War Bride Hughina Ross — Soldier husband Hector Joseph Press (Canadian)

[carol8353]

I have found her travelling out to Canada!
Departing from Southampton on 22 July 1946 bound for Canada on the AQUITANIA.
It says she was the wife of Private 63027 H J Press.

Her address is given as Rehiran Farm, Cawdor ,Nairn Nairnshire.
Her father in laws name was George H Press 230 Russell Road, Overbrook Ottawa.

At the top of the page it says Canadian Wives Repatriation.

[carol8353]

Hi quite difficult to work out but I will update as I look further!

2 listings on the 22nd July 1946 re a Hughina Press Southampton to Canada the second one gives  more info, "The Canadian wives Bureau Civilian Repatriation Section"

States Pte H J Press C 63027 Wifes name Hughina Press address Rehiran Farm, Cawder Nairn, Nearnshire address in Canada Mr G H Press Father in Law 230, Russell Road, Overbrook, Ottawa

On SS Aquitania

Keyboard86

OOps sorry Keyboard must have missed this!

[carol8353]

Thank you Carol!  A marriage certificate would be nice to have.  I'd want to find out if it is the right Hector Joseph before I order it.  Can you point me in the right direction to find out Hughina's maiden name?  If I can obtain her obituary, it would provide her maiden name and let me know if she had any children with Hector Joseph Press. 

Take care,
Claddagh

It HAS to be them,no on else is called Hector Joseph Press marrying a Hughina with such a Scottish name too. See below what Andy found for you(as I did at the same time!)


   The marriage between Hector Joseph Press and Hughina Ross took place in Nairn, Nairnshire, Scotland in 1942

Andy

Her maiden name was ROSS.And I found 2 possible births for her too-although I now much favour the Inverness one.

There is no reason to think that the informant of her death knew what her maiden name was -she had been married 3 times before she died. It will not neccesarily appear on her obit.
It should on her 2001 death cert ,but again it will all depend on who the informant was.

[carol8353]

Just had a thought,I can't see her returning to the UK after the 1946 trip.
Maybe the army flew her back,meaning that she wouldn't appear on a ships passenger list of course.

Carol

[Claddagh]

Great work everyone!!!   

Timeline:

1944 — Hector is killed in Belgium
1946 — Hughina emigrates to Canada
1948 — She marries Robert Gourlay in Barton, Lancashire

*** Now I must fill in the gaps and search for passenger lists.  Why would she emigrate to Canada if her husband was dead and her family was in Scotland?

HeatherJulie — I did not know that she had married three times.  I certainly didn't expect her not to remarry after Hector died in the war.  I just want to know if they had a child together and if that child is still alive today. 

Does anyone know of a good website to search for obituaries? 

I'll have to search for passenger lists to see if she came over with a child.  I have never heard stories of Hughina living in Canada.  She must have eventually returned home to be with her family when she found out that Hector had died in Belgium.  I'll have to do a more thorough search at the National Archives of Canada.

Thanks again for all the vital information that you have provided!

I'd like to have a photo of Hector Joseph Press to add to the online memorial site honouring the soldiers that have died during the war.  He deserves to have his photo beside his name.  Like so many others, he died much too young and left many broken hearts with his passing.   

Take care,
Claddagh

[Claddagh]

There is a birth of a Hector Joseph PRESS in Inverness in 1944.Looks promising.

Hello Carol,

Could "Hector Joseph Press" born in Inverness (1944) be their son?  Where would I obtain this information?

Many thanks!

Claddagh
 

[andycand]

Hi

It looks like Hector Joseph Press born 1944 died in 1944 at Inverness, Invernessshire, Scotland.

As Carol8353 mentioned in an earlier post Scotlandspeople is the site for Scottish records.
http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/ It is the Scottish Government website, whilst Hector and Hughina marriage and Hector 1944 birth are too recent to be downloaded (they can be ordered on the site) the death registration for rhe Statutory Death for young Hector can be downloaded. This should give the names of both parents (including mothers maiden name) which should confirm his connection.

Andy

[carol8353]

Hi

It looks like Hector Joseph Press born 1944 died in 1944 at Inverness, Invernessshire, Scotland.


Andy

I didn't think to look for deaths for the baby- how sad.

Claddagh I don't think she emigrated to Canada,but just that she went out there to visit her father in law after hubby had died.

Obituaries in the UK are few and far between,they cost such a lot to put in the paper and a lot of us don't bother for the ordianry every day person 

Carol

[Claddagh]

Thanks again Carol and Andy!  Now I can obtain the missing information and with any luck I'll finally be able to get my hands on a photo of Hector Joseph.

I appreciate your taking the time to answer my questions and search for me.  Everyone is very kind and generous here.   

Take good care of yourselves and keep smiling!

Claddagh