ww1 soldiers father help needed

[weshallremember]

THE OBVIOUS ANSWER LIES WITH THE ELUSIVE MARY 

BUT I THINK UNLESS Albert Einstein EXISTS ON THE WAR FORUM

WE HAVE TO ADMIT DEFEAT

A VERY BIG THANK YOU TO ALL WHO HAVE TRIED TO HELP

TREVOR

[charlie962]

2 minutes ago, weshallremember said:

THE OBVIOUS ANSWER LIES WITH THE ELUSIVE MARY 

BUT I THINK UNLESS Albert Einstein EXISTS ON THE WAR FORUM

WE HAVE TO ADMIT DEFEAT

A VERY BIG THANK YOU TO ALL WHO HAVE TRIED TO HELP

TREVOR

I think we need access to Canadian records for marriages and divorces and we need to see some actual marriage certs to get clearer view on who is who.

 

[weshallremember]

He was active in that
connection until in the early part of the twentieth century, when he came
to Canada and located in Montreal. There he followed his trade for some
time and later removed to Nova Scotia and thence to Philadelphia. In
1907 he came to Alberta and located at Lethbridge.

 

IF HE MARRIED BEFORE 1907

IT COULD HAVE BEEN IN MONTREAL' NOVA SCOTIA OR  PHILADELPHIA

AFTER 1907 MUST HAVE BEEN ALBERTA

[weshallremember]

SO I HAVE CONTACTED A CANADIAN WEBBSITE

TO SEE IF THEY COULD HELP

 

[charlie962]

A possible scenario so far seems to look like:

1906 James Bowker (divorced?)goes to Canada alone.

1907 AlbertEdwin Bonfield and his wife Mary (Billett) go to Canada.

190x James Bowker and Mary (Billett) Bonfield partner up in Canada.

190x Albert Bonfield perhaps partners with (Wilhemena)Lily Elliott in Canada and they both return (need to check shipping records) to UK in time to appear on 1911 Census.

1913 Albert and Lily get the record straight by marrying in UK.(need to see marriage cert)

Thereafter the Bowkers remain in Canada and the Bonfields in UK.

Or not.....

 

[weshallremember]

WOW

WE AR REALLY GETTING DEEP INTO THE UNKNOWN HERE 

BUT WHO KNOWS

ANYWAY FROM THE RECORDS OF ALBERTA WEBBSITE

YES YOU GUESSED IT

NO RECORDS OF MARRIAGE FOR JAMES AND MARY

SO AS I SAID

IF HE MARRIED BEFORE 1907

IT COULD HAVE BEEN IN MONTREAL' NOVA SCOTIA OR  PHILADELPHIA

ANYWAY SENT THEM THE INFORMATION THAT HE WAS MARRIED BEFORE

THEY SENT ME THIS

Herald_bowker_16Jan1941.pdf Albertan_Bowker_1Nov1940.pdf tribune_bowker_30Jan1923.pdf Herald_bowker_31Jan1923.pdf herald_bowker_29Jan1923.pdf

[weshallremember]

Hi Trevor,

 now this southsea dorset???????????? 

Unfortunately, the death record for Mary does not include her maiden name or the names of her parents.  It does indicate that she was born in Southsea, Dorset, England in 1879, however, if that is of any help.

 

Glynys Hohmann

Manager, Government Records

T: 780.415-8450

 

Provincial Archives of Alberta

8555 Roper Road. Edmonton, AB. T6E 5W1

[Jrmh]

“1913 Albert and Lily get the record straight by marrying in UK.(need to see marriage cert)”

Freebmd

 

Edited 18 February , 2022 by Jrmh

[charlie962]

1 hour ago, Jrmh said:

“1913 Albert and Lily get the record straight by marrying in UK.(need to see marriage cert)”

Freebmd

 

As you had posted previously and as I said we need to see the marriage cert to establish that it is Albert Edwin and see if there are any other clues.

Over to you Trevor.

[helpjpl]

1.  Lily Elliott

a).  Lily Elliott, daughter of Harry and his wife Wilhelmina Jane Eames, was born in Portsea, Hampshire, in 1886.

b).  In 1891 she was living with her parents in Portsea.

c).  In 1911 she was living with her parents and her Stone Mason husband Albert Edward Bonfield at Fawcett Rd, Southsea, Hampshire. According to the census, estimated year of marriage = 1909.

d).  In 1939 Lily was living with her Stone Mason husband Albert at Fawcett Rd. 

e). Lily's death was registered in Portsmouth Jan-Mar 1964.

