Person:Daniel Reader (1)

Daniel was another fisherman and was mentioned in the 1892 Scarborough Street Directory as living at 1 Appleby's Passage off Quay Street. By the 16th of May 1892 he was living at 3 Hicks Yard, off William Street and in the 1893-1894 Scarborough Electors List for the Central Ward he was living at 10 Dog and Duck Steps (Lane) off Quay Street.

Daniel was photographed in 1892 at Boxell’s Photographic Studio at 33 Victoria Road Scarborough, with his niece Evelyn Maud MATSON, shortly after being awarded his First Mate’s Ticket. He is holding a new bowler hat, the traditional head gear of Scarborough Trawler Skippers and First Mates. He was just 20 years old. Daniel was the second hand on the "EVELYN AND MAUD” he died at sea on the 16th of November 1893” when she was lost.

The "EVELYN AND MAUD" was a Fishing Smack; her harbour number was SH 445. Her official number was 628474 which were registered from May 1873. She was a Class 1 vessel built in Scarborough and was launched on the 10th of November 1873. The "EVELYN AND MAUD” was carvel built of wood with ketch rig. The keel was 58 ft. the overall length from the forepart of the stem to the aft side of head of sternpost was 66.10 ft. The beam was 18.30 ft., the depth was 9.70 ft. and the registered tonnage was 55.40. She was built by Scarborough shipbuilder Thomas Wilson WALKER whose shipyard was on Sandside opposite the bottom of East Sandgate. Her initial owner was Major Richard Francis CHAPLIN of 4 Crown Crescent, Scarborough. She was named after Evelyn and Maud APPLEBY the daughters of Scarborough fisherman, John APPLEBY, who was her first skipper. Maud APPLEBY married John SUMMERS, a furniture remover with premises in North Street. Evelyn APPLEBY married Frederick William PLAXTON, a joiner who started the firm which is now Plaxton’s Coach Builders. (Another source suggests she was named after Evelyn Maud MATSON). In the 1881 Census the Master was George WHITTLETON and the Third Mate was Walter MORLEY, who was married to Daniel’s sister, Ellen READER. The owner from the 11th of January 1884 was Edmund Allan REYNOLDS a fisherman of 99 Long Westgate, Scarborough. He was previously its skipper from 10th January 1884. The skipper from the 9th of December 1890 was Francis ALLARD. The ship went missing on the 16th of November 1893 during a very bad storm at sea.

Throughout the 19th century, numerous fishing smacks, yawls and cobles belonging to Scarborough's fishing fleet were lost at sea during stormy weather - seldom were any of their crews saved from a watery grave. Most of those disasters are virtually forgotten, except in the pages of maritime history. However, one is commemorated annually at Scarborough with the Fishermen and Firemen's Charity football match - a custom which originated way back in 1893. On Thursday morning, the 16th of November 1893, twenty Scarborough trawling smacks (sail-powered fishing vessels) set off for the fishing grounds, fourteen of them going north to Scottish waters, the remainder going south to Flamborough Head. Suddenly, without any warning, a terrible storm blew up at midnight on the 17th of November, causing heavy seas and exceptionally high tides. Several sailing vessels carrying cargo were wrecked in the North Sea - three of them in Scarborough's South Bay. Local owners feared for the safety of their trawlers fishing in the North Sea - local families feared for the safety of their relatives aboard those vessels. But, by Saturday the 25th of November, all the trawling smacks had returned except the 'Evelyn and Maud'. Built at Scarborough in 1873, byWilliam Walker, she was a 55 tons ketch-rigged trawling smack, belonging to Edmund Allan Reynolds, who had bought her on the 31st of December 1883 from Major Richard Chaplin, her original owner. John Francis Reynolds, the skipper of the “Evelyn and Maud'” was indisposed when she sailed on the 16th of November. So, his place was taken by William MANN, an experienced trawler skipper who had been without a berth for several weeks. The ‘Evelyn and Maud” had sailed to Flamborough Head fishing grounds, where she was seen trawling at 4.30 p.m. on the 16th of November by the crew of Scarborough trawler “Spy'”(S.H. 135). Evidently, the storm did not hit that area until noon on 18 November. When it did, Ephriam Howard, skipper of the “Spy”, decided to abandon fishing and make for Scarborough before the storm worsened. Ahead of him on the homeward journey were several trawling smacks, one of which he presumed to be the “'Evelyn and Maud”.

During the next five days, extensive inquiries were made at east coast ports for news of the missing smack. Then, on the 30th of November, a telegraphic message from Hartlepool stated "The “Evelyn and Maud'”was probably run down off Flamborough Head, on the 18th of November, by “Ardross‘', a three-masted sailing schooner". On Saturday 2 December two lifebuoys - each bearing the name 'Evelyn and Maud' and registration number S.H. 445 were washed up at Easington, near Spurn Point. Amongst wreckage entwined around one lifebuoy was a piece of bone on which had been scratchedin the words, "Ship going down. Sinking fast. Evelyn and Maud". Mrs Thomas Mann recognised the handwriting as that of her husband William MANN. Mrs Mann was now a widow with seven children.

