Subject

CN Co. Wharfinger Sh'ai. Andrew Behan has researched this man:

William Peter Bruce was born on 14 October 1892 in Seacombe, Cheshire, the eldest son of Thomas Bruce and Marguirite Jane Bruce née Partridge. His father was a Mariner. On 13 February 1895 he was baptised at St Peter's Church, Church Street, Liverpool. The 1901 census shows his father away as the master of the ship Blagdon, and he was living with his mother, two brothers and two sisters at 33 Gladstone Road, Seaforth, Liverpool. He first went to sea on 24 January 1908 and having served 6 years, 3 months and 21 days on four different ships he applied on 23 June 1915 in Swansea for a Board of Trade Certificate of Competency as a Second Mate of a Foreign-going Steamship in the Merchant Navy, but failed due his navigation skills. He reapplied in Cardiff on 5 July 1915 and was successful.

After serving a total of 1 year 7 months and 19 days on three more ships he was granted a Board of Trade Certificate of Competency as a First Mate of a Foreign-going Steamship in the Merchant Navy. In 1918 he married Edith Augusta Griffiths in Bedwellty, Monmouthshire. On 2 December 1927 he left the UK aboard the P & O steamship Malwa with his wife to go to Shanghai, China. Their UK address was shown as Eastfield Villa, Moss Road, Aspern, Doncaster, Yorkshire and his occupation was recorded as a Mariner.

On 27 October 1933 he arrived in London having travelled from Shanghai on the P & O steamship Naldera with his wife and 2 years old son, John Colin Bruce. Again his occupation was recorded as a Mariner and their UK address was given as The Lodge, Moss Road, Doncaster. The 1939 England and Wales Register shows them living at 11 Gannon Road, Worthing, Sussex. His occupation was listed as Warehouse Superintendent, Shanghai. He was employed by the China Navigation Company and he is recorded in the UK World War Two Civilian Deaths Register as the husband of Edith Augusta Bruce of 9 Grove Avenue, York Road, Doncaster.

On 12 January 1945 the Swiss Chargé d'Affairs, Shanghai, advised his government in Berne, Switzerland that William Peter Bruce had died on 30 December 1944 at Shanghai General Hospital and that his cause of death was certified as chronic bronchial asthma and myocardiac failure. He requested that the British Foreign Office was told so that the information could be given to both A.E.P. Bruce at Axminster Road, Penvlan, Cardiff and John Swire & Sons Ltd at 19 Billiter Street, London, E.