Help Requested – Researching the Reid Family Behind a Worldwide Postcard Archive (c.1904–1921)

[caffa]

caffa, I have sent you a direct message as my posts are not appearing here​

Thank you , ive responded.

 

[caffa]

thanks to Gibbo...

Off Tall Ships on facebook
The iron ship Aigburth, 1838 tons. 1882 R. Williamson & Sons, Workington. Owners: Sailing Ship Aigburth Ltd (RW Leyland) reg. Liverpool. Aigburth is the name of a suburb of Liverpool, England.

1882 October Launched at the shipyard of R. Williamson & Son, Workington, for Sailing Ship Aigburth Co. Ltd. (R.W. Leyland & Co.), Liverpool. Assigned the official British Reg. No. 86222 and signal WMKR.

1901 November Stranded on the South Arklow Bank in the Irish sea while under command of Captain John Henry Reid late of the same owner's ship Otterspool. Captain Reid was afterwards suspended three months for the stranding.

1904 August 2 Wrecked on a previously unchartered coral reef off Rook Island, New Guinea, on voyage from Newcastle, NSW, to Sourabaya, Java, under command of Captain John Reid. The crew left the ship in four boats and were all able to reach safety except for on of the boats with the second mate and seven men.

The crew of Aigburth abandoned the ship in four boats, three of which were quickly picked up. The fourth boat also survived. Commanded by second mate G. Patterson, and with seven others aboard, landed on Rook Island (presently Umboi Island) and the crew made contact with some natives, who took them to a Chinese trader on another island, and then eventually to Friedrich Wilhelm Haven (presently Madang). They were taken to the steamer Prinz Sigismund, arriving Brisbane on the 20th October. The Inquiry into the wreck had already been held in Sydney, the loss being ascribed to the negligence of the master, who had not taken adequate notice of the strong current in the area where the vessel was wrecked.

John had his certificate suspended for 3 months back in 23 Jan 1902 – cert no: 035823 but was granted a chief mate’s cert for period of suspention
https://plimsoll.southampton.gov.uk/SOTON_Documents/Plimsoll/18125.pdf

John H Reid Master age 42 of Douglas – ships in Australian waters – 23 June 1902
https://www.marinersandships.com.au/1902/06/135aig.htm
UK & Ireland Master & Mates Certificates 1850-1927 – cert no: 035823 – Certificate of Competency
as Master of a Foreign going ship

To John Henry Reid whereas it has been reported to us that you have been found duly qualified to fulfil the duties of Master of a Foreign Ship in the Merchant Service, we do hereby in pursuance of the Merchant Shipping Act 1894 grant you this Certificate of Compentency – 5 day of February 1901 – issued at Liverpool

his age shows as 43 and b Douglas Isle of Wright

woo hoo – UK National Probate

REID John Henry of Lenthall street Walton Liverpool, master mariner died 10 May 1907 Antwerp Belgium Probate Liverpool to John Francis Morgan, shipwright – effects 1080pounds 9s 1d

Reg of dec seaman 1907
REID John Henry 50 – Master – British, Douglas I of Man, 5 Lenthall street Walton Liverpool, of Syncope following failure of action of heart from ancurism – 10 May 1907 at Stuyven Hospital Antwerp – ship Toxteth
needs verifying – tree
John Henry baptised 18 June 1857 St Barnabas Douglas Isle of Man – John & Ellen Reid – FHL 106187

1861 - RG9; Piece: 4416; Folio: 126; Page: 10; GSU roll: 850886

1871 - RG10; Piece: 5776; Folio: 67; Page: 14; GSU roll: 895845

Marriage the Runcorn Guardian 11 April 1894 page 4
HUGHES – REID – April 2 at Norwood Congregational Chapel Liverpool, John H Reid of Douglas to Emma Hughes of Liverpool

1901 census has JH 43 with Emma 39, son John 1 with his Mum Ellen Reid 69 and niece Margaret Crosbie age 18 in West Derby sub Fazakerley
RG13; Piece: 3450; Folio: 12; Page: 15

son John which I think is your son Jack – Birth
John Henry Reid b 9 Dec 1899 ship Otterspool – John Henry Reid Master of ship Otterspool & Emma Reid nee Hughes – last abode of father = ship b Isle of Man and mother = ship b Liverpool

he married 12 Nov 1925 St Mary’s Bootle to Jean Ridley & he died Nov 1993 Liverpool age 93 - she died 1990 Liverpool age 92

This is amazing, thank you so so much for your input. This has opened up so much info and is helping put it all together and bringing it all to life.
I can not thank you enough for your help,

 

[caffa]

John Henry Reid. 1857 - Emma Hughs. 1860.

