Joan's Genealogy Jottings

The Lancaster Bomber and the Airmen of WWII

2011-11-01T15:25:00.000-07:00

Remembrance Day usually makes me think of foot soldiers like my grandfather, a WWI amputee, who survived the trenches of Europe. Our new home is in Lancaster Heights, an area in Comox with streets named after military aircraft such as Spitfire, Tutor, Hornet, Tiger Moth, Expeditor, Avro Arrow, and Lancaster. The Lancaster was a heavy bomber, built to defend Britain in World War II. The following description is taken from http://www.bombercommandmuseum.ca

During World War II the Lancaster was the most successful bomber used by the Royal Air Force and the Royal Canadian Air Force.The Lanc had speed, ceiling, and lifting power that no other aircraft of the day could match. Weighing 36,900 pounds empty, the Lancaster was capable of taking off with an additional 33,100 pounds of fuel and bombs; in other words it could almost carry its own weight again. The Lancaster carried 64% of the tonnage dropped by the RAF and RCAF during the war. The "Grand Slam", a 22,000 pound special purpose bomb designed to penetrate concrete and explode below the surface to create an earthquake effect, could only be delivered by the Lancaster and the Lancaster was thus chosen for special operations such as the "Dambusters" raid and the attack which sunk the German Battleship Tirpitz.

Lancasters were built to accomplish their specific purpose and crew comfort and security was clearly a secondary consideration. Generally flying under the cover of darkness, the Lancaster had virtually no defensive armour. The front, mid-upper, and rear gun turrets were hydraulically powered and carried a total of eight .303 calibre machine guns for defence against enemy aircraft.

The crew worked in cramped conditions, particularly the air gunners who remained at their posts for the entire flight. Some had to place their flight boots into the turrets before climbing in, and then put their boots on. At night and at 20,000 feet the temperature in the turrets frequently fell to minus forty degrees and frostbite was not uncommon. Air gunners manned the rear and mid-upper gun turrets. A pilot, flight engineer, navigator, wireless operator, and bomb aimer/front gunner completed the crew of seven.

The Lanc's massive bomb bay stretched for 33 feet and, unlike other bombers, was one continuous uninterrupted space. Partly for this reason, the Lanc had the versatility to undertake raids with large, specialized weapons. However, this meant that the main wing spars became obstacles to movement within the aircraft, particularly for airmen wearing heavy clothing and flight boots.

Of the total of 7,377 Lancasters built (430 of them in Canada), 3,932 were lost in action.

I am especially interested in two Lancasters, one piloted by Maurice Bunnagar of the Royal Air Force, and the other piloted by his cousin, Frederick How of the Royal Canadian Air Force.

The Bunnagar Crew

Maurice Bunnagar, my second cousin, once removed, is pictured below, standing at the back left. He was born in Liverpool and his parents lived at Irby, Cheshire when he joined the air force.

Maurice was only sixteen years old when war broke out with Germany in 1939. By the time he was twenty he was promoted to Acting Flight Sergeant on February 4, 1944 and was a Pilot Officer when his crew left RAF Bardney on May 11, 1944.

The ND951 was one of a batch of 600 Lancaster Mk IIIs delivered to the RAF between December 1943 and May 1944. The Bunnagar crew left Bardney at 22:36 hours on May 11, 1944. There were one hundred and ninety Lancasters dispatched to bomb a large military camp at Bourg Leopold in Belgium that night, five of the Lancasters did not return. On the outbound journey ND951 was shot down by a night-fighter and crashed at Wilsele, north of Leuven, Belgium. The crew were buried in Wilsele Churchyard. The crew consisted of:

P/O Maurice Bunnagar, Pilot age 20

Sgt Russell Leggitt, Flight Engineer age 20

Sgt Arthur Henderson, Navigator age 20

F/O John Isfan RCAF, Bomb Aimer age 27

Sgt John Chambers Wireless Operator

Sgt Bernard Easterlow, Air Gunner age 21

Sgt Ronald Watson, Air Gunner age 20

The How Crew

Left: Fred How, Right: Norm How

Frederick How was my first cousin, once removed. He was the son of my grandmother's sister, Ada Annie Crockett and her husband Arthur Langley How and was born in Edmonton on December 5, 1922. My father lived with Aunt Ada and Uncle Arthur and their children: Rosa, Norman, Fred, and Nellie for four years before the war. Dad spent most of his time with Norman, who was closer in age than Fred, who was just a kid when war broke out.

As the war progressed, it became evident that more air crew would be required to man the large numbers of aircraft that were being produced. Canada provided facilities for the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan as part of our contribution to the war effort. Large numbers of Canadians trained to serve in all aspects of the air war and by the end of the war, one third of all Bomber Command aircrew were Canadians.

In October of 1942, No.6 Group of Bomber Command was created to be completely manned by Canadian officers and men and at the end of the war it had grown to thirteen squadrons.

Fred must have been one of the pilots taught in Canada before he and 419 Squadron were sent to England for training on the larger bombers. The picture of Fred and his brother, Norman was probably taken around the time their grandmother, Alice Bunnager Crockett died in 1941. Norm joined the navy and was posted in Ottawa later in 1941.

On June 3, 1944, Fred and his crew had a close call at Wombleton airfield, in Yorkshire while on a training flight. The undercarriage of the Halifax bomber they were flying collapsed after a hard landing and the plane was written off. The crew were uninjured and the same crew, except for the navigator, were assigned the Lancaster KB738 shortly after the accident.

KB738 C/N #37039 code VR-D nose art..'Dorothy'

This aircraft was built in Canada by Victory Aircraft in Malton, Ontario. From the construction number 37039, we know that it was the thirty-ninth plane off the line of the 300 that were ordered. KB 738 was delivered to 419 squadron and taken on strength on May 16, 1944. It is known to have completed sixty-eight operations before its last flight. Like many of the planes used by the RCAF in WWII, it had a name and unique artwork on its nose. Dorothy sported a stylized octopus as shown in the picture below.

The How Crew left the airfield at Middleton St. George on December 28, 1944 for a daylight raid on Opladen, Three hundred and twenty-eight aircraft were on the raid, including 66 Lancasters. The aiming point was to be on the marshalling yards but the results are unknown. Two of the Lancasters were lost, including KB738 which crashed nine miles north-east of Cologne, where the crew were buried on January 3, 1945. They were subsequently re-interred at Rhineberg War Cemetery in Germany. The crew included:

Pilot F/O Frederick W. How age 22

Rear Gunner Sgt. Norman R. Springstein age 19

Air Gunner F/O Russell K. Nickle age 27

Bomb Aimer Sgt. John A. MacGregor age 26

Wireless Operator F/Sgt Cecil Hubley age 20

Mid Upper Gunner Sgt. C.R. Tait

Flight Engineer Sgt. Joseph Atkinson

Lancasters KB738 and ND951 are just two of the 7,377 built and 3,932 were lost in action during the second world war.

The successes of Bomber Command were purchased at terrible cost. Of every 100 airmen who joined Bomber Command, 45 were killed, 6 were seriously wounded, 8 became Prisoners of War, and only 41 escaped unscathed (at least physically). Of the 120,000 who served, 55,573 were killed including over 10,000 Canadians. Of those who were flying at the beginning of the war, only ten percent survived. It is a loss rate comparable only to the worst slaughter of the First World War trenches.
Maurice Bunnagar and Frederick How were second cousins, one born in 1923 in England and one born in 1922 from Canada. They both went down in Europe in 1944 fighting for the same cause, they probably never met. They never married and have no descendants to mourn their loss, just siblings and cousins and friends.

I have a letter from Maurice's younger brother, Alan Bunnagar, written in 1999. Alan had learned from his niece that I was interested in the family tree and he sent what information he had on the Bunnagar family. In his letter Alan said:
"I have added Fred How to the chart, we knew him when he was in the Canadian Airforce during the war when in England. He used to visit my Mother and Father at Guernsey Road Liverpool when he got leave. I always remember his photo alongside my brothers photo at home, since then we have lost touch with him."

Alan had not heard that Fred had met the same fate as Maurice and thousands of other airmen in the war.

Fred How is remembered at Beechmount Cemetery in Edmonton, Alberta on the headstone of his grandparents, Amos Crockett and Alice (Bunnager) Crockett.

Fearless Females: Female ancestor who died young

2011-03-12T14:58:00.000-08:00

March 11 — Did you have any female ancestors who died young or from tragic or unexpected circumstances? Describe and how did this affect the family.

Mary Creak Smith, my great-great-grandmother, was born in Sutterton, Lincolnshire, England about 1830. She was twenty-five when she married Samuel Rason in Boston, Lincolnshire in 1855. Samuel was a mariner with the merchant marine when he married and when my great-grandmother, Elizabeth Rason was born in 1856.

The family grew to six children by the end of 1871 but by this time Samuel was master of his own fishing boat called the Magic. Circumstances changed for the Rason family and they moved from Boston, north to Grimsby. Mary was forty-four years old when she gave birth to her seventh child, Robert in 1874. This child died as an infant. She once again fell pregnant and an unnamed male child was born and died just before his mother.

Although Mary's death registration states she was forty-two years old when she died, she was actually forty-six, too old to bear a child, but much too young to die. She died at home on Freeman Street in Grimsby on March 17, 1876 and she was listed as the wife of Samuel Rason, greengrocer. The cause of death was "puerperal Peritonitis", also known as childbed fever. Samuel was not the informant for the death registration, it was a neighbour, Hannah Lee.

So there was Samuel, no longer a master of his own boat, just a greengrocer or fruiterer left with five living children. What did he do? He took up with Mary's younger sister, Sarah Ann Smith. Sam and Sarah Ann's first child was born in Grimsby on August 4, 1897, less than seventeen months after Mary's death. I have no record of a marriage, perhaps because marriage to a wife's sister was forbidden by law in England at that time. The family moved to Canada before the turn of the century and I haven't found a marriage after the emigration either. Sarah Ann was known as Grandma Rason to all the descendants of Samuel.

Fearless Females: Religion

2011-03-10T20:57:00.000-08:00

March 10 — What role did religion play in your family? How did your female ancestors practice their faith? If they did not, why didn’t they? Did you have any female ancestors who served their churches in some capacity?

Lucy (Crockett) Davies
in Salvation Army Uniform

Although both the Crockett and Davies had a background with the Salvation Army, my grandparents belonged to the United Church of Canada. They attended St. Aiden's United Church from the time they arrived in Victoria until they died and my Dad's sister and family still go to that church.

My maternal grandparents also belonged to the United Church and attended Norwood United Church in Edmonton until 1926 when they buried their son, Jimmy. After the death of his little boy, Grandpa Bellamy went off religion and would not enter a church. For this reason he did not attend my parents' wedding. Granny attended church regularly when she was with the Hopkins family in Oliver in her later years.

Regardless of the fact that Mom and Dad met at a church outing and a few years later married at Norwood United, in Edmonton, God had no presence in our home. Sundays were reserved for family activities and usually started with waffles or pancakes cooked by Dad while Mom enjoyed the chance to sleep in.

This routine was interrupted for about one year when I was six years old. I do not remember who was the donor, but in a bundle of used children’s duds was a perfectly good suit which fit my brother, Gordon.

Now that Gord had a suit, it was decided that he should go to church and that I should go along too. The closest United Church to our home was about three miles away but our neighbours regularly attended St. Michael of all Angels, an Anglican church on West Saanich Road. We attended church with the Macdonald family for a year or so until Gordon outgrew the suit and we were glad to return to our regular Sunday mornings with the family.

Fearless Females: A family document

2011-03-09T11:44:00.000-08:00

March 9 — Take a family document (baptismal certificate, passenger list, naturalization petition, etc.) and write a brief narrative using the information.

I have chosen a page from the manifest for the ship SS Lake Manitoba on its sailing from Liverpool to Quebec from 31 August to 12 September, 1911. My grandmother, Lucy Millicent Crockett, her sister, Alice, and her sister-in-law, Jessie are listed on this ship's list.

The following picture is of the Crockett family in England before they left for North America. My grandmother, Lucy Millicent Crockett is shown seated on the right.

Back: James, Richard (Bert), Jessie (wife of Bert), Thomas, Alice, George
Front: Ada, Amos (holding grandson George) Alice, Lucy

This picture was taken about 1910, and by October 1911, all eleven people in the picture had immigrated to Edmonton, Alberta but they departed on eight separate sailings! I have underlined the family members who were in the picture in the following list of ships.

The father of the family, Amos, was the first to leave, sailing aboard the "Merion" from Liverpool to Philadelphia in February 1911. He was accompanied by his brother, George Crockett, who returned to England two months later. It appears that Amos made his way to Alberta and set up a sawmill on the shores of Lake George near Busby, Alberta.

Bert, the oldest son, was the next of the Crockett family to leave, sailing from Liverpool to Quebec aboard the Laurentic, arriving July 15, 1911. He was sponsored by the Salvation Army and took the CPR train directly to Edmonton.

The manifest shown at the top of this page shows the next group to cross the Atlantic: Bert's wife, Jessie, and her two sisters-in-law, Alice and Lucy. They listed their destination as Edmonton and Jessie was joining her husband.

Bert and Jessie's little boy, George Albert, came with his grandmother, Alice, and his aunt, Ada in October 1911 aboard the Royal George which sailed from Avonmouth. All previous sailings were from Liverpool, in the northern part of England but Alice, Ada, and young George traveled south to catch their ship in Avonmouth. They were listed with a Salvation Army party and Alice was listed as a wife - lumberyard 9 months. Does that mean Amos arrived 9 months previous?

At the end of 1911 there were still three Crockett brothers in England as well as Alice's sister and family, Rebecca and Bagot Arnold. The Arnold and Crockett families had been close since they lived in Wales, and Ada Arnold married her first cousin, George Bunnagar Crockett a few years after the emigrated.

Bagot Arnold and his son, Harry sailed aboard the Canada in February 1912; Bagot claimed to be joining his brother A. Crockett.

George Crockett, brother to Amos, left from Bristol with his family and his nephew, Thomas Crockett, aboard the Royal Edward in April 1912.

James Crockett and his new wife, Emily, boarded the Empress of Ireland in Liverpool on September 20, 1912, just one day after they were married in Staffordshire.

In October 1912 the rest of the Arnold family left Liverpool aboard the Lake Manitoba. George Bunnagar Crockett accompanied the Arnold family, his future in-laws, on this voyage.

At last the family was reunited in Edmonton where many descendants still reside.

Fearless Females: Diary or Journal

2011-03-08T10:42:00.000-08:00

March 8 — Did one of your female ancestors leave a diary, journal, or collection of letters? Share an entry or excerpt.
Unfortunately, my female ancestors did not write much about themselves, although my Granny Bellamy did write many letters. I have some letters written to her, but none in my Grandmother, Vinetta's hand. I hope that some of Granny's letters surface some day and that I can get a chance to read them. I do have a diary that she received as a Christmas present from her Grandson, Norman Hopkins.

Granny filled the diary for all of 1968, mostly with entries about receiving and writing letters, hair appointments, daily chores, and going to church. She was living with the Hopkins family in Oliver at the time and in spite of being seventy-eight years old, did many of the household chores because my Aunt Vivian was not well.
I am very thankful that my cousin, Norm Hopkins, had the insight to give Granny a diary, the only thing I could ever think of giving her was writing paper.

