Captain William Shewan

He seems to have been born to Alexander Shewan and Ann Young, born Brakes of Scatness, Dunrossness, Shetland, 10 Jan 1876.
It looks like he married an Elizabeth Reed in Sunderland, and had the following children:-
- William Alexander b. 1906, 

- Annie Elizabeth b. 1909, 

- Margery Catherine b. 1911, 

- Douglas b. 1913, and 

- Gladys b. 1916

.
Captain Shewan  was one of the victims of the German raider the Seeadler, and is noted in the book "The Sea Devil: The Adventures of Count Felix von Luckner, the Last Raider",  by Sam Jefferson, but misidentified as a Gael.

Shetland Times 20 April 1918 page 4

SHETLAND OFFICER LOST
CAPTAIN SHEWAN, DUNROSSNESS.

Widespread regret was felt in the South Dunrossness district when news was received of the death of Captain William S. Shewan, through his vessel being mined in the English Channel whilst returning from a foreign voyage. The vessel was lost on the morning of Good Friday. Only two apprentices were saved.

Captain Shewan was 42 years of age, and was born at Scatness, where his mother and several of his brothers and sisters still reside. He left Scatness when 17 years of age, and has followed the sea ever since. 

He early got his master’s certificate, and for many years has been in the employment of the Westoll Line, Sunderland. Earlier in the war, a vessel of which Captain Shewan was in charge, was sunk by a German raider, and the Captain and his crew after being confined on the German vessel for 72 days and undergoing many adventures, was landed at Rio de Janeiro.

Last year, Captain Shewan visited Shetland for three weeks in June. He was an extremely popular officer, and his loss is much regretted by his employers and a wide circle of friends. He leaves a widow and five children.

(Courtesy of  :- Angus Johnson of shetland-archives.org.uk )