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Research in Other Countries => Canada => Topic started by: route66 on Tuesday 07 December 10 22:35 GMT (UK)

Title: cannot locate a marriage
Post by: route66 on Tuesday 07 December 10 22:35 GMT (UK)
My grandfather Samuel Stopford Worthington from Stockport met Clara Yeomans and they went to Canada sometime between 1928 and 1931.  In July 1931 my mother was born in Toronto and they returned to the UK in August 1931 on a ship called Montcalm.  I have searched records online for the UK and cannot find any marriage certificate for Samual and Clara.  On Samuel's death certificate Clara is listed as his wife. If they did not marry would she have stated her details as his wife?  Did they perhaps marry in Canada??  any suggestions please.
Title: Re: cannot locate a marriage
Post by: polarbear on Tuesday 07 December 10 23:14 GMT (UK)
Unfortunately, if they married in Ontario, which would make sense if the daughter was b. in Toronto, marriage indexes are only available to the public up to 1927 at the present time; a new year is added annually. You can, however, order a certificate from the Government if you meet certain qualifications. This is the web link .....

http://www.ontario.ca/en/services_for_residents/121591

Polarbear
Title: Re: cannot locate a marriage
Post by: Jacquie in Canada on Wednesday 08 December 10 00:45 GMT (UK)
On the outgoing UK passenger list there are children named Eddie and Patricia listed as well as a month old baby.

So Samuel was married more than once. I found a birth in the BMD for Eddie S. Worthington that was registered in the 3rd quarter of 1919 in Stockport, Cheshire that indicates his mother's maiden surname was Walker. There is also a marriage for Samuel S. Worthington to Annie Walker in the third quarter of 1916.

It looks like the family didn't come over together. I have found a passenger list for the Athenia which departed from Liverpool and arrived in Montreal on 25 May 1930 which has Eddie S. Worthington listed as a passenger. He was 10 years old and born in Stockport and his final destination was to his father Samuel S. Worthington of Toronto.

Do you have more information about Clara (ie parents names, birth year)?

Jacquie

Title: Re: cannot locate a marriage
Post by: route66 on Wednesday 08 December 10 20:03 GMT (UK)
Jacquie,
Yes you are correct regarding the other marriages.  Samuel was married twice before he met Clara and Eddie and Patriciia were my mothers step brother and sister, my mother is the one month old baby.  The Athenia passenger list is new information to me so very grateful for that.  I have a birth certificate for Patricia that states her mother as Clara Redmond (formerly Yeomans) I know about Clara's birth 5th June 1901 and also her parents details.  It is the marriage of Clara to Samuel Worthington that I am struggling with.  Did the Athenia passenger list give any other names with Eddie, if he was only 10 years old would he have travelled from Liverpool to Canada alone?? (I do have the birth certificate for Eddie)
Title: Re: cannot locate a marriage
Post by: Jacquie in Canada on Thursday 09 December 10 05:44 GMT (UK)
I found an entry on the passenger list that seems to fit except for the age of Patricia although it appears the incoming passenger list has the wrong age and this one is correct. Clara Redmond travelling on the Montrose which departed from Liverpool and arrived in Quebec on 14 Aug 1926. With Clara  (25, born Manchester) were her husband Thomas (31, born Cheadle) and daughter Patricia (3 months, born Stockport). Thomas was a woollen merchant in the UK but was going to be a hairdresser in Canada. They were destined to Clara's mother, Mrs Clair Poyser of Toronto. 

The Ontario deaths database go to 1936 and I haven't been able to find a death for Thomas Redmond yet.

As for Eddie on the passenger list, it's difficult to tell if he was alone or not. There is a notation that says "Copy of Fyle No. Mr Smart". There was no one named Smart on that voyage but perhaps that was the name of a person who ran a service of bringing children over to their parent.

Regarding your question about whether Clara would list herself as being his wife on the death registration even though they weren't leagally married, the answer most likely is yes. 

Jacquie
Title: Re: cannot locate a marriage
Post by: route66 on Thursday 09 December 10 21:24 GMT (UK)
Thank you for looking at my enquiry on looking again what you have found out is correct.  are you able to check out if any marriage took place between Samuel Stopford Worthington and Clara Redmond some time between 1926 and 1931
Title: Re: cannot locate a marriage
Post by: Jacquie in Canada on Friday 10 December 10 05:07 GMT (UK)
What are the details for Clara's parents? Where was Clara born? Perhaps the family emigrated together. 