Fearless Females: Recipes

2011-03-08T09:28:00.000-08:00

March 7 — Share a favorite recipe from your mother or grandmother’s kitchen. Why is this dish your favorite? If you don’t have one that’s been passed down, describe a favorite holiday or other meal you shared with your family.

You can tell that this recipe has been pulled from my mother's recipe index many times. I remember asking Mom who Beth was and she thought it was some relative. I do not think she ever met her mother's cousin, Beth.

Elizabeth (Beth) Carr

I recently met Beth's daughter, Andrea, and her sister, Karen, over the internet and we got into a conversation about a bun recipe that has been passed around the family. While going though the recipe file looking for Granny's bun recipe, I came across the card pictured above and the connection with the name Beth hit me. Sure enough, Karen has the same recipe with the exception of the spices added at the bottom.

Beth's Ginger Snaps are my absolutely favourite cookies and my recipe is just as messy looking as Mom's. Running a close second to Beth's Ginger Snaps is an oatmeal-coconut cookie called Mother's Cookies. Who's mother? My maternal grandmother was always referred to as Mother, not Mom, or Mum, perhaps that is where it started, or could it be Granny's mother, Maria Moyer Butchart?

Fearless Females: An heirloom

2011-03-06T15:55:00.000-08:00

March 6 — Describe an heirloom you may have inherited from a female ancestor (wedding ring or other jewelry, china, clothing, etc.) If you don’t have any, then write about a specific object you remember from your mother or grandmother, or aunt (a scarf, a hat, cooking utensil, furniture, etc.)

Jimmy Bellamy portrait

I cherish this little portrait that I found in my parents' trunk while clearing out their house after my Dad died. It was with some of my maternal grandmothers possessions including her address books and a diary.

Reflections from the curved glass make it difficult to take a photograph of the portrait, so today I unframed the picture for the first time. I always thought it was a photograph that had been touched up, but I was surprised to find it is an original piece of artwork done in pastels.

Vivian, Jimmy, Margaret, Bill, Ruth

I believe it is a portrait of my uncle, James Roy Bellamy, who died as a result of a tragic accident when he was only five years old. Mom was only seven when she lost her little brother but she spoke often of him long after she had lost her memory of more recent events. Jimmy was the youngest of the Bellamy children and he is pictured at the lower left in the group photo. My Mom, Ruth Bellamy is beside him.

Jimmy was struck by a streetcar outside the Bellamy home and it had a devastating effect on the family. My grandfather tried to drown his grief with drink and my grandmother only displayed her feelings when she was playing the piano. Mom remembers the music becoming louder and louder when Grandpa was late coming home. I can't remember Granny displaying emotion much at all and I shared a room with her for many years when I was a child.

Portrait unframed

Although the picture is of a little boy who was taken from this world long before his time, it is also about my grandmother, a fearless female, who had to grit her teeth and carry on raising her other four children in spite of her tremendous loss.

How My Parents Met

2011-03-06T12:28:00.000-08:00

Ruth Bellamy and Bert Davies, summer 1936

My parents were both born in Edmonton, Alberta and that is where they met and were to spend the first few years of their marriage.

My Mom was about sixteen when she met my Dad, who was five years older. The small wedding took place at the Norwood United Church Manse, Edmonton, Alberta on December 31, 1938. They were happily married for over sixty-five years and as my husband, Len would say "that's not counting courting time". The following is from my Dad's memoirs:

"About 1935 my cousin, Norman bought a Model "T" coupe. We often would pick up girls if one of us knew them and it was on one of these times I met the girl that I was to spend most of the rest of my life with. The next time I saw her was at a Norwood Church young peoples sleigh ride. The sleigh skidded and threw everyone to one side which split and one of the pieces caught my pants just below the pocket and ripped them to the knee. As it happened near a friend's house, we went there and I borrowed a pair of pants and joined the party at the church, so I took the young lady home in a borrowed pair of pants."

Mom and Dad - sixty years later - January 1999

Fearless Females: How My Grandparents Met

2011-03-06T11:53:00.000-08:00

March 5 — How did they meet? You’ve documented marriages, now, go back a bit. Do you know the story of how your parents met? Your grandparents?

I have my Dad's words on how he met my Mom and that will be in a separate post.

I have no idea how the shy stenographer, Vinetta Butchart, met my grandfather, John Bellamy. My grandfather died when I was very young and Granny never spoke about herself. I am presuming that they probably met about 1910 when Granny was working for a law firm, Boyle & Parlee on Jasper Avenue. John S Bellamy worked and lived on Jasper Avenue, just two blocks to the east. Jasper Avenue was the main street in Edmonton then and still is, but could this busy thoroughfare be the connection for this unlikely couple?

My paternal grandparents also met in Edmonton, but I have Grandpa's words from an interview done on New Years Day, 1980.

Grandpa with his great-children about the time he related his memories

"At that time we came to Toronto and stayed from 1905 to 1911 and then I read all these placards that said "go west young man, go west" and I took that advice and I came west and arrived in Edmonton on Sunday, the 4th of April, 1911.
So of course at that time a young man is looking for a gal. So my wife came over from England and she landed in Edmonton on Sunday morning at 6:00 and I met her at 10:00 and that was it. I didn't get married right away but I picked my gal right away. I didn't give anyone else a chance to get her."

My grandmother, Lucy Millicent Crockett arrived in Edmonton about September 1911 in the company of her sister, Lal. and her sister-in-law, Jessie. She was only fifteen years old when she met Grandpa and he was almost twenty. They married in November 1913.

We are so lucky to have Grandpa's personal memories on a tape. His memory was still good even though he was eighty-eight when the tape was recorded.

Fearless Females: Grandparents' marriages

2011-03-04T08:06:00.000-08:00

March 4 — Do you have marriage records for your grandparents or great-grandparents? Write a post about where they were married and when. Any family stories about the wedding day? Post a photo too if you have one.

Both sets of my grandparents were married in Edmonton, Alberta. I had a few hours to spend at the Alberta Archives the last time I was in Edmonton in 1998 and I found it very difficult to search their records at that time. I have no pictures of the weddings. The marriages were written up in a large register and I could not take copies. I did find the following for my paternal grandparents:

Register of Marriages, Edmonton 87.385 510 Wm. D. Davies Lucey M. Crockete 10-11-13 691 - 23rd St. (Manse) Clergy -P. G. Stewart.

The picture is of my grandmother, Lucy Millicent Crockett, with my Dad, William Herbert Davies. My father was born April 11, 1914. My grandfather was at war in Europe when this photograph was taken. The first picture of my grandparents together is a family portrait taken about 1921.

William, Evelyn, Herbert (Bert) Lucy Davies

I do have a marriage Certificate for my maternal grandparents, transcribed below:

This is to Certify that on the 29th day of June in the year of our Lord 1912
John Bellamy and Vinetta Tremaine Butchart
were by me united in Marriage at the city of Edmonton according to the laws of Alberta.
Witnesses: W. D. Gardner, M. Moore
J. E. Hughson

The clipping on the left is from the Edmonton Daily Bulletin dated July 3, 1912. Granny's parents, Edward Neil Butchart and Maria Moyer, moved with their family from Bruce County, Ontario to Edmonton just about the same time Alberta became a province of the Dominion of Canada in 1905.

Edward Butchart, his brother, Peter E Butchart, and his cousin, Peter T Butchart were principals in The Great West Land Company which held many properties for development in the growing city.

The article states that the couple would be making their home in Vancouver, but to my knowledge they never lived there. Their oldest child was born in Calgary on February 4, 1913.

Both of my grandparents' weddings were quiet affairs rather hastily planned, probably in view of the fact that the morals of the day required marriage before the birth of the first child. My Dad came along five months after his parents were married and Uncle Bill was born seven months after the Bellamy wedding. Both marriages lasted until the death of a spouse.

Fearless Females: My first name

2011-03-03T19:55:00.000-08:00

March 3 — Do you share a first name with one of your female ancestors? Perhaps you were named for your great-grandmother, or your name follows a particular naming pattern. If not, then list the most unique or unusual female first name you’ve come across in your family tree.

Although I go by Joan, my first name is Barbara. The only ancestor with the name of Barbara in my tree so far is Barbara Shantz, born Waterloo County, Ontario, about 1812. She and her husband, Abraham Moyer, were my third great-grandparents. Barbara was also my second cousin five times removed on the Bechtel side because these families were all part of the Mennonite community who emigrated from Pennsylvania to Waterloo County in the early 1800s. Being a small settlement of large families, most marriages were from a small gene pool.

The Shantz family were on my mother's side and Mom would have had no knowledge of her ancestry that far back when I was born. I do not know why they named me Barbara or why I was always called Joan. To my knowledge I have no ancestors named Joan.

Vinetta, my maternal grandmother, came from the Moyer line and I think it is a beautiful and unique name. My grandmother is one of five women named Vinetta on my Mom's side of the family, three of them are from Mennonite families.

Granny's full name was Vinetta Tremaine Butchart and she hated the name so much that she named my mother just Ruth.

Fearless Females: Hannah Duckworth

2011-03-03T18:37:00.000-08:00

March 2 — Post a photo of one of your female ancestors. Who is in the photo? When was it taken? Why did you select this photo?

Hannah Duckworth was the mother of Esther Letitia Brown, which would make her my Great-great-grandmother. She was married to John Brown, an army veteran who was blinded in the Crimean War. Hannah had four children before she died on 26 July, 1871 at the age of forty.

I chose this picture because it is oldest photograph in my possession, probably taken about 1870. The family lived in Weston, near Runcorn, Cheshire, England and Warrington was across the Mersey River from Runcorn.

Fearless Females: 31 Blogging Prompts to Celebrate Women’s History Month

2011-03-03T18:19:00.000-08:00

March 1 — Do you have a favorite female ancestor? One you are drawn to or want to learn more about? Write down some key facts you have already learned or what you would like to learn and outline your goals and potential sources you plan to check.

She was known as Nana to the family, my great-grandmother was born in Manchester, England. I have her registration of birth where she is named Sarah Esther Letitia Brown, daughter of John Brown and Hannah Brown formerly Duckworth. The name Sarah only appeared on her birth and death certificates, she was always known as Esther Letitia on all other documents including her marriage to John Davies at age seventeen on 16 February 1879. John was an illiterate widower who had fathered fourteen children with his first wife. John was forty-three when he married Esther and three living children were older than his new bride.

Why did Nana marry a man old enough to be her father?

Why am I drawn to Nana as my favourite ancestor? Esther Letitia Brown is the only great-grandparent who was still alive when I was born and I do have some memories of her. I was only seven years old when she passed away on 5 November 1952. I remember being told to be quiet when we visited my grandparents' house on Oak Bay Avenue in Victoria because we couldn't disturb Nana, who lived with Granny and Grandpa.

Another reason I chose Nana as my favourite ancestor is because she was brave enough to move on and venture forth from England to Toronto to Edmonton and finally to Victoria.

I have many facts and stories about Esther but there are many questions still to be answered, including her trip back to England from November 1910 to June 1911 with her daughter-in-law and grandchildren. Why? During that time the rest of the family moved from Toronto to Edmonton. At some time Nana had a double mastectomy, was this done while she was back in England and was she an early cancer survivor? She has been referred to as a nurse and a midwife, did she have any training or was it just life experiences that prepared her for those roles?

I hope to answer some of the un-answered questions about my great-grandmother before too long and finish writing her story.

March is Women's History Month

2011-03-01T11:40:00.000-08:00

Lisa Alzo has suggested daily blogs to celebrate Women's History Month. http://www.theaccidentalgenealogist.com/2011/02/back-by-popular-demand-fearless-females.html I hope to participate in as many of the thirty-one suggestions as I have time for. Back in the 1800s and before, the women in the family are hard to track because they lost their identity once they married. So often I have found listings for Mrs. "first and surname of husband" I am looking forward to this project.

Freemasons and the Davies Connection

2011-02-17T13:48:00.000-08:00

The picture above is my grandfather's brother, Wilfrid Davies, in the full regalia of his Masonic Lodge. Grandpa, William Duckworth Davies, was also a mason and was active in his lodge until his death.

While researching the shoemakers in the family for a previous post, I discovered the following cemetery transcription for Wilfrid and William's great-great-grandfather, William Duckworth:

I have sent for the death registration for William Duckworth who died in the Halifax district in 1854 to verify that my ancestor is the one described in the above transcription, but there probably were not too many William Duckworths to live to the ripe age of eighty-six back in the 1850s.

There is mention of William Duckworth in a book on the history of the Masonic Lodge of Probity No 61, written in 1888. Copies of the pages follow:

My Dad was from a long line of Cobblers

2011-02-16T20:56:00.000-08:00

Cordwainer, cobbler, shoemaker, shoe repairer, and currier were all occupations involving leather and many of my father's ancestors worked in these trades.

The picture on the left is my Dad, Herbert William Davies, in his shop on Johnson Street in Victoria.

William Duckworth, Dad's third great-grandfather, was born about 1767 in Halifax, Yorkshire. William's occupation was described as a shoemaker at the trial of his son, George Duckworth, in 1812. George, another, shoemaker, was tried and sentenced to transportation for an incident related to the Luddite movement in Yorkshire. William was listed as a cordwainer in the 1841 and 1851 census.

William Duckworth, Dad's second great-grandfather, was born in 1795 in Halifax. This William moved to Manchester about 1825, where he was listed as a labourer in 1841, a warehouseman in 1851, a shopkeeper in 1857, and finally a currier in 1861. A currier works with leather in the tanning process.

Dad's father, my grandfather, lost a leg in the first world war and was unable to take up his former occupation of electrician after the war, and after a failed attempt at farming, Grandpa learned the trade of shoe repairing from an army friend. William Duckworth Davies, born 1891 in Runcorn, Cheshire to John Davies and Hannah Duckworth, owned his own shoe repair shops in Edmonton and Victoria. Grandpa is pictured on the right in his shop in Edmonton, Alberta. My Dad, Bert Davies, left school after grade eight to join his father in the business and is pictured in the archway.

William Duckworth Davies and his wife, Lucy Crockett, moved to Victoria, British Columbia in 1934 and after failing at farming once more, he opened a shoe repair shop. His first shop was on Johnson Street, but he had moved to Fort Street before enticing my father to join him in the business in 1941. I remember Grandpa's shop on Fort Street with its black and white tile front. The building does not look much different today but the store is occupied by a Sushi restaurant. The picture was taken about 1950 with Jim Gillespie, an employee, on the left; Dad, Herbert William Davies in the middle; and Grandpa, William Duckworth Davies on the right.

Grandpa continued to operate his shop until her retired in 1961 at age 70. Dad left Davies and Son Shoe Repair and was employed at other shoe repair shops until he bought out his last employer, Geroge Inrig. Dad operated Arcadia Shoe Repair at various locations from the mid 50s until he retired in 1979. His first shop was on Broad Street, near Trounce Alley in Victoria where he had Roy Blevins as a partner. They moved to a larger shop on Yates Street before Dad had to buy his partner's interest in the business because the lacquers and other chemicals used in the shop were affecting Roy's health. The picture is of the Broad Street shop with Dad on the left, two employees, Marcel and Tony, in the middle, Dad's sister, Evelyn, behind Roy Blevins on the right.

