Quarterly Chronicle • Volume 22, Number 3 • Fall 2016

In This Issue Henry James Cromie: A Life of New Beginnings Overcoming Adversity: the Billingsleys Traumatic Start to Ottawa War Bride Voyage Edwin Salway: From Somerset to Stayner We Shall Remember Them

Anglo-Celtic Roots This journal is published quarterly in March, June, September and December by the British Isles Family History Society of Greater Ottawa and sent free to members. Unless otherwise stated, permission to reprint for non-profit use is granted to organizations and individuals provided the source is credited. Articles accompanied by the copyright symbol () may not be reprinted or copied without the written permission of the author. Opinions expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of BIFHSGO or its officers, nor are commercial interests endorsed. BIFHSGO members are invited to submit family history stories, illustrations, letters, queries and similar items of interest in electronic format using MSWord-compatible software, to [email protected]. Please include a brief biographical sketch and a passport-type photograph. For more guid- ance see www.bifhsgo.ca under “Publications.” Authors are asked to certify that permission to reproduce any previously copyrighted material has been acquired and are encouraged to provide permission for non-profit reproduction of their articles. The Editor reserves the right to select material that meets the interest of readers and to edit for length and content. Canadian Publications Mail Sales Product Agreement No. 40015222 Indexed in the Periodical Source Index (PERSI) Editor: Jean Kitchen Editor Emeritus: Chris MacPhail Layout: Barbara Tose Proofreader: Anne Renwick British Isles Family History Society of Greater Ottawa Founded and incorporated in 1994 Charitable Registration No. 89227 4044RR0001 Contact BIFHSGO at  PO Box 38026 Ottawa ON K2C 3Y7  613-234-2520  [email protected]  www.bifhsgo.ca

Contents

COLUMN From the Editor: From the President/2 Each family history in this issue is a sto- ry of struggle and perseverance. FAMILY HISTORY RESEARCH Henry James Cromie: Wendy Croome’s ancestor, Henry James A Life of New Beginnings Cromie, reinvented himself through Wendy Croome/3 several countries and occupations, cop- ing with different hardships and Overcoming Adversity: tackling some adventures along the the Billingsleys way. Andrew Billingsley/9 Several of Andrew Billingsley’s paternal Traumatic Start to ancestors prevailed over adversity— Ottawa War Bride Voyage including war, untimely deaths, gales at John D. Reid/15 sea—to become prosperous and re- Edwin Salway: spected Quebec residents. From Somerset to Stayner John Reid recounts the story of a group Mary-Lou Simac/17 of war brides who made their way to Canada exactly 70 years ago, despite a We Shall Remember Them near-disaster on departure; some of Sheila Faure/22 their children are BIFHSGO members. TECHNIQUES AND RESOURCES Mary-Lou Simac’s paternal great- The Cream of the Crop grandfather, Edwin Salway, also suf- John D. Reid/30 fered: he lost his wife shortly after they BIFHSGO NEWS arrived in Canada, leaving him with four Membership Report young children and no support. How his Kathy Wallace/36 family survived in the coming decades is another example of pioneer fortitude in CALENDAR OF EVENTS early Canada. Back cover And Sheila Dohoo Faure contributes an- other biography of a soldier who died at Cover Illustration: No. 1 Canadian Casualty Clearing Sta- H.J. Cromie in Scotstown, Quebec, tion: Lance Corporal Clarence Fletcher. ca. 1905

Jean Kitchen

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From the President

As usual, summer after the conference. Although he is has flown by and we willing to help anyone with an in- have again arrived at terest in this area become familiar the beginning of a with the equipment and procedures new BIFHSGO sea- we use, he would like to sit in the son. I hope you all audience and enjoy the lectures for had time to relax and a change. Doug has contributed so work on a genealogi- much to BIFHSGO, so willingly, I cal project or two. Perhaps you have think he is entitled to a well-earned a new story to tell at a monthly rest from this role. We therefore meeting or in Anglo-Celtic Roots; I will need someone to handle A/V know both Jane Down and Jean for the October meeting, so if you Kitchen would love to hear from have an interest in learning the ins you if you do. and outs of our A/V needs and equipment, please contact Anne Our Conference Planning Commit- Moralejo (communications tee members have been busy over @bifhsgo.ca ) immediately. the summer finalizing another fan- tastic event for you. By the time you As I begin my second term as your read this, it will be part of our president, I am pleased with the history and I trust all who attended progress we have made over the had an enjoyable and educational past two years; yet I know there is weekend. so much more to do. And we can’t do it without you. Please consider Our new Directors, Marianne Ras- volunteering in some capacity over mus (Treasurer), Anne Moralejo the coming year. BIFHSGO is a work (Communications), and Andrea in progress, responding to changing Harding (Education) have been be- times and members’ suggestions. coming familiar with their port- That and our dedicated and enthu- folios and getting to know their siastic volunteers are what keep our fellow volunteers. We are fortunate Society the vital organization it is. to have former directors who will- ingly help their replacements settle in to their new roles.

Doug Hoddinott has informed me that, after 22 years of being our A/V Barbara J. Tose expert, he intends to step down Anglo-Celtic Roots • Quarterly Chronicle 2 Volume 22, Number 3 •Fall 2016

Family History Research

Henry James Cromie: A Life of New Beginnings©

BY WENDY CROOME Wendy, who has been researching her family history for over 40 years, has written about them in the Spring 2006 and Summer 2009 issues of ACR. Here she relates the adventures of her spirited great-grandfather “HJ” and his family. Alexander Cromie, a farmer in Tam- n its broad outline, the life of my niarin, and his wife, Eliza Jane Scott. great-grandfather, Henry James We know little about HJ’s early life, I Cromie, was like that of many but according to one family docu- immigrants. He was born in Ireland ment, he was brought up by the wife in 1847 and died in Canada in 1916. of his uncle, James Scott, Eliza Jane’s In between, however, his life took a brother. Another document states few twists and turns. Henry James is that “it was Robert [another Scott one of my few ancestors about uncle] who, returning from Austral- whom family stories have survived, ia on a visit, invited Henry James stories in which he is usually re- Cromie there, and it was to his ferred to as “HJ.” I decided to inves- home that the latter went." tigate HJ, to find out whether and I have not found HJ’s date of immi- how his documented life matched gration, but by 1869 he had been in the stories. Australia long enough to be recog- I am fortunate to have HJ’s family nized as an upstanding member of Bible, which he presented to S.E.L.F. the community. The website Trove: on 1 January 1873. In it, he wrote National Library of Australia (http: that he was born on 22 March 1847 //trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/home), in Tamniarin Townland, Dungiven which has digitized newspapers and Parish, Londonderry, Ireland. Parish much more, has been helpful. A re- registers show that on 25 April port from The Sydney Morning 1847, he was baptized in the Church Herald newspaper of 20 February of Ireland in Dungiven.1 He was the 1869 states that Henry James oldest of nine or ten children of Cromie was one of a group of men

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who had been appointed members passage. This is explained in an of the Public Schools Board in 1874 article in The Australasian, Moama, New South Wales. It sounds which states “Mr. Beath, who knows like a promising beginning for a his family, had advanced £100 to young man of 21. send him home . . .” The choice of According to the family Bible and to wording is interesting, and suggests Australian marriage records, HJ that the return to Ireland wasn’t en- married Sarah Ann Guy, daughter of tirely HJ’s decision. George Atack Guy and Sarah Jarvis, Whatever the exact reason for the on 25 July 1872, in the Wesleyan return, HJ and Sarah Ann embarked Parsonage, Echuca, Victoria,2 just on the ship Loch Lomond, which left across the Murray River from Melbourne for London on 17 Janu- Moama. The marriage certificate ary 1873.3 I hope that Sarah Ann lists HJ’s occupation as storekeeper. was a good sailor. A typical voyage A later report in The Australasian from Melbourne to the United King- newspaper of 12 December 1874 dom in a sailing ship took about 100 stated that the “store” was a large days at that time, and she must have drapery business. This confirms an- spent the entire voyage pregnant. other family story, which states that The couple’s twin daughters, Anna Sarah Ann married Henry James Bella and Beatrice Maude, were Cromie who set [up] a business in born in Dungiven, Ireland, on Echuca, Victoria, Australia. . . . After 9 October 1873. [the business] failed, they moved to Ireland and lived with Henry's fa- HJ was obviously eager to get back ther, Alexander Cromie, for a while. to Australia, either to resume his life or to make yet another new begin- I recently discovered newspaper ning. The SS Great Britain was reports on Trove that shed light on scheduled to sail for Australia from why HJ appeared to be making an- Liverpool on 25 October 1873. other new beginning so soon. In the When she actually departed two Melbourne newspaper, The Argus, of days later, two of the passengers 14 January 1873, a notice in the were Henry J. Cromie and his sister Court of Insolvency refers to the Sarah.4 His wife, 18-year-old Sarah Liquidation by Arrangement of the Ann, and their 3-week-old twins affairs of Henry James Cromie, and were left in Ireland with HJ’s par- the appointment of David Beath of ents. There are conflicting family Melbourne, warehouseman, as the stories about HJ’s intentions at this Trustee. time. One version says that he was As he was bankrupt, I wondered planning to stay in Australia, and where HJ found the money for his another that he was working in

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ans, Mr. Carney, who keeps the Harp of Erin Hotel, to supply him with a buggy, as he thought a drive would do him good. Find- ing Kew getting too hot for him, he went to Lillydale, and there tried the same game, when he was at length arrested by Senior- constable M'Grath, of Kew. He had been drinking a good deal of late, and was Figure 1: The SS Great Britain "suffering a recovery." A letter was Source: State Library of Queensland produced which he had written to Mr. David Beath, of the firm of Beath Australia to earn money to send to and Co., Melbourne, asking him to Ireland to buy a farm there. Perhaps borrow £2,000 for him, to buy land family stories are intentionally in the north of Ireland. It appeared vague, as a newspaper report from that Mr. Beath, who knows his fami- The Australasian of 12 December ly, had advanced £100 to send him 1874 gives us a view of HJ quite dif- home, but he had come out here ferent from the sanitized one again. He was an incorrigible drunk- recorded in family stories. I quote it ard. The Bench sent him to gaol for a month as a vagrant. here in its entirety: At the Kew Police Court on Wednes- After this news item, we lose sight day, Henry James Cromie, who was of HJ for several years, both in fami- at one time in a large business as a ly stories and in official records. I draper at Echuca, and who had some don’t know how long he continued years ago been a candidate for the his life of drinking and vagrancy or constituency of Rodney, was whether he ever returned to Ire- brought up, charged with obtaining land. I also don’t know how he and goods by false pretences. He was Sarah Ann got together again, but further charged with having no visi- they did reunite, and the next rec- ble lawful means of support. It was ord of them is in Scotstown, Quebec, shown that he had gone to nine or ten different publicans at Kew and Canada. According to the 1901 and got drink, food, cigars, and lodgings. 1916 censuses, HJ immigrated in He stated that he had just been din- 1881, and Sarah Ann the following ing with his old friend Sir John year. The twins were not with them, O'Shanassy, and wished to stay as Anna Bella had died in 1874 and some time in the neighbourhood. He Beatrice Maude had been left to be asked one of the confiding public- raised by the family in Ireland.

