ORIGINS OF THE WELLS NAME
From the book "William Wells of Southold And His Descendants, A. D. 1638 To 1878" by the Rev. Charles Wells Hayes, published in 1878......
"The English name Wells appears to have two distinct derivations.
1. The Saxon well, a well or spring from wellan, to spring, bubble up, or flow, and the kindred Danish wel and German quelle, is found in Domesday Book as "Guella," meaning there, apparently, a stream or rivulet flowing into the German ocean and applied to the ancient Norfolk seaport at its mouth. (Blomfield, Hist. Norfolk, 1808) No doubt many families of the name may find a like origin for their patronymic, in some John or Robert "of the well"; and possibly the old cathedral city of Somerset, and other towns in England, have derived their appellation from the same familiar word.(As Well, Lincoln and York; Upwell and Outwell, Norfolk, "where lived the ancient family of Wells," &c. "Sometimes a cottager or small proprietor would get the name "At the Welle, or De La Welle; afterwards shortened into Wells."[Lower's Patronym. Brittan., London, 1860])
2. As a family name, however, it is more commonly derived through the Norman-French val, a vale, and its plural vals or vaux, from the Latin vallis. Val, Vals, Vaux, Vallibus, all with or without the prefix De, are found in numerous records from the Norman Conquest of 1066 to the end of the 15th century, applied to families in almost every county in England, but mostly in Lincoln, Norfolk, Essex and Kent, and of French origin. A little later we have Wallys (1220), Wellys (1475), Wyllys (1463), Wills, (these last two rare,) Well, De Well (1401-89), Welles, De Welles (1283) and finally Wells, this last form as early as the beginning of the thirteenth century. Wels appears to be Dutch, found at New York, 1678, and Leyden, 1723."
RMS VICTORIAN
The Victorian was a 10,635 gross ton ship built in 1904 by Workman, Clark and Co, Ltd. for the Allan Line of Liverpool. Her details were - length overall 540 ft, beam 60.4ft, one funnel, two masts, triple screw (first N.Atlantic liner with triple screws and first with turbine engines) and a speed of 18 knots. There was accommodation for 346-1st, 344-2nd and 1,000-3rd class passengers. Launched on August 25, 1904, she sailed from Liverpool on her maiden voyage to St John NB on March 23,1905. On April 27, 1905 she commenced her first Liverpool - Quebec - Montreal voyage and continued UK - Canada sailings until 1914 when she was converted to an armed merchant cruiser.
In World War 1 she served with the 9th and later the 10th Cruiser Squadrons and after the war, was refitted by Cammel Laird and returned to Canadian Pacific Ocean Services who had taken over the Allan Line. She resumed the Liverpool - Quebec - Montreal service on April 23, 1920, was refitted to carry 418-cabin, and 566-3rd class passengers in October 1920 and commenced her last Liverpool - Quebec - Montreal voyage on September 2,1921. In October 1921 she was chartered to the British government and carried out a trooping voyage from Southampton to Bombay and on her return was re-engined to oil fuel.
On August 3, 1922 she transferred to the Glasgow - Quebec - Montreal route and on December 11, 1922 was renamed Marloch. She commenced her first Glasgow - St John NB voyage on December 12, 1922 and on Feb 2, 1926 transferred to the Antwerp - St John NB service. She collided with, and sank the British steamer Whimbrel off Flushing on February 2, 1926 and was towed to Southampton. Repaired, she returned to the Antwerp - Southampton - St John NB service on March 4, 1926 and sailed on her final Antwerp - Quebec - Montreal crossing on August 17, 1928.
She was laid up at Southend until 1929 when she was sold to T.W.Ward and Co and arrived at Milford Haven on April 17th, being subsequently broken up at Pembroke Dock. Her panelling, which was inlaid with mother-of-pearl was transferred to the board room of Ward's Sheffield office, where it can still be seen. [North Atlantic Seaway by N.R.P.Bonsor, vol.1