Helen Annie Fox (1852-1932)
Helen Annie Fox ©Basil Fox
She was the first of six children born to George Fox (1826-1873)
©Basil Fox
and Margaret Lofthouse (1826-1900).
©Basil Fox
George and Margaret were married on 27th August 1850 at Ripon Cathedral. Their witnesses were John Ellwood and W M Theakston. George was a cutler and lived in Sheffield, his father was also called George and his occupation was 'grinder'.
Margaret lived in Bishop Monkton, her father was Thomas and his occupation flax draper (also known as flax dresser -a person who breaks and swingles flax or prepares it for the spinner).
Margaret, born in 1825, was named after her mother whilst her brother, born in 1823, was baptised Thomas after his father. They were both baptised at Leeds Wesleyan chapel in Hunslet, Margaret on 12th February 1826 and Thomas on 14th February 1823. The family were living at Brewery.
Helen Annie was likely born in Regent Street, Sheffield, as her parents were living there in 1851.
In the 1861 census George is down as a spring knife cutler. A spring knife cutler specialises in knives that involve spring steel, such as penknives, pocket knives and folding knives. Those who were experienced made everything by hand: springs, blades, and linings, as well as all the forging, grinding and polishing.
The family are now living in Milton Street, Ecclesall Bierlow which is one of the old six townships that made up Sheffield. They had been joined by Isabella Mary aged 5, Margaret Alice aged 4 and and Harriet Amy 1, who had been born on 26th September 1859.
Isabella Mary dies in the same year, aged 5; Annie would have been 9 when her sister died.
George went out to Canada arriving on 27th December 1862. I don't know if he went back to fetch the rest of the family or they followed him five years later but his fifth daughter, Catherine Georgina, was born on 30th April 1863, in Ecclesall Bierlow; two years later, in 1865, Margaret Alice dies at the age of 7. If George didn't go back to collect the rest of his family they must have had a difficult time with both the birth and death of a child happening during the intervening years.
We do know that in 1867 Margaret and her daughters Helen Annie, aged 15 years, Harriet Amy 6, and Catherine Georgina 4, left for Canada. George and Margaret are both 41 years old.
In 1871 the family are living in Government Street, Victoria, Vancouver Island. George is a cutler and saw sharpener. There is a new member of the family, George Thomas, who was born on 14th April 1868. We know they had a cutlers shop at 78 Government Street, it is possible the family lived over the shop but at some point they moved to Mason Street whilst keeping the shop.
Two years later Annie's father, George Fox, died on 19th April 1873, he was 47 years old. Annie was 21, Harriet Amy 14, Catherine Georgina 10 and young George Thomas 5. It must have been a huge blow to the family - having lost two members back in England, starting a new life in Canada with a successful business only for the father to die.
Daily Colonist, 20th April 1873
Annie took over responsibility for the shop whilst her mother cared for her siblings. Here is an advertisement from the same paper on 14th January 1880, clearly showing Margaret and Helen Annie Fox as the proprietors of the business:
In 1881 Margaret, now head of the family, is living in Johnston Street Ward of Victoria, she is down as aged 55 years. Helen Annie is 29 and a store keeper; Harriet Amy is 21 and a music teacher; Catherine Georgina 18, and George Thomas 13 - presumably still at school. All are Unitarians.
Here is a photograph of Harriet Amy
©Basil Fox
The family are still in Johnston Street Ward in 1891 with all the children still at home. Margaret is the only one who is down as Unitarian, the rest are Church of England. Catherine is now a school teacher and George Thomas a cutlers' manager. They have three lodgers, Charles Clark who is the captian of a steamer; Frederick C. Roberts, a general manager; and Keith J. Middleton, a clerk for H.B.Company.
Marriage
On 26th October 1892 Helen Annie Fox marries William John Sutton at St John's Church, Victoria, Vancouver Island. Helen is 40 and William John 33; William John's profession is lumberman. Annie and Will did not have any children.Here is a photograph of the Fox family taken in 1896:
©Basil Fox
Front row left to right: Will Sutton, Catherine Georgina, Margaret Fox, Harriet Amy; back row left to right: Minnie Fox (George Thomas' wife), ? family friend, George Thomas, perhaps Helen Annie took the photo?
