This is a picture of the ship Falco, depicted with the Hong Kong mountains in the background. It carries the flag for the Swedish union with Norway and was in an auction house in Stockholm last year.
According to information given with the sale the brig Falco was built in 1860 for Winberg & Meyers of Karlshamn. Winberg & Meyers was one of the largest Wholesale Trade and shipping companies. Falco was wrecked in a storm in 1879 in the Irish Sea.
My interest in this ship stems from the fact that my great grandfather, Jons Jakobsson, who was a ship's cook, first left Karlshamn sometime in 1858 and later made a life for himself in Hong Kong. He also brought his two brothers out to join him.
I have always had difficulty in working out how he and his brothers got to Hong Kong because most emigration from Sweden was to America. Now another researcher has found that two sailors from the Karlshamn area died on the ship Falco on a passage to the Far East. The first died in Hong Kong in 1864 and the second in Singapore in 1865. This makes it possible for either my great grandfather or one of his brothers to have sailed on this ship.
I wonder if anyone can give me any information regarding this ship and her arrival in HK.
Sean
Comments
Falco
Hi Sean,
I don't see anything relevant from searching HKGRO or the old newspapers. Though there might be information in the newspapers if you're willing to read through them.
How about contacting the Maritime Museum to see if they can suggest any sources?
http://www.hkmaritimemuseum.org/
Regards, David
Thanks David
Thanks for yours. I agree I could spend forever searching the newspapers and find nothing out.
Have sent a query off to Stephen Davies at the Maritime Museum and have some Swedish contact as well.
Just hope that Gwulo can, as is generally the case, turn somebody up who knows something.
Best,
Sean
Falco
Hi Sean,
I have a model of "Falco af Karlshamn" in front of me. My grandfathers uncle was the captain for some years.
He was never in HongKong though.
He ended his life on deck in a severe storm outside Bermuda in 1879.
I can send you a photo of the model, where you see the cook`s cabin (I believe) on deck.
regards, Arvid
Falco model
Hi Arvid,
I was amazed to get your email. If I am correct I think that perhaps your grandfather's uncle was named Sandstrom.
In my website www.thehongkonglegcy.com is the following passage:
'Captain Sandstrom was certainly well travelled. He died on Falco on April 5, 1879 in an accident during a storm while sailing from Texas to France. He was buried at sea. He was the father of the famous Alice Tegnér (nee Sandstrom) and had piano on Falco that he and Alice used to play. In later life she wrote many well-known children's songs and also wrote classical and sacred music. Her well-known hymn book Nu ska vi sjunga, with illustrations by Elsa Beskow, was published in 1943'.
This information was given to me by a friend in Karlshamn who found it in the records.
I would most grateful if you could send me a picture of the model. Though none of my family appear to have sailed on the ship it was finding out about her that showed that Swedish ships as the time travelled as dar as Hong Kong.
Are you writing from Sweden or Hong Kong?
If you email me at johnolson3info@gmail.com I will get back in touch with you and let you have details to my address and private email. For your information the information I have about Falco on my website is in the in the chapter "Leaving Home".
I look forward to hearing from you.
Regards, Sean
Falco Model
Hi Arvid,
I was checking my gmail accounts and they seem to have disappeared. Not sure what is wrong. I suggested you email david bellis who runs Gwulo and he will pass you my email address.
Sorru for the trouble.
Sean
Falco
Hi Arvid,
Good to talk tonight. Sory about the hack. Seen to have lost your email address. Would much appreaciate if you could send it to me through david@gwulo.com
Thanks,
Sean