HOROBIN / BIRD post 1948 Great Lakes

[allans]

Dorothy Ethel Horobin, born Middlesbrough 1911 married Walter C Bird in Middlesbrough in 1935.
She died in Nepean, Ontario in 2006. - I have details.
FindMyPast outbound passengers has several listings for a Dorothy Bird sailing to Canada.
Walter was a seaman, family anecdote suggests he worked on the St Lawrence.

Whilst researching one of her cousins William James Horobin who emigrated to Canada, I found he travelled with his wife Sarah on the SS Angusdale from Newcastle to Montreal dep 6 Apr 1954. The passenger list gives the ship's master as 'W Bird'!

Does 'W Bird' = "Walter C Bird". If so was he crew/master on any of the sailings listed for Dorothy Bird ex uk to Canada, there are 7 between 1935 and 1960?

Walter dies in 1979 in Ontario.

Any help appreciated.

Allan

[Jacquie in Canada]

I saw two Outgoing UK passenger lists that had a Dorothy Bird travelling between the UK and Canada - one in 1947 and the other in 1949. Walter Bird wasn't listed as Master or Captain on either voyage.

The New York passenger lists database also has some lists of crews. Between 1942 and 1948 there are passenger lists for the following ships that have a Walter Bird or Walter Charles Bird listed as their first mate:

• Ville De Tamatave departing from Liverpool and arriving in New York on 18 Feb 1942
• Ville De Tamatave departing from Liverpool and arriving in New York on 20 Apr 1942
• Ville De Tamatave departing from Liverpool and arriving in New York on 15 Jun 1942
• Aba departing from Avonmouth and arriving in New York on 26 May 1944

This Walter was listed as being born about 1912-1913. On the Ville De Tamatave and Aba his nationality is listed as British.

Walter was also on the Queen Mary departing from Southampton and arriving in New York on 5 May 1948 as a passenger. He indicates he is a Canadian citizen, is a ship's master and gives his last permanent residence as Montreal.

There is another Walter Charles who was born 1897 in Sheffield who earned his first mate certificate in 1921 so it is possible the master on the Angusdale could be a different Walter.

Jacquie

[allans]

Thanks for that info. There was also a Captain W Bird who's ship was sunk by a Japanese submarine in WW2.
I see 7 outbound passages from UK to Canada that could be Dorothy Edna Bird born 1911 although ages are a bit off in some instances
1937 Liverpool - Montreal, Dorothy, 1916
1947 Southampton - Halifax, Dorothy E, 1912
1949 Liverpool - Montreal, Dorothy, 1902
1949 Southampton - Halifax, Dorothy, 1911
1950 Liverpool - St John, Dorothy, 1920
1954 Liverpool - Halifax, Dorothy A, 1917
1957 Liverpool - Quebec, Dorothy, 1923

[allans]

The captain sunk by the Japs survived.
I see 3 crossings with Walter Bird  as a passenger
1936 Southampton - Canada, Walter, 1874
1948 Southampton - Halifax, Walter, 1917
1947 Southampton - Halifax, Walter J, 1917

Only one of the, 1848, corresponds with Dorothy's crossings

[allans]

Gremlins crept in to my last 2 posts - her name is Dorothy Ethel Bird nee Horobin born Nov 1911, died 2006
The common crossing, is 1947

Duhh - def. a senior moment there.

[allans]

Captain Walter Bird master of SS Chilka. Sunk by Japaneese sub 1-2 1st March 1942.
I would love to find more details of this man - to see if he is the same Walter C Bird I am looking at in Canada, or the master of the Angusdale even.

Allan

[vickist22]

I am the daughter of Walter Charles Bird (known as Robin) and Dorothy Horobin. My dad came to Canada after WW2 and did indeed work out of Montreal. He later became a harbour pilot in Montreal, anfer he "left the sea". He brought Dorothy, and her parents, and her brother and sister in law to Canada too. I was the first of the family to be born in Canada.

[allans]

Hi Vicky
You replied to a 6 year old post - we made contact with each other several years ago -
Nothing new my end - other than working on a Horobin who married and then left with her husband and his brothers and took part in the Australia and NZ Gold rush.

Allan

[vickist22]

Walter Charles Bird was my father, and was married to Dorothy Ethel Horobin. Dorothy had a brother, William, who was married to Sarah (Sally) Dickerson. My mother's parents were William Horobin and Ethel Ann White. All 6 of these are buried in Mount Royal Cemetery in Montreal.

My dad died in St. Lambert, Quebec in Dec. of 1979.

My dad spent his whole life at sea. He was left an orphan at a young age, and went to a school for the orpahaned children of seamen. He went to sea at the age of 14, indentured for 6 years. My mom kept his papers of indenture, and I still have them.

He spent his last working years as a pilot in the Montreal Harbour Pilotage. He took ships from anywhere from the east end anchorage near the oil docks, to the first lock in the Seaway, and anywhere in between.