Henry Spears Grinton son of John and Rannie was born on 16th August 1822 in Auchtertool. He was baptised in Auchtertool on 25th September 1822. He was the 9th child and only had a younger brother George. It is not known where the name Spears comes from. From his coastguard records Henry as he was known entered the Royal Navy on the ship Ocean on 26th June 1841 aged 22 years. Ocean was a sea going ironclad. [UK, Naval Officer and Rating Service Records, 1802-1919]. His character was listed as good. He was discharged from there on 10th January 1842 and joined another ship Name is not legible on 11th January, the next day. He was discharged from there on 31st January and then rejoined it in the ? July of that year serving on it until 6th August 1845. Following this he joined another vessel again name illegible on 29th Sept 1845 and served to 13th July and was discharged for a day only to rejoin on 14th the next day and serve again for until what looks like July 1849.  A review of known Naval ships during this period did not shed light on the names. However we can say Henry was quite successful as from 1842 his character was very good . In 1841 he was likely an ordinary rate rising to an able seaman in 1842 and a ?captain by 1849.

It is 1849 that he marries Rachael Daines. Henry reverted to his original name Henry Spears Grinton and joined the coastguard  on 22nd December 1849 as a boatman. Henry married Rachael on 16th December 1849 in Nu Parish Church in the Parish of Minster Sheppey England. The coastguard marriages lists the marriage as follows:

 GRINTON, Henry of East End Minster, (Coastguard) S of John (Excise Man)
DAINES, Rachel of East End Minster, daur of Martin (Coastguard)
Witnesses: John Daines, Sarah Daines [ref: http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~puxty/coastguard_marriages.htm]

Did he meet Rachael when he was posted as a coastguard in Sheppey? Henry remained a boatman in the coastguard until 1854 according to his naval record. In 1851 we know he was based at Carrickfergus Antrim as his first born arrived Rachael Spears Grinton on 6th June 1851. Irish research from Family History Centre Larne said about Henry and Rachael's time in Antrim:

Henry Grinton was a member of the Coastguard Service and it  would appear that he was stationed in Larne for a short period, between 1853 and 1857..... Only two of their children were baptised in the parish church:   Henry James - born 3 May, baptised 4 June, 1854, father is  
recorded as being on the ship 'Royal George',  and  William John - born 18 Sept, baptised 7 Oct, 1856.  When in Larne, the family probably resided in cottages for coastguards which were located at the harbour area, in the townland of Curran and Drumalis. It is probable that Henry Grinton was stationed at other locations in Ireland during his service in the Coastguard and that  Rachael,  Sarah M and George B. were born in these places. Unfortunately, the births occurred before the commencement of civil birth records in Ireland.

We can place Henry as being stationed in 1851 in Carrickfergus south of Larne. The birth of his second child Henry James Grinton on 3rd May 1854 at Inver Larne Antrim means he has moved location. Henry's naval records do have him serving on the Royal George as an able seaman from 11th February 1854 to 5th May 1856. Notes on the HMS Royal George suggest it served as troop transport in the Russian War :

Commanded (from commissioning at Sheerness) by Captain Henry John Codrington, the Baltic during the Russian War between 1853-1856. [https://www.pdavis.nl/ShowShip.php?id=5].

A Trove article on 20th may 1854 in The Courier (Hobart Tas-1840-1859) states that Royal George (screw) was readying to depart Devonport [Plymouth not Tasmanian Devonport]  for the North Sea and Baltic destined for the defence of Turkey. This is the Crimean War. Did Henry go? or his his ship a different Royal George. Wikipedia states HMS Royal George was a 120-gun first-rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched on 22 September 1827 at Chatham Dockyard.[1] Remains of the stern posts, and pieces of the after end of the main keel - showing the effects of the large cylinder of gun powder which was exploded on 11 May 1840 In 1853 she was fitted with screw propulsion.[1] [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Royal_George_(1827)]  This is consistent with the reference in The Courier (screw) after the Royal George name,. It is likely Henry did serve in the Crimean war but his naval record has no badges awarded for this. His naval record records that on 6th May 1856 he returns to the Coastguard. If henry did indeed go to the North Sea and Baltic he would have left Rachael and his children in Ireland- not Rachael's native land. 

