Walter Septimus Ackerman

mugwortismy cat

mugwortismy cat

Tenacious to the End!
was born in Hull, Yorkshire to Edwin (sometimes Edward) and Mary Ann McLoughlin, on 5 Mar 1888

I'm putting this query in Gloucestershire as his family had moved to Bristol by 1901, and this is also where he married and had his children

He joined the Royal Navy in 1908 as Walter Ackerman stating 5 Mar 1889 for his birth date, there is a note correcting this information on his service record.

In 1916 he married Alice Wiltshire; they had the following children (1) Elsie Florence 13 Nov 1919, (2) Gilbert Walter 27 May 1922, and (3) Ronald 3 Jul 1924

I finally tracked the family down in 1939, Alice is now widowed. I cannot find a likely death for Walter.

There is this note written right at the bottom of his Naval record and I am struggling to read it, wondering if there may be clues in it?

upload_2024-9-5_19-46-52.png

is that date 17 Oct 1928? although it looks like 78? and does it say Australia?
 
In 1921 the family were living 1, Broughton St., Bristol
He helpfully gives his pob as Spencer Street, Hull
Alice - Barton Street, Bristol and Elsie - Barton Hill.
He is an out of work Stoker - this is what he put for employer
upload_2024-9-5_22-59-31.png
 
Last edited:
I see:

17.10.78 17 Oct 1978
I 287 ? a form number?
issued tho'/thro' ? a word shortened by an apostrophe
Dept ?? certainly starts with D
of S Africa, Australia this is definite (to me!)

So. What happened in 1978? I was 27 and having far too much fun to be taking any notice of world/political events. I used abbreviations like tho' & thro'. I wrote with a fountain pen.

Can you tell whether this note is added in pencil or ink? Or biro?
Maybe there was a backdated award?
Or a descendant made an inquiry (for research? pension claim? etc)

Just pondering ...
Jane
 
Records on FmP have him on various merchant ships 1922-1924 and (I think!) engaged on TSS Norfolk (ships No. 144675) on 22 Sep 1924 from Avonmouth (FmP have marked the record as 1921).

There's also his identity certificate No. 479206 with a photograph of him, dated on FmP as 1918. An entry on the card gives the number 139014 (presumably the ship's number, ie Toromeo) and the date 10 May 1920.
 
I don't know that 1978 is significant, I believe Alice died in 1965, Ronald died Oct-Dec 1977, Elsie and Gilbert were still alive, I doubt the death of his youngest son triggered anything (?)
 
Sorry, had to dash off earlier.

Following on from my post above mentioning him being engaged on the ship Norfolk, the Western Daily Press of 2 Oct 1924 reported under Avonmouth Shipping News that 'yesterday' "the Federal Line Steamer, the Norfolk, left with cargo for Australia".

So did he die as indicated by the 1939 register, or did he perhaps jump ship in Australia? And if he jumped ship, perhaps he also changed his name?
 
mugwortismy cat said:
I don't know that 1978 is significant, I believe Alice died in 1965, Ronald died Oct-Dec 1977, Elsie and Gilbert were still alive, I doubt the death of his youngest son triggered anything (?)
Click to expand...
I see the date as 1928. 1978 would make him 90 years of age. However as @Andromeda suggests, he may have jumped ship in Australia, but in saying that there would be a gazetted notice to that effect in the newspapers. BUT…..in 1934 there is a death for a 45 year Walter Ackerman in Junee NSW, birth year 1889! No other info anywhere, no death notice and no parents on the registration.
Also I can’t find a birth for a Walter Ackerman, here, that fits that age.
 
Last edited:
The Walter Ackerman who died in 1934 seems to be a single man, no marriage that I can see. There is another in Queensland born 1888 but he was still there in 1951 when his wife Isabell died. It’s looking more like your man, especially as it seems it was Australia that was mentioned on his records.
 
So finding a Walter Ackerman death in Junee made me wonder why a ships stoker would be in Junee as it is a wool and farming region.But Junee was also a major railhead from about 1880. Could he have found work as a railway fireman?
 
He was buried 7 Dec 1933 at the Junee Monumental Cemetery in the Old C of E Section, Row X Plot 14. Aged 45. He seems to be the only Ackerman in that cemetery, and the date of interment is also given as the date of death.
 
Andromeda said:
He was buried 7 Dec 1933 at the Junee Monumental Cemetery in the Old C of E Section, Row X Plot 14. Aged 45. He seems to be the only Ackerman in that cemetery, and the date of interment is also given as the date of death.
Click to expand...
Thank you for that. I had a quick look at that Cemetery and nothing came up but I don’t have access to records. Obviously no headstone.
 
I entered into Google… Walter Ackerman Junee 1933 and up came on Trove, pages and pages of employees as at 31 Dec 1932 for NSW Railways. Name, position, place of employment and salary or wages. There are an awful lot of pages and I gave up. So if this Walter was not on that list then why did these records appear?
Unfortunately Railway records are only accessible on line until 1917.
 
Last edited:
What do you think?
Sun News Pictorial Friday 8th December 1933 page 32
'Man, About to Breakfast, Drops Dead
JUNEE (N.S.W.), Thursday.—Just be
fore having breakfast this morning Atf.
Ackerman. 50. dropped dead. Acker
man had a wife and children in Liver
pool (England), and had served 12
years in the Royal Navy. He was plan
ning to return to England next year '.......
Named as Alf but registered and buried as Walter.....The reference to 12 years in the Royal Navy decides it for me.
 
Andromeda said:
Records on FmP have him on various merchant ships 1922-1924 and (I think!) engaged on TSS Norfolk (ships No. 144675) on 22 Sep 1924 from Avonmouth (FmP have marked the record as 1921).

There's also his identity certificate No. 479206 with a photograph of him, dated on FmP as 1918. An entry on the card gives the number 139014 (presumably the ship's number, ie Toromeo) and the date 10 May 1920.
Click to expand...
He was on the Toromeo age 30 a trimmer, sailing from the Port of Cairns via Brisbane to Sydney 9/8/1920. Mariners and Ships in Australian Waters.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top