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According to Leonard Cromie, their surprising. Sarah Ann was reported- grandson, HJ and Sarah Ann ended ly a very strong-willed woman, as up in Canada almost by accident, as well as a strict teetotaller who they were returning to Australia via taught her children to sing a tem- Canada. In a 7 June 1977 letter to perance song titled “Cold Water me, Leonard wrote, Pure.” As for his occupation, HJ En route, at Scotstown, Quebec, An- could well have been a sawmill nie, then pregnant with my father, hand, because a major employer in called a halt. So my father, George Scotstown was Glasgow & Canada Alexander, was born in Scotstown, Land Co. (later Guelph Patent Cask and the other issue followed. & Veneer Co.). However, the 1891 I take this story with a large grain of Census gives his occupation as la- salt. For one thing, the logical route bourer, and the 1901 Census from Ireland to Australia does not reports him as a general business- pass through the Eastern Town- man. This was the longest settled ships of Quebec. For another, the period in HJ’s life, as he and his fam- dates do not fit. If Sarah Ann immi- ily lived in Scotstown for 25 years. grated in 1882, as reported on the censuses, she could not have been pregnant with George, because George was not born until Decem- ber 1883. The place is correct, as George was born in Scotstown, as were the “other issue”: Albert Ed- ward in 1885 (died 1886), Robert James in 1887, Frances Ridley Havergal (my grandmother) in 1889, Samuel Osborne in 1891, and Florence Olive (Flossie) in 1895.5 Quoting Leonard again: Henry James, apart from his repro- ductive functions, settled down to a relatively quiet and probably hen- pecked life in Scotstown as a Figure 2: HJ Cromie in Scotstown, ca. 1905 sawmill hand, laced, it is said, with Source: Author’s collection frequent tots of whisky. Leonard’s account continues, I was told by my mother that the Eventually, the entire family was couple engaged in frequent fiery ar- brought to western Canada by my guments, and this would not be father [George], who had made his

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way there in early youth and steads and the winter months on acquired a homestead in Saskatch- George’s homestead. During most of ewan. those years, Sarah Ann must have Homestead papers6 show that been running George’s farm on her George arrived on his land, near the own in the summers, because in town of Asquith, just west of Saska- 1908 George had moved to the USA, toon, in August 1904. HJ, Sarah Ann to attend the Yale School of Forest- and their younger children, Sam and ry,8 and about the same time Flossie Flossie, joined George on 15 July had joined her sister Frances in Re- 1906. By this time, their other son, gina. In the Census of 1911, Sarah Robert, was living in Vancouver and Ann was alone on George’s home- beginning his career as a newspa- stead, apparently without even a perman, and their older daughter, live-in hired hand. Frances, was at Normal School In the same census, I had a hard (teacher’s college) in Regina. time finding HJ. I don’t know At the age of 59, HJ was making yet whether the information was given another new beginning, this time in by a neighbour or whether HJ was the rigorous environment of a Sas- stretching the truth, but I finally katchewan homestead. I wondered found him listed as John Cromie, why HJ and Sarah Ann would pack Scottish origin, aged 40, born in On- up and move across the country in tario. Despite the inaccuracies, I am their 50s, but according to George’s certain that this was HJ, because homestead application, he and his “John Cromie” was enumerated in brother Bob were supporting the the township where HJ’s homestead family by this time. Bringing them was located, he was surrounded by to Saskatchewan probably seemed neighbours who had signed HJ’s like the practical thing to do. For homestead papers, and with him one year, 1906, George’s 14-foot by was his son Samuel, aged 19. It was 22-foot frame house was bursting at a good lesson about not relying on the seams, as it housed five Cromies, any one record to establish facts. ranging from HJ down to 11-year- Reporting on this period of HJ’s life, old Flossie. Leonard states that he was “a mod- In 1907, HJ and his youngest son, est farmer and a respected rural Sam, each acquired a homestead Justice of the Peace.” HJ and Sam near the town of Biggar, about 60 must have worked hard on their kilometres west of Asquith.7 From homesteads from 1907 to 1912. On 1907 until 1912, HJ and Sam spent 13 April 1912, at the age of 65, HJ the summer months working and was granted a land grant. I have improving their adjoining home- been unable to confirm whether the

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Justice of the Peace story is accu- telegram that Sam, who was by that rate, but I like to think that HJ had time an officer in the British Army,10 earned this badge of respectability. was admitted to hospital with a "gunshot wound left leg severe." Sam recovered from that wound and was sent back to the front. On 17 November, his family re- ceived a telegram notifying them that 2nd Lieutenant S. O. Cromie was dangerously ill at No. 34 RAMC Casualty Clearing Station. The next day they were notified that Sam had died on 17 November 1916. HJ Cromie survived his son Sam by only one month. He died on 17 De- cember 1916 in Asquith, Saskatchewan, Canada, aged 69.11 Reference Notes 1 Figure 3: HJ Cromie in Asquith, Parish Register, Dungiven Church of Saskatchewan, ca. 1910 Ireland, searched at the church by Source: Author’s collection George Cromie in 1936. 2 Births Deaths Marriages Victoria In 1911, HJ and his family had been (www.bdm.vic.gov.au), entry for joined by his sister Maggie Heaney, George Atack Guy and Sarah Jarvis. from Ireland. That same year, 3 “Index to Outward Passengers to George, Bob, and Frances had all Interstate, UK, NZ and Foreign Ports married, all far from the farm at As- 1852–1923,” Public Record Office Vic- quith. toria (http://prov.vic.gov.au/ research/ships-and-shipping). In 1915, HJ and Sarah Ann’s young- 4 Adrian Ball, Is Yours an SS Great Brit- est son, Sam, joined the Canadian ain Family? (Kenneth Mason Expeditionary Force and was sent to Publications Ltd., Emsworth, Hamp- fight in France.9 shire, 1988). By the time of the 1916 Census, the 5 Cromie family Bible in possession of household on George’s homestead the author. consisted of HJ, Sarah Ann, and 6 Provincial Archives of Saskatchewan, Maggie, all in their 60s. On 28 Sep- Homestead File No. 902953. tember 1916, they received a 7 Ibid, Files No. 1223156 and No. 1325193.

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8 “George Cromie Dies: First City Tree expeditionary-force.aspx) RG150, Acc Director,” New Haven Register, March 1992-93/166,box 2153-2. 1956. 10 “WW I British Army Officers’ Service 9 “Soldiers of the First World War – Ca- Records”: The National Archives, WO nadian Expeditionary Force,” Library 339/54963. and Archives Canada (http://www. 11 eHealth Saskatchewan (http://geneal bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/military- ogy.ehealthsask.ca/vsgs_srch.aspx). heritage/first-world-war/first-world- war-1914-1918-cef/Pages/canadian- © 2016 Wendy Croome

Overcoming Adversity: the Billingsleys

BY ANDREW BILLINGSLEY Andrew’s previous ACR article about his uncle Alex Rowat (“An Officer and a Gentleman,” Summer 2014) struck a chord with a BIFHSGO member who had family links to Cobalt, Ontario, where Alex was liv- ing on enlistment. The member had a photo of the Cobalt war memo- rial listing war dead, including T.A. Rowat, of whom he knew nothing, and a memorial of which Andrew knew nothing. ACR serendipity! hat follows is an attempt John had grown up on the north to follow the lives of cer- shore of the Bay of Chaleur of the W tain of my family mem- Atlantic Ocean on the Gaspé Penin- bers through five generations cover- sula. The location, now known as ing 150 years in North America. It New Carlisle, Quebec, was chosen begins in 1771, when a great-great- mainly to accommodate the grow- great-great-grandfather left London, ing number of refugees from the England, for the Thirteen Colonies, Thirteen Colonies loyal to Britain and ends in 1921, when my paternal during the American Revolution. grandfather began using his moth- John’s parents were Richard er’s maiden name. Billingsley and Elizabeth Pearson. Over those years, my ancestors had They were among the 315 passen- more than their share of setbacks, gers, including 132 children, who particularly the death of a father of had sailed in two brigs, a snow,1 a a very young family; nonetheless, all hoy2 and four whale boats from the managed to eventually thrive. port of Quebec on 9 June 1784. Two years later, the two were married. Master Mariner John Christopher Billingsley was a great-great- On arrival in early July, the incom- grandfather of mine. Born in 1802, ing families were each provided

