# John Paterson Reid



## PamHay (Nov 17, 2018)

Hi
I'm doing some research for a friend. 
His father, John Paterson Reid, sailed to Penang on the Adrastus out of Birkenhead in 1957.
I note that all of the passengers are listed as 1st Class. Was this the only class of travel on the vessel?
It seems strange for him to be going at that time as there was a lot of trouble in Malaya then. He is listed as a picker.
If anybody has any thoughts or information that could help, I'd love to hear from you.


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## canadian (Jan 13, 2015)

PamHay said:


> Hi
> I'm doing some research for a friend.
> His father, John Paterson Reid, sailed to Penang on the Adrastus out of Birkenhead in 1957.
> I note that all of the passengers are listed as 1st Class. Was this the only class of travel on the vessel?
> ...


 The Adrustus is a vessel of the Blue funnel line these are/were passenger cargo with not many passengers so probably all one class, a picker to my knowledge is shore employment, on the passenger manifest they probably asked for his job description, this should start your search other members on here will help you with passenger lists, Be patient regards Ca.


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## PamHay (Nov 17, 2018)

Thank you, Canadian.
I'm surprised at somebody going over there at that time when there was so much trouble there. He is listed as married but his wife is not shown as travelling with him. He is shown as living in Malaya and I believe he served there in the war so perhaps settled there.
I look forward to finding out what people can tell me.


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## canadian (Jan 13, 2015)

PamHay said:


> Thank you, Canadian.
> I'm surprised at somebody going over there at that time when there was so much trouble there. He is listed as married but his wife is not shown as travelling with him. He is shown as living in Malaya and I believe he served there in the war so perhaps settled there.
> I look forward to finding out what people can tell me.


You can find this on Ancestry.

John P Reid


date
Birkenhead , England
city, Malaysia


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## PamHay (Nov 17, 2018)

That's where I found it.

Thanks


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## holland25 (Nov 21, 2007)

The Adrastus would have had accommodation for 12 passengers, all one class. I made the same trip, as part of the crew, of a similar ship ,in the same year, 1957. From memory a lot of the problems in Malaya had quietened down and I don't really remember there being any issues during he next 4 years that I made the trip regularly.
You might get some idea of the layout if you look at the following,
http://www.rhiw.com/y_mor/blue_funnel_home/a_boats/a_plans.htm


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## PamHay (Nov 17, 2018)

That's interesting to know.
Thank you for the link.
He was living there as a planter. Do you think that would be tea? What would conditions be like?
Your help is much appreciated.


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## forthbridge (Jun 28, 2007)

holland25 said:


> The Adrastus would have had accommodation for 12 passengers, all one class. I made the same trip, as part of the crew, of a similar ship ,in the same year, 1957. From memory a lot of the problems in Malaya had quietened down and I don't really remember there being any issues during he next 4 years that I made the trip regularly.
> You might get some idea of the layout if you look at the following,
> http://www.rhiw.com/y_mor/blue_funnel_home/a_boats/a_plans.htm


Problems in Malaysia may have settled down by that time but two cadets in Benn Line were murdered by terrorists around then


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## holland25 (Nov 21, 2007)

PamHay said:


> That's interesting to know.
> Thank you for the link.
> He was living there as a planter. Do you think that would be tea? What would conditions be like?
> Your help is much appreciated.


Might have been rubber. Despite the submission from Forthbridge,my memory of it was that it was all fairly peaceful. However i didn't live there and being a seaman didn't venture that from the dock side,and I was only 19. I remember Merdeka being a big thing in Singapore. The only unrest I was aware of was in Indonesia,principally Sumatra and the Celebes.


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## PamHay (Nov 17, 2018)

Thank you both.
I'm really trying to get a picture in my mind of how things were out there.
John Paterson Reid was my friend's father. My friend was illegitimate and his father went to Singapore (we think) with the army. When he returned, my friend's mother had married somebody else.

John was listed as married when he boarded the ship in 1957.
When he died, his ashes were returned to Aberdeen and buried 10 months after his death, with his mother who had died when he was 15. The grave stone named his wife as Pansy and, in addition to my friend's name (he was thrilled that his father had not forgotten him) there were two other children, Ona and Cabot. 

He would dearly like to find his half brother and sister but I can find no trace. They certainly were not born in the UK, nor did he marry here.

If anybody has any idea how I can check the Malaysian records we could make my friend a very happy man. He has been searching for 30 years!


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## gray_marian (Jan 15, 2014)

Hello Pam, Have sent you my email address by pm. Think I may have found Ona but will have to clarify her birth details in Kuala Lumpur with you first.


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