 

2.  James Bowker

James did not divorce Alice prior to going to Canada:

https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/results/r?_srt=3&_q="bowker"&_cr1=J+77&_hb=tna

JP

Edited 18 February , 2022 by helpjpl

[charlie962]

55 minutes ago, helpjpl said:

In 1911 she was living with her parents and her Stone Mason husband Albert Edward Bonfield at Fawcett Rd, Southsea, Hampshire. According to the census, estimated year of marriage = 1909

As I said earlier, this census was filled in by Albert's in-laws and they could have made an error on his second name. Hence why we need to see the 1913 marriage cert to try to eliminate or firm up on this couple.

[weshallremember]

good evening

i was going to give up

but its now annoying me

i have tried to contact  the news paper where he lived in canada

which listed about the deaths i posted

if the email address is write

we shall have to see

trevor

[weshallremember]

more confusion

james bowker was meant to be in the 1st vol bn kings own yorkshire light infantry in the boer war

states he served 2 years

but in 1901 he was at home in the march census

 

and A May 1902 article says James Bowker of the Batley Volunteers was going to attend the coronation proceedings in London.

cant find any medal records

only a j bowker in the lancashire fusiliers  

[charlie962]

58 minutes ago, weshallremember said:

more confusion

james bowker was meant to be in the 1st vol bn kings own yorkshire light infantry in the boer war

states he served 2 years

but in 1901 he was at home in the march census

 

and A May 1902 article says James Bowker of the Batley Volunteers was going to attend the coronation proceedings in London.

cant find any medal records

only a j bowker in the lancashire fusiliers  

I cannot see the problem.

We have previously explained his South African service and provided the roll reference. 

You are aware that the war started in 1899?-edit below.

Even if he went out in 1900 and was still there early 1901 he would still call it two years, I suspect. Edit-see below

Charlie 

Edit. Just to clarify, from reading newspaper articles like the ones I have previously linked, I think he went to SthAfrica with 30 Batley Volunteers of the KOYLI in early 1900 and returned in Nov 1900. So actually not even a year overseas. In 1899 he was in Batley, in court for alleged cruelty to his wife Alice, who was demanding separation order. They had only recently married and had one child.

Clearly all that appears in later Canadian papers has to make allowance for some stretching of stories.

You may wish to search local papers for Batley, Batley Volunteers and Bowker to build up a more complete story of this period. Try your local library for access to these digitised newspapers.

 

Edited 19 February , 2022 by charlie962

[weshallremember]

THANKS FOR THAT CHARLIE

NOW MAKES SENSE WHY HE WAS ON THE 1901 CENSUS

ALSO VERY INTERESTING ABOUT THE COURT CASE

THAT EXPLAINS THE SEPARATION  SHORTLY AFTER MARRIAGE

[weshallremember]

FROM EDMONTON ARCHIVES OFFICE 

CANADA

HELEN MAYBELLE BOWKER  WAS BORN  IN 1915 DIED IN CALGARY 1961

HER MOTHER IS LISTED AS MARY ANNE BILLETT

HER FATHER IS JAMES BOWKER

THEY ARE ALL ON THE 1916 CENSUS

SO IT IS MARY ANNE BILLET AS THE MOTHER

CONFIRMED.

 

SO THE QUESTION HOW DID SHE GET TO CANADA

WAS SHE ALBERT EDWIN BONFIELDS WIFE AS LISTED ABOVE 

DID HE LEAVE HER IN CANADA IN 1907

ARE THIER ANY RETURN TO UK  RECORDS FOR ALBERT EDWIN BONFIELD WITHOUT HIS WIFE????

 

[charlie962]

Did Edmonton archives provide any copies of original documents?

On the birth certificate does the name of Mary Ann Billett as mother appear as unmarried or just quoting her maiden name for a married person?

On the 1916 census does Mary Ann Billett appear as such or as Mrs Bowker?

Do the Edmonton Archives have anything for a Bowker/Billett marriage?

[weshallremember]

Did Edmonton archives provide any copies of original documents?

JUST ORDERED THE DEATH DOCUMENT FOR HELEN THATS LIISTS HER MOTHER AS MARY BILLETT WILL WAIT AND SEE

On the birth certificate does the name of Mary Ann Billett as mother appear as unmarried or just quoting her maiden name for a married person?

