F.A.I. - My Grandad

75. 1921 April

2008-11-15T13:00:00.000Z

This is a parody on Whyte Melvilles poem. Melville was a Scottish novelist but I can't find the original poem my granddad refers to but have found this !

I doubt F.A.I. wrote this himself as nothing I have found indicates he played golf!!

A Parody on Whyte Melvilles’ most beautiful poem the Place Where the Old Horse Died

At the bottom of the bunker where the sand is soft and deep

And each ball takes a heel mark of its own

Where the stance is loose and shifting and the face in front is steep

And you seize on your niblich with a groan

There a spot I never pass through laying safe on grass

But my heart gives a flutter and a bound

And I breathe a little word by bunkers often heard

It’s the place I spoilt my medal round

There’s my driver in the corner, there’s my mashie by his side

But I have often driven and I have lofted in vain

I will never win the medal I haven’t even tried

And I shall never have so good a chance again

How the ball flew off the tee I holed my first in three

How I walked as if I hardly touched the ground

The lowest score that day and only 2 to play

III

Did I heel I hardly think so

Did I slice I cannot tell

I had done the front 16 in sixty nine

I was swinging like a windmill

I was driving strong

Two hundred yards and never off the line

But I sometimes knew that my soaring spirit knew

I was just pressing a quarter of a pound

Still I played my level best and my caddy knows the rest

The place where I spoilt my medal round

IIII

I stood for half a minute as the ball rolled down the bank

Then I hacked with my niblish where it lay

But the more I smote behind it the deeper it sank

And I knew it was in there for the day

But sometimes I think (its true) that my soaring spirits knew

And dashed it in a ????? on the ground

I had played about thirteen and wasn’t on the green

And that’s how I spoilt my medal round

There are men good and wise who hold that in a future state

Poor fellows who where bunkered here below

Will always be on the green in two and always putting straight

Is it folly that I hope it maybe so

For if your wish to try the thrash to mortify

There is not a better method to be found

Then to play some eight or ten in a sandy bunker when

You have very nearly holed your medal round

FAI April 1921

74. 1921

2008-01-26T19:12:00.001Z

There is no indication in F.A.I.'s collection of memories that tells me where he was living or what he was doing that year.
However, there are 2 pieces written in his book that he took with him to sea.
To me that tells me he was away in January and April of that year.

This one is called Ex - Service dated 8th January 1921. Again I am not sure whether it is his own words or those taken from somewhere else. Either way it shows the disheartened state that the veterans of WW1 found themselves in after they gave their all to fight for King & Country and free the world.

(Ex Service) 1921

Your hands have held the sword

That kept our country free

What now is your reward?

Who gave us victory?

Why you can draw your unemployment pay today

A land for heroes meet

For each his decent home

A heaven on earth complete

And the millenniums come

While rosy light fulfills the everlasting hills

Nay for the vision passed of which our statesmen told

And there remains at last

A cruel word and cold

Where weary of strife

You battle still for life

Your comrades of the fight

Who come again no more

Victors in death despite

Rest on an alien shore

In honour and in peace

Shall you never envy these

FAI

8^th January 1912

73. 1920

2008-01-25T22:38:00.000Z

Post WW1 F.A.I and granny set up home in Liverpool. They lived on Cornwallis Street not far from the docks. It is uncanny because my mother’s family also lived in a nearby street in the 1860’s. They were sea farers too who came across from Belfast, Ireland in the 1850s.

In the 1920’s Europe was crippled by the after effects of the War, physically, politically and economically. It was a different tale across the Atlantic were America was seemingly unscathed by the events of 1914-1918.
The 20’s saw the first public radio station, the Flapper’s, prohibition, organized crime, the Model T Ford, not to mention the rise of Charlie Chaplin and movie theatres. It was an age where anything and everything happened.

In February 1920 F.A.I was off again on the liners. This time it was on the R.M.S Orcoma.

He sailed out of Liverpool on the 28th February onward to the West Coast of South America. He returned to Liverpool on the 29th May.

The Orcoma was commissioned in May 1907, she was a luxury liner capable of carrying 1,150 passengers and the first class accommodation was built to an exceptionally high standard. She was also the fastest and largest vessel in the South American Pacific coast route at the time. In March 1915 The Orcoma served as an armed merchant cruiser fitted with 6 six-inch guns and 2 six- inch pounder guns.

She was released in 1919 and returned to the Pacific Steam navigation Company from Liverpool to Valparaiso via the Panama Canal. In 1933 the Orcoma was scrapped

It is obvious from family tales and what I have discovered researching F.A.I. as much as he loved dear granny he couldn't stay still. He had a wanderlust. His siblings had all emigrated, whilst he remained in the UK. The thing that kept him going was his trips away. Early days it was the sea that drew him away, later it was hotels around the UK.

Whether he sailed gain that year I don't know, I doubt it as the record in the National Archives only shows the Hildebrand 1919 and the Orcoma 1920. I know he did sail again in 1927 but I won't know if there are any more sailings in between until I visit Kew again later this year. I feel that he may have had two discharge books as the one I have stops in 1920 and has the 1927 sailing as the next entry.

I mentioned some time ago that my mother came up with a nugget of a find. She had assumed I knew about it!!! It was a box of hotel menus dating from 1920 and odd years up to the 50s.
It has enabled me to track F.A.I.s work path post sailings.

In November of 1920 there is a menu for the 'Yachtsmans Lodge' Banquet 3rd November at the Exchange Station Hotel, Liverpool.
He was a member of a lodge himself but I think this is a menu that he was actually contributing as a chef.

I just love the food that is on offer
~Huitres Royales au Citroen (oysters with lemon?)
~Hors d'oeurves Varies
~Petite Marmite (meat broth made & served in a small earthernware cassarole)
~Creme Portugaise (Tomato veloute soup, finished with cream and garnished with diced peppers and rice)
~Supreme de Soles Normande (the fish course?)
~Contrefilet de Boeuf Richlieu
~Pommes Rissollees
~Chouxfleur au gratin (cauliflower cheese?)
~Faison en Cocotte (pheasant in a pot)
~Savarin aux fruits (light sponge with fruit)
~Pailles au Parmesan (straws of parmesan?)

What a menu !!!!

C1918

2007-12-30T22:22:00.000Z

I have been rooting through all my papers and saved/scanned images and came across this.
It is F.A.I. and my dear granny, I am thinking it could be their wedding photograph or at very least an engagement one.

72. 1919

2007-12-28T22:10:00.000Z

Looking at F.A.I.’s service record obtained from the National Archives, it appears he was discharged from the Royal Naval Division on 26^th May 1919. Against the date is WG 154972 A.G. 9b what ever that means? So what was he up to after that? I had no idea until I visited the National Archives at Kew with my Australian cousin for a very brief root around last month
(and I mean very brief, you have never seen two people copy images so fast with one of the curators saying ‘we are closing now’ ‘just one more please’ were our cries.)

I had been scrolling through Merchant sea records under the family surname looking at ID photos to see if there were any family resemblances. Suddenly I saw a chap that was definitely my family it was F.A.I’s eldest brother Edward. Surely it couldn’t be him as he had been in Australia since at least 1911? It was him! Edward Charles born London 1880. The records showed he had sailed on the Nestor as a steward on 17^th May 1919.

The only explanation I can think of was he served over here in WW1 and was on his way back home to Australia. More research is needed on this one.

I carried on scrolling across and came across F.A.I. born 1886 (2 years out) in London.

It showed he had sailed twice on the same ship 131329 on the 11^th September and 18^th November 1919.

This is an excellent site for maritime shipping through it I found that he was back sailing on the Hildebrand, the ship he sailed on in 1911, I wonder if he went to Paraguay on these occasions too

The other event of 1919 was that his dear brother Arthur’s war medal was sent home to the address in Vincent Road in Croydon. His French Auntie Matilda was still living there until 1923 so she would have had receipt of them but where it ended up is anyones guess

71. 1918

2007-12-28T16:14:00.000Z

1918 was a great year. Not only did it finally see the end of the ‘War to end all war’s’ in the November, it was the year F.A.I. married my dear granny.

F.A.I. must have had some shore leave and they wed in January at granny’s home in Duke Street, Edinburgh. I note from a clipping kept of the Edinburgh Evening News that many of the happy couples of that time also married at residential addresses. Maybe that was the done thing then with so many people wanting to get married at short notice.

On the wedding certificate F.A.I. is noted as a Gunner Royal Navy aged 32 (he was 33), granny is noted as a laundry maid aged 27. His date of birth was often mis-described. When he joined up to serve King and Country his year of birth was noted 1885 and later when he rejoined the merchant Seaman it was 1886, but his birth certificate says 1884.

As a family researcher I was glad they were married in Scotland as the Scottish Certificates give you mother’s maiden name, on birth certificates the time of birth and other information that is sadly lacking on English Certificates. Unfortunately this time as well as having F.A.I.’s age wrong, both mothers maiden names were also wrong. Luckily I already had this information, although with his mother Caroline, it did take an awful long time to discover the truth.
The marriage was carried out by the Rev Donald of Albany Street Church, Edinburgh, (sadly now a block of offices)
I would suspect that there wasn’t any proper honeymoon, as F.A.I. would have been called to Duty straight afterwards and certainly by his birthday in early February there is a Birthday card sent to him on the H.M.S. Settsu.

The next one is dated 26th April 1918 to granny
H.M.S. Settsu No650 this address is good
C/o Flagstaff
Devonport
26 April

Dear Wife
I had your letter of the 15th waiting for me this morning I was so pleased. There was one from Ethel and some letters from Mr Taylor and boys
The rest are going to leave tonight. Lovely weather – will write you all news so be happy as you understand me will send them all cards soon also May & Bella. Now dear take care of yourself till my next leave. All my love your F xxxxx

On the 1st May he received a postcard from a friend called Bill from Melrose. Melrose is where my dear granny was born.

Dear F
You will be thinking I am a fine one not letting you know I got your PC alright & was very please with them so & hope you will get this one also & I hope it won’t be long an you are back here again & was to tell you the chap was asking for you from your friend Bill

The other postcard I have of that year is one to his new bride. I wonder how often and how proud he was to address the person as Mrs F.A.I.
This was for granny's Birthday

To my Darling Wife Violet

with many happy returns of the day

And I hope your future days will never

be sad ones and may your path be one

Path of Roses from your ever loving husband F

11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month

2007-11-09T22:00:00.000Z

Again it is along time since I posted but Sunday 11th November is upon us. The time to remember the brave lads & lasses that gave their lives so we can live in the freedom we do today.
The losses of life in WW1 were sadly unnecessary in most respects but it was a different time a different place where values were different too.
To fight for your Country was what you did, you were called and you went.
F.A.I. did his bit at sea, his brother joined the Army and fought in France/Belgium. F.A.I. survived.
If he hadn't then I wouldn't be here.
Not the same story for his brother Arthur St. John. he was killed in January 1916.
I have been unable to find what battle he fell. He could have been injured for a while before he died, he was 24 years of age.

My other Grandfather also lost a brother too. John Edward.
He was married, he was shot in the jaw and died 10 days later. The day before he died his wife gave birth to their daughter Alice. He would have known he was to be a father but never saw his child.
So to all the brave people that have fought for our freedom whether it be almost 100 years ago or more recently in Iraq, Afghanistan and the like, I would like to say a big Thank you. You are brave and unique.

John Edward

Arthur St. John

70. 1917 Now were was I?

2007-09-29T19:45:00.000+01:00

As I have left the subject of FAI alone for so long I need to retrace and get my thoughts back into his life..... where he was up to, where he was going.
All my paperwork and research have been tidied away into a new small shiny filing cabinet & I can’t find a thing.
To assist in bring my mind back to him I have been looking at what happened in 1917.
He was away sailing and doing his bit for King and Country where ever on the H.M.S Settsu and granny was a laundry maid in Edinburgh.

The first slice of 1917 I have come across was the Silvertown Explosion on 19th January 1917. Silvertown is in West Ham, Essex. The explosion happened in a munitions factory, which was producing explosives for WW1. Approximately 50 tonnes of TNT exploded.
It killed 73 people and injured over 400. 70,000 properties were damaged and 900 were wiped out completely.
Two years into the war Britain was facing a huge shortage of munitions so the Government commandeered the surplus manufacturing capacity of the factory, that manufactured caustic soda and soda crystals, to make TNT.
Despite the factory being in an extensively residential area it was deemed at the time to not be of risk.
I imagine it wasn’t the nicest places to work if you think about the lack of safe guards in place in Victorian built factories. The Factory Acts had been introduced and the 1844 Act specified that children between the ages of 8 and 13 could not work longer than 6 ½ hours per day either in the morning or afternoon, no child being allowed to work in both on the same day, except on alternate days, and then only for ten hours. Young persons and women (now included for the first time) were to have the same hours, i.e. not more than twelve for the first five days of the week (with one and a half out for meals), and nine on Saturday.
So with most of the men fighting in the war the factory would have been predominantly staffed with women and children.

The explosion was caused by a fire in the factory (probably someone having a sly ciggie break out the back). As most of the TNT had been loaded into train wagons awaiting dispatch the debris was strewn for miles firing red hot chucks of metal from the carriages. The damage was estimated at £2.5 million pounds (huge amount those days but the price of an apartment that probably stands not so far from the site these days!!)
As FAI came from this ‘neck of the woods’ I am sure this piece of news interested him, he would have known the area and maybe even known someone who worked there.

February 13th 1917 – Mata Hari was arrested for spying. I think FAI would have definitely noticed this on he had a love of the stage girls (as we have seen with his collection of postcards) and I guess Mata didn’t slip his attention either.
Mata Hari was born Margaretha Geertruida Zelle I 1876 in Holland. In 1905 she became Mata Hari an exotic dancer. She posed as a princess from Java pretending to have been initiated into the art of sacred Indian dance since childhood. How wonderful she kidded everyone. It is a kin in my eyes to my great great grandfather being a Professor of Languages after living Brittany for 6 years. It would have been so easy to kid people then as forms of communication where not as they are now nor where the public as educated.
During WW1 Holland was neutral which meant Mata could travel freely across borders.
To avoid the theatres of war she took varied routes. She would travel to France from Holland via Spain and Britain. This of course caused suspicion. Also she was known to be the courtesan to may high ranking military officials at the time.
It is not known if at the time of arrest the tales she said were true or fiction. It was concluded, however, that the German spy H-21 was Mata Hari and she was executed by firing squad on 15th September 1917.

From this brief encounter with Mata Hari, I am intrigued to dig deeper, there are many conspiracy theories about her.

