How can I trace a grandparent overseas?

[James18]

Hi all,

Something I've been wondering about recently is how - and if - it would be possible to trace my grandfather's whereabouts between 1937 and 1941. I was thinking about how much information those people on WDYTYA? are able to compile, and whether it would be worth paying a professional genealogist to do something similar -- but only if it would be possible to find what I'm looking for.

Basically, my grandfather was apparently off travelling round the Far East, etc. between 37 and 41, and I have outward and incoming travel documents with the dates on, which are available on Ancestry and FMP. But that's it.

He was down as being a commercial traveler, and as far as I know this was after he'd been discharged from the Army, and so he was going of his own volition. However, I have no idea whether this is indeed the case, and no other documentation to prove where he went. I am very curious as to why he went abroad, how he was able to fund his travels, and how he managed to get home safely in 1941 during the midst of war.

The only anecdote I have of his time abroad is that he purchased a particular brand of watch which was manufactured in Singapore; he brought it back with him and it's still in the family.

I realize that is not a lot to go on, but would it be possible to find out whether there would be any sort of paper trail from this? I know it all sounds so vague, but that's simply because I have no other information to give -- we know when and where he left, and when and where he returned, but the years in-between are a total blank.

Any ideas? Has anyone ever tried to tackle something like this before?

Thanks.

[Mary from Italy]

You could try this newspaper site:

http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/default.aspx

I've found numerous references in the Straits Times to a planter ancestor of mine who worked in Singapore and Malaysia.

[Mary from Italy]

By the way, if you get no hits by searching for his full name, try using initials for his first names (e.g. J R Smith); that worked best in my case.

[HarrysMum]

Following this as I have a similar story.

[James18]

Well, I didn't find anything, but then again I don't know exactly when he was in Singapore or for how long. All I know is that he bought a watch out there, which they only made in - I think - Singapore, under license.

I wish I knew where he'd travelled to, and for what purpose. It seems strange for someone to be able to afford to travel the world (or parts of it) off their own back during the 1930s. Part of me wonders whether it was something to do with the Army or the Colonial Office, as we think he'd been discharged from active service in 1937.

[Mary from Italy]

If he was actually a commercial traveller his employer would have paid the travelling expenses, although you'd think he'd have returned to the UK when the war broke out in that case.

[James18]

If he was actually a commercial traveller his employer would have paid the travelling expenses, although you'd think he'd have returned to the UK when the war broke out in that case.
Yes, hopefully that's the case, although I don't know if such records would still exist.

He was a sales rep for McEwan's Brewery for some years, but I'm not sure if that would have been after he got back. If he indeed went abroad on behalf of McEwan's then there is probably a paper trail somewhere, but when I contacted them a few months ago they said I need to go to the SBAA in Glasgow and view their records in person, and at the moment I'm not willing to fork out the travel and accommodation expenses for the sake of a few hours' research.

Sadly I do not know anyone in Glasgow!

[Shona]

I've had a look at the records relating to Sydney Eighteen leaving the UK in 1937 and returning to the UK in 1941.

On his voyage on the Carthage (a P&O ship) to Singapore in May 1937, his occupation is listed as commercial traveller and his future permanent address was in Straights (ie, Straights of Singapore).

The return voyage in 1941 was from Cape Town to Cardiff on the Natal Line ship, SS Umgeni, which was sailing from Mauritius. On this record, his address in the UK is given as c/o McEwan Younger and Co, Edinburgh. His occupation was recorded as 'traveller' and the country of last permanent address was Singapore.

[James18]

Haha, yes, I noticed that only a few hours ago! I'd actually already written to McEwan's up in Edinburgh a few months back, and they told me to contact the SBAA in order to organize a viewing, but the archive building is up in Glasgow and so a bit of an expense for me to visit just for a few hours' research.

I'll phone my cousin shortly and ask if it's something she'd be happy to do, as we now know that he was surely on a McEwans payroll.

[James18]

Oh, and I sent off for his military records (or whatever survives of them) today, having written to the MoD as someone round here suggested a few days ago.

I'll keep you posted.

[Shona]

I had a look at the Singapore newspapers to see if I could find any mention of Sydney Eighteen, but with a name like that there were too many hits, mainly with the number eighteen and the Aussie town. However, there are some bits and pieces on McEwans, including this advertisement promoting the arrival of McEwans Red Label beer. from August 1936 - it's 100% British, says the blurb. As a commercial traveller, aka salesman, for McEwans, he would be selling and promoting the beer to the garrison and naval messes as well as the expat community. There are also references to the McEwans billiard and darts tournaments.

http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/singfreepressb19360827-1.2.40.2.aspx?q=mcewans&page=1&sort=relevance&token=mcewans&sessionid=2795f0a40e1443d5abc8904fd8ef666e

[James18]

That's excellent, Shona.

I like this (http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/freepress19470806-1.2.60.aspx?q=McEwan%27s&page=1&sort=relevance&token=mcewan&sessionid=97c51b3df1404761b67f1a7a5f438974) one in particular.

[Shona]

Free beer? Bet that went down well in the sticky heat of Singapore! My late father used to get free rum when he was in the navy.

[James18]

Absolutely!

There are some genuinely interesting articles in here, actually. For example, the history of the merger between McEwans and Younger is here (http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/straitstimes19310109-1.2.151.aspx?q=McEwan+Younger&page=1&sort=relevance&token=younger%2cmcewan&sessionid=558a34a1da714282bbb03a371aae5c3d), William McEwan's death is announced here (http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/straitstimes19130808-1.2.52.aspx?q=McEwan%27s&page=2&sort=relevance&token=mcewan&sessionid=9b5ca04f9a894abd8fe4dcea0058c67b), and there's another big advertisement here (http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/straitstimes19341204-1.2.126.2.aspx?q=McEwan+Younger&page=1&sort=relevance&token=younger%2cmcewan&sessionid=558a34a1da714282bbb03a371aae5c3d), which has some prices on.