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Research in Other Countries => Canada => Topic started by: Zakerias on Thursday 01 January 26 18:34 GMT (UK)

Title: George Arthur Smith Born England 1916
Post by: Zakerias on Thursday 01 January 26 18:34 GMT (UK)
After a period of inactivity I've decided to look into a different branch..

This one I've had no further information on since I started building my tree years ago.

George Arthur Smith was born in Atherstone/Bentley on 19 Jun 1916

Name: George A Smith
Registration Date: Jul 1916
Registration Quarter: Jul-Aug-Sep
Registration District: Atherstone
Inferred County: Warwickshire
Mother's Maiden Name: Eden
Volume Number: 6d
Page number: 1181

He's on the 1921 census with his family at The Crowshaws, Bentley, Atherstone.

He's on the 1939 census living on his own in Nuneaton as a coal hewer.

He may have married Annie Maisie Jones in 1939

Record details
Name: George A Smith
Registration Date: Apr 1939
Registration Quarter: Apr-May-Jun
Registration District: Cardiff
Inferred County: Glamorganshire
Spouse: Annie M Jones
Volume Number: 11a
Page number: 653

There's an arrival in 1956 on UK and Ireland, Incoming Passenger Lists, 1878-1960.

Name: George A Smith
Arrival Age: 40
Birth Date: 19 Jul 1916
Port of Departure: New York, New York, USA
Arrival Date: 22 Dec 1956
Port of Arrival: Liverpool, England
Ports of Voyage: New York and Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Ship Name: Saxonia
Shipping Line: Cunard Steamship Company Ltd
Official Number: 8328/01

And that's all I have.. unfortunately I don't have access to international records so there may be something obvious I've missed. The only information I have is from my grandparents who said that George had emigrated to Canada (so I'm fairly certainly of this). He MAY have died around 2013 but by the time contact may have been made to my grandparents they were largely non compos mentis.

I wish I had more but unfortunately I don't.. I'd like to add their memorials to findagrave together with pictures if any exist

Title: Re: George Arthur Smith Born England 1916
Post by: mckha489 on Thursday 01 January 26 18:42 GMT (UK)
George 19 July 1916.  In 1956 that man is going to 107, Green Lane, Chapel End, Nuneaton.
George is a miner.

Says he is married, visiting for 7 weeks
Title: Re: George Arthur Smith Born England 1916
Post by: mckha489 on Thursday 01 January 26 19:15 GMT (UK)
25 March 1955, off to Canada (same Nuneaton address)
Married
Miner
Ship Scythia

Title: Re: George Arthur Smith Born England 1916
Post by: Zakerias on Saturday 03 January 26 18:25 GMT (UK)
25 March 1955, off to Canada (same Nuneaton address)
Married
Miner
Ship Scythia

Thanks mckha489 yes that's him. I didn't have this one. I've just got off the phone with my mum and she remembers he came back and then left again. She said it was to collect his family but by the time he came back she had moved on.

So he'll likely be departing again on his own.. from the sounds of it he had a partner when he was in Canada although I'm not sure if he ever married.
Title: Re: George Arthur Smith Born England 1916
Post by: Zakerias on Saturday 03 January 26 18:40 GMT (UK)
Leaves again

Name: George Smith
Gender: Male
Departure Date: 8 Feb 1957
Departure Port: England
Ship Name: Britannic
Shipping Line: Cunard Steam Ship Company, Limited
Destination Port: New York, USA
Title: Re: George Arthur Smith Born England 1916
Post by: mckha489 on Saturday 03 January 26 18:45 GMT (UK)
Yes. Same address given.
On his own.
Title: Re: George Arthur Smith Born England 1916
Post by: jonwarrn on Saturday 03 January 26 22:56 GMT (UK)
Coventry Evening Telegraph, 15 September 1955
Nuneaton Fire
A chair and wallpaper were damaged by a fire last night at 107, Green Lane, Nuneaton, a house occupied by Mrs. Mavis Smith.

That's it.
Title: Re: George Arthur Smith Born England 1916
Post by: jonwarrn on Sunday 04 January 26 12:27 GMT (UK)
In 1956 that man is going to 107, Green Lane, Chapel End, Nuneaton.

