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Thread: Hugh Smith Fletely (or Fletly or Hugh Smith or Hugh Cameron Smith)

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    Default Hugh Smith Fletely (or Fletly or Hugh Smith or Hugh Cameron Smith)

    Hi Brian - thank you for helping with my log-in details.

    I really don't know where to start except to say I was hoping members to this forum may be able to point me in the right direction in tracing details of my grandfather life in the navy.
    My grandfather, Hugh Smith (birth name - Hugh Smith Fletely), was born in Glasgow on 4 November 1889 Glasgow, and died 1 September 1963 in Ashfield NSW, Australia.
    His mother, Agnes Fletely (sometimes spelt Flatley) died when Hugh was 8 and he went to live with his father Hugh Smith and his family in Glasgow. We understand he was "commissioned to the navy" aged 12 - well this is what he told my father. Since the 1901 census I've lost trace of him but he ended up in Sydney around 1910 (I cannot find any record of him coming into the country) and he seemed to change his identity to suit the occasion when he was in Sydney as he abandoned a wife in Scotland when on active service with the Australian Army during the First World War 1918 and came back to Australia and married my grandmother.

    Would anyone know how I can trace someone in the navy (I'm assuming the Merchant navy?) and did they actually take on children as young as 12 back then? My father said he talked a lot about his ship going to Buenos Aires?

    Any help would be very much appreciated.

    Kind regards.

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    Default Re: Hugh Smith Fletely (or Fletly or Hugh Smith or Hugh Cameron Smith)

    Well before most on this sites time I imagine Susan. They sent small boys up chimneys so See nothing averse for 12 year olds going to sea. People forget we came a very long way in a short time as regards today’s living conditions. Hope you find help in your quest. JWS. I have dim recollections of sailing with someone out of Aberdeen with a similar soundng name as Fletely. But on the 100 to 1 chance of being a great great grandson chances are slim. I can barely remember him and not even the ship I was on. So unless you have relations in Scotland, Aberdeen area in particular would be a no goer. Think his name was spelt Flettley but could again be wrong. Regards JS. PS here racking my memory banks, was about 1978 andwas John Flettley and think he was from there or around the corner from Aberdeen where even the Aberdonians have trouble understanding. Think he was an ex fisherman and about 25 in or about 1978. Lossiemouth is the place I’m trying to remember. But there again his name may have been Flett first name John. JS.
    Last edited by j.sabourn; 12th February 2018 at 11:46 AM.

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    Default Re: Hugh Smith Fletely (or Fletly or Hugh Smith or Hugh Cameron Smith)

    Hi Susan,
    they did start work early in those days, My great Aunt Emily as working as a Miner down the Coal Mines at the age of 8, in the 1881 Census,
    My Dad started work at the age of 12 in a Cotton Mill. so even in WW2 many lads were killed on Merchant ships aged 14,
    Cheers
    Brian

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    Default Re: Hugh Smith Fletely (or Fletly or Hugh Smith or Hugh Cameron Smith)

    I started at age 13 on deep sea trawlers in the post war years (WWII not as some would have you think WWI)

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    Default Re: Hugh Smith Fletely (or Fletly or Hugh Smith or Hugh Cameron Smith)

    My dad , born 1914 was put into service (big private house ) as gardeners boy at the age of 13, he left after falling out with the cook (a female powerful person in those days), and joined the royal marines, kt

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    Keith at Tregenna's Avatar
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    Default Re: Hugh Smith Fletely (or Fletly or Hugh Smith or Hugh Cameron Smith)

    Quote Originally Posted by Susan Smith View Post
    Hi Brian - thank you for helping with my log-in details.

    he talked a lot about his ship going to Buenos Aires?

    Any help would be very much appreciated.

    Kind regards.


    No promises on a result but, will take a look when I return home in the morning.

    Keith.
    Last edited by Doc Vernon; 12th February 2018 at 11:38 PM.

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    Marian Gra's Avatar
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    Default Re: Hugh Smith Fletely (or Fletly or Hugh Smith or Hugh Cameron Smith)

    #1, Hi Susan, Welcome to the site, following from Ancestry [world wide] not sure exactly if this is your Hugh but will add for now and see what else I can find under Hugh Cameron Smith later.

    New South Wales, Australia, Unassisted Immigrant Passenger Lists, 1826-1922

    Name: Mr H Flattely
    Port of Departure: Wellington
    Port of Arrival: Sydney, New South Wales
    Voyage Arrival Date: 25 Jan 1910
    Vessel Name: Ulimaroa


    1901 Scotland Census* Not sure Susan if this is your grandfather as the birth year is out...do you know if he had any siblings for cross reference? Possibly a red herring here sorry. Will leave for the time being. Can you post the one you have please.