During the period 1894 to 1899 Will attended the Michigan School of Mines, first as a mature student on a mineralogy course. After this he went back to Michigan to teach and complete his degree, conducting research and producing a thesis. He taught at the School until 1899 when he and Annie returned to Vancouver Island to become the Wellington Colliery Company geologist. Annie accompanied him to Michigan (we know this because of a reference to meeting one of the other tutors on their journey across Canada in 1903).
On 7th August 1900 Annie's mother, Margaret Fox, died; she was 74 years of age.
The following year Helen Annie and Will are living at 89 Discovery Street, Victoria. Will seems to be one of the best paid men on the street, earning $800 p.a.
It seems likely they retained their individuality during their marriage: Will was constantly away on trips around Vancouver Island and further afield as part of his job whilst Annie stayed in Victoria, keeping an eye on the family business.
European trip (1903-1904)
Annie, her husband Will and his sister Fannie, go on an extensive European tour in 1903-04. They visited
France, Italy, Egypt,
Austria, Germany, Belgium and England. A report of their tour was covered in the Daily Colonist, June 5th 1904.
©Basil Fox
Whilst in England they visited relatives in Manchester, Sheffield and Tanfield. Annie kept a diary of the trip to share with her family on her return. I will include some extracts at relevant points when I am talking about the family members below.
Saturday Oct. 31st. I got up early this morning but it was too dark to see anything of Queenstown, [Ireland - Cobn] saw a number of people going off in a tug, it was raining heavily. When daylight did come it showed nothing but fog and rain. How I did wish we could have come in Summer. About 4.30 pm. saw England for the first time in 36 years and six months minus three days, for it was about this time that I last saw it so long ago.
We have been in sight of Wales since 10 o'clock. We went slowly up the Mersey, the fog getting thicker, Birkenhead and Liverpool looking like a long hazy mass of dim candles, until we got to the wharf which was brilliantly lighted. Tom Ellwood [brother of Minnie Ellwood, wife of George Thomas Fox] was on the look-out for us and we for him but we missed each other. I made the mistake of taking several taller men for him and it was natural enough that he should not know us, though we kept in full sight of the crowd below and as much together as we could.
At last we got off and then came the palaver about the luggage, the official asking me if I had any tobacco! He laughed as he asked me and the exam was a mere pretence. We went into the great waiting room and got near the stove for it was very raw and cold, and while debating how to make out Tom, he came up himself and asked if we were Mr Sutton's party and was very warm and hearty in his welcome. Will had noticed him looking about and said "I believe that is your cousin and he (Tom) also noticed Will first.
We started for Manchester with him and went at a terrifying speed it seemed to me but Will and Fanny thought it all right. Will explained to Tom that we had thought of making Liverpool our headquarters and branching off from there - especially as there were three of us, but Tom said that was not to be thought of as we should not put them out at all as the boys were going to Emilie's mothers.
Emilie herself was very warm in her manner too and made us feel quite at home. Tom struck me as a dark eyed edition of Minnie but is shorter and stouter than "my idea of him" and Emilie is much better and younger looking than her photos make her appear. She would have us have some supper and we sat talking until nearly midnight, though I could hardly keep awake, having being up so early and the hot tea and the fire together with the motion of my chair, which apparently would roll like the steamer, made me glad to get to bed but I could not sleep for excitement. Miles and Stanley came in just after us and were nice but shy. They are both very tall and I think rather delicate looking. Roy is full of life and mischief, a young imp his mother called him.
Sunday Nov. 1st. It is a fine morning we had breakfast in the parlour (which I am afraid Emilie is using on our account). (To give Minnie some idea of how we looked) Tom sat with his back to the window, Emily opposite, Will and the two boys on the sofa and Fanny, I and Roy with our backs to the fire. They had a good laugh at me; I was praising the bacon which was very juicy and not too salty and said I had looked forward to some Yorkshire bacon as a treat. "Why", Tom said, "It's Canadian bacon, all our best bacon comes from Canada, people won't eat ours, it's all fat and no substance." Fanny said, "It seems funny to have such nice bacon from our own country here when we get such poor hard stuff in Victoria, a lot of it from Chicago."