They appear to have quite a few relatives still living in the Liverpool area.

Some are very local to ,e so i believe from a message i have received

 

[caffa]

Research Update – The Reid postcard story is really starting to come together.

Firstly, I'd like to say a huge thank you to everyone who has taken the time to search newspapers, census returns, shipping records and family history records. Every one of your contributions has added another piece to the puzzle, and over the last few days we've made more progress than I ever imagined.

When I first bought this collection 12 years ago they were simply postcards from different parts of the world. Thanks to everyone's help on here, they're now becoming the documented story of Captain John Henry Reid, his wife Emma, their son Jack, and the wider Hughes and Crosbie families.

Here's where the evidence now takes us.

• 1902 – We now have the official Board of Trade Inquiry into the grounding of the sailing ship Aigburth, confirming Captain John Henry Reid, Master's Certificate No. 035823, received a three-month suspension.
• 2 August 1904 – The Aigburth is wrecked on a reef off Rook Island, New Guinea. Contemporary reports tell the remarkable story of the crew's survival and eventual rescue.
• 7 December 1906 – A contemporary newspaper places John and Emma Reid in Tenterfield, New South Wales, where around 250 townspeople gathered to welcome them home after both had recovered from serious illness.
• The Australian postcards now fit beautifully into that period. We have cards from Tenterfield, Newcastle, New South Wales, and Woolwich, New South Wales, allowing us to follow the family's movements before they left Australian waters.
• Christmas Day 1906 – One of our postcards was posted from Woolwich, New South Wales, sending Christmas greetings all the way back to 5 Lenthall Street, Liverpool.
• 18 January 1907 – Postcards 4 and 5 place the family in Iquique, Chile, with messages from Jack, Emma and Jenny. Seeing those names alongside the records you've all found suddenly gives the postcards a completely different meaning.
• The collection then continues through the great merchant shipping routes of the Edwardian world, taking us through Port Said, the Suez Canal, the Far East, Japan, and eventually back towards Britain.
• 17 April 1907 – Postcard 49, posted from Liverpool, contains the message, "There was a mistake in the name of the ship. No news yet of the Toxteth." Knowing the story we've uncovered together, it's a message that really makes you stop and think.
• 10 May 1907 – One of the biggest breakthroughs has come from the research carried out by members of this forum. Together we've tracked down the original National Archives BT334 Deaths at Sea Register, which records that Captain John Henry Reid, born in Douglas, Isle of Man, died at Stuyvenberg Hospital, Antwerp, whilst serving as Master of the Toxteth. Being able to put that official document alongside the postcards, newspapers and shipping records is a real milestone for the project, and it's entirely thanks to the time and effort people here have freely given and i sincerly thank you all for this. Its quite a task compiling these postcards and this new information helping me piece it all together has put new wind into my sails so to speak

The family itself is becoming much clearer too. Thanks to the genealogy research, we're now identifying Emma Reid (née Hughes), the Hughes family, Joseph and Annie Crosbie, Margaret Emma Crosbie, and understanding why those names begin appearing throughout the later postcards. They are no longer just names written on old cards – they're real people whose lives we can now begin to reconstruct.

What amazes me most is how everything is beginning to support everything else. The postcards, newspapers, census returns, Board of Trade records, probate entries, shipping records and family history research are no longer separate pieces of information.
Together they're telling the story of one Edwardian merchant mariner and his family as they travelled across Australia, crossed the Pacific to Chile, passed through the great sea routes of Suez and the Far East, and eventually returned towards home.

There is still plenty of work to do, and I'm sure there are more records waiting to be found.
If anyone would like to continue helping us, whether by finding birth, baptism, marriage, census, probate, shipping, crew agreement, Board of Trade, hospital or newspaper records, or simply by sharing ideas and observations, I’d be incredibly grateful. If anyone wishes to help and gather documentations happy to cover costs that is for a private conversion if the forum rules allow that here ?
Every record that's been found so far has helped bring another part of this family's story back into the light.


