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Hello - thanx for the further posting.

Margaret Duff was my Grandfather's aunt, and I get the impression they were very close. There are a number of pictures of them together  in the family album. Margaret's sons were John and Robert, and they farmed at Ravenswood, a poultry farm near Cumbernauld.  The group photo at the front door of Ravenswood ( in a previous posting) shows  Margaret, and John Anderson. Both died in 1942 within days of each other - TB.

I recall meeting either John or Robert when I was a child,  in the late '50s. I do not have any further information regarding the Duffs. All the data I have posted comes from personal memories, and family anecdotes handed down. The Anderson names you mention seem fairly common, and can be seen in previous postings. best wishes.

Re reply 75 Wed 9 June malwil2.

With regard to the downloading of the images, the only image which belongs to me is the one of John Anderson with his Eadie relations in front of the Redwood tree at Stanley Park, Vancouver. (In that I have the original photograph). If you intend to download this for commercial purposes then I shall be grateful if you would let me know, on this forum, any details beforehand.

With regard to my post immediately preceding this one, I would add further that I am unable to exchange e mails, and I no longer open pms. Computer access is by public library, and when I am in the Hebrides it can be a 2 hour round trip - so time is of the essence. Sorry if this sounds somewhat didactic, however I will be pleased to see any relevant information you might have, again ,on this forum.

Re generally;

The remit I set myself at the beginning of this narrative has more or less  turned out the way I had
hoped, in that I wanted to concentrate on John Anderson, but I had no expectation of the treasure- trove of info provided by ABE regarding the  British Empire , the Albion Car, the people in it, and the other contributor with info on the Redwood Tree, and the work by Monica in the initial stages on the documentary/ family 'who's who and whose' side, and BJB's lengthy and detailed adddresses (someone who lived in Hill street - presumably the one behind Sauchiehall street and the MacIntosh/Glasgow School Of Art),the reference to Margaret Eadie Anderson's medals, and others etc etc.

I am hoping further information/ photos might be available in the Glen Eagles House Estate records, where, as I read it John's father was gamekeeper, and his mother the head housekeeper for many years. I've seen a photograph of someone who I believe was John's father - will try and find it.

In the meantime I'll leave transcribing the next part of John Anderson's journal for a while so that any further entries on the Voyage to Vancouver/John anderson and his immediate family can be made.

At this point I would like to thank sincerely all contributors to this tribute to my Grandfather, be it posting questions for me to respond to with further information (and apologies if I have not responded, and also incorrect info supplied by me  - Monica I was 10 years out in JA's being at the Glasgow Tech College - you were right !), to those who have sent in agreat deal of info. Alot of enthusiastic work has gone into the information from alot of skilled people out there, which I here wish to acknowledge. Thank You.

 bfn.

That is the last page of John Anderson's journal describing his voyage to Vancouver in the Coaster British Empire. He probably wrote up the complete story but the pages are presumed lost.   

The journal entries I have transcribed have been taken from the original which was a document typed by John Anderson himself, on A5 size paper over 5 pages, which have been kept rolled as a scroll in a cardboard tube for many years. I do not think I ever saw the missing pages, and of course there is no-one now to ask of that generation in the family.

However, the journal does continue for a further 8 pages beginning a few years later at the outbreak of the First World War, and I shall transcribe these in due course. In the meantime I shall leave some time for any further entries which anyone might like to make in relation to this part of the journal - ie the Voyage to Vancouver.

The further  information on the British Empire extremely interesting, and the photographs of the putative departure quay. Might there be any 'harbour sailings' records locally at Grangemouth, or newspaper references to a ship heading to Vancouver from Grangemouth.

Some years ago when in London and travelling on the Docklands Light Railway through Canary Wharf area I noticed a small ship alongside one of the quays. Straightaway in my minds eye I had  John Anderson's description of when he first saw the British Empire. It was probably a fairly standard design of coaster, but that image has stayed in my memory and is what I 'see' when I re-read the journal.

Interesting too the fact that she was built in Garston, up river from Liverpool. Its an area I know having been brought up in Liverpool, after the family moved shortly after WW2 from Glasgow. However I did not know the docks area. We used to go swimming at what was known as Garston Baths. An old style Victorian place, with separate  pool for women, and v cold showers only marginally colder than the swimming pool water.

Another interesting feature of the area for me was the existence of a large Engine Shed which provide coaling and water etc for the  numerous locomotives on the extensive Mersey Dock system at the time, and of course the main line locomotives on the Liverpool - London line, the Express Service being the Red Rose. Coronation Class locomotives; and the 2-10-0 freight locos pulling enormous coal trains at a snails pace. It was 4 lines to  Ditton Junction, so always plenty of movement. Nr 1 Downline was where the Red Rose could be seen screaming past en route to London.