After a little discussion we decided to go to chapel with Miles. Emilie would not hear of our helping her and as it was fine, Tom proposed to take us a short walk before dinner. The church is a pretty little building, the sermon good but orthodox; there was a moderate congregation but attentive.
Tom and Roy met us and we went for a walk to the Meadows. Fanny and Will kept remarking on the nice houses and the general air of prosperity round Chorlton. In afternoon sat and talked, and in the evening Will, Fanny and I went with Tom to the Cathedral in Manchester. There was a very large congregation, mostly women of the middle class, but with a good sprinkling of others and men also! The preacher, Canon McClure has a very find face and gave us a fine sermon. The music was particularly good and I was provoked that we had to leave after the first verse of the hymn "For all thy saints", the large congregation joining with grand effort but we could not miss the train.
On reaching home we found Emilie's sisters, Mrs Farthing and Mrs Bennett (I think) a nice woman but I fancy a crank on temperance. She and Mrs Farthing are both intelligent and could talk very well, Mrs Farthing particularly. We had quite a rattling good talk altogether and Emily would insist on our having some supper after they had gone. She said we always have it and you must. She is determined to make Fanny fatter, she says. "Why don't you set the example?" said Fanny, "For Emily is very thin." "O it's different with me having these big lads to look after but you have no business to be so thin", etc. She and Fanny are quite fraternal or what is the equivalent for it in women.
749 Discovery Street, Victoria
Here is a wonderful photograph of Annie and Will, presumably sitting outside their home at 749 Discovery Street, Victoria. They
were living here in 1911, along with Annie's sister, Kate (Catherine Georgina).
©Basil Fox
I love the way Annie has a cat on her lap (throughout the diary of their European trip Annie constantly remarks on cats) which is looking at the dog and the way the little dog is sitting on its hind legs and looking up at Will.
Death of Husband
Will Sutton drops dead at work on 9th May 1914. It must have been a shock. There were many obituaries in the local newspaper sending condolences to Annie and the rest of the family. Some of these are very moving, in particular this one from The Colonist, 6th June 1914:
The following kind and appreciative letter of condolence was sent to Mrs. W.J. Sutton from the meeting of the Western branch of the Canadian Mining Institute, of which the late Mr. W.J. Sutton was chairman:
Dear Mrs. Sutton.- At a meeting of the members of the Western branch of the Canadian Mining Institute, held in Nelson on May 28, it was the unanimous wish of those present that I convey to you an assurance of their sincere sympathy with you in your great loss occasioned by the lamented death of your late husband, whom we were much pleased to look up to as our chairman.
A resolution expressing the appreciation of our members of the valuable work Mr. Sutton did over the long series of years he devoted to the advancement of the knowledge of the geology of this country, and of his unremitting efforts to foster the utilization of its resources, especially of its mineral wealth, will be placed on the records of this branch of the Institute. Please accept this message of condolence and sympathy in full confidence that it is not merely a formal record; rather it is an earnest and heartfelt tribute to the worth of one of our most valued members, and of our deep feeling for you and other loved ones from whom he was so suddenly taken.
Believe me dear madam, Yours very truly, Secretary of Western Branch, C.M.I.
Annie was still living at 749 Discovery Street in 1921. We learn from the census that the house is rented for $15 a month. It is a single storey made of wood with eight rooms. Her sister Catherine Georgina is still living with her.
We know that Will Sutton wanted his collection of minerals, crystals, earths and precious stones to be kept in Victoria. His collection was transferred from their house on Discovery Street to the University of British Columbia in June 1927. Here is an extract from The Times, Victoria, June 2nd 1927:
...The great mineralogist passed away in the year of 1914, and it was left to his devoted widow and her sister, Miss Fox, in conjunction with the learned Faculty of the University, including Professor S.J. Schofield, Dr. McKechnie, Professor T.C. Phemister, the latter a clever young scientist and mineral expert from Glasgow and Cambridge Universities, to bring about the successful transfer from this city to the new university building in Vancouver, B.C. In addition to these gentlemen, and acting in an advisory capacity, during which period he gave much time and interest in order to complete negotiations, William Fleet Robertson, of Rockland Avenue, is to be heartily congratulated, for there was for several years a possibility that this wonderful collection might have passed out of the country, and this would indeed have been a lamentable event.