Her body was never claimed by anyone and was reportedly used for medical science. Her head was embalmed and kept in the Museum of Anatomy in Paris but mysteriously has disappeared circa 1954. The rest of her should be there too but non of her remains can be found

69. 1917

2007-08-13T22:22:00.000+01:00

This one is dated 1917. It is written on similar scrap paper as Winston's Own.
Maybe he had a bit of a 'ruck' with Gran

The Things I Might Have Said

They haunt me aye by night from morn till dewy night

They dim my ear with echoes drear they give me no reprieve

Their grim shapes rise before mine eyes alike in bath or bed they rob

My breast of all its rest those things I might have said

The smart reply, the timely lie, the plausible, the cutting jest

The sally direct in eloquent abuse –now one and all without my call

Hit madly through my brain, months and months to late for

Chance or fate to stage the scenes again why should it be

When maud twits at me that I but stand and stare and rack my mind

In vain to find the quip that is there; my brain is blank

My words are blank reply I cannot see yet where she fled

My timberhead just teems with repartee

Time moves to fast my wits out classed it cannot

Last the pace, my bat like eyes cannot decry what stares

Me now in the face. Wherefore the more I ponder o’er

The moments that have sped the more I wail without avail

The Things I Might have Said

F.A.I 1917

68. Somewhere during his time at sea C1917

2007-08-11T21:53:00.000+01:00

F.A.I.'s WW1 service record is sketchy and all I know is posted below.
Certainly I feel these next two writings were whilst he was at sea. They were written on very light, fine paper whether they are copied or are from the heart I don't know.

The first is about the Royal Naval Division and their limbo state between being sailors and land soldiers

Royal Naval Division ‘Winston Churchill’s Own’

Buffeted about from Antwerp to Gallipoli, Egypt, the Greek Islands Salonika and then to France. First under an Admiral then part of an army corps, again under an Admiral and finally back to military regime- the life of The Royal Naval Division which startled an Empire by their valor on the Ancre, has been one of the full thrills, sorrows, threats of extinction, brave deeds and perilous journeys. They are proud of their Naval origin and are also tenacious of their Naval customs, despite that all their fighting has been done ashore.

In August 1914 Mr Winston Churchill, their first Lord of the Admiralty, mobilised and organised as a diversion for Land fighting reservist seamen stokers and marine and naval volunteers, whose services were not required afloat. Also recruits drawn mainly among the miners of the North of England and Scotland.

To the Navy, who needed them sometimes for the fleet, they were just ‘Dry Land Sailors’. To the Army, they were just a bunch of ‘so called Salts’ or ‘Winston’s Own’. But their instructors soon recognized that in these growing middle age stokers and their stolid miners and ironworkers etc from the North Country, they had the raw material of soldiers as fine as Great Britain can breed. In many respects the Division as had the worst of both worlds. They have beaten their way to the foe without much recognition in print but since Beaucourt fell, both military and Naval men have been eager to grasp them hard.

Now and again a brief mention fell to them lot while they were in Gallipoli, where the military were attracted to them a bit, by the idea calling their Battalions after famous Admirals such as Nelson, Drake, Hood, Benbow and Hawke etc.

Sir Ian Hamilton made mention of the fearlessness of the Division in his dispatches in June 1915. The Collingwood Battalion was wiped out, of the Officers of the Battalions and out of the Hood who went to the attacks not one returned unwounded. The other Battalions also suffered terribly having been equally contemptful of danger. Prior to that they had of course been to Antwerp. Even if that they did not have an alliance to do much, the Division any rate caused the Belgians to hold out for 5 days longer than they might otherwise had done, reverting to the Division again it should been said that of every officer of these Jolly Jack Tars.

Soldiers have panegyrics galore to cast in the direction of General Archibald Paris HCB, who was in Command of the Divisions at Antwerp and the Dardanelles. He lost a leg before the Ancre fighting and was disappointed of not being with them for their great success in France.

He was succeeded by Major General Cameron Shute CB.

What the Division has recently accomplished and the way it has terrorized the enemy like Kiplings ‘Tyneside Tail Twisters’ is a happy thought to General Shute, in one Battalion it is estimated that 90 per cent of the casualties in the Ancre fighting were caused by the closeness with which the Dry Land Sailors clung to the barrage fire. Their grit caused the enemy to pale. They are pleased and proud of their sea terms and would not give them up for anything – not even if the Soldiers of the King do not fathom their meaning. It is a case of going to the galley while the Red Coat, that was, persists in the kitchen. The first field station or otherwise dressing station is nothing but Licte (??)Bay to the R.N.D. man. They go adrift when they are missing from parade and they ask to ‘go ashore’ when they want to leave. It has to be borne in mind that Lieutenant Commander A.M. Asquith, son of the former British Premier, was one of the men attached to the Hood Battalion, who has been through the thick of many fights and has been wounded more than once, escaping death through sheer good fortune.

F.A. I.

Late of R.N.D.

67. Interlude

2007-07-15T22:33:00.000+01:00

Whilst I think where I am heading with F.A.I. I think it is time for some 'A Millions Book of Laughter' for a slight interlude

A comical story comes form Berlin. 2 ladies went to the Royal ball at the Opera House in a furniture van, no ordinary carriage could contain the immense dresses they wore

Jack: 'Auntie, does the rain come through the roof of your house much?'
Aunt: 'No, child why?'
Jack: 'Because pa says there is a tile loose in your upper storey !'

DANGER OF FRIGHTENING CHILDREN ~ It is a matter of course that no mother will allow any ignorant person to have access to her child who will frighten it with goblin stories or threats of the old black man. She might as well throw up her charge at once, and leave off thinking of household education altogether as permit her child to be exposed to suchmaddening inhumanity as this. The instances are not few of idiocy or death from terror so caused

The love that never speaks until it does on a gravestone doesn't mean much (very true)

The greatest pleasure of life is love, the greatest treasure is contentment, the greatest luxury is health, the greatest comfort is sleep and the best medicine is true friendship

Train leavingstation: traveller from cariage window to railway porter~ 'Is it raining porter?' Porter: ~ No it is raining water !! (oh my sides are splitting)

66.1916 - 1918 F.A.I. & Vi

2007-07-08T20:49:00.000+01:00

All the time granddad was away at War I am sure his thoughts and heart were fixed on the girl he had met in Edinburgh, dear Violet.

The correspondence that has survived is in the form of postcards, unfortunately some are undated but clearly they were sent during WW1. Maybe there was more indication of his movements in the letters that were carefully wrapped and retained but were not kept after Granny’s death.

On the 28th February 1916 F.A.I.s service record states he was transferred to sea service. What or where this was exactly I am uncertain. But in 1916 it would seem from the addresses on the postcards he was on patrol of the coast of Britain between Scotland and Falmouth. Most certainly he was not serving in Japanese waters on a Japanese ship (well not that I can tell).
The first 2 postcards are numbered 1 & 3 (where 2 is and whether there was a 4th, 5th and so on I we will never know)

It is dated March 15 – HMS Settsu, A.M.O. Inverness, Scotland, NB. (I am guessing this is 1916?)

1. Dear Violet
Just a P.C. as I have just got some off a chum of mine on board here. Hope you got my letter of last week alright. I may tell you we have had a rough passage while on Patrol duty but I am alright am quite happy and am looking forward for the leave in a few moths time, I should think so. Write me soon as I have plenty of time to read (while I am on watch) …. Glad to see that he was watching for our interests with such dedication lol

3. And tell her I am writing to her soon. I must tell you we had a good time coming up from Portsmouth but was glad to get the boat from Inverness to Stornaway which is the Headquarters of the R.N. I came up with a big a Party from the Crystal but we have all got shifted on different when we got to Stornaway. All letters are got to be read by the chief but I have ???? all mine up to this Pesant ???? so you will know in future if I don’t say too much you know the reason why I cannot

29th April 1916
HMS
Oban July
D.V.
Just called here for an hour on our way to Stornaway where all the Cace is I don’t think so . Give my regards to Isabel & all. Its raining here. In Haste you F xxx

7th September 1916
HMS Settsu 7213 Naval Base Stornaway

Dear Violet
Just a card to remember you of the few hours we all had that Sunday. I am still in the pink. Trusting you are also all at No 10. Write soon. I have been very busy with the pen. So excuse in haste your F (your letter just to hand will write later of 1 Sept)

I wonder what he is referring to ‘I am still in the pink’?? Whether the card itself is a clue and they had a good old drinking session together and who knows what else?? Each hour/minute must have been precious
Also he refers to being busy with the pen … maybe it means writing to everyone or maybe he did write some more poems/thoughts that I do not have.

Although I did think this from his book was from his service time ‘When we’ve wound up the watch on the Rhine’
Die Wacht am Rhein -- "The Watch on the Rhine" was a German patriotic song popular during the Franco-Prussian war 1870s. It became so hated by the allies in WW1 that this version was written and obviously it must have amused F.A.I.

This one is dated 5th January … which year is anyones guess but it is pre 1918

Settsu, Falmouth

Why no letter we are going away Monday or Tuesday to Dock not just sure which one, (may get leave then) hope you are well, have not heard from you since Dec 18th (then a section scribbled out )
Yours with love F X regards to all
(just got your letter of Jan 4th no others, may be waiting at Penzance)

They must have written a lot to each other with such regularity that a lapse in contact really unsettled him. I suppose it was the same for all the lads/lasses away from home and their loved ones.

Again no year but pre 1918
Sep 14 Glass Island

Dear Violet
Just another to your collection have just received Isabels letter, will write later on, hoping you are quite well, give my best to Hetty & May. I it is getting cold up here so we will be wearing our coats soon. I am expecting my weekly letter from you, am writing to Maud, will send you a letter in a day or so, be good.
Yours with lots of wishes F

Search as I have, I have no idea where Glass Island was/is. There is one in Venice which is feasible but doubtful (the front of the postcard is the same as the one above... must have been a job lot on board!!)

To FAI

with all the very Best Wishes for a Merry Xmas and a Prosperous New Year ...Tom & Ada (whoever they are ?)

65. 1916 (or there abouts) & the family

2007-07-06T22:11:00.000+01:00

Edward and Mabel were still in Australia and they remained there with their families for the rest of their days. From what I know Edward had a son and Mabel a son and daughter.

There are a few postcards knocking around between F.A.I.s sisters Ethel, Florrie and Ivy in and around 1916 (thank you PM, the great grand daughter of Ethel) but strangely enough nothing from Mabel or Edward

There is one that must pre date 1916 though that I had missed previously…. It is from Arthur to his sister Ethel (looking at it closely it appears to be 1912 when Ethel was at the Angel)

Dear E,
We will be pretty busy this weekend down here. I hope you enjoyed your Xmas. Thanks awfully for the card and tie pin, which was very nice of you indeed. What awful weather we are having down here. Ta Ta with

Love from Arthur

There are also couple pre the awful loss of Siddy in Feb 1916

From Maud
Dear little Dorrie
How are you getting on in school. I hope you are a good girl and kind to your little brother. How would you like to be in Canada, it is very hot in the summer and the reverse in winter. Write me a nice little letter won’t you. With lots of love and kisses for my little niece and nephew. Some day you will see me and be able to tell me al news about your little selves. So bye bye and god bless you my little darlings, from Auntie Maud

Dear Ethel
I received your P.C. some time ago and wanted to answer it in order to send you enclosed photo I hope you will like, if although I tried my best to look nice I did not succeed, I went to a good photographer & got half doz done & sent one to Arthur. How are dear babes, must write them separately soon the little dears, give them my love. Have not heard from Ted or F.A.I. All I know I am sure of is that Ted is broke & I awfully sorry but I think he is extravagant don’t you? Well so long from your affectionate Maud.. Write soon xxx

9th April 1916 Posted in Dublin
From Ivy to Ethel

Dear Ethel
I hope you are alright & little Dorrie (Babs)
I am wondering if you are still at Hampton
Yours Ivy

This one to Ethel from possibly Ivy (although it looks like an ‘H’, posted in Ireland post 26th April

Opposite Liberty Hall Headquarters of Rebels. Ship on this river blew it down.

The reference is to the Easter Risings. This was a rebellion staged in Ireland Easter week 24th – 30th April. The rising was an attempt by militant Irish republicans to gain independence from the UK.

8th Sept 1916 Buxton
From Florrie to Ethel

Dear E
Having an enjoyable time. Came here Saturday leave tomorrow ??? again Monday. Ascended the Heights of Abraham Tuesday & lovely it was. I guess you are preparing for you ??? bye love Florrie

26th December 1916
From Florrie to Ethel

Dear Ethel
I forgot to put address on note but I will be at Waterloo Station at 12 o’clock where I said. If you get this in time will you write me at the address below. I should be staying there Friday
Washington Hotel, Belize Park, South Hampstead

64. 1916 F.A.I.s Posting

2007-07-04T21:44:00.000+01:00

F.A.I. signed up at the end of 1915.

His service record is very brief, not many details (not like some I have seen)

16.11.15 – 22.11.15 – Clyde R.N.V.R. Headquarters
23.11.15 – 30.11.15 – 5th Battalion C.P.
01.12.15 – 28.02.16 – Misc Sea Batt, C.P. Trans. To Sea Service
29.02.16 – Drafted from misc., Battn. Depot, (524MT) to Portsmouth
13.03.16 – Enrolment form sent to A.G.9 also employers consent.

I am able to piece some missing bits together by his postcards but I there no writings in his book for this time (he was obviously too busy fighting)

The postcards that I have from & to F.A.I. say he was on the HMS SETTSU. Granny said he was on a minesweeper that got torpedoed!!)

All reference I can find about the Settsu relate to a Japanese deadnought type battle ship of the Imperial Japanese Navy.
This Settsu was launched in 1911 and completed in 1912.
Due to world economic depression she had to acquire her 12 inch guns from Britain.
In WWI she patrolled the sea lanes of South Japan.

How odd? No mention any where of a British Naval ship of that name!

I wrote to the Imperial War Museum and they told me that ‘HMS Settsu was a 231 ton trawler, built in 1912 and hired by the Admiralty from 1914 until 1919. She was armed with one 6pdr gun’

So the Japanese Settsu was completed in 1912 and the Admiralty hired HMS Settsu in 1912?? Could this be co-incidence?
Everything I have found relates to her being in Japan during WWI…… so was F.A.I. there too? Or was his Settsu a completely different ship.

I fear I will be forever in the dark unless I get the chance to spend hours delving into the Admiralty records at Kew.
(if any one reading this can shed some light I will be forever grateful)

From F.A.I.s collection

63. 1916 February

2007-06-30T13:19:00.000+01:00

On one February morning F.A.I.s nephew
Sidney Davis (aged 5) went out to play and
did not return.

Several newspaper articles were retained by his mother
Ethel and latterly by his sister Babs, which describe the search.