What started as a box of old postcards has become something far bigger than I ever expected. It's become a genuine collaborative piece of historical detective work, and every one of you has played a part in bringing these people back to life. Thank you all, and let's see where the next discovery takes us.

 

[caffa]

I’m trying to upload a few pics of relevant cards mentioned especially card 49. However it’s saying pic's/ file too large ? It’s just a pic taken from my phone . Not sure as why or how to get around this ?

 

[caffa]

 

[caffa]

Card 49 : April 07 - Ship toxteth is mentioned

Transcription
W.R. sent to Kirkdale.
Sorry to say there was a mistake in the name of the ship.
No news yet of the “Toxteth”.
I was disappointed.
Am going to see Edith this afternoon.
She is in bed with a bad throat.
Hope you are all right.
Love from Jack & E.R.

 

[Bootzy]

just throwing these on the pile... might be something or not.. PHILIPS/Phillips
can't seem to find a "Beechdale" at Devonshire Place....

1901 –
18 Devonshire Place Cheshire has a Edward F Rogers m age 38 a shipbroker’s manager b London
20 Devonshire Place Chesire has Wyndham C A Milligan widower age 68 retired ship owner b Scotland

Thomas W Philips b 1843 Pembroke Wales – shipwright in 1871 with wife Annie – Derby st Tranmere Cheshire
1891 he’s age 49 a shipwright & at 22 Beaconsfield rd Tranmere Cheshire with his family
RG12; Piece: 2888; Folio: 105; Page: 36; GSU roll: 6097998

1901 – still there - RG13; Piece: 3396; Folio: 65; Page: 22

1921 – 59 Downham rd – retired ship carpenter...- RG 15/17192, ED 10, Sch 316; Book: 17192
he died 1922 age 80
he married Annie Webb 21 Feb 1871 St Michael’s Pembroke Wales – marriage cert on Anc..

another....I'm liking this one....
1901 has a John C Phillips m age 50 b Shropshire a Registrar Mersey Docks & Harbor Board with wife Alice M H 44 – a son Walter H Phillips 17 apprentice ship broker b Oxton at 2 Park Grove Birkenhead Cheshire

Alice Mary Hedley Edlin married age 23 on 26 Oct 1880 Llangamarch Breconshire Wales to John Charles Frail Price Phillips age 29 – her father Henry Robert Edlin U S Navy? - his William Phillips

Liverpool Daily Post 26 April 1927 page 1
PHILLIPS – April 21 at 30 Waring avenue Birkenhead aged 76, John Charles Phillips (God grant him peace) Laid to rest at West Kirby Churchyard on Monday

Alice Mary Hedley Phillips of 28 Boulton Avenue West Kirby buried 2 Aug 1943 age 86 at West Kirby Cheshire

 

[Bootzy]

son Walter HenryPhillips rec his Cert of Compentency as 2nd mate age 27 on 9 Aug 1913 Liverpool

he married age 30 on 12 April St Andrew Williesden Brent to Kathleen Lucy Hughes age 26
they went to NZ and dept NZ arriving in Montreal Quebec 24 Oct 1919 – Walter Henry age 32 farming of Birkenhead – father John at 30 Waring Ave B’Head from NZ Auckland & Kathleen wife 29 – mother at 51 Wilmington Ave Chiswick

he died 5 Dec 1950 of 19 Kawau Rd One Tree Hill age 63 a farmer – Cremated 7/12/1950 Waikumete Cemetery & Holmes picked ashes up 21/5/1951

Kathleen Lucy Phillips died 11 Oct 1974 age 85 at Rest – Maunu Cemetery Whangarei

 

[Bootzy]

a daughter Frances
Frances Mary Phillips (b 1888) married 29 Sept 1936 St Andrew West Kirby to Mark Edward Weston a widow age 42 a Chief Steward on ??

he was seaman RN b 12 Sept 1894 Birkenhead 1st service 18 Jan 1915 on Vivid 1- last service 8 June 1919 on Imperieuse – service no: M11268

