Looking for a fresh pair of eyes on finding info about my great grandfather

[deetur]

This could possibly be Joseph, occupation is given as mining. 


Name   Mr J F Balmer
Gender   Male
Departure Age   32
Birth Date   abt 1883
Departure Date   22 Sep 1915
Departure Port   England
Ship Name   Apapa
Shipping Line   African Steamship Co
Search Ship Database   
Search for the Apapa in the 'Passenger Ships and Images' database
Destination Port   Lagos, Nigeria
Master   J C Hannay

[Neale1961]

Are the names "Anthony" or "Claude" family names from Elizabeth's family?

[deetur]

Are the names "Anthony" or "Claude" family names from Elizabeth's family?

I'm not sure where the name Anthony comes from, certainly not aware of it in Elizabeth's family.

However Claude, well that's the middle name of Elizabeth's husband Victor and I believe she was trying to do her best to convince Victor that it was his son (which I believe 99% that it wasn't and that it was Joseph's). Anthony was given the surname Weeden at birth, however this was quickly changed to Twigg-Balmer (in 1921 census he is a TB) and then later Brent when she married Henry.

[jonwarrn]

Thank you for the info.
So Joseph was still in England in early 1919.

Could he have already become employed by the Bisichi Tin Company (Nigeria) in 1915?
Seems strange, he had only just deserted from the army! Wouldn't he be a wanted man? Perhaps it would get him away for a time!
Then there is his relationship with Elizabeth (presumably they met in Aylesbury?) and the move to London.
The timeline is getting very complicated!

[deetur]

Thank you for the info.
So Joseph was still in England in early 1919.

Could he have already become employed by the Bisichi Tin Company (Nigeria) in 1915?
Seems strange, he had only just deserted from the army! Wouldn't he be a wanted man? Perhaps it would get him away for a time!
Then there is his relationship with Elizabeth (presumably they met in Aylesbury?) and the move to London.
The timeline is getting very complicated!

Yes, the fact he registered the birth would mean he was (thanks for getting me to double check that to confirm 👍🏻).

I have actually reached out to some people in Nigeria with history of Bisichi Mines and asked if they have any info. I have also ordered a book on the history of the Bisichi Mines and also emailed the company (although I know it's not the same original company I thought they might have historical documents etc).

Elizabeth's divorce papers state 'On 9th September 1916 Elizabeth went to live with Joseph at 46 Canonbury Square London and stayed there with him until and beyond the date of Victor's petition. They occupied the same bedroom and passed under the names of Mr and Mrs Balmer and that they left on 5th November 1916.'

I'm guessing they met in Aylesbury yesterday. Elizabeth was living in Thanet with her husband (who was in the army) and young child.

[Neale1961]

Yes, the fact he registered the birth would mean he was (thanks for getting me to double check that to confirm 👍🏻).
'On 9th September 1916 Elizabeth went to live with Joseph at 46 Canonbury Square London and stayed there with him until and beyond the date of Victor's petition. They occupied the same bedroom and passed under the names of Mr and Mrs Balmer and that they left on 5th November 1916.'

Where was he (for 1 year) between deserting the military and Sept 1916 when the two started living together as a couple.
I find it odd that he didn't get arrested by the military police after he deserted. If he had stayed around SE England, it seems that would have been probable. Perhaps he changed his name and hid that way?

Have you looked to see who was the owner of 46 Canonbury Square? Any connection to either person?
It seems to have been a boarding house in 1911.

[deetur]

I had an interesting reply from Bisichi this afternoon.

"It appears he was involved in a failed prospecting mission to Malaya for Tin on behalf of the company in 1919 and his engagement then subsequently ended."

The attachment told a slightly more detailed version (obviously he was just being polite  ).

"At the instigation of Waters of NNT an expedition for the joint account of NNT and Bisichi was sent to Malaya in 1919 to search for tin. An account was opened with the Hongkong & Shanghai Bank, and Messrs A E Thomas and J T Balmer were despatched with the necessary prospecting equipment. The expedition was a fiasco and Thomas and Balmer were ordered home and not re-engaged. Peterson Simons & Co who had offices in London and Penang, were engaged to clear up the mess and dispose of the equipment, which took until 1923 to complete."

[deetur]

Yes, the fact he registered the birth would mean he was (thanks for getting me to double check that to confirm 👍🏻).
'On 9th September 1916 Elizabeth went to live with Joseph at 46 Canonbury Square London and stayed there with him until and beyond the date of Victor's petition. They occupied the same bedroom and passed under the names of Mr and Mrs Balmer and that they left on 5th November 1916.'

Where was he (for 1 year) between deserting the military and Sept 1916 when the two started living together as a couple.
I find it odd that he didn't get arrested by the military police after he deserted. If he had stayed around SE England, it seems that would have been probable. Perhaps he changed his name and hid that way?

Have you looked to see who was the owner of 46 Canonbury Square? Any connection to either person?
It seems to have been a boarding house in 1911.

I've just read through the divorce papers again and they state "during the months of January, February, March, April, may and June 1915 that Elizabeth commited adultery with Joseph at The Old House, Aylesbury.
That during the months of August, September and October 1916 frequently visited Elizabeth and is thought to have commited adultery."

Does that imply that between June 1915 and August 1916 he wasn't in England?

Yes it is very strange that he wasn't arrested or wanted by the military police. During this period of time Victor had filed for divorce and Joseph was a co-respondent - perhaps I should relook at any responses from him in the notes and the date on them.

Apart from the census returns what is the best way to look into ownership of property please?

Thanks 🙏🏻

[jonwarrn]

I had an interesting reply from Bisichi this afternoon.

"It appears he was involved in a failed prospecting mission to Malaya for Tin on behalf of the company in 1919 and his engagement then subsequently ended."

The attachment told a slightly more detailed version (obviously he was just being polite  ).

"At the instigation of Waters of NNT an expedition for the joint account of NNT and Bisichi was sent to Malaya in 1919 to search for tin. An account was opened with the Hongkong & Shanghai Bank, and Messrs A E Thomas and J T Balmer were despatched with the necessary prospecting equipment. The expedition was a fiasco and Thomas and Balmer were ordered home and not re-engaged. Peterson Simons & Co who had offices in London and Penang, were engaged to clear up the mess and dispose of the equipment, which took until 1923 to complete."

Wow, what an amazing response from Bisichi to your query. Well done for asking them, and to the person who looked that up for you.
The story does sound rather comical (if you don't mind me saying!)

I wonder when exactly Joseph's services were dispensed with. I had begun to think that James who died in Rangoon in 1921 might actually have been Joseph, as you speculated in Reply #22.