TORRISDALE BURIAL GROUND - Peggy James?

[robertloakes]

Gillean

my email address is * See next reply.

Regards

robert

[NickDooley]

Hi RoyW or RobertLoakes,
regarding Convoy HG-3, I have an Elderly friend (98) who was on the ship "Regestan" sailing back to UK from Gibraltar. On the 17 Oct 1939 she had just went on deck, she was looking straight across at the ship "Yorkshire" which was the ship next to hers in the convoy, next thing a massive orange flame went up from the "Yorkshire" she had been hit by a U-Boat. On the right side of the Regestan was the ship "City Of Mandalay", within a few minutes of the "Yorkshire" being hit, the "City Of Mandalay" was also hit, both ships sank in about 14 minutes.
My friend Phyllis, often talks about that day, and I said I would try and find out about it and if any one had any more information or story's of that time. I have a lot of German U-boat reports, and some even say the "Sagaing" was sank, so a lot of conflicting reports. She didn't see anyone get out of the Yorkshire or the "City Of Mandalay", but they said 300 were rescued.
My E-mail is ^(*)

Nick Dooley

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[Martin Briscoe]

This is the Admiralty War Diary entry (from FOLD3)

[Martin Briscoe]

Just looking at those entried for Francis P James, very odd with the children's names being the same and ages about right.  But he is older than Jack James

DUCHESS OF YORK arriving Liverpool 7 Aug 1936 from Montreal.

Also a Mrs Rita James age 29.

There is also the  SS PETER arriving New York from the Canal Zone 16 July 1936.

Francis now shown as Govt Official and Irish but born India.

Rita shown this time in the line below Francis and both shown married.

The two children are shown born China which would explain why not on British BMD.

If it is the two children then something very complicated going on but perhaps just coincidence!

[Rosinish]

Sorry I haven't studied all facts so far but....

Just a thought...

Is it possible that Francis P & Mrs Rita were 'in-laws' although both described as married may not necessarily mean to each other 

Has anyone checked the 1939 registers for both names?

Annie

[Martin Briscoe]

We can rule out France James as just coincidence.

Francis P. James Age 51 arrived New York on QUEEN ELIZABETH 19 April 1947 with Patricia K. James age 16 and Jacqueline C. R. James Age 13.  Mrs Margarita James Age 40 though with line through her.
Places of birth and nationality as previous.

[Martin Briscoe]

Making sense at last!

I found another tree on Ancestry which gives the name of Peggy as Williamina M (Peggy) MacKay.

It has the birth place as Abingdon but MacKay is a common name in Sutherland so I checked ScotlandsPeople and found this in the index for 1904

MACKAY
WILLIAMINA MARG
F
1904
056/ 13
Tongue

The marriage was Q4 1928 in Abingdon.

Explains why the memorial was erected at Skerray.

MB

[Martin Briscoe]

I have some credits with ScotlandsPeople so looked at the full birth record.

Williamina Margaret MacKay
2nd April 1904
9 a.m.
Lambhill, Skerray, Tongue
Father - Peter MacKay, Postman
Mother - Caroline MacKay, maiden name MacKay.  Married 25th November 1898, Skerray, Tongue
Father present
Registered in Tongue 10th May 1904



To explain my comment about MacKay being a common name in Sutherland.  There are three births recorded on that page.  All are Mackay!

[Martin Briscoe]

I collected together the messages posted in this thread and made up a PDF file to show friends the story.

I have thought about passing on a copy to the archive to put in a place of public record - does anyone have any objection?

Also I feel the story should be wider known.  How about a local newspaper or even the BBC News Highlands & Islands section?