Christopher Ridler Hale (1868 - 1918)

Born 1868 in Birkenhead, Cheshire, England, United Kingdom

Died 6 Apr 1918 at about age 50 in Bristol, England, United Kingdom

Biography

Christopher was born at Birkenhead, England in 1868, the son of George Hale and his wife Mary, nee Heyward.

In the 1881 Census he is living with his parents and 9 siblings in Birkenhead, where his father is an ironmonger.^[1] For the 1891 Census he is still living with his parents and siblings in Birkenhead and he is a joiner.^[2]

He married Gertrude Adelaide Livermore in Birkenhead in 1894. There were 3 children.

He was a carpenter and joiner by trade. After an apprenticeship of 6 years in carpentry & joinery to M. Collin of Birkenhead, he worked 8 years on building and property repair before spending 3 years on ship building and 18 months on ship repairs. He then worked on his own account for 7 years before leaving England in 1912. He was living in Egremont, Liscard, Cheshire for the 1911 Census with Gertrude and their 3 children. He was a self-employed joiner.^[3]

On 29 Mar 1912, Christopher and his family arrived in St John, New Brunswick, Canada on board the "Lake Manitoba".^[4]

Christopher migrated to Australia in about Sep 1913, after working in Canada. His wife, Gertrude died about 1913, probably in Canada.

He settled in St Marys, New South Wales, working in the area as a self-employed carpenter and builder.

On 10 May 1917 Christopher applied to become an Australian Munitions Worker under a joint Australian government/ British government scheme to supply skilled workers for the War effort in the UK. At the time he widowed with 1 child dependent as a housekeeper (younger daughter, Doris Hale). Son Clifford and older daughter Gertrude were employed.

He was accepted and his agreement was signed on 06 Aug 1917. He was issued with Australian Munitions Worker Badge No. 3378 and embarked on the SS "Anchises" from Sydney, NSW on 08 Aug 1917, arriving at Liverpool, England on 02 Oct 1917.

He commenced work on 08 Oct 1917 at P.&W. Andersons of Filton as a carpenter.

On 05 Apr 1918 he fell about 13 metres from a roof while fixing sheeting on his work site at Filton Aerodrome and he died from his injuries in the Royal Infirmary, Bristol on 06 Apr 1918. Family in Liverpool were informed and a nephew and 2 other Munitions Workers made the funeral arrangements. He was buried at Holylake Parish Churchyard on 11 Apr 1918.

His mother, Mary Hale of West Kirby, Cheshire, contacted officials in London to confirm compensation would be paid to his dependents (300 Pounds was paid) and asked for his effects to be returned to Australia.

Sources

1. ↑ Christopher R. Hale in the 1881 England Census - Source Citation: Class: RG11; Piece: 3580; Folio: 57; Page: 28; GSU roll: 1341857; Source Information: Ancestry.com and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 1881 England Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004.; 1881 British Isles Census Index provided by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints © Copyright 1999 Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved. All use is subject to the limited use license and other terms and conditions applicable to this site. Appreciation is expressed to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for providing the 1881 England and Wales Census Index.; Original data: Census Returns of England and Wales, 1881. Kew, Surrey, England: The National Archives of the UK (TNA): Public Record Office (PRO), 1881.
2. ↑ Christopher R Hale in the 1891 England Census - Source Citation: The National Archives of the UK (TNA); Kew, Surrey, England; Census Returns of England and Wales, 1891; Class: RG12; Piece: 2884; Folio: 9; Page: 11; GSU roll: 6097994; Source Information: Ancestry.com. 1891 England Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005.; Original data: Census Returns of England and Wales, 1891. Kew, Surrey, England: The National Archives of the UK (TNA): Public Record Office (PRO), 1891.
3. ↑ Christopher Hale in the 1911 England Census - Registration District Number: 452; Sub-registration District: Wallasey; ED, institution, or vessel: 21; Piece: 22073; Source Citation: The National Archives of the UK (TNA); Kew, Surrey, England; Census Returns of England and Wales, 1911; Source Information: Ancestry.com. 1911 England Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.; Original data: Census Returns of England and Wales, 1911. Kew, Surrey, England: The National Archives of the UK (TNA) Series RG14, 1911.
4. ↑ Christopher Hale in the Canada, Incoming Passenger Lists, 1865-1935 - Source Citation: Library and Archives Canada; Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; Series: RG 76-C; Roll: T-4826; Source Information: Ancestry.com. Canada, Incoming Passenger Lists, 1865-1935 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2010.; Original data: Passenger Lists, 1865–1935. Microfilm Publications T-479 to T-520, T-4689 to T-4874, T-14700 to T-14938, C-4511 to C-4542. Library and Archives Canada, n.d. RG 76-C. Department of Employment and Immigration fonds. Library and Archives Canada Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

• Birth - UK GRO BDM Birth index - HALE, CHRISTOPHER RIDLER; HEYWARD; GRO Reference: 1868 J Quarter in BIRKENHEAD Volume 08A Page 483

• Marriage - FreeBMD.org.uk - Marriages Jun 1894 - Hale Christopher Ridler; Livermore Gertrude Adelaide; Birkenhead; 8a; 789

• WW1 Australian Munitions Worker Service File - National Archives of Australia - HALE Christopher Ridler - Munitions Worker Number 3378 - http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/scripts/AutoSearch.asp?O=I&Number=6428977

• Death - UK GRO BDM Death index - HALE, CHRISTOPHER RIDLER; 49; GRO Reference: 1918 J Quarter in BRISTOL Volume 06A Page 40

• Burial/Memorial - https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/114354032/christopher-ridler-hale