Can anyone help with Beakes ?

[Barnzzz]

Hello, my husbands ancestor, Oliver Beake and his wife Selina emigrated to Canada in 1908. In 1912 they were followed by Oliver's brother, Frederick and then another brother Percival in 1914.

Immediately Percival arrived in Canada he joined up, was sent to France and was killed in WW1.

I think (but I'm not sure) that either Oliver or Frederick went on to have a son, born 1917 called Percival Harold Beake, presumably named after their brother. Can anyone tell me how I go about finding details of a birth in Canada ?

Any help appreciated
Sue

[tony vines]

Hi Sue

When I saw your heading I was going to suggest that cuttle fish bone is useful for sharpening them. Then I thought that this would be a feeble joke so I didn't. Sorry

[Barnzzz]

Hi Sue

When I saw your heading I was going to suggest that cuttle fish bone is useful for sharpening them. Then I thought that this would be a feeble joke so I didn't. Sorry

Tony, that is terrible, it did make us laugh though !

Sue

[Jfremont]

Do you know which province the birth took place? Unfortunately, the provinces have responsibility over BMDs and each has different rules and many provinces do not even have indexes on line. I doubt you will be able to find a 1917 birth. For example Ontario only has births up to 1909; B.C. to 1903.
If you don't know which province the family went to, then maybe a check of the passenger lists would help as a starting point to narrow the search. Then maybe a birth announcement in a local paper depending on the location.

John

[IanBrowness]

Thank you for mentioning Percival (Sr), who may be the key! Percival Howard Beake was born 22 Jan 1894 in Bristol, according to his CEF Attestation Papers, on file with and freely available online from the Canadian Archives (start with the "Canadian Genealogy Centre" at http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/g...y/index-e.html and follow the links to military records). Most importantly from this source, he signed his Attestation Papers in Montreal, Quebec, in July 1915 - which strongly suggests he was living there or staying with others, most likely family, who did.

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission ( http://www.cwgc.org ) records that he died in March of 1916, as a Private in the Canadian Infantry (Quebec Regiment), but only lists his parents Oliver Alfred and Rosina in Bristol, without any Canadian address for him. However, there is hope. For all the other difficulties associated with Quebec records, the Quebec Archives have done a splendid job of putting all the Lovell's Directories of Montreal from 1842-1977 online (at http://bibnum2.bnquebec.ca/bna/lovell/index.html ). Crossing my fingers and checking the "Be" page of the Alphabetical directory for 1916-17, both surviving Beake brothers appear, living almost next door to each other: "Fred Chs laborer 280 Aird av Mais"; and "O, ironmoulder 273a Aird av Mais" (the "Aird av Mais" bit, expanded, signifies Aird Avenue in the "Maisonneuve" Ward of Montreal).

Regarding the birth, if you can identify the Church they would have gone to (for starters, try to identify an Anglican church that existed near their address in Maisonneuve Ward in that decade), the "Drouin" Collection of photocopied parish register pages (online at Ancestry) does span the period of the birth/christening and may actually contain the record you're looking for. Alternately, with the year and area of Montreal in hand, you might be able to approach either the Quebec registration authorities or the Quebec Family History Society, who may have indices not covered by the same privacy curtain as the registration records. Finally, a look at the Lovell's