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with rations for at least three recorded in the Anglican church months, as well as “an axe, hammer, records in Codsall, Shropshire, in saw, hoe, spade, seeds, nails, and a England. Richard was the eldest son pair of hinges. . . . Each group of five of William and Mary Billingsley and families received a whipsaw for had five brothers, one of whom was making planks, and a gun for hunt- William. (The famous British flower ing.”3 A draw for lots followed on 3 painter, William Billingsley, the in- August 1784. spiration for the Billingsley Rose tableware from Spode, was also Three weeks later, it was reported baptized in 1758, but in Derby, 40 that miles away. His parents were also the refugees there were cheerfully William and Mary.)5 occupied in building their homes, and were becoming more and more John’s mother, Elizabeth, was the pleased with their lands . . . it is the daughter of Christopher Pearson, a best country for a poor man that he Loyalist breeches-maker. He, with had ever seen, on account of the his wife and children, had left Lon- great quantities of fish, game, and don, England, for Philadelphia in timber, and the fertility of the soil. 1771. Elizabeth would have been 4 Even small plots produce exceeding- years old at that time and 17 on ar- ly good wheat, peas, potatoes, flax etc.4 rival in New Carlisle. In the intervening years, the family had John’s father, Richard, had been a lost a daughter and their mother, British private in the Grenadier and had been driven off their land Company of the 31st Regiment of near the Mohawk River in New York Foot, as a locksmith. He first ap- State. In one account, Christopher peared on its muster rolls at Pointe “painted his children to resemble aux Trembles, near Montreal, in De- Indians”6 to escape the rebels, and cember 1782, age 24, with three in 1777, joined Butler’s Rangers. years of military service. Our as- The family fled to Niagara, then to a sumption is that Richard was among Loyalist refugee camp near present- reinforcements sent from Britain in day Trois Rivieres, Quebec. There, 1780 after the capitulation of the Christopher married again, to a British forces at Saratoga, New Loyalist widow with seven children. York, in 1777. Richard is listed among those discharged British sol- Plentiful fish, especially cod, had diers and Loyalist refugees who left long generated interest in the Bay of Quebec in June 1784. Chaleur, and by 1766, fishermen from as far away as the island of Richard’s birth on 1 April 1757 and Jersey had established themselves baptism the following year were there. In the 10 years before 1796,

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176 sailing vessels had been regis- operation took place in 1832, John tered in New Carlisle alone, as being just 30 years old. It concerned required by the British government. a trans-Atlantic voyage that was not From as early as 1790, a number of able to reach its destination at the New Carlisle Loyalists and their de- port of Quebec on time. scendants were ship owners, ship The schooner in question was the builders, and masters, of a substan- Prudent, and the story begins on 25 tial number of schooners, brigantines, and brigs.7 August 1832 in Limerick, Ireland. The ship is described as then being As there were no sawmills on the tight, staunch, and strong, well and coast at that time, the ships were sufficiently provided, equipped, and made of wood felled with a broad- furnished with all things needful axe and then sawed into lumber by and necessary for a voyage at sea, hand. They transported cargoes of and kept hatches well and sufficient- cod and other local products to ly caulked and covered. Quebec, Halifax and St. John’s, and The crew was made up of a mate, even sailed to far-off markets: Eng- John’s brother-in-law James Popley, land, Spain, Italy, and the Caribbean. and a seaman. The Billingsley name was among Carrying a cargo of biscuits, butter, those of the eight most prominent and limestone, the Prudent set sail builders. Richard Billingsley, 12 for its first port of call, St. John’s, years older than John, built himself Newfoundland. Crossing the Atlan- a schooner, the Venus, in 1818, of tic was uneventful; St. John’s was which he was registered as “mas- reached about a month later, on 23 ter.” His two younger brothers, John September 1832. Then, three weeks and Benjamin, equally owned an- later, Sunday, 14 October 1832, hav- other schooner and a brigantine. ing discharged its cargo, and taking This schooner, launched in 1828 on another of codfish and six cases with John as “master,” was called of cigars, the Prudent began the next the Prudent. It was 54 feet long, stage of its voyage to Quebec. with one deck and two masts, and a capacity of 65 tons. Early the next day, the winds “in- creased to a small gale,” splitting the A good example of John’s seafaring top sail, with the sea “running very life was recorded by a New Carlisle high, and making a clean breach of notary in an Act of Protest, which is the vessel.” The main mast was only summarized below.8 An Act of Pro- prevented from going by the board test is a statement of fact to explain by the “remitting labour and exer- the circumstances behind a failure tion” of the crew. The north wind to fulfill a contract. This particular

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picked up again that evening off Cape Race at the tip of Newfound- land’s Avalon Peninsula, splitting the standing jib and breaking the jib boom. By the following Saturday, despite continuing heavy seas, and losing the jib stay, the crew was able to make repairs to the rigging, sails, and spars, and the Prudent found it- self near the island of St. Pierre, the French possession close to New- foundland. It was agreed to find a new mast there, which took some time, and the replacement was not in place until another week had gone by. Figure 1: John Christopher Billingsley’s A week later, now in early Novem- headstone, St. Andrews Anglican ber, the Prudent was just off the tip Church, New Carlisle, Que. of Cape Breton Island. Heavy seas Source: Author were “almost sweeping the deck, ley Street is in 2016. John appears and stove in parts of the bulwark,” to have lived with his parents until and a gale “carried away a great they had both died, his mother’s portion of the sails.” Snow, heavy at death being on 29 January 1839. times, had begun to fall. After con- That year, John leased his property sulting with the crew, and seeing no in return for half the produce. prospect of reaching the port of Quebec that season, John set the The next June, John married Mary course for Gaspe harbour, where Ann Thomson, from a family of one the schooner spent the winter. The son and two daughters who had all weather had prevented him from emigrated to Quebec from Plym- meeting his contractual obligations. outh, England. They were married in the Anglican Cathedral of the Ho- John is also always described as a ly Trinity in that city. Three children farmer in notarial documents. On followed, all born in New Carlisle: his 100-acre lot immediately to the Frederick Charles Bernard Thom- west of New Carlisle, he had a son in 1841, (named after Mary house, barn, and stable, with four Ann’s brother), Elizabeth in 1843, oxen used for plowing, and two and Charlotte in 1845. horses. It is perhaps where Billings- Anglo-Celtic Roots • Quarterly Chronicle 12 Volume 22, Number 3 •Fall 2016

Less than a month after Charlotte’s products” to England, as “a junior birth, John was found dead “from a clerk.” The Burstalls were brothers wound received from the accidental from Hull, England. In 1862, a Bur- discharge of his fowling piece.”9 stall nephew, John, who had John was 43 years old, and Mary apprenticed with the firm, formed Ann just 28. John was buried in the his own company in partnership churchyard of St. Andrew’s Anglican Church in New Carlisle. Mary Ann and her children, the eldest only 5 years old, moved back to Quebec to reside with her unmarried brother. The Prudent was sold in 1846 for 155 British pounds, Mary Ann’s share being half.

Figure 3: Frederick Billingsley Source: Men of Canada, (J.A. Cooper, ed., The Canadian Historical Company, Mont- real and Toronto, 1901–2) with a partner in Liverpool, Eng- land. Frederick Billingsley was hired as his accountant. John and Frederick also became shareholders in the Quebec Ware- house Company, with the latter as secretary, eventually becoming Figure 2: Engagement portrait, Frederick president. In 1866, Frederick mar- Billingsley and Anne Longmuir ried Anne Longmuir. By the begin- Source: Image 1-21035.1, Notman collection, ning of the 1870s, John Burstall and McCord Museum, Montreal, Que. Company “was in excellent financial shape. . . . At Quebec, it owned a Mary Ann’s son Frederick was edu- steamship, two barges, nine small cated in Quebec, and at age 13 he boats, and a lumber cove.”10 Three joined the firm of H. & E. Burstall, more Liverpool partners were “important exporters of forest

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admitted in 1875, and in 1877, Frederick was one of two others admitted as partners. Before the development of the steam carrying trade, for a long pe- riod of years, the firm exported annually to Great Britain from 120 to 200 cargos of timber and deals.11 Beginning in 1886, the partners be- gan to withdraw, and four years later only Frederick and John re- mained. However, the firm was valued at between $150,000 and $200,000 in 1895, just before John’s death in early 1896. Frederick re- Figure 3: Charlotte Billingsley mained a partner until his death in Source: author 1904 at age 63. aide-de-camp to the Lieutenant Governor of Quebec for a number of Frederick’s mother never remar- years. Their eldest daughter was ried; she is buried in the Thomson called Charlotte, named after her plot at Mount Hermon Cemetery in aunt. Quebec. Her daughter, Charlotte, one of my great-grandmothers, In the 90-plus years since the sur- married Emil Poliwka, and adopted name change, my grandfather’s his Czech family name. descendants have led relatively qui- et lives, many concentrating on During the First World War, Ger- raising happy families. There are man-sounding names became a now four new generations helping handicap in Canada. In February keep family history alive. 1921, by Assembly Bill 114 in the Quebec Parliament, three of Char- Reference Notes lotte’s sons took their mother’s 1 A snow, snaw or snauw is a square- maiden name.12 Her son Frederick, rigged vessel with two masts, com- named after his uncle, was my plemented by a snow- or trysail-mast grandfather. stepped immediately abaft (behind) the main mast. Wikipedia (Wikipe- Frederick’s other sister, Elizabeth, dia.org) entry for “Snow(ship).” married Jean-Baptiste Amyot, 2 A hoy was a small sloop-rigged coast- whose family dates back to 1608 in ing ship or a heavy barge used for Quebec. Mr. Amyot graduated in law freight, usually with a burthen of from Laval University, and was

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about 60 tons. Wikipedia (Wikipe- 8 Act of Protest, before Martin Shep- dia.org) entry for “Hoy(boat).” pard, notary public, sworn in New 3 Hall, Eleanor Blois. “Loyalists of the Carlisle, Que. April 23, 1833, by John Gaspe,” The Loyalists of the Eastern Billingsley, James Popley, and Hugh Townships of Quebec, (United Empire Morrison Loyalists Association of Canada, 9 Parish Registers, St. Andrews Anglican 1984). Church, New Carlisle, Que. Microfilms 4 Siebert, Prof. Wilbur H. “The Loyalist F5927 and F5928, Provincial Archives Settlements on the Gaspe Peninsula,” of New Brunswick, Fredericton, N.B. (Transactions of the Royal Society, 10 Benoit, Jean. “Burstall, John,” Diction- 1914). ary of Canadian Biography, volume 5 Barrett, Franklin H. and Thorpe, Ar- 12. University of Toronto/Laval Uni- thur L. Derby Porcelain, (Faber and versity, 1990. Faber, 1971). 11 Defebaugh, James E. History of the 6 Annett, Ken, editor. Gaspe of Yesterday, Lumber Industry of America, 1906. volume 11, 2000, privately published 12 Pfeiffer, Norma Billingsley. The 7 McDougall, David J. “The Gaspe Loyal- Billingsley Family of Canada, privately ists,” The Loyalist Gazette, volume 21, published 2000. Autumn 1983)

Traumatic Start to Ottawa War Bride Voyage

BY JOHN D. REID John posts the Canada’s Anglo-Celtic Connections blog, contributes “The Cream of the Crop” column to ACR, speaks at genealogy meetings and conferences, and even finds time to uncover information like that cited below.

here were half a million Ca- Seventy years ago Canada was com- nadians in Britain and ing toward the end of bringing over T elsewhere in Europe during 43,454 war brides and 20,997 of the Second World War. Along with their children, which likely does not hatred for Hitler and all he repre- include another 600 who went to sented they carried with them a Newfoundland, not then part of capability for love, and you know Canada. what that can lead to.