I remember the Yates Street store because I used to spend time there on Saturdays before and after my piano lessons. I love the smell of the adhesives and dyes when I enter a shoe shop today because it reminds me of my youth. Dad became an expert at dying shoes to match any colour and he also covered shoes with fabric. My bridesmaids wore shoes to match their dresses at my wedding. He also took a course through Dr. Scholls to learn the anatomy of a foot and he was able to fit arch supports, bunion pads, and other foot-care products.

Dad moved to a one-man shop on Johnson Street about 1970 and moved again to Cook Street in the Fairfield district of Victoria in the mid 1970s. These small shops were more profitable because he did not have the payroll expenses.

I had the advantage, or disadvantage of having a shoe expert for a father. Dad always had a say on which shoes I could wear. They always fitted properly and they had to have leather uppers and insoles. My shoes were always well soled and well heeled and there is no truth to the saying that "a cobbler's daughter goes barefoot".

More Puzzle Pieces

2010-10-01T16:04:00.000-07:00

Last March I posted a blog titled "The Puzzle of Genealogy" which related to questions and answers brought on by the Bellamy Letters.

This week I went back into my email messages regarding the Rason family from ten years ago and found messages clipped together with a note: Jackson - Rason - Smith puzzle.

The subject of the puzzle ten years ago was a diary kept by Samuel Jackson (1867-1920). In the diary was a list of birthdays but no year of birth. Samuel's mother was Harriet Hand Smith, who was sister to my g.g.grandmother, Mary Creak Smith. Harriet and Mary had a younger sister, Eliza, who married Josiah Triffitt. Aunt Eliza was mentioned in Bellamy Letters #5.

Samuel Jackson's grandson, Norm Ashton, posted his grandfather's diary to the internet in 1998 wondering where the Rason name fit into the Jackson family. Through collaboration between Norm, Deborah Glover, and myself, we were able to identify most of the Rason entries but there was reference to some cousins in Holbeach, Lincolnshire:

12 May - G E J cousin Gertie Holbeach
1 Jun - M E J cousin Mary Edith Holbeach
2 Jul - A M J cousin Maud
16 Jul - J C J cousin Holbeach
22 Dec - Aunt E J

It was presumed that all names marked with a J in the diary were Jacksons, but I am convinced that the people listed above were all Triffitts:

Gertrude Ellen Triffitt (1887-1947)
Mary Edith Triffitt (1882-)
Alice Maud Triffitt (2 Jul 1880-1974) d.o.b confirmed on death registration
John Carrington Triffitt (1875-)
Eliza Smith Triffitt (22 Dec 1840-21 May 1921)

Sometimes it pays to retrace your steps and look at old correspondence; I'm glad I kept it. Hopefully all these little puzzle pieces will lead to the big picture one day. Now I am trying to locate Norman Dennis Ashton because his email address is not current.

Bellamy Letter #7

2010-03-12T15:42:00.001-08:00

1 Maple Grove

Parkdale

Toronto

Sept 26th

1910

My Dear Gertie

It was with much pleasure we received your kind & loving letter for I can asure you my dear we was very pleased to hear from you, for though we have not been writing to you, you have not been forgotten by us for my dear Gertie never a day passes but we talk about you & wish we could fly over to Grimsby to see you.

We was very pleased to hear my dear of your marriage & to know you have got such a good husband. Give our kind love to him although we have not the happiness of knowing him yet we feel that we have another to love & I do hope & pray my dear that he will always be a true & loving Husband to you & that he will never give you one moment of unhappiness. Also give our dear little baby a good hug & a lot of kisses from us all.

Oh what would we give to be able to hold you all in our arms & cover you with lots of kisses but I am afraid that we shall never be able to do for my dear it would not be safe to try & bring your grandpa across for he is so feeble. He can only just walk across the floor, he had a fall about 8 years ago & was never able to work again, & as seemed to get worse, had your Aunt Lizzie Bellamy not come out we had made up our minds to come back to Grimsby & I can asure you I have bitterly repented not coming. 3 of your Uncles would of come with us then so you see we should most of us been in England again.

Now my dear we was very surprised to hear of Mrs. Taylor's death although my darling you could not grieve for her for she was never a good one to you & I don't think your father could feel very happy the way she was treating you but she as gone before her Judge & to receive her reward. Is your Father still living in the same house or is he staying with you?

Is Mrs. Marshall still alive & her son & daughter? When you write again send word that is my dear if you know them. I have often wondered about them if you ever see them give our loves to them & tell them to write as we should like to hear from them. Now my dear give our love to your dear Husband & tell him we hope he will have your photos taken as I can asure you it would be a comfort to us to be able to have them so that we could see your dear faces, also my dear if you have one of dear Dorothy's you don't know what a comfort it would be to us so I hope before long we shall have the happiness of having them.

Now my dears I hope you are all well & happy & will always remain so. Your uncles wish their kindest love & they are going to watch for the post as they want to see all of your dear faces. I am not to forget to give your Grandpa's best love & a lot of kisses & tell you not forget the photos. Now my dears I must draw to a close again. Hoping you are all well & happy with love from us all & to still remain with love & good wishes.

Your loving Grandparents

S & S.A. Rason

Bellamy Letter #6

2010-03-12T15:33:00.000-08:00

722 Dufferin St.

Toronto

Dec 1906

My dear Gertie,

Just a few lines, though I am afraid it will be too late for you to get it on Xmas day to wish you & your papa a very Happy Xmas & a bright & prosperous New Year.

You will I know be lonely without your poor sister, but you know dear she is better off than to be as she was here in such terrible suffering.

I expect Grandpa, Grandma, & all from their house are going to be at our house for Xmas so we shall be quite a large party. I do wish you were going to be with us, however dearie I hope you will have a real good time.

You really must try & persuade your papa to let you at least spend a three months visit with us, I feel sure it would set you up in health, & I am sure you would like the country.

I haven't time to write you a long letter as I am so busy just now, * I know Edie sent you all the news.

All join in fondest love to you, & accept the same from your ever loving Auntie

Lizzie.

Bellamy Letters #5

2010-03-11T20:33:00.001-08:00

722 Dufferin St.

Toronto

Canada

21-11-06

My Dear Gerty,

I was very pleased indeed to receive your nice long letter as I have often wondered if you had forgotten all about us. Of course we understand how hard it must have been for you to write after losing your dear sister. Poor Dorothy! She must have suffered dreadfully and although it was hard indeed to lose her, you must be thankful to think she is at last with your dear mother & free from her pain.

You will be lonely dear & I too wish you were nearer to us, or that we were nearer to you so that we could visit one another & be the chums that we naturally would have been, had we stayed in England. Now that the ice is broken through, you must write to me often & promise I will answer promptly & we will soon seem to know one another better.

Do you ever write to Aunt Eliza at Holbeach? I think you would like to go & stay with them sometimes for holidays. We used to love going to Holbeach when were children, we don't hear from them very often now. I don't know whether any of the girls are married but John was married a year or two ago.

Well dear, I will try to tell you all about your relations here. We have four uncles.

Uncle Sam, the eldest (next to your mother in age) is married & has five children. The eldest girl is about 15 years old & there are two girls & two boys younger than her. We don't see much of them as they don't live near to us & I don't like Aunt Maggie & so don't care to go there.

Next is Uncle Will, he has three girls & two boys. They are dear little children, just like steps in ages, the eldest little girl is about 10 years old. They live out at Toronto Junction & so will not be far from the friends whose address you sent in your letter.

Uncle Ben is next & he is a widower, his wife died about two years after they were married since we have been here & left one little girl,now about six years old. Grandma has berought her up entirely & she is a dear little girlie. May is her name. Then there is Uncle Charlie, who is only half brother to my mother & yours. He is not married & so of course lives at home with Grandpa.

Then you know all about our family. Harry, Jack, Gladys & I. Harry, I am sorry to say has been practically an invalid for the last five years. He had a hemmorage of the brain as the result of a sunstroke, & never got over it altogether Jack is away from home just now & we miss him so much. He has got a position in Welland, Ont. He only went last Monday & so we don't know yet how he will get along.

Gladys of course is still at school & I am still in the same office as when I wrote you last.

Now I think I have told you about your cousins & Uncles - Aunts except mother - you have none, because I am quite sure you wouldn't like either of our Uncles' wives, none of us can get along with them.

I certainly think you had better persuade your Father to let you come over here for a trip - just to see us all. It is not very expensive nowadays & it certainly would do you good. I'll guarantee you would not worry about your lungs any more after you had had a few months of our really beautiful climate. It would entirely remove any trace of consumption if you have it. Of course you would be quite run down after nursing poor Dorothy for so long & it is no wonder you felt the effects of it. I guess you'll be strong enough though with proper care & so don't take any notice of those kind (?) friends who try to frighten you. I do hope you will try to persuade your Father to let you come & stay with us for a few months. I quite understand that he would not like the thought of your coming for good, but he might let you come for a holiday. It would be better than paying doctor's bills & would be more lasting good. You might be a strong woman all your life with such a change as this.

Mother says she thinks Grandpa would die happy if he could see you, but he has a very great desire to see you. He is pretty well just now but, as you know, he is getting old & of course his health is very uncertain. He is well one day & ill the next. I suppose Grandma has answered your letter, or will very soon. Write to them oftener dearie, they are so delighted to hear from you.

I am indeed sorry t hear what a very unpleasant person your step-mother is. She must have a horrible disposition to be so mean to you when you had so much trouble too.

Oh Gerty, if you were only here we could comfort you a little bit surely. It does seem hard to think you are so much alone when we would be so glad to have you here. Of course you have good friends but they are never quite like your own people & you must be very lonely sometimes.

I have a very dear friend in England. I have corresponded with her ever since we left Kirton. We write to each other nearly every week, so you can guess what chums we are. Maybe you will remember Dorothy Dickinson. She has two brothers who came out here a couple of years ago & they have taken a farm out in Saskatchewan. She is hoping to join them next year & keep house for them in their log shanty. You must save up your pennies & come out when she does & see this beautiful country of ours. I wouldn't live in England again for anything. I would very much like to go over for a holiday & hope to do so some day but I don't think I would want to stay very long.

There are lots of people who are building their homes & digging wells etc, as your friends tell you they are doing. Most of the English people I know who have come here are quite happy & wouldn't go back to live on any account.

When you write again, tell me if your are collecting Post Cards, if so, I will send you some so that you can see what this place is like.

Don't forget so send the photos as we are very anxious to see them & I will send you mine & also the others as soon as we get some. We are not very good at getting photos taken & so haven't any around the house which I can send just now.

Well Gerty, I think I must close now. Please write to me again soon, I shall be very disappointed if I have to wait so long again for a letter from you.

We all send our fondest love to you dearie in kind regards to your father

Your loving cousin

Edith

You will notice we have moved again since I wrote you last.

Bellamy Letter #4

2010-03-11T19:51:00.000-08:00

175 Lansdowne Ave.

Toronto

March 16th, 1905

My Dear Gertie,

I received you letter this morning with much pleasure at hearing from you again, but was grieved indeed to hear that dear Dorothy is suffering so much, poor darling it does seem hard, that one so young should suffer so, but I sincerely hope that her suffering will soon be over, if it is God's will that she should recover. I hope she will do so speedily, but if not you must try to be brave dear, & feel that her troubles are over, & that she is at rest with her dear mother in heaven.

I can quite understand how much of late years you have felt to miss your poor mother, for she would have been so proud of you, for I remember how nice she used to keep you, *I know she thought there were not such babies as hers in the world. She was too a thorough help meet to your father & he must feel the difference between her and & his present wife.

I am so sorry to hear that you have been getting on so badly with Mrs. Taylor, whatever can she be thinking of? However you did quite right in speaking to your Papa about it, & I think he did all he possibly could under the circumstance, to get you right away from her, because if you had remained under the same roof, she could have made you miserable, in a hundred ways, which he could not prevent.

You see dear she is not a mother, & therefore does not understand a mother's love, but one would have that she would have been so glad of the companionship of you girls, but if she drinks that will drown all natural good qualities, let us hope she will change for the better for your father's sake!

I do hope you will send your photos, in your next letter, & don't be long before you write. I am so anxious about you & want so much to see what you are like now.

Please give my fondest love to poor Dorothy, oh! how I wish I was nearer to try & help her, but I am sure dear she has got the fondest bravest & best sister, & it will be a comfort to you if it is God's will to take her, that you always did your best & was like a little mother to her.

Please remember us all kindly to your papa, & tell him how sorry we are.

All write with me in fondest love to you both, hoping for better news next time darling believe me.

Ever your loving Aunt

E Bellamy

Bellamy Letter #3

2010-03-11T19:34:00.000-08:00

175 Lansdowne Ave.

Toronto

Dec. 14th, 1904

My Dear Gertie,

It is such a long time since I heard from you, that I think our letters must have miscarried. You will see by the above address we have moved, our house was sold so we had to get another. There is such a terrible demand for houses that you cannot be sure of keeping one if it suits you ever so well without you purchase it. However we have taken this one on a lease for 2 yrs. so unless anything unforeseen happens we are alright for that time.

When last I heard from you Dorothy was very ill indeed, with not much hope of recovery but I hope that no news is good news and that she is better as I have not heard from you. If you have written I have not received your letter. Try & write soon dearie, I am anxious to hear from you, with better news I hope.

In haste. With love to all & best wishes for a Happy Xmas and a bright and prosperous from all.

Your loving Aunt E Bellamy

If you have any photos dear do send me one. I do so long to see what you are both like. I have just been reading the last letter I received & you say you had been having dear Dorothy's photo taken. I do hope you get this & write soon darling. Love to your Papa.

Bellamy Letter #2

2010-03-11T19:14:00.000-08:00

123 Brock Ave.

Toronto

Canada

23/3/03

My Dear Gertie & Dorothy,

As Mother told you I was going to write, you will not be so surprised as you would have otherwise been to get a letter from me. I wonder if you have forgotten me in all these years. I have been intending to write to you so often, but have never got started. However dear cousins you must not think we have ever forgotten you, because we often think of you and have wondered how your were both getting on.

I can't seem to realize that you have grown up. I always picture you as I saw you last, & of course you were quite little girls then. I do so wish you were here. We could give you such a good time. I have a nice lot of friends & have very nice times, with picnics & boating in the summer & skating & parties in the winter time.

I go down to business every day. I am a book keeper in a very large wholesale firm & am getting on famously. We live in the suburbs & I go by street car every morning & evening. My hours are from 8 to 6 with an hour for lunch.

We live close to Grandpa & see him nearly every day. He is, of course, getting old now, & I am sorry to say, has been far from well for some time now. I am sadly afraid we shall not have him for very long. He was so very pleased to get your letter & is anxiously looking for another & so dearie I hope you will write again before long without waiting for him to write himself, as his hand shakes so & you will understand it is hard for him to write. He loves to hear from you & longs so much to see you both, so if you will write often dear cousins, you will be sure to get letters from some of us, if not from Grandpa.

I am sorry that you are not very strong Gertie, perhaps the climate is too damp. I know it was for me & I have been much better since we came over here. It is a beautiful country & Toronto is called the"Queen City" & so you see we have got a nice place to live in. Of course we are not making a fortune here, but we are getting on very nicely and I think most fortunes are only made in story books.

Well I must close now, but I would like to repeat dear girls that we long to have you both here & if you should ever feel that you would like to come, you may be sure you would get more than a welcome.

