James Charles Leslie







Captain Leslie was born in Banff, Scotland in 1862.

His father, Alex Leslie, had been a Master Mariner but died before seeing his son sign with R. & J. Craig Co. of Glasgow to serve a four year apprenticeship as a merchant mariner.

James' Indenture began on the 2nd of May, 1879, at the age of sixteen. He earned a total of twenty-six pounds during that period.

Twelve years later, on the 12th of June, 1891 James received his Certificate of Competency as Master













In 1891 or 1892
Captain Leslie married Robina Fraser Torrie.



They had three children:

Margaret Torrie (Peggy), April 26, 1894
Barbara Macbeath (Beth), February 10, 1896
James, April 16, 1904

His wife Robina died in 1908. She was 38 and their young son was only 4 years old. The daughters were sent to live with one aunt, while the son with another. Captain Leslie never remarried.

Captain Leslie continued to serve as master aboard steamships and served during the Great War. Around 1936, his health failing, he moved to Montreal, Canada to live with his daughter Peggy, her husband and their son, James.

His grandson, was a ham radio operator and Captain Leslie enjoyed spending time with him on the radio. 

Captain Leslie died in Montreal at the age of 74 or 75 in 1938.

Margaret 'Peggy' married James Hutchison of Glasgow, Scotland. They had one son, James Leslie Hutchison on July 8, 1915. They emigrated to Montreal, Canada in the 1920's.

Barbara 'Beth' lived her adult life in London returning to Edinburgh upon her retirement. Engaged once, her fiance was killed in the Great War and she never married.

Their brother James moved to
Mt. Helena near Perth in Western
Australia as a very young man.
He also never married.



JAMES LESLIE HUTCHISON

Jim married Helen F. Nelson, of Montreal, Canada on May 17, 1941.

During World War II he joined the Royal Canadian Air Force. After the war he attended McGill University to earn an engineering degree.

They had two daughters:
Linda Margaret, September 12, 1942
Barbara Joyce, April 30, 1945

The family emigrated to Manhattan Beach, California on May 5, 1955

Jim died at only 52 in Manhattan Beach
in 1967

Helen died at 89 in Hermosa Beach in 2009

    The only Great-Grandchildren are:

    Linda Hutchison who lives in Pacific Beach, California

    Barbara Hutchison Seeley who lives in Hermosa Beach, California with her husband Mike Seeley. They have been married since 1962.

    Great-great grandchildren include:
    • Raul Rathmann 1964 (Linda's son)
    • Erik Rathmann 1968 (Linda's son)
    • Dana Seeley 1962 (Barbara's daughter)
    • David Seeley 1964 (Barbara's son)
    • Lynn Seeley Pepe 1967 (Barbara's daughter)

    Great-great-great grandchildren are:
    • Rachel Ann Aitchison 1991 (Dana's daughter)
    • Claire Helen Aitchison 1994 (Dana's daughter)
    • Ava James Pepe 2005 (Lynn's daughter)

CAPTAIN LESLIE'S ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS


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