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Some of the war bride children, in- Two weeks later they returned to cluding John McConkey and Lynne the Empire Brent, which carried Willoughby, are BIFHSGO members. most of the same passengers to Hal- ifax, arriving on lucky Friday 13 On 20 November 1946, 900 wives December. and 300 children of Canadian ser- vicemen bound for Halifax, Nova Some first-hand accounts by war Scotia, left Liverpool on the Empire brides on that voyage are at www. Brent, which made several such pier21.ca/wp-content/uploads/ voyages. files/research_war_brides .pdf. They didn't get far. Their ship, A group from that voyage (31 war 13,959 tons, collided in the foggy brides and 17 children) was des- dawn light with the freighter Stor- tined for Ottawa, one of the largest mont, 1,031 tons, mid-river in the war bride groups to come to the Ot- Mersey. tawa Valley. Most of the 210 head of cattle and Most were British, a few Dutch and horses on the Stormont, many one Belgian. They arrived late Sun- thrown into the water, did not sur- day afternoon, 15 December. vive. Fortunately, because the hour Some of the names mentioned in was early, most of the women and The Ottawa Citizen were Bailey, children did not witness the scene. Bush, Butler, Corke, Cox, Goode- The Empire Brent returned for re- nough, Leblanc, McConnell, pairs; the Canada-bound women MacDonald, Penman, Potvin, Rob- and children disembarked at Bir- erts, Ross, Stevenson, and Wyand. kenhead and set off by train to If you know about any of their transient accommodation in Lon- stories, please let us know at don, and some for an unanticipated [email protected]! visit back to their parental homes.

Anglo-Celtic Roots • Quarterly Chronicle 16 Volume 22, Number 3 •Fall 2016

Edwin Salway: From Somerset to Stayner©

BY MARY-LOU SIMAC Mary-Lou, the BIFHSGO Publicity Director, has been researching her family history for about six years. She is a retired federal public servant who worked for Canadian Heritage and Industry Canada. She has com- pleted several online family history courses from the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, and is a graduate of Boston University’s online Genealogical Research certificate program. hat does a young husband people from their homes and exten- with a wife and small sive damage.1 W children hope for when he Edwin Salway was born in Othery, a immigrates to another country? A small village of about 600 people on better life for himself and his family the River Parrett, one of the main would likely be at the top of many a rivers on the Somerset Levels. "wish list." Whatever my paternal Othery is located about 10 km great-grandfather Edwin Salway southeast of Bridgwater. dreamed of, one can only hope that he achieved some of his goals, but Edwin was born in 1850,2 to Job untimely deaths (including his own) Solway and Charlotte Keirle. The surely prevented the full realization Salways, whose family name was of all his dreams. sometimes spelled Solway, had lived in Somerset from at least the His birthplace, Somerset County, is mid-1700s. 3 Edwin’s father, Job, largely rural and is located in the was variously a butcher4 and a southwest of England, bordered by “farmer of 20 acres.”5 Job was the the counties of Wiltshire to the east, son of William Salway and Sarah Gloucestershire and the city of Bris- Talbot Salway (1785–1875), the lat- tol to the north, Devon to the south- ter living to age 90—unusual in a west, and Dorset to the southeast. It time when the average life expec- is also partly bounded to the north tancy was much less. The lady was by the Bristol Channel and the estu- obviously very durable! ary of the River Severn. Somerset Edwin (age 23) married Virginia County featured prominently in Sparks (age 21) of neighbouring British news stories during the win- Westonzoyland in 1873.6 The young ter of 2013–14, as flooding on the couple had at least four children,7 Somerset Levels (160,000 acres of and likely immigrated to Canada in low-lying land) was a serious prob- late 1880 or early 1881. Did the pe- lem that caused the evacuation of riodic disastrous flooding episodes

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have anything to do with their deci- taken beginning on 4 April 1881. At sion? the time, Edwin and Virginia were The villages of Othery and Weston- the parents of four young children, zoyland are located between the all born in England: Ernest Edwin, River Parrett and the King's Sedg- born 4 November 1874, age 5; Al- moor Drain, in an area bisected by bert Edmond, born October 1876, rhynes (drainage ditches), and right age 4; Philip, born 26 May 1878, age at the heart of the area affected by 2; and Agnes Ellen Sophia, born Sep- the 2014 flooding. The Somerset tember 1880, age 7 months. Edwin’s Levels has suffered periodic severe occupation was listed as labourer. inundations, notably in 1607, in By the time of the next Canadian which over 2,000 people were re- Census in 1891, dramatic changes portedly killed. In 1872, sea walls had occurred: Virginia was dead, were breached and over 7,000 acres the family had broken up, and the became flooded with salt water. children were scattered. Virginia Were the Salways running out of pa- had died in November 1881 at age tience? 28 of unknown causes.9 Edwin must The Edwin Salway family is men- have had difficulty maintaining a tioned for the first time in the household for his children—10 Canadian Census of 1881,8 living in years after her death, two of the Stayner (near Collingwood), Simcoe three boys (Albert and Philip)10 County, Ontario. The census was were living with other families in the area, their occupations listed as “Dom.,” i.e. domestics. The term normally re- fers to serv- ants, cooks or house- keepers. The whereabouts of Ernest in 1891 are not Figure 1: Somerset County, England confirmed. Source: Google Maps Edwin's options were likely quite limited; it does not appear that any

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of his or Virginia's siblings immi- Just before Christmas 1896, tragedy grated to Canada, so there were no struck again, when Edwin died at- members of the immediate family to age 54. The longevity of Edwin's fall back on. Placement of the boys grandmother was not to be his des- with farm families in Simcoe County tiny. There is no epitaph—the may well have been the best course barely legible inscription is a foot- of action. note on first wife Virginia (Sparks) 14 Neither Edwin nor his daughter Salway's stone. After her hus- Agnes appears in the 1891 Canada, band's death from pneumonia in 15 England or U.S. censuses. Their 1896, the widowed Margaret Sal- whereabouts remain a mystery; way/Solway relocated to Toronto however, it seems likely that Edwin with her six children sometime be- 16 remained in the area, as he remar- tween 1901, when she lived in 17 ried in 1888,11 seven years after the Simcoe County, and 1911, when death of his first wife, to my great- she and her children are shown liv- grandmother, Margaret McKeck- ing in West Toronto. ran/McEachern of Stayner, age 24, a spinster who was 13 years his junior. Margaret was born in Scotland, and came to Canada at age 3 with her parents.12 Ed- win’s occupation was listed as porter (likely for the railway) at the time of his marriage to Marga- ret. The town of Stayner, originally known as Not- tawa-saga Station, had its origin with the opening of the Northern Railway in 1854.13 The line ran from Toronto to Colling- wood, on Georgian Bay. Edwin and Figure 2: Stayner, Ontario Margaret lived in Stayner, which Source: Google Maps was incorporated as a town in 1888, and their family started to grow; six The reason for the move is unclear. children were born. She was able to keep her family

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together, raising the children in never met his grandfather Edwin, is Toronto on her own. All except one aged 94 and still going strong. Hap- outlived her. The remaining five pily, he seems to be continuing the children were all able to establish trend to longevity. I can only hope themselves successfully. Margaret that this descendant of Edwin’s never remarried. should be so lucky! What happened to the four children Reference Notes in Edwin's first family? Edwin does 1 British Broadcasting Corporation not seem to have reunited with (http://www.bbc.com/news/uk- them after his second marriage, and england-somerset-26157538: ac- perhaps it is no surprise, as the cessed 30 June 2014). children were now older and out on 2 “England and Wales, 1851 Census,” da- their own, whether by force or by tabase, Ancestry (www.ancestry.com: choice. Parental absence for much accessed 30 June 2014), entry for Job of their childhoods did not seem to Solway and family. Somerset County, hold the children back, however. Bridgwater Registration District, sub- district Stowey, 3a, Piece 1924, Folio Ernest married and initially estab- 409, Page 2, Image 20/34. Original da- lished himself in Simcoe County, ta: Census Returns of England and then relocated to Hilliard Township, Wales, 1851. Kew, Surrey, England: near Earlton, where he farmed.18 He The U.K. National Archives (TNA): is buried in Englehart, Ontario, hav- Public Record Office (PRO), 1851. ing lived to the age of 90.19 Albert, a 3 “England and Wales, 1841 Census,” miner who worked at Copper Cliff, database, Ancestry (www.ancestry. Ontario, was not quite so lucky, dy- com: accessed 30 June 2014), entry for William Salway, born about 1777. 20 ing in 1899 at age 22. Philip emi- (Names of earlier possible direct line grated to the U.S. in 1897, and died ancestors are known, but need verifi- in Michigan21 at the age of 98.22 cation). Somerset County, Langport Agnes seems to have married and Registration District, Piece 957, Book lived in northern Ontario, where she 1, Civil Parish Aller, Place Sedgmoor, died at the age of 81.23 Enumeration District 6, Folio 19, Page 12, Image 7/8. Original data: Census If children are the messengers one Returns of England and Wales, 1841. sends into the future, together Ed- Kew, Surrey, England: The National win Salway and his two wives sent Archives of the UK (TNA): Public Rec- quite a few: at least 10 in all. In spite ord Office (PRO), 1841. of having to endure abrupt life 4 “England and Wales, 1851 Census,” da- changes that many people would tabase, Ancestry (www.ancestry.com), find unsettling, Edwin's children not entry for Job Solway and family. only survived, but thrived, some to 5 “England and Wales, 1861 Census,” an advanced age. My father, who database, Ancestry (www.ancestry. Anglo-Celtic Roots • Quarterly Chronicle 20 Volume 22, Number 3 •Fall 2016

