The Commanding Officer at the T.A. Barracks at Chetwynd , Oxton, Birkenhead asked me to investigate the History of their site. The most notable feature is the Victorian mansion in the centre of the base. Today this houses the Officers Mess and Cadets Training School. This large detached mansion "Chetwynd" was lived in byone of the Laird family for a decade or so and then by the De Wolf family for a similar time at the end of the 19th century . The De Wolf family were shipowners of French Canadian extraction . They originated in Liverpool, Nova Scotia which is on the estuary of the River Mersey ! I would like to find out if this family have any links with the Wolf family of Harland and Wolf Shipbuilders .
I tried E Mailing Belfast History Society in Northern Ireland but they did reply but were not able to help at all. I have got pages and pages of info from the Internet on the exploits of the De Wolfs in the Pacific . I have searched for the origins of the Belfast shipyard but there is no mention of origins of the names of the company founders. Have been prompted to try you by the recent question on the L.H.S. site about Nova Scotia in OUR Liverpool . I worked at Mann Island myself for a few years in the Merchant Navy Establishment Office that was 1966/1967 .
Any suggestions from yourself or Rob or anyone else please ?
Regards
Roy Dennett
Birkenhead History Society
James Ratchford DeWolf (September 14, 1787 – June 10, 1855) was a merchant and political figure in Nova Scotia. He represented Liverpool township from 1820 to 1830 and Queens County from 1830 to 1836 and from 1840 to 1843 in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly.
ReplyDeleteHe was born in Horton (later Wolfville, Nova Scotia), the son of Elisha DeWolf and Margaret Ratchford. In 1810, he moved to Liverpool, where he married Elizabeth, the daughter of Colonel Joseph Freeman. He established a company there with his father-in-law and two other partners. From 1825 to 1840, he operated his own business. He died in Liverpool in 1855.
His brothers Thomas Andrew Strange and Elisha also served as members of the provincial assembly.
Regards
Rob Ainsworth
Programme Secretary & Web Administrator
Liverpool History Society