Liverpool & South West Lancashire FHS - Forum

I believe that one of the FH search sites has the BMD registrations for those who died at sea. I am looking for the age of William B. Geddes, master of the small collier ss Aigburth, torpedoed in the North Sea in December 1917. He lived in Aigburth, too!
The War Graves Commission does not give his age, which may be in the 60s.

Any chance of a lookup, please?
Daggers

Hi Daggers....have you seen the will on Anc** probate pages?

No, I am not a subscriber.
D

Don't forget this is only the index, not the complete Will, but it gives you the gist.

GEDDES William Bruce of 43 Bundoran Road, Aigburth, Liverpool master mariner died 5 December 1917 at sea. Probate Liverpool 29 January (1918) to Benjamin Rosser retired mariner. Effects £466 4s 2d.

Hopefully if anybody is able to check Findmypast you might get the year of birth.

Mary
Thanks for that - Pauline has passed me the same details, plus a bit more which I will post when complete. A sad little story, like so many.
D

Have you any idea where he was born?

Found this website with his name on a memorial

http://www.isle-of-wight-memorials.org. ... morial.htm

Cheers
Erika

Thanks all round. Thanks to Pauline I now know Wm Geddes was born in Scotland; that is his name on the Tower Hill Memorial (to Merchant Seamen) in London; the ship's engineer Burge also lost, was a near neighbour of Geddes and came from the Isle of Wight. Geddes married a neighbour's daughter whose brothers were lost together at sea, also in 1917.
It seems to get worse, the more we unfold it.
D

Been trying to find him on the censuses, what was his wife's name, should give us a clue to year of birth?

I can check scotlands people if you can give me more info.

Cheers
Erika

Have found a William Geddes in the 1881 census

Master of the "Herald" (Yorkshire) age 24, born abt 1857 in Port Gordon Scotland, married.

Could this be him?

Cheers Erika

Possibly him again in 1901

Gravesend Kent
Master Mariner b. 1857 44
Wife Catherine 40
Son John 20 Seaman
Dau Helen 18
Dau Catherine 18
Dau Jessie 12
Dau Anabella 6
Son Alexander 3
Son William D 1

Cheers
Erika

Thanks again for all input. Assessing that and other info I do not think the Geddes born c1857 is the one I am interested in, but more likely he was born in 'Glasgow, Lanark' in c1881.
Daggers

Hi Daggers....do you need birth info by any chance?

Every little helps, so they say! Yes please.
D

There is a William Bruce Geddes born in Glasgow in 1881 in the Govan & Govan Church district. Unfortunately I have only 3 credits left!

Cheers
Erika

There is a William Geddes in the 1901 census based at Garston Dock, on the Brest Rock. He is 2nd officer. Born c1882.

Cheers
Erika

I've got more left....give me 5 mins but you'll have to pm me with your e-mail Daggers - shan't put it on general release!
Pauline.

Hi Daggers
Our cuz Gerry reads all the posts here.
She emailed to say she remembered a Bruce Geddes who lived in Hunts Cross Ave Woolton, his Dad was Bill who kept pigs in Out Lane near the Elephant Pub, this was when food was still rationed.
Her gran was one of their neighbours, they all kept their slops for the pigs in buckets ready for Bill to collect. She thinks they probably got a slice of bacon or two for their trouble.
With a first name of Bruce, you would think he may be related.
Cheers me dears
Tina

Tina
Could be a relation, I suppose. Those ration days... We had some hens which sometimes laid eggs for us, but otherwise lived in luxury from the bit-bucket and some sort of meal and grit we bought at a shop in Garston [gone now like most of them].
D

MaryA wrote:Don't forget this is only the index, not the complete Will, but it gives you the gist.

Is it possible to obtain complete wills? I found two on Ancestry and if they are just summaries I'd cerrtainly like to see them in full.

steve

If you go to the section of our forum called Websites and then scroll down you will see Wills on the left hand side. If you look there it will tell you how to obtain a copy of a will.

Hilary
Ed Officer