It's a small world...

I've been busily working on the Ball family tree, but my side interest has veered down the Turner branch of the tree - specifically the families related to Annie Amelia Turner, 1878-1947 (wife of Thomas Huxtable Ball, 1875-1941). She immigrated to Canada, along with 3 of her 4 sisters: Sarah Elizabeth, Edith, and Eva. Older sister, Alice, and Edith's twin, William Henry, remained in Wales.

Lately, I've been researching Alice's family. She married a man named Edward Boyle in Cardiff. One of her children was named Alice Victoria Boyle. Alice Victoria married Vivian G. James and it looks like they had several children, including a set of twins, Kenneth and Joan, in 1926.

Recently, I found an obituary online for a January 2012 obituary for a Kenneth James, who was noted as being born in 1926 in Wales, had siblings, and had served in the RAF. He died in Regina, Saskatchewan. Unfortunately, his immediate family was not noted. In my mind, I am putting together all sorts of connections between the James family I am researching and this Kenneth James who lived in Canada. However, as his birthdate was noted in the obituary, I decided to order his birth certificate to compare before making any more assumptions.

The certificate finally arrived on Friday. Much to my disappointment, the birthdates do not match. However, much to my delight, I noted the address of his birth - 14 Plassey Square, Penarth.


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Plassey Square is just around the corner from where my Ball family relations lived on Plassey Street! Had the Ball family known the James or Boyle families? I do not know. What I do know is that it's a very small world.

It's a lovely, sunny and warm Victoria Day long weekend here in Waterloo. I hope everyone is enjoying a bit of the same, wherever you are.

Cheers, K.

Annie Amelia Ball - Laid to Rest - 17 Apr 1947

This is the Laid to Rest notice for Annie Amelia Ball, which appeared in the 17 April 1947 edition of the Columbian:

The identity of J. Hewlett, from Thomas' "Laid to Rest" notice seems to have been solved - it's Jesse Hewlett. How he is related to Albert and Sarah Elizabeth Hewlett will have to be further researched.

I don't have a good sense who Harry Page, George Brooks and E. Turnbull were - perhaps neighbours or friends. R. Byatt might be Russell Byatt, the son of Annie Amelia's sister, Eva (Turner) Byatt, who predeceased her.

As always, more information leads to more questions!

Cheers, K.

Annie Amelia Ball - Obituary - 14 Apr 1947

I have also found the obituary for Annie Amelia Ball for her death on 14 Apr 1947. It was shown on the front page of the 14 Apr 1947 edition of the Columbian:

I am still a bit puzzled by the reference to two sisters living in England. As far as I am aware, there was only one sister (Alice (Turner) Boyle) left in Cardiff, Wales.

Her other sisters, Eva Byatt (deceased), Sarah Elizabeth Hewlett(deceased) and Edith Steed (Mrs. R.E. Steed) had all come to Canada with or shortly after Annie arrived here with grandad. Should I chalk it up to my grandfather's lack of accuracy? Or is there some truth to the matter?

Cheers, K.

Thomas and Annie Ball - Final Resting Place

Thomas and Annie Ball were buried in the New Fraser Cemetery, New Westminster, BC. This is a map of where the cemetery is located:


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Their headstone reads: Ball / Mother / Annie / 1877-1947 Father / Thomas / 1875 – 1941 / At Rest. The "/" represents a new line of text on the headstone or marker. The staff of the New Westminster Public Library kindly provided the transcription.

Cheers, K.

Annie's death in 1947

Annie Amelia (Turner) Ball passed away on 14 Apr 1947 at the Royal Columbian Hospital in New Westminster, BC. Her Bowell Funeral Home record states that she died of chronic myocarditis. Myocarditis is a chronic inflammation of the heart muscle, usually caused by viral, bacterial, or fungal infections that reach the heart according to MedlinePlus (US National Library of Medicine).

As with some of the information provided by Granddad on Thomas' death certificate, there some discrepancies. Her address is given as Lee Street, White Rock, but I am not convinced that she had lived there for 33 of the 40 years she and Thomas had been in Canada. Likewise, her birth turns up in the birth registration indexes for Monmouthsire, Wales, not England (but don't forget that the Turners lived close to the Welsh/English border). As far as I am aware, she had only l sister (Alice (Turner) Boyle) and 1 brother (William Henry Turner) living back in the UK (in Cardiff and Swansea respectively) at the time of her death. Some of the names of her pallbearers are unfamiliar, but I suspect that they are related through her sisters who came to Canada with her - more mysteries to solve...

Cheers, K.

Life in Burnaby, BC

The Great Depression brought about many changes for folk in Canada, including Thomas and Annie. In 1931, their address, in the Wrigley British Columbia Directory, is shown as 2017 Riverway, Burnaby BC. (The 1930 and 1932 directories for Greater Vancouver are not yet available). Riverway was renamed Marine Drive during the 1930s. This is an approximate location of their Burnaby address:


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and a current street view of their address:


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Annie and Thomas stayed at this address at least until 1940 (last available directory online).