With fond love from all, I am

Your loving cousin

Edie

PS Please write to me soon, both of you & tell me all about yourselves. I want you to understand that though you are so very far away, we love you both very much & are interested in your welfare more than you can believe.

Edie Bellamy

Bellamy Letter #1

2010-03-11T14:33:00.001-08:00

123 Brock Avenue

Toronto

Canada

March 4th, 1903

My Dear Gertie

I expect you will be very much surprised to receive a letter from me from Toronto but we are living here now and have been for the past five years.

Well to explain matters, I went into your Grandpa's the other day and they had just received your letter.

I cannot tell you how very, very pleased your Grandpa and Grandma were to hear from you, in fact we all are, more than I can tell you dear.

I am writing you now, and Grandma will write in a few days, she is sick just now with influenza, but sends here fondest love and I am to tell you that you may expect a letter from her as soon as she is better, which will I hope be very soon. Grandpa would write, but he is getting old now, and writing is a trouble to him, but he was delighted to hear from you and he does so long to see both you and Dorothy and wishes you were both here.

We are all getting on nicely here, and now we are getting used to the climate, like it very much. Edie and Jack are in very good positions here, and doing well. Harry is at home now, an invalid, he had a very serious illness a year and a half ago and he is not yet able to work. Gladys is getting a big girl and goes to school.

They all like Toronto very much, it is a lovely city and they have very good times, plenty of skating on the rinks, with the bands playing all the time, in the winter and boating, pic-nics, and Garden parties in the summer. I can tell you they manage to have a very good time, I only wish you were here to join them.

You do not say what business it is you have learnt, but I expect millinery, and what is Dorothy apprentice at, you must write and tell me dear. I wish you were here for I am sure you could do well both of you. We have some immense stores here, such as you can scarcely imagine without you saw them.

You say your papa is married again, Who is the lady? Is it Mrs. Oliver? I seem to think it is.

Your Grandpa got the paper with the bills enclosed, you papa seems to be getting a good business, please remember us kindly to him.

Edie says I am to tell you she will write to you. When she heard you had written she said "How I wish they were here Mother, couldn't we give them a lovely time."

I wish you would send us your photos, tell Dorothy to write too, and you shall have letters from all. Jack says "tell them to come, I will take them for a row in my canoe."

I wish you were not so far away, your uncles are all longing to see you, don't be long before you write again dear, Grandpa, Grandma, uncles, aunts, and cousins all join with me in fondest love to you both hoping soon to hear again from you. I remain

Your ever loving Aunt

E Bellamy

Bellamy Letters

2010-03-11T13:37:00.000-08:00

The Bellamy Letters, a Picasa Web Album has been posted Ruairidh Greig, The twenty-eight images contain seven letters and forty actual pages. I will be attempting to transcribe the letters in separate blogs, but I will endeavor to explain the cast of characters:

Samuel Rason - (1832-1912) with Mary Creak Smith had seven children including Elizabeth Rason and Sarah Ann Rason. Samuel is referred to as Grandpa in the letters. After Mary Creak Smith died, Samuel married his former wife's sister, Sarah Ann Smith. Sarah Ann Smith is referred to as Grandma in the letters.

Gertrude Taylor and Dorothy Taylor were the daughters of Sarah Ann Rason and Jonathan Taylor. Gertrude was the recipient of all the letters and was known as Gertie.

Elizabeth Rason is the daughter of Samuel Rason and Mary Creak Smith. Her sister is Gertie's mother Sarah Ann Rason. Elizabeth married John Henry (Harry) Bellamy. Elizabeth is my great-grandmother and refers to herself as Aunt E Bellamy or Lizzie Bellamy in her letters to Gertie.

Edith Bellamy is the daughter of Elizabeth Rason and Harry Bellamy. She married Sidney Spall in 1907. She signed her letters as Edie Bellamy.

Forty pages could take me a while to transcribe because this is a busy time of year for me, but if you are eager to have a look, the letters are available at the link at the top of this page.

Enjoy

The Puzzle of Genealogy

2010-03-11T12:58:00.000-08:00

Many many years ago a fellow genealogist said that family history is like a huge jigsaw puzzle without any edge pieces. I have always enjoyed puzzles and can't leave them alone until they are finished, yet miss the challenge once they are completed. In genealogy, we start with ourselves in the middle and work out from there.

My puzzle was started for me with the help of John Hopkins on the Butchart side and Vera Becklake on the Crockett side but I had very little to go on with the ancestors of my two grandfathers, William Davies and John Bellamy. I have gradually been able to add ancestors on all sides to the early 1800s but there are many missing pieces of aunts, uncles, and cousins missing near the middle and, of course, the edges will never be completed.

Last night my cousin on the Bellamy side, Hugh Nichols, forwarded an email from Ruairidh Greig in England. His uncle, David Miller, has some letters that were sent from Canada from the Bellamy family and Ruairidh has put the letters (28 pages) on Picasa. The album is called Bellamy Letters and can be found at http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/argee07/BellamyLetters#

I have printed, cut, and arranged the pages into seven letters dated from March 4, 1903 until September 26, 1910 and I will deal with letters in detail in separate blogs to follow. The letters were addressed to Gertrude (Gertie) Taylor in Grimsby, Lincolnshire. Gertie and her sister, Dorothy, were nieces of my great-grandmother, Elizabeth Rason.

From these letters I have been able to add some missing pieces to my family tree, and more importantly to me, I now have some idea of the people behind the letters.

Aaron Moyer

2010-02-11T22:05:00.001-08:00

Aaron Moyer, the fourth child of Abraham Moyer and Barbara Shantz, was born on May 8, 1837 on a farm near Berlin (now Kitchener), Ontario. At age seventeen, he left the farm and served two years an an apprentice in a store in Berlin.

From 1856 to 1862 Aaron taught school, including a few months in 1857 in Ohio and Pennsylvania, and in 1859 to 1860 he taught school in Quakertown, PA.

In 1863 he started a general store in New Dundee, Waterloo County, Ontario where he married a Mennonite, Veronica Bowman, on January 31, 1865. In 1870 Aaron sold the store in New Dundee and bought a 236 acre farm in Carrick Township, Bruce County.

n 1878 Aaron sold the farm and started a business in Walkerton where he stayed until 1884 when he moved to Mildmay. In 1896 he returned to Walkerton for a time but was back in Mildmay at the time of the 1901 census. Both Walkerton and Mildmay are in Carrick Township, Bruce County.

Aaron served four years in the Carrick Township Council as Councilor, Deputy Reeve and he served as Reeve in 1893.

In 1901 the family lived at Con. C Lot 26 in Mildmay. The property consisted of three lots containing at total of 46 acres, an eight-room house, a store, and seven outbuildings.

In 1905, when Aaron was sixty-eight years old, he and Veronica left Ontario to homestead in Saskatchewan. There was a large contingent of Ontario Mennonites to settle near Cressman or Guernsey, Saskatchewan in 1905 and 1906. Although Veronica had been raised as a Mennonite, the Moyer family were Methodist. Aaron died in Saskatchewan on May 21, 1907 and the following obituary from The Gospel Witness, a Mennonite paper, June 19, 1907 reflects their opinion of other faiths:

MOYER.-Aaron Moyer of near Cressman, Sask., died on May 21, 1907; aged 70 y. 13 d. Two years ago he moved out west with the Waterloo colony, from Ontario. Most of his lifetime was spent as a general merchant in New Dundee and Mildmay.

Sad to say, his life was not spent in the service of the Lord. During his sickness he accepted the claims of Christ. Funeral services were held by Pre. Poole at the house and at the church by E. S. Hallman and Pre. Gehrbrandt. Texts, Psalm 39:4 and I Samuel 20:3.

The Carr Family

2010-02-11T19:35:00.000-08:00

This is a picture of my grandmother, Vinetta Tremaine Butchart Bellamy (left) and her aunt, Laura Moyer Carr (right).

So often, I connect with family by finding an obituary or memoir when it is too late to know the person who has died. Such was the case yesterday when I found a wonderful website while searching for Mary V Carr of Medicine Hat, Alberta. Mary was 98 when she died in October 2006.

I have many letters written by Mary to my parents from 1982 until a Christmas letter in 1999 which ends with the following sentence: "I hope that the millennium will bring you joy and prosperity in the year 2000."

Mary and her brother, John, were my grandmother's cousins. Their mother and Granny's mother were both the daughters of Aaron Moyer and Veronica Bowman. My grandmother, Vinetta Tremaine Butchart, was the daughter of Maria Moyer and Edward Neil Butchart; Mary and John Carr were the children of Laura Moyer and Frederick Carr. Maria and Laura were part of a large family of twelve children.

Many thanks to the Carr family for creating a memorial website for Mary Veronica Carr and John Lawrence Carr, especially the webmaster, Doug Carr. I have spent hours reading the memoirs and tributes for these interesting people.

Winter Sports in the Great White North

2010-02-01T12:14:00.000-08:00

You can't get a much colder example of a Canadian winter than Edmonton, Alberta.

The picture is of my parents, Bert Davies and Ruth Bellamy, skating on the North Saskatchewan River about 1937. My Dad was wearing speed skates and my Mom was wearing men's tube skates. People in Edmonton were not restricted to skating on the river but when conditions were right it was fun to be able to skate in one direction for a long stretch, especially with the long-bladed speed skates. There were several open-air ice rinks in the city parks with a heated building to change into skates and my father's grandfather and uncles managed many of these rinks. When the first artificial ice plant was installed at the Edmonton arena, my great-grandfather, Amos Crockett, was manager of the arena and had the rights to the concession. My Dad worked there sharpening skates.

My parents also went skiing down the banks of the North Saskatchewan River. Edmonton is situated in the prairies and the only sizable hills were on the riverbank. For every trip down the hill there was the long trek back up carrying the skis because there were no lifts or rope tows.

Although not a sport, another winter activity was the horse-drawn sleigh ride. My parents met on a sleigh ride put on by a young-peoples group of Norwood United Church in 1935. Mom was only sixteen and Dad was twenty-one. Times were simpler then but it sounded like they had a lot of fun in spite of the cold Edmonton winters.

An Act of Kindness

2009-10-21T16:40:00.000-07:00

I am not a religious person but I do believe in the Golden Rule: "Do onto others as you would wish them do onto you."

The world of genealogy is filled with people who have been helped and are willing to help others by sharing their knowledge and time without asking for anything in return. I have benefited from many acts of kindness from family historians, the following is just one that comes to mind.

I was just starting out on my genealogical journey on the internet in January, 1998. I had a small amount of information about my CROCKETT ancestors before writing to a mailing list on Rootsweb with a query about the families of William Crockett and his son, James Crockett.

Two days later I received an answer from Elena Nairn giving names of Williams parents and the particulars of both marriages. She ended her letter by saying "I hope this is of some help. If you want to know anything else let me know. Good hunting, and kind regards, Elena Nairn"

Thinking that I had discovered a long-lost cousin, I responded with my line of Crocketts down to myself and asked how she was related. One day later, after explaining that she was not related to the Crocketts directly, she gave me the christening dates of all the Children of William and James who were born in Tring. Wow, the pieces of the puzzle were filling in quickly, all thanks to this kind woman.

The following Monday, I received a long email message with dates and particulars of every Crockett marriage Elena could find on a microfilm that she was borrowing at the Family History Centre near her home in Toowoomba, Queensland. She had copied the two pages of film that contained my great-great and great-great-great-grandparents and offered to mail them to me. These copies of parish records were my first documented proof for my files.

There was no way I could repay Elena for her kindness except send her a card of thanks, but I hope to help others as she helped me with whatever I can offer.

Uncle Harry

2009-09-29T10:41:00.000-07:00

My Mom was surprised when I told her she had an Uncle Harry. Her father's older brother, George Henry Parker Bellamy, was never mentioned in the time she was growing up.

My great-grandparents, John Henry "Harry" Bellamy and Elizabeth Rason, were both school teachers in Kirton-in-Holland, Lincolnshire. This area on the south-east coast of Lincolnshire, England was known as Holland or the Fens because of its flat, low-lying land. The Bellamys were living at the school where they taught when George Henry Parker "Harry" was born on April 12, 1881. The "Parker" in George Henry's name refers to John Henry Bellamy's mother, Mary Frances Parker.

Thinking that there was just my grandfather, John S Bellamy, and his sisters Edith and Gladys, I was very confused when I read Gladys Walmsley, Elizabeth Rason's neice referring to a "Harry" as Harry and Lizzie's son. Was my grandfather known as Harry as a child? I thought he was called Jack.

Gladys Walmsley wrote in a letter to a Margaret Rason on July 31, 1979 and in the letter she wrote:

There was also a girl in the family "Lizzy" whom I imagine was Elizabeth. I believe she married a Harry Bellamy. My fathers sister was a school mistress in England and her husband Harry a schoolmaster.

After having a copy of the letter sent to me, I was in contact with Gladys Walmsley's granddaughter, Deborah Glover, who gave me part of Gladys' memoirs:

Lizzie as they called her lived on Garden Avenue in the Sunnyside District. She was married in England to a man named Ballamy, Harry, I think his name was. They both taught school in England. He was a school master and Aunt Lizzie was a school mistress. They had "Harry" and a girl named "Gladys".
Harry my cousin was a great organist and they had great hopes from him but he was hit by a train and was deformed which ruined his career. I do not know who Gladys Bellamy married. Cousin Harry died young. Aunt Lizzie's husband Mr Bellamy did not teach school in Canada - he had to take a six month course to acquaint him with the standard of "School Certificate" required in order to continue to teach here. He felt this was below his dignity so my father said. However he was hired by the old Toronto Street Railway and was to be a very important man for them when he retired or died.

By the notes above, I realized that "Harry" Bellamy could not have been my granfather, and I was able to view a microfilm of the 1891 census for Lincolnshire, England. There he was, listed with the family as "George H Bellamy, a nine-year-old male, born in Kirton." This was when I told my Mom about my discovery.

I asked my Mom's brother, Bill Bellamy, if he know about Harry and the question and answer follow:

Grandpa had an older brother, George Henry Parker Bellamy. This was news to Mom, did you know about him? I believe he was known as Harry Jr., was a good organist, and died young. I got this information from Elizabeth Rason's niece, Gladys Walmsley.
This is correct but I never knew him. He was in poor health and died young.

So the general consensus was that George or Harry had health problems and died young. At age nineteen, George H P Bellamy was counted in the 1901 Ontario census as a gardener with no income living with his parents. In 1911 the thirty-year old George Henry was listed as a motorman with the street railway earning $687 per year, just slightly less than his father, who had the same occuptation. The last sighting I have of Harry alive is in the 1915 Toronto City Directory where he is listed at the same residence as his father with no occupation given.

Harry outlived his mother, who died in Oshawa on February 6, 1926. Harry's sister, Edith and her husband, Sidney Spall, were living in Oshawa and Elizabeth's death registration indicated that she had been living in Oshawa since 1920. Did Harry Jr. move to Oshawa with his parents?

I wonder when Harry was injured and how he came to end up in the House of Refuge in Whitby, Ontario. Every county in Ontario was required to build a House of Refuge for the poor and friendless. Was Harry cast out by his father after Elizabeth's death because he couldn't look after him or had Harry Sr. become poor himself before moving in with his daughter?