29 May 1941 - he was Chief Steward dept Barry Wale to NY USA arrived 15 June 1941 on “Tyndareus”

 

[Bootzy]

another one of John & Alice's daughters..b 1894
Aimee Henrietta Phillips b 1894 married age 23 spinster 3 Sept 1917 St Paul’s Tranmere to Horace Arthur Richard Daman age 22 bachelor who was employed 17 Feb 1919 Liverpool as 2nd Mate on “Kerry” - then cert for 1st Mate for Foreign Going Steamships on 13 Feb 1919 – cert 0012461

1939 has Horace b 8 May 1895 married at 9 & 10 Melford Suffolk – Master Mariner SS Lyons, 1920 Signwriter & Painter to West Suffolk at present County Council

he died 24 Nov 1969 – probate effects 3376 pounds

Eastern Daily Press Nov 28 1969 page 10
DAMAN – November 24 suddenly at 8 Potters Bar Dereham, Horace Arthur Richard husband of the late Aimee Daman age 74 years. (Service Dereham Cemetery Friday 28 Nov at 2.30 pm No flowers by request

Aimee died Oct Q 1967 East Dereham age 73

 

[Bootzy]

not finished yet....another daughter
Florence Marjorie Phillips b 1896 - married Jan Qtr 1920 West Derby Lancs to Robert V Gracey & then she hops on a steampacket "Deseado" 24 April 1920 for Buenos Airies

Evening Express March 13 1920 page 3
GRACEY – PHILLIPS – March 12 at Christ Church Waterloo by Rev Canon T K Dickson MA., Captain Robert Victor Gracey Royal Irish Rifles, youngest son of Mr and Mrs James Gracey of Helen’s Bay Co Down to Florence Majorie, daughter of Mr and Mrs John C Phillips of High Tranmere Birkenhead
Robt Victor Gracey 37 c/o Brit Bank of SA 4 Moorgate st London 1st class to Monte Video with wife Florence 28, Daphne Pearl 4, Marjorie Joy 1 on “El Uruguayo” - dept 21 March 1925

UK incoming 3 Oct 1928 Florence Marjorie Gracey age 32 returns from Santos Rio De Janeiro Montevideo, Lisbon, Vigo to Southampton on “Alcantara” with 2 children Daphne Pearl age 7 and Marjorie Joy age 5 – 25 Boulton Ave W Kirby Cheshire

Daily Telegraph 27 Match 1990 page 20
GRACEY – Peacefully at Chilton House Nursing Home Bucks. Florence Marjorie (Phillips) in her 94th year, late of Belfast and Bagor. Beloved wife of the late Captain R V Gracey and loved mother of Daphne Joy, John & Jim and much loved grandmother and great grandmother

 

[Bootzy]

Another daughter Dorothy Constance Edlin Phillips b 1899 married age 28 St Paul’s Tranmere 16 June 1927 to Reginald James Newton Burnett
1939 has him as Freight Clerk in shipping Office – 76 Princes Boulevard Bebington Cheshire

a son Victor McLeod Phillips b 1901 arrived NY 23 May 1947 – 25 yrs in service – Cabin Purser “Queen Elizabeth”

he married age 28 on 7 Sept 1929 St Margaret’s Liverpool to Kathleen Joyce Skepper – he died June 1963 & she died Oct 1997 Southampton age 92

 

[Bootzy]

Another son Robert Gilbert Phillips b 1904 is a Able seaman on “Persian Prince” arriving NY 5 Feb 1928 age 24
he married at age 27 (sea faring) on 23 April 1931 St Andrew’s West Kirby to Doris Bessie Rose age 28 a nurse

Ronald died age 78 July qtr Wrexhan Clwd
Doris Bessie Phillips cremated 2 Nov 1979 died 24 Oct 1979 Greenwich

Doris Bessie Rose age 27 a nurse returning to the Havan Boulton Ave West Kirby from Brazil on “Amanzora” 10 June 1930

 

[caffa]

From what we’ve recovered and discussed so far, I do not have a confirmed death record for Emma Reid (née Hughes).