The collection is now on display at Pacific Museum of the Earth, University of British Columbia, Vancouver.Death
Helen Annie dies on 27th December 1932 aged 80 years and is buried with her husband, Will, at Ross Bay Cemetery, Victoria. Here is Annie and Will's grave; the cross is missing. It is below a big copper beech tree.
Thanks to Leona Taylor.
Amy and Kate Fox
In 1901 Harriet Amy, known as Amy to the family, is 41 years old and a music teacher. Her sister Catherine Georgina, known to the
family as Kate, is 38 and teaches at a private school. Amy earns $120 per year whilst Kate earns $155. They are living in the
city area of Victoria and have a lodger, Charles E. Clarke who is the Harbour Master.
Neither Amy nor Kate married. Both had been members of the Victoria branch of the
Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, which their brother-in-law, Will Sutton, helped to found. They were also members of the Literary
Society, as was Will Sutton and his sister, Fanny.
The Ellwoods
George Thomas, known as Tom to the family, married Minnie Ellwood on 4th July 1894 in Victoria.
Minnie emigrated to Canada in 1890. I will come back to Minnie after we have looked at her family. Her parents were John Benjamin Ellwood (1826-1908) and Isabella Lofthouse (1826-1894).
John Benjamin Ellwood was born in 1826 in Patrick Brompton near Hunton, in Richmondshire, North Yorkshire, where he was baptised on 9th July 1826. His parents were Benjamin and Elizabeth.
In 1841 John is a man servant at Patrick Brompton for Elizabeth Elsby, 60 years old, who also had two other servants. He had clearly obtained an education because by 1851 he is employed as a book keeper at a general warehouse in Salford where he is lodging at 9 Browning Street. In 1852 he marries Isabella Lofthouse at Ripon.
Isabella Lofthouse was born in about 1828 in Bishop Monkton, five miles south of Ripon and 24 miles south of Patrick Brompton. Her parents are Thomas and Margaret Lofthouse; Isabella is the sister of Margaret Lofthouse (wife of George Fox).
In 1841 she is living with her mother Margaret who is 41 and her younger siblings, William 10 and Ann 7. At a guess their father is dead. Ten years later she is a housemaid for a Harriet Charnock, who is a widow, and her five year old son; there is another servant, Isabella Goodyear who is the cook. The residence is at Littlethorpe, Whitecliffe with Thorpe, not too far from Bishop Monkton.
John Benjamin and Isabella Lofthouse have their first child, Mary Elizabeth Ellwood on 26th November 1853 at Ashton Under Lyne; she is baptised on 5th February 1854 at St Michael's, Ashton Under Lyne.
Thomas Lofthouse Ellwood is the next to arrive in 1855, he is born in Chorlton and is baptised on 6th January 1856 at Chorlton-upon-Medlock.
In 1861 John Benjamin and Isabella are living at 50 Duke Street, Hulme. John Benjamin is a book keeper; his sister, Ann Ellwood is also living with them and their two children, Mary Elizabeth and Thomas Lofthouse, Ann Ellwood is 31 and a seamstress.
Their third child, Margaret Alice, is born on 22nd September 1865 and baptised on 23rd October at the Wesleyan Methodist Chapel, Beech Road, Chorlton-cum-Hardy.
Minnie Ellwood, their fourth child, is born on 16th August 1870 at Chorlton-cum-Hardy and is also baptised at the Wesleyan Methodist Chapel, Beech Road which is now an Indian restaurant.
In 1871 the family are living in Lloyd Street, Chorlton-cum-Hardy. John B. is still a book keeper and young Tom is a junior clerk.
Ten years later and they have moved to 6 Whitelow Road, Chorlton-cum-Hardy. John B. is the book keeper at an iron works, young Tom is now a commercial clerk working for Manchester corporation. Another ten years on and the family have moved up the road to 49 Whitelow Road. This is still there, it is a pretty red brick semi with a bay window. John B. for some reason is now a warehouseman working at the iron mill; Margaret Alice is a knitting machinist and Minnie is an elementary school teacher.
