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Thanks for the links ArgyllGran I'll take a look

There's mention of Ralph Bridges in this magazine, dating from approx. 1922:

https://tinyurl.com/hwmbfyl

See the article "Movies in Malaya", starting on page 32.
Ralph is mentioned in the middle column on page 33 - he was in court for failing to censor a film to the required standard.
He was employed by a company called Famous Players Lasky, which later became Paramount.

(Lots of other fascinating stuff in that magazine!)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Famous_Players-Lasky.




As the travel records found show him returning to UK in 1939, and then back to Singapore in 1946, it would seem he came back for the duration of WW2.

Thanks again to you all (sorry, got called away from the computer yesterday)

Tiggit

Grace was with him travelling in 1925:

irst name(s) Ralph
Last name Bridges
Gender Male
Age 35
Birth year 1890
Marital status M
Occupation ELECT ENGR
Departure year 1925
Departure day 24
Departure month 10
Departure port Birkenhead
Destination port Singapore
Destination SINGAPORE
Country Singapore
Destination country Singapore
Ship name Meriones
Ship official number 145974

Travelling with Mrs Grace Bridges 26
Last address in Uk: 73 Millbrook Road, Brixton SW9
Intended Future Residence: Singapore S.S
-------------------------------------------------------

Date of above passenger list ties in with below- which might give a little insight to what he was doing:

The Sphere - Saturday 04 July 1925

...who wrote to me from Singapore some time ago asking me to do what I could to encourage the sending out of clean and inspiring British pictures the that very vital key port of our empire. It may be remembered that I called attention to his plea at the time, not in vain as I am pleased to learn from the gentleman himself. Mr Ralph Bridges who has now arrived in England in quest of films worthy to be shown to the Chinese and Malay audiences he has to so largely cater for......

Googled his name - the following Navy Lists came up
Courtesy of National Library of Scotland

Navy Lists - Royal Naval Reserve

http://digital.nls.uk/british-militarylists/pageturner.cfmid=94270886&mode=transcription

Ralph Leopold Bridges Midshipman
Date of Seniority 1 October 1908 - that will be the date he joined, as Midshipman is the lowest Officer Rank

http://digital.nls.uk/british-militarylists/pageturner.cfmid=95467675&mode=transcription

Lieutenant - date of Seniority 23 October 1917 - date he became a Lieutenant

there would have been Sub Lieutenant between the 2

So sorry, Maddie, didn't realize that you had already posted that 1946 one till ArgyllGran mentioned it. Must learn to read posts more thoroughly.

So 1946 (posted by Maddie - and later by MargaretM - and which you already knew about, Tiggit) is the most recent record found so far.

Perhaps he stayed in the far East and died out there.
the 1946 record does say future permanent address Malaya.
I don't see a death record for him in the UK.

He and Grace appear to have married abroad, too.

(yes, Grace with him)

Chris :)

Edits (from google, below info. They left 16/9/1939)

The 1939 Register, taken on 29 September

? the child who died. GRO unable to distinguish months and years for age at present !!

Name: Mother's Maiden Surname:
BRIDGES, RUBY MAUDE WEBSTER
GRO Reference: 1899 J Quarter in LEWISHAM Volume 01D Page 1191 Order

Name: Age at Death (in years):
BRIDGES, RUBY MAUDE 3
GRO Reference: 1899 S Quarter in LEWISHAM Volume 01D Page 811

Thanks everyone for your replies.

Chris Ho:) was he travelling alone in 1929 and 1939? (any sign of Grace Bridges who I take it was his wife, shown in my opening post?)

Tiggit

Ralph Leopold Bridges

in the UK, Outward Passenger Lists, 1890-1960
View UK, Outward Passenger Lists, 1890-1960

Name: Ralph Leopold Bridges
Gender: Male
Age: 57
Birth Date: abt 1889
Departure Date: 29 Jun 1946
Port of Departure: Southampton, England
Destination Port: Singapore
Ship Name: Sibajak
Search Ship Database: Search for the Sibajak in the 'Passenger Ships and Images' database
Shipping line: N V Rotterdamsche Lloyd
Master: C H Vellenga

With Grace, 47. Theatre manager. Last pemanent address England. Future permanent address Malaya.

Ralph Leopold Bridges

in the UK, Incoming Passenger Lists, 1878-1960
View UK, Incoming Passenger Lists, 1878-1960

Name: Ralph Leopold Bridges
Birth Date: abt 1890
Age: 49
Port of Departure: Shanghai, China
Arrival Date: 14 Jun 1939
Port of Arrival: London, England
Ship Name: Philoctetes
Search Ship Database: Search for the Philoctetes in the 'Passenger Ships and Images' database
Shipping line: China Mutual Steam Navigation Company Ltd
Official Number: 145969

With Grace, 41. Theatre manager. Proposed address c/o Pierce & Williams, Victoria St., London. Last permanent residence Malaya. Country of future permanent address part of British Empire.

2 more Outgoing, FMP...