HAMPTON- CHILD MISSING -Widowed Mother's Increasing Anxiety

Much anxiety is felt concerning the mysterious disappearance of a little boy named Sidney Davis, aged 5, the son of Mrs Davis, a widow of the River Tearooms, 23, Church Street, Hampton.
The little fellow left his home about 10 o’oclock on Monday morning to play, and is stated to have been last seen a little later going in the direction of Hampton Court with another little boy somewhat bigger than himself. Little Sidney Davis was a very intelligent child for his age. He was full faced, of fair complexion and was wearing a grey tweed overcoat, red jersey, brown cloth knickers, grey socks, high laced boots, red cap with two tassels, grey woollen gloves and a white scarf.The missing child is said to have been fond of playing near the river, and it is thought that he might have gone on the recreational ground for that purpose. The river has been dragged, but without result.
The police and Boy Scouts have made an exhaustive search of the district, including Bushy Park.

BOYS STORY OF MISSING CHILD
A statement supporting the theory that the little child, Sidney Davis, who has been missing since Monday in the last week, has been kidnapped, has been made by a boy named Greengrass, aged 13, of 19, Malvern Road. The boy who is the son of a local police constable, and knows the missing child well, declares that about one o’clock on the day on which he was missed he saw him near the entrance of Bushy Park, opposite the recreational ground, in the company of a woman, who also had with her another little boy aged about seven.
The woman who was of medium height and of dark complexion, appeared to be amused at some antics the missing child was going through at the time. On going back about 10 minutes later in order to give the little fellow a ride home on his bicycle he found that he had disappeared and also the woman and the other child. Greengrass who belongs to the Church Lads Brigade, was very much attached to the missing child and had recently taken part with him in a childrens performance in connection with the Church Sunday School. The boys statement was communicated to the police, who, however, do not attach any importance to it.

He was found eventually tragically he had drowned in the Thames. I don’t think that the whole circumstances surrounding his disappearance were ever fully known?

His mother and his sister remained in London for a few years after this tragic event but with siblings already over in Australia a decision to break with past griefs and to make a new life was made.

‘Only graves here’ Ethel was known to have said.

The booking to leave Britain was made but it took a whole year to hear if they were going. In notes made by Babs many, many years later in Australia she recalls

‘we spent a lot of time with a good brother and wife in Liverpool – my favourite Uncle F.A.I.’

Babs died just a couple of years ago, she had a full long life in Australia.
Her family brought her ashes home to rest in London alongside her dear brother ‘Siddy’

(Many thanks to PM and her family for the information)

In tender memory of our beloved Siddy,

Who passed away February 24th 1916

Aged 5 years

"Adieu sweet flower nipped in the bud, so loving sweet & fair"

"Lost a while our treasured love, gained forever, safe above"

Two desparately tragic deaths in the family at the start of 1916

62. 1916 11th January The Theatre of War

2007-06-30T08:40:00.000+01:00

F.A.I.s ‘affectionate bros’ was killed in action. He had just celebrated his 24th Birthday.
There was no fighting that day he had obviously been wounded and died later.

I have spent hours at Kew trying to find him but alas his army records did not survive WWII.

He is buried at Menin Road South Cemetery (which opened in January 1916) alongside his other brave brothers who were told and probably believed it is a wonderful and great honour to fight and die for your country (with a lot of them thinking, after joining in 1915, they would be home for Christmas). The Christmas card on the last posting, Arthur says 'hoping you will not forget me'... F.A.I. never did, he gave his 2 sons Arthurs names as their middle names (he was known as Arthur Leonard not Arthur St. John) and Granny, after F.A.I.s death would talk about him.

In deep respect of Arthur St. John and his fellow fighters, one of my favourite poems by Wilfred Owen….. it tells it how it was !

Bent double, like old beggars under sacks,

Knock-kneed, coughing like hags, we cursed through sludge,

Till on the haunting flares we turned our backs

And towards our distant rest began to trudge.

Men marched asleep. Many had lost their boots

But limped on, blood-shod. All went lame; all blind;

Drunk with fatigue; deaf even to the hoots

Of tired, outstripped Five-Nines that dropped behind.
Gas! Gas! Quick, boys! – An ecstasy of fumbling,

Fitting the clumsy helmets just in time;

But someone still was yelling out and stumbling,

And flound'ring like a man in fire or lime . . .

Dim, through the misty panes and thick green light,

As under a green sea, I saw him drowning.

In all my dreams, before my helpless sight,

He plunges at me, guttering, choking, drowning.
If in some smothering dreams you too could pace

Behind the wagon that we flung him in,

And watch the white eyes writhing in his face,

His hanging face, like a devil's sick of sin;

If you could hear, at every jolt, the blood

Come gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs,

Obscene as cancer, bitter as the cud

Of vile, incurable sores on innocent tongues,

My friend, you would not tell with such high zest

To children ardent for some desperate glory,

The old Lie; Dulce et Decorum est Pro patria mori.

From F.A.I.s collection

61. Off to Fight for King and Country

2007-06-28T22:44:00.000+01:00

F.A.I . had met his woman now and also as he had just met her, he had to leave her to serve his King and Country. What a dreadful wrench that must have been for them both not knowing if they would ever see each other again (as with so many in this unsettled time).

On 16th November 1915 he signed up and joined the Royal Naval Division attached to the 5th Battalion. His home address is noted as the Caledonian Station Hotel, Edinburgh, Civil Employment -Hotel Cook, Religion - C of E, Swim? - No (good choice of career being at sea then!!)
His next of kin he gave as Maud, his sister. He gave her address as McLeod Street, Ottawa, Canada.

He was described as 5 foot 7 ¼ inches tall, Chest I.39” D.36”, Complexion fresh , Colour of hair Light Brown , Colour of Eyes Brown (what happened to the grey eyes whilst he was at sea?)
Along the way he had managed to pick up 3 scars on left wrist (oops vegetable cutting accidents I would expect) and a scar on right shin.

The month before on the 5th October 1915 his brother Arthur St. John had joined up too. He had written to F.A.I. between the 5th October and 16th November.

11th East Surrey Regiment
Shoreham Camp
Shoreham by Sea
Sussex

Dear F
Just a line to say thanks for the cigs which I received this morning was very pleased to hear from you. I am down here in advance out Battalion is still in Colchester.

It is lovely down here we are just between Brighton and Worthing, it is a lovely little place and we are having glorious weather.

We are not sure if our Brigade is coming down here or whether we are going up north.

I hope you are all keeping well, I have not heard from Aunt for about a week or 10 days.

How is the weather up in Edinburgh, I expect it is beginning to get a little cold now.

I wish you were in London for you could and spend a little holiday down here

Ta ta with best wishes
Your affectionate Bro
Arthur

Thanks awfully for cigs

60. 1915 Some Soul Searching

2007-06-28T22:09:00.000+01:00

These next 2 are post meeting Granny and in my book a quest for some understanding of who he is and what he is about

Women Ought to

Women ought to marry young
As I don’t think a woman of 30
‘as any better judgement or knows any
Better what she wants than the woman
Of 20, on the other hand her maternal instinct
Is more developed and is far more likely
To take pity on some worthless creature and
Marry him than she would have done 10
Years ago, I think she is quite likely
To make mistakes

I am not sure here whether he has got to be 31 and feels that no one would be interested in him except an older woman or is it that older women without a husband are desparate and will take anything so as to have a husband? A different time/era when to be a spinster past 20 odd was not the done thing I expect. But true words to take on someone just to have someone because you are expected to have one acn not be right !

The Confession

In public of course I must bear myself over
As modest in all that I am and I do
In private I think I am decidedly clever
Excelled if at all by a fortunate few
In public I rave over other folks labours
And wish I could do things as finely as they
And when I am alone I look down on my neighbours
And think of myself as superior clay
In public I giggle at other mens chatter
To brilliance in banter I take off my hat
In private I sneer what a cheap line of patter
My dullest remarks are much brighter than that
In public I say I am a poetaster
Who writes little rhymes for little people to see
But really I am at least think so as a regular master

That Shakespeare and Byrom are nothing to me

For public consumption its clearly my duty
To speak of my (L) Books with a modesty vast
In private I think my fine manly beauty
Has Mr Adonis lashed tightly to the mast
In public I place with immense circumspection
My thoughts egotistical, back on the shelf
In private I think myself near to perfection
Don’t you feel like that now concerning yourself

Oct 12th 1915 FAI

Powerful writing I see here, he was questioning what he was doing and who he was as a man? ( I can tell you that it reflects a few thoughts I have..... and I guess most of us who have nodded and laughed politely in company whilst privately thinking .. 'how dull' , 'how uninteresting' etc)

I have certainly opened some lines up for him "In public I say I am a poetaster. Who writes little rhymes for little people to see. But really I am at least think so as a regular master. That Shakespeare and Byrom are nothing to me. For public consumption its clearly my duty "

How more public can the world of the internet and blogsphere be for millions of folk to read .. this medium would have blown his mind!

59. 1915 The Highland Bonnett

2007-06-28T12:32:00.000+01:00

By the time F.A.I. wrote this (& I am yet to be convinced this is one of his... although I may be doing him an injustice here) he had met Granny as the address of Duke Street was her home.

The Highland Bonnet all Scotch FAI

My heart leaps up when’er I hap within the camp on a Highland Bonnet
A plain or dice board Scottish cap with tails and torrie red upon it
The camp dissolves – my fancies free in happy dreams go northward roaming
The islands anchored in the sea al mystic in the tender gloaming
The burns beneath the moss alighting, the sea mews white against the sky
The hills their skirts of mist a**ilting, the peewits lone bewailing cry
I would there myself to dow it and stride the braes in Highland bonnet
II
My heart lifts up when to my ear there floats the tongue of Scottish ladies
The soldier men who stalked the deer or paced the links goufin caddies
The scene ‘as changed my heart is filled with songs of Burns so peerless telling
Of royal hearts with anguish killed the cross of love at loves dispelling
In varied moods the lyrics run from grave to gay with lightsome changing
From scared grief to ribald fun, the gamat whole of life o’er ranging
Burns seiged the human heart and won it the pride of every Scottish bonnet
III
My heart leaps up when on the breeze there floats the sound of pipers chanting
The droneing hum of scottish bees the skirl of war cry fierce supplanting
The scene is changed I hear the lilt of crooning wails the gladness stilling
I see the swinging tartan kilt on every field where blood is spilling
I hear the pipes swell fierce and loud the fearless ranks of Scottish leading
Or drone laments above a shroud. Orpheaus charms their notes exceeding;
*** pibrochs call the Highland Bonnet
Would I were young enough to don it

1915
Duke Street Edinburgh

58. 1915 A Song of Suffering

2007-06-28T12:24:00.000+01:00

A Song of Suffering

(addressed to a female ticket conductor at X station somewhere in the Eastern Counties)

Oh Women in *** of ease
Uncertain, coy and hard to please In war a patriot
True and warm you don a railway uniform
Demure, polite, serenely gay
You speed the traveler on his way
But oh next time my little friend
You clip the ticket I extend
Did I afright you with my yell
Please don’t clip my thumb as well it is by your
hand my angel, now that pain and
Anguish wrings my brow

FAI 1915

57. 1915 The Greater Loss

2007-06-28T12:21:00.000+01:00

The Greater Loss

I sometime lose a little thing
My temper I refer to
And bricks I even long to fling
At men I must say Sir to
And while I wage a mental fight
I’d give say half a dollar
For some sweet soothing that might
Keep down my collar

But sometimes I’m aware of loss
Incomparably of no avail is
Angry force of all mankind I’m hater
But then I’d give if I but could
My last and only dollar
For just one little stud that would
Keep down my rising collar

FAI 1915

56. Here's to the Man

2007-06-28T10:47:00.000+01:00

Here's to the Man

Here’s to the man of forty & past
Who has lived his life and lived it fast

And here’s to the girl of twenty & four
Who snuggles & sniggles & cries for more
And all he can do is to buzz & buzz
And bragg what a hell of a man he was

From Trixie to F dear

10/4/1915

Pre Granny I would imagine

55. Not Concerning the War

2007-06-28T10:42:00.000+01:00

Not Concerning the War

It was about Christmas time and a couple of flash men of the world you might see, they were at once asked what they would have by a smart waitress of a well known restaurant in Liverpool.

‘I’ll have some Turkey without Greece, please’ said the first
The waitress replied whimsically ‘are you pro German’
‘No I am Hungary’ was the retort
His friend chimed in ‘Don’t Russia or she won’t servia’
‘Do you intend to Romania’ cracked the girl in the chic cap and apron
‘Yes I am want Somora’
‘Then I’ll call Nancy’ and jerking her head over her shoulder she went off after Turkey

FAI Jan 1915

So was he in Liverpool at the turn of 1915???

54. 1915 The Search is Over

2007-06-26T22:16:00.000+01:00

Two significant events happened in F.A.I.’s life this year.

He met my dear Granny Violet and he joined up to fight for King and Country.

They were both working at the Caledonian Station Hotel, Edinburgh, he was a chef and she was a laundry maid. He was 31 she was 25. Finally he had met the woman for him.

Granny was born in 1890 in Melrose, Roxburgh. By the time she was 10 years old she was an orphan and her brother John had died of meningitis. She moved to Duke Street, Edinburgh with her sister Mary (May) to live with their eldest sister Isabella and her husband.

I feel this photograph of Granny and family must have been taken after the funeral of John no great detective work just looking at the sombre clothing, a young granny at the front and no John !!

To me Granny was always old, I could never imagine her being young.

She would come and stay with us a Christmas and we would complain as we would have to sit and watch all the boring adult programmes, if we chattered we were told to ‘wheesht bairns’ (be quiet kids), she wore her long white hair pinned up and would sit in the evening unraveling the clips and rolling it up again (which whilst fascinating me also scared me slightly because of the witch type look about her hair), she read tea leaves and would collect the plastic toys from Christmas crackers and put them in her handbag (I think have already said she was a hoarder) and she loved a wee dram before bed. She lived in a pensioner’s flat in Liverpool, when I knew her and we were not allowed to go down the bottom of her gardens because ‘there were rats as big as cats down there’

My mothers tales of her, when Mum met Dad in the 1950’s, include how Granny would have ready for Dads tea just a piece of ham and a tomato on a plate as she never cooked (she didn’t need to as Granddad was a chef, when he was away it is a wonder they didn’t starve to death!).

How Mum called one day to the house and my dad and his brother where white washing the ceiling wearing sailor caps, standing on the furniture with nothing covered up, everything had white wash splashes on it.

How she had a cat called Tiddles, oh poor Tiddles, the cat that was never allowed in the house. Mum would let it in only to be shooed out instantly again by Granny.

How layer of lino upon layer pf lino was laid down on the floor, which would be mopped regularly but so would the walls too!. Not a house-proud woman it would seem.

