George Pirie R.N. (1850-1907) | WikiTree FREE Family Tree (2025)

Capt.GeorgePirieR.N.

Born 31 Jul 1850 in Tobermory, Argyll, Scotland, United Kingdom [uncertain]

Ancestors

[spouse(s) unknown]

[children unknown]

Died 2 Dec 1907at age 57in North Ferriby, Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom

Profile last modified 17 Feb 2025| Created 16 Aug 2024

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Summary Biography

George Pirie was born on July 31, 1850, in Tobermory, Isle of Mull, Scotland^[1], to William Pirie and Flora Anne Sinclair. Tragically, his mother died around 1852, likely due to complications from childbirth, leaving George and his older sister, Catherine Elizabeth, motherless at a very young age. Following their mother’s death, George and Catherine Elizabeth were partly raised by their extended family at Lochaline House, Morvern, Scotland, under the care of their maternal grandfather, John Sinclair of Lochaline. The household was large and well-supported, with 26 members, including family, a governess, and numerous servants^[2].

Growing up in this environment, George and his sister were integrated into a life marked by hospitality and self-sufficiency, supported by the resources of the estate. In 1864, George began his naval career at age 14, joining the H.M.S. Britannia. He held various significant positions throughout his career, including roles in Canadian Arctic expeditions and hydrographic surveys in China, Japan, and along the Great Barrier Reef. George married Ada Beck in 1888, and they had three daughters. He retired as a Captain in 1898 and later served as Conservator of the Humber River before passing away on December 2, 1907.

Full Biography

Early childhood

George Pirie was born on July 31, 1850, in Tobermory, Isle of Mull, Scotland.. He was the son of William Pirie and Flora Anne Sinclair the daughter of John Sinclair of Lochaline.

George’s mother Flora Anne Pirie (born Sinclair) sadly passed away about 1852 aged c.32. Reason for her death is not verified but it seems probable that it was related to the birth and death of her third child (John Sinclair) and and this sadly has parallels with the death of her mother Catherine (MacLachlan) Sinclair who died age 39 in childbirth. Unhappily, history repeated itself, in that her son George (age one) and her daughter Catherine Elizabeth (age four) were left without a mother.

The 1861 Census for Lochaline House, Morven, Morvern, Argyllshire, Scotland (see image below) records John Sinclair age 91 Widower as the head of the household of 26 people in total. Consisting of 10 family members, 1 visitor, 1 Governess and 14 servants. The family members included his daughter Margaret Campbell (Sinclair) King, her husband James King and their 4 children as well as 2 grandchildren. The two grandchildren are:

• Catherine Pirie age 12 born 1849 Pupil.
• George Pirie age 10 born 1851 Pupil.

The memoirs of Agnes R King (Granddaughter of John Sinclair) (written c. 1902) provides both an excellent record as well as a very evocative glimpse of the life of the Sinclair family in Lochaline House from c.1825 to 1863. The memoirs are included in the book Morvern Transformed a Highland parish in the nineteenth century, by Philip Gaskell.

In this book Agnes R King states: Hospitality was the rule of the house, and there was scarcely a day but what some strangers unexpectedly came. In those days neither by road or water was there regular communication with the south, as there is now in that district, and so people travelled very much in their own sailing boats from place to place. Indeed, there was no house of any pretentions without its boathouse. It was as necessary as stables, and more so. The household was well-stocked with food from the farm, including an abundance of poultry, sheep, and salmon. Flora Anne's father, John Sinclair, focused on improving his property, planting woods, and managing a fold of Highland cattle. So abundant was the supply of salmon there at that time that servants when engaged, stipulated not to have it served more than so many days a week.

It is clear from Agnes King's account that, following the death of their mother, the two grandchildren ( Catherine Elizabeth and George Pirie) would have been welcome at any time. They would have fitted in well with the other children and the support from other family members, a Governess and 9 other servants (as seen in the 1861 census).

