Welcome to my family tree. It was a picture of the “SS Oarsman”, hanging on the wall of my aunties  kitchen, that first sparked my interest in our family history. The picture related to my g  grandfather, Frank Gill, a master mariner who worked for R & W Paul Ltd of Ipswich Suffolk. He was  born in Dorset in 1880 to a Shepard. Frank must have decided to join the merchant navy when he left  school as he is recorded on the 1901 census as an “able seaman” on board the “Alcyone” which was in  the port of Kings Lynn in Norfolk.

Another person I have followed more closely is Percy Gill, who was Franks younger brother. He  emigrated to Canada with his brother James Albert in December 1915 . Percy and his brother were   probably part of the “home children” program when they arrived in Brantford, Ontario. Percy enlisted  in the British Expeditionary Force and served in France where he was killed in the campaign to take  Vimy Ridge on the 9 April 1917. James also enlisted and thankfully returned from the war and  married Jeanne Duff in February 1919 in Simcoe, Ontario.

I have also recently been researching Caroline Gill who was born in Dorset in 1843. She appears on  parish records in Preston Dorset being baptised on the 11th Jun 1843 the daughter of Emma Gill ( no  fathers name recorded ). She is also recorded as granddaughter to Richard Gill on the 1851 census.  This is also the same for Rebecca Gill which leads me to believe that Caroline & Rebecca where born  out of wedlock and possibly raised by their grandparents.

More information about these people, and the rest of the Gill family, can be found on this site so  please go and take a look and if you can add or correct anything that I have please get in touch.

Thank you for taking the time to read this

John Gill