What we do have is:

• Emma Hughes married John Henry Reid on 2 April 1894.
• She was in Australia with John in 1906 (Tenterfield newspaper).
• She was widowed on 10 May 1907 when John died in Antwerp.
• She appears throughout the later postcard correspondence with Jack and the Hughes/Crosbie family.

we had forum research suggesting a possible death for Ellen Reid (John’s mother), but not Emma.


So Emma Reid’s death should remain on the outstanding research list until we find documentary evidence. Given her age and the family links we’ve established, she’s now one of the key people to trace after 1907.

 

[caffa]

just throwing these on the pile... might be something or not.. PHILIPS/Phillips
can't seem to find a "Beechdale" at Devonshire Place....

1901 –
18 Devonshire Place Cheshire has a Edward F Rogers m age 38 a shipbroker’s manager b London
20 Devonshire Place Chesire has Wyndham C A Milligan widower age 68 retired ship owner b Scotland

Thomas W Philips b 1843 Pembroke Wales – shipwright in 1871 with wife Annie – Derby st Tranmere Cheshire
1891 he’s age 49 a shipwright & at 22 Beaconsfield rd Tranmere Cheshire with his family
RG12; Piece: 2888; Folio: 105; Page: 36; GSU roll: 6097998

1901 – still there - RG13; Piece: 3396; Folio: 65; Page: 22

1921 – 59 Downham rd – retired ship carpenter...- RG 15/17192, ED 10, Sch 316; Book: 17192
he died 1922 age 80
he married Annie Webb 21 Feb 1871 St Michael’s Pembroke Wales – marriage cert on Anc..

another....I'm liking this one....
1901 has a John C Phillips m age 50 b Shropshire a Registrar Mersey Docks & Harbor Board with wife Alice M H 44 – a son Walter H Phillips 17 apprentice ship broker b Oxton at 2 Park Grove Birkenhead Cheshire

Alice Mary Hedley Edlin married age 23 on 26 Oct 1880 Llangamarch Breconshire Wales to John Charles Frail Price Phillips age 29 – her father Henry Robert Edlin U S Navy? - his William Phillips

Liverpool Daily Post 26 April 1927 page 1
PHILLIPS – April 21 at 30 Waring avenue Birkenhead aged 76, John Charles Phillips (God grant him peace) Laid to rest at West Kirby Churchyard on Monday

Alice Mary Hedley Phillips of 28 Boulton Avenue West Kirby buried 2 Aug 1943 age 86 at West Kirby Cheshire

Thank you Bootzy , all this information is brilliant.
Did you base it all from the address from postcard 49 ?

 

[Bootzy]

Hi Caffa - great to be back on site..

Found wife Emma. - Liverpool Echo Wed 9 June 1909 page 8
REID – June 8 at her residence Swinton House Onchan age 47 yrs, Emma widow of the late Captain John Henry Reid

FAG – for Emma
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/286416257/emma-reid

son John/Jack – where did he go as he would be 9 yrs old when his Mum died...
Son John/Jack in 1921 at 283 Walton Breck rd Anfield Liverpool cousin’s home of William Griffith Hughes 54 m a Elementery school master and wife Mary Hughes 52 – has John Henry Reid 21.6 yrs b at sea - cousin – ship’s officer of Elder Denpart & co – out of work

Cert of 2nd Mate of Foreign going Ships issued 17 Jan 1921 Liverpool – no: 043888

interesting article from son John in Liverpool Echo Nov 3 1972 page 16 - the page is dedicated for family members to post about their fathers at sea.. - John wrote

Sir – I was interested to read your supplement of “Ships of the Mersey”, realising that you could not include all, may I mention the ship “Liverpool” - a four mastered full rigged ship – in which my father sailed. This went ashore of Alderney.
Subsequently, my father was in command of the “Aigburgh”, “Otterspool” and “Toxteth” all full rigged ships (R W Leyland and Co., Liverpool). I have oil paintings of the latter two.

