thank you for the welcome.

[ivor evans]

hi.
thanks for this. sadly i do not know anything about him. But the date is about right, i think, as my aunt was born 1889 and they married in 1910, as far as Wrexham is concerned again a distinct possibility, it gives me something to work on. thank you all very much. but if anyone has any ideas re his 1917 death in the far east i would be very grateful

[Keith at Tregenna]

Able Seaman: HUNT, J

19/03/1917, age 22.

Mercantile Marine: S.S. "Alnwick Castle" (London)

Son of Mr. R. Hunt, of 37, Ravensbourne Rd., Catford, London.

?

K.

[ivor evans]

Hi
i had found this. but it was Torpedoed in the Atlantic, Thanks anyway.

[gray_marian]

Hi Ivor, Have established Joseph was born in 1877 in Prescot 36 miles from Wrexham so not sure if that is the correct Joseph I posted earlier. However see he married Alice as you said 1910 in Prescot and she is on the 1911 census living with her parents. Have searched everything Ancestry worldwide has to offer, nothing there regarding his death perhaps because of war time when details were not always reported in the press due to moral. Working through Find My Past Newspaper Collection at present. There are "trees" on Ancestry pertaining to your Aunt Alice, have you searched those for snippets? If not will search there next.

[ivor evans]

Hi
Sadly wrong Joseph. I have found the Wrexham Joseph DoB1890 which ties in with the certificates in a previous post. i am using the My Heritage web site but have access to Ancestry so i will have a look on there. I know any war time death is difficult but i was hoping to find some clues as to what was happening in the Far East in 1917 as i have no real idea. I have another puzzle re a Mariner which i may put on at a later stage. Thanks for the info as has been said in a TV programme ' The Truth is Out there''Somewhere

[gray_marian]

Ok Ivor help me out here What was your aunts name? If not Alice Appleton was it Mary A Septon or Elizabeth Ann White? Sometimes when no leads are available you have to search family trees for extended kin, they can be a mine of info if lucky and to be honest probably your only option thus far. Have found rellies of my own this way. However still have one or two avenues left to explore...

PS, You really need to be using Ancestry "World Wide" option for overseas searches. UK
site won't provide that.

[Keith at Tregenna]

Think it was Alice.

Joseph James & Alice Hunt.

Prescot St Mary’s Churchyard

The inscription reads, “ Barbara Appleton Hunt, the beloved child of Joseph James & Alice Hunt, who died April 16 1919, aged 7 years 2 months. Safe in the arms of Jesus”.

But the lower part of the stone has the inscription “Also The Above, Joseph James Hunt, who passed away in Haiphong Naval Hospital, China, May 2nd, 1917, aged 27 years.

Joseph James Hunt married in 1910.

He's gone away some time between his marriage in 1910, and the 1911 census. On the 1911 census, Alice Hunt is living with her parents, James and Emily Appleton, at 4 Eccleston Street Prescot.

All of which suggests that he was an officer on a merchantman who was taken sick (or injured in an accident) in the far east and taken to an available hospital where he died. There appears to have been a substantial hospital in Haiphong (French Indo China) since at least the 1880s (it being mentioned in American newspaper reports of a major cholera outbreak) but this was not a naval hospital. There is some evidence that there were medical facilities with naval connections at both Haiphong Road Shanghai and Haiphong Road Kowloon. It would seem likely that the inscription on the stone is a little in error.

The above from Trying to identify a man who died in Indo China, 1917 - Soldiers - Great War Forum

May or may not be your man, hope it helps. Keith.

[Keith at Tregenna]

Joseph James Hunt: warmemorials.myfastforum.org :: St Mary's churchyard

[ivor evans]

Hi.
yes this is the connection. But this is all I know and i do not Ever Recall my Aunt Alice ever saying any thing about how he died. it is as far as i am concerned a puzzle which is why i am trying to find any info. i joined the Great War Forum, but have not been on for a bit. but you may imagine my surprise when a picture of a Grave stone which i had visited many times with my aunt turned up. My Father is also buried not far away he died 1948 age 29.

[Keith at Tregenna]

The more information that can be given or indeed found may help discover more ? K.