My grandfather, Guillermo Oliva Ravest, was the start of the UK Ravests. I have found only a few records concerning my grandfather. He is recorded in the 1911 UK Census as an engineer, aged 30, and being married for 8 months to my Grandmother, Maudie, aged 19, [full name Ethel Maude Ravest, 1891-1973]. It records that she was born in Woking, Surrey. They were living in Holborn, London. From this I assume that he was born around 1880.
I understood from older members of my family that Guillermo was a navel officer, attached to the Chilean embassy. I can now confirm this. He graduated from the Escuela de Aspirantes Ingenieros de la Armada in 1900.
The passenger list for the Pacific Line ship Orissa names Lieutenant Guillermo Ravest as leaving Liverpool for Valparaiso on 1 June 1911. He was with four other lieutenants, all traveling first class. One of these, (Lieut. Victor Soffia), graduated from the Escuela in 1904. My Grandmother travelled later.
I believe that he was in England on a mission related to the procurement by the Chilean Navy of a new class of destroyer, the Admirante Lynch Class. Six of these destroyers were ordered in early 1911. They were significantly larger and heavier armed than contemporary British destroyers. Only two were delivered before the First World War. The others were taken into the British Navy of which three survived to be delivered after the war.
My father, (Guillermo Mario Ravest on his birth certificate), was born in Concepcion, Chile on 2 Sept 1913. He was brought to England by his mother under the name William Ravest. They traveled second class on the Orita, arriving Liverpool 8 December 1913, when my father was aged 3 months. My father was later known as Lesley Ravest.
I am very keen to get more information on Guillermo Ravest, his family and career.