Henry and Rachael's third child Sarah Maria Grinton was also born in Larne according to all the census records from 1881-1911. Their next child, my great grandfather William John Grinton was born in Inver Larne on 18th September 1856 and baptised on 17th October of that year. Henry would have returned from service and been reinstated into the coastguard which we can see in his Naval record. He returned to being a boatman from 6th may 1856 to 28th Sept 1859. 

Henry and Rachael's fifth child Jane Louisa Grinton was born in Carrickfergus on 5th December 1859. We have a record for Carrickfergus FreeMasons indicating Henry Grinton was admitted to the St Patricks Lodge of Grand Lodge of Irish Freemasons on 19th February 1864 having seemingly gone through some initial admissions on 2nd December 1863 and 22nd January 1864. We know Henry and Rachael remain in Carrickfergus as their last child George Daines Grinton is born there on 22nd May 1862. He was baptised on 15th June 1862 and the Carrickfergus parish records of the Church of Ireland state Henry is a Coastguard, [ Research done by Phil Grinton].

Henry's naval record has him as a Coastguard 29th September 1859 to 10th March 1863 with a promotion from boatman to perhaps Captain but the writing is again illegible. We can pose that this was in Carrickfergus at least until 1862. On 11th march 1863 Henry looks like he receives promotion again to ?? Chief ??. By 1866 we know the family has moved to Dunany in Dundalk Bay as Henry has a dog license for a female black and grey Prince Charlie dog. Further records have him as Chief Officer in 1887/68 at Dunany Point Dundalk [ Ref: Coastguards of Yesteryear]. The 1867 Thomas Almanac listing CoastGuard Officers serving in Ireland have Henry Grinton Chief Officer Dunany Point Louth. We know this was a coastguard station in itself. The 1868 version sees him remaining there as Chief Officer. Looking at henry's naval record on 17th May 1866 he clearly becomes Chief Officer with a C2 classification.

The last date in his naval record is 27th April 1868. This was the day Henry drowned in Dundalk Bay. It was reported in the newspapers and it read: [ Henry is listed as Henry Granton- a common spelling error throughout documents]
 
It is with much regret I have to announce a most deplorable catastrophe which took place on Monday night in Dundalk Bay. Five fine fellows, all married, and some having six children each, left their station at Dunany with a load of firearms for Soldier's Point on Monday. They arrived safely about mid-day, and in a few hours after, about five p.m., they left Soldier's Point for their station at Dunany. There was some wind, but no danger was apprehended, and especially as it was blowing off the shore. In a conversation with the coastguardsmen at Soldier's Point, they praised the sailing powers of their boat, which was her first voyage, having been only a few days at the station, and was a new cutter. They left in the prime of life and strength, little thinking it was their last voyage in this world. The crew consisted of Henry Granton, chief officer; Daniel Sweeny, and James Clancy, commissioned boatmen; James M'Cracken, and Richard Frazer. Not having reached their destination on Monday evening or night the greatest alarm was felt along the coast and at Dunany, and early on Tuesday morning the coast was searched for the missing boat and her unfortunate crew.

 The revenue cruiser, the Fanny, had a sharp look out, and fell in with the boat outside Dunany, and drifting towards Clogher Head. Her sails were set, and under water, and it was with great difficulty she was towed into the small harbour at Dunany.. The fearful scene of grief of frantic widows and orphans cannot be described, and there is no hope that any of the brave men have been saved - all have perished in a watery grave. The chief boatman at Soldier's Point, a person of great experience, Mr. Thomas Jones, informs me that he feels quite sure that the boat was upset in a squall, and that as the accident happened late in the evening, and probably a good distance from the shore, that all have been drowned. The wind is blowing from the land, and in all probability the bodies will be carried out to sea, and it will be some time before they are recovered. About three years ago a somewhat similar calamity occurred, when three pilots were drowned on the Cooley coast. On that occasion it was supposed they were under the influence of drink, having got a bottle of rum from a foreign ship in the bay; but it is satisfactory to know that the five fellows drowned on the present occasion were all perfectly sober when they sailed from Soldier's Point on what proved to be their last sad voyage of life. Up to the time of sending off this dispatch, seven p.m. none of the bodies have been found, and there is a cry of grief and sorrow at Dunany that words cannot describe.
 
His Freemasons record indicates his death with the words- drowned 1868. At his death Henry was listed as esq. so held status in the community.

