We have already seen how Billy Hunter was born to George and Dorothy Hunter in Sunderland on 5 June 1901. He was baptised William Wilson in St Paul’s Church, Hendon, Sunderland on 20 June, William was a family name his Grandfather, Great Grandfather, 2 Greats Grandfather, and 3 Greats Grandfather had all been christened with… Read More »
By the start of the 20th century British dominance of the Atlantic Passenger Trade had been lost to Germany and America. Cunard the British flag bearer in the trade had concentrated on smaller slower more efficient ships, but that policy was loosing out to competitors’ speed and luxury. So it was in 1901 Cunard began… Read More »
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries Britain was the biggest ship building country in the world. Britain had gained the lead from the Americas around 1850 as the industry moved from wooden shipbuilding (in which the Americans excelled) to iron and steel. The civil war in the US preoccupied them to the extent… Read More »
William Wilson (Billy) Hunter was born on 5 June 1901 in Bishopwearmoth, Co Durham to George Albert Hunter and Dorothy Ann Small. George and Dot were both natives of Sunderland and had married the previous August shortly after George had taken a job with Swan Hunter & Wigham Richardson in Newcastle upon Tyne as a… Read More »
In fact Billy had to move to Bristol before they married and it may have been this separation, and the threat that it might be permanent following invasion which precipitated the event. In any event his place of abode on the marriage certificate is Woodstock Road, Bristol. After marriage they settled into a rented house… Read More »
As the “Hitler War”, as he liked to call it, started William Wilson (Billy) Hunter was working for the Board Of Trade as a Marine Engineering Surveyor. As the government transformed itself to a war footing he was transferred to the Department for War Transport and asked to move to Falmouth in Cornwall. Falmouth was… Read More »