Granny, however, was a kind lady and when Granddad was away she used to take in some children from a neighbouring house who were really poor and would let them stay to ease their overcrowded home, she would give them money, cups of sugar and any thing else she could spare, not that she had a lot herself. But when Granddad was home she would still do it but on the quiet with ‘off you go don’t let Dad know’ (F.A.I. was known as ‘Dad’ and Granny as ‘Nan’ to everyone).

Granddad obviously adored her and he wrote beautiful postcards to her.

When Granny died and Mum cleared out her flat there were bundles of letters tied up with ribbons. They were thought to be personal and were disposed of. A hard decision to make, yes I, as a family researcher would have loved to have them to uncover some mysteries but I also respect the privacy and intimacy they may have contained, so I think Mum did the right thing… (saying that I probably would have read them first!!!)

Violet
Dark is the world without you
Cheerless the dreary hours
Sad is my lonely pathway
Drooping the wistful flowers
Grey are the clouds above me
Starless the skys at night
Day never dawns when you leave
You are my light and my life

What is the world without you
What are the stars above
What are the scented roses
What dear without your love
What is the charm about you
Deep in the boundless sea
What is the world without you
What is the world to me

Yours very truely

FAI

53. Oops 1914 Not Over and Out

2007-06-23T18:02:00.000+01:00

How could I have missed this one? A rallying song to persuade our young men to join up in the war effort.
There is a line below ‘You’ll never find us fail you when you are in distress’ this particularly tears at my heart when you think that they were failed.

A couple of years ago I visited the Somme and surrounding area. I had an opportunity to visit Newfoundland Park. An excellent and fitting tribute to all the men that traveled thousands of miles to fight on a foreign field, so many perished. A very moving experience in my life.

Your King and Your Country Want You - Paul A Rubens 29th September 1914

(If you click on the link for Paul Rubens, near the bottom of the page you can listen to the song as it was sung in 1914)

We've watched you playing cricket and every kind of game,

At football, golf and polo you men have made your name.

But now your country calls you to play your part in war.

And no matter what befalls you

We shall love you all the more.

So come and join the forces

As your fathers did before.

Oh, we don't want to lose you but we think you ought to go.

For your King and your country both need you so.

We shall want you and miss you

But with all our might and main

We shall cheer you, thank you, kiss you

When you come home again.

We want you from all quarters to help us south and north
We want you in your thousands from Falmouth to the Forth
You’ll never find us fail you when you are in distress
So answer when we hail you and let your word be yes

And so your name in years to come, each mothers son shall bless

52. 1914 To a Close

2007-06-22T18:26:00.000+01:00

These next 3 bring 1914 to an end.

In a time of great unrest and a World War (to end all wars?!!) quite beautifully the writings are about flowers, pleasant memories and hope.

A Faded Rose

A time worn bible lies on my hand
And between the faded leaves I see
A rose all crushed and withered
Scentless dead and partly shivered
T’would seem that care and sorrow lie
Concealed beneath these petals dry
And memories of woe and tears
That well up through the fleeting years
But nay not so for joy lights up
My soul and fills fond memorys cup
This rose was given by one most dear
My quickly passing years to cheer
BB FAI

A Bunch of Flowers

I give you a choice bouquet of king-cup daisies, eglantine
Sweet William, Pansies, Jasmine spray
Carnations, Pinks and Columbines with Roses fragrant
Lilies tall and sweet named flowers – a varied lot
And the very heart of you the blue Forget-me-not
And the light within your eyes is their sunshine and their
Rain. As your heart’s sad tears of pain is their rain

The heart that has its friendship dear its deeper loves
** ****ful hours its friendships that are less sincere
is only as a bunch of flowers and some shall bloom and
Fragrant be. And some shall fade and be forgot
But should your heart hold a place for me ah then forget me not
And the light within your eyes be the sunshine and the skies
**owing all your heart would know of loves glow

I know a Lovely Garden

I know a Lovely Garden
Where bloom the sweetest flowers
And there from morn till even
I pass away the hours
For love is that sweet garden
Beneath Gods boundless blue
And he looks down and blesses
My life, my love and you

51. 1914 I Remember, I Remember

2007-06-21T21:42:00.000+01:00

Now this is a strange one?

When I read this through I thought this doesn’t seem like F.A.I.s style of writing but no name other than his is noted at the bottom.
I ran the first few lines through a search engine and up popped
Thomas Hood – I Remember, I Remember (1798 – 1845)

‘Ah!’ I thought ‘another he has liked and written in his book’.
Well yes for the first 4 lines only then it is a completely different slant than that of Thomas Hood.
F.A.I.s is more music hall!

So the jury is out on this one !!!!

I Remember, I Remember -Thomas Hoods version

I remember, I remember

The house where I was born,

The little window where the sun

Came peeping in at morn;

He never came a wink too soon

Nor brought too long a day;

But now, I often wish the night

Had borne my breath away.
I remember, I remember

The roses red and white,

The violets and the lily cups--

Those flowers made of light!

The lilacs where the robin built,
And where my brother set

The laburnum on his birthday,--

The tree is living yet!
I remember, I remember

Where I was used to swing,

And thought the air must rush as fresh

To swallows on the wing;

My spirit flew in feathers then

That is so heavy now,

The summer pools could hardly cool

The fever on my brow.
I remember, I remember

The fir-trees dark and high;

I used to think their slender tops

Were close against the sky:

It was a childish ignorance,

But now 'tis little joy

To know I'm farther off from Heaven

Than when I was a boy.

I Remember, I Remember - FAIs version
I remember, I remember

The house where I was born,

The little window where the sun

Came peeping in at morn;

You would hardly know the old place now
For dad is up to date
And the farm is scientific
From the back lot to the gate
The house and barn are lighted
With bright acetylene
The engine in the laundry
Is run by gasoline
We have silos we have autos
We have dynamos and things
A telephone for gossip
And a phonograph that sings
The little window where the sun came peeping
In at morn now brightens up the
Bathroom that cost a car of corn
Our milkmaid is pneumatic
And she sanitary too
But dad gets fifteen cents a quart
For milk that once bought two
Oct 1914 FAI

50. 1914 Post Sailing 3

2007-06-20T20:59:00.000+01:00

The 3^rd poem is noted with a name 'SK Bolton Sept1914'

Sarah Knowles Bolton was an American writer, born in Connecticut in 1841.

During her life she wrote extensively for the press, was one of the first corresponding secretaries of the Woman's national temperance union, was associate editor of the Boston "Congregationalist" (1878-81), and traveled for two years in Europe, studying profit-sharing, female higher education, and other social questions. Her writings encourage readers to improve the world about them through faith and hard work. She died in Cleveland, Ohio in 1916. (thank you Wikipedia)

What an amazing woman for her time !!

The Inevitable is one of her works

I Like the man who faces what he must
With step triumphant and a heart of cheer;
Who fights the daily battle without fear;
Sees his hopes fail, yet keeps unfaltering trust
That God is God,that somehow, true and just
His plans work out for mortals; not a tear
Is shed when fortune, which the world holds dear,
Falls from his grasp—better, with love, a crust
Than living in dishonor; envies not,
Nor loses faith in man; but does his best,
Nor ever murmurs at his humbler lot;
But, with a smile and words of hope, gives zest
To every toiler. He alone is great
Who by a life heroic conquers fate

These are the only 3 with names noted to them

49. 1914 Post sailing 2

2007-06-20T20:53:00.000+01:00

The next poem has noted beneath it' F.R. Havergal 1914'.
It is titled in the book ‘Can you say “and for me’

Frances Ridley Havergal was a poet, hymn-writer, musician, composer and linguist. Born in 1836. She was the youngest child of Canon W. H. Havergal, composer of hymnal tunes and sacred music. Frances had a fairly short life (dying at the age of 42 of hepatitis) but during that life she wrote many hymns, was regular speaker and correspondent for the Church of England and visited Switzerland 5 times were she enjoyed mountain walking and climbing in the Alps.

The words in F.A.I.s book is taken from the first hymn Frances wrote in 1858

‘I Gave my Life for Thee’ It was recast in 1871, under the title “Thy Life Was Given for Me”:

The words in F.A.I.’s book are a mixture of the 2 hymns.

F.A.I was 14 when his mother died and I wonder if, until he went to work as a potman in 1901, he lived with his Aunt Matilda who was married to Edgar, the church organist? I feel they were religious people and maybe this influence led to the recall of this hymn.

I gave my life for thee
My precious blood I shed
That thou mightest ransomed be
And quickened form the dead
I gave my life for thee
What hast thou given for me
I suffered much for this
More than my tongue can tell
Of bitterest agony
To rescue you from Hell
I suffered much for thee
What canst thou bear for me

48. 1914 Post Sailing 1

2007-06-20T20:45:00.000+01:00

In the latter part of 1914 I am almost certain that F.A.I. had moved to Edinburgh, one thing is for sure he certainly wasn’t at sea.

Interestingly the next 3 poems in his book have names noted to them. Initially I thought they were dedications to past loves or people he knew but further research has uncovered otherwise.

The first one is noted ‘Ada Crossley Sept 1914’

Ada Crossley was an Australian singer (born 3^rd March 1874, died 17^th October 1929). She regularly performed in England and made her home in London.

The poem is entitled ‘Sunshine and Rain’. Further researching I have found that a Scottish poet/songwriter called F. Wyville Home wrote the lines

Tho' the rain is on the river,
Yet the sun is on the hill.
- Sunshine and Rain

I have not been able to find anything about F. Wyville Home except he was a Scot and he was born in 1851(date of death unknown)… I think leafing through real books may assist me.

This is a song F.A.I. obviously must have admired. I wonder if he had actually heard or maybe even witnessed, Ada Crossley singing this along the way? I must try and find how it was sung!

Sunshine and rain
The rain is on the river but the sun is on the hill
And I know the clouds will sever when the storm has had its will
Set your then on the morrow if the sky be gray today
For the darkest of your sorrow be ye sure will pass away
Lift your eyes to your day giver look up higher hoping still
Though the rain is on the river the sun is on the hill
T’is the winters white snow shower that defends the shivering root
T’is the falling of the flowers that gives birth to fruit
Then arise from helpless moping nor repine at each annoy
There is room for wider hoping if your days are void of joy
Time is kind and will deliver all your days of every ill
Though the rain is on the river the sun is on the hill

47. 1914 Have You Forgotten

2007-06-18T18:58:00.000+01:00

A lovely short poem!

Have you forgotten

Have you forgotten love so soon
That night, that lovely night in June
When down the tide so idly dreaming
We floated where the moon laid gleaming
My heart was weary and oppressed
By some sweet longing unconfessed
When like an answer to my sighing
Your hand in mine was gently lying

46. 1914 Youth

2007-06-18T18:53:00.000+01:00

Youth

What beautiful words are life & love as they ring in the ears of youth
In the glorious spring when the blithe birds sing and the sun shines bright
To hearts delight, how sweet they sound to the ears of youth

What beautiful words are life & love when hidden from view is the truth
Whether happy or sad, whether good or bad is the course to be run
Which is just begun, how sweet they sound in the ears of youth

What beautiful words are life & love when we hold our heads aloof
When the mind is free and we laugh with glee when the limb is strong
And there is nothing wrong, how sweet they sound in the ears of youth

What beautiful words are life & love when two hearts beat that need
No proof to show they are there for the other to teach and to lean upon as the
Years roll on, how sweet they sound in the ears of youth

FAI

45. 1914 Every Life

2007-06-18T17:35:00.000+01:00

Every Life

Every life has vacant pages still
Whereon a man can write the things he will
Tis the mind that makes the body rich
And as the sun breaks through the darkest clouds
So honour peereth through in the meanest habit
What is the jay more precious than the lark
Because his feathers are more beautiful
Or is the adder better than the eel
Because his painted skin contents the eyes

Far one chord the harp is silent, move one stone
The arch is shattered. One dark cloud can hide
The sunlight, lose one string and the pearls
Are scattered, think one thought a soul may
Perish, say one word and a heart may break

FAI

44. 1914 Goodnight Little Blue Eyed Girl

2007-06-18T17:28:00.000+01:00

Good-night Little Blue-eyed Girl

Good-night Little Blue-eyed Girl may your eyes be just as bright
When the years have flown an’ you face alone the world alone with it’s
Wrong and right. May your smile be just as fair
When flowers all fade around your feet little maid when your heart
Holds many a care good night little blue eyed girl
May your love be just as pure as it is today
When you hair turns grey may God’s love still endure
God help you ever in his sight Goodnight little girl goodnight

FAI 1914

43. 1914 The outbreak of War

2007-06-17T22:16:00.000+01:00

1914 (as we know) was the year the world was turned on its head with the commencement of World War One. From this year on, not one single persons life would remain untouched by the awful events that took place for the next 4 years.

F.A.I. started this year as he had ended the last, on board the R.M.S Tunisian.

He sailed twice from Liverpool to Halifax N.S. still chopping up his vegetables.

He spent his 30^th birthday mid Atlantic

2^nd January – 28^th January & 31^st January – 23^rd February

On 7^th March he was off again out of Liverpool to Halifax but this time on the R.M.S. Empress of Britain. He did 2 sailings on her both to Halifax, returning to Liverpool on 25^th April.

No more ‘veg’ for F.A.I. he was now 1^st Assistant Pass Cook (what ever that is??)

This Empress of Britain was the 1^st of 3 ships of the same name in Canadian Pacific’s fleet over the years. She was built at Fairfield Shipbuilding & Engineering’s yard in Glasgow and launched in 1905.

Her maiden voyage took place on the 5^th May 1905 sailing from Liverpool to Montreal.

She was a bit if a ‘mover’ setting 2 eastbound speed records in 1906 &1908.

During World War One, she served as an armed merchant cruiser and troop carrier. She managed to get through the war unscathed and returned to the Canadian Pacific fleet in 1919.

After a conversion to become a cabin cruiser she was renamed the Montroyal. Her final voyage was in 1929 and she was scrapped in Norway in 1930.

The final entry out for 1914 in F.A.I.’s discharge book is dated 21^st May. He sailed out of Liverpool for Paraguay on the R.M.S. Anthony. I am afraid he was back to vegetables again! He returned to Liverpool 10^th July.

Whilst he was away Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated on 28^th June. I wonder if he had heard but above all did it actually mean anything to him or his fellow sailors and passengers at the time?

Within few weeks of is return, Austria & Hungary declared war on Serbia (28^th July), Germany declared war on Russia (1^st August), Germany declared war on France (3^rd August) then we joined in declaring war against Germany on 4^th August with Lord Kitchener 3 days later calling on 100,000 men to join up to fight for King and Country.

F.A.I’s discharge book comes to halt in 1914 and starts briefly again in 1920. His book of poems continued though.

