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Re: Lost Burial Place

Hi Moira & Helen,

There is a tree on Ancestry that bears out most of what we already know.

All seven children of Charles Thomas Dawson a fishmonger (1881) & Selina Dawkins are registered.
Charles the eldest and the next child who is either Ada or Selina were registered in Lincoln and Sarah Elizabeth, Thomas, Walker, Fanny & Harry(1880) in Sheffield.

1891 census all in Burnley.
Parents died prior to 1901 and Walker is head of the household.

Walker joins up Sep 1901 in Burnley, Royal Lancs Reg.
buys himself out 14th May 1903.
He had stated that his occupation was a moulder when he joined.
Married Gertrude Griffiths Dec qtr 1904 in Sheffield
Supposedly had a daughter Sep 1905 in Ecclesall Bierlow.
(I am not turning that up)

I can't see the date when he came to Canada.
His marriage 14th Dec 1907 is in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia.
Where his name is listed as Walker William Dawson.
No brides name listed on the certificate thats on the tree on Ancestry.
He died in 1849 in Glace Bay.N.S.

That's as far as I can go I am afraid.

Elaine in Ottawa.

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Re: Lost Burial Place

Hi
The record of Walker Dawson's immigration in 1906 is free to view on familysearch.org and can be double checked free on the Government of Canada Library and Archives website http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/genealogy/Pages/introduction.aspx . The same with the entry I found for a Lena and Lillie Dawson in 1907. The 1911 census is on familysearch and the Library and Archives site, again free to view. The 1921 census can be viewed for free from any Ancestry site, no subscription required, just register with ancestry and go to the Canadian Census 1921. The Nova Scotia Genealogy society has a website https://www.novascotiagenealogy.com/ResultsPage.aspx which also has the death cert. for Walker's second wife Maud, the marriage of Walker to 3rd wife Christina McDonald and the marriage of his daughter Lena Lillian in 1925. These can be viewed on line for free or pay for a copy. Canadian marriage certs offer much more information than the English ones so both parents names are entered and religion. Walker and Christina were married by a Major in the Salvation Army and give their religion as Salvation Army so perhaps this is causing some of the difficulty finding where the marriage of Walker and Gertrude Melena took place in Sheffield. I think that will require a certificate being ordered from the GRO ref. 9C 1043 to sort that out. I don't know anything about Salvation Army practices, did they keep records of marriages? Does anyone know where those records would be? Unfortunately, there seems to be a gap in the death records available on line for Nova Scotia. They have 1864-1877 then 1908 to 1965, though Walker isn't coming up for 1949. Unfortunately neither is Gertrude Melena or Lena as she most likely died in 1907 or 1908. Just conjecture, but it seems likely that Walker came ahead in 1906 to secure employment and a place to live then his wife and child followed a year later. Gertrude Melena died shortly after arriving, and Walker needed someone to care for his young daughter and keep house so he chose a new wife by 1909. Second wife died Mar. 15, 1916 which left Walker with 2 young daughters and still needing a housekeeper so he married wife #3 on Jan. 1, 1918. The daughter, Lena Lilian's birth was registered in Eccelsall Bierlow Sept. 1905. That's all I've got.
Helen C.
P.S. I just found Walker's death certificate on the Nova Scotia genealogy site mistranscribed as Walter. He died of carcinoma of the stomach on June2, 1949. He had been in Canada 40 years at time of death, he was still married to Christine and his birth date was Sept. 17, 1876 in England.

Re: Lost Burial Place

Hi Helen,

Bit by bit its all coming together.....

There is a photo of Walker in a Salvation Army Uniform on Ancestry. Though I nursed at a Salvation Army Hospital here in Ottawa I dont know that their religious practices are any different from other Baptist/Methodist religions. I wonder if that is why Walker suddenly has a middle name of William by 1907. William Booth being the founder of the Salvation Army.

Thanks for letting us know what trail you took when obtaining your information saves us taking the same steps. Also reminds us what is out there for free.

Always grateful of your suggestions.

Elaine in Ottawa.

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Re: Lost Burial Place

Found the following on FreeBMD.

Births Mar 1905   
Dawson Lena Burnley 8e 192
  

Births Sep 1905   
Dawson Lena Lilian Ecclesall B.9c 404

Mmmm. I wonder if the Burnley one could be a daughter of Charles (1865) Dawson

Now see why on my last search for the EB one didn't come up.

Elaine.

PS DaveW have we answered all your questions so we can put Walker to bed?
Elaine.

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Re: Lost Burial Place

Hi first of all Thank you all for everything. Some times I wonder if there is two Walkers, with him suddenly when he went to Canada calling himself William. As for the two birth regs my granddad is reg twice once in Sheffield the other in Burnley. Thanks Again and GOOD NIGHT Walker Dave W