In 1932, Thomas' occupation is shown as 'plumber'. In the 1933 directory, his occupation shown as a labourer at Shell Oil. While in 1934-1940, Thomas is again shown as a plumber, with no employer listed. Whether this meant that Thomas was self employed, I cannot positively determine without further research. Likely, the Depression meant work may have been less stable and secure for Thomas, as it was for everyone.

I do remember Dad telling me that Annie was always feeding someone at her kitchen table during the Depression and that Granddad and Thomas always worried about her safety and well being when the travelling poor came knocking at the door looking for a job or food. She always gave them a small job to do, usually in the garden, and fed them a meal, no matter how little was in the pantry for Thomas and herself. Dad said that she would say that the 'Lord would provide', and they managed to survive the Depression on the little that they had and shared with others. Dad recalled too that she had one of the most immaculate gardens in town.

Cheers, K.

Later years in New Westminster

According to the city directories, Thomas and Annie lived at 1223-5th Avenue from 1909 to 1923. In 1924, they moved to 2107 6th Avenue. The 1924 Wrigley Henderson Amalgamated British Columbia Directory showed their address as being 6th Avenue and 20th Street and in later directories, it is shown as 2107 6th Avenue, New Westminster. This is a Google map of the location:


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And this is a street view of the address nowadays (location is approximate as the house number 2107 does not appear to exist today):


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From the directories, it appears that Thomas and Annie and their family lived at this address from 1924-1930. During their time in New Westminster, Thomas and Annie had 3 more children, all daughters: Gwendolyn Muriel Ball born in 1909, Evelyn Edith Ball born in 1913 and Marjory who was likely born in the late 1910s or early 1920s. What was it like to have raised a family so far from home? Did they ever feel homesick? I have always wondered.

Cheers, K.

Thomas and Annie's Home in 1906 - 9 Renfield Grove, Leeds

When I posted about Thomas' plumber's registration card for 1906, I made a note to myself to find the address: 9 Renfield Grove, Leeds. As it was not listed in current maps of Leeds, I did some digging. The West Yorkshire Archive Service was kind enough to provide me with the following information: Renfield Grove was located in the Central Ward of Leeds and was part of the slum clearances of the 1960s and 1970s. It would have been very near the current Sheepscar Interchange, possibly located close to where you would find Nortech Close today.

Looking at a Google map, this is where Renfield Grove would have been located:


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This is a street view of the location:


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You may need to angle the camera down on the street view to see the road...it doesn't seem to want to cooperate for the link.

Many thanks go to the West Yorkshire Archive Service for all their help in locating this long lost street and last known residence for the Ball family in Leeds.

Cheers, K.

Early years in New Westminster, BC

According to Greater Vancouver directories, Annie and Thomas lived at 1223-5th Avenue, New Westminster, BC from 1909 to 1923. In this 1911 photo, you can see my Granddad, William, his mother Annie, and sister Gwendolyn, in Annie's arms, standing in front of their house:

You can also notice the fence on the left, which might have bordered 13th Street. This is a Google map for the current address, which is near the corner of 5th Avenue and 13th Streets:


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and a street view of the house on 5th Avenue, near the corner with 13th Street, which bears incredible resemblance to the house of Thomas and Annie (with alterations,of course):


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Cheers, K.

Thomas and Annie's place of residence at the time of their marriage in 1899

In looking back over Thomas and Annie's records, I noticed that I neglected to mention where they were living at time of their marriage on 13 Oct 1899. According to their marriage certificate, they were married in the Baptist Chapel, Carr Crofts, Armley. The residence at the time of their marriage was given for both as 152 Tong Road, Armley. This is a current Google map of that address:



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And this is a street view of the address:


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Whether or not the 152 Tong Road mapped by Google is the same address of 1899, I do not know, but it is likely in the same vicinity.

I was a bit surprised to see the same address listed for Annie and Thomas. However, after doing some research, I learned that cohabitation in the 19th century was common. It is also possible that they both lived in the same boarding house.

Cheers,
K.

Annie and William leave for Canada 1907

Annie Amelia Ball and Granddad (William Huxtable Ball, 1903-1971) left for Canada on 25 April 1907, aboard the Dominion, sailing from Liverpool. Travelling with them was Elizabeth Turner, Annie's older sister. Having been separated from Thomas for nearly a year, Annie sailed with her young son, aged 3, to Montreal and landed on 7 May 1907. They sailed on the ship Dominion, which sailed as part of the Dominion Line. This is a photo of a Dominion Line ship:

Granddad contracted pneumonia during the voyage. He was hospitalized in Montreal for a month. Whether Elizabeth stayed with them in Montreal or went ahead to Vancouver, I do not know. Once Granddad was well enough to travel, he and Annie began the long train ride across Canada to Vancouver. Annie's determination to see the journey through and to begin a new life with her husband in Canada, despite the long separation, an arduous journey, a very sick child, the financial strain of a month's layover in Montreal, and a language barrier at her port of arrival, makes her, in my eyes, a very strong and courageous person.