I know he was in Edinburgh in 1914 as he was photographed with I believe to be his brother Arthur. I would imagine that this was taken post July 1914 and his time asore before he too signed up to ‘fight for King and Country’.

42. 1913 Poems

2007-06-17T00:11:00.000+01:00

Within F.A.I.s book there are non dated 1913.
The 'book' after 1912 continues but 1914/15 and beyond are not as per page number. I have to my mind that the he wrote on the even pages as he went along, initially, but as the years went on he picked up the book again & filled in the odd pages. These are a couple with no date on even pages, following on from 1912.

To One Away

I heard a cry in the night
A thousand miles it came
Sharp as a flash it came
My name, my name
It was your voice I heard
You waked and loved me so
I send you back this word
I know I know

Gentians

I gave you flowers that painted true
The color of your eyes
Each year I gather gentians blue
Since you have gone In Paradise
Do you remember where they grew
And under which ethereal skies
We sought them as the summer prize
Ah love the gentians bloom anew
I love them but I have not you

Is this someone who has died or someone who died in his eyes, non reciprocated affection??

41. 1913 The Reason

2007-06-15T21:46:00.000+01:00

Venturing into this year I have discovered why he wanted to visit Canada. It wasn't maybe that he was sick of New York and Boston but it was because his younger sister Maud was there.

A family postcard it explains things (thankyou PM)

10th October 1913

Dear ??? Ethel
Just a long while since I wrote to you but I only got your address off Maude.
I can tell you Maude is doing fine. I have been several times to see her and Cools?? such a dear girl. This is my 7th time this way. Excuse more in haste.
Best Wishes to Ivy and yourself

I wish I could know what the 'Cools?' meant? In my mind she had a child in 1913...'such a dear girl!'' or maybe it was some one Maud had been sent to live with ?? The search goes on!

40. 1913 Canada phase 2

2007-06-15T21:26:00.000+01:00

For the rest of the year he sailed on the R.M.S Tunisian. The first entry is impossible to read but the date is obviously post April 1913.

Throughout all his sailings on the Tunisian he was a ‘Veg Cook’ (again is this better or worse than a 2nd or 3rd Cook… these days he would be fairly important with ‘5-a-day’!!)

His sailings were mostly to Montreal
4th June – 6th July
9th July- 27th July
6th August- 27th August
9th September – 24th September
1st October – 23rd October
29th October - ? November
6th November – 9th December (to St.John)

The R.M.S. Tunisian was launched in 1900 by the Allan Line after being built by Alex Stephen & Son, Glasgow. Her maiden voyage was on 5th April 1900 from Liverpool to Halifax and Portland, Maine. Not long after she started sailing to Quebec and Montreal.

During WW1 she served as a prisoner of war ship on the coast of the Isle of White and then later serving as a troop carrier. She returned to commercial service in 1917, servicing Canada from Liverpool, London and Glasgow.
In 1920 she was converted to a ‘cabin/3rd class’ configuration and in 1922 she was renamed the Marburn.In April 1928 she made her final transatlantic crossing from Antwerp to St.John, New Brunswick and later that year she went to the breakers yard (at least she avoided the torpedoes, unlike a lot of the ships F.A.I. sailed on!)

39. 1913 Canada

2007-06-15T20:16:00.000+01:00

In 1913 F.A.I. must have decided he needed a change of adventure and sea way.

During most of 1913 he sailed back and forth from Liverpool to Canada.

His first trip was on 7th March to St. John, New Brunswick as 3rd Cook.

After much eye-strain I figure the ship was R.M.S Grampian.

The Grampian was built by A.Stephen & Son, Glasgow in 1907 for Allan Line.
Her passenger capacity was 210 1st class, 250 second class and 1000 3rd class. She sailed from Liverpool to Canada 1907 –1921, unfortunately, in 1921 she was gutted by a fire whilst having a refit in Antwerp.

In 1913 The Imperial Theatre was built in St.John, New Brunswick…… I wonder if F.A.I. managed to see a performance or 2 whilst he was there. The theatre managed to pull in some of the huge stars of the time such as Harry Lauder, Ethel Barrymore and John De Sousa.

Granddad did like his pin ups and within his postcard collection there are few

38. 1912 Longing

2007-06-14T22:41:00.000+01:00

Longing

Gypsy take me with you anywhere you will
Downward through the valley up across the hill
Westward to the sunset where the world is new
Are you off a singing gypsy take me too
Gypsy take me wherever you go
Southward to the palm trees Northward to the snow
Where the woods are lovely where the city teems
Gypsy take me with you on the road of dreams
Gypsy take me with you only you are wise
You with vagrant fancies you with laughing eyes
I am sick of duty of peace I tire
Gypsy take me with you to my hearts desire

37. 1912 Truth Silent

2007-06-14T22:26:00.000+01:00

Truth Silent

We have so wronged the truth with spoken words
Words, where an utter silence should have been
The Gods are greatly simple they touch hands
And laugh and love and no thought lies between
Yet we have built our souls a wall
Of foolish words, false thoughts that could not tire
In a great silence but were born of speech
And being born were bitter to forgive
The Gods must pity those who would not keep
Their priceless Gift. Truth silence is so clear
To simple god-like hearts and we are dear
How blind we are surely the gods must weep

What is that expression? Least said ... soonest mended..... wise words

36. 1912 Be Strong

2007-06-14T22:20:00.000+01:00

Be Strong

Be Strong, we are not here to play to dreams
To drift we have hard work to do and loads to lift
Shun not the struggle, face it ‘tis Gods Gift
Be strong say not the days are evil, who to blame
And fold the hands and acquiesce O shame
Stand up and speak out in God’s name be strong
It matters not how deep entrenched the wrong
How hard the battle goes the day our long
Faint not fight, on tomorrow comes the song

35. 1912 The Parting of the Ways

2007-06-14T22:17:00.000+01:00

The Parting of the Ways

Goodbye from henceforth our ways lie apart
For should we meet it would not be the same
As in those days when loved ruled in your heart
So let us part I am only to blame
Why should we linger where the road divides
Farewells prolonged only needless
Just say goodbye since thus our fate decides
For love is over and friendship seems gone

FAI 1912

Very soulful!!

34. 1912 Remember

2007-06-13T21:19:00.000+01:00

This is one of my favorites

Remember

If with in your crystal soul a question
Of the color of my passion vexes
If it’s unsought incence thrown around you
By excess perplexes
Know no worshipped saint I hold above you

Remember I Love You

If loves perfumed air expands in blessing
But when in moments when its sweets surrounds you
If from its pervading presence parted
Questions still confound you
Know that never doubts of mine disprove you

Remember that I Love You

If you cannot answer all the fullness
Of the measure of my hearts devotion
If your leaning toward me is but only
A reflected motion
Know them words even so I would rather move you

Remember that I Love You

If your features warmed by my caressing
Glow with a divine illumination
But to fade too soon in the shades of silence
Stirred by no pulsation
Know my soul refuses to reprove you

Remember That I Love You

And there is a meaning in, I Love You
Stripped in later days of embryo guessing (?)
And the Autumn woods unveiled to sunshine
Flame in heart confessing
Know in golden proof and truth

Remember that I Love You

FAI Dec 20th 1912

33. 1912 A Confession

2007-06-13T21:14:00.000+01:00

A Confession

You hold me in your arms as non else may do
All grace your claim I yield as is your right
E’en to my minute spending day and night
Yet oft my secret panel hidden star
Steals forth a little ghost to trystings where
Dear memory is making meadows of white
With spring and in springs fullness of delight
Sings down may sweet lanes some old time air
Never or thought or deed shall wrong you
Though not mine to give you this best part of me
A happy child of long ago in dreams
Dream whose fulfillment all is yet to be
Not yours the soul at last my soul shall know
When I come back no more from memory

FAI 1912

32. 1912 Till We Meet Again

2007-06-13T21:11:00.000+01:00

Till we meet again

Although my feet may never walk your ways
No other eyes will follow you so far
No voice with rise readier than to ring your praise
Till the swift coming of those future days
When the world know you for the man you are
You must go on and I must stay behind
We may not fare you and I
But though the path to fame be steep and blind
Walk strong and steadfastly before mankind
Because my heart must follow till you die
Steadfastly and strongly scorning means success
Lenient to others to yourself severe
If you must fail, fail not in nobleness
God knows others failure. I could bless
That sent you back to find your welcome here

FAI Dec 20th 1912

31. 1912 Ireland Many Years Ago

2007-06-13T18:40:00.000+01:00

I think F.A.I. was a bit home sick with this one or had had a few 'drams'

The smell of the earth after the blessed rain brings back to me Ireland many years ago.
When the silver mists were rising from off an emerald plain in darling Ireland of long ago.
When the grass so full of richness was higher than your knee and sap was running wild in every bud and tree.
Ochone and every blossom was full of the honey bee in darling Ireland of long ago. Then smell of the wet things after the bitter draught brings back to me of Ireland of long ago. When all the streams were running and the Hawthorne was out.
When the mountains peaks stood purple above the wisps of clouds and the honey thrush and blackbird sang their songs aloud and the trees dripped with silver till their shining heads were bowed in darling Ireland of long ago.
The thirsty months all drinking that were so parched and dry brings back to me Ireland of long ago for the land ran all refreshment and was praising god thereby in darling Ireland of long ago. When the corucahe ?? called the nigh long in the fields all wet, it isn’t the English nightingale could make me forget. Though long it is and far I’m not forgetting yet
My Darling Ireland of Long Ago

FAI 1912

30. 1912 Forbearance

2007-06-13T18:34:00.000+01:00

Forbearance

Hast thou named all the birds without a gun
Loved the wooded rose and left it on its stalk
At rich mens tables eaten bread and pulse
Unarmed faced danger, with a heart of trust
And loved too well a higher behaviour
In man or maid that those from speech refrained
Nobility more nobly to repay
Oh be my friend and teach me to be thine

FAI 1912

29. 1912 Better Things

2007-06-12T21:50:00.000+01:00

Better Things
Better to feel a love within than to be lonely to the sight
Better a homely tenderness than beauties wild delight
Better to love than be loved though lonely all the day
Better the fountain in the heart than the fountain by the way
Better to be a little wise than learned over much
Better to have quiet grief than a tumultuous joy
Better then manhood age & face if the heart be of a boy
Better a death when work is done than earths most favored birth

Better a child in God’s great house than the king of all the earth

Very profound!!!

28. 1912 The Reason

2007-06-12T21:42:00.000+01:00

The Reason

Kiss me sweet. And wherefore pray
Just because I am glad today
Just because my heart is light
And the azure skies are bright
And all in this earthly bubble
There’s no hint of pain or trouble
Just because but why repeat
Kiss me sweet

Kiss me sweet. And wherefore pray
Just because I am sad today
Just because my eyes are wet
With tears of old regret
And in all the world about
All the sunshine blotted out
Just because but why repeat
Kiss me sweet

27. 1912 To My Guardian Angel

2007-06-12T21:27:00.000+01:00

My Grandad, & I love him for this one, he wrote the title as My Guardin Angle!! For those who know me, will understand just how bad I am at getting those letters the right way around !! So from who I believe to be my Guardian Angel a great typo for me lol !!

To My Guardin Angle

Oh lovely visitant I know naught of your name
Nor how you come or how you go
Like scent like flame I only see your veiled face
And feel your power young fresh as when
You came to grace my natal hour
Your lips twin melodies inspire my lute
Your arms twin rimes hangs boughs of mine
With golden fruit your twin feet guide
Lead down long lanes by winding streams
Where song and speech with silver chains
Are linked with dreams
Life’s natures hour I could not speak or see you
Then deaths natal hour will find me
Weak and blind again
Then fold me in the fellowship of your warm wings
And waft my soul and lute and lips
To Higher Things
Fred

26. 1912 Life

2007-06-12T21:17:00.000+01:00

Life

Speak not of life as a fitful song that dies
To a close nor deem it as a brief strife where
Sin is strong nor as a early born swift fading rose
But rather this a song who tender strain grows sweeter
Richer with the speeding years and softly blends
Into a clear refrain of higher voices as his welcomes near
Not strife where victory is won with guile and might alone
Holds balances of truth but battle where might wins
All things worthwhile where mercy waits with healing
And truth. Not as a rose soon blown but such a one as
Knows the rapture of the spring, the kiss of summer
Winds, the wooing of the sun and gives its life to seal
A lovers bliss. The lips of life are ever tipped with song
And twixt them lies a never dying rose through
Standards droop Righs arm is ever strong
And over the darkest night truths white star glows

One of my favourites

25. 1912 The Carpathia

2007-06-12T19:07:00.000+01:00

This is the ship by which F.A.I.s book is entitled

‘ R.M.S. Carpathia Rescue Ship 1912’.

As I have said earlier Granny used to say he was on the Carpathia when it went to rescue the victims of the Titanic. In fact he sailed on her 3 months later (the 3rd Cook at the time was a Frederick W. Johnson).
You can imagine, however, there was still a certain ‘buzz’ around following that most tragic event in maritime history and the fact THIS was the ship that was there!

He sailed from New York on 16th July 1912, headed for the Mediterranean. It was a long old term at sea as he was discharged in Liverpool on new Years day 1913 (bet he had a great tan)

I would imagine, with such a long time at sea this is when most of the 1912 thoughts were written. 2 in particular are dated at the time of his service on the Carpathia.

The R.M.S Carpathia was truly one of Cunards most famous of vessels. She was built by Swan & Hunter, Newcastle and was launched on 6th August 1902.
Her maiden voyage was 4th May 1903, Liverpool – Boston (a route I imagine my granddad knew like the back of his hand!) During the summer she stayed on the New York - Liverpool sailings but in the winter she sailed New York – Trieste where she served as part of the Hungarian Emigration programme.

Obviously The Carpathias claim to fame is the dramatic 58 mile dash to rescue the Titanic’s survivors. She rescued all of the 705 survivors and returned them to New York.

With the outbreak of WW1 (from 1915 – 1918) she remained purely on the Liverpool – New York route.
On 17th July 1918 (almost 6 years to the day F.A.I. boarded her) she was torpedoed and sunk by U-Boat 55 west of Bishop Rock. 5 crew perished and the remaining 215 passengers/ crew were rescued by H.M.S. Snowdrop

The following pages will be given to the rest of the thoughts and poems written in 1912.

24. 1912 The Lusitania

2007-06-11T22:28:00.000+01:00

I am very proud of the fact that my granddad sailed and worked on the Lusitania. What an experience and a privilege to have had!

On 6th July 1912 he sailed out of Liverpool on this fine ship to New York. In his discharge book it looks like he was booked to return on the Lucy on the 15th July, however, he set sail the day after on the Carpathia. Why he changed ships is anyone’s guess? Maybe this is part of the fanciful tale of Granny’s (again a half truth ......yes he was probably due to return to Liverpool on her but changed ships, but it was 3 years before Lusitania’ fateful sailing. I often wonder if any of the chaps below where still serving on her still in 1915??)