I served my apprenticeship with R Thomas and Co Liverpool – square rig and retired from the sea this year (1972). I should mention that I was born aboard the “Otterspool” when she was off San Francisco in 1899. If anyone remembering these ships cares to contact me I should be very pleased – John Henry Reid, 30 Cambridge road Great Crosby

Trees have John/Jack Reid’s death 11 Nov 1993

Liverpool Echo – 16 Nov 1993 page 37
REID – John (Skipper) November 11 1993 (Haul in the sheets, drop anchor, you’ve reached the final port. Be missed by all) Grandson and family – Brandon, Jane, Jake and Toni

his wife Janet
Liverpool Echo 16 Oct 1990 page 26

REID – Janet Anne – Oct 13 1990 peacefully in hospital, the dearly beloved wife of John, much loved mother of Vivienne, dear grandmother of Tam, Sharron, Brandon and Leona and loving sister of Jess. Service and cremation at Thornton Crematorium on Thursday Oct 18 at 11.30am – Family flowers only please

he married Jeannette A Ridley Oct qtr West Derby 1925 – 8b page 534 –

Liverpool Daily Post 14 Nov 1925 page 1
REID-RIDLEY – November 12 at St Mary’s Bootle, John Reid of Anfield to Jean Ridley of Bootle

Jeannette/Jean is now Janet A Reid b 19 Feb 1898 married with child blanked out which would be daughter Vivienne ...at her parents place 97 Bank road Bootle Lancs in 1939 – Henry B Ridley age 70 a ships rigger & wife Elizabeth age 73 – looking at the page and all in Bank road have occupations to do with docks/ships etc

parents – Henry Brandon Ridley 22 bachelor a mariner of 18 ?? - Walter B Ridley mariner to Elizabeth Jane Leask 19 spinster of 13 ?? - James Leask mariner – Holy Trinity Church Toxteth Park Lanc 29 Dec 1892

dad Henry B Ridley was cremated 26 Feb 1954 age 83 Liverpool & mum Elizabeth 23 July 1958 age 85
they had daughter Vivienne Elizabeth Leask Reid 31 July 1931 Liverpool
who married July 1954 to Thomas Henry Becker (1923-2014) - who had children Tam, Shannon, Brandon and Leona…

Vivienne E Becker at Flat 2 Crosby Lodge, 46 Merrilocks rd Crosby L23 6UW Liverpool in 2014

tree has Thomas died 5 Aug 2014 Waterloo Merseyside & Vivienne 29 July 2015 Crosby Liverpool
good strong pos that her children are still around:

Tamara E R Becker b June qtr 1956 Ormskirk
Sharon L Becker b Dec 1957 Crosby
Thomas B March qtr 1959 Crosby
Leona Margaret Reid Becker Dec 1967

cousin’s marriage – St Anne Lancashire – 15 July 1897

William Griffith Hughes 30 bachelor school master of 36 Gordon Terrace Aigburgh – Griffith Hughes a joiner to Mary Hughes 28 spinster of 76 Alwyn street Aigburgh – James Hughes commission agent – witness: Charles Miller Hughes, Sarah Hughes & Richard Hughes

Griffith Hughes married Oct qtr 1874 Pwlheli Caenarvonshire to Catherine Ellis – he died 25 Jan 1914 Wales probate to wife Catherine

William age 14 with family 1881 - RG11; Piece: 3718; Folio: 133; Page: 27; GSU roll: 1341890

********

I found a current family tree and spoke to the grandson Tamara E R Becker today who is so happy about all of this as they didn't really have much on the Reid side of the family.. Danny asked if you could contact him as he has the 2 paintings of the ships and would love to scan the postcards for him and the family = will send you his email address via pm
regards Val

 

[Bootzy]

missing ship Toxteth
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/229098732

 

[dan without doubt]

hi everyone, can confirm these are my great and great,great grandparents, this is quite a find as i was pretty close to my great grandparents and heard many tales as a kid

 

[Bootzy]

Off FMP – death for Emma Reid – Country Isle of Man age 47 – 1909 Douglas vol A page 1467 – source Isle of Man Death 1877-2011

for information on birth/death/marriages for the Isle of Man – and for any information on Emma’s in 1909 - looks like you have to contact the Isle of Man registry..

The Civil Registry is responsible for registering life events such as births, deaths, marriages and civil partnerships which take place on the Isle of Man.

For details on registering a birth or death please visit the Civil Registry homepage.

To order certified copies of certificates please visit the Order copy certificates page.

For all other queries regarding births, deaths and marriage please visit the Civil Registry homepage.

https://www.gov.im/categories/births-deaths-and-marriages/