SS Triumph

[Lucy2]

Just getting back to the vessel s.s. "Triumph" ...

*   Have you looked through the listings at "Mariners in Australian Waters"

[  I couldn't  find a "McNEIL" + "Triumph" connection  : ]

*    Have you checked PapersPast (NZ) for the time frame say, 1886 - 1887  ?     There are a lot of references to the vessel ss "Triumph" and its comings and goings.   It seemed mainly to operate between NZ and Australian ports (though did see a reference to it having arrived from Calcutta).

[glendan561]

Yes, I've checked Papers Past and found the references to the ship however, no items regarding Hector McKenzie McNeil.

Glenda

[Lucy2]

Hector McKenzie McNEIL :

You will no doubt have read the Will of Hector McNeil (senior) who died in 1915 ?

https://ndhadeliver.natlib.govt.nz/delivery/DeliveryManagerServlet?dps_pid=IE60132106

Hector's Will was written on 10 September 1914 leaving a good portion of his estate to his (spinster) housekeeper.   
The remainder of his estate was bequeathed to Christina McNEIL ("my daughter-in-law") in the hope  that she would provide for both herself and her husband, Hector McKenzie McNEIL, a retired Business Manager ... (+ VIC address given).

[-Business manager seems rather a big step upward from having been a seaman ... although there are a few decades in between ]

    ~  Lu

[Lucy2]

Ship:   "Titus"  - from Melbourne to Sydney - arrival 4/4/1894

Amongst Crew :    Hector McNEIL - 27 years - Native place = Invercargill - Donkeyman/Trimmer

[Source:  NSW unassisted arrivals - passenger lists  ]

[glendan561]

Wow! Okay so I guess that's a very real possibility of being the Hector McNeil I'm trying to tie down. I did wonder if he was the father of Margaret Alice's daughter, Annie who was born in 1885. I know he was batting with the other team but I daresay 18 year old males are the same today as they were in the 19th century.

Thank you for finding that information.

Glenda

[glendan561]

Margaret had a strong Lancashire accent - in the Gordon Street book they have recorded his name as Acton McNeil and I think Triumph might have been their interpretation  of Titus.

[Fresh Fields]

The Gordon Street document was obtained via Archives NZ. The quality of print is poor and I don't have the authority to reproduce it.

Glenda

Hello again.

If the item in question is held in the NZ Archives the "R plus 8 digit numbers" that was involved in looking it up, or ordering a copy, will lead other researchers to it's listing, and possibly other documents associated with it. Eg who assigned it to the archive, and what other documents of that era were assigned also. There are also restore specialists, who can use their computers to great effect, when it comes to legibility.

Alan.

[Lucy2]

Hi Glenda

That "Titus" 1894 shipping info I posted, was because it gave details of a McNEIL seaman which closely matched the son of Hector McNEIL senior (eg the sailor's age/ year and place of birth). 
I didn't necessarily think that "Titus" was similar to "Triumph".   

The s.s."Triumph" we already know was in NZ waters and visiting NZ ports during 1886- 1887.
Unsure - (haven't yet looked) - to see if "Titus" was here.    ("H. McNEIL"  was on that vessel in 1894 ... well after the birth of Albert Hector. )

I have a couple of other references also for this sailor ... will post here shortly.

  ~  Lu

[glendan561]

I don’t think he was Albert Hector’s father.she didn’t disclose a father on either birth registration. I suppose she did that for a reason or she truly didn’t know who the fathers were. Some family members believe she was working the streets in Christchurch while the dubious Mrs Williams looked after Albert.

Glenda