The tale of the Lusitania is well documented and I recently watched a TV drama documentary about it. Its portrayal of the surrounding facts of the Lusitania’s sinking were that she had been used as a pawn in the War Mongers game and the public enquiry was a complete sham/ cover up. The facts were that only one torpedo stuck her bow, launched from U-boat 20. However, there were 2 explosions, one from the torpedo and the other from a source unknown. She was carrying a large amountof ammunition and the evidence certainly points in the direction that this was the cause of her fate.

The Lusitania, a huge fine ship, sank in merely 18 minutes!
Out of 1,198 passengers and crew only 761 survived, including the Captain, William Turner, who was pulled unconscious from the sea.

spot the difference !!

23. 1912 If I May Have Thee Near

2007-06-10T20:35:00.000+01:00

If I may have thee near

If I may have thee near when me thing is comes
To wake the earth with messengers of light
And stir from sleep old sorrow and young mirth
Then shall I set my face towards the hills and
Mount the Paths of day with fear of naught then
Life can bring to turn my upward song
If I may have thee near when evening
Finds finds my goal still far up steeps
Of pathless right for those dark nights
No guides there are. Then through the shinning
Hills I never reach my heart from grief
Is free though I may never see the dawn
I still have thee

22. 1912 Neath the Stars

2007-06-10T20:30:00.000+01:00

‘Neath the Stars

Tell the stars to quit their blinking
Not at me shall they be winking
Just because I stole what was it
They have to call to go and tell
Just because the Red Bird sang it
In the treetops he rang it
Lure I pleaded long and earned it
Quick as stolen I returned it
Tell the stars not softer lighter
Then the thistle down brighter
Are the silken curling tresses
That my cheek so soften caresses
Just one kiss the stars are counting
One, two, three they are mounting
But I am honest sure you have learned it
Quick as stolen I returned it

21. 1912 Upon the Mountains Top

2007-06-10T20:27:00.000+01:00

Upon the Mountains tops

Upon the mountains tops of hope we stand
Below the valleys of Decision roll
Beyond the vales by Freedoms breezes fanned
We glimpse the peaks of Truth that are our goal
Mayhap we’ll never gain those heights so far
That gleam above the mists of doubt and pain
And so we linger breathing Hopes pure air
Unmind of the struggle on the Plain

FAI 1912

20. 1912 - His Siblings

2007-06-10T17:52:00.000+01:00

So while F.A.I. was off sailing backwards and forwards across the Atlantic, what was happening with his siblings?

I have no trace of Florence, Arthur and can only assume Ivy was in Ireland! Goodness knows where their father was?

His older brother, Edward, had emigrated from the UK to New South Wales, Australia as had Mabel by this time too.

Edward had married in July 1911 at Newtown, Sydney and Mabel had married in April 1912 at Camberwell, Melbourne.

There is a postcard from Ethel from 1912 which indicates she was staying at the Angel Hotel, City Road, London

(Something amazing has just happened here, as I have looked up the link I have realized I stayed in this pub 80 years after Ethel was there, friends of mine ran this hostelry in the early 1990's. I have been in every room, it is huge, I wonder which was her room ……? Sorry but I am just having one of those ‘WOW’ moments! Another place, another time, another thought…. If I knew then what I know now!!)

In 1912 his sister Maud was noted as being at St.Mary’s Industrial School, West Croydon which was run by the Sister’s of Mercy.
On 26th July 1912 she became a ‘Home Child’ and shipped off as part of the Roman Catholic Emigration programme. She sailed out of Liverpool on the SS Corsican to Quebec, with a final destination of Ottawa. She was 15 years old.

19. 1912 The Home Land

2007-06-10T16:07:00.000+01:00

There are a couple of wistful writings in F.A.I.s book that refer to Ireland. As we know he was born in London and I don’t know for certain if he actually ever visited Ireland at all.
It is possible that he was there during the 1891 census as he and his family have not been traced on the mainland to date!
However, his sister Ivy seemed to have settled there circa 1909 – 1916 taken from the information on postcards we have discovered.

Other indicators of an Irish connection, date back before F.A.I.s birth. The photographs (on this site) of his grandparents and his French Aunt Matilda were taken in Dublin C1860s.
His grandparent’s photographs were taken at the Adolphe Drawing Room, First Floor Gallery, 75, Grafton Street, Dublin and Matilda’s was taken at Lauder Brothers in Dublin.

Even further back is this photo.

It has written on the back ‘Sidney George West Wicklow, Caisarwitch’ (I suspect that it should read Cesarwitch!). A well dressed and obviously educated man, with him holding a book, maybe he was a preacher of some sorts or in true family tradition a Professor/ Master.

I, nor my fellow family hunters, have been able to identify who Sidney is just yet, (because as everyone that takes up family history research will know this all takes some time and effort to link people together) but it is strongly believed he is the paternal Great Grandfather of F.A.I. as his photo was found in the same collection along side the C1860’s photos (thanks to CS and family for their find. CS had discovered these photos some time ago but had no idea who the people were, we met through a genealogy site discovering that his GG grandfather and mine were brothers and as they say the rest is history!)

So here is the first poem about Ireland:

The Home Land

I toil and I spin but there’s no one here who cares
Oh the smell of the peat and the feel of Irish air
The green of the woods and the river running through
And the kind eyes the true eyes of Irish blue
It’s little he knew when she begged me to stay
That my heart was saying yes when my lips were saying no
Oh the gold of the sun as we stood alone we two
And the kind eyes of Irish blue
There’s naught that loves me here but over the sea
There’s a green little valley that is calling still to me
Just a patch of furlye and woodland with the
River running through and the
Kind eyes the true eyes of Irish blue

F.A.I

18. 1912 April

2007-06-09T22:59:00.000+01:00

F.A.I.s next 2 sailings were aboard the R.M.S. Franconia, both to Boston and both as 3rd Cook (so he did do a bit better!). He sailed out of Liverpool on the 30th April, 16 days after the sinking of the Titanic, returning on 23rd May and then out again on the 25th. He sailed back to Liverpool on the 20th June. I often wonder how much of these places he got to see. Was the crew confind to the dock area whilst the ship was being prepared to resail ? Did he have too much preparation so could not explore? I hope he did escape to enjoy the sites and smells of new countries, citys, cultures.

Today we are bombarded with colourful dramatic images of every inch of our planet on a daily basis. In F.A.I.s day he may well have seen a few black and white photos or printed engravings of the world, but nothing to compare with the breath taking first glimpse of a new place.
I still vividly recall the first time, 25 years ago, when I stepped off a plane onto Spanish tarmac early in the morning. The heat, the smells and above all the excitement of adventures ahead, exploring somewhere I had never been before...........................................

The Franconia was launched on 23rd July 1910 and completed on 23rd January 1911. She and her sister ship Laconia were built to replace the Ivernia and Saxonia on the Liverpool–Boston run and also to cover for the Lusitania and Mauretania should they have to go to dock for a refit. Also the intention of these two vessels was to ship emigrants from the Mediterranean to New York.

Her first maiden voyage was on 25th February 1911 from Liverpool to New York not long after this she was placed on the Liverpool – Boston service. During the winter months she serviced to the New York to Mediterranean voyages.
During warfare, in 1915, she became a troop transport vessel.On 4th October 1916 the Franconia was torpedoed, 195 nautical miles southeast of Malta by a German UBoat –47. She was sunk within 50 minutes and 12 lives lost

A bit of trivia here………… the Franconia was the first to have a gymnasium and health centre aboard a ship (I wonder if it was open to 3rd Cooks?? I would doubt it would have been open to ‘staff’ , however I also doubt he would have took advantage as he smoked and if he was anything like Granny, also liked a ‘wee dram’)

Laurels

I am a man yet youth still nods at me
Mid age my friend sits near, we think and see
And this man sayeth what then has he done
And what hath he won
Little of either gentles in your scale
My name is weighed as but as those who fail
Yet what is the success of fame attained
Tell me do those who loose and those who win
Better maintain what manhood dwellith in
Those be the semblances that glitter far
Whose be the things they are
I know not only this I say to me hast thou kept fair?
The honour born in thee hast injured non canst
Smile even at myself hast their greed as ???
And these be thine nay if unto thy soul
Thou still canst whisper, Lo lies the goal
Then shall I marvel even in our days
That failure wears no bays

17. 1912 A Sonnet

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A Sonnet

He envies not the splendours of a King
A misers wealth, a Sybarites soft ease
Who feels upon his cheek the southern breeze
Fragrant with all the scents of early spring
Who listens to the song the thrushes sing
The busy of the insects and the drone of bees
The myriad sounds that of flowers and trees
Of silver morn and golden evening
But if I could count it again complete
If I was for one brief hour with you alone
Could barter all of natures charms
I could summon you my sweet my sweet
Across barriers of the great unknown
And hold thee once again within my arms

16. 1912 Loves Music

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Loves Music

Love upon the harp of life
Plays its music pure and sweet
As down the aisles of time
Go the merry dancing feet
While we dream of blissful days
In the future years to come
With our hearts rejoicing in
Thoughts of love eternity
Longs of love and Happiness
Everyday we seem to hear
And to realms of paradise
We are always seeming near
As the selfishness of life
Disappears and flies away
The love of sacrifice that
Come to noble hearts to stay

F.A.I.

15. 1912 When You Come to Me at Dawn

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When You Come to Me at Dawn

When you come to meet me at dawn
Through my heart a rapture runs
Every shadow is withdrawn
Birds sing orisons
When you come to me at eve
In my heart a rapture stirs
There’s no boom I that I receive
Just a joy confers
Sun or shadow or flower or rise
Leafy bough or barren tree
All the time is golden
When you come to me

Mali 1912

14. 1912 March

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9 days after returning from Boston, F.A.I. was off again on his way to New York.
On 16th March he sailed out of Liverpool on the R.M.S. Campania returning on 3rd April. Bit of a come down he was now 4th Chef (I think ‘could do better’ springs to mind!)

The RM.S. Campania was built for Cunard by Fairfield Company Limited, Glasgow and was launched on 8th September 1892. Her maiden voyage was Liverpool to New York on 22nd April 1893. She was later converted into an armed merchant ship and represented Cunard at Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubliee Review at Spithead in 1897.

She remained in Cunards Liverpool – New York fleet until she was retired in April 1914.
Anchor Line briefly chartered her but Cunard called her back to replace the Aquitania who had been called to serve as a troop ship.

In the November she was sold to a ship breakers but quickly recalled by the Admiralty and she was converted into an armed merchant cruiser with a flight deck and hangar, which was capableof handling both planes and balloons. Her purpose was to act as a ‘scouting aide’.

The Campania’s days came to an end in November 1918 when she collided with HMS Revenge in the Firth of Forth and sank.

Reading through the poems in the book I feel F.A.I. must have been a ‘true sailor’ maybe a woman in every port. He certainly liked to gallivant!

The next one in his book is noted ‘Blanche 1912’

The Call

Speak louder O my soul Thou art so very near
That faith resounds the toll above the grave of fear
Speak louder for the night is very dark and cold
Oh send my cheering light and give me strength to hold
Amid the worlds dark hours I feel a sure response
And climb loves sheltering tower above my trials
Dear soul: God and thou are the guides I need
The road is plainer now the voice I hear and heed
Above the storm and clouds this is a peace for me
This life is but a shroud to me I belong to thee

Blanche 1912

13. 1912 From Heart to Heart

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From Heart to Heart

A ruby in a drop of wine, a sapphire in a sea of blue
A pearl for a shell of pearl unseen, the heart of you
A rose in scarlet bowers of bloom untempered of the sun and dew
Too deep for the trumpet of the bee, the lips of you
A diamond in the crystal spring, a star astray in clouded skies
The light of an older world waits in your eyes

A statue in an inch of snow, a spark behind a hearth of flame
The dull indifference of the lips that speak your name
The cries of children in the house loud with cheers
Your voice lost in the mad replies of the throng that hear
But fire in wine and rose on marble
A sunbeam in a dull grey sea
The cry of a child in a motherless world
Your call to me

On the bottom it has the name Mahi/ Mali/ Mati/ Malu???? I have no idea!!!!!!

12. 1912 Kindness Seeds

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Kindness seeds are showered by deeds
Cultivated by loves affections
Natures’ arm protects from harm
All those that need protection
Loves bright charm allays all alarm
And strengthens the will of the mind
So when in doubt turn things about
And view them from behind
Let reasons bright light
Guide desire and appetite
Should happiness be your goal
Don’t scatter to the wind
The thoughts of your mind
They that come from your soul

F.A.I. 1912

11. 1912 February

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On the 13th February 1912 F.A.I. sailed out of Liverpool on the R.M.S. Ivernia headed for Boston. He was working this time as 3rd Cook. His return was to Liverpool on 7th March.

R.M.S. Ivernia was launched in 1899 and was built for Cunard by C.S. Swan & Hunter,
Newcastle.

Ivernia's funnels, at 106 feet (32.31 m) above the main deck (and those of her sister, Saxonia) were the tallest single funnels ever installed on an ocean liner.
Her maiden voyage was from Liverpool to New York, on 14 April 1900 and in June 1900 she

was placed on the Liverpool-Boston route for which she was originally intended and remained on that route until December 1911.

Research I have suggests that the Ivernia was then placed on a Trieste-New York route and remained there until World War I, except for the winter of 1912-13, when she returned to the
Boston-Liverpool route but I have F.A.I. on there in February 1912 to Boston!
She was taken over as a troopship in September 1914.

On New Year's Day 1917 the Ivernia was torpedoed and sunk by a UB-47 off Cape Matapan, Greece, with 2,400 Scottish soldiers on board. 85 soldiers and 36 crew were killed.

As this was his first ship of 1912 I thought it apt to add the first poem in the book.

Upon The Road to Memory

Upon the road of memory I lingered long today
And of the things that I did see upon that precious way
A little chef with dark brown eyes with others came along
He was not big or very wise but happy was ‘is song
He sang of days that were to come when he should become a man
They made a truly wonderous sum the things he that he planned
And then he spoke his voice was kind
His words- ah! They were very good
He whispered softly ‘never mind
We’ve done the best we could’
But when he looked me in the face I was with a willful eye
Then turned and gazed far into space and gave a little sigh
For on the road to Memory
That leads to yesterday
He was the lad I used to be
Before my locks were grey

FAI 1912

10. 1912 (The Writer Appears)

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During 1912 F.A.I. was at sea from February until New Year 1913. It would seem he did more or less back to back sailings.

