Hello from Melbourne . I wonder if anyone can assist with my problem. My Grandfather, Percy Harold Ryton BENSON is known to have been a Ship's Stoker in June 1907. By April 1908 he was in Queensland when my Grandmother and family arrived on R.M.S. "OROTAVA" I see 3 possibilities: Percy "Jumped" ship in Australia Worked his passage here Came here as a passenger, Hence my query to this list Cheers, Bob.

G'day Bob, About 1907 the Light Cruiser "Encounter" was on loan to the 'fledgling' Australian RAN as a training Vessel.( remained that state until 1918) Some of its British crew had been seconded to RAN were based at a shore base at Williamstown. I had found this intrigung As a guy known to be born in NFK,England, worked in London, Died in London and was buried in the place of his Birth( NFK) yet returned a Naval History in Australia. This is being written very much on the "fly" so the 1918 date is from memory but hope it might be of help, BFN John Bob Cunning wrote: > Hello from Melbourne . I wonder if anyone can assist with my problem. > > My Grandfather, Percy Harold Ryton BENSON is known to have been a Ship's > Stoker in June 1907. By April 1908 he was in Queensland when my > Grandmother and family arrived on R.M.S. "OROTAVA" I see 3 possibilities: > > Percy "Jumped" ship in Australia > > Worked his passage here > > Came here as a passenger, > > Hence my query to this list > >Cheers, Bob. > > >============================== >Census images 1901, 1891, 1881 and 1871, plus so much more. >Ancestry.com's United Kingdom & Ireland Collection. Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13968/rd.ashx > >. > > > -- John Whitehand West Footscray 3012 Australia http://www.vicnet.net.au/~whitehaj/welcome.htm "Competition destroys ~ 'tis Co-operation that achieves"