In 1890 Minnie emigrates to Canada to join her cousins. Four years later her mother, Isabella dies at the age of 66 in Chorlton.
In 1901 John B, now 74 and a widower, is still working, he is now a stock keeper at the iron warehouse. For some reason Mary Elizabeth has never been down in any of the census' as having an occupation. Margaret Alice is a dressmaker. They are still living at the same address.
Some time after this the family move back up to Yorkshire, as they are at Nosterfield, Bedale when Helen Annie, Will and Fanny Sutton visit them. Here is an extract from Annie's diary about their visit:
7th Nov. 1903: (Waiting at Ripon railway station) ...There were good fires in the waiting rooms which was fortunate as we had nearly an hour's wait. The caretaker summoned to the crowd in the ladies room that all the trains were an hour behind time so it was after 4 p.m. when we started for Tanfield.
I felt very much disappointed at not being able to see the country and so was Will. We had the compartment to ourselves most of the way and, of course, the carriages are always heated with hot water (I think). It was quite dark when we got to Tanfield and we had the address ready of a place not far from the station where we could get a rig to Nosterfield but it was not necessary for on alighting from the train a respectable looking middle aged man with a hand cart came up to Will, at the same time I felt a touch on my shoulder, turning round, there I saw Maggie.
I recognised her at once, though the lights were rather dim. I was very agreeably surprised in her for she is better and younger looking than her photo makes her out to be and she is much brighter and livelier in her manner than I had expected, though nice and quiet. She told us we should have to wait perhaps for a conveyance and it was only about 20 or 25 minutes walk, so we started off at a brisk pace, the old man ahead with our hand bags. I told Will after a while to join him so as to leave us three women on the least muddy parts of the road and Maggie gave me the latest news about Mary, whom she thought was wonderfully better considering how bad she had been and told me some of the details of her case. Of course Fanny joined in the talk and we found another's company agreeable, if the weather was not.
Uncle Ellwood was in the lobby when we got to the house and Will had met him before I did, seemed to know me saying as he caught my hand "Is this Annie?" He was very hearty and friendly with us all. We waited before going into the parlour to Mary, until we had taken off our damp things. She was delighted to see us and I was glad to see her looking better than Tom had led me to expect she would be, for although very white and thin, she was bright and cheerful and thankful to be getting on so well after the bad time she has had.
The Grange Cottage, Nosterfield, ©Jan Bridget, 2018
They had expected us hours before and had dinner ready but Uncle Ellwood had concluded the trains must be all out on account of the fog. After tea, which was very good and very welcome, Uncle Ellwood took Will into the kitchen with him, Maggie attended to clearing away the dishes and Fanny and I sat with Mary and had a long talk, of course, about Girlies and Boyseys' doings and sayings on my part and inquiries about them and anecdotes of Emily's boys on Mary's.
After some time the others came in and we had another talk all together before supper which Maggie would insist on us having before going to bed. She had put some bricks to heat in the oven for us to take up with us, for we could not get warm, the fog looked like a thick white cloud outside the window and I was sorry that Maggie had to go for milk in such weather, though she said it was not far.
Sunday Nov 8th. Much clearer this morning but very raw and cold. Maggie had breakfast all set when I got down. I took Mary's upstairs, she is beginning to have a little sold food now. I stayed talking until they called me.
Uncle Ellwood very much exercised about Will's and Fanny's appetites (though they have done better in the eating line since coming to England than they have done since we left the steamers on the Arrowhead Lakes in British Columbia). Fanny assured him that she felt heavier and her clothes getting smaller every day, that Mrs Tom Ellwood made her eat so much, etc.
After Mary came down I got the cake and presents out and they were all much gratified with them. Especially Uncle with the little tools and Mary put the cake away herself saying it would come in nice for Xmas.
I went to the back gate for a little while to hear the sweet toned peals of bells from three directions, it was much clearer and the sun was actually shining in a dim sort of way (Mary had told me that the weather had been fine until yesterday).
