OCCUPATIONS IN GENEALOGY - THE TGWU BADGE

                                                         OCCUPATION - THE TGWU BADGE

In amongst the personal items, removed from my late Aunts bungalow when she moved into a care home in 2010, I found this small non-descript union badge for the TGWU... the Transport and General Workers Union.

She herself had no recollection of where it had come from. It wasn't hers she was sure, (although by this time her memory was failing due to suffering with dementia). I could only think that it belonged to either my grandfather, who worked for a time on the Liverpool docks, or my uncle Johnny Erlis, who was an engine driver on the docks. 

The badge was photographed and put away in a cupboard, along with the rest of my 'family heirloom' items... but thinking now that I should begin to resurrect the many facts (and tales) connected to the Seaman Family History in Liverpool, I've decided to make an effort and see if I can find out exactly who the badge actually belonged to. 

I might, of course, fail.... but at least I will have tried. I can't quite believe it that I haven't started looking into this earlier, and its now spent around fourteen years locked in a cupboard!

I'll now add it to my 'things to do list' and start my research online... then possibly I'll have to make a phone call or two ( and possibly a visit) to the union HQ itself, wherever that now is.

Wish me luck, for this could take some time... but hopefully not fourteen years!  

 

FRIDAY FOTO 17 - THE QUEEN MARY (ELIZABETH WELSH)

Three photos for the price of one today, as I was watching a documentary on TV earlier recalling the history of the luxury cruise liner, RMS Queen Mary. The programme was most interesting and told the story of the Cunard-White Star line flagship from her launch in 1936 to her retirement from service in 1967. 

During her time at sea, she served as a floating home to the rich and famous. She also carried troops during the war and was a favourite of the British royal family.

But I also recalled that she carried my aunt Betty on a trip to the U.S. from Southampton, UK in 1967, on what would be her final voyage for her owner-company, Cunard. 

  

The three photographs above have been taken by the official photographer on board the ship, and show Betty at dinner and also with a member of the crew.

Betty was a seasoned traveller by the time these photographs were taken and had travelled on a number of occasions-- either alone or with her friend Mavis-- on several cruises. These had been either to the Meditteranean and also the U.S.A.

I hadn't realised before looking at these photos after watching the programme, that they had been taken during that final voyage. After the ship left Southampton on 31 October 1967, I'm not sure if Betty travelled only part of the journey or whether she stayed with the ship until it finally docked in the U.S. I'm still researching this part of the puzzle. Unfortunately, my aunt is no longer with us so that I could ask her myself.

I've included a YouTube clip of the great ship leaving Southampton for the final time at the link below. It makes me smile to think that Betty had been aboard when the film was made.   

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8q0d5cZdMFU

(video from YouTube (c) Margaret Lee)