A to Z Challenge 2020 - X

The Blogging from A to Z Challenge is to post everyday (except Sunday) in the month of April 2020 starting with the letter A and going all the way to Z. My theme is...
Ancestor Occupations 

XYLOGRAPHER

Xy•log•ra•phy ...

           the art of engraving on wood, or of printing from such engravings.

I am being a little liberal here, as tho not for printing purposes my 2x great grandfather did do engraving on wood. 

John Seale of Barriefield, Pittsburgh, Ontario came to Canada from Ireland as a soldier. When he was pensioned he stayed in Canada and worked as a cabinetmaker with a shop on King Street in Kingston. 

John made some of the furniture for their home. It is said he engraved the backs of the dining room chairs with the Seale Coat of Arms, this drawing of which hung on the walls of the family home.

John's son Alexander was the last to live in the home and when he died unmarried most of the contents were given to family members or sold. I had found a reference to the furniture in an inventories file of Kingston Archives and when I contacted the archivist there, he told me the furniture was sold at auction to a Mr Hamilton of Toronto. 

The oldest daughter, Anne Seale married neighbour James Hamilton, so I wonder if it was a relation?

I dream of one day finding at least a photo of one of the chairs, if not a chair itself. 

A to Z Challenge 2020 - W

The Blogging from A to Z Challenge is to post everyday (except Sunday) in the month of April 2020 starting with the letter A and going all the way to Z. My theme is...
Ancestor Occupations 

WIRELESS OPERATOR

During both wars, all wireless and amateur radio stations were ordered to shut down, except those taken over by the military. 


On 29 Jan 1916 a government Order in Council was passed establishing a rank to be known as "Wireless Operator" in the Royal Canadian Navy Volunteer Reserve.

Orders in Council 0162 - 29 Jan 1916 pg.3

My great uncle Wilfred Tait, born 1897 in Montreal, Quebec was a Wireless Operator in the RCNVR during the First World War.

Wilfred joined the RCNVR in September 1914 at the age of 17, and applied for a position in the government Telegraph Service 12 October 1917 when he could already operate using the Continental Code at 14 words a minute. 

Wilfred was assigned to the HMCS Niobe (training and depot ship in Halifax) for wireless training in his first appointment as Wireless Learner. 

From service file of Wilfred Tait, ordered from LAC

Wilfred was listed on the May 1918 Navy List as W/L (Wireless Learner) and was assigned to a CD-25 patrol boat.

The Navy List May 1918 pg.46

Wilfred was promoted to 4th class W/O (Wireless Operator) starting 10 June 1918 and soon assigned to the HMCS Seagull

Up to and including WWI, the crew of navy ships were awarded shares of prize money for destroying or capturing enemy vessels during times of war. The money was distributed in three installments at the end of the war. When the money was ready to be distributed it was announced in the newspaper and the person had to apply for it. 

Third Distribution - Montreal Gazette, Jan 14, 1924 pg 2, col.4

Being a Wireless Operator on submarine chasers Wilfred was entitled to shares of the prize money.  He received his first check 4 Nov 1920 of £5 for his share of the prize money, his second check 11 Apr 1923 of £7 10d, and the third check of £1 on 1 Feb 1924.

After the war Wilfred started Square-D Electric Company in Montreal. 

Wilfred Tait died suddenly in July 1940 at the age of 43. 

Being a wireless operator can also be a hobby. Then it is called Amateur Radio, or Ham Radio, and there are ham clubs all over the world. 

My husband is an avid sailor and thought it would be a good idea to get a wireless radio on his boat. Often where he sails there is no cell reception. He took the course, which at the time included morse code. He then chose his call sign (the VA7 part is for our area) and got his ham license.

My husband had a ham shack in our basement but he mostly used the one on the boat. The boating net is active all summer, giving weather information, which anchoring places are full so don't bother going there, such and such a place is having a free shrimp boil, or has any one seen or heard from so and so today as he hasn't checked in? The moderators are all volunteer and it is such a good safety thing, as well as social.  

A to Z Challenge 2020 - V

The Blogging from A to Z Challenge is to post everyday (except Sunday) in the month of April 2020 starting with the letter A and going all the way to Z. My theme is...
Ancestor Occupations 

VICTUALLER

My great great grandfather, George Singleton, was a Victualler in Liverpool, Lancashire, England, having moved there from Preesall with Hackensall.  

In 1862 George had the Victualler's License for the Pub on Queen Ann Street, Liverpool  transferred from Thomas Bunson, deceased.

Transfer of Victualler Licenses, Liverpool Daily Post

28 Nov 1862, pg.7 @ FMP

In 1888 George was granted permission to transfer his Queen Ann Pub license to James Gregory.

George then bought a license for the Richmond Arms Pub for which he was victualler until 1894. Then George moved into a lodging house on Springfield.

I don't have the particulars of what happened, but I do know George was not a happy man, especially since the death of his wife in 1882. At one time he entered and bet on courses with his dogs, and apparently he drank a lot, which seemed to be a hazard of owning or working in a pub. So on a very windy and rainy 13th day of December in 1894 George took himself off to the workhouse. 

FMP - Liverpool Mercury 13 Dec 1894, pg.6 

George admitted himself to the medical ward of the Liverpool Board of Guardians Workhouse, given number 1589, and in remarks on the admittance register was written "no friends". 

Liverpool Parish Workhouse

He was discharged from the workhouse about four months later on 4 April 1895. George then went back to living in the lodging house at 22 Springfields. 

On 2 December 1896 at the age of 60 George committed suicide by poison.