The following information was given on the registration of George Henry Parker Bellamy's death:

Surname of deceased: Bellamy
Forename of deceased: Henry
Place of death: House of Refuge
Sex, Racial Origin, Single Married Widowed: Male, English, single
Age: 48 years
Place and Date of Birth: England 1881
Trade or Occupation: Inmate
Name of Father: John Bellamy
Birthplace of Father: Boston, England
Maiden name of Mother: Elizabeth Rason
Birthplace of Mother: Boston, England
Name of Physician: Dr. chas F. McGillivray
Address: Whitby
Name of Informant: J. F. Lavery
Address: Manager, House of Refuge
Place of burial: Union Cemetery
Date of Burial: Jan. 8th, 1929
Name of Undertaker: W. C. Town
Address: Whitby
Date of Death: Jan. 7th 1929
Dates Medical Practitioner attended deceased: From his admission to the Refuge to January 6, 1929
Cause of Death
Primary: Anaemia dnd General Debility
Contributory: A cripple from youth
Did an operation precede death? No Was there an autopsy? No
Name of Physician: Dr. Chas F. McGillivray
Address: Whitby, Ont.
Date received by Division Registrar: Jan. 8, 1929

I would not consider dying at age forty-eight as young, especially in 1929. Perhaps the family was ashamed to have a son die in the poorhouse. It is no wonder that Grandpa did not tell my Mom that she had an Uncle Harry.

Bellamy family in Edmonton

2009-09-26T07:54:00.000-07:00

The clipping on the left is from the Edmonton Journal. My grandmother, Vinetta Tremaine Butchart, a quiet, modest woman, was born in Mildmay, Bruce County, Ontario. Her mother was from a Mennonite family and her father's family originated in Scotland and arrived in Ontario in a very poor state in 1827. The Butcharts managed to become prominent citizens in Bruce County before coming to Edmonton about 1905. By the time my grandparents were married, my great-grandfather, Edward Neil Butchart, and his brothers owned large tracts of land in Edmonton and were principals in the real estate company Great West Land Company. My mother recalled that the Butchart family had their own pew in McDougall United Church in Edmonton.

The wedding announcement tells me that Edward Neil Butchart was a pretentious snob. I can't imagine putting "The many handsome gifts included a substantial cheque from the bride's father" in a wedding announcement. Perhaps Jack Bellamy started the story of coming from a wealthy family in Toronto because it would put him on an equal footing with his inlaws. My grandmother never met Grandpa's parents and my Mom was given the feeling that the Bellamys were "above" the Butcharts.

The wedding announcement stated that the bride and groom left on the midnight train for Vancouver where they would reside, but they were back in Alberta by February, 1913. Uncle Bill was born in Calgary in February 1913 and Aunt Vivian was also born in Calgary in 1914. While in Calgary Grandpa was working as a clerk for Wood, Vallance, and Adams, a company later taken over by Marshall Wells Hardware.

The family moved back to Edmonton about 1916 and resided for a time with Vinetta's parents until they found a home of their own. Jack worked for Revillon Wholesale as a clerk and then as a buyer and their address from 1922 until 1943 was at 11437 - 95th Street. Three more children were born in Edmonton: Margaret in 1916, Ruth in 1919, and James Roy in 1920. The Bellamy children are pictured on the left, with Vivian and Bill in the back row, Margaret in the middle, James Roy and Ruth in the front.

On March 8, 1926 a tragic event took the life of young James Roy Bellamy. He died from his injuries after being struck by a streetcar in front of their home on 95th Street. Things were never the same for the Bellamy family after that. My grandmother became withdrawn and my grandfather took to drink. Granny was a very talented pianist and she used the piano as an outlet for her feelings. My Mom could recall the music becoming louder and louder when Grandpa was late coming home. It was after the death of Jimmy that my grandfather went against religion and would not go to church, even for my mother's wedding.

The 1930s brought the Great Depression to Canada and the prairie provinces were hit especially hard. Revillon Wholesale ceased business and sold their hardware division to Ashdowns. There was no room at Ashdowns for Jack in Edmonton and he was asked to move to Winnipeg. He did not like it in Winnipeg and finally got a job at Northern Hardware, where he worked as a clerk from 1933 to 1937. The job did not pay well and my grandmother managed to scrimp to make ends meet.

Grandpa was not employed from 1938 to 1941. My mother, Ruth, married Bert Davies on December 31, 1938 and they lived with Granny and Grandpa. My Dad explained that Grandpa did not work at that time because he had suffered a breakdown. Mom and Dad moved to Victoria in 1941 and my grandparents stayed in Edmonton for two more years, Grandpa worked for W W Arcade as a clerk in 1942 and 1943. This was a time of change for the Bellamy family. War had broken out in 1939, Aunt Vivian joined the Air Force, Aunt Marg married Ab Walker, and Uncle Bill, after riding the rails to Toronto to unsuccessfully find work, returned to Edmonton and married Ona Innes.

Vinetta and Jack Bellamy left Edmonton in 1943 and moved to a cottage in Saanich at 751 Middleton Street. Grandpa may have been in poor health when he moved to Victoria because he started seeing Dr. Scott in January 1944. Dr. Scott reported that he treated my grandfather for cancer of the rectum for three years before he died of that disease on May 15, 1947. He was only sixty-two years old.

I heard a family story that one of grandpa's sisters, I think it was Edith, heard that he was terminally ill and came out from Ontario so see him before he died. After traveling all the way to the coast she decided she wanted to remember him as a healthy young man and returned home without seeing him.

Grandpa was buried at Royal Oak Burial Park in Victoria on May 17, 1947 and my grandmother was laid to rest beside him thirty-five years later in 1982.

Grandpa Bellamy - a research challenge

2009-09-25T15:11:00.000-07:00

The picture is the last picture taken of my grandfather that I have in my files. Granny (Vinetta Tremaine Butchart) is holding my cousin, Ted Hopkins; and Grandpa (John S Bellamy) is holding me. My brothers, Gordon (left) and Larry (right) are in front. Grandpa died before I was two years old.

I did not know much about my maternal grandfather before I got involved with genealogy. I sometimes wonder if he did not want us to trace his family tree.

The first thing I did in my research was to order his death registration from the British Columbia government. From this I learned that he died of Cancer of the Rectum from which he had suffered for three years before his death on May 15, 1947 in Victoria. At the time of his death he had lived in the province of British Columbia for four years and he risided at 751 Middleton in the municipality of Saanich. The informant was his wife, Vinetta Butchart, and she did not know a great deal about his origins. She knew that his father's name was John Bellamy but did not know the name of her mother-in-law. She did have the birth place of John Stanhope and his parents as England and his birthdate as September 6, 1884.

Granny started asking questions about Grandpa's origins twenty years after his death and sent a letter to Jack Spall, the son of Edith Mary Bellamy and Sidney James Spall. Jack replied in 1967 with the following information:

Grandma Bellamy's maiden name was ELIZABETH RASON if I remember correctly she died in 1924 or 1925 at the age of seventy which would place her birth date about 1854. Grandfather's name was JOHN HENRY BELLAMY - he died in 1941 and was 87 about so his birth date would be about 1854.

The next discovery about my grandfather was that his name was not John Stanhope Bellamy! My mother just casually mentioned one day that he did not like the name John Samuel Bellamy because John and Samuel were both biblical names so he decided to change it to John Stanhope Bellamy and he preferred to be called "Jack". I have not been able to find why he chose the name "Stanhope" or any record of a legal change of name. His name was "John Samuel Bellamy" on his birth certificate, his baptism and on the Certificate of Title for the cemetery plot for his young son, James Roy Bellamy in 1926. His marriage certificate has his name as just "John Bellamy". In 1940 all men in Canada were required to fill out a National Registration Card, on that card he entered his name as: Bellamy, John Stanhope (Samuel). My grandmother listed his name as John Stanhope Bellamy on his death registration.

The next problem was to find where John S. Bellamy was born. It was known that he did not like to be referred to as an "Englishman" and had told my mother that his father was a mariner and he was born at sea on his way to Canada. (His father was a teacher but both his grandfathers were mariners so there is a connection to the British merchant marine.) I now have his birth certificate and know that he was born in Kirton, Lincolnshire, England and his parents were both school teachers. He actually lied when he registered my Uncle Bill's birth and put birthplace of the child's father as United States and on my mother's birth certificate he stated that he was born in Canada. He had told my mother that Edward Bellamy, the American author of "Looking Backward" was his cousin but I doubt that connection because Edward's family came to the United States back in the 1600s.

Once I had the name of my grandfather's parents I could look for them in the 1881 census index from England. I found them in Lincolnshire living in Kirton-in-Holland near Boston. Both John Henry Bellamy and Elizabeth Rason were born in Boston, Lincolnshire and were school teachers. They had no children in April 1881 when the census was taken.

It was about this time that I made contact with a Bill Rason who turned out not to be related to our branch but was very helpful in connecting me to some people who were. Bill sent a copy of a letter which was written to a Margaret Rason in Calgary from Gladys Walmsly (Elizabeth Rason's cousin) dated July 3, 1979. In the letter while referring to her father's family she mentioned: "there was also a girl in the family "Lizzy" whom I imagine was Elizabeth. I believe she married a Harry Bellamy." Later in the same letter she wrote: "My father's sister was a school mistress in England and her husband Harry a schoolmaster."

Soon after receiving the copy of the letter I was in contact with Deborah Glover, also thanks to Bill Rason. Gladys Walmsley was Deborah's grandmother and Deborah was kind enough to give me part of her grandmother's diary referring to Elizabeth Rason.

"Lizzie as they called her lived on Garden Avenue in the Sunnyside District. She was married in England to a man named Bellamy. Harry, I think his name was. They both taught school in England He was a school master and Aunti Lizzie was a school mistress. They had "Harry" and a girl named "Gladys". Harry, my cousin was a great organist and they had great hopes for him but he was hit by a train and was deformed which ruined his career. I do not know who Gladys Bellamy married. Cousin Harry died young. Aunt Lizzie's husband, Mr. Bellamy did not teach school in Canada - he had to take a six-month course to acquaint him with the standard of "School Certificate" required in order to continue to teach here. He felt this was below his dignity so my father said. However he was hired by the old Toronto Street Railway and was to be a very important man for them until he retired or died."

I was now pretty sure that the Bellamy family in the 1881 census was the same family referred to by Gladys Walmsley but young Harry Bellamy did not sound like my grandfather. At this point I searched for the Bellamy family in Kirton in the 1891 census and found them still living at the school on Wash Road. Both parents were still school teachers and the children listed were: George H. Bellamy aged 9, Edith M. Bellamy aged 8, John S. Bellamy aged 6. Gladys did not appear on the census because she was not born until 1892. The George H. Bellamy was George Henry Bellamy who was christened on June 18, 1881 in Kirton and must have been the "Harry" referred to by Gladys Walmsley. My mother had no idea she had an uncle on her father's side. I now have the birth certificate which states that John Samuel Bellamy was born on the sixth of September, 1884 at Kirton, Lincolnshire, England to John Henry Bellamy, School Master, and Elizabeth Bellamy, formerly Rason. He was baptized on the fifth of February, 1885 in Holbeach while all his siblings were baptized in their birthplace, Kirton. Holbeach is about nine miles south of Kirton and I have found no family connections in that parish other than my grandfather's christening.

The date that the Bellamy family immigrated to Canada is another enigma with conflicting information. According to the 1901 census, they arrived in 1899. It is possible that that information is wrong, because the years of birth for the whole family were incorrect on the form. In 1911 the date of immigration was given as 1898. Jack Bellamy reported on the 1940 National Registration that he came to Canada in 1892, quite a difference. They were definately still in England for the christening of Elizabeth Gladys Bellamy in July of 1892.

Another problem I have had is confirming J. S. Bellamy's education. My mother was told the family was wealthy when they arrived in Canada and John attended a private boys school, Trinity College School in Port Hope, Ontario. He claimed to have been expelled for cutting down the flagpole. There is a picture of him taken in front of a building which is supposed to be that school taken in about 1901. According to the 1901 census in West York, Ontario, the family emigrated to Canada in 1899 and were living in a six-room house on 4 1/2 acres in Etobicoke. John S. Bellamy was still living with his parents and was working as a clerk and earning $200 per year. If by March 31, 1901, the date of the census, he had been working for twelve months as a clerk and the family moved to Canada in 1899, there would not have been much time to attend that school. I have an Email message from the Archivist of Trinity College School which states that they have no record of him at the school from 1890 to 1910. The archivist claimed that even if my grandfather had been expelled, they would still keep his entrance card and name on the admissions list.

At Christmas of 1999, I asked my mother's eighty-six year old brother, William Edward Bellamy, what he remembered about his father. When asked about the school, he answered: "Yes, my father did go to Trinity College School, Port Hope. He was a poor student and I do not think he stayed very long. Your Aunt Vivian visited the school when she was in the Air Force and she found out about him. They must have lost his records." In the 1841 National Registration his education indicated: Primary and Secondary and Business College but no College or University degree.

Yes, it has been a challenge to sort the truths from the myths about my grandfather, but with every little discovery one more piece is fitted into the puzzle of his life. I am still trying to find proof of his existance from 1901 in Ontario until he showed up in Edmonton, Alberta in 1909.

Grandpa Bellamy - Childhood in England

2009-09-25T14:47:00.000-07:00

Grandpa's parents were both born in the original Boston, a town south-eastern Lincolnshire, England. Boston, Massachusetts in the United States was named after this small town. His father, John Henry “Harry” Bellamy was the son of a mariner and was raised by his mother and grandmother, who were both laundresses. His mother, Elizabeth Rason, was also the daughter of a mariner, but her father moved from the sea to the land and was listed as a fruiterer or green grocer when Harry and Elizabeth married in the town of Great Grimsby in 1880.

By March 1881, Harry and Elizabeth were living at the school in Kirton, just south of Boston, where they were both teachers. All Harry and Elizabeth Bellamy's children were born in Kirton. The oldest was George Henry Parker Bellamy born on April 12, 1881, George was referred to as Harry Jr. Edith Mary Bellamy was born on August 3, 1882 and my grandfather, John Samuel Bellamy was born on September 6, 1884, Grandpa preferred to be called Jack. The youngest child, Elizabeth Gladys Bellamy was born in Kirton on June 2, 1892, Elizabeth was always known as Gladys. All children were christened in Kirton except my grandfather who right from the start was treated differently and was christened at Holbeach, a town south of Kirton.

Elizabeth's parents, Samuel Rason and Mary Creak Smith, moved from Boston to Great Grimsby before her mother died as a result of childbirth in 1876 at age 47. Eighteen months after the death of his first wife, Samuel and his sister-in-law, Sarah Ann Smith, became parents of Charles Henry Smith Rason. Samuel and Sarah Ann lived as man and wife but I have not been able to find a marriage and it was illegal in England at the time for a man to marry his deceased wife's sister. This situation may have led to Elizabeth's father and siblings emigrating to Canada about 1883.

Harry and Elizabeth Bellamy continued to live and teach at the Kirton school until they decided to join the Rason family in Canada. I have not found the ship's manifest, but from census returns I have concluded that the Bellamy family immigrated to Ontario in 1898 or 1899.

Grandpa Bellamy

2009-09-24T19:29:00.000-07:00

My maternal grandfather has been a challenge, partly because I never knew him, and partly because he left a trail of untruths behind.