Henry was 46 years old when he died and he left Rachael aged 39 years with 6 children aged from 17 years to 6 years old. More on the children in other pages. We know from the 1871 English Census that Rachael [aged 19] returned to Chatham close to her birthplace at Harwich and was a schoolmistress. Interestingly Christopher and her older brother John Walford Daines were living in Gillingham at the time.. Her daughter Rachael Spears Grinton then unmarried was a tailoress, daughter Sarah Maria [aged 18] married by then was an assistant school mistress and wife of a tailor. William, Jane and George were scholars. Living with them at 122 Newnham St  , Chatham was Christopher Daines Rachael's nephew and a steward with the P&O Company and Samuel Batchelor an unmarried lodger  aged 21 who was an artisan and well engineer. More about the Batchelors and their sad story in the Lives of Henry and Rachaels children [ see button below].

So what about the life of Rachael Daines Grinton? Rachael was born the 4th child of Martin Daines and Mary Capps. Refer to the Daines page for their family. Her siblings were John Walford Daines [1817-1898]; Christopher [b 1825]; Maria [b 1826]; Sarah [b 1830] and George [ b 1832]. George as a name runs through the family including the Smiths on to cousin George today. We know from her marriage certificate that Martin Daines was also a coastguard based at East Minster on the Isle of Sheppey. 

Following the death of her husband Rachael moved to Chatham and had changed residences to 51 Queens Rd Gilligham Chatham by 1881.She was 52 years old and her occupation is scratched out but looks like government superannuant. Could this have been because she was a naval widow or through her teaching? George aged 18 remained with her and my nana Eva Alice Grinton was living with her following the death of her mother in 1880 [ see Eva's story] . Rachael had taken on the care of her granddaughter whilst her son William John Grinton returned to naval service. 

In 1891 Rachael then aged 65 years is living with her eldest daughter Rachael Spears Grinton Batchelor  aged 38 yrs who is head of the household and her children William and Emma as well as her other daughter Sarah Maria aged 36 yrs  and her child Ethel G. Sarah ios listed a living off her own means. Rachael Snr is listed as being on a government annuity pension. Rachael Jnr is listed as wife of mining engineer. where is Eva Alice Grinton in 1891. When checking the 1891 Census for Eva's father William John Grinton and his second wife Elena Doorey Grinton we find none of their children are listed as living with them either. The address is 3 Station Rd  Harwich and they are listed as boarders.  Eva is living with her step brothers and sisters William John, George and Rachel Maria at 37 Richmond Rd Minster on Sheppey. It is probable that at the age of 11 Eva was in fact minding the children and perhaps this is the family home or one of the Daines family residence. It is very clear from this that Nana was raised by her father's line with a heavy maternal influence from grandmother and aunts.

By 1901 Rachael Snr was 74 years old and remained living with her daughters except this time Sarah Maria aged 44 yrs was head of the household and it is clear from this census that indeed Rachael Snr was a naval pensioner. Perhaps the crossed out occupation in 1881 meant she might have been in dispute over the pension. In the household were Sarah's sister Rachael aged 45 yrs and Ethel Sarah's daughter aged 23 and a Confectioners Sweet Assistant worker. One can only assume Nana Eva Alice Grinton remained close to this family as she named her only daughter Ethel. The family had moved to Gravesend and were living at 5 Granville Rd.

By 1911 the 3 widows, Rachael Snr, Rachel Jnr and Sarah were living together with a  boarder Marie Stuart at 29 Churchill Rd Gravesend. Rachael Snr was 83 years old and had been widowed for 43 years. Rachael died at 29 Churchill Rd on 11th February 1917and is buried in an unmarked grave in Gravesend cemetery. In 2014 I visited Rachael and laid roses in honour of her and on behalf of our extended family who have come after her.

In 2014 we also visited Dundalk Bay, Dunany Point and Soldiers Point to honour Henry. We threw roses into the blustery windy bay at Soldiers Point for each of our family.

The lives of Henry and Rachael's children and grandchildren, other than my direct great granddad William John Grinton and his family,  can be seen in the documents attached to the below buttons.

Henry and Rachaels children were:

1. Rachael Spears Grinton and Samuel Batchelor
2.  Henry James Grinton
3.  Sarah Maria Grinton and William Henry Jones
4.  William John Grinton  and Sarah Oakley and Elena Doorey- see seperate pages
5.  Jane Louisa Grinton  and Arthur Edward Philbrick
6.  George Daines Grinton.

































Reference; "Freemans Journal" 30th. April 1868.