Joseph Ralph WATSON

[scotiagirl]

Hi Westwood21

Yes. R.A.L. is the right one.  I managed to obtain a copy of the book from a local antique/used book store.  I believe you can read it online as well.  He seems like such a loving husband in many of these entries.  Oh well... As to him dying in 1957... I checked with Library and Archives Canada about the entry and the genealogical consultant informed me that they had no additional records that would indicate who provided the death date to the previous Department of Veteran Affairs or where he died.  I thought it strange that they would take that information without having any source indicated (rule #1 of genealogical research?) but that was what I was told. 

Hi heywood

You mentioned about a Ralph Beverly Watson in the 1935 electoral roll for New Zealand... I don't suppose there was a Janet there as well?  One can only hope....

Well that's it for me for now.  I'm looking forward to seeing some of the photos.  Hope it works out.

[scotiagirl]

Hi Westwood21

Just another thought... I only have the family history that says he died around 1920.  I'm actually guessing at the exact date.  The story goes that when Ralph returned from the war (1919), he was still drinking.  Beulah and daughter Phyllis Beverly moved out.  (Phyllis was born April 1914 according to the family history.  However this same family history also states that Ralph and Beulah married in 1913 but I have the marriage document in front of me that clearly states that they married 2 January, 1915.) The story continues that when Phyllis was four (1918?) Beulah hired a detective to search for Ralph in Vancouver.  (This sounds like a B movie....)  Anyway they travelled to Vancouver to see Ralph, found he was still drinking and came back, intending to file for divorce.  Shortly after returning to Ottawa, she received word that Ralph had died.  So after jumping through all the hoops with dates and ages, my best guess, according to the family history, was that he must have "died" around 1920.  Sorry, that's the best I can do.  Talk to you soon.

[hiraeth]

Hi scotiagirl

Not sure where you have checked previously, but this is a link to the British Columbia Archives online database for all provincial vital statistics, including deaths 1872-1991:

http://search-collections.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/Genealogy/BasicSearch

Hope this helps
Heather (in Vancouver)

[Millmoor]

 I have to say that this has been a fascinating thread, indeed threads, to read and follow. Apologies if this has been done and I have missed it but might the divorce papers of Ellis and Joseph Watson be worth obtaining? I can see that this was suggested early on in the thread. A search in the National Archives site shows the divorce was in 1913.

William

[bendywendy]

Have you found this entry on A******y for Military that shows a Ralph B Watson returning to Canada January 1919 to his wife:
Ralph B Watson, 18 Jan 1919, onboard Olympic, Arrival Halifax, Nova Scotia, Departure Liverpool, England, Roll T-14794 -  Canadian Passenger Lists, 1865-1935 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA:

other info taken from the actual image:
Sgt Ralph B Watson
Original Unit CA DC - Reserve Unit CADC
Category B3 - Group 3
Reason of Return - Transferred To CEF Canada
Destined to Wife, Ottawa

bendywendy

[bendywendy]

Divorce, I know from previously asking NA for a copy of a divorce that although it does state one can apply for a copy this actually is incorrect, one has to go to NA, Kew, London, England to view the document itself as it cannot be photocopied due to the fact that NA are not prepared to go through the bundle to locate it to then photocopy/scan an individual item 

If someone is going to the NA maybe they would look up this item and take notes from it.

bendywendy

[Westwood21]

Hi Scotiagirl,

Thanks for explaining what you know so clearly.  The suggestion, I guess, is that Phyllis was born out of wedlock.  We have no proof, as yet, that Ralph/Joseph died around 1920 which is partly why I am so interested in Heywood's findings on the London electoral roll putting a Ralph Beverley Watson in Wandsworth (SW London) in 1923 and 1924 and closeby in Battersea (8 Gambetta Street) in 1930, possibly with a wife, Janet Watson.  If only we could prove that this is our chap, then his death must have been mythical.
And if he died in 1957, where?  The million dollar question?
We're not finished yet!


Hi William,

Just to say that Ellis married Henry Samman in 1914 so your search in the National Archives showing her divorce from Joseph/Ralph in 1913 would seem to be correct.

Westwood21


My goodness, bendywendy, this man loves sailing.....   I haven't yet obtained Beulah's book of Joseph's war letters so I am just guessing that he was returning to Canada after the war, but it didn't work out with Beulah, as Scotiagirl reports, because of his continued drinking.  I want to say in his defence that he had been through both the Boer and First World Wars and dreadful trauma.  Harry (Henry) Samman also took to the bottle having been awarded an MC in WW1 and been horribly shot up, losing an eye.

Westwood

[scotiagirl]

Hi hiraeth.

Thanks for the suggestion.  I tried the site but unfortunately I didn't find him there.  I didn't really expect to but it was worth a try.  Thanks again.

hi bendywendy

I hadn't seen that entry.  Thanks.  I had much of the information from reading his service record but thanks for the image details.  He was supposedly headed for Ottawa, to the Windsor Apts on Laurier Ave in Ottawa which is where his wife was living. Much appreciated. 

Many thanks to everyone for all your help in trying to track down this elusive character.  Clearly there was a lot more to him than was included in my family history book.  Some not so pleasant however such is life.  Maybe there's still somebody out there who knows where and when this fellow died. 

[bendywendy]

What about this headstone for 1957 - the only one I can find
http://geneofun.on.ca/names/photo/1106462