My quest to know more about my grandfather started with my Mom's knowledge about her father. She did not believe his claim that he was born at sea on his way to Canada, but she had no reason to doubt the other stories handed down by her father. Grandpa went by the name of John Stanhope Bellamy and I was well into my research when Mom happened to mention that he changed his middle name from Samuel to Stanhope because John Samuel sounded too biblical.

The family story was that, as a child, he lived with his father (a mariner) and mother and two sisters in Toronto. The parents were wealthy and owned a lot of real estate in Toronto before losing most of it in the depression. His uncle was Edward Bellamy who wrote the futuristic novel Looking Backward in 1888. He went to Trinity College School, a private school for boys, until he was expelled for cutting down the flag pole.

The only truth in the above paragraph is that my grandfather had two sisters, Edith and Gladys. I have been doing online research since 1997 and I went through many blind alleys looking for Stanhopes, the history of Edward Bellamy, and wealthy people in Toronto before the true John S. Bellamy revealed himself to me. The myths with the actual facts are listed below:

He was born at sea - John Samuel Bellamy was born on September 6, 1884 in the town of Kirton, Lincolnshire, England. His father was John Henry Bellamy, a school master and his mother was Elizabeth Rason. The information has been verified by his birth registration. John Henry Bellamy's father was a mariner, perhaps that is where he got that idea. The census returns from 1901 and 1911 in Canada show that the family emigrated in 1899, when my grandfather was fourteen or fifteen years old.

He had two siblings - He had three siblings including a brother, George Henry Parker Bellamy, who was born April 12, 1881. Edith Mary Bellamy was born on August 3, 1882, and Elizabeth Gladys Bellamy was born on June 2, 1892. All the siblings were born in Kirton. I was able to put the family unit together using the census returns for England and Canada.

His father was a mariner – John Henry Bellamy was a school master when he married Elizabeth Rason, a school mistress on May 27, 1880. He continued in that profession until they emigrated to Canada. John Henry or “Harry” Bellamy worked as a motorman for the Toronto Street Railway until his retirement.

The parents were wealthy – In 1901 the family was living in Etobicoke and Harry was earning $500 per year, an average income at that time. Other occupations in the neighbourhood included bartenders, a brickmaker, a gardener, and a general labourer. In 1911 the family was listed at 550 Gladstone Street which appears to be another working class neighbourhood.

Uncle Edward Bellamy – I managed to trace the author, Edward Bellamy, who's ancestors came from England to New England many generations before my grandfather was born. I did find that Edward had a first cousin, named Francis Bellamy, who wrote the American Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag. Both Edward and Francis were considered socialists in their time. My grandfather, being a bit of a rebel to conformity, might have felt a kinship to these men.

Trinity College School – The picture of my grandfather as a young man is supposed to be him in front of Trinity College School but I have not found any pictures of the school that look like the building in the picture. In 1999 I sent an email to Cathy McCart, Archivist of Trinity College School, and this was her reply to my query:

I have researched your grandfather's name in our records, unfortunately came up with nothing.

We have files with all the entrance cards with information on incoming students, and their records at the School. These are usually a pretty reliable source of information however there is always the possibility that the card could have been lost or misfiled, although it is unlikely.

I proceeded to go to the list of all students' names who, upon entry to the School are given a number and listed in a large book which begins in 1865 and still records the names of todays students. It is a handwritten list, done by the Headmaster. A copy of this list is also printed in The School On The Hill, a book on the history of TCS. I went through all the names from 1890 through 1910 and came up with nothing.

Neither the Development Office records nor the deceased files had any such name.

My conclusion is that John S. Bellamy, born in 1884, never attended Trinity College School.

Even if your grandfather had been expelled, we would still keep his entrance card and name on the Admission's list.

With regrets,

Cathy McCart

Archivist

Grandpa filled out a National Registration form at the time of World War II and when asked for educatation beyond elementary or secondary school, he reported “Business College”.

I sometimes wonder if Grandpa Bellamy is watching me put together the puzzle of his life and laughing at me as I follow the red herrings he has thrown my way. That's okay Grandpa, I have enjoyed the trip.

Royal Tour of Canada, 1939

2009-09-05T14:15:00.000-07:00

This is a picture of my grandparents and other family members waiting on Oak Bay Avenue in Victoria on May 30, 1939.

This royal tour of the parents of our reigning monarch, Queen Elizabeth II was a historic event because it was the first time a king or queen of the British Commonwealth set foot on North America.

The royal couple disembarked from the Empress of Australia and were greeted with cheering crowds in Quebec City on May 17, 1939. They traveled by train across Canada and charmed the population by being visible and accessible in large cities and small towns throughout the land. They left Vancouver on May 29 aboard the CPR ship, Princess Marguerete and were greeted that evening in Victoria by Premier Pattullo. Victoria, the capital of British Columbia, was the most western point of the tour. The royal couple stayed two nights at Government House, the residence of the Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia.

May 30 was the only full day spent in Victoria with a visit to the provincial legislature in the morning, followed by a drive though the streets of Victoria and Oak Bay culminating at the Empress Hotel where King George gave an address which was heard throughout Canada and around the world. The next day the king and queen returned to Vancouver and resumed their train trip across Canada on the royal train. Afterward the CPR trains of that class were known as the Royal Hudsons. King George and Queen Elizabeth returned to England aboard the Empress of Britain on June 15.

William Duckworth Davies in World War I

2009-08-13T16:14:00.000-07:00

This is about my grandfather, William Duckworth Davies, who lost a leg in World War I.

Grandpa volunteered in January 1916 and joined the 138th Battalion in Canadian Expeditionary Force on Monday, July 24, 1916.

Acting Corporal. W. D. Davies embarked from Halifax on August 21, 1916 aboard the S.E. Olympic, arrived in Liverpool nine days later on the 30th. The Olympic was a sister ship to the Titanic and was converted to a troop ship for the war effort.

The next year was spent in England where the raw recruits were turned into soldiers. He finally arrived in France with the 50th Battalion Alberta Regiment on September 11, 1917 and joined the unit in the field on September 20.

Grandpa sent a letter to my father from England before he was sent to the front in WWI. The letter was written before my Dad's third birthday which was on April 11, 1917. It is transcribed as follows:

My dear little Bertie,I am awfully sorry that I have not got you anything for your birthday yet, but it is hard to get anything for you in these little places. Never mind sonny, I will get you something just as soon as I see something that I think you will like. You must be getting quite a big boy now. Three years old. You are making mamma and me feel old.. I must ring off now as I have to write to mamma & nana. Good bye and lots of kisses to the best little 3 year old boy on earth ; lot of love from your Soldier Daddy. x x x x x x

Grandpa landed in France on September 11, 1917, just before the deadliest battle for the Canadian forces in the war. After weeks of losses for the allies, it was decided by the British generals to launch an assault in the area of Ypres, near the border of France and Belgium. The Canadian Corps under a reluctant General Currie, carried on this assault, known as the Battle of Paaschendaele, from October 12, to November 10, 1917. Conditions were horrible for the Canadian troops fighting in soupy mud against the Germans who overlooked the morass from concrete bunkers. The Canadian Corps achieved its objective at a cost only fractionally less than General Currie's pre-battle estimate of 16,000 casualties. It was all for naught, within six months, the ground they had won was retaken by the Germans. From Grandpa's service records, I have concluded that he lost his leg at the Battle of Paaschendaele.

Grandpa said very little about experiences at the front in Europe, and in an interview by his great-grandchildren when he was eighty-eight years old, he said the following:

"How did I lose my leg? You'll have to ask Fritzie that. He knew I'd gone to France and he thought I was going to cause him some trouble so he sent over a 9.2 and I got part of it and that was it and that had to come about eleven miles to get me."

Perhaps Grandpa was lucky to be wounded at Ypres on October 12, 1917, after just a month on the front, because it took him off the battlefield where so many of his comrades lost their lives. The injury was caused by shrapnel entering the right knee, badly shattering it, and fracturing the femur. The leg was amputated through the thigh at C.C.S. (Casualty Clearing Station) the same day. Two days later he was admitted to No. 1 South African Gen. Hospital, Abbeville, France where he would start his long recovery. On November 10 he was considered fit enough to return to England and was admitted to General Military Hospital in Colchester, England, also known as Whipps Cross War Hospital. He stayed at Whipps Cross Hospital for 102 days, then he was admitted to Granville Canadian Special Hospital, Buxton, Derbyshire on February 21, 1918. On April 23 he was admitted to Military Hospital Kirkdale, Liverpool where he would stay another month before finally being transferred back to Canada.

He boarded the hospital ship Araguaya on May 25, 1918. It had been thirteen years since he taken the same route from Liverpool across the Atlantic to the Gulf of St. Laurence, then on to Montreal before taking the train to Toronto. He was eager to return to Alberta and resume life as a civilian, but he had one more hospital to visit first. He was admitted to Military Orthopedic Hospital, Toronto where he continued to recuperate from June 10 to August 6, 1918. Finally declared unfit for further service, Grandpa was able to return to Busby, Alberta where he had applied for a homestead before the war.

When asked about his experiences while overseas in the war, Grandpa had very little to say and was reluctant to talk about the horrors of the battlefield.

"Well there wasn't very much to tell except of course once in a while when Fritzie decided to come over and give us an air raid that made very exciting times because we didn't know just when a bomb was going to drop right on us; and in fact after I went to France and was wounded and came back to hospital in England why there I was in the hospital in London, at Whipps Cross Hospital and he came over one night and blew 60 feet of the hospital fence away of the hospital I was in, so he wasn't very particular. We often had experiences like that and whenever there was an air raid we used to get up and go out and watch the flack in the sky where the anti-aircraft guns were happening. But it was very exciting, very exciting."

Social Networking Tools for Genealogical Purposes

2009-07-30T19:01:00.000-07:00

I have mixed feelings about the various social networking sites on the internet and their usefulness in genealogy.

I suppose I have been using a form of social networking for several years at WeRelate, a wiki for genealogy. This site has been very useful for posting a public family tree in which anyone can participate. Adding data can be difficult for anyone not accustomed to the format and few people have given input to my family tree. I have been in contact with many cousins through WeRelate though, because the site shows up on search engines. Like everything else, most of my tree on WeRelate is unfinished and is waiting for me to have more time.

I became active on Facebook about a year ago and have found it very useful to share pictures with family in the various groups that I have set up. I do not like most of the Facebook applications because I find them to be very intrusive as far as privacy is concerned. I no longer use the We're Related application because of the repetition every time a person is added as a relative. I do not like to bother people who are not as interested in genealogy as I am.

I have recently joined a social network for genealogists called Genealogy Wise. Although it is created by the same company that brought We're Related to Facebook, it has less nonsense and is very helpful with serious research.

I also have a family tree on Genoom where cousins can contribute and build on your tree. I am finding this site gets a bit out of control with so many offshoots springing up on the tree. Like WeRelate, I am sporadic in adding updates and will never finish.

My newest activity is posting blogs when I feel the urge or have time. There is less pressure to finish a project and I can ramble around in any branch of the family that I choose. A family tree is never finished, like a jigsaw puzzle without edges. The missing pieces in the middle are the most challenging but the outer twigs are exciting too.

I enjoy making contact with cousins and others who enjoy the stories and facts relating to my family and I will continue using the social networking tools that are available.

Peter Butchart and the La Guayran Settlers

2009-07-25T14:02:00.000-07:00

My gr. gr. greatgrandparents were married on the third day of May, 1821, by the Rev. Mr. John Leslie, Minister of the Parish of Fintray, Aberdeen, Scotland. Peter Butchart was a tailor when he married Elspet Livie, the daughter of Donald Livie, a deceased labourer.

Four and one half years later Peter, Elspeth and children left Scotland forever. They first traveled to South America, then eventually settled in Guelph, Ontario. The following gives some of the details of their adventures:

The La Guayran Settlers

In 1825 the Columbian Agricultural Association was organized in London to take out emigrants from Scotland to Venezuela. A Canadian historian, C.C. James, wrote:

"A London sailing vessel of 600 tons called the Planet was chartered to take out the settlers. The boat left the Thames with a few English emigrants and then picked up the rest of her passengers, 250 in all, in the Bay of Cromarty. This was in 1825. They sailed for La Guayra, calling at Madeira on the way to take on a cargo of wine. Twelve weeks out of Cromarty Bay, the party landed at La Guayra. Disappointment met them from the first. The country was in disorder, life and property were insecure, the climate was unsuited to the Scotsmen of the north, the estate that had been purchased by the company was composed partly of barren mountains and partly of valleys that required irrigation. Transportation had been provided and land allotted by the company to the settlers who were bound by written contract to locate upon the land and to repay their debt in ten years. The poor, deluded people were thus left in a most pitiable condition. After vain efforts to make a living and reconcile themselves to their inhospitable surroundings, they were gradually forced to abandon their lots and soon found themselves gathered together in temporary quarters at Caracas."

The experiment was foredoomed to failure if we are to believe the report of an eyewitness to the arrival of the immigrants in Venezuela. The following is written in the diary of the unknown witness:

"On the second of December arrived here the ship Planet of London bringing upwars of 200 Emigrants sent out by the Colombian Agricultural Association....From the first sight I had of the Settlers I pronounced them unfit for the employment they undertook--they consisted chiefly of tradesmen from Aberdeenshire and Highlands from Inverness shire neither of whom knew how to cultivate land at home, far less how to produce the fruits of this country. The selection made by Mr. Ross could not have been worse than the specimen he now produced. Being quite intimate with the agents of the Association here I communicated my sentiments freely to them, and told them as my opinion that the plans of the Association would never be brought about if they did not get people of more skill and capital to emigrate--they differed in opinion with me; but events have shown that I was right. Of Mr. Ross I knew nothing formerly--I thought he was too fond of rum, and in this I found I was not mistaken. The Gibbses were my lodgers for 10 days. I accompanied Miss Gibbs to Topo, the place allotted for the Settlers.

On our arrival at Topo (10 o'clock a.m.) we found numbers, indeed almost all the settlers, perfectly drunk. Their Parson and Superintendent, with his Privy Councill, being the drunkest of the drunk. An invitation to dine with such a set was of course refused and I set off for La Guayra so early as 2 o'clock. If any proof were wanting to confirm the opinion I first formed of this set of men what I saw at Topo was quite convincing. On Sunday so early as 11 o'clock there were not thirty sober men among the settlers!! From such a exhibition as this it was easy to foresee the downfall of this Colony--no order--no subordination--no obedience to Superiors was observed--How could there when the Parson & Superintendent at Topo for the Colombian Agricultural Association--in whatever place a drop of spirits of whatsoever kind, was to be found there was also to be found the Rev. John Ross. His conduct was so notorious that the Common black negro labourers did not pay him the least respect--on contrary they imitated or mimicked him in his drunken frolics and nicknamed him el Padre Chupon, or the Sucking Priest."

But the story did not end in Venezuela. Conditions evidently got so bad that the emigrants sought some escape. In the words of C. C. James:

"They laid their case before the British consul, and with the help of Mr. Lancaster, the Quaker educationist, who happened to be there at the time, they sent home an appeal for help. This did not fail. A British frigate was dispatched to their assistance. The captain in charge was a brother of Sir Peregrine Maitland, then Governor of Upper Canada. After consultation, they decided to accept the offer of transportation to Canada. They were taken north and landed at New York, where they were met by Mr. Buchanan, the British consul, who also acted as agent of the Canada Company."