Uncle Ellwood took Will a short walk down the road and Fanny and I insisted upon giving Maggie a little help with the dishes, though she turned us out of the scullery before the dishes were done. So we had another talk with Mary after we had done our rooms. Will and Uncle Ellwood soon came back finding it too cold to be out long.
After dinner they had another short walk and then Will sat with him in the kitchen during his "smoke" and Maggie took Fannie out for a little while and I stayed with Mary and we talked about everything and anything. It began to be foggy again and "the girls" as Uncle Ellwood called them, soon came in. Finding that they had meals in the kitchen, I insisted that tea should be set there and had it very comfortably, Mary sitting near the fire.
Then as we had only this evening left, and I wanted Maggie to be with us some part of it, Fanny and I would help her with the tea things. It was a bother her having to fetch the milk. I did not like to ask but wondered why it could not be sent to them, especially as it was pitch dark. Mary, Fanny and I sat in the parlour the rest of the evening, Maggie bringing in hot milk for supper when she brought Mary's.
We had all refused supper but they never think of going to bed without something. Fanny says "If we don't get fat we ought to, for we have done nothing but eat since we landed in England." I looked out of our bedroom window, about 11.20 and found it clear and moonlight which promised well for the morrow.
Monday Nov 9th A fine bright day. I took up Mary's cup of tea and after breakfast we three went with Uncle Ellwood to see his fowls and garden. Mary was downstairs when we came back. I think I should like Nosterfield very much if I lived here, it has such a different aspect when it is fine and this is a quaint old fashioned house. Mary says she has got to like the country very much though she did not like it at first. The "choir" came for our luggage and Uncle Ellwood went to the station with us. Mary muffled herself up and came to the door with Maggie to look after us till we turned out of the gate.
The "Hamilton Hills" were visible in the distance and the fields and trees nearby looked very pretty. Both Will and Fannie remarked the similarity between England and Ontario. We met a hunting party of three gentlemen and a lady on beautiful horses, one of them in the ugly orthodox red costume. Will took him for a servant.
Near Tanfield we met a hearty, good humoured, countrified gentleman, who had a sawmill near here, he was going a little way by rail and he and Will "fratted" on the subject of trees and mills etc.
At parting we promised the girls and Uncle Ellwood to visit them on our return from the South.
The day kept fine, and we saw more of the country as we went on and it was very pretty in some parts. But around Leeds and other towns fog and smoke still clung making them look very ugly and dirtiness itself. We could however see something of their extent, an impossibility on Saturday. We arrived at Manchester at 2.30.
John Benjamin (uncle Ellwood) dies in 1908 in Bedale. The 1911 census tells us that Mary Elizabeth, now 47 is head of the household (she completed the form), and Margaret Alice 43, are living at Nosterfield, Well, Bedale. They have a lodger, Walter Johnson who is a Church of England lay preacher.
Margaret Alice dies on 27th September 1938 at the age of 73. She is living at Grange Cottage, Nosterfield, Bedale, and leaves £201 18s 5d to her sister. Mary Elizabeth dies on 29th November 1943 at the age of 90. She was still living at Grange Cottage and leaves £257 19s 9d to her nephew Miles Lofthouse Ellwood and Mary Jane Allison, widow.
Tom left home in 1887 to marry Emilie Little. They live in Chorlton-cum-Hardy which is where their first son, Miles, is born in 1888; Stanley is born the following year. In 1891 they are living at 68 Brundretts Road, Chorlton; Tom is now chief clerk in the Health Department at Manchester Town Hall. This is a fantastic building, in fact I received my diploma in Youth and Community Work there in 1982! I have also been to a reception there and the mayor showed a group of us the private suite which is exactly like it was in Victorian times.
Here is an extract from Helen Annie Sutton's diary, Tuesday, Nov. 3rd 1903 when Tom Ellwood took them round Manchester Town Hall:
We then went to City Hall, another magnificent building and, while Tom went in to attend to his business, we were shown all over by a verger (I suppose they would call him). We saw the clock and all its works. I could not begin to describe the workings as they were explained to us by the caretaker, it was all confusion of mechanism which seemed to me to work almost consciously. We went up endless steps to see the bells. Will and Fanny going to see the Great bell strike the hour 11 but I sat on the steps outside with my ears stopped.