Says he is married, visiting for 7 weeks

Some redecorating to do, perhaps?
Title: Re: George Arthur Smith Born England 1916
Post by: *Sandra* on Sunday 04 January 26 12:50 GMT (UK)

The birth year 1922 may not quite be right but the 19 th July was the birth date given.

Born "Little Hell"

"Little Hell" is a phrase that has been used by local residents to describe a specific area or place within the town of Atherstone, likely in a historical or informal context, rather than being an official name

FIND A GRAVE  with a bio that says he immigrated 1956/57 ?

George Arthur Smith  - 19 July 1922 - 23 February 2014

Brooks Cemetery
Brooks, Lethbridge Census Division, Alberta.

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/126912112/george-arthur-smith

George Arthur Smith of Brooks passed away on Monday, February 24th, 2014 at the Brooks Health Centre, Sub-Acute Care at the age of 91 years. George was born on July 19th, 1922 in Little Hell, England.

He grew up loving horticulture, and area in which to took training in his late teens.

He moved to Canada in 1956 or 1957 and worked on a tobacco farm in Ontario and later at a greenhouse near Ottawa, where he furthered his horticultural training.

In about 1960, he decided that he wanted to see the Calgary Stampede. He started out west in his truck and late the first evening he stopped at a hotel to sleep for the night. When informed that the cost would be $2.00 for the night he told the owner he didn’t want to buy the hotel, he just wanted to sleep there. After several uncomfortable sleeps in the truck and using hot water from the truck radiator for shaving, he finally got to see the Stampede.

George next worked on several farms in the Hanna area. He began working at the Brooks Horticultural Research Center in the early 1960’s. George’s crowning achievement at work was planting and maintaining the rose garden at the Center. The rose garden which is still in existence today contains many roses developed by western Canadian rosarians.

Sandra

Notice the gravestone to the right - Annie Mary Campbell - 1913 - 2007  (Annie M Jones remarried or coincidence)
Title: Re: George Arthur Smith Born England 1916
Post by: jonwarrn on Sunday 04 January 26 13:09 GMT (UK)
Great find, Sandra, well done!


Title: Re: George Arthur Smith Born England 1916
Post by: *Sandra* on Sunday 04 January 26 13:14 GMT (UK)

Thank you jonwarrn.

Happy New Year
Sandra  :)
Title: Re: George Arthur Smith Born England 1916
Post by: jonwarrn on Sunday 04 January 26 13:23 GMT (UK)
A happy new year to you Sandra.
A great start to it by you on Rootschat!

Is this a photo of George in 2007?
Brooks Horticultural Center Rose Garden
George Smith
George is the gentleman who developed this wonderful collection of heritage roses.
Click on the photo here
https://www.helpmefind.com/gardening/l.php?l=3.9976&tab=36

And a happy new year to mckha and Zakerias as well!
John
Title: Re: George Arthur Smith Born England 1916
Post by: *Sandra* on Sunday 04 January 26 13:35 GMT (UK)

Excellent find, that will be a bonus for the family  :)

Sandra
Title: Re: George Arthur Smith Born England 1916
Post by: *Sandra* on Sunday 04 January 26 13:39 GMT (UK)
Another later photo George Arthur Smith - dated 30 October 2017

George is survived by his brother, Gilbert and wife Audrey; his sister, Nina Coadwell; nieces Gloria, Jennifer, Gillian, Josephine, and nephew Michael and their families all of England ????

https://brooksbulletin.com/bbobituaries/smith-george-arthur-smith/

Sandra
Title: Re: George Arthur Smith Born England 1916
Post by: *Sandra* on Sunday 04 January 26 13:48 GMT (UK)
Funeral of Mrs K Smith - Atherstone Herald - 1 st October 1965.
Mentions the name listed in the above article on George Arthur Smith.

https://www.newspapers.com/article/atherstone-herald/188149879/

Kate Nina Coadwell

Kate Nina Coadwell - 1930 - 26 April 2018  (aged 88 years)

UK Death Notice -

Kate Nina Coadwell - Death Date   2018
Death Place   Loughborough, Leicestershire.
Publication Date   9 May 2018  - Publication Place   Loughborough, Leicestershire
Publication Postal Code   Le11 5xr
Publisher   Loughborough Echo
Notes   Coadwell Kate Nina Passed Away Peacefully on 26th April 2018 Aged 88 Years. Will Be Sadly Missed By All Her Family. Her Funeral Service Is to Be Held on Monday 14th May At Loughborough Crematorium Chapel At 11:45 Followed By Burial in Loughborough Cemetery.


