Genealogy Chat

Here's a long lost family connection:
Dorothy Walker b about 1896, left Liverpool for Canada as a 'lady's companion' in 1928
She worked in a logging camp.
Married a Mr Sugden who died, had one daughter, Vera who married and had two girls.
Dorothy lived one time at Sherbourne st Toronto.
Later married a Mr Myers when older and lived at Station or Slation or Stalion St. Unionville, Ontario.
Is this an impossible search? Where should I start to look?
Any help appreciated, Jill

There's a Dorothy Isab. Walker, age 32, who arrived in Quebec, Canada, 29 April, 1928 aboard the Regina. Is that her?

Sounds very likely, Margaret, as her mother's name was Isabelle. Aren't yu clever? What do I do next?
thanks, Jill

Jill,

It would be useful if you could post her in the 1901 census so we can track down her exact birthdate and name and parents.

Rose

Sorry for the delay in responding, Jill. It's Thanksgiving Day here in Canada and the family arrived for their turkey dinner.
I don't know what to suggest to help. As you might know, more recent records are very difficult to access here.
Do you know Mr. Sugden or Mr. Myers first name or who Vera married?

Sorry I didn't stay up late enough to hear your responses, Jill and Margaret.
Dorothy Walker was born in Liverpool around 1896 to Edward Walker and Isabella Carr. Her sister Gertrude was a little younger and Edward was born in 1900.
I got the name wrong of Dorothy's first husband - it was a Mr SANDEAN, butI 'm afraid I don't know any first names.
Thanks for all your help.
Jill (or should I put Jillian as Jill is helping me?!)

Thanks Jim, I've just got in with the further info that Dorothy Walker worked as a cook in a logging camp in Saskatchewan for a time after she arrived in Canada until she returned to Toronto and married Mr Sandean who died of cancer. My informant is an elderly relation who saw Dorothy off in 1928.
Interesting to see what the transcribers wrote as Edward on the 1901 is Edward Thompson Walker and Gertrude is Gertrude Vera Walker while Dorohthy is Dorothy Isabella Walker.
How should I go about looking up on the Canadian records?
thanks again,
Jill

I suppose I should be looking for the birth and marriage of Vera Sandean, daughter of Dorothy Walker. Where should I look? Is it an impossible task? What about writing to some newspaper in Canada "looking for lost relatives"?
cheers, Jill

Ha! Just discovered Dorothy Walker's baby brother Edward wasn't born until the 3rd quarter!
that's why he wasn't on the 1901 - silly me!
Cheers, Jill

unfortunatly canada have a 50 year rule on deaths births marriages etc so its not as easy as uk where you can search online

this is the original passenger list for her going to canada

Canadian Passenger Lists, 1865-1935
about Dorothy Isable Walker
Name: Dorothy Isable Walker
Gender: Female
Age: 32
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1896
Birth Country: England
Date of Arrival: 29 Apr 1928
Vessel: Regina
Search Ship Database: View the 'Regina' in the 'Passenger Ships and Images' database
Port of Arrival: Quebec
Port of Departure: Liverpool, England
Roll: T-14740

she travelled alone on an assisted passage
occupation domestic
going to employer
mr mr c f addison
kindersley
sask

her next of kin is given as
father edward walker
bulliver? st everton liverpool

I thought I might have better luck with the name Sandean, it being such an unusual name, but have had no luck at all. Sorry.

Wow! tthanks for that everyone. She obviously already had the job in Saskatchewan when she left England as the lady's companion. Thanks for looking. I was wondering if perhaps Vera had been born out of wedlock and was registered as Vera Walker?
What do you think?
thanks,
Jill

If I find the birth of Vera Sandean (or Vera Walker) in Canada, how would I go about ordering her birth certificate?
Thanks,
Jill

This doesn't help much but I wonder if this is the C.F. Addison who she was going to work for in Saskatchewan. He was born in Liverpool and she might have known him there.
Attestation papers for soldiers of WW1.
Charles Frederick Addison.
Born 27 July, 1890, St. Annes Parish, Liverpool.
Single.
Present address, Avonhill, Saskatchewan.
Next-of-kin, father James Addison, 4 Albany Rd., Stoneycroft, Liverpool.

Thanks Margaret.
The passenger details are the first we knew of where she was going to work. We only knew she was cook in a logging camp. We also don't know the Liverpool area where Mr Addison came from, but we have some old Liverpool maps we will look it up on to see if he lived near her - although it doesn't sound familiar or wasn't near to Bulwer St which was all terraced houses. Perhpas she worked for his family in Liverpool.
Shall I be clever like you when I grow up???? :)
cheers, Jill

I've just found Charles on the 1901 with his father James in Liverpool in the same district as Dorothy lived, so there could have been knowledge of each other before he went out to Canada as she seemed to have the job lined up before she went.
Jill.

Is that the same one that I'm looking at and there's a brother James T.? Because on the 1911 census in Battleford, Saskatchewan there's a James T. Addison born England. He has wife & children and they all emigrated in 1907. He also has his brother Charles Addison with him who was born July 1890, England and emigrated 1910.

Sorry Margaret, I had to leave off last night - strong as the pull was!
It looks as if you have found a Liverpool family that did the usual thing of emigrating and sending for the others. It sounds like the right one. Just wish it was Dorothy's family!
The elderly relation of Dorothy Walker seems to think that she only went for a holiday adventure and used to send parcels home to the family in Liverpool. She kept in touch until after her second marriage so could have died/moved/lost touch. Actually 32 seems to be quite a late age for a single woman to emigrate - I wonder if there had been a love affair or something...... Oh, I can make it up as I go along!
Thanks again,
cheers, Jill

There has been a suggestion - although I doubt this memory - that Dorothy Walker could have died during World War ll. The other suggestion is that she married for the second time to Mr Myers when she was older.
Any advice on what I should do next - or is that 'end of'?
Thanks for any help given, anyway,
cheers,
Jill

Dear Jill

I watched your thread with interest in October but couldn't join in as I hadn't renewed my subscription. In case you haven't already found this for yourself I found some fascinating info on the Addisons which may just give a bit of background or may prove to be a useful source of info.

As posted earlier by other peeps, Charles F Addison was on the Canada 1911 census with his brother James T and family. James' wife was Janie Lizza and they had 3 children, the youngest being Edith who was born 1909.

James became famous as the person who built the 'Addison Sod House' which is now an historic site/museum. Just google it.

Sod House doesn't sound very nice does it – but it's lovely- I would happily live in a house like that!

See here for a picture of it and of his daughter Edith aged about 94:

http://www.tpcs.gov.sk.ca/PHP-booklet-addison-sod-house

At the time the booklet was produced (I think 2003) she was still living there. As her name is Gardiner I presume she married, so she may have descendents who know some family stories. The museum staff may be able to put you in touch with them.

You might also find the Canada library site a useful source of information:

www.collectionscanada

Hope you manage to find out more about Dorothy. Happy Hunting!

Julie