Jacquie
Title: Re: cannot locate a marriage
Post by: andycand on Friday 10 December 10 07:22 GMT (UK)
Hi route66

Quote
I found an entry on the passenger list that seems to fit except for the age of Patricia although it appears the incoming passenger list has the wrong age and this one is correct. Clara Redmond travelling on the Montrose which departed from Liverpool and arrived in Quebec on 14 Aug 1926. With Clara  (25, born Manchester) were her husband Thomas (31, born Cheadle) and daughter Patricia (3 months, born Stockport). Thomas was a woollen merchant in the UK but was going to be a hairdresser in Canada. They were destined to Clara's mother, Mrs Clair Poyser of Toronto

If Patricia was born in 1926 in Stockport then it certainly looks like the passenger list that Jacquie found (quoted above) is the arrival of Clara & Patricia in Canada along with the father of Patricia, Thomas Redmond.

I haven't found a marriage between Thomas Redmond and Clara Yeomans so it does open the possibility that Clara was free to marry Samuel Worthington but its also possible that both relationships were de-facto.

Andy
Title: Re: cannot locate a marriage
Post by: route66 on Friday 10 December 10 19:22 GMT (UK)
Hi Andy,
Yes looking at the information again it is correct re Clara, Patricia and Thomas Terence Redmond.  I now believe that all three were already in Canada when my grandad Samuel Stopford Worhington arrived from the UK,  looks like Samuel either had an affair with Clara or they married in Canada because Samuel, Clara, Patricia and my mum who is only 1 month old returned from Canada together with Samuels son Eddie on 10th August 1931.  Clara was calling herself Clara Worthington on the ships passenger list.  Oh what a tangled web we weave.
Title: Re: cannot locate a marriage
Post by: Jacquie in Canada on Saturday 11 December 10 00:10 GMT (UK)
Keep in mind divorces were very difficult to obtain back in those times. In Canada one could only be granted by an Act in Parliament and that was true up to 1968. Most divorces were of the unofficial variety before then (in the UK and Canada from my experience) and were not uncommon.

Unfortunately marriages from 1927-1930 aren't available online at the moment. The good news is Archives Ontario is hoping to have marriages up to 1930 available in a searchable database sometime in 2011.

I've had no luck finding Samuel's arrival to Canada. I saw he was granted probate to his father's will in 1921 so presumably it was sometime between 1921 and 1930 when he left England. I'll keep looking for that.

I'll also try to find some trace of Thomas Redmond.

Jacquie
Title: Re: cannot locate a marriage
Post by: route66 on Saturday 11 December 10 16:03 GMT (UK)
Samuel was in the UK in June 1928 because his 2nd wife died in childbirth in Manchester.  He was however in Canada by May 1930 because this is the date that his son Eddie from his first marriage went to Canada, passage paid by his father Samuel.  I have tried to find any reference to Samuels trip to Canada withou success.  If you are able to look then the date will be sometime between June 1928 and August 1931 when he returned with Clara, Eddie, Patricia (Clara's daughter) and my mum Shirley.
Title: Re: cannot locate a marriage
Post by: vbain on Sunday 12 December 10 00:21 GMT (UK)
http://www.islandnet.com/ocfa/search.php (ontario cemetery finding aid) (this service is freely available

 Cemetery County Township Reference
Name YEOMANS, Clara F. White Chapel Memorial Gardens  (county Wentworth)
City: Hamilton HM-179-2 If you contact the Hamilton Library or the Wentworth Historical society, you might find someone to look this up
Title: Re: cannot locate a marriage
Post by: JDC on Sunday 12 December 10 03:31 GMT (UK)
Good day,

I have dealt with the administration at White Chappel iin Hamilton and they have been very helpful with providing info regarding my ancestors. Their website addy is http://www.whitechapelmemorial.com/. I suggest you contact them to see what info they can provide you regarding your family member(s). Hope this helps.

JDC
Title: Re: cannot locate a marriage
Post by: Jacquie in Canada on Sunday 12 December 10 04:43 GMT (UK)
http://www.islandnet.com/ocfa/search.php (ontario cemetery finding aid) (this service is freely available

 Cemetery County Township Reference
Name YEOMANS, Clara F. White Chapel Memorial Gardens  (county Wentworth)
City: Hamilton HM-179-2 If you contact the Hamilton Library or the Wentworth Historical society, you might find someone to look this up

I believe that Clara F. Yeomans is the daughter of John and Clara Yeomans who emigrated to Canada in 1911.

route66's Clara returned to England in 1931 and died in Stockport in 1989.

route66, I have had no luck finding Samuel's arrival or what happened to Thomas. I've tried every trick I can think of but found nothing.

Jacquie
Title: Re: cannot locate a marriage
Post by: route66 on Sunday 12 December 10 11:45 GMT (UK)
Clara's mother and father were called Clara E and Joseph Yeomans and in the 1911 UK Census Joseph was a widower. so the info you have found is a different family.  Thank you anyway for all your help.