This was the year of the sinking of the Titanic on 14th April on her maiden voyage to New York. F.A.I. had returned from New York on the 3rd April on the Franconia and spent the rest of April on land (it would seem) before sailing out again across the Atlantic to Boston.

Can you imagine what it would have been like at that time with such an event having just taken place? I wonder if he lost his nerve for a while or maybe sailings were curtailed?

Also that year he sailed on the Lusitania and the Carpathia. I heard tales as a child that granddad had been on the Carpathia at the time of the sinking of the Titanic (probably not true… unless we have a missing entry from his discharge book). Recently I heard another tale that he missed the sailing from New York on the Lusitania on the very day it was torpedoed on 7th May 1915. Again there are no entries in his discharge book for 1915 and feel this is another fanciful tale of my dear Granny. (Lucky for me anyway as I may not have been here to write about him).

So the entries for 1912 will be many, mostly containing his poems and snippets about the ships on which he sailed. A lot of the works are not dated, the early ones I have taken as 1912 and later ones where his writing has changed and is similar to dated pieces I have taken them as being of that year.

The Book

9. 1911 (& The High Seas)

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One of the gems Granny saved was F.AI.s Seaman's Discharge book. Through this I have been able to follow his life through a few goods years. Thanks to the help of my brother and the Liverpool Maritime Museum (one of my top 10 museums) we have gathered together photographs and snippets of information about the ships he served on. In the discharge book he is described as being born in London in 1884, 5 foot 7 inches tall, grey eyes, brown hair, medium complexion and no tattoos or distinguishing marks (I wonder if he came back with any tattoos though?)

Obviously he spent long days at sea and the first evidence of his writing is found during his sea faring years.

The first ship he is recorded on was the 'Dakar' . He sailed out of Sierra Leone West Coast of Africa to Liverpool on 15th February 1911. He arrived back in Liverpool on 27th February 1911. He is noted as an Assistant Cook. How he got to Sierra Leone will remain a mystery but he probably went out on the Dakar.

The Dakar was built in Middlesborough in 1898 and was owned by Elder Dempster Lines. She was launched on 12th December 1898 as the "Clarence" for an African State Service Company, there she was renamed the "Anversville".

In May1899 she was delivered to Cie Belge Maritime du Congo into the Antwerp- Congo Free State Service. By March 1906 she had been transferred to African State Sevice and renamed as the Dakar.

On 15th February 1913 she collide with a Norwegian ship lying 15 miles south-west of Eddison Lighthouse and she was returned to port. Disaster stuck again on 31st March 1915 when her bunkers caught fire at Forcados. The fire caused a cargo fire an she burnt out amid ship. The wreck was taken over by the shipping controller and the usual war time compensation was paid out.

Circa 1919 -1920 she was salvaged and sold as a cargo vessel.

From 1922 she was renamed again, she became ammunition's ship for the Royal Navy in 1940 (out in Ceylon) and she ended her days in Karachi where she was broken up in 1947.

Dakar Hildebrand Vandyck

F.A.I.s next 2 trips were to Paraguay on board the 'R.M.S.Hildebrand' here he was a vegetable cook (don't know if this was promotion or not!!) These trips too 2 months to complete so from 16th April 1911 to 23rd August 1911 he went on back to back sailings.

The Hildebrand was built by Scotts Shipbulding & Engineering Co. Ltd., Greenock and she was launched on 14th February 1911. She set sail on her maiden voyage 1st April 1911 from Liverpool for Le Havre and Manaus. So when F.A.I sailed on her she was a brand new vessel.

On 5th December 1914 she was commissioned as an Armed Merchant Cruiser and became HMS Hildebrand of the 10th Cruiser Squadron

On 2nd October 1917 she was missed by a torpedo from a German Submarine which sunk the cruiser HMS Drake instead.

She was decommissioned on 17th January and returned to Booth Line

In February 1934 she was sold for £11,000 and broken up by J. Cashmore of Newport, Monmouth.

His final trip in 1911 was on the 'R.M.S. Vandyck'. He sailed out of Liverpool on 5th October 1911 for the River Plate, Buenos Aires returning to Liverpool on 11th December 1911. This time he was a second cook, (now that would appear promotion!)

The R.M.S. Vandyck was built by Lamport & Holt Shipping Line, Belfast in 1911. She was launched on 1st Jun 1911 and carried her first passengers to new York in the August. In September 1911 she did New York -Rio-Monte Video-Buenos Aires, so I imagine on her return to Liverpool my granddad's trip was next.

She was unfortunately intercepted on 26th October 1914 on passage to Buenos Aires by a German light cruiser, The Karlsrusche, just off St. Paul's Bay.

The next day the passengers and crew where transferred to a German supply ship . The Ascuncion. 4 days late the Ascunsion was detached and sent to Paraguay, with that the Vandyck was sunk by explosives.

What an adventure for first year at sea !

8. 1910? (Interlude)

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I really thought I had something for this year. But my disorganised filing will not allow me to find it! If I do stumble across it, be sure it will be added along the way ………. So instead some more Victorian Humour/ Facts or otherwise from the ‘Millions Book of Laughter’ (I know you can’t wait !!)

Incidents and Stories (Cricket and Football)

I was watching a football match a little while ago. I was standing beside a man whom they called ‘O’d Putty’. He always went on crutches until his football match came off. He was wanting one side to win, and I the other. When at last his side won, he was so pleased that he ran home without his crutches, shouting ‘Goo’ lad, Low Moor! Maria, were are ta? They’ve won!’

Playing for South of England against the Australians, at Hastings, in 1866, Mr. H. Pigg bowled Mr. Giffen, and sent one of the bails a distance of 43 yards 2 inches.

Whilst the football match – Cheshire Lines v. South TranmereY.M.F.S, was in progress recently, a young bullock became very frisky on seeing the players running about in their variegated jerseys. The bullock rushed in amongst the players, and finally espying Ashton, the ‘Friendlies’ goalkeeper, between the posts, charged at him some distance away. Then, whilst the goal was left undefended, the ‘Linesman’ scored a goal, and no whistle being sounded, the point was counted.

This (according to a clever Paris society paper) is how our game of football strikes the intelligent foreigner: “ I went,” says he “to the Blackheath on Saturday to observe the game (essentially Brittanic) of football. This is what I saw: The players precipitated themselves furiously upon each other; arms and legs were instantly dislocated; collarbones broken, children of tender years limped off the field with fatal injuries, and all round were weeping mothers and distracted fathers, tending their bruised and battered offspring……..Anon the game was resumed, amidst howls and execrations from all sides, fragments of clothing, and of hair and skin, torn ruthlessly from the heads and bodies of the rival, stewedthe field. It was a spectacle terrible and affecting! I turned away with tears in my eyes” – from “Johnson’s Football Guide, 1891-2”

(Erm and football gets a bad press these days ???)

Many first-class professional football players earn £7 a week

More than 35,000 spectators have witnessed a football match.

When one of the Lancashire Football Clubs went to the Metropolis to play in the final tie in the contest for the English Cup, many of their supporters accompanied them, and startled the Cockneys with their ways and speech. In the excitement of the match on Northern visitor had his toes stamped on by a Southern spectator, and after patiently bearing this state of things for some time, he turned round and, in spite of a deprecatory “Excuse! I beg your pardon!” savagely exclaimed, in his native Doric, “Dang tha’ pardon, but I’se punse thi awt same!”

(yes that is how it was written??)

and finally some ‘WIT and WISDOM”

Great age this we live in. People don’t laugh now-a-days, they indulge in merriment. They don’t walk, they promenade. They never eat any food, they masticate it. Nobody has a tooth pulled out , it is extracted. No one has his feelings hurt, they are lacerated. Young men so not go courting the girls, they pay the young ladies attention. It is vulgar to visit anyone, you must only make a call. Of course you would not think of going to bed, you would retire to rest. Nor would you build a house, you would erect it. So we go!”

Ok just one more !!

After the wedding.
He: ‘why, what are you crying for my love?’
She: ‘Over papa’s wedding present –boo-hoo’
He: ‘why what’s the matter with it ?’
She: ‘It’s nothing but the receipted bill for the gas we used up during our courtship’

7. Family Confusion (it’s all in a name)

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As you already know some of F.A.I.s aunts and uncles were French born (British Subjects) around the Brittany area, Brest in particular. The rest of them were born in London. Of the French fraternity there was:

Emily who died of TB in 1873 aged 35 years in Romford. In 1871 her sister Maria and her were running the Bangor School for Ladies.
Caroline who died in 1872 aged 30 of Morbis Cordis.
Josephine who was only ever mentioned once in the 1851 census.
George who married Harriet (no children)
There is possibly a ‘Frederick’ he doesn’t appear on the census records with the family but he was born in France (at the time the family were there) & was a School Master, so certainly fits the criteria. As it stands he is unconfirmed!
There is also Maria and Matilda.

On investigating the burial place of F.A.I.s grandfather at Camberwell Old Cemetery it was discovered that interred in the same grave was his wife Caroline (died 1884), Caroline Matilda Maria (died 1909) & chap named Edgar(died 1903). Who on earth was Edgar and which daughter was Caroline Matilda Maria?

Maria had been Maria through the entire census’s as Matilda had been Matilda. So who was in the grave? Maria or Matilda?

To add confusion even further, when I was on holiday in France a couple of years ago I chanced upon the ‘Marie’ in Morlaix and with my school girl O’level French (and my Penguin phrase book) I managed to ask whether it would be possible to look at the birth records of that area C1835. What joy they said yes!
The old beautiful books were presented to me and within them I saw the birth registrations of two of the children
Caroline Mathilda 8th September 1835 and Emilie 8th July 1837. It told of the time they were born, their parentage, where they lived, a page of information on each child plus my great great grandfathers signature.
My brother photographed the pages and we went on to find Rue de Ploujean where they had lived 170 years previous. We sat in a beautiful 19th Centaury café, drinking coffee, in the glorious French sunshine both in true amazement about what we had seen. What a day!

So back to who was in the grave?

To cut a long story (and search) short, Matilda, who we had seen through out the census’s I had assumed was the Caroline Mathilda as seen in France ( I just thought that she had lied about her age on census returns!). Anyway I was wrong, the birth I had seen in France was Maria’s. Maria was the name her parents had called her. This has happened so many times in this particular line of my tree, they really don’t want this to be easy.
It was discovered that Matilda had married Edgar. Edgar was the brother of Matilda’s father’s brother’s wife (hope you got that?).
They married in 1885 after her parents had died (I feel maybe they may have not approved of the marriage, she was 45, he was 56 and had been married previously).

It appears that Matilda had sacrificed her place in the grave for her sister, Maria. Matilda lived on until 1926 at the family home were she had lived with her husband and sister, The Hawthorns, Vincent Road, Croydon.

One cold, bleak October day a couple of years ago, I visited Camberwell Old Cemetery with my cousin PM from Oz and an ancestor from my great great grandfathers brothers side. It was drizzly, damp and dark (the sun never came up), perfect conditions for visiting a neglected Victorian Graveyard.

Our ancestor’s headstone had fallen so between us (and I am afraid not very ceremoniously) we raised it.
As it has been face down for so long the inscription was broken up but we could just make out who was in there plus the words …………..

DR WATTS...JESUS HOLDS MY TITLE DEEDS...CROSS AND BLOOD SECURE........HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS MEETS ALL MY NEEDS.......AND MAKES MY PATHWAY SURE..........EDGAR F……….

Reserching Edgar’s life we found that he had been a scripture reader & organist at St Jude’s Southwark (he had also been the owner of a Fancy Repository & a Toy salesman too!!). Holding on to the thought he was musical it would seem Edgar had added another verse Oh God Our Help In Ages Past words written by Isaac Watts

(Don’t know if you have noticed but Caroline features a lot in F.A.I.s life…. Both his grandmothers ( what a co-incidence!), his mother, two aunts and his sister all had the name, I guess they must have liked the it!)

Paternal Grandmother Caroline

6. 1899 – 1909 (aged 15 –25 years)

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Immediately post the death of his mother there is no evidence as to F.A.I.s whereabouts.
He appeared in the 1901 Census with his older brother Edward. He was living at British Street, Bromley aged 18 and working as a pot man.
He is noted as the nephew of the head of household but after much gnashing of teeth it would seem it is a mistake and he was a lodger.

There is no evidence to his whereabouts from 1901 – 1908. It is possible he was still in London at this stage, maybe living with one of his French Aunties. Certainly his brother Arthur had their Aunt Matilda's address (The Hawthornes, Vincent Road, Croydon) as a contact and maybe as his next of kin, when he joined up to fight in World War I.

In 1908 I have the first postcard addressed to F.A.I.. It is dated 28th August and says

‘Hope you are well, In haste’ Min

(at first glance it looks like Mum but as we know she died 10 years earlier)

F.A.I. was working at the Royal Station Hotel York

The card was posted from Malton which is north east of York.

On 23rd November 1908 he was sent another postcard from Edinburgh, unfortunately I can not make out the signature, but the message reads
‘ Just a P.C. to remind you of old times we often speak of you and wished you was back again- how are you getting on, it will soon be thanks (possibly Thanksgiving??) Kind regards from ????’

So it would appear he was in Edinburgh too in those missing years

Some 95 years later I spent a week in the Royal Station Hotel on a residential course. I was truly in awe at the place. Each evening I would sit out in the gardens to relax, little did I know then that my grandfather had probably once sat in those gardens too!
(another addition to the ‘to-do list’, revisit the Hotel with the knowledge I have now)

In 1909 I have no record of F.A.I.s whereabouts. His sister Ivy sent a card from Clonmel, Tipperary on 4th October 1909 so it is thought she settled over there as there are later postcards from her from Ireland. Also in 1909, one of his French Aunties died aged 75 years. She was buried with her Father and Mother at Camberwell Old Cemetery (......more about this later)

In F.A.I.s writings our ‘Min’ appears in 1912 at Whitley. Ok this is out of chronological order but felt is was right to introduce her piece from the book now.

