The Abigail and John Endicott
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The inscription: In memory of Richard Clark captain and pilot of Weymouth, who in 1583 sailed thence to join Sir Humphrey Gilbert's voyage of discovery to Newfoundland, and of John Endicott who on June 20, 1628, set forth from Weymouth in the ship "Abigail" on the expedition which led to the establishment of the plantation at Salem, Massachusetts. |
On 20th June 1628 the ship Abigail set sail from Weymouth with many Dorset emigrants bound for New England. Under Henry Gauden, the master, they arrived in Salem, Massachusetts on 6th September. This particular passage was important as it carried the new government for the London Plantation. The governor was John Endicott. A memorial to two pioneers was unveiled on 2 June 1914 by Mrs Joseph Chamberlain, a direct descendant of John Endicott, in front of a huge crowd. It was originally sited by Weymouth Pavilion, The Ritz, which was destroyed by fire in 1954. It was later moved to the Alexandra Gardens nearby. In 1999 the Weymouth Civic Society launched an appeal to raise money for it to re-sited by the harbour. It is now positioned by the harbour steps to greet passengers alighting from the ferries. A memorial bench has been sited with it in memory of Eric Ricketts, a well known and respected Weymouth historian who has published many works of Weymouth's history. |
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The memorial re-sited |
The Eric Ricketts Memorial Bench next to the Endicott memorial, near the Ferry Terminal. |
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Passengers known to be on board the Abigail from Weymouth 1628 John Endicott Mrs Anna Endicott (wife of John) Charles Gott of Cambridge, England Richard Brackenbury of Folke or Holnest, Dorset William Brackenbury of Folke or Holnest, Dorset Hugh Laskin of Childhay, Dorset Mrs Laskin Edith Laskin Lawrence Leach, possibly from Ash, Martock, Somerset Roger Morey of Drimpton, Dorset John Elford of Chetnole, Dorset Thomas Pucker of Upcerne, Dorset Captain Richard Davenport Mathias Button Humphrey Woodberry with his father Ralph Sprague of Upwey (son of Edward) Richard Sprague (brother of Ralph) William Sprague (brother of Ralph and Richard)
Emigrant Ships leaving Weymouth
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