1925 Ship name Meriones (last UK Address, 73, Millbrook Road Brixton SW9. occ. Elect. Engineer)

1939 Ship name Strathmore (last UK Address, 37, Craven Street WC2. occ. Theatre Manager)

Chris :)

British Royal Naval Reserve 1899-1930
Piece number 57
Series ADM240
First name(s) Ralph Leopold
Last name Bridges
Year 1925
Birth year 1889
Rank Lieutenant Commander (Retired)
Birth date 16 December 1889
Seniority year 1925
Seniority date 23 October 1925
Archive The National Archives
Description Admiralty: Royal Naval Reserve: Officers' Service Records
Covering date 1862-1960
Document number 188
Category Military, armed forces & conflict
Subcategory Regimental & service records
Collections from Great Britain

British Royal Naval Reserve 1899-1930
Piece number 57
Series ADM240
First name(s) Ralph Leopold
Last name Bridges
Year 1925
Birth year 1889
Rank Lieutenant Commander (Retired)
Birth date 16 December 1889
Seniority year 1925
Seniority date 23 October 1925
Archive The National Archives
Description Admiralty: Royal Naval Reserve: Officers' Service Records
Covering date 1862-1960
Document number 188
Category Military, armed forces & conflict
Subcategory Regimental & service records
Collections from Great Britain

England & Wales deaths 1837-2007 Transcription

First name(s) CHARLES EDWARD
Last name BRIDGES
Gender Male
Birth day -
Birth month -
Birth year 1865
Age 45
Death quarter 1
Death year 1910
District Lewisham
County London
Volume 1D
Page 639

Probate - Bridges Charles Edward of 36 Balina Street Honor Oak Park Surrey died 11 February 1910 Administration London 1 March to Maud Mary Bridges widow Effects £189 18s 9d

Ralph Leopold Bridges

in the UK and Ireland, Masters and Mates Certificates, 1850-1927
View UK and Ireland, Masters and Mates Certificates, 1850-1927

Name: Ralph Leopold Bridges
Estimated Age: 23
Birth Date: 1889
Birth Place: London
Issue Date: 24 Feb 1912
Issue Port: London
Certificate Number: 006858

Ralph Leopold Bridges

in the Web: UK, Naval Officers' Service Record Cards and Files Index, 1880-1950s

Report issue

Name: Ralph Leopold Bridges
Birth Date: 16 Dec 1889
Birth Place: London, London, England
Rank: Lieutenant-Commander (Retired)
Number: 02249
URL:

Ralph Leopold Bridges

in the UK, Outward Passenger Lists, 1890-1960
View UK, Outward Passenger Lists, 1890-1960

Report issue

Name: Ralph Leopold Bridges
Gender: Male
Age: 57
Birth Date: abt 1889
Departure Date: 29 Jun 1946
Port of Departure: Southampton, England
Destination Port: Singapore
Ship Name: Sibajak
Search Ship Database: Search for the Sibajak in the 'Passenger Ships and Images' database
Shipping line: N V Rotterdamsche Lloyd
Master: C H Vellenga


Ralph Leopold Bridges

in the UK and Ireland, Masters and Mates Certificates, 1850-1927
View UK and Ireland, Masters and Mates Certificates, 1850-1927

Report issue

Name: Ralph Leopold Bridges
Estimated Age: 25
Birth Date: 1889
Birth Place: London
Issue Date: 14 Mar 1914
Issue Port: London
Certificate Number: 006858

1911 England, Wales & Scotland Census Transcription
36 Ballina St Forest Hill S E, Lewisham, London, England

First name(s) Last name Relationship Marital status Sex Occupation Age Birth year Birth place
Maud Mary Bridges Wife Widow Female None Private Means 43 1868 Plymouth Devon
Vincent Leslie Bridges Son - Male - 7 1904 Forest Hill

Mistakenly completed - married 22 years. 3 children born, 2 living, 1 has died

Looks to be him below...

Chris :)

BRIDGES, RALPH LEOPOLD (WEBSTER)
GRO Reference: 1890 M Quarter in PADDINGTON Volume 01A Page 16

http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D8289129

Name Bridges, Ralph Leopold
Rank: Lieutenant-Commander (Retired)
Number: 02249
Place of Birth: London
Date of Birth: 16 December 1889

1901 England, Wales & Scotland Census Transcription
40, Brookbank Road, Lewisham, London, England

First name(s) Last name Relationship Marital status Gender Age Birth year Occupation Birth place
Charles E Bridges Head Married Male 36 1865 Rent Collector Marylebone, Middlesex, England
Maud M Bridges Wife Married Female 33 1868 - Plymouth, Devon, England
Ralph L Bridges Son Single Male 11 1890 - Paddington, Middlesex, England

1891 England, Wales & Scotland Census Transcription
St James Terrace, Willesden, Hendon, Middlesex, England

First name(s) Last name Relationship Marital status Gender Age Birth year Occupation Birth place
Charles E Bridges Head Married Male 26 1865 Newsagent Stationer Tobacconist Marylebone, Middlesex, England
Maude M Bridges Wife Married Female 26 1865 - Plymouth, Devon, England
Ralph Bridges Son Single Male 1 1890 - Kensal Green, Middlesex, England