We then walked on the balcony outside the tower and had a pretty good view considering the fog and smoke through which the sun managed to shine dimly and redly in a few places. Then through different corridors, which felt very "cathedral like" to me, from their dimness and architecture. In fine weather the Square, named after Prince Albert whose statue faces the Hall, must look fine when filled with crowds of children and then teachers on Whit Monday.
Their third son, Roy, is born in 1896. The family live in the same house for many years and are still there in 1911. So this is where Annie, Will and Fanny must have stayed when they visited in 1903. We learn from that census that Tom and Emilie have been married 24 years have had four children, one of whom had died. Tom dies on 17th February 1936 when they are living at 12 Doncaster Avenue, Withington. He left £373 9s 2d to his wife. Emilie dies on 10th March 1947 at the same address. She leaves £288 7s 2d to her son, John Stanley Ellwood, who is a grocers manager.
This is what happened to their children:
Thomas Roy Ellwood (1896-1917): Roy joined the Prince of Wales Own (West Yorkshire) Regiment, second fifth battalion; his regimental number was 200970. The family were living in Bedale when Roy enlisted in Harrogate. He reached the rank of lance sergeant and was killed in action in Flanders. He is buried at Thiepval, Departement de la Somme, Picardie, France. Here is a link to Roses of Picardy a song that was popular just after the First World War. Roy was awarded (posthumously) the British War Medal and Victory Medal. Here is a link to the history of the 62nd Division. I'm afraid I cried when I listened to this, partly because I was still thinking of little Roy as described by Helen Annie Sutton from their trip to England (see above).
Miles Lofthouse Ellwood (1888-1959): Miles enlists with the King's Liverpool Regiment on 15th November 1916, his number is 269023. He is living at 22 Westbourne Grove, Withington and is a tea merchant. He marries Annie Merchant Corvies (her surname is spelt different in various documents) on 9th September 1912 at the Wesleyan Church, Chorlton-cum-Hardy, they have one daughter, Joyce, born in 1915 and a second daughter born in Didsbury in 1921. Miles dies on 9th March 1959 at the Jewish Hospital in Cheetham, Manchester. His wife, Annie, dies on 26th November 1957.
John Stanley Ellwood (1889-1957): Stan marries Eliza Valentine Pickworth in 1927. I don't know if they had any children.
Stan dies 25th December 1957, his wife dies in 1973.
George Thomas Fox (1868-1924) and Minnie Ellwood (1870-1960)
In 1901 George Thomas, or Tom, as the family called him, and Minnie are living in the City district of Victoria, Tom works at the Cutlery Store and
they have two children, Margaret Isabele,
born 10th July 1898 and George Ellwood, born 11th September 1900. Here they are in about 1902:
©Basil Fox
Here is another one with Tom, Minnie, baby George Ellwood and aunt Kate:
©Basil Fox
In 1921 (I cannot find them in the 1911 census) they are living at 1131 Collens Street, Victoria. It is a single storey house made of wood and has eight rooms. Tom is 53, Minnie 51, Margaret Isabele 23 and George Ellwood 21. Tom is working at the Cutlery Store. I cannot read what it says for George's occupation but it looks like he is working in a store.
Here is a photograph of George Thomas:
©Basil Fox
George Thomas dies on 10th May 1924, he is 56. Here is a link to a blog about him Everything but the fish at Fox's. Minnie lives to the grand old age of 89, she dies on 8th April 1960.
Margaret Isabele remains single and dies at the age of 85 on 10th June 1984.
George Ellwood marries Nellie Warburton on 29th September 1928. They have one son. Here is George,
©Basil Fox
and here is Nellie,
©Basil Fox
George dies quite young at 58 years on 4th April 1959; Nellie dies on 21st February 1990, aged 89.
Warburtons
Nellie Warburton was born in January 1901 in Leicester, she is the fifth of ten children born to Harry Warburton (1869-1951) and
Emily Rogers Hartley (1869-1916), they were married in 1893 in Leicester.
