It’s been some time since I’ve managed to put anything onto my blog, but I will try to add much more detail from now on.  I will start with the earliest Grott ancestor – Frederick – and work from there.

Frederick Grott, my Great, Great, Great Grandfather, was born around 1790 (+ or – 10 years).  I have no information about his birth place.  The only information I have is that he was married to Carolina Ross and that his profession was Ship Master.  I know that he was deceased at the time of his son’s (Ferdinand) marriage in 1857.  I don’t know his nationality, but believe it may be Prussian as that is where his son Ferdinand was born.  I have no information about his wife, Carolina, apart from her name and the fact that she, too, was deceased at the time of Ferdinand’s marriage in 1857.

Ferdinand Grott, my Great, Great, Grandfather, a Ship Master in the Merchant Service, was born around 1824 in Danzig, Prussia. According to the 1861 Census, his address was 16 Bruce Street, Greenock.  In 1891, the address was given as 52 St Lawrence Street, Greenck.  He was away at sea during 1881 as Christina was recorded as being the Head of the Household when the Census was carried out. Christina was born at Auchdacai in Whitehouse, Kintyre on 23 November 1831. Ferdinand and Christina were married on 29 June 1857 and had 4 children, William, Margaret, George and Ferdinand. They appear to have been a very close knit family as none of them seemed anxious to leave home. George married at the age of 25 – not young by any standards – Margaret was 28 and William and Ferdinand were aged 40 before leaving home to marry. Perhaps Christina was very dominant – it would be nice to find out.

I have several Certificates of Competency for Ferdinand regarding his employment as a Ship Master. Ferdinand was involved in the sinking of a ship on her maiden voyage from Greenock to St Lucia. He was not the Master of the ship, but the First Mate. I have a record of the court case regarding this incident and it seems that Ferdinand was supposed to be steering the ship, but had been drinking heavily. He apparently sent the ship’s Cook to the bridge to steer the ship and it was steered into rocks, ran aground and sank off the coast of Ireland.

Ferdinand died on 24 January 1895 of Disease of the Brain. A photograph I have on file is (I guess) of his widow and 4 children taken soon after his death. Both Ferdinand and Christina are buried in Greenock Cemetery and a photograph of the grave is on file. Christina died on 9 April 1906.

George Grott, my Great Grandfather, a Boilermaker, was born in Greenock on 16 September 1865. His wife, Janet Russell Weir, was born at 9 Watt Street, Greenock on 6 April 1865. They married on 29 January 1890 and had 9 children: George, Jane, Christina, John, Elizabeth, Robert, James, Janet and Margaret (who died in infancy). John died during the 1914-1918 War and James died in 1916 of Cardio Valvular Disease. Janet tragically died on 2 April 1904 of Smallpox. George died on 28 February 1928 of Arterio Sclerosis and Cerebral Haemorrhage. Both are buried in Greenock Cemetery, although there is no gravestone at the grave. The 1881 Census records George living at 83 Belville Street, Greenock, with his mother and 3 siblings. He is described as a Grocer’s Assistant. Presumably his father, Ferdinand, was away at sea during the time the Census was taken. The 1891 Census records him as living at 18 East Crawford Street, Greenock, along with his wife and first child. He is recorded as being a Boilermaker. In 1901 the Census has him still living at 18 East Crawford Street with his wife and 5 children. He was described as a Rivet Tester. Interestingly, also living at this address (within the same tenement building) were the Linn family – some of whom were married to the sisters of Janet Weir. Janet died in 1904. The 1911 Census lists George, at the same address as before, with 5 of his children at home. George died in 1928.