com: accessed 30 June 2014), entry 2014), entry for George Plowright for Job Salway and family. Somerset family: County, Bridgwater Union Registra- Vespra Twp., Simcoe North, Simcoe tion District, sub-district Middlezoy, County, Ontario, Roll T-6369, Family Enumeration district 3b, Othery Vil- No 80, Image 55/64. lage, Image 3/13. Original data: 11 “Ontario, Canada, Marriages 1801– Census Returns of England and Wales, 1928, 1933–34,” database, Ancestry 1861. Kew, Surrey, England: The U.K. (www.ancestry.com: accessed 30 June National Archives (TNA): Public Rec- 2014), entry for Edwin Solway and ord Office (PRO), 1861. Margaret McKecheran, Image 6 Marriage Certificate for Edwin Salway 138/210. Original data: Archives of and Virginia Sparks, both of Othery, Ontario, Toronto, Ontario. MS 932. Bridgwater District, Somerset County. 12 “Canada, 1921 Census,” Ancestry Married 27 March 1873. Copy of cer- tificate issued 2 November 2015 by (www.ancestry.com: accessed 14 Au- General Register Office, London, UK. gust 2016), entry for Margaret Salway (widow), in son Percy Salway’s family, 7 Some researchers believe that Edwin living at 974 College Street, Toronto. and Virginia had a daughter named RG 31, Folder Number 79, Census Florence in England in September Place Toronto (City), Parkdale, Ontar- 1873, whom they did not bring to io, Page Number 13, Image 14/16. Canada. Her 1897 marriage certificate 13 has been ordered, in hopes of learning Hunter, Andrew F. A History of Simcoe the parents’ names. County (Oshawa, Ontario: Mackinaw Productions, 1998). Originally pub- 8 “Canada, 1881 Census,” database, An- lished 1909. cestry (www.ancestry.com: accessed 14 30 June 2014), entry for Edwin Sal- Stayner Union Cemetery, grave way and family. Simcoe North, marker for Virginia Salway. inscrip- Ontario; Roll C_13251, Page 28, Fami- tion for Edwin Salway, died 15 ly No 131, Sub-district Stayner, Image December 1896. Viewed 30 July 15/22. Images reproduced by courte- 2012. sy of Library and Archives Canada, 15 “Ontario, Canada, Deaths, 1869–1938 Ottawa, Canada. and Deaths Overseas, 1939–1947,” 9 Stayner Union Cemetery, 7661 High- database, Ancestry (www.ancestry. way 26, Vasey Twp., Simcoe County, com: accessed 31 March 2014), entry Ontario. Grave marker for Virginia for Edwin Solway, died 15 December Salway, died 6 November 1881. 1896, Stayner, Simcoe Co., Ontario, Viewed 30 July 2012. Image 64/114. Original data: Archives of Ontario, Toronto, Ontario. Series 10 Albert and Philip lived with different MS935, Reel 80. families. For example, Philip Salway 16 lived with and worked for the George “Canada, 1901 Census,” Library and Plowright family. See “Canada, 1891 Archives Canada (www.collections Census of Canada,” database, Ancestry canada.gc.ca/databases/census-19: (www.ancestry.com: accessed 30 June accessed 8 August 2016), entry for Anglo-Celtic Roots • Quarterly Chronicle 21 Volume 22, Number 3 •Fall 2016

Margaret Solway (widow) and six 20 “Ontario, Canada, Deaths, 1869–1938 children. District Simcoe North, Sub- and Deaths Overseas, 1939–1947,” district Stayner, Ontario, Family 39. Ancestry (www.ancestry.com: ac- 17 “Canada, 1911 Census,” Ancestry cessed 30 June 2014), entry for Albert (www.ancestry.com: accessed 30 June Salway, died 8 March 1899, District of 2014), entry for Margaret Salway Nipissing, Ontario, Image 19/47. (widow) and six children, living at Original data: Archives of Ontario, To- 353 Montrose Avenue, Toronto West, ronto, Ontario. Series MS935, Reel 93. Sub-district 30, Ward 5, Page 11, Fam- 21 “Find A Grave Index, 1805–2012,” da- ily No. 111. Image 11/12. Original tabase, Ancestry (www.ancestry.com: data: Census of Canada, 1911, Library accessed 30 June 2014), entry for and Archives Canada, Ottawa, Ontario. Philip E Salway, died 16 January 18 “Canada, 1911 Census,” Ancestry 1978, Michigan. (www.ancestry.com), entry for Ernest 22 Findagrave (http://www.findagrave. Solway. Nipissing, District no. 99, sub- com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=pv&Grid= district: Temiscaming, Enumeration 97840856&PIpi=67949779: accessed district no. 82, Hilliard Township. Im- 30 June 2014), gravemarker, Philip E age 6/7. Original data: Library and Salway, died 1978, Pine Grove Ceme- Archives Canada RG31-C-1. Ottawa, tery, Chippewa County, Sault-Ste. Ontario. Statistics Canada Fonds. Mi- Marie, Michigan. crofilm reels T-20326 to T-20460. 23 Personal communication with de- 19 Findagrave (http://www.findagrave. scendants via Ancestry messaging com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid= service, November 2012. 114309168) gravemarker, Ernest © 2016 Mary-Lou Simac Edwin Solway, died 20 March 1964. Englehart Cemetery, Englehart, On- tario. We Shall Remember Them©

BY SHEILA DOHOO FAURE This is the second in ACR’s sampling of the WW I biographies of soldiers who died at No. 1 Canadian Casualty Clearing Station that appear in the station’s database on www.bifhsgo.ca.The biographies are researched by several BIFHSGO volunteers. Lance Corporal Clarence Ellyn Fletcher Regimental Number: 484359 18th Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force larence Ellyn Fletcher was birth is not certain.1 He was the son born on 13 March, probably in of Clarence and Mary Fletcher. His C 1898; however, the year of his father was born in Ontario2 in 1864 Anglo-Celtic Roots • Quarterly Chronicle 22 Volume 22, Number 3 •Fall 2016

and his mother, Mary (née Max- Clarence had three younger full sib- well), was probably born in about lings: Gordon Carlyle (born in 1877 in the United States.3 At some 1900),6 Margret (born in 1901, but point, his father apparently went to died in 1902)7 and William Douglas the United States. (known as Douglas) (born in 1902).8 Finding information about Clar- ence’s early life was greatly aided In 1901, Clarence’s father was a coal by finding a biography of his young- miner in Fernie, British Columbia.9 er brother, Gordon Ellwyn, who had The family’s time in British Colum- a long career in the Royal Canadian bia was marred first by the death, Mounted Police.4 There was much on 29 April 1902, of his sister Marg- variation in the surnames used by ret. Then less than a month later his the family or appearing in the offi- father was killed in a mining acci- cial records—Fletcher, Ellyn, Ellwyn dent at Cold Creek, British Colum- and Ott. “For some unknown reason, bia.10 On the night of 22 May, there Gordon’s father changed the origi- was a massive explosion at the nal family name from Fletcher to Crow’s Nest Pass Coal Co. at Coal Ellyn after immigrating to Canada Creek near Fernie, resulting in the from Pittsburg Pennsylvania.”5 Clar- death of 150–175 miners.11 Clar- ence retained the name Fletcher for ence’s father was one of them. He his military service, but appears in was raising horses and/or mules (a other records with the surnames El- "Driver Boss") and was reportedly lyn or Ott. delivering a load of horses or mules at the time of the accident.12 His body was not found for quite some months. In spite of reports that the “company will pay all funeral expenses, relieve against immediate want and suffering and pro- vide permanently against destitution,”13 family reports suggest that no compensa- tion was paid to the widows. It was a difficult time for Clarence and his family. The strain on the family would Figure 1: Ellyn family—Clarence, Mary, Douglas & Gordon have increased with the birth, only a Source: Barrie Ellwyn few months later, on 25 December