However, the Pirie children endured a second tragedy with John Sinclair’s death in 1863 and his heirs putting the estate up for sale. George Pirie joined the navy in 1864 at age 14, while Catherine, age 16, remained in uncertain circumstances until she resurfaced in historical records upon her marriage in 1871. She married her first cousin, John Sinclair-Thomson (the son of her aunt, Catherine Sinclair), in Paddington, London.

This suggests that despite the upheaval caused by John Sinclair’s death and the subsequent sale of Lochaline House, family connections endured, and kinship networks played a role in seemingly securing Catherine’s future. However, their story has another twist as John and Catherine’s marriage ended in divorce in 1880.

Royal Navy Career

1864. George Pirie embarked on a naval career at the age of 14, soon after the death of his grandfather John Sinclair of Lochaline in who's household he was living.

George joined the training ship H.M.S. Britannia^[3]. Throughout his career, George held various important positions, beginning as a Master’s Assistant on the Zealous and, later as his expertise developed, serving as a Navigating Midshipman

1870. He earned recognition for his expertise, passing his Navigating Lieutenant examination and serving in the Indian Station, the Persian Gulf, and on the east coast of England.

1875-6. George played a significant role in Canadian Arctic expeditions aboard the Pandora^[4], contributing to efforts to reach the magnetic pole and navigate the Northwest Passage. See the publication The Two Voyages of the 'Pandora' In 1875 And, 1876. By Sir Allen Young, R.N.R. which states: " In concluding this report, I have the honour of expressing to their Lordships how much I am indebted to Lieutenant 0. R. Arbuthnot, E.N., and to Sub-Lieutenant G. Pirie, E.N., for their zealous and active services, and for the assistance they have rendered on all occasions

1876. Promoted to Navigating Lieutenant, he served on the China Station, participating in surveys off China and Japan.

1888. George Pirie Married Ada Pirie (born Beck 1866-1918).

1889. Birth of a daughter Ada Beatrice Sinclair Pirie.

1889- c.1892. George commanded the gunboat Paluma (see image), conducting hydrographic surveys along the Great Barrier Reef^[5].

1892. Promoted to Commander, Pirie ^[6]continued to serve in various capacities, including as Naval Assistant to the Hydrographer Sir W. J. Wharton.

1895. Birth of two daughters: Mavis Sinclair Pirie and Flora Sinclair Simpson Pirie.

1898. He retired with the rank of Captain (at his own request) and later served as Conservator of the Humber River.

1907. George Pirie passed away on December 2, 1907, from intestinal hepatitis.

Sources

1. ↑ Mull Museum holds some papers related to Pirie. For example:
   • Pirie and Sinclair pedigrees Item No. PEDIGREES 01-016.
   • 1888 Portrait of Ada Pirie [?nee Sinclair] wife of George Pirie. Item No. P/00826/03 72/30 FC.
   • 1850c. Portrait of gentleman, believed to be William Pirie, solicitor in Tobermory mid 19thC. Item No. P/00826/01 72/27 FC.
2. ↑ Information from the book Morvern Transformed - a Highland Parish in the nineteenth century By Philip Gaskell.
3. ↑ The Dreadnought Project The Dreadnought Project website has a full section with greater details of the career of George Pirie in the Royal Navy.
4. ↑ The Two Voyages of the 'Pandora' In 1875 And, 1876. By Sir Allen Young, R.N.R.
5. ↑ 1889. Gunboat Paluma Australian War Memorial website with Permitted use of material on this website. Showing her port side whilst operating as a survey vessel. Paluma, built in England for the Queensland marine defence forces, arrived in Brisbane on 1885-05-07. she spent her first ten years operating as a survey vessel with the Royal Navy before returning to Queensland control
6. ↑ Service Records National Archives

See also:

• The MyHeritage website. Site Manager Ian Massey, great grandson of George Pirie