20), Caroline [Catherine] Ramster (11), with Edward Tennant (20), Henry Arnet (16) and William Faircliff (14) all Fishermen's Apprentices. (Hopefully treated better this time.)
Thomas Ramster of 11 Boulevard Villas, Hessle Road, Kingston Upon Hull, Smack Owner, died, at 56, on 26 Feb 1879 (1879 M Quarter in HULL Volume 09D Page 198) at his home address. His cause of death was given as 'Obstruction of the Bowels' and he was buried, at
Hull General Cemetery, on 4 Mar 1879. He left personal effects of under £100 to his widow.
In 1881, at Boulevard Villas, 11, Hessle Road, Kingston upon Hull, Ann Ramster (58) Smack Owner was head of the household with Ann Ramster (33), Mary Ramster (28), Thomas Ramster (25) Ship's carpenter; John Ramster (19) Master & block maker; Edith A Ramster (4) Granddaughter (b. 1876, daughter of William Ramster and Mary Elizabeth Simpson); Robert Reeve (33) Fisherman; Sarah E Reeve (30) - who had married in 1873; Henry Crocomb (21) Fisherman; William T Dixon (19) and Enoch Samms (19) Fisherman's Apprentices.
In 1891, Ann Ramster (70) Mother-in-law was living in the household of Robert Reeve (43) and Sarah E Reeve (40), at
14, Boynton Street, Hull.
Ann Ramster, relic of the late Thomas Ramster, smack owner of this port, died on 28 Jan 1895 at
40 Marmaduke Street (HULL Volume 09D Page 176), aged 72.
Thomas Paul Hobbs, who died 31 Aug 1877, aged 85, is buried in Appleton-le-Street, and is listed in Yorkshire Monumental Inscriptions. There's a head stone in All Saints Churchyard. 
