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Name: BARTON, William Cochran 'Billie'
Birth Date: 1886 South Shields
Death Date: 1932 Sculcoates, Yorkshire
First Date: 1922
Profession: First Engineer, Marine Dept., Railways & Harbours Dept., in 1939, appointed 1936. Originally 2nd Engineer 1923
Area: Pakwach, 1925 Box 70 Kisumu
Married: In Swansea 1918 Violet Miles Godley b. 1 Dec 1891 Edinburgh, d. 1966 St Ives, Huntingdonshire
Children: Margaret (1921); Dr. William Leftwich 'Bill' Barton (1923 Kisumu)
Book Reference: Staff 39, Red 25, Hut, Link 17, Dominion, Barton
General Information:
The Link 17 - Dr Bill Barton, introduced by Bill Dennis (Mar) wrote to tell us that his father Billie Barton joined the Marine Dept. in 1922. As a Chief Engineer, Billie was one of four officers sailing on the 'Clement Hill', and he also served at Butiaba on Lake Albert, as skipper of the 'Robert Coryndon' (1923-37?) While at Butiaba Billie was responsible for building the corrugated enclosure in Lake Albert, which provided a swimming area, safe from crocodiles. About 1937, Bill's wife became the first officer's wife to volunteer to accompany her husband on a posting to Pakwach, where Billie took over as skipper of the 'Lugard 1'. Billie's wife was allowed to travel with him on the ship as it sailed to Nimule in the Sudan, and on the launch on its trips to the Murchison Falls. Billie retired from the KUR&H about 1941, and then joined the Army and served in Abyssinia. After leaving the Army he and his wife went to live at Likoni, just south of Mombasa. ............ (more)
Dominion - Public Works Department - Railways - Marine Dept. - Second Engineer - 1930