William Joseph WEBBER (aka Billy) [1887-1969]

Birth: 

Devonport, Stoke Damerel, Devonshire, England, United Kingdom 23rd December 1887

Father: John Webber (1851-1927) Mother: Hannah Viggers (1848-1937)

1891 British Census:

John Webber, 40 years old, Head, married, Loading Man Prisons H.M. Dockyard, born Cornwall, Torpoint

Hannah Webber, 41 years old, Wife, married, born Cornwall, St Stephens

Frederick Webber 14 years old, Son, single, Scholar, born Devon, Devonport

Elizabeth Webber, 11 years old Daughter, single, Scholar, born Devon, Devonport

Florence Webber, 7 years old, Daughter, single, Scholar, born Devon, Devonport

John Webber, 4 years old, Son, single, Scholar,born Devon, Devonport

William Webber, 3 years old, Son, single, Scholar, born Devon , Devonport

Herbert Webber, 1 year old, Son, single, born Devon, Devonport

Address: 71 George Street, Devonport, Stoke Damerel, Devonshire, England, United Kingdom 

1901 British Census:

John Webber, 50 years old, Head, married, Inspector of (?) H.M. Dockyard, born Cornwall, Torpoint

Hannah Webber, 51 years old, Wife, married, born Cornwall, St Stephens

Frederick Webber, 24 years old, Son, single, Commercial Accountant, born Devon, Devonport

Elizabeth Webber, 21 years old, Daughter, single, Milliner, Hat (?) Showroom, born Devon, Devonport

John F Webber 14 years old, Son, single, born Devon, Devonport

William J Webber, 13 years old, Son, single, born Devon, Devonport

Herbert J Webber, 11 years old, Son, single, born Devon, Devonport

Address: 71 George Street, St Aubyn, Devonport, Devonshire, England, United Kingdom

1907 Passenger List: 

Mr W.J. Webber

Ship: Zieten, 4988 registered tonnage; travelled Cabin Passenger 2nd Class. Marital status: Single

Depart: Southampton, Hampshire, England, United Kingdom 12th June 1907

Destination: Hong Kong, China

1911 British Census:

John Webber, Head, 60 years old, married, Retired on pension, Foreman of former HM Dockyard, born Cornwall Torpoint

Hannah Webber, Wife, 61 years old, married 35 years, had 8 chidreln born alive, 6 children still living, 2 children who have died

John Francis Webber, Son, 24 years old, single, Draughtsman (Fitter ship) H.M. Dockyard, born Devon, Devonport

William Joseph Webber, Son, 24 years old. single, Draughtsman (shipwright) The Dockyard, born Devon, Devonport.

Address: 44 Burleigh Park Road, Peverell, Plymouth, Devonshire, England, United Kingdom. House has 6 rooms. 

Marriage:

Elsie Selina Williams (2nd May 1888-1958) (age 27, spinster, address 16 Elphinstone Road, Father: John Williams, Retired clerk) Parish Church of Pennycross, Pennycross, Plympton St Mary, Devonshire, England, United Kingdom 16th August 1915

1929 London, England Electoral Registers: Elsie Selina Webber was residing at Royal Hospital for Incurable, Wandsworth, Wandsworth, London, England, United Kingdom SW 18

29th September 1939 Register of England and Wales: Elsie S. Webber. aged 51, married, unpaid domestic duties, was living at 146 Newbridge Road, Bath, Somerset, England with  1) Annie S. Williams, aged 81 years (dob 6th February 1859), widowed and incapacitated 2) Leonard Shergold, aged 53 years (dob 12th April 1886), married, Head Postmaster of Bath 3) Florence M. Shergold, aged 53 years (dob 29th January 1886), married, unpaid domestic duties

1937 Passenger List:

Mr W.J. Webber

Ship: Ranchi - P&O S.N. Company (148130) 8849.75 registered tonnage; travelled 2nd Class non-accompanied .

Last address in the United Kingdom: Government

Occupation: Government

Country of last Permanent Residence: Details unknown

Depart: Southampton, Hampshire, England, United Kingdom 22nd April 1937 (bound for Yokohama, Japan)

Destination: Hong Kong, China

He never appears on the Juror's Lists for Hong Kong. According to oral family history he was not interned during WWII.

Death:

Kingskerswell, Newton Abbot, Devonshire, England, United Kingdom 1st April 1969

Probate:

Of 23 Southey Cresecent, Kingskerswell, Newton Abbot, Devon died between 1 and 5 April 1969 Probate 19 May £5353

Mr W.J. Webber arrived in Hong Kong at the Kowloon wharves 11am 23rd June 1937 on board the S.S. Ranchi having sailed from the UK seemingly unaccompanied by his wife.

Source: Hong Kong Daily Press, page 15, 24th June 1937 for list of arrival passengers 

After arriving in Hong Kong in 1907, Mr W.J. Webber was an Assistant at the Taikoo Dockyard and Engineering Co. Ltd in 1908

Source: The Directory and Chronicle for China, Japan, Corea, Indo-China, Strait Settlements etc 1908, pages 1051 and 1657

Mr William J. Webber arrived in Hong Kong on the German steamer Zeiten on 17th July 1907 after departing from Manila on the 12th July 1907 having originally sailed from Southampton, England departing on the 12th June 1907

Source: The China Mail, page 8, 17th July 1907 for list of arrival passengers

UK and Ireland Incoming passenger lists, 1878-1960

William Webber, age 52, Draughtsman, departed Hong Kong late August 1940 on board S.S. Narkunda (Peninsula and Oriental Steam Navigation Co. 142496) travelling 2nd Class. The ship journeyed through Singapore, Penang, Colombo, Bombay, Mombasa, Durban, Takoradi, Freetown and arrived in Liverpool, UK 29th October 1940. His country of last permanent residence was Hong Kong and his proposed address in the UK was No. 1 Dale Road, Mutley, Plymouth. 

William J Webber was in Hong Kong 1907 and 1908 and was back in the UK for the 2nd April 1911 UK census. He was in the 1908 Directory and Chronicles of China, Japan etc but does not appear in the 1909 and 1910 editions. So he must have returned to the UK in 1908, 1909 or 1910.

There was a Mr W.F. Webber, single, Scottish, Engineer, who embarked in Hong Kong (according to the passenger manifest) on the German steamer Prinz Eitel Friedrich which sailed from Yokohama to Southampton. The ship arrived in Hong Kong from Shanghai on the afternoon of 18th May 1908 and departed Hong Kong noon 20th May 1908. The departed passenger list in the local newspapers did not include Mr Webber's name but cross refernencing other passenger names, it appears correct. Of interest the script for the passenger "Mrs F.L. Perkins" (correct name) in the passenger manifest looked like "Mrs J.L. Perkins" (incorrect name) ie. the style of the letter 'J' and 'F' was easily misinterpreted. 

So "Mr W.F. Webber" was probably "Mr W.J. Webber" and for some reason it wasn't on the printed passenger manifest which made it to the newspapers (late or last minute embarkation for Mr Webber?). Maybe he was an Engineer (he was an Assistant at the Taikoo Dockyard and Enginneering Co. Ltd in HK 1907) before branching to Ship Draughtsman (by the 1911 census). Webber is indeed a Scottish occupational origin surname although that information does not help confirm or deny the individual's identity. 

Sources for passenger list who departed Hong Kong on German steamer Prinz Eitel Friedrich: Hong Kong Telegraph, page 7, 21st May 1908 and Hong Kong Daily Press, page 8, 21st May 1908