seafaring

[hg]

Hi, Was hoping to get some tips on possibly locating a ship from the merchant services. It is the SS City of Halifax. I have looked on my search engine, all I can find is this... https://sailstrait.wordpress.com/tag/s-s-halifax/. I have also looked at the links on here in seafaring.

The City of Halifax I am looking for was docked in Imperial Dock, Leith, Edinburgh in 1927. I am not sure which country it would originate from!(Possibly Burma)

Any body with any ideas, would be much appreciated.

Thanks

Helen

[trish1]

Hi Helen

There are a couple of mentions of the ship on "UK incoming passengers list. One from Buenos Aires to London arriving 11 Aug 1927 with 3 stowaways on board. Another Manilla to London Nov 9 1928.
Shipping Line given as Ellerman Line on the latter and Ellerman and Bucknall Steamship Company Ltd on the former

Trish

[hg]

Thanks for taking the time to look Trish.

[Currie]

Hello Helen,

See Kalomo, renamed City of Halifax.
http://www.clydeships.co.uk/view.php?ye ... l=KALOMO#v

Ellerman Lines – Wiki.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ellerman_Lines

The City of Halifax – ex Kalomo (Ellerman & Bucknall SS Co) departed Sydney for South African ports on 22 March, 1927. http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/artic ... -year=1927

When was the ship in Leith? There are hundreds of shipping reports for a vessel by that name in Australian newspapers in 1927.

Hope that's it,
Alan

[Currie]

The voyage appears to have been from Sydney, along the southern coast of Australia, across the Indian Ocean, around the southern coast of Africa, then north to the UK. She called at various ports on the way, including Fremantle, Mauritius, Delagoa Bay, Port Natal, etc.. The City of Halifax left Leith on 20 October, 1927.

She was in the Americas prior to Sydney. This company appears to change its name according to the route as the New York to Sydney voyage was under Bucknall Bros American and Australian Line.

Alan

[hg]

Thanks Alan. I am looking at a marriage certificate from 11th oct 1927 where the groom records his usual residence as ss city of halifax, imperial dock leith edinburgh. He is a seaman in the merchant services. I am looking into this for a family memeber so do not feel comfortable writing names.
Family stories are that he was originally from Burma (he has an Asian name). He was my Aunt's Father and she knows nothing about him before he married her mother.
I have found the details about the ship changing names and hands.
Interesting the route the voyage took. I guess this could tie in with where he originates from.
It would be lovely if I could get some information for her but I think the Burmese do not have surnames in the western sense.
Really appreciate your input.
Helen

[Currie]

That's okay Helen,

In 1927 Burma was a part of British India. Here's a good article about Indian sailors on British ships. http://www.ourmigrationstory.org.uk/oms ... ra-sailors

“Without their labour the British Merchant Fleet could not have functioned.”

All the best,
Alan