‘ After Thoughts’

Do you remember friend of mine that day
When you and I took a stroll together
You charmed away my care with sayings droll
And witty so with fun and laughter gay

The moments quickly flew till shadows grey

Over tread the fields contented and heart whole
I listened to your voice perhaps I stole
That boyish heart of yours I cannot say
What thoughts lay hidden ’neath your myrtle no right
Had I or wished to be more than a chum
Just then but your blue eyes were strongly bright
And parting…. Since you left me in the lane
I’ve longed for you and wish you would come

Oh boy do take me through the fields again

Time lines
1899 ~A lawn mower, a motor driven vaccum and a home refrigerator was patented
1900 ~7" single-sided records started being manufactured in Montreal/ Picasso painted "Moilin de la Galette."
1901 ~Queen Victoria died at age 82/ The Wild Bunch, including Kid Curry, carried their last American robbery, taking $65,000 from a Great Northern train. Butch Cassidy, the Sundance Kid and his lover Etta Place had fled to New York.
1902 ~ A French football team played an English team for the first time -Paris lost, 4-0, to Marlow FC/ The Boer War ended with the Treaty of Vereeniging, a brutal war of attrition launched by Lord Kitchener forced the Boers to give in.
1903 ~Argentina banned the importation of American beef, because of sanitation problems/ Niagara Falls ran out of water because of a drought/ First Tour De France
1904~Helen Keller graduated from Radcliffe College at age 24/ A woman was placed under arrest for smoking a cigarette on New York’s Fifth Avenue
1905~ Largest diamond, Cullinan was found in South Africa/ The Rotary Club was founded/Jules Verne died
1906~ Bakerloo line opened/ The Census of the British Empire showed England ruled 1/5 of the world
1907~Bubonic Plague broke out in San Francisco/Taxis began running in New York
1908~Count Zeppelin announced plans for his airship to carry 100 passengers
1909~ Picasso sculpted the head "Fernande," the first cubist sculpture/ Francis Hodgson Burnett wrote "The Secret Garden."

5. Victorian Humour

2007-06-01T23:06:00.000+01:00

As an interlude, part of my collection of F.A.I.’s memorabilia is a book entitled
‘ A Millions Book of Laughter’ published in 1892 and costing 2 shillings & 6d.
It is in a sorry state, I am afraid and lives in a plastic bag because the pages have come away.
It contains a wealth of mirth (?), facts and recipes from times gone by.
In my ‘thinking time' of 'where am I going next on here' I will pop a few ‘quality’ items to remind us of the time pre- television, computers and techno toys when entertainment was by the aid of gas light, reading out loud from a book, needlepoint and the family around the piano !!

(The following is transcribed exactly how it is written in the book, there is so much maybe it deserves a blog of its own ??)

Hugging
Some lady is responsible for the following:-
‘Kit hates moustaches; ‘So much hair
Makes every man look like a bear’
But Fanny, whom no though can fetter,
Blurts out, ‘the more like bears the better!
Because’ – her pretty shoulders shrugging-
‘Bears are such glorious chaps for hugging!’

On the marriage of Reuben Wise to Matilda Chevise
At length she seized the proffer’d prize,
(A happy one, believe us.)
For matrimony has made her Wise
Before, she was Miss Chevis.

‘Tis so!
Many any,
Friends many;
Pounds few
Friends Adieu.

Time was when girls their bonnets wore
Projecting half a yard before;
When beauty was thus hidden deep,
‘Twas something e’en to get a peep
But now- oh woman’s fickle mind! –
They wear their bonnets all behind.

Why in the event of scarcity of corn, would Warwickshire be better off than any other county?
- because there’e Nuneaton (non eaten) in it.

What is the difference between a successful lover and his rival?
- The one kisses his miss and the other misses his kiss

Why is a shoemaker like a true lover?
- because he is faithful to the last!

Why is an egg like a colt?
- because it is not fit for use until it is broken!

What is the difference between a bantam cock and a dirty housemaid?
- The one is a domestic fowl the other a foul domestic!

Why are A & C the most alluring letters in the alphabet?
- because they form the centre of attraction

What female name is formed of only 2 letters of the alphabet; and why should a lady owing that name never return from India unmarried?
-Anna ; because, if an Anna wouldn’t go in India, she is not passable anywhere else.
(mmm ? I will leave that one with you 'cause I don't understand it??)

What is the difference between an old bachelor and a pretty girl?
- a pretty girl steals the hearts of others; a horrid bachelor steels his own.

What is the difference between tacks and tax?
-one is intended to keep us ‘up at heel’ the other tends to keep us down .

(nothing changes !!)

‘What will you leave me in your will?’ said a lady to an Irishman.

He coolly answered, ‘ the wide world, madam!!’

Why does a saucepan, which has been used boil in a shorter time than a new one?
-because the bottom and back are covered in soot; and the black soot rapidly absorbs the heat of the glowing coals. (a handy hint)

Why should the front and lid of a saucepan be clean and bright?
-As they do not come in contact with the fire they cannot absorb heat; and (being bright) they will not suffer heat to absorb by radiation. (and another hint!)

Quite like this one…………………………
Why is an old maid like a stale lemon?
- because neither is worth squeezing!!

4. His early years 1884 – 1898

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1884 ~ F.A.I. was born at The Terrace, Upton. Fathers occupation -‘schoolmaster’.

His older brother Edward was born at Boylen Road, Upton in 1880 and cheekily his father is noted as a ‘Professor of Languages’ (I think he stole that title from his father??).
His older sister Emily Caroline Ethel (aka Ethel) was born at Manor College, Upton in late 1881 and her father was noted as ‘Principle of the College’. There is a home address in the 1881 Census of Edith Villas, West Ham

Timeline 1884 ~Edgar Degas began painting his series of pastels and oils of dancers/
Georges Seurat painted "Bathers at Asnieres." (one of my favourites of Seurats a copy of which hangs in my bathroom !!)/ Mark Twain published “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.”/ Greenwich, site of the Royal Observatory, was urged to become the site for the Prime Meridian, zero degrees longitude. Paris was also proposed as a consequence the French did not acknowledge Greenwich until 1914. Global time zones were established.
Between the births of Ethel & F.A.I. Dante Gabrielle Rossetti died, he was co-founder of the fantastic Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood. (Simply my favourite painter of all time .....so he had to get a mention )

1886 ~ The family were living at Sunny View, Grove Road, Woodford, Walthamstow with the birth of Mabel Mary Josephine. Father’s occupation - ‘Private Tutor’.

Timeline 1886~ The Times (London) published the world's 1st classified ad/ The first cremation in England took place/ Plans for a tower for the 1889 Paris exhibition were announced and proposals were invited for the project. The winning design was by Gustave Eiffel/ Al Jolson was born

1888 ~ Ivy Louise’s birth they were all at High Street, Homerton, Hackney. Father’s occupation - ‘schoolmaster’.

Timeline 1888~ In August Jack the Ripper claims his first victim. F.A.I. lived just a few miles up the road from the killings.

1891 ~ There is no trace of the family in the 1891 census but by December Arthur St John was born at Shaftesbury Avenue, Plaistow, West Ham. Father’s occupation –‘School Master’

Timeline 1891~ Chico Marx was born/The first travelers checks were issued by American Express/ Thomas Edison filed a patent for a motion picture camera/ Thomas Hardy published "Tess of the d’Urbervilles."

1894-1895 ~ I have realized I have not obtained the Birth Certificate for the next child born, Albert Cecil Anthony (added to the ‘to do' list!). Albert died aged 10 months in April 1895 and is interred at Woodgrange Park Cemetery, Manor Park, Newham

Not as a child shall we again behold him
But when with rapture wild
In our embrace when we again enfold him
He will not be a child
But a fair cherub in his father’s mansion
Clothed with sweet Jesu’s grace
And beautiful with all the soul’s expression
Shall we again see babys face
(source Victorian Funeral Card for Albert)

Timeline 1894 ~Aldous L. Huxley was born / Robert Louis Stevenson died in Samoa/ Paul Gauguin painted "Breton Village in the Snow."/ Sir Arthur Conan Doyle visited Klosters, Switzerland & quoted "I am convinced that the time will come when hundreds of Englishmen will come to Switzerland for the skiing season."
Timeline 1895 ~ Oscar Wilde’s "The Importance of Being Earnest," opened at the St. James’ Theatre in London he was also jailed this year on a 'morals' charge/ Tchaikovsky's "Swan Lake," premiered in Petersburg/ Thomas Hardy published "Jude the Obscure." The bold sexual content of the novel caused a Victorian outcry, this prompted Hardy to abandon narrative writing for verse.

1896 ~ Maud St. Francis birth at Station Road, Plaistowe. Father’s occupation – ‘Insurance Agent’. Quite a change of profession!!

Timeline 1896~ The first modern Olympic Games opened in Athens after a lapse of 1,500 years. Only eight nations took part/ The first ‘horseless carriage’ show took place in London featuring ten models/ The first car was stolen (had to happen!)/ William Morris died aged 62

1898 ~ Florence St. Agnes was born at Burdett Road, Mile End. Father’s occupation-‘Insurance Agent’

A month later after the birth, their beloved mother Caroline Berenger died of puerperal fever, pneumonia and exhaustion. When Florence’s birth was registered (Caroline’s death was registered the same day), Florence’s certificate had a different maiden name for their mother than we had previously known her as. Through this, Caroline Berengers’ birth was found (after years of searching … thanks PM in Oz). She was born in 1856 at James Place, Bow, fathers name ‘blank’.
This is how the myth surrounding her wealthy past was laid to rest. She had obviously taken on her step-father’s surname after her mother Caroline married him in 1867.
She was interred in grave 22, St Patrick’s, Leytonstone. The part of the cemetery were she was buried was the ‘public section’ as such it has now been reclaimed and longer exists.

Timeline 1898 ~ Spain declared war on the United States after rejecting America's ultimatum to withdraw from Cuba/ Marconi patented his radio & Edwin Prescott a roller coaster/ Pierre and Marie Curie discovered radium

3. My Source

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The sources, from which I have gleaned the history of my grandfather, as I said earlier, are almost exclusively through the gems of memories his wife ‘V’ kept so safe over the years. She was a bit of a hoarder but I am very pleased she was.

The collection includes postcards dating back to the early 1900’s, F.A.I.’s Seaman’s Discharge book from 1910, a raft of menus from hotels around the UK in the 20’s – 50’s and some scraps of letters. The biggest gem, however, is a battered A4 lined book, which is entitled

'F.A.I. RMS Carpathia Rescue Ship 1912'.

This contains his thoughts through poetry. Most are dated 1912 but there are a few later entries too.

It has been said to me, ‘they are probably not his work’, this I would dispute. I have transcribed most of them from his written hand and searched the Internet and other sources for the text and can find only a few that belong to someone else.

There is, however, pasted in the back cover a beautiful poem, ‘If Thou Couldst Know’ written by a Robert Murray (source unknown), which is a dedication to his mother Caroline Berenger. Her death obviously caused him extreme grief, as it must have done with all his siblings. His sisters emigrated to Canada, America and Australia. Only he and his brother Arthur remained in the UK It would seem that non-could settle anywhere. F.A.I. went to sea and even after he married in 1918 he worked away in hotels for the holiday season.

If Thou Couldst Know – Robert Murray

Mother! If thou couldst know
How often thoughts of thee
Across my spirit blow
Like soft airs o’er the sea.
In daytime’s placid noon
Or in the quiet night
Like some remembered tune
That wakens past delight;
Yet clouds the joy with throbs of pain
For things that cannot come again

The swift years fade away ;
Time backward winds his scroll
I trace through boyhood’s days
Thy impulse on my soul,
I know again the wile
That set my vision high;
I see again that smile
That gave it gravity
I hear thy voice, thy presence feel

So close my inmost senses reel

Mother, thou livest still!
I can not think thee dead
I wait with patience , till
Thy hands shall touch my head
I grieve for faith unkept
I fail on every hand;
My soul too oft hath slept
But thou will understand
And through my stumblings faint and weak
Wilt see the goal for which I seek

When life’s last toil is done;
When sunshine comes no more
O swift my feet will run
To meet thee at the door
The angels, that on guard
Surround the shining throne
Shall have my high regard
But thou my love alone.
And then, at last, my soul shall pray
The debt that grows from day to day

2. His Background

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F.A.I. was born in Upton, West Ham in early 1884. He was the 3rd of 9 children (Edward Charles, Emily Caroline Ethel, F.A.I., Mabel Mary Josephine, Ivy Louise, Arthur St John, Albert Cecil Anthony, Maud St Francis and Florence St Agnes).

There is no trace of him or his family in 1891. I guess they either opted out or were out of the country at the time. In his writing he has mentioned Ireland as his 'home land', maybe they were over there at the time. Certainly his sister Ivy moved to the Emerald Isle in the early 1900s.

In the 1901 Census he was noted a lodger, living with his brother Edward in London and was working as a 'potman'.

The family had dispersed by this time as his mother Caroline had died a few years earlier following the birth of Florence. She was 41. Obviously his father (also Edward) was not modern dad and didn't care to raise his children.

The 3 younger girls were placed in St Melltus Franscian Convent, Hanwell and the 2 older girls were working and lodging in a tobacconists, Albert had died shortly after he was born. There is no sign of Arthur or their father in 1901.

According to the wedding certificate, his father was originally a Tea & Wine Merchant, working I suspect with 3 of his brothers (Augustus, Albert and Arthur.. the 3A's) who were noted through the census returns as Wine Merchants. I often wonder if after his time in France, their father didn't happen to secure a few good business deals of fine French wines for his boys.
Later his father, was noted as a school master and with each of his sibling's births came a different address ...... Upton, Walthamstowe, Hackney, Plaistow and Mile End.

F.A.I.'s paternal grandfather was a Professor of Languages and a Linguist, born in Dorset. In fact I think he was given the longest profession description ever in the 1861 Census;

'Assistant Master of the Bangor Endowed School, Professor of the French Language & University Graduate of the University of France'

Around 1834/5 he and his wife Caroline, moved to Brest in France. (what a journey that would have been!) Here is where he obviously learnt his trade. They had 6 of their children there and in 1847 they returned to the UK and a further 5 children were born. (what an even harder journey that would have been with 6 children in tow)

Although F.A.I.'s paternal Grandparents had died by the time he was born, he would certainly have grown up in an interesting family environment, having French Aunts and Uncles who were also teachers and it naturaly follows an educated enviroment too!

My dear Granny, told tales of Grandads mother, Caroline, being a French lady and a school teacher, also that her father was a wealthy merchant and she had been swindled out of the family fortunes by a wicked step mother whilst away at Boarding School in Switzerland!!
Part of the tale is true .... she was called Caroline.
She did, however, have an unusual middle name of Berenger (quite posh) and she had sister-in-laws who were indeed French and teachers, but alas she was illegtimate and I have no way of tracing her father.

So that is a brief background to F.A.I.'s start in life...............dragged around London by an educated father and hearing tales of life in France.

F.A.I.s Grandfather

1. My Guardian Angel

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F.A.I. was truely 'one of us'

I have never thought of him as anything else but my Guardian Angel from being a very small child, as someone who watches over me (a claivoyant also told me I had a Guardian Angel once and she told me his name & yes it was my grandfathers name. Believe it or believe it not!)

I was due into this world on his 78th Birthday but he died 3 months before I arrived.
His wife, my dear Granny, lived many a year after he died and (god bless her) she kept a wealth of memories about him.

In this blog I do hope I will be able to accurately capture his spirit, his passion and his love of life through his writing, my research and some family tales of him