Re: Thomas Melling 1818-1898 St. Helens, U.K
-
In reply to:
Thomas Melling 1818-1898 St. Helens, U.K
6/30/01
Dear Iris. I'm snding this in the hope that you're still using this site. I have only today spotted your original message related to Thomas Melling. He was also my great great great grandfather. I too do not know any details of his wife but I can tell you that he had a son John who was my great great grandfather. He was born in Sutton near St Helens Lancashire. His mother died when he was 4 years old. He was wducated as a boarder at Cheltenham Grammar school and served his engineering apprenticeship in Rouen, France and then travelled to Suez where he became a Chief Engineer in the Egyptian navy. He had 2 children, Kate and Thomas. This Thomas was my great grandfather. They were both born in Egypt. Kate was taken to the suez canal for a picnic before it was flooded in 1869. Thomas was baptised by the Bishop of Bombay. I know from a hand written letter of Kate's that the older Thomas (her grandfather) was the same as you described, having taken a locomotive to Egypt for the Egyptian government and driven the Khedive's mother to prayers. He was out there for many years and twice presented with a gold watch for services rendered. I would be grateful for any information you may have which obviously connects our families.