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  1. #1
    Loves to help with queries
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    Default Marine Firemen Oilers and Watertenders Union,

    My Grandfather and his brother were marine firemen on the Liverpool to North America route.

    My Grandfather deserted his wife and young famiy in 1911 and it is thought he stayed in Canada...no proof.

    Some years later, his younger brother did the same and a relative of his has a letter from him to his wife, full of remorse (and a lot of self pity)trying to get back home but he never did.

    The letter is a bit scrappy and has no date but it looks like a return address has been given but frustratingly it doesn't say if it's Canada or the US.

    I'm wondering if the return address is C/o an official from the above union which I understand is in the US.

    Richard Miles
    Marine Firemen Oilers and Watertenders Union
    Maritime Hill, 58 Commercial Street.

    Does anyone have any idea where I can go from here?

    Sue

  2. #2
    Super Moderator - Completely bonkers and will never change.
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    Oct 2004
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    Default

    Put 'Marine Firemen Oilers and Watertenders Union' into a search engine (I used google) and browse the results (not just the first hit).
    It seems that they may have been based in San Francisco. I haven't checked if an address exists in SF for Maritime Hill, Commercial Street, but SF does have hills. Bear in mind that addresses can change (renamed/renumbered) over the years.

    Pam
    Vulcan XH558 - “Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened.”

  3. #3
    Loves to help with queries
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    Default

    Thank you Pam, that's the first thing I did and there is a Commercial St near the waterfront. Sounds like SF is the headquarters and a long way from the east coast where I assume he jumped ship. I suppose he managed to get membership so he could be employed in US coastal waters, keeping well away from his destitute family back home. I'm hoping the US has a searchable database for seamen...don't have access to US records but will try at my library.

    thanks again

    Sue

  4. #4
    Super Moderator - Completely bonkers and will never change.
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    Default

    There's a maritime museum in SF, and a Maritime Research Center of San Francisco Maritime National Historic Park as well as what seems to be the current equivalent of that union to ask for pointers.

    Pam
    Vulcan XH558 - “Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened.”

  5. #5
    Loves to help with queries
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    Default

    Thanks again...will have a look.

    Sue

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