Sandra
Title: Re: George Arthur Smith Born England 1916
Post by: *Sandra* on Sunday 04 January 26 13:55 GMT (UK)
Births Dec 1928   

Smith    Gilbert R    Eden    Nuneaton    6d   908

Marriage 1952


UK Death Notice

Gilbert Roy Smith - Death Date   2023
Death Place   Nuneaton, Warwickshire, England, West Midlands
Publication Date   6 Jul 2023
Publication Place   Tamworth, Staffordshire - Publication Postal Code   B78 3lz
Publisher   Tamworth Herald
Notes   Smith Gilbert Roy (Danny) 1928 - 2023 Danny's Funeral Service Is Being Held on Thursday 13th July 2023 At 1.15pm At the Heart of England Crematorium, Nuneaton. Family Flowers Only.

Sandra
Title: Re: George Arthur Smith Born England 1916
Post by: dbree on Monday 05 January 26 14:26 GMT (UK)
Great find Sandra, and the pics jonwarrn, icing on the cake.  :)
Title: Re: George Arthur Smith Born England 1916
Post by: Zakerias on Tuesday 06 January 26 19:47 GMT (UK)

The birth year 1922 may not quite be right but the 19 th July was the birth date given.

Born "Little Hell"

"Little Hell" is a phrase that has been used by local residents to describe a specific area or place within the town of Atherstone, likely in a historical or informal context, rather than being an official name

FIND A GRAVE  with a bio that says he immigrated 1956/57 ?

George Arthur Smith  - 19 July 1922 - 23 February 2014

Brooks Cemetery
Brooks, Lethbridge Census Division, Alberta.

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/126912112/george-arthur-smith

George Arthur Smith of Brooks passed away on Monday, February 24th, 2014 at the Brooks Health Centre, Sub-Acute Care at the age of 91 years. George was born on July 19th, 1922 in Little Hell, England.

He grew up loving horticulture, and area in which to took training in his late teens.

He moved to Canada in 1956 or 1957 and worked on a tobacco farm in Ontario and later at a greenhouse near Ottawa, where he furthered his horticultural training.

In about 1960, he decided that he wanted to see the Calgary Stampede. He started out west in his truck and late the first evening he stopped at a hotel to sleep for the night. When informed that the cost would be $2.00 for the night he told the owner he didn’t want to buy the hotel, he just wanted to sleep there. After several uncomfortable sleeps in the truck and using hot water from the truck radiator for shaving, he finally got to see the Stampede.

George next worked on several farms in the Hanna area. He began working at the Brooks Horticultural Research Center in the early 1960’s. George’s crowning achievement at work was planting and maintaining the rose garden at the Center. The rose garden which is still in existence today contains many roses developed by western Canadian rosarians.

Sandra

Notice the gravestone to the right - Annie Mary Campbell - 1913 - 2007  (Annie M Jones remarried or coincidence)

Thank you Sandra. You certainly seem to have solved the mystery! Let me fill you in on some details where I can..

Definitely emigrated in 1957. I was told by my mum that he left, came back to collect his family and they'd moved on, so he went back on his own.

https://brooksbulletin.com/bbobituaries/smith-george-arthur-smith/ (https://brooksbulletin.com/bbobituaries/smith-george-arthur-smith/)

In the obituary

"George is survived by his brother, Gilbert and wife Audrey; his sister, Nina Coadwell; nieces Gloria, Jennifer, Gillian, Josephine, and nephew Michael and their families all of England."

Gilbert and Audrey were my Nan and Grandad. Gilbert "Danny" died in 2023, like you've correctly identified. Nina would have been his youngest sister, she died in 2018 like you've identified. K Smith was George's mum Kate Elizabeth Smith who died in 1965.

Special thank you to Jon as well for the other picture.

I'm in touch with his niece Jenny (also mentioned in the obituary) .. she will be delighted.

Not sure on his age though, he's nearly 5 in the 1921 census  ???

Name: George Arthur Smith
Gender: Male
Age: 4 Years 11 Months
Relation to Head: Son
Orphanhood: Both Parents Alive
Estimated Birth Year: 1916
Residence Date: 1921
Residence Street Address: The Crousshaws, Bentley, Atherstone