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1902, of Clarence’s brother Doug- Glen & Albert) would all use the las.14 surname of Ellwyn. However, more stability came to the On 21 January 1915, Clarence en- family in the next few years. listed in the Canadian Expeditionary By 1906, Mary Ellyn had moved Force (CEF), joining the 50th Battal- back to Lethbridge and married Wil- ion, claiming to be 19 years old.17 He liam Albert Ott, who was 12 years indicated that he was born on 13 her senior. William Ott was a well March 1895 in Lethbridge, Alberta. established and affluent business- However, his brother’s profile indi- man in Lethbridge Alberta. He had cates that he lied about his age by been married previously and three years in order to enlist. With brought five of his children into this the outbreak of World War I, both new blended marriage. Together William and Mary had three chil- Clarence Ellyn-Fletcher and Gordon dren: Ralph, Glen and Albert. . . . To Ellwyn were anxious to join the Ca- avoid further confusion, the three nadian Expeditionary Forces and girls and two original Ott boys kept contribute to the fighting in Europe. the surname of OTT.”15 Clarence was, therefore, only 16 Gordon and Douglas did not like be- years old when he enlisted. He was 5’ 10” tall, with a fair complexion, ing teased for having a name that 18 sounded like the girl’s name “Ellen,” grey eyes and black hair. so they changed the name to Ell- After his basic training, he was wyn.16 Later, the original Ellyn boys shipped off to Europe and was at- th and the last three Ott boys (Ralph, tached to the 18 Battalion (Western Ontario Regiment).”19 It is not clear when Clarence left Canada for England but, in Septem- ber 1915, he was with the 23rd Canadian Reserve Battalion while attending a Colt Machine Gun course, probably in Shorncliffe, Eng- land.20 In January 1916, he was transferred from the 23rd to the 18th Battalion. On 20 January 1916, he was at the Canadian Base Depot Figure 2: Clarence in Le Havre, and he joined his bat- Source: talion in the field about a week later. Barrie Ellwyn Eight months afterward, Clarence began the first of a number of hospi- talizations—this time for an injury Anglo-Celtic Roots • Quarterly Chronicle 24 Volume 22, Number 3 •Fall 2016

sustained on the Front. On 19 Sep- In February 1918, he was hospital- tember 1916, he was wounded by ized for a fourth time, this time at shrapnel that perforated the front of Bramshott Hospital, where he spent his left thigh and injured his foot. He two months being treated for der- was taken to the 1st Australian matitis. He had had scabies in General Hospital and was trans- January, which resulted in a red ferred two days later to England. He rash over most of his body. In April was hospitalized in Queen Mary’s he transferred to the 4th Reserve Military Hospital in Whalley, Lanca- Battalion. On 1 September, he was shire. By early November, the appointed a Lance Corporal and lat- wound had almost healed, but the er that month he was transferred to flexibility in his knee was limited to the 18th Battalion. a right angle and he was still experi- In November 1918 Clarence was encing pain in the front of his thigh. hospitalized for the fifth and final In November he was sent to the Mil- itary Convalescent Hospital in Woodcote Park, Epsom. He was discharged from Woodcote Park on 3 January 1917, but just a few weeks later he was admitted to a specialized military hospital at the Chisledon Camp in Wiltshire for treatment of gonorrhoea. The 1,100-bed hospital was focused on the treatment of venereal disease.21 He appears to have been there until Figure 3: late April. He was probably sent to Clarence the Canadian Convalescent Depot in in uniform Bramshott sometime in the spring Source: Barrie Ellwyn of 1917. Clarence’s third hospitalization oc- curred just months later. In late July 1917, he scratched his right thumb time. He was admitted to No. 1 Ca- and the scratch became infected. He nadian Casualty Clearing Station on was treated for about a week at the 24 November.22 The day he was Bramshott Hospital. While he was in admitted, the 18th Canadian Battal- hospital in August, he signed a will ion had left Chapelle-lez-Herlaimont leaving everything to his mother. in Belgium in the morning for a full-

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day march to Fleurus, just over 20 kilometres to the east.23 The battal- ion had begun its journey to Ger- many as an army of occupation on 18 November 1918. Every day since the march began, one or more other ranks (non-officers) had been ad- mitted to hospital, and the war diary entry for 24 November notes that “15 O.R.s [other ranks] admit- ted to hospital.” Clarence may have been one of these. Clarence died at No 1 CCCS just over a week later (2 December) of influ- enza. He was buried the same day in Gosselies Communal Cemetery (Grave 254), with Chaplain W. O’Neill Fisher presiding. The chap- Figure 5: Lance Corporal Fletcher’s grave- lain also notified his mother, Mrs W. stone, Gosselies Communal Cemetery A. Ott, of his death. She was living at Source: author 320 7th Avenue, South Lethbridge, Influenza accounted for most deaths Alberta. at the 1st Canadian Casualty Clear- ing Station after the Armistice.24 In spite of the horrif- ic number of sol- diers killed in World War I, the influenza pan- demic, which af- fected the whole world and scourged Europe in 1918–1919, killed more peo- ple than the war itself.25

Figure 4: Unsent postcard to Clarence's sister It is unlikely that Clarence saw Alice circa Jan. 1915 any of the celebrations of the Source: Barrie Ellwyn Canadian soldiers that took Anglo-Celtic Roots • Quarterly Chronicle 26 Volume 22, Number 3 •Fall 2016

place along their march route. On 1918. He was not supposed to serve 19 November, “A Dance was given at the Front until he was 19 on 30 by the villagers at night in the Town May 1919. In June 1918 Gordon Hall to the members of the battal- sailed to England, where he was ion. The Regtl. Band provided the sent to Camp Shorncliffe in Kent for music.”26 training. He was just about to be shipped to the Western Front when On 25 November, “Shortly after the the Armistice was signed. arrival of the Battalion, a civilian Brass Band and Bugle Band played Gordon returned to Canada in May through the streets.” 1919. He then joined the Saskatch- ewan Provincial Police and, when Clarence was probably awarded the the Royal Canadian Mounted Police British War Medal (for service over- (RCMP) took over policing in Sas- seas between 1914 and 1918) and katchewan, he joined the Manitoba the Victory Medal (for service in an Provincial Police. When the RCMP operational theatre).27 He missed took over policing in that province, qualifying for the 1914–15 Star (for Gordon joined the RCMP, where he service in the war against Germany served until his retirement in 1950. between 5 August 1914 and 31 De- He died on 17 June 1961 in Powell cember 1915) by less than month, River, British Columbia. since he only joined the Western Front in late Janu- ary 1916. His brother Gordon wanted to follow in his brother’s foot- steps; he applied to join the CEF but was rejected be- cause he was too young. However, in April 1918, he ap- plied and was ac- Figure 6: Graves of WWI Soldiers, Gosselies Communal Cemetery cepted for the Source: author Cavalry Draft for the Royal North West Mounted Police (RNWMP).28 After the war, Clarence’s parents, William and Mary, were living in New RNWMP recruits were also be- Vancouver with six of their chil- ing taken into the CEF, and Gordon dren.29 Gordon and his wife, Ada, signed an attestation on 3 May were living in Lethbridge. On the

Anglo-Celtic Roots • Quarterly Chronicle 27 Volume 22, Number 3 •Fall 2016

day of the 1921 Census, 1 June, 3 “1901 Census of Canada,” Ancestry Clarence’s youngest brother, Doug- (http://www.ancestry.co.uk/: ac- las, a taxi driver, was with Gordon cessed 9 April 2015), entry for Clar- and Ada.30 Douglas later married ence Ellyn, Province: British Colum- bia, District: Yale & Cariboo, District Beryl.31 He moved to the United number: 5, Sub-district: Kootenay States—first to Seattle and then to (East/est), (South Riding/ Division 32 Kansas City. Both Douglas and Nord), Sub-district number: E-8. Beryl died in Kansas City. 4 “S/Sgt. Gordon Ellwyn,” The Royal Ca- Gordon and Ada did not have any nadian Mounted Police Veterans’ children, but Douglas had two.33 The Association (http://www.rcmp veter- family names Fletcher and Clarence ansvancouver.com/ssgt-gordon- were worked into the names of his ellwyn/: accessed 9 April 2015). two children: Donald Fletcher 5 Ibid. Ellwyn and Barrie Clare(nce) 6 Ibid. Ellwyn. 7 “British Columbia, Canada, Death In- © 2016 BIFHSGO dex, 1872–1990,” Ancestry (www. ancestry.co.uk: accessed 11 April Special thanks are extended to Bar- 2015), entry for Margret Ellyn, Regis- rie Ellwyn, Clarence’s nephew, for tration number: 1902-09-166320, his assistance with this biography. BCA number: B13105, GSU number: 1927133. Reference Notes 8 “S/Sgt. Gordon Ellwyn,” The Royal Ca- 1 Clarence gave his birth year as 1895 in nadian Mounted Police Veterans’ his attestation for the Canadian Expe- Association (http://www.rcmpvet ditionary Force. However, a biogra- erans vancouver.com/ssgt-gordon- phy written of his brother Gordon ellwyn/: accessed 9 April 2015). suggests that he was actually born on 9 “1901 Census of Canada,” Ancestry 13 March 1898. Census records give (http://www.ancestry.co.uk/: ac- dates of 1897, 1898 and 1898. No cessed 9 April 2015), entry for birth record has been found. Clarence Ellyn. 2 Some records suggest that he was 10 “British Columbia, Canada, Death In- born in Manitoba. “1921 Census of dex, 1872–1990,” Ancestry(www.anc Canada,” Ancestry (www.ancestry. estry.co.uk: accessed 9 April 2015), co.uk: accessed 11 April 2015), entry entry for Clarence Ellyn, Registration for Gordon Ellison, Province or Terri- number: 1902-09-166325, BCA num- tory: Alberta, District: Lethbridge ber: B13105, GSU number: 1927133. District Number: 7, Sub-District: 11 “Fernie’s Horror,” The Cranbrook Lethbridge (City), Sub-District Num- Herald, May 29 1902 (http://www. ber: 42, City, Town or Village: Ward E, crowsnest.bc.ca/fernie01.html: ac- City of Lethbridge. cessed 28 April 2015).

