Find Ancestors

well folks its 1.20 am so I am off to bed now! I shall continue tomorrow though! Thanks ever so much you two for all of your help tonight, you have been amazing :-) :-) <3

And it's a goodnight from me too. Sleep well. :-)

I see when Joseph, Bertha and John Watson arrived in Canada in 1927 they were coming to Cornwall to join Bertha's sister, Mrs. Whittaker (her first name has been scribbled in but I can't make it out, possibly Eliz?) 108 Montreal Rd., Cornwall.

Nearest relative in England was Joseph's mother, Mrs. Taylor, 14 Snowden St., Burnley, Lancs.

Found this,

Name: Lily Whittaker
Gender: Female
Age: 38
Birth Date: abt 1886
Departure Date: 15 Aug 1924
Port of Departure: Liverpool, England
Destination Port: Montreal, Canada
Ship Name: Doric
Search Ship Database: Search the 'Doric' in the 'Passenger Ships and Images' database
Shipping Line: White Star Line
Official Number: 147215
Master: J Davies

Travelling with Florence and Edith Watson, and son Leslie aged 11.

This ties in with Bertha Watson.

Think this is their marriage,

Surname First name(s) District Vol Page
Marriages Jun 1910 (>99%)
Bridge John Burnley 8e 359
HAWKE Elizabeth Ann Burnley 8e 359
WATSON Lily Burnley 8e 359 <<<<<<<
Whittaker Harry Burnley 8e 359 <<<<<

thanks guys. Have you any idea how I get marriage details in Canada? I was wondering when JW Whittingham married Yvonne???

Just realized that I have the index here for Woodlawn Cemetery in Cornwall. It seems that both Bertha and Joseph are buried there. For Joseph they have dates 1883-1957 but there are no dates for Bertha, only her maiden name Watson.

There is also Harry Whittaker 1886-1940 and Lily Whittaker, 1886-1973, maiden name Watson.

The Whittaker tombstone reads:

HARRY WHITTAKER 1886-1940
His wife
LILY WATSON 1886-1973
LES WHITTAKER 1913-1969
His wife
JULIA ROSE ELDERBROOM 1915-1963

cheers ladies!! Every little helps!!

We just can't find that elusive marriage that you're looking for, Eunice.

Do you happen to have the exact date of Joseph's death in 1957? I thought I could go to the library and look for the obit but I don't have time to scroll through a whole year's worth of newspapers. I'm a full time caregiver for an ailing husband and can't get away for any length of time.

Just noticed I've made a big typo on the dates that I posted from Woodlawn cemetery records, I have Joseph 1883-1897! Will go back and edit it now. (It was early morn and I hadn't had my full cup of coffee yet)

So if John went to his parents home in 1944, and then we have his sons marriage in 1971, it's not leaving a huge window for John and Yvonne's marriage.

Let's presume the son was 20 when he married, so his birth year would be approximately 1951.

I doubt John married soon after his return home, maybe the earliest 1946, so we have a possible window of 5 years from 1946 to 1951.

Also another thought, do you know for sure that John wasn't married prior to the war? Could this be a reason he didn't marry the child's (Jack) mother? Did he even know the lady was expecting?

Does Jack know how far he wants to take this?

My husband just pointed out another register that we have for Woodlawn Cemetery and Bertha is buried there also.
It says Mrs. Bertha Whittingham buried 16 Dec. 1958, aged 77 years, 7 months, 23 days. Her residence at the time was Ottawa. She's buried in the same plot as Joseph but her name isn't on the gravestone.

For Joseph it says buried 17 May 1957, aged 74 years, 8 months, 10 days. His residence was Cornwall.

So the son who married in 1971 was born in 1948, so we now have a 4 year window for a marriage IF he married after he returned home in 1944.

hi girls. Well then ….. I have spoken to Jack. Seemingly his mum was nursing when JW came over to the UK from Canada, for Officer Training at Sandhurst. They met and - well hello Jack!! Jack does recall seeing his father once but the memory is indistinct. Jack was born in 1943 by the way. He is happy for all info that people can find, there are no barriers although as he says …… if JWW Was married when Jack was created then it might come as a shock to the other siblings! xxxx

Margee, I am sorry about your husband, and fully appreciate the pull on your time. I was caregiver to my sister for 18/12 until she died a couple of weeks before Christmas. I fully understand how tiring it can be, but rewarding also, and you do need something to occupy the little grey cells as well, eh? Bless you.
I note JWW was still listed as army on the 1957 voters list. Do you think he may also have served somewhere like Korea? I'm afraid I'm not very good at this am I? :-(
But I must tell you that Jack is delighted with all your stirling efforts, so thanks again to both of youxx

all I can find on Patrick Gerald Whittingham is that he was born in 1948 or 1949. As BM'D said - quite a high profile on Google!!!! ;-)

The full details of the Whittingham/Berry marriage are here:

http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1946&dat=19710118&id=-o4zAAAAIBAJ&sjid=l6EFAAAAIBAJ&pg=2271,4425057

OH THANK you, I will pass it on to Jack x

i took a little trip to the library this afternoon to see if I could find obits for Joseph & Bertha in the hopes they might mention grandchildren. No luck, I'm afraid, I couldn't find an obit for Joseph, found one for Bertha but it didn't tell us anything that we didn't already know. It read:
BERTHA WHITTINGHAM
At ottawa at the residence of her son on Saturday, December 13th., Bertha Watson beloved wife of the late Joseph Whittingham. Mother of Major Jack Whittingham of Ottawa. Funeral 16th. December.

Margery you are just too kind. I did not expect you to do this for me, to go to such a length, but thanks you so very much <3