    Name: Hugh Smith
    Age: 10
    Estimated birth year: abt 1891
    Relationship: Son
    Father's name: Hugh Smith....
    Mother's name: Agnes F Smith
    Gender: Male
    Where born: Glasgow, Lanarkshire
    Registration Number: 654
    Registration district: Rutherglen
    Civil Parish: Rutherglen
    County: Lanarkshire
    Address: Jessamine Cottage
    Occupation: Scholar
    Roll: CSSCT1901_351

    Household Members:
    Name
    Hugh Smith 45...[Licensed Grocer].....
    Agnes F Smith 46...[Born in Ireland]
    Richard G Smith 28....[Oldest son and a Grocer]
    Hugh Smith 10
    Anslow C Smith 1.....[ Born in Uddingston outskirts of the city.]


    Sydney, Australia, Anglican Parish Registers, 1814-2011

    Name: Hugh Cameron Smith
    Gender: Male
    Marriage Age: 49
    Event Type: Marriage
    Birth Date: abt 1892
    Marriage Date: 7 Jun 1941
    Marriage Place: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
    Parish as it Appears: SUMMER HILL ST ANDREW
    Father: Hugh Smith
    Mother: Agnes Smith
    Spouse: Nelly Georgina Hodge


    If that is Hugh above, the birth year is out again!! and it states his mother was Agnes Cameron! And that he is a widower. Do you have the marriage cert for the Hugh's first wife?

    Also because his birth year is so inconsistent will print what I found re Merchant Navy from FMP:

    British Merchant Navy, First World War Medal Cards 1914-1925:

    First name(s) Hugh
    Last name Smith
    Birth year 1899
    Birth place Glasgow
    Birth county Lanarkshire
    Birth country Scotland
    Year -
    Link to site Medal Card of Smith, Hugh Place of Birth: Glasgow Date of Birth: 1899 | The National Archives
    Source Registry of Shipping and Seamen: Index of First World War Mercantile Marine Medals and the British War Medal
    Archive reference BT 351/1/130948
    Medal type Merchant Navy Medal Index Cards, 1914-1920
    Record set Britain, Campaign, Gallantry & Long Service Medals & Awards
    Category Military, armed forces & conflict
    Subcategory Medal rolls and honours
    Collections from Great Britain, Scotland
    Last edited by Marian Gra; 13th February 2018 at 04:57 AM. Reason: added text

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    Default Re: Hugh Smith Fletely (or Fletly or Hugh Smith or Hugh Cameron Smith)

    Don't know why Marian
    But I cannot find any trace on the Names in ScotlandsPeople Site! ??
    Wonder if there is another way of spelling the Surname ?
    Normally with that site with people Born in Scotland etc it comes up good!?
    Hope we can sort something in time to come!
    Cheers
    Senior Site Moderator-Member and Friend of this Website

    R697530

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    Marian Gra's Avatar
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    Default Re: Hugh Smith Fletely (or Fletly or Hugh Smith or Hugh Cameron Smith)

    Depends what name you are using Doc he's an awful man for ringing the changes with his name and year of birth Haven't even started on his ships yet. And just to confuse the issue further there are thousands of Hugh Smiths world wide never mind the other spelling. His preference so far seems to be H.C Smith. However in S/People might be worth while searching for Hugh Fletely or Fletly especially if parents were unmarried his birth cert there would probably show where the Cameron comes in as Hugh's mother could have been married before. If ''formally'' is stated as a prefix that's usually the case ...in Scottish marriage certs anyway...or could be his grandmothers maiden name Most of my cousins on my paternal side all have my g/mother's maiden name as a middle as do I....Good luck

    Will have to retire now or fit for nothing later today.
    Last edited by Marian Gra; 13th February 2018 at 05:23 AM. Reason: added text

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    Default Re: Hugh Smith Fletely (or Fletly or Hugh Smith or Hugh Cameron Smith)

    Is this any of him Susan???
    Just trying

    Below one is Born Greenock and the other Paisley ????? Are they Glasgow Suburbs ,Towns ??





    Hugh Fletely or Fletly tried all those as well but Zilch! on those!
    Last edited by Doc Vernon; 13th February 2018 at 05:26 AM.
    Senior Site Moderator-Member and Friend of this Website

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