Until we get Harry and Emily's marriage certificate we cannot confirm Harry's parents.
Emily Rogers was the fifth of at least eight children born to James Haynes Hartley (1831-1882) who was born in Nottingham and Sarah Dadwell (1833-1893) who was born in Woodstock, Oxfordshire.
Emily Roger's siblings were, Natt Harry (1857-?), Randolph David (1860-?), Lizzie Emma (1862-?), Amy Schofield (1864-?), Sarah Ann (1866-?), Emily Rogers herself, and her twin Edith Ellen (1869-?), and Alfred (1876-?).
James and Sarah were married in Leicester in 1856. In the following census, 1861, Sarah is down as 'wife' aged 28, a dress maker and is living at 5 Cark Street. She has two children, Natt Harry, who is three, and Randolph David who is one; both were born in Leicester. James, however, appears to be living at Humberston House, Thurmaston Lane. He is a coachman, is 31, born in Nottingham but is down as unmarried. I think it is highly likely this is him - servants were not allowed to be married in many households so it could be James is keeping quiet about his wife and children.
In the previous, 1851, census there is a James Hartley who is 21 and a servant at the Coach and Horses, Humberstone Gate, which is run by George Haynes and his wife who have a large young family. Given on one of the records James is called James Haynes Hartley, it seems highly likely this is his uncle. If it is, George Haynes was born in Horncastle, Lincoln.
By 1971 the family are living together at 7 Kenyon Street, Leicester. James is down as a coachman, born in Nottingham whilst Sarah is a dress maker. It looks like Natt Harry must have died. The children living with James and Sarah are Randolph David, 11; Lizzie/Lucy Emma, 9; Amy Schofield, 7; and Sarah Ann, 5. All were born in Leicester.
Ten years later they have moved to 69 Waring Street, Leicester and James is now a shoe presser (Leicester was well known for its shoe factories). Randolph is still at home and he is a locksmith; Amy is a tailoress; Sarah a stockroom assistant (shoe makers); the twins Emily and Edith are eleven and young Alfred five.
James dies the following year, 1882, aged 51. In 1891 Sarah and her family are still at the same address. Lucy Emma is a tailoress; Sarah Ann a clerk; Emily a tailoress and her twin, Edith a machinist. Alfred is a tailor's cutter.
Sarah dies in 1892 aged 59.
Amy marries in 1886; Lucy Emma in 1899, Edith in 1892. I don't know what happened to the boys.
Harry and Emily Warburton
Some time after Emily Rogers and Harry Warburton marry they move to 60 Vauxhall Street where they are living in 1901.
In 1911 they are living at 39 Ashover Road, Leicester. Harry is a shop fitter. They have been married 11 years and have had 11 children, one of which has died.
The whole family leave Liverpool on November 1st, 1912, on the ship Tunisia which is part of the Allan Line, they are headed for Quebec. Harry has a job lined up working as a builder for his brother-in-law. So the group crossing includes Harry and Emily, both aged 43 years; Sarah Ann 18, Emily 16, Harry 15, Florence May 12, Nellie 11, Evelyn 9, Winifred 6, Edward 4, Anne 2 and James Robert 1. What fun they must have had.
Sadly, Emily dies on 19th June 1916 at 2533 Grahame Street, Victoria. She leaves £250 to her husband, Harry, who is a private in the 61st Company, Canadian Forestry Corps. She is buried in Ross Bay Cemetery. Harry is left with the ten children: Sarah Amy 22, Emily 20, Harry 18, Florence 16, Nellie 15, Evelyn 13, Winifred 10, Edward 8, Annie 6 and James Robert 5.
In 1920 Harry marries Fanny Hextall. Fanny arrived in Quebec on 11th July 1920 and was married in Vancouver on 16th July 1920. The following year they are living at the same address, 2533 Grahame Street which is a one storey wooden house with six rooms. Harry is 52 and Fanny 38. There are four children still living at home, Winnie, 15; Edward, 13; Annie, 12; and James Robert, 10.
Harry lives till he is 82 years old, he dies on 7th April 1951 and is buried in Ross Bay Cemetery. I cannot find out what happened to Fanny.