Anglo-Celtic Roots • Quarterly Chronicle 28 Volume 22, Number 3 •Fall 2016

12 Information from Barrie Ellwyn, April 21 “Chiseldon Camp,” Guide to Swindon 2015. (http://www.swindonweb.com/?m=8 13 “Fernie’s Horror,” The Cranbrook &s=116&ss=763&c=2501&t=Chiseldo Herald, May 29 1902 (http://www. n+Camp: accessed 31 December crowsnest.bc.ca/fernie01.html: ac- 2015). cessed 28 April 2015). 22"Record of Deaths, 17 February 1916 - 14 “Border Crossings: From Canada to 10 February 1919, a record main- U.S., 1895–1956,” Ancestry (www. an- tained at No. 1 CCCS,” Library and cestry.co.uk: accessed 11 April 2015), Archives Canada, (records accessed entry for William Douglas Ellwyn. 2013 and 2015), Record Group 9, se- ries IIIC10, volume 4556, Record 15 “S/Sgt. Gordon Ellwyn,” The Royal number 733. Canadian Mounted Police Veterans’ As- sociation (http://www.rcmpveterans 23 “War diaries - 18th Canadian Infantry vancouver.com/ssgt-gordon-ellwyn/: Battalion,” War Diaries of the First accessed 9 April 2015). World War (http://data4.collections canada.ca/netacgi/nph-brs?s1=18th+ 16 Information from Barrie Ellwyn, infantry+battalion&s13=&s12=&l=20 April 2015. &s9=RG9&s7=9-52&Sect1=IMAGE& 17 “Service Files of the First World War, Sect2=THESOFF&Sect4=AND&Sect5= 1914–1918 – CEF,” Library and Ar- WARDPEN&Sect6=HITOFF&d=FIND& chives Canada (http://www.bac- p=1&u=http://www.collectionscanad lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/military- a.ca/archivianet/02015202_e.html heritage/first-world-war/first-world- &r=4&f=G: accessed 8 April 2015) war-1914-1918-cef/Pages/search. 24 “War Diaries of the First World War: aspx: accessed 14 December 2015), 1st Canadian Casualty Clearing Sta- entry for Clarence E. Fletcher, Refer- tion 1914/08/13-1919/03/31,” ence: RG 150, Accession 1992-93/ Library and Archives Canada (http:// 166, Box 3144–35. Unless otherwise data4.collectionscanada.gc.ca/ noted, all information about his mili- netacgi/nph-brs?s1=casualty tary career comes from this record. +clearing&s13=&s12=&l=20&s9=RG9 18 “Canada, Soldiers of the First World &s7=9-52&Sect1=IMAGE&Sect2=THE War, 1914–1918,” Ancestry (www. SOFF&Sect4=AND&Sect5=WARDPEN ancestry.co.uk: accessed 8 April &Sect6=HITOFF&d=FIND&p=1&u=htt 2015), entry for Clarence Ellyce p://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/arc Fletcher. hivianet/02015202_e.html&r=1&f=G: 19 “S/Sgt. Gordon Ellwyn,” The Royal accessed 15 December 2014). Canadian Mounted Police Veterans’ As- 25 “The Influenza Pandemic of 1918,” sociation (http://www.rcmpveterans (https://virus.stanford.edu/uda/: ac- vancouver.com/ssgt-gordon-ellwyn/: cessed 3 February 2015). accessed 9 April 2015). 26 “War diaries - 18th Canadian Infantry 20 “Service Files of the First World War, Battalion.” 1914–1918 – CEF,” entry for Clarence E. Fletcher.

Anglo-Celtic Roots • Quarterly Chronicle 29 Volume 22, Number 3 •Fall 2016

27 “Service Files of the First World War, Sub-district number: 12, City, town or 1914–1918 – CEF,” entry for Clarence village: Vancouver. E. Fletcher. 30 “1921 Census of Canada,” Ancestry 28 “S/Sgt. Gordon Ellwyn,” The Royal (www.ancestry.co.uk: accessed 23 Canadian Mounted Police Veterans’ As- April 2015), entry for Gordon Ellison sociation (http://www.rcmpveterans 31 “Border Crossings: From Canada to vancouver.com/ssgt-gordon-ellwyn/: U.S., 1895–1956,” Ancestry (www. an- accessed 9 April 2015). cestry.co.uk: accessed 11 April 2015), 29 “1921 Census of Canada,” Ancestry entry for William Douglas Ellwyn. (www.ancestry.co.uk: accessed 23 32 Information from Barrie Ellwyn, April April 2015), entry for B. Alice Ott, 2015. Province or Territory: British Colum- 33 Ibid. bia, District: Vancouver, District num- number: 13, Sub-district: Ward 6,

Techniques and Resources

The Cream of the Crop Top items from recent posts on the Canada’s Anglo-Celtic-Connections blog

BY JOHN D. REID Carleton University: Soldiers of the Shannon Lectures First World War: Thanks to a major anonymous do- 1914–1918 nation, each fall the History database Department at Carleton University Every month, at mounts a themed lecture series. mid-month, Library While some topics are of more in- and Archives Cana- terest to family historians than da reports on its progress with dig- others, all have lectures of broader itizing service files from the Canadi- interest than academic history. an Expeditionary Force. The 15 July For 2016 the series examines the 2016 report shows 307,588 of social, intellectual and cultural his- 640,000 files available online, an in- tory of health, sickness, disease and crease from 171,771 a year earlier. medicine. The lectures will consider At that rate it will take until the end cultural perceptions of the body, of 2018 to complete the task. The health and illness and will tease out latest box digitized is number 5218 the shifting patterns of treatment. and the surname is Knaggs.

Anglo-Celtic Roots • Quarterly Chronicle 30 Volume 22, Number 3 •Fall 2016

The first lecture this year is on Fri- ment, 1770–1935.” Drawing from day, 30 September. Read about it records of 22 collections from The and the other lectures in the series (UK) National Archives in the ADM, at https://carleton.ca/ histo- CRIM, HO, MEPO, PCOM and T rec- ry/news/shannon-lecture/. ord groups, these are indexes and Perth Military Settlement images of the original record. Map and Database Beyond these official records news- If you have an interest in the Perth papers will often provide more Military Settlement, or in what can information on your ancestors as be achieved by way of mapping perpetrators or victims of crime. technology by a group of volunteers motivated by a community anniver- More than 12 million new records sary, in this case a 200th, take a look were added to the Ancestry data- at http://goo.gl/MUi1bF. The web- base “Gloucestershire, England, site describes the project as "taking Prison Records, 1728–1914” in mapping to a whole new—or old— June. Included are calendars of pris- level." oners in county jails and houses of correction and a variety of registers. Land Registry (Office) abstract in- Many of these contain considerable dexes from as early as 1816, with personal detail, and photographs, as information on the original land pa- well as descriptions of the crime tent holder, are combined with and sentence. information from location tickets of civilian settlers and mapped. The in- Somerset Records terest for the genealogist with Seven new databases, for the Eng- ancestry in the area is evident. lish county of Somerset, are avail- able on Ancestry. Sourced from the For the historian it's instructive to Somerset Archives & Local Studies, see where grants were awarded in South West Heritage Trust, in Taun- relation to one another—where the ton, each links to an image of the UE (United Empire Loyalists), DUE original record. The database names (daughters of UE) and SUE (sons of and their holdings are UE) or where settlers who arrived  “Somerset, England, Church of on a particular ship received grants. England Baptisms, Marriages, We Profit from Crime and Burials, 1531–1812,” At the end of July the commercial 3,342,867 records; site Findmypast added more than  “Somerset, England, Church of 2.5 million records, for a total of England Baptisms, 1813–1914,” 5,514,003, to the database “England 2,257,704 records; & Wales, Crime, Prisons & Punish-

Anglo-Celtic Roots • Quarterly Chronicle 31 Volume 22, Number 3 •Fall 2016

 “Somerset, England, Marriage Old Brentford (Register of Registers, Bonds and Allegations, Graves A–J), Havelock Norwood 1754–1914,” 1,206,406 records; (1883–2009), Hortus (1984–  “Somerset, England, Church of 2010), South Ealing (1984– England Burials, 1813–1914,” 2010); and 445,809 records;  West Sussex—Arundel (1918–  “Somerset, England, Gaol Regis- 2014), Bognor Regis (1888– ters, 1807–1879,” 101,284 1971), Chalcraft Lane (1988– records; 2014), Findon (1938–2014), Lit-  “Somerset, England, School Reg- tlehampton (1973–2014). isters, 1860–1914,” 47,047 For Scotland there is a long list of records; and cemeteries in Dumfries-shire, Kin-  “Somerset, England, Church of cardineshire, Kirkcudbrightshire England Confirmations, 1843– and Wigtownshire. 1913,” 1,104 records. Non-OPR Scottish Records Ancestry Updates “England & ScotlandsPeople (www.scotlands Scotland, Select Cemetery Reg- isters, 1800–2014” people.gov.uk) is often thought of as I was surprised to find that the most having a monopoly on Scottish rec- visited item on my Canada’s Anglo- ords, particularly civil registration Celtic Connections blog since May and the old parochial (parish) regis- was about 592,318 records in this ters (OPRs). A reminder that it’s not updated cemetery register collec- quite true came when three index databases appeared on Ancestry as tion, originally at Ancestry in August 2014. Unlike most of Ancestry's “Se- part of the WebSearch program. lect . . .” collections these are linked Again the database names and rec- to images of the original record. ord numbers are In England there are entries for  “Web: Scotland, Non-OPR Births and Baptisms Index, 1666–  Hampshire—Magdelen Hill Cem- 1874,” 7,325 records; etery (1916–2013);  “Web: Scotland, Non-OPR Banns  Kent—Brenzett (1879–2014), and Marriages Index, 1656– Cheriton Road (1856–2014), 1875,” 2,985 records; and Hawkinge (1939–2014), Lydd  “Web: Scotland, Non-OPR Deaths (1949–2014), New Romney and Burials Index, 1673–1855,” (1924–1980), Spring Lane Horn 2,584 records. Street (1914–2014);  Middlesex—Abney Park and These are indexes from Kirk Session Greenford Park (1901–1939), material of the Church of Scotland, Acton (1895–2010), Ealing and other Presbyterian churches, and Anglo-Celtic Roots • Quarterly Chronicle 32 Volume 22, Number 3 •Fall 2016

also the registers of the Religious If the conference is large you may Society of Friends (Quakers). They pay less but find yourself sitting in a are taken from Maxwell Ances- huge crowd with no likelihood of in- try's Scottish Indexes site teraction with the speaker. You hear at www.scottishindexes.co.uk/, the presentation once—no oppor- where you will find a variety of oth- tunity to go back and review that er Scottish record sets on a free to crucial bit of information that went search, pay to view a full transcript by too quickly. basis. For that same $10 (US) you can sub- FamilySearch also has a collection of scribe to a one-month-long access Scottish parish register transcripts. to presentations by top-rate speak- ers at Legacy Family Tree Webinars. John Grenham Earlier this year John Grenham, au- A total of 382 presentations, and thor of the highly rated book growing, are available by nearly 100 Tracing Your Irish Ancestors: The different presenters, including Lisa Complete Guide ended his relation- Louise Cooke, Maurice Gleeson, ship with The Irish Times. His Kirsty Grey, John Grenham, Tom weekly “Irish Roots” column in the Jones, Thomas MacEntee, Judy Rus- paper has evolved into a blog post sell and Megan Smolenyak. They are at www.johngrenham.com/. available to view day and night. Recently he explained the signifi- True, you don't get the one-on-one cance of funerals in Ireland as an interaction. You do get, for many important mutual obligation and presentations, a syllabus handout. mentioned https://rip.ie/ as a coun- You can try a few of the presenta- try-wide database of funerals where tions for free, and for those obits for most recent six months are streamed live, recordings are usual- available without charge. Grenham ly available free for the following has also recorded six lectures on week. Browse around at Irish genealogy for Legacy Family http://familytreewebinars.com/. Tree Webinars. Late-breaking news as of the end of Legacy Family Tree Webinars July is that Legacy Family Tree Go to a conference and you can ex- Webinars will host, produce, and pect to pay around about $10 for publish future monthly webinars for each presentation you attend. If the (US) Board for Certification of there are multiple streams you may Genealogists. pay more for the privilege of choice.

