Home Port Singapore 1890-1965

[Beckenham1]

I am looking for information on my Uncle "Capt. Alex H Boyd" who worked out of Singapore. His full name was Alexander Henderson Boyd. 

He was born on 18 Dec 1891 in Dundee, Forfarshire, Scotland and was married to Elizabeth Anderson of Oldham, Greater Manchester.

In 1935 I know Alex was employed as a Shipmaster by the Red Funnel line of Singapore.

I believe he died in the fifties in Singapore and was perhaps interred in Christian section of Bidadari Cemetery.

He may have featured in a book “Home Port Singapore 1890-1965” [Hardcover]  by Prof. Kennedy G. Tregonning, who was a Raffles Professor of History. K.G. Tregonning was an Australian trained at the University of Malaya. I do not have this book so do not know what it contains. Can you help?

He also probably worked for the Straits Steamship Company. Certainly his brother did; he was Capt. R.S. Boyd (Robert Storrar Boyd) who also worked for the Blue Funnel line. He was extensively mentioned in the Tregonning book.  I have a rather full autobiography of him, but know little of Alex.

Any help you could give me would be gratefully accepted.

[lizanne]

Hi Beckenham1.
I don't have a copy of the book but you could try this link you may be able to locate a copy.

http://books.google.com/books?id=P5Q1GQ ... iwHUs-CWDA

[WilmaM]

It's a pity you aren't in Australia or Singapore - their libraries seem to have reference copies.

But as you are in London perhaps the major libraries there can help you - it's always worth a try.

[Currie]

Hello Beckenham1,

I had a scratch around for some information but didn’t get very far. There’s an entry in the London Gazette could be yours. (Search for full name as a phrase)
http://www.gazettes-online.co.uk/Advanc ... ype=London

London Gazette Supplement, 21 June, 1918
Honours for Service in Patrol Cruisers etc.
Mentioned in despatches
Lieut. Alexander Henderson Boyd R.N.R.

(near top, right column)

Hope that’s of some use,
Alan

[Beckenham1]

Fantastic news about my great uncle Alex. Mentioned in despatches! He had only just got married in Oldham on 27 May 1918. What a tough life they had. Meanwhile his brother Robert was doing his bit in similar service with the RNVR in the North Sea and off africa. Their older brother Donald Stewart Boyd b 1886 in Dundee, unknown to them was in France with the Artillery. This week, I have also found out more about Alex from other sources. It turns out, that in Singapore he may only have been employed by the “Red Funnel line of Singapore” I don't know if this was connected to “The Southampton Isle of Wight and South of England Royal Mail Steam Packet Public Limited Company universally known as the Red Funnel line for short. (His brother Robert Storrar Boyd” worked for the other lines “the Blue Funnel” and the Straits Steamship Company. Is there any more info about Alex out there?