The Gore Gazette of August 7, 1827 reported: "Eight families of British Emigrants consisting of 57 persons, arrived at Dundas today from South America, via New York; and proceeded immediately to Guelph"

An address from the immigrants to the king, dated Guelph, Upper Canada, January 25, 1828, gives a full account of the proceedings of the settlers and also provides a list of the heads of families involved.

"To the Kings Most Excellent Majesty:

Sir:

May it please your Majesty, we the subscribers natives of your ancient and loyal kingdom of Scotland beg leave to approach the throne with sentiments of special thankfulness and gratitude for the great favor shewn to us by Your Majesty's Paternal Government in removing us from the barren territory of Venezuela in the State of Columbia and in bringing us into your Majesty's Province of Upper Canada.

In the year 1825 we were led to embark for Columbia to become Settlers under the patronage of a Company of Merchants in London called the Columbia Agricultural Association, on our arrival in the Province of Venezuela we discovered that the Association whose good intention towards us we had no reason to doubt had been deceived in regard to the Soil and climate by their Agents and we had cause great cause to rue and repent of ever having emigrated to that inhospitable region.

Finding all our hopes frustrated and our means consumed we applied to Your Majesty's Consul General Sir Robt. Kerr Porter for relief and received from him by direction of his Excellency Mr. Alex. Cockburn, Your Majesty's Ambassador to Columbia the means of Subsistance for some time. They afterwards sent us to the United States to be forwarded to Your Majesty's American Dominions and on our arrival at New York we were advised by Mr. Buchanan, Your Majesty's Consul to proceed to Upper Canada where he informed us the Canada Company was forming a settlement. On reaching the Province we delivered to Mr. Galt, the Superintendt of the Canada Company, the letter we had brought but he having no instructions to receive us could only advise us to go to this Place where such as were able to work would find employment until some better arrangement would be made. We accordingly came in with our families amounting to 135 souls of whom 58 were children under 13 years of age--but many of us were in bad health, and all in need of the very necessaries of life, so that we became a burden on the Canada Company--Nevertheless we were treated with kindness and provided with clothes cordials and medical assistance.

It was sometime after explained to us by the Superintendent of the Company that we might become Settlers on the Company's land on undertaking to pay in time by labor or otherwise, the value of the land and the debt incurred for our maintenance. To this we were happy to accede and we are now living on the lands and inhabiting the houses provided for us by the liberality of the Canada Company thankful to God for having permitted us to be brought again under the beneficient protection of Your Majesty's Government.

But in the enjoyment of this great blessing--we are still much depressed in mind when we reflect on the debts we owe to the Company for our support as well as for our land, and on the long time that must elapse before we can receive assistance in labour from many of our children. We have therefore ventured to beseech Your Majesty to be graciously pleased to take our misfortunes into consideration for we have seen better days and hope that the severe trials and afflictions we have endured will be mercifully regarded as sufficient punishment for our error in believing we could improve our condition by passing into the dominions of any other State.

Guelph 25 January 1828"

Among the twenty-six signatures to the above letter were those of Peter Butchart and Alexander Butchart.

When they arrived in Guelph, the La Guayrans presented a pitiful spectacle. Because of their poverty, the unhealthy climate of their Latin American residences, and the long and difficult journey, several of the men and many of the women and children were in a weak and unhealthy condition. What was Galt to do when faced by this ragged and emaciated group? Clearly the La Guayrans ought to have been the responsibility of the British government, and Galt had neither the spare funds nor the authority of the Canada Company to spend money on their behalf.

Galt's decision was typically decisive. He made the assumption that government authorities would accept responsibility for the La Guayrans, and witheld a portion of the government funds in his hands to pay for their care. Those capable of labour, he put to work clearing the Elora Road. The government, however, refused to accept responsibility for the La Guayrans, and ordered Galt to immediately forward the money that he had held back to pay their expenses.

In the meantime, the La Guayrans had recovered their health and strength, and by their industry and thrift had demonstrated to Galt that they were likely to become desirable settlers. Galt, therefore, allotted each of them fifty acres of land, at the usual price, but allowed them to defer the down payment, with the understanding that they were not only to pay for their land and supplies, but also the cost of their upkeep during their illness, all at six percent per annum interest.

From Galt's point of view, the affair, while provoking, turned out well in the end. The La Guayrans, to their credit, fulfilled their obligations to the Canada Company to the penny. But many and bitter were the memories retained by them and their descendants of the interest charged and the high prices exacted for goods bought on credit at the Canada Company store. The settlers were better fitted to face the climate of Canada than that of Venezuela.

There is some confusion about the names and ages of Peter Butchart's children; he was married twice, to his first wife Anne Webster in 1810 and to Elspit Livie in 1821 as noted in the first paragraph. There is some assumption that Peter Butchart (sometimes spelled Butchard) and Alexander Butchart who were both La Guayran settlers were brothers but I have found no proof of a relationship. It seems that the more information I get the more unanswered questions I have.

The Swimming Crocketts

2009-07-22T14:01:00.001-07:00

My grandmother, Lucy Millicent Crockett, and her siblings lived in Stourbridge, Worcestershire, England before emigrating to Canada and they were all involved in some form of aquatics. The picture on the left is of my grandmother's brother, James William Crockett. Uncle Jim is shown wearing some of the swimming medals that he won in England. Jim and his wife, Emily emigrated to Canada in September 1912.

I remember my father relating a family story that my grandmother's brothers were all strong swimmers and they had an undefeated water polo team in their home town of Stourbridge. There is no proof of their prowess at water polo, but there is no doubt that my grandmother and her siblings all were born with the love of water sports. The following quote is from a Stourbridge newspaper: "those giants of local swimming circles, the Crocketts. It is evident that the family has no mean reputation"

Edmonton, Alberta was a raw prairie town when the Crocketts arrived in the years 1911 and 1912. The only swimming pool available was at the YMCA, a four-story brick building in the heart of the city with the pool in the basement. James William Crockett worked at the YMCA as a swimming instructor from 1916 until 1922.

The first of several outdoor pools that would make Edmonton a swimming Mecca opened on Edmonton's south side on August 3, 1922. Jim Crockett was the superintendent of the South Side pool (also known as the Civic Swimming Pool, Riverside, and later, Queen Elizabeth Pool) from 1922 until the second world war. The following is part of an article about the pool's opening in an Edmonton newspaper: "In regard to Mr Crockett, it should be said that he is a swimmer and instructor with years of experience, He is a native of Birmingham, England, and held positions in swimming baths and clubs there that have particularly fitted him for the post that he now occupies. He comes of a swiming family, all the members are experts, both men and women."
By 1924 there were three pools: South Side, West End, and Eastend at Exhibition Park. Richard Herbert Crockett was superintendent of the West End Pool from 1925 until he moved to Fergus, Ontario in 1930. See previous article on Richard Herbert Crockett http://joansgenjottings.blogspot.com/2009/07/richard-herbert-crockett.html

In 1928 my grandmother, Lucy Millicent Crockett Davies, was employed at the West End Pool under her brother, Bert. In 1929 their father, Amos Crockett was an employee at the Eastend Pool as well as his daughter, Ada Annie How. As the 1920s drew to a close, the only Crockett siblings not employed at the swimming pools were George and Tom.

George, who was with the Edmonton Fire Department from 1923 until his retirement in 1954, started the learn to swim sessions at the Eastend Pool with his father, Amos "Dad" Crockett, in the late 1920s. George also ran similar classes at the West Side Pool with his brother, Bert Crockett, . Throughout the 1930s, George instructed swimming at the YMCA. Tom Crockett seemed to be less involved with swimming but he was an expert diver.

An article in the Edmonton Journal this week made me think of this topic: http://www.edmontonjournal.com/news/Feds+toward+Queen+pool/1809186/story.html

The old South Side pool has been closed for several years and is to be replaced with a new multi-million dollar outdoor swimming complex. The picture below shows Don Crockett and his wife, Lynn, at the presentation described in the newspaper article linked above. Don is Jim Crockett's son; he and Lynn are on the left side of the picture.

Richard Herbert Crockett

2009-07-20T22:19:00.000-07:00

England

Uncle Bert was born on February 23, 1886 at Glossop, Derbyshire, but moved with his parents while still an infant to Colwyn Bay, North Wales. The family moved from Colwyn Bay about 1890 and moved around a fair amount with stops in Broseley, Chester, and Northwich before settling in Stourbridge, Worcestershire by 1901. At the time of the 1901 Census, Richard Herbert Crockett was aged 15 years. He gave his place of birth as Glossop, Derbyshire and his occupation as a Fishmongers Assistant. He lived at 20, High Street, Stourbridge, Worcestershire. He lived there with his Mother and Father and Brothers and Sisters: James (aged 13), George (aged 12), Alice (aged 9), Thomas (aged 9), Ada (aged 6) and Lucy (aged 4). Bert married Jessie Heathcock at Stourbridge in 1907. Their only child, George Albert Crockett, was born in England in 1908.

Alberta

Following his father, who had already emigrated to Canada, Bert set sail from Liverpool on July 8, 1911 aboard the Laurentic and arrived in Quebec on July 15. When Jessie and her two sisters-in-law, Mary Alice and Lucy, departed for Canada on August 31, 1911, Jessie stated that she was going to her husband who was a fitter in Edmonton. Bert and Jessie's son, George was not on that voyage; he arrived with his grandmother and aunts in October.

The Crockett family was probably drawn to Alberta by the Homestead Act. Quarter sections (640 acres) were granted to settlers who were willing to make the rough land into a farm. The cost to file an application for a Western Land Grant was $10.00. Richard Herbert Crockett applied for NW Section 27 Township 57 Range 1 Meridian 5. This quarter section was in Seymour, a settlement northwest of Edmonton later known as Busby. His father and brother were on the same section; James William had the SE quarter and Amos Crockett had the NE quarter. Amos set up a sawmill on his quarter which was on the shores of Lake George.

Bert had to delay his development of the homestead when Britain went to war with Germany in 1914 and on 21 May 1915, he signed up to join the Canadian Overseas Expeditionary Force. At that time he was a miner in Seymour, Alberta and he was described as 5'6", 40" chest, fair complexion, grey eyes, auburn hair. After serving 2 years and 71 days with the 51st Battalion overseas, he signed up again on the 17 January 1918; his physical description was the same except he had gained 1" in his chest and he had a scar on his left hand. The war ended later in 1918 and I doubt he actually went overseas for a second time.

Bert gave up the homestead shortly after the war and moved to 12009 92nd Street in Edmonton and worked for the Hudson Bay Company from 1920 until the city hired him as Superintendent of the West End Swimming Pool. Bert and his brother, Jim, were both well known and respected as coaches to champion swimmers in Edmonton.

Fergus

In 1930, a new pool was opened in Fergus, Ontario and Uncle Bert was hired to manage the pool. The following are excerpts from the local history book, Looking back : the story of Fergus through the years, Vol. 2, Publisher: Fergus, Ontario: P. Mestern, 1983

M. J. Beatty traveled extensively for Beatty Brothers. On a trip to Edmonton, soon after construction started on the pool, he learned of Mr. R. H. Crockett's accomplishments at the West End Pool and Edmonton.

Immediately after returning to Fergus M.J. sent Mr. Crockett a proposition to come to Fergus and manage the new Fergus pool. He readily accepted and the F.N.R.reports:

"Yesterday, (February 26, 1930) we learned by wire from a member of the Edmonton Journal that the services of one of Canada's leading swimming instructors is been secured in the person of Mr. Bert Crockett, a prominent swimming and hockey coach of that city, who has an enviable reputation along these lines. He operated the large arena there in the winter and three city pools in the summer along with his father and brother of which have the reputation of being the best operated pools in the province of Alberta. Mrs. Crockett also an expert swimmer and instructress and her services will also be appreciated here."

They arrived in Fergus March 31, 1930 and will be living in quarters provided above the pool bathhouse and will be able to personally, assist the superintendent in the completion of the pool.

Most early users and spectators of the pool can recall the many conveniences of the pool. The individual cubicles for changing, hair dryers for after swimming, lockers with keys, the Beatty ringer under the steps to wring out all those wool bathing suits, the spic and span appearance of the pool at all times, the sign on the veranda giving dimensions and distances, the manually operated thermometer giving pool water temperature, Mr. Crockett and his assistants in their white ducks, shoes, and shirts they wore with pride and the beautiful flower boxes on the many posts around the pool and especially the crystal clear water still a trademark of Fergus pool.

Mr. Crockett spent 24 seasons at the Fergus pool. Many of his accomplishments and successes with swimmers will follow. For the man himself he loved children spending many hours and days with his rope and canvas collar around small children pulling them across the small pool. Learning their first strokes. He did Fergus and neighbours a great service far beyond the terms of his contract. He was also a disciplinarian, a necessity with this type of recreation, it only takes a few seconds to drown and the rules were for safety purposes as well as general behavior in the pools. He didn't hesitate to disqualify a swimmer for one day or two weeks of swimming, depending on the severity of the infraction. Unfortunately one swimmer (who will remain anonymous) advises me he was ejected for a misdemeanor and never went back to the pool. Mr. Crockett, I am sure could be credited with a perfect record with no serious accidents at the pool. A record that is still intact.

Mrs. Hilda Clark advises that in his last year at the pool he had to dive into bring up the girl who was unconscious on the bottom and Mr. Crockett wasn't able to get down to her. Shirley Campbell was near and assisted in getting her out and she was soon revived. This incident seemed to indicate that he should retire. More of Mr. and Mrs. Crockett's accomplishments with swimmers will follow.

In 1951 water was put into the big pool in early March. So the girls to train for a meet on March 31. Two car loads traveled to Vancouver with four swimmers Joan and Shirley Campbell. Elaine Chapman and Doreen Howatt. They won the 400 yd. relay by 100 ft.. Shirley 1400 yd. setting a record and Doreen was second. They returned home to a civic reception. Races at the C. N. E. were won again, and the possibility of the girls making an Olympic team in 1952 was hoped for.

In 1952 Doreen Howatt set a record in 400 yd. at 5 minutes 7.7 seconds. The Olympic swimmers picked were medley swimmers and Fergus girls were very disappointed. They continued their winning ways that the C. N. E.. Shirley Campbell won the senior mile championship and Doreen, still a junior came seconds and on August 27, 1952. Shirley turned professional winning the 3 mi. event in 1 hour and 21 minutes and 40 seconds, just 17 seconds short of the record. She one $1600 and came home to a civic reception in the arena. Gus Ryder regarded Bert Crockett as one of the finest swimming coaches nominated Shirley for the Lou Marsh trophy.

Shirley won the professional swim again in 1953 defeating several notable swimmers. Elaine Chapman came fourth, and Doreen Howatt won the silver bowl for junior 1 mi. in 1952 and the Ross Gold trophy one mi. championship for two years 1953 and 1954. Shirley Campbell was rewarded by the Egyptian long-distance swimming federation, who sent a special trophy presented on their behalf by Albert Menzies. 3 ft. high on a black ebony base with Egyptian symbols lotus petals a scarab. A sacred truth and a winged head.

Shirley made two valiant attempts to swim across Lake Ontario swimming under terrible conditions bad weather currents, mechanical problems that gained much fame for her efforts.