Anglo-Celtic Roots • Quarterly Chronicle 33 Volume 22, Number 3 •Fall 2016

Genealogy Date Maurice Gleeson, who organized the and Calendar Calculators event in Birmingham, will be at the Doing calculations on dates is more BIFHSGO fall conference (9–11 Sep- challenging than doing so with the tember) and is not to be missed. old pounds, shillings and pence Brit- There will also be a DNA panel ses- ish monetary system: at least they sion at the conference with shorter didn’t change on leap years! There’s presentations by Leanne Cooper, help for dates in a collection of date Rick Moody and myself. and calendar utilities at www. I’m also scheduled to repeat a talk searchforancestors.com/utility/ given last January on Saturday 24 and at the better-known site September for the Ottawa Public Li- www.timeanddate.com. brary, and give a similar talk at At both you can calculate the differ- Algonquin College Pembroke cam- ence between any two dates, find a pus on the evening of Tuesday 4 birth date from information found October. on a tombstone or death certificate, and find the day of the week for any New Books date. Lucille Campey, a regular speaker at BIFHSGO conferences, is honouring As they are US-based sites you will BIFHSGO with the Ottawa launch to have to wrestle with the perverse her new book, on 11 September at month, day, and year order. Time the conference. Atlantic Canada’s and Date has a wider variety of ad- Irish Immigrants: A Fish and Timber ditional information, like sun and Story is the first in her Irish in Can- moon rise and set times back to ada series. It follows her books on 1996. Search for Ancestors has some Scottish and English immigration to other helpful genealogy tools. Canada, all of which focus on the pe- DNA Presentations riod prior to Canadian A big thank you to all BIFHSGO Confederation. members who voted for my presen- The heart of the book is chapters on tation, “Did DNA Prove the Skeleton each of the Atlantic Provinces, and under the Leicester Car Park Was one on emigration during the 1840s Richard III?” as best for 2015-2016. Great Famine. There was major A shorter version was presented at Irish immigration before the famine, WDYTYA? Live in Birmingham last including of Loyalists of Irish origin. April, but without the interaction. The book looks at origins in Ireland, There’s a rerecording at www.you the voyage and where they settled. tube.com/watch?v=PZirr0FpsW0. Being no expert in the topic I was surprised at the variation of their

Anglo-Celtic Roots • Quarterly Chronicle 34 Volume 22, Number 3 •Fall 2016

circumstances in Canada. Experts in and in accord with best contempo- the field are likely well aware of rary social practice, which is not that already. that of today. As with her other books, Lucille has The book, published by Global included extensive reference mate- Genealogy.com, is expected to be rial. It includes 100 pages of listings ready for launch in November. of voyages that brought the immi- Blaine T. Bettinger's much- grants from Ireland mostly for the anticipated book The Family Tree first half of the 19th century, a mine Guide to DNA Testing and Genetic of information for the family histo- Genealogy is slated for release on 13 rian. October 2016. The publisher says: For nigh on 15 years Patricia Rob- Discover the answers to your family erts-Pichette, with the assistance of history mysteries using the most- BIFHSGO and society members, has cutting edge tool available. This been preoccupied with British plain-English guide is a one-stop re- Home Children, and especially those source for how to use DNA testing who came with the Birmingham- for genealogy. Inside, you'll find based Children's Emigration Homes. guidance on what DNA tests are available, plus the methodologies Her book, entitled Great Canadian and pros and cons of the three major Expectations: The Middlemore Expe- testing companies and advice on rience, explores the history of choosing the right test to answer the juvenile immigration agen- your specific genealogy questions. cy founded in 1872 by John T. And once you've taken a DNA test, Middlemore, which settled more this guide will demystify the often- than 5000 children in Canada be- overwhelming subject and explain tween 1873 and 1933. It draws on how to interpret DNA test results, the Middlemore experience to including how to understand ethnic- tackle head-on the view that young ity estimates and haplogroup British immigrants were exploited designations, navigate suggested for economic gain and relief of the cousin matches, and use third-party tools like GEDmatch to further ana- British public purse. lyze your data. Patricia’s research explores gov- I'm told the Ottawa Public Library ernment policy and reveals the has copies on order and Global Ge- influence of eugenicists in helping nealogy.com will have copies end juvenile immigration programs available for sale as soon as they can in Canada. She finds that Middle- get them in stock. It will be another more's motivations were altruistic addition to my collection.

Anglo-Celtic Roots • Quarterly Chronicle 35 Volume 22, Number 3 •Fall 2016

BIFHSGO News

Membership Report

BY KATHY WALLACE

New BIFHSGO Members 18 May 2016–13 Aug 2016 Member No. Name Address 1455 Joan Living Ottawa, ON 1804 David Bowie Ottawa, ON 1805 Crystal McCollom Sudbury, ON 1806 Catherine Pacey Guelph, ON 1807 Connie Blyth Martin Aylmer, Que 1808 Brian Wilson Nepean, ON 1808 Mary Ann Green Nepean, ON 1695 Francine Belanger Ottawa, ON 1809 Annette Arnott Nepean, ON 1810 Shirley Farrar Mississauga, ON 1811 Phillip Haggart Calgary, AB 1811 Judy Hawley Calgary, AB 1812 Kevin Cassidy Omaha, NE, USA 1813 Mags Gaulden Ottawa, ON 1814 Jane Veinot Ottawa, ON 1815 Mark Steinert Ottawa, ON 1815 Doreen Steinert Ottawa, ON 1816 Malcolm Thurgur Ottawa, ON 1817 Donald Firth Ottawa, ON 1818 Dorothy Empringham Stittsville, ON 1819 Jane Capell Ottawa, ON 1820 Ina Mae Burk Ottawa, ON 1821 Merrybeth Morphet Ottawa, ON 1822 Shelley Lunney Markham, ON

Anglo-Celtic Roots • Quarterly Chronicle 36 Volume 22, Number 3 •Fall 2016

BIFHSGO Board of Directors 2016–2017 President Barbara Tose 613-729-1015 Recording Secretary Gillian Leitch 819-777-8480 Treasurer Marianne Rasmus 613-834-9694 Research & Projects Dave Cross 613-915-1464 Membership Kathy Wallace 613-746-6796 Communications Anne Moralejo 819-837-8627 Publicity Mary-Lou Simac 613-837-8256 Programs Jane Down 613-741-1463 Education Andrea Harding 613-857-0719 Director at Large Karin Keyes Endemann 613-884-8446 Past President Glenn Wright 613-521-2929 Associate Directors 2016–2017 Anglo-Celtic Roots Editor Jean Kitchen E-newsletter Editor Lisa-Dawn Crawley Web Manager Gail Dever Photographer Dena Palamedes Publication Sales Brian Chamberlain Queries Sheila Dohoo Faure Voicemail Ann Adams

Public Accountant McCay Duff LLP

The Society The British Isles Family History Society of Greater Ottawa (BIFHSGO) is an independent, federally incorporated society and a registered charity (Reg. No. 89227 4044 RR0001). Our purpose is to encourage, carry on and facili- tate research into and publication of family histories by people who have ancestors in the British Isles. We have two objectives: to research, preserve, and disseminate Canadian and British Isles family and social history, and to promote genealogical re- search through a program of public education, showing how to conduct this research and preserve the findings in a readily accessible form. We publish genealogical research findings and information on research resources and techniques, hold public meetings on family history, and par- ticipate in the activities of related organizations. Membership dues for 2016 are $40 for individuals, $50 for families, and $40 for institutions. Members enjoy four issues of Anglo-Celtic Roots, ten family history meetings, members-only information on bifhsgo.ca, friendly advice from other members, and participation in special interest groups.

BIFHSGO Calendar of Events Saturday Morning Meetings The Chamber, Ben Franklin Place, 101 Centrepointe Drive, Ottawa

8 Oct 2016 Did Lucy and Isaac Actually Marry? And the Importance of Dying in the Right Sequence—After Henry Wimburn Sudell Sweetapple Horlock died in 2010, his widow wanted to find a relative to inherit family portraits spanning 350 years. In steps the genealogist, Brian Laurie-Beaumont, who tells us what happened next. 12 Nov 2016 First In, Last Out: But What Came between 1914 and 1919?—After years of being unable to uncover details of her father’s wartime service, Irene Ip struck gold when she Googled “The Fifth Division” and was able to piece together his story. 10 Dec 2016 Great Moments in Genealogy—BIFHSGO members will describe some exciting experiences in breaking down brick walls while researching their ancestors. For details go to www.bifhsgo.ca under “Meetings.” Schedule 9:00–9:30 Before BIFHSGO Educational Sessions: see www.bifhsgo.ca under “Meetings” for up-to-date information. 9:30 Discovery Tables 10:00–11:30 Meeting and Presentation 11:30–4:00 Writing Group For information on meetings of other special interest groups (Scottish, Irish, DNA, Master Genealogist Users), check www.bifhsgo.ca under “Meetings.”

Articles for Anglo-Celtic Roots Articles and illustrations for publication are welcome. For advice on prepar- ing manuscripts, please email the Editor, at [email protected]. The deadline for publication in the Winter issue is 28 October 2016.