William and Janet Pattison's Children - Ellen - Travel to Peru

After a lot of research I eventually discovered that my Great Grandmother, Janet Little, probably died circa 1915 at the age of 57, leaving, William aged 46, Hilda 16 and Ellen 14, explaining how Hilda got to be "a naughty girl" with her dad working long back-breaking shifts down the pit.

Whilst researching Ships Passenger Lists I was surprised to find that Janet and Luke weren't the only family members to travel to Lima Peru.

Hilda's father, William Pattison, together with his younger daughter Eleanor (Ellen) left Liverpool on the 19th November 1925 on the Pacific Steam Navigation Company's ship 'Orcoma' for Callao Peru. 

"Orcoma"

ORCOMA

11.54 gross tons, length 511.6ft x beam 62.2ft.  One funnel, two masts, twin screw, speed 14.5 knots.  Accommodation for 246-1st, 202-2qnd, 106-intermediate and 456-3rd class passengers.  247 crew.  Launched on 2nd Apr 1908 by Wm. Beardmore & Co Dalmuir, Glasgow for Pacific Steam Navigation Co Liverpool.  She started her maident voyage on 27th Aug when she left Liverpool for the West Coast of South America via Straits of Magellan. She was the largest and fastest vessel on the South American Pacific coast route at the time.  From Mar 1915 she served as an Armed Merchant Cruiser with the 10th Cruiser Squadron on the Northern Patrol, fitted with 6 x 6in guns and 2 x 6 pounder guns.  She reverted to service after the war via the Panama Canal.  In 1923 she was modernised and coverted from coal to oil.  She was scrapped at Blyth in 1933.

Record of William and Eleanor (Ellen) leaving Liverpool for Peru on Nov 19th 1925

Again with only 'assumptions' to work on, the lack of employment will have, probably, been one of the main reasons why William decided to travel to Peru with daughter Ellen aged 20. As Janet Little in 2014 stated in her letter to her daughter Janet "hopping Look (Luke) has got back again all rite an that he is working fool time now but your father is just getting a chance day or to so." 

I spotted the mistake on the Ships List stating Ellen was 20 years old on the way to Peru, but, as she was born in 1900 she would be 25, but the returning Ship's List is correct as by then she was 26. 

Ellen had been born with very little hearing so at this time it would also have been very difficult for her to get employment. On discovering that their child was profoundly deaf, Janet and William will have sought to protect Ellen, as, at this time, most doctors (no NHS ) were ignorant of the behaviour or needs of the deaf, and the State just wasn't interested. I am sure my Great Grandparents lived for years with the fear that doctors could declare Ellen mentally defective.  

The family knew Ellen was not mentally defective, she just had very little education. When Ellen's father William died at the age of 55 in 1932, my Grandma, Janet, took Ellen "under her wing" and they continued to 'care for each other' until Janet died in 1978 aged 89.

Ellen and Janet in the garden of 13 Gregson Street Scotswood circa 1950s

Janet with Sister Ellen and Luke's Sister Amelia 'Meelie'

Whilst William and Ellen were living in Lima Peru, Hilda returned home on the "Orcoma" on the 4th February 1925.  I had initially assumed it was to visit her mother (but when you think about it why would William and Ellen 'upsticks' and leave Janet on her own). 

On the Ship's List Hilda gave the UK address as 16 Turns Buildings West Allotment, but, when I discovered that Janet Little had died in 1915, and the address Ellen and William left was Maud Terrace Shiremoor, this gives no reason and no idea who Hilda was staying with. We will never know!

This is the ships entry showing "Hilda Terry travelling from Callao, arriving Liverpool on the 4th February 1925.

"Orcoma" Ship List entry for Hilda Terry from Callao arriving Liverpool 4th Feb 1925

16 Turns Buildings West Allotment no longer exists, but this photograph is of Maud Terrace today (where William and Ellen were living when they left England).




West Allotment was originally a mining community. It comprised of only one housing estate, known to the locals as 'The Allotment' located approximately 4 miles inland from the coast, near Whitley Bay.  

William and Ellen obviously changed their minds about staying in Peru and returned home on the 2nd June 1926, and interestingly the Ship's record gives the address of my Grandma - c/o Mrs Dent, Munitions Huts, Stokeswood (should be Scotswood). Grandma did tell me that Hilda treat Ellen like a servant, indicating Ellen didn't have a job in Peru.  Even so William and Ellen managed to stay a little longer in Peru than Janet and Luke. 

Ships Entry for William and Ellen's return to England on the 'Orita' 2nd June 1926

Photograph taken of my Grandmother in the Munitions Huts Scotswood

ORITA (1903-1931)
9,266 gross tons, was the largest liner sailing to South America when built. 169-1st, 111-2nd and 528-3rd with 172 Crew. Her maiden voyable from Liverpool to Valparaiso and Callao via Cape Horn began 8th Apr 1903.  She started her first Liverpool - Panama Canal - Callao - Valparaiso sailing in Feb 1919.  Scrapped at Morecambe in 1931.

A view of Callao's busy Harbour today