GOT TO WAIT 4  - 6 WEEKS FOR A BIRTH CERT TO BE FOUND AS EDMONTON DOES NOT HAVE THAT

On the 1916 census does Mary Ann Billett appear as such or as Mrs Bowker?

SHE APPEARS AS MARY BOWKER

Do the Edmonton Archives have anything for a Bowker/Billett marriage?

THEY CANT FIND MARRIAGE DETAILS FOR ALBERTA

COULD HAVE BEEN MARRIED ELSE WHERE 

I.E    MONTREAL  NOVA SCOTIA OR USA

[RaySearching]

THEY CANT FIND MARRIAGE DETAILS FOR ALBERTA

COULD HAVE BEEN MARRIED ELSE WHERE 

I.E    MONTREAL  NOVA SCOTIA OR USA

The couple may of course not have been legally married at all

which may account for the absences of any marraige record

 

 

 

[weshallremember]

PROOF FROM CANADA ARCHIVES

OF THE DAUGHTER THAT WAS BORN IN 1915 AND DIED 1961

WITH JAMES BOWKER LISTED AS FATHER

AND MARY ANNE BILLETT (MAIDEN NAME ) AS MOTHER

VS Death 2934.pdf

[weshallremember]

now need to find 1911 census

for albert edward bonfield born 1876 wareham dorset

to see if it says married or divorced

could prove if he went to canada in 1907

and left her there

as james bowker settled in alberta 1907 

[helpjpl]

 

1.  Helen Haniuk's death certificate does not prove that James Bowker and Mary Ann Billett married. 

When I registered my father's death I was not asked to show a copy of his birth certificate or his parents marriage certificate. 

2.  1911 Census - Albert Edward Bonfield

charlie962 kindly provided a link to the actual census form on 17 February and here is the summary:

JP

[charlie962]

9 minutes ago, helpjpl said:

Helen Haniuk's death certificate does not prove that James Bowker and Mary Ann Billett married. 

Agreed. The form specifically prompts for mother's maiden nam

10 minutes ago, helpjpl said:

2.  1911 Census - Albert Edward Bonfield

As I emphasised earlier, this may be an error by the in-laws who filled in the census form.

 

The questions in my earlier post still stand. In each case we need to see original document to remove any ambiguity. I do note your replies so far.

Did Edmonton archives provide any copies of original documents? -OK we have now seen a 1961 death cert which unfortunately proves nothing.

On the birth certificate does the name of Mary Ann Billett as mother appear as unmarried or just quoting her maiden name for a married person?

On the 1916 census does Mary Ann Billett appear as such or as Mrs Bowker?

Do the Edmonton Archives have anything for a Bowker/Billett marriage?

I appreciate that regords are held by different states which makes a comprehensive search difficult. Keep pushing!

Charlie

[weshallremember]

On the birth certificate does the name of Mary Ann Billett as mother appear as unmarried or just quoting her maiden name for a married person?

THE BIRTH CERT  WILL BE 4 WEEKS AWAY  

On the 1916 census does Mary Ann Billett appear as such or as Mrs Bowker?

SHE APPEARS AS MRS MARY BOWKER WIFE

Do the Edmonton Archives have anything for a Bowker/Billett marriage?

NO MARRIAGE RECORDS

 

I DONT THINK THEY WERE MARRIED

I GOT THE DEATH CERT FOR THE DAUGHTER  ONLY TO CONFIRM THE MAIDEN NAME LISTED AS BILLETT

ANOTHER QUERY IS ON THE 1916 CENSUS 

JAMES IS LISTED AS ARRIVING IN CANADA 1905 

THE ONLY PASSENGER LIST I COULD FIND WAS 1906

MARY WAS LISTED AS ARRIVING IN CANADA 1906

CANT FIND MARY YET

 

 

NOW ALBERT BONFIELD 

ACCORDING TO HIS MARRIAGE TO MARY BILLETT WAS BORN IN 1876

WHICH WOULD HAVE MADE HIM 35 IN 1911

 

[charlie962]

On 16/02/2022 at 21:05, charlie962 said:

There is a 1907 passenger list Liverpool to Halifax with Albert Bonfield a 30 year old stonemason and his 27 year old wife Mary.

Albert Edwin Bonfield who married Mary Billett 1901, was a stonemason b 1876 and Mary was born c 1879.

So I suggest any bust-up happened in Canada.

This was my post a long time ago