Thomas' arrival in Vancouver, BC

Thomas Ball likely arrived in Vancouver, by train, in June 1906. I have been able to find him in the 1907 Henderson's City of Vancouver Directory, published in June of that year. His listing reads: Ball, Thomas, plumber, rms, 1016 Westminster Ave. The abbreviation "rms" stands for 'rooms'.

Annie and Granddad would not have likely arrived in Vancouver until mid to late June of that year, due to Granddad's hospital stay in Montreal.

I did check for Thomas in the 1906 directory. However, the publication date for the 1906 edition was given as April and he arrived at Montreal in June, he would not have made it into the directory.

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.

Thomas H. Ball sails to Canada 1906

Thomas left for Canada on 31 May 1906, aboard the S.S. Southwark, from Liverpool. He landed at the port of Montreal, Quebec on 9 June 1906. The passenger list for the ship's arrival in Canada lists him as a "plumber" with no stated destination. It also states that he was an Englishman from Yorkshire.

This is a photo of the S.S. Southwark, from Ancestry Library Edition, which sailed under the Dominion Line flag:

What pushed or pulled Thomas to go to Canada? I suspect that there may have been friends or colleagues or the promise of a job, which influenced his decision to leave for Canada. The choice of Vancouver, as a final destination, required Thomas to travel by train across Canada, a journey near as long as the sea voyage that brought him to Montreal. Who or what was there waiting for him?

Cheers,
K.

Thomas Ball's' occupation in 1906

Thomas Ball was a plumber and gas fitter by trade. He was apprenticed in 1891 to Joseph Samuel Shepton in Penarth, Glamorgan, Wales. This is his 1906 National Registration of Plumbers card:

Interestingly, Thomas' card is dated 18 Apr 1906. He left for Canada on 25 May 1906. It makes me wonder when were his plans to emigrate made? I suspect that he needed his plumbers' registration completed before leaving for Canada. 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.

Historical map and image resources for Leeds

The staff at the Local Studies Department, Leeds Central Library pointed me to the Leodis website, which contains historic photographs for Leeds and district. There no photographs of Sultan Place in Wortley. However, photos of the 1900's decade will give you a good idea of Leeds and area in which Thomas, Annie and Willilam Ball lived.

Another resource of mention is the Tracks in Time website, which can produce comparative historic maps. In order to see Sultan Place you will need to search for Armley and move the map southward to see Wortley. The search feature is not that precise, but this is the map that will show Sultan Place.