'Lost' grandfather in Montreal

[snikwahrm]

Thanks Natalie, that looks useful.
Margaret

Last but not least, while before the time-frame you need, it may prove to have some clues down the road.
http://anengineersaspect.blogspot.com/2009/08/102nd-anniversary-of-quebec-bridge.html
It is a detailed treatment of the 1907 Quebec Bridge disaster in Montreal. Pictures included. I did notice that some of the workers employed on building the bridge were from Pennsylvania...Your grandfather's expertise may have been sought after in the rebuilding of this behemoth.

Nathalie

[snikwahrm]

Thank you so very much Natalie for the insight you have given me about Sherbrooke.  You have certainly kept me busy with the links.  No luck so far in finding a bridge there built C1918, likely to be steel, if my grandfather was involved.  Also can't find Marilyn Simmons genealogy site, can you guide me please?

I think my great grandfather Allen was involved in making, testing & evaluation of munitions, probably guns, so I have been looking for a research & development centre in or near Sherbrooke.  This is the type of work he was doing in Woolwich Arsenal.  At Woolwich, there were army bases on the same site as the arsenal, so it may be that he was working at the Sherbrooke Hussars base.  Looking at your links, I discovered their motto was 'Honi Soit Qui Mal Y Pense' which reminded he had an embroidered picture with that motto in his home!  Also the colours of the regiment are at St Peter's Church in Sherwood, so it must have been close to the church.

It is great to have made contact with a Sherbrookoise - I will try not to pester you too much, but please expect pms, lol.  I notice I can attach an image so here is that marriage record.  What do you think is the date?

Best Regards

Margaret

[polarbear]

The date is is the tenth day of December AD nineteen hundred and seventeen.

[jmcgill]

Your great Grandfather could also have being in Canada to give technical advice to local industries, or as an inspector to make sure that British standards are met.


War industries and Commerce
“Large scale military industries developed in Canada following its entry into the First World War.  Under the coordination of the Imperial Munitions Board, supplies from Canada flowed to Europe as industries, old and new, produced enormous quantities war material.  By 1917, some 600 factories were employing at least 150,000 workers, out of a population of over seven million, making everything from uniforms to submarines.  Ammunition was an especially important industry and nearly a third of all ammunition fired by Allied artillery during 1917 was Canadian made.”
Source: http://www.cmhg.gc.ca/html/gl-ga/index-eng.asp?letter=W&page=1&t=

The Sherbrooke Hussars and Les Fusiliers de Sherbrooke are local milita units and as such would not have any connection to your Great Grandfather’s work.

http://www.army.forces.gc.ca/sherh/qg-hq/historique-history-eng.aspx?action=view&id=intro

http://www.army.forces.gc.ca/35gbc/unites-units/fusdesher-eng.aspx

[chinakay]

Last but not least, while before the time-frame you need, it may prove to have some clues down the road.
http://anengineersaspect.blogspot.com/2009/08/102nd-anniversary-of-quebec-bridge.html
It is a detailed treatment of the 1907 Quebec Bridge disaster in Montreal. Pictures included. I did notice that some of the workers employed on building the bridge were from Pennsylvania...Your grandfather's expertise may have been sought after in the rebuilding of this behemoth.

Nathalie

Just so you know, this happened near Quebec City, not Montreal. St-Romuald is just across the river from Quebec City

Interesting that New Liverpool is still called New Liverpool, despite the Quebec government's attempts to eradicate English place names

Cheers,
China

[snikwahrm]

Thank you -that confirms what I made it.

The date is is the tenth day of December AD nineteen hundred and seventeen.

[snikwahrm]

Thank you enormously for that information - that could well explain my great grandfather's occupation as 'Examiner' & why there were so many other examiners who travelled with him to New York.  However, it does not tell me why he was in Sherbrooke.  I think I must also explore his first location of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, USA & seek clues there.

Your great Grandfather could also have being in Canada to give technical advice to local industries, or as an inspector to make sure that British standards are met.


War industries and Commerce
“Large scale military industries developed in Canada following its entry into the First World War.  Under the coordination of the Imperial Munitions Board, supplies from Canada flowed to Europe as industries, old and new, produced enormous quantities war material.  By 1917, some 600 factories were employing at least 150,000 workers, out of a population of over seven million, making everything from uniforms to submarines.  Ammunition was an especially important industry and nearly a third of all ammunition fired by Allied artillery during 1917 was Canadian made.”
Source: http://www.cmhg.gc.ca/html/gl-ga/index-eng.asp?letter=W&page=1&t=

The Sherbrooke Hussars and Les Fusiliers de Sherbrooke are local milita units and as such would not have any connection to your Great Grandfather’s work.

http://www.army.forces.gc.ca/sherh/qg-hq/historique-history-eng.aspx?action=view&id=intro

http://www.army.forces.gc.ca/35gbc/unites-units/fusdesher-eng.aspx

[RunKitty]

Hi,

Bethlehem PA = STEEL!!  They are known for this - makes sense he would go there!

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bethlehem_Steel

RK

[snikwahrm]

OOOOOOOh, thank you for that Bethlehem link!  When I looked for Bethlehem in the past, I found nothing significant, but following a link from Wikipedia..... 'WW1 made Bethlehem one of the biggest & most profitable companies in the world.  Within 6 months of the first shots fired in August 1914, the company received more than $50 million in ordnance orders from Britain & France plus the largest order in Bethlehem's history  - $135 million from the British navy for howitzers, naval landing craft, guns, shrapnel shells & most important, 20 submarines ....' & it continues '*10 submarines were assembled at a shipyard in Montreal owned by Canadian Vickers'. (*after October 1914).  There were 2 large English Vickers works were close to Woolwich & were no doubt providing weapons for Woolwich Arsenal.  These two factories were so large that many workers were recruited in the area & resulted in Vickers having a housing estate built in each location!

Maybe I am getting ahead of myself, but I feel this has revealed why my great grandfather went from Bethlehem to Montreal.  Because I knew he was working on guns at Woolwich Arsenal in the 1920s, I thought that was why he was sent to the US & Canada, examining guns or shells.  But he was a naval man & the mention of subs & Montreal make me inclined to think that was his concern.  Now I need to establish where that shipyard was in Montreal.  Perhaps in Sherbrooke?

And what of the steel element, I ask myself?  Henry Atkinson arrived in New York in June 1914.  Did he also go to Bethlehem before arriving in Montreal?    His family firm back in England also made landing craft & bridges for the armed forces in WW1.  When he died, the court hearing stated he had arrived in Montreal in 1916.

I definitely feel I now know more about their activities during WW1.  Thank you for that invaluable clue!

Margaret