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Life Stories

Joseph Patton, travels in Nigeria: His account

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Life Stories

Joseph Patton, travels in Nigeria: Steamship records

In order to take up his role in Nigeria, Joseph had to travel by steamship, normally from Liverpool but occasionally from Plymouth, to Lagos (Iddo), Nigeria. The trip was approximately 4100 miles and took around 2 weeks. Bearing in mind on 11 March 1915 the first passenger ship, RMS Falaba, is sunk by German U-boat […]

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Life Stories

Joseph Patton, travels in Nigeria: Official Records (1914-1930)

From his pension records, we know that on 6 May 1914, Joseph joined the Nigerian Railway Open Lines as a European Guardsman. This meant that Joseph left a pregnant Catherine on [DATE] to travel to Nigeria, and missed the birth of his last daughter, Kay. He carried out this role until he was promoted to […]

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Life Stories

Joseph Patton and Catherine Faloon, young married life (1902 – 1914)

In 1902, Catherine and Joseph married, on 6 June. Catherine was 18, Joseph was 24 and a Railway Yardman. John Patton is the only surviving parent of the happy couple, but he is not a witness, although Catherine’s older sister Sarah is. Joseph and Catherine did not have an easy route to parenthood. Their first […]

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Life Stories

Joseph Patton, a young man (1891-1901)

By the the 1901 Census, Joseph is harder to find, and the records we can locate have some errors. However, working backwards we know that in 1902, he marries Catherine Faloon. Might he already know her in 1901? His mother Margaret is deceased, as are both of Catherine’s parents. However, we know that Catherine is […]

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Life Stories

Joseph Patton, the early years (1878-1901)

Joseph Patton was born on 24 April 1878, in Carfin in the Parish of Bothwell, son of John Patton and Margaret Patton (née McRory), who had married in Stranolar, Ireland, in 1862. Prior to Joseph, his parents John and Margaret, had their first child, Patrick, in 1867, followed by Margaret 3 years later. Before Thomas […]