Again, she received a civic welcome with 5000 people attending with dignitaries, a street dance and full page editorial in the F.N.R as well as radio, TV interviews and many newspaper articles and photos .

Truly, the golden years for the Fergus pool and its much admired manager and coach Bert Crockett. It would take many pages to list all the accomplishments of these girls. They worked hard swimming many hours every day get in shape for the various events. They deserve all the fame they received and Mr. Crockett, fulfilled his fondest dreams.

At Mr. and Mrs. Crockett's retirement dinner feelings were expressed all around. Mrs. Crockett expressed her thanks stating "no one realizes the anxiety and responsibility of looking after a pool". How true! With all the enjoyment achievements and participation in the water, someone will always have the responsibility for safety and concern of the swimmers. An old axiom states. Records were made to be broken. Let us hope the goals and achievements of the pool will continue. That the boys and girls will constantly improve on time speed and distance and the perfect safety record at the pool will remain forever.

On a rare occasion, Mr. Crockett paid a summer visit to Mr. W. G. Beatty's cottage in Musokoka. Mr. Crockett worked six days a week and only had Sunday off. On arriving, W. G. was not available. But soon appeared from the lake having just completed his regular swim around the bay in front of the cottage. He had been swimming alone definitely a practice not condoned by Mr. Crockett. W. G. received a tongue lashing equal to anything handed out that the pool by Mr. Crockett, for his infraction of safe swimming practice.

Hundreds of people learned to swim under the most favorable conditions including careful instruction by Mr. Crockett and his assistants. And who can tell how many lives this may be the means of saving in years past, and yet to come. No better gift could have been built for the benefit of the community than the swimming pool constructed by Beatty Bros. and given to the town.

I remember Uncle Bert's trip west with the girls swim team in 1951 and I still have a white towel that he gave our family with Fergus Swimming Pool faintly stamped on it. What was not mentioned in the book was that Shirley Campbell asked Uncle Bert to come out of retirement to be part of her support team when she made her attempt to swim across Lake Ontario.

Victoria

Bert and Jessie retired to Victoria in 1953 and bought a little bungalow at 3280 Epworth Street . They were the first people in our family to own a television and we would go over to their house on Saturday nights to watch the fights. When the house became too much for them to maintain, they moved to a residence for seniors run by the Salvation Army in Esquimalt, Matson Lodge.

The following article appeared in the Victoria paper in September 1972:

65 years together

Mr. and Mrs. Richard Herbert Crockett of Matson Lodge, 847 Dunsmuir Rd.., will celebrate their 65th Wedding Anniversary Tuesday, Sept. 26th.

Arrangements have been made to honor them with an open house by their neice Mrs. C.E. Hayward at the Amps Hall at the Oak Bay Junction from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday Sept. 24th. In the evening a buffet supper has been arranged exclusively for relatives.

Among the guests will be relatives from Oregon and others from Vancouver.

The photo on the left is the last picture I have of Uncle Bert with Auntie Jessie. It was taken at Matson Lodge on September 26, 1974.

Uncle Bert died October 8, 1974 and Auntie Jessie followed him on November 15, 1975.

The following obituary appeared in an Edmonton newspaper:

Former swim Coach dies in Victoria, 88

Bert Crockett, 88, a former Edmonton swimming and hockey coach who branded marathon swims as "cruel and stupid" died recently in Victoria.

Once manager of the West End Swimming Club, Mr. Crockett made the comment in 1958, after his former pupil Shirley Campbell attempted to swim a treacherous 32 mile stretch across Lake Ontario.

Hampered by a painful shoulder injury after a grueling 18 hours, 44 minutes in the chilly water, she was only a mile from shore when Mr. Crockett decided to pull her out.

Born in Glossop, Derbyshire, Mr. Crockett came to Edmonton in 1911.

He was the supervisor for the West End pool in 1925 when it was first opened and during the winter managed city rinks. While at the West End he coached several provincial diving champions.

In hockey, he coached the juvenile champions for the province in 1923 and 1929. He was manager of the 82nd Street rink and one of his clubs produced the Colville brothers, Neil and Mac, who played for the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League.

In 1947 his four-girl relay team from Fergus captured the Junior Women's Canadian Championship held in Victoria and four years later, his four-girl team won three Canadian championships in Vancouver.

He moved to Victoria in 1953 and retired in 1954.

Mr. Crockett died on Oct. 8 and funeral services were held on Oct. 11.

He is survived by his wife of 67 years, Jessie; one grandson, Robert George Crockett of Stettler; four great-grandchildren; one brother, Thomas of Edmonton; and one sister, Ada How of Vancouver.

I remember Uncle Bert always having a twinkle in his eye and I would start to giggle just by looking at him. I loved all my Dad's uncles but Uncle Bert was my favourite, probably because I knew him best.

George (John Bull) Crockett

2009-07-16T19:01:00.001-07:00

The picture to the left is a depiction of John Bull on a WWI recruitment poster. Amos Crockett's brother, George, was known as John Bull because of his similarity to that figure who represented all that was English, like Uncle Sam to the United States.

George was born on May 23, 1867 in Aston Clinton, Buckinghamshire, which lies three miles from Tring to the east and four miles from Aylesbury to the west. George was christened at Aylesbury with three of his siblings on February 9, 1868.

George worked as a piecer at the cotton mill in Glossop in 1881 when he was thirteen years old. While still in Glossop, he married Betty Sandiford in 1887. Betty was twenty, George was only nineteen when he married.

George and Betty had moved seven and a half miles north west to the town of Dukinsfield by 1891, where George was working as a labourer in an iron works. It appears that Betty had no children with George and by 1901 they had separated. Betty moved back to her birthplace in Glossop and was found living with her mother; she gave her status as married in both the 1901 and 1911 census returns.

George continued moving west, this time over forty-five miles southwest to Chester, where he was a fried fish dealer in 1896 at 15 Brook Street; nearby, his brother, Amos, was a greengrocer at 47 Brook Street.

By 1900 he had moved again, south seventy miles to Kidderminster, where he had a fried fish business on Blackwell Street.

A year later, George had moved again, to Northfield, Worcestershire and had changed his situation significantly when he appeared in the 1901 census as a thirty-three-year-old general labourer living with a twenty-year-old landlady who was a laundress. Young Sarah Ann Jones had a two-month-old son, named Ernest W Jones. At that time George Crockett was listed as married and Sarah Jones was listed as single, yet they lived as man and wife for over forty years.

Three more children were born before 1905 came to an end, Sarah and all her children used the surname Crockett including Ernest William.

When George accompanied Amos on the voyage to Philadelphia, he gave the address for his next of kin as his wife, Sarah, at Moor Street, Brierly Hill. That was on February 23, 1911. By the time the census was taken on April 2, 1911 another family was living at that residence and I have not been able to find George's family in the 1911 census.

One of the stories that my father told me about George Crockett was that when he and Amos arrived in New York it was the fourth of July and there were American flags everywhere and George remarked that there wasn't a Union Jack to be seen. This has turned out to be family lore because they landed in Philadelphia in March.

On the ship's manifest of the SS Merion, George gave the name of the person he was going to visit as his brother-in-law, Charles Jones. George is described as being 5' 5½” tall with fair complexion, auburn hair, and gray eyes, a true Crockett.

George only stayed in Philadelphia long enough to visit Sarah's brother for a few weeks and then he returned to England on the Lusitania, leaving New York on March 17 and arriving in Liverpool on March 28, 1911. Amos did not return to England with him and I presume he made his way to Alberta overland.

George and Sarah Crockett left England the next year, departing from Bristol on April 3 and arriving at Halifax, Nova Scotia on April 12, 1912. Thomas Amos Crockett, son of Amos, accompanied them on the voyage. The manifest listed the following aboard the SS Royal Edward:

Crockett, George, 44, Poultry farmer

Crockett, Mrs. G, 32, wife

Crockett, Thomas, 20, Farm labourer

Crockett, Ernest, 11

Crockett, George, 10

Crockett, Ada, 8

Crockett, Mary, 7

On the ship's manifest, both George and Tom Crockett claimed to have worked on a farm in England, but I wonder if that was to get assistance with the passage from the Salvation Army. The family was in “steerage” class with SA noted in the right margin of the manifest. Their destination was given as Edmonton.

According to a map in the Busby history book, George's homestead was located on a ¼ section described as South-east quarter, Section 23Township 57 Range 1 West of the 5^th Meridian in the Busby Park School District.

From another reference to George and family in the same book about the Busenius family:

My Dad spent his first year of school at Busby Park and recalled George and Sarah's children were: Ernie, Joss, Ada, and Alice. Joss must have been the younger George. George and Sarah moved into Edmonton after leaving the homestead and my Dad recalled that Uncle George worked as an elevator operator and Aunt Sarah worked as a maid at the Queen Alexandra Hospital. In the city directory for 1943, George was listed as retired and Sarah was still working at the hospital.

Amos Crockett's granddaughter, Evelyn, recalls a story about Uncle George John Bull: "There was a dentist's office in the building where John Bull ran the elevator and he offered to make Uncle George a set of false teeth because he had none. A couple of weeks after setting him up with a fine set of dentures, the dentist noticed that George was not wearing his new teeth. When asked the whereabouts of the teeth, John Bull said they were in his pants pocket. To this the dentist replied: I hope they bite you in the ass!"

George passed away in Edmonton in 1944 at age seventy-six and was buried in Edmonton Cemetery on May 13, 1944.

In the city directory for 1947 Sarah was still working at the hospital as a maid and living at #32, 11045-97 Street (Lambton Block). In 1953 she was living at the same address but no occupation was given.

According to my Dad, Aunt Sarah had some sort of mental breakdown and died in a mental facility in Oliver, just north of Edmonton. I wish my Dad was here to ask, because I think I can recall that Sarah also worked at the Oliver hospital.

Sarah died in 1964, twenty years after her husband, she was eighty-four years old. Her body rests beside her husband, George in the Edmonton Cemetery.

When I asked Amos Crockett's granddaughter, Vera Becklake, about her memories of George and Sarah, she had the following to say:

Uncle 'John Bull' was a bit of a rascal. I was surprised to hear that he had been married in England. I know there was some scandal about him and a girl who worked in Grandpa's (Amos) fish and chip shop. Perhaps they were never divorced as I was told that he and Auntie Sarah were never married. I don't recall the circumstances of her death. She worked for years at the Royal Alex Hospital in Edmonton and was badly injured in an elevator accident there but as far as I remember, she recovered enough to go back to work. She was a very sweet and gentle person.

George Crockett and Sarah Ann Jones had the following children:

Ernest William Crockett (1901-1994)
George Crockett (1902-1990)
Ada Millicent Crockett (1904-)
Mary Alice Crockett (1905-)

Abraham Moyer

2009-07-15T22:45:00.000-07:00

Yesterday marked the 203rd birthday of my g.g.g.grandfather, Abraham Moyer who was born July 14, 1803 in Springfield Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania. This branch of the family were all Mennonites who fled Europe to avoid religious persecution in the early 1700s and were allowed to settle in Pennsylvania. These German-speaking people were known as Pennsylvania Dutch. Waterloo County in Ontario lured many of the Mennonites in the early 1800s and on March 7, 1825 Abraham Moyer left Bucks County, on foot, for Canada. He and Samuel Fried arrived in Waterloo after walking for 18 days. When they arrived they only had twenty-five cents between them. Abraham settled near Berlin, now known as Kitchener, Ontario.

On November 28, 1830 Abraham Moyer married Barbara Shantz, another Mennonite. Barbara was born in Canada on May 6, 1912. Abraham and Barbara had thirteen children, the fourth child was my g.g.grandfather, Aaron Moyer.

Abraham died November 20, 1893 in Berlin at age 90.

Genealogy Wise

2009-07-15T21:47:00.000-07:00

I have just joined Genealogy Wise - The Genealogy Social Network. In some ways it is like Facebook without the nonsense. I think I am going to like it. I have joined the Ontario group and the Roots Magic group so far and haven't posted any comments yet. It is too early to tell if it will be an aid in my research or just another distraction. The link follows for anyone wanting to give it a try: http://www.genealogywise.com/

Amos from Tring

2009-07-14T17:05:00.000-07:00

I started a blog on Amos last year but did not get very far. I have decided to continue with Amos Crockett's life story on that blog. It can be found at: http://amosfromtring.blogspot.com/

Bagot Arnold, born on July 13th

2009-07-13T14:58:00.000-07:00

Bagot Arnold was born on this day 147 years ago. Bagot, born in Leek, Staffordshire, England was one of seven children born to Thomas Arnold and Eliza Abbott. Bagot fits into my family tree because he married the sister of my great-grandmother. In 1881 Bagot was an apprentice cabinet maker living in Colwyn Bay, Wales and his future bride, Rebecca Bunnager was a confectioner's assistant living in Withington, Lancashire. Colwyn Bay is about 75 miles west of Withington. I wonder how Aunt Beck and Bagot came to meet, but I do know that they were married in Colwyn Bay in 1885. My great-grandparents, Alice Bunnager and Amos Crockett were married in Glossop, Derbyshire in 1884 but their first three children were born in Colwyn Bay starting with Richard Herbert Crockett in 1886.

The Crockett and Arnold families lived together until 1891 when Alice returned to Broseley, Shropshire where she was staying with her brother at the time of the 1891 census. Alice gave birth to twins soon after the census, perhaps she wanted to be closer to her family for the birth. Amos and Alice moved, spending time in Chester, Cheshire, and Stourbridge, Worcestershire while the Arnolds stayed in North Wales until sometime after 1901.

Bagot and Rebecca's oldest son, Harry Arnold, married Lettice Lawton in 1907 in Stourbridge. The picture above shows the wedding of Harry and Letty. Seated on the left is Bagot and Rebecca Arnold and seated on the right is Alice and Amos Crockett. By census time in 1911 things were changing and the Arnolds had moved down to Stourbridge where Bagot was a fishmonger at his home on 20 High Street, the same address occupied by Amos Crockett from 1900 until 1910.

The Arnold and Crockett families emigrated to Canada in 1911 and 1912. George Bunnager Crockett, Amos and Alice's third son, sailed on the same ship as Rebecca and her children, including her oldest, Ada Alice Arnold. These two cousins, George and Ada, married each other in Edmonton, Alberta in 1914.

World War I started in 1914 and Bagot enlisted on July 26, 1915 giving his birthdate as July 13, 1871 reducing his age by nine years. He probably wouldn't have been accepted into service had they known he was actually 53 years old. When the census was taken in Edmonton on June 1, 1916 three families shared the home at 11824 91st Street: Arnold and Rebecca Arnold, George and Ada Crockett, and Harry and Lettice Arnold. It was not as crowed as it appeared because seven of the men were overseas in the war.

I did not have the pleasure of meeting Bagot and Rebecca Arnold or Amos and Alice Crockett but I fondly remember their children: Uncle George and Auntie Ada. The picture of George and Ada below was taken in 1974

Getting Started

2009-07-13T07:55:00.000-07:00

I am endeavoring to put flesh and bones onto the names of my family tree and hope to post some interesting stories about ancestors and their descendants.

There are over 10,000 names in my database, with 7,600 on the Butchart side alone. I have been concentrating on the Davies and Crockett side recently and thank my Dad's sister, Ev, for sharing her memories with me.