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Messages - mybabylu9

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The Common Room / Re: Is your ancestor listed here?
« on: Friday 11 March 11 14:30 GMT (UK)  »
Thanks for the web-link.  I will certainly try that.

I've discovered that not all the wives/children went out and those that did seemed to travel at different times.  My George's wife & son travelled out some 11 months later with James Whelan's wife and family and, as you say, they certainly didn't all come back together.  I think I've found Arthur Hopewell and Clement Coulter's return journeys as well.  Problem is finding out what they did on their return!  I believe Clement died in 1994 in Torbay but that's far as I've got so far.  Need to work down through the whole list.  There is one other member of the Rootschat forum descended from Albert Allan who I've recently got in touch with  but sadly she knows about as much as I do but at least this contact prompted my posting and renewed interest in the journey.  Had to jump through quite a few hoops to get a copy of George's death certificate from the New York State archives - been doing this for quite a number of years and usually something turns up!

Thanks again.

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The Common Room / Is your ancestor listed here?
« on: Thursday 10 March 11 22:37 GMT (UK)  »
On 9 January 1915 a group of some 23 men arrived in New York aboard the Megantic.  They had all travelled from Liverpool and all came from the Plumstead/Woolwich area of SE London' their age on the day of arrival is given in brackets.  Each man had his passage paid for by the British Govt and their destination was South Bethlehem, Pensylvania, USA.  My husband's grandfather, George Keeffe, was one of these men, however we have no evidence of why they went.  The family story was that he was involved in "building railways" but as most of the men were "examiners" from the Royal Arsenal, I feel the trip was more about examining guns etc for WW1.  Is your Ancestor here and if so do you have the true story of why the men were shipped off to the USA?  Sadly George died while in the USA at the young age of 43 and his wife and son returned to the UK.  This list has been taken from the Ellis Island website:
Thomas Wise (35), James P Whelan (32), Percy A Robinson (29), William Kennedy (54), Albert E Allan (45), John Joseph Moylan (25), Arthur Hopewell (27), Charles Best (41), William J Burley (27), Harry P Creech (29), Henry J Beavan (23), John Morgan (38), John A Dudley (34), J W Skeliter Jno (36), Leonard W Blandford (22), Richard O'Connell (46), George M Gardner (41), Harry Russell (34), Clement Coulter (25), Francis Peers (57), Alexander H Smith (25), George G B Hannan (32).
Hope someone knows someone who might know something!

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Armed Forces / Re: Please help identify Scot in Germany in WW2
« on: Thursday 10 March 11 17:53 GMT (UK)  »
Hi.  I've only just joined Rootschat so not sure how useful this information will be to you some 2 years on but Tasma Studios were definitely in Woolwich - full address being 26 Wellington Street, Woolwich SE18.  Wellington Street is still there - its where the town hall can be found.

Don't know if Greenwich Heritage Centre might have any records of where the records have been deposited (if they were ever kept) once the photographers went out of business.  Most photos have a reference number on the back and if you strike lucky can be found on records and the person identified (or at least the person who paid for the photo!).

Best of luck in your quest!

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Canada / Re: 'Lost' grandfather in Montreal
« on: Wednesday 09 March 11 22:26 GMT (UK)  »
Sadly I do not think this Allen family is connected to mine.  My maternal great grandfather was with the Royal Navy (I have obtained his service records) until shortly before travelling from Liverpool to New York in January 1915, with others working for Woolwich Arsenal, (then Kent, now South London) occupation shown as Examiner; their passages were paid by the British government.  His destination was Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.   His wife & my grandmother, his daughter followed in June 1915.  Great grandfather & his wife returned to England in December 1918, so I assume his work was complete.  Does anyone know if there was an army or armaments base, during WW1 in Sherbrooke, to explain his presence there?

Hi.  I was really interested to read the above.  I believe my husband's grandfather Thomas was one of the "others" working for the Woolwich Arsenal who travelled to the USA in January 1915.  I have been trying for years to find out why the British Govt would have paid to send much needed workers during WW1 to USA.  Have tried Arsenal Historical Society with no joy - one day I may have to have an overnight stay in Kew and check the multitude of boxes that hold information on the Arsenal!  My husband's grandmother and father travelled over almost a year later and met Thomas in Waterinbury, Conneticut so sounds like none of them stayed in South Bethlehem for long.  I know the family stayed with othe relatives who had previously emeigrated to the USA in Lima, Ohio.  They also went to New Jersey and Niagara and lived for some time in Buffalo where sadly Thomas died.  His wife and young son then retuned to the UK in 1919.  I do have some photos taken in USA that have other people not known to me - I will try to dig them out and post them at some point.  Your's has been the only link to the other people who travelled over that I have ever found!  The list of men can be found on Ellis Island website.  Best wishes.

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