Evelyn Maud MATSON went on to marry Horace HODDS they had seven children together. Steve 'Stevvy' HODDS worked on trawlers and went on to live to the grand old age of 99. Horace HODDS too worked on fishing boats Edmund Reynolds finally believed his trawling smack and her crew had perished at sea, most probably during the storm on the 18th of November. He asked Scarborough Evening News to publish particulars of her crew as:

William Thomas Mann (43 years) skipper 43 Princess Street. Daniel Reeder (21 years) Second Hand 10 Dog & Duck Lane. Richard Whitaker (23 years) Third Hand 16 East Sandgate. John Eaves (58 years) Deckhand 10 Batty Place. Charles Whitaker (51 years) Cook 3 Batty Place (father of the Third Hand).

Holding informal inquiries amongst themselves, many Scarborough fishermen decided the “Evelyn and Maud” had probably capsized while trawling in strong winds and a rough sea because her beam trawl net had become entangled with some immovable obstacle on the sea bed. Their sensible theory might well have been correct because the running down claim was disproved during a Board of Trade Inquiry, held at Hull on the 21st and 22nd of February 1894. Despite John Reynolds' efforts to prove the “Ardross” wrecked his father's trawling smack the Inquiry's jury declared: "Evidence given at this Inquiry proves, beyond all doubt, that the “Ardross” was NOT in collision with the “Evelyn and Maud” of Scarborough the “Ardross” collided with the “Confidence” of Grimsby".

A Memorial Service was held at St Mary’s Church on Sunday the 3rd of December 1893 for the five men lost at sea with the “Evelyn and Maud”. On the 8th of December 1893 the Scarborough Mercury published details of their families as follows: William Mann Widow Anne Elizabeth (44 years) Children William Thomas (18 years), Louisa (17 years), Charles (14 years), Arthur (10 years), James Henry (8 years), Stephen (6 years) and Walter (4 years) Daniel Reeder Widow Annie, Children Sophia (19 months), Helen (2 weeks) Richard Whitaker Widow Isobel, pregnant with her first child. John Eaves Widow, plus son and daughter (both married). Charles Whitaker Widow, plus two sons, aged 10 years and 12 years.

To help the widows, Edmund Reynolds paid the drowned men's wages up to the 2nd of December. Then, assisted by Councillor Joseph Hopwood, he launched the “Evelyn and Maud Fund” to raise money for the bereaved families. The Mayor (George Lord Beeforth) gave £10 to the fund, which quickly attracted subscriptions, mainly from local trawler owners and fishermen. Several successful fund-raising events were held, including: A Street Collection - £20/1/9d, Salvation Army's Collection - £33/3/9d, A Concert at the Seamen's Mission, Sandside - £ 12/2/0d, A Service of Song entitled "Ocean Perils" performed by Filey Fishermen’s Choir, at St Sepulchre Street Primitive Methodist Chapel - £14/7/6d. A Christmas Day Football Match with teams of Fishermen and Firemen (i.e. stokers on steam trawlers) from Scarborough's fishing fleet.

When closed on the 31st of December 1893, the “Evelyn and Maud Fund” amounted to £289/6/6d. It was administered by the Charity Organisation Society ( a predecessor of the Council For Voluntary Service) from their new office at 13 Elders Street. None of the five families were given a lump sum, lest they squandered the “charity" on luxuries! The money was to be doled out weekly until the fund was exhausted at the rate of 6/- (30p) for each widow and 1/6d (7'/2p) for each child aged 14 years and under. Thus the first payments made on Friday the 5th of January 1894 were: Mrs Mann- 13/6d (67'/2p), Mrs Reeder -9/- (45p), Mrs Richard Whitaker 61/- (30p), (Increased to 7/6d (37'/2p) when her child was born), Mrs Eaves 61/- (30p), Mrs Charles Whitaker 9/- (45p). The fund was deposited in the Yorkshire Penny Bank, (opened at 24 Newborough, on the 2nd of January 1893), where it earned 3% interest). The unique charity the Fishermen and Firemen’s Fund which was started on Christmas Day 1893 to help the widows and orphans of the five Scarborough Fishermen who were drowned at sea when the "EVELYN AND MAUD" sank still exists. Each year a football match and tug-of war is held between teams of firemen and teams of fishermen. Originally held on Christmas Day at the Scarborough Recreation Grounds it was changed in 1898 to Boxing Day on the South Sands at Scarborough. The reason was that the Recreation Grounds had been sold for building purposes. The first year that both teams wore colours was in 1900 when they wore coloured top hats in 1904 they wore coloured shirts as well. Because of World War 2 the matches were suspend from 1939 and recommenced in 1946. The matches are a major fund-raiser for the charity which now provides Christmas Vouchers for elderly Scarborough people. The total raised on Boxing Day in 1992 was ₤1,108.57, and vouchers were provided for 112 people.