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 Ball - Laid to Rest Notice - 10 Nov 1941

I wanted to wish everyone all the best for 2012. Thanks for following the Ball Bureau. If you have information to share or would like to comment, please feel free. If you wish to contact me off the blog, please do so at oldbookgal[at]gmail.com.

The following burial notice appeared for Thomas H. Ball in the 10 Nov 1941 edition in the British Columbian on page 5:

The pallbearers included sons-in-law, Jack Hynds and Hugh Sigismund, brothers-in-law, Albert Hewlett (husband of Annie Amelia's sister Sarah Elizabeth Turner), Richard Edward Steed (husband of Annie Amelia's sister, Edith Turner) and J. Hewlett - who is likely related to Albert and Sarah Elizabeth - and another mystery to solve.

Cheers, K.

Obituary - Thomas Huxtable Ball 1875-1941

In doing some more research on my great-grandfather, Thomas Huxtable Ball, I made an interlibrary loan request for the British Columbian newspaper. The Columbian covered New Westminster and the lower mainland of British Columbia. The film arrived in mid-December and I happily spent my morning off at work, trolling through the microfilm.

I was able to find the following obituary for Thomas in the 7 November 1941 edition (pg. 5):

The obituary helps to confirm that Thomas and Annie moved to White Rock in the late 1930's, which was was hinted in the city directories. I suspect that they may have moved in with daughter, Gwen Hynds and son-in-law, Jack Hynds, who resided in White Rock, but I will try to confirm.

The reference to two sisters in England is a bit puzzling. He did have two sisters still living - Charlotte Down and Elizabeth Ann Edwards - however, I believe that they were living in Penarth and Cardiff, Wales respectively. The reference to England may have been an error.

Cheers, K.

William and Charlotte's headstone at St. Augustine's Church Cemetery, Penarth

Charlotte and William were buried together at St. Augustine's Church Cemetery in Penarth. St. Augustine's Church is located on the headland in Penarth between Cardiff Bay and the Bristol Channel. You can see photographs of the church and cemetery on the Passionate about South Wales website. It was designed by architect, William Butterfield and information about the design and history of the church can be found here.

The transcription of the headstone notes that it is leaning and has a carved flower design. The "/" in the transcription indicates a new line of text. The headstone reads:

In loving memory of CHARLOTTE beloved wife of W.H. Ball, who died October 28th 1897 aged 66 years / "With Christ which is far better." / Also of the above named W.H. BALL who died Nov 19th 1927 aged 90 years. / "Peace perfect peace."/

It is lovely to know that they are resting in such a lovely setting. Another place to add to my list of places to visit... Many thanks to Glamorgan Family History Society volunteer, Andy, who did the monument inscription look up on my behalf. Genealogists are such wonderful and giving people.

Cheers, K.

Plassey Street, Penarth

I've learned through my research that Plassey Street plays an important part of Ball family life, particularly for the descendants of William Huxtable Ball. This is where Plassey Street is situated in Penarth:


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This is the current 140 Plassey Street on a map:


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And a street view:


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Plassey Street also held the Tabernacle Baptist Church, which William attended, along with his descendants. This is street view of the church, located at 97 Plassey Street:


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Plassey Street will definitely be one of the places which I will have to visit. Having grown up in a family that moved around for my father's work, I never grew up with a sense of 'place'. Home was where we were at that particular point in time. It's really quite lovely to be able to look at a place and say that we came from there/here.

Cheers, K.

William Huxtable Ball's Will 1927

In my research, I was delighted to come across the will and last testament of William Huxtable Ball as it opened up several venues of research for me and let me know that my great-grandfather, Thomas, had not been forgotten after leaving for Canada over 21 years prior to his father's death.

The will was probated in the District Probate Registry of His Majesty's High Court of Justice at Llandaff on 21 December 1927. John Ball of Tygwyn Farm, Saint Andrews, farmer, and Henry Ball, of 96 Plassey Street, Penarth, grocer's vanman, sons of William, were named as executors. The net value of William's estate was given as 532 GBP. Witnesses to the will were David Davies, 4 Victoria Avenue and Isaac Thomas, 138 Plassey Street, both of Penarth.

William owned the homes at 140 and 141 Plassey Street. His daughter, Charlotte Down, was bequeathed the house and contents at 140 Plassey Street. Upon her death or that of her husband (as long as he didn't remarry), the house was to be sold and the net proceeds equally divided between William's grandchildren, William Spickett Ball and Charlotte Agnes Down. Charlotte Agnes was to also receive the furniture in the house. The grandchildren were bequeathed 10 GBP each upon William's death.

The house and contents of 141 Plassey Street were to be sold at William's death, and along with his savings at the Post Office, were to be equally divided, after payment of all outstanding debts, between his other 4 children: John Ball, Henry Ball, Thomas Huxtable Ball and Elizabeth Ann Edwards, and granddaughter, Mabel Charlotte Ball. The will also specified that if Elizabeth died before before her father, her share was to be equally divided among her siblings, John, Henry and Thomas. Interestingly, if Thomas died before William, his share was to go to his wife.

The will proved to be a gold mine of information. For the first time, I learned of the identity of Charlotte's first (and illegitimate) child, William Spickett Ball. There had been many family stories that she had a child out of wedlock (also mentioned in my great-aunt Gwen's note), but there had been many William Balls listed in the UK birth indexes, it was difficult to pin him down (and after having ordered a couple of wrong birth certificates, I had put aside that search). I also discovered a daughter of William and Charlotte, Elizabeth Ann Edwards, of whom I had no knowledge as she did not appear on any of the censuses with family members. This discovery opened up a new branch of the family to explore.

It was reassuring to see that Thomas was mentioned in the will - not for monetary gain, but for the fact that he had not been forgotten. Living so far away from the family in Penarth, Thomas was a world away with a new life, community and family who had never met their Welsh relations.

May peace, health and happiness be yours during this holiday season. Cheers, K.

William Huxtable's death, 1927

Great-great-grandfather, William Huxtable Ball died on 19 November 1927 at his home, 140 Plassey Street, Penarth. He was 90 years old. The cause of death was listed as 'senile decay'. The informant of the death was A. Ball, daughter-in-law, who was present at the death. She lived at 96 Plassey Street. A. Ball was Ann Ball, the wife of son Henry.

William's obituary, which appeared in the Penarth Times of 24 November 1927, read as follows:

OBITUARY Mr. W.H. Ball, Penarth
The death took place on Saturday morning at 140 Plassey, Street, Penarth, of Mr. William Ball aged 90 years, the husband of the late Mrs. Charlotte Ball.
Mr. Ball, a native of Devonshire, having learnt his trade in his native land, commenced business as a blacksmith at Gower, where he remained for many years. Upon taking up residence at Penarth some 40 years ago, Mr. Ball entered into the milk business and was highly successful.
Deceased, a great lover of children, was an ardent worshipper at the Plassey Street Tabernacle Baptist Church.

He is survived by three sons and two daughters.

William was buried in the St. Augustine's Church cemetery, alongside his wife Charlotte, who predeceased him in 1897.

Cheers, K.