Donald Edward Usher Account of the Family

Uncle Francis Usher was mentioned as of the one of the men who helped take the Whitby Lifeboat to Robin Hoods Bay (4 miles) to be launched to save the crew of a Yacht that had raised a distress flare. It was deepest winter and the harbour at Whitby could not be used. It took many men and horses. The incident took place prior to 1900 and was recorded in the Whitby Gazette.

Uncle William Usher was a character, with quick wit and many a saying in the pub. He had a tendency to dress as a fisherman, white trousers, a shirt and a woollen jumper. A particular party piece was to undo and then remove the shirt without removing the jumper.

One argument in the pub was about their fitness; William’s remark at the height of the argument was “you should be with me when I am walking by myself!”

Another incident was whilst out collecting mushrooms he saw a convoy of boats, billowing steam out at sea. It was around 7 p.m. he collected his mushrooms and returned to Whitby and the pub. A gentleman was telling the story of a convoy of 2,500 vessels he had seen passing Whitby, William remarked “that’s interesting that you saw them as they were out of sight when I saw them!”

Uncle William was away in Selby staying with Uncle Frank, as he was illiterate he got Sophia to write a letter on Friday night to Mary, his wife in Whitby, “had a good week, and I am sending home £3”. Having returned from the pub later on he got the letter rewritten on the Saturday, “had a reasonable week, and I am sending home £2”. After a trip to the pub on the Saturday night he requested the letter to be rewritten on the Sunday, “just sending you a £1, not a very good week!”

 Uncle Francis when turning 18 was sent to the pub to fetch his father. The father was found in the bar with a gentleman. As Uncle Francis was 18 he was given rum and after a few was in a sorry state of affair. His father organised for someone to take him home whilst he continued to drink. The pub in question was the Raffled Anchor, which is believed to be the pub the Ushers owned. After a while the two men very much the worse for the drink decided to call it a day. The other gentlemen left the bar (Grape Lane) and walked towards the bridge, while Francis Usher headed off in the opposite direction. The gentlemen decided he was in need of relieving his bladder and walked down to a jetty beside the bridge. Whilst in the act he lost his balance and fell into the harbour and was later found drowned. The drowning incident was recorded in the Whitby Gazette.

It is believed that Uncle William Usher was born at the Raffled Anchor (1883). Based on the following it could have been the case that the Ushers moved from Bensons Yard (after 1881) to the Raffled Anchor and then later moved to Tin Ghaut (before 1890).