Cheers,
K.

Annie and Thomas' residence at the time of Granddad's birth, April 1903 - New Wortley, Leeds

On Granddad's (William Huxtable Ball, 1903-1971) birth certificate, it lists Annie and Thomas' address as 6-8th Avenue, New Wortley, Leeds. This is a Tracks in Time map showing 8th Avenue in New Wortley.

This Google Street View image shows Eighth Avenue as it is today:


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The school shown on the 1910 Ordinance Map appear to still be on the same property.

Cheers, K.

Thomas and Annie in Leeds 1901

Many apologies for the delay in posting. Work has been very busy (my library hosted a genealogy fair on 29 October 2011 in Kitchener and over 400 genealogy enthusiasts attended!) and I am still catching up on emails and requests.

I've also heard back from the Local Studies Department at the Leeds Central Library to have been able to confirm a location for Sultan Place, which no longer exists. Thanks go to the staff in the Local Studies Department for their help. Unfortunately, the Leeds Council websites are down today for maintenance, but I will update their links once they are back online.

Annie and Thomas Ball lived at 12 Sultan Place, Wortley, Leeds according to the 1901 Census of England. Sultan Place no longer exists, but its location can be tagged close to present day, Addingham Gardens, which is located slightly north and west of the junction of Whingate and Tong Roads and south of Wortley Road:


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This is a street view from Google Maps of Addingham Gardens to give you an idea of what is there now. Back in 1901 there would have likely been smaller row houses:


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More to follow.....

Thomas and Annie in Leeds 1906

According to Thomas' plumbers registration card for 1906, Thomas and Annie lived at 9 Renfield Grove, Leeds. The street no longer exists in Leeds, but I have found references to it online as being a residence up to 1938. I'll keep looking and will post when the mystery is solved.

Cheers,
K.

Thomas and Annie on the 1901 England Census

In the 1901 England census, Thomas and Annie were living at 12 Sultan Place, Wortley, Leeds. Thomas' occupation is given as "plumber & gas fitter". He was 28 years old. His place of birth is given as Swansea, which is incorrect, but an understandable error. Swansea was close to Gower, where Thomas was born. Annie has no occupation given. She was 23 years old and listed with a birthplace of Tintern, Monmouthshire.

Thomas.... continued

Now back to Thomas..... just to recap, he had just been apprenticed to Joseph Samuel Shepton in late 1891. I believe that Joseph and his father Samuel Shepton were builders in Penarth in the firm, Samuel Shepton & Son (Owens & Co Cardiff Directory 1891 on Historical Directories.org website).

While I do not know much about Thomas during the 1890's, he appears in Armley, a district in the west of Leeds in 1899.


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On 13 October 1899, at age 24, Thomas married Annie Amelia Turner, domestic servant, age 21 in the Baptist Chapel Carr Crofts, Armley. William James Ball, milk dealer is noted as Thomas' father, but this was actually his eldest brother. Annie's father is given as Henry Turner, road labourer. The witnesses to the marriage were Annie Steed and Charlotte Elizabeth Steed. I've looked for the church, but it is no longer exists.

Why Thomas and Annie, both from Wales, moved to Leeds is still a mystery to me. Perhaps, they went in search of work, each following a different path to Leeds. Did they know each other before leaving Wales? Perhaps, they met at the Baptist Chapel in Armley. What kind of relationship did they have with the two young women who signed as witnesses to their marriage? As always, more questions in need of answers.

Thomas Huxtable Ball (1875-1941) and Annie Amelia Turner (1878-1947)

Thomas and Annie Ball were my great-grandparents. They were Welsh, but immigrated from New Wortley, (Leeds),Yorkshire, where Granddad was born. I remember Dad telling me that they were very short, 5', and 4' 10" respectively. However, Granddad was nearly 6 feet tall. Annie and Thomas were Baptists and teetotallers. Annie's nickname was 'Budgie' among our family. Dad remembers that their 'English' accents were different - likely because of their Welsh heritage. Many of the records for them name them as English, but Thomas lived in Wales up to age 24, while Annie came from Monmouthshire, a Welsh county which borders England.

Secrets, lies and paper

If I had to chose a starting point, I would say that it was the receipt of a typewritten note on the history of the Ball family, composed by my great-aunt Gwen Hynds (sister to my grandfather, William Huxtable Ball). My Dad's mom,whom we called Nana, said not to take it too seriously as there were many errors (my great-grandmother died in 1947, not 1945). Nana sent it to us after Dad died and in some way it was a last tenuous link between us, Dad and the past. Mom and I dissected the note countless times, disagreed on the references and relationships noted, but it kept my interest piqued....

I won't post the whole note as there are references to living people and a dispute about money on my great-grandmother's (Turner) side - so you can see we are a very typical family... warts and all.

Like a great puzzle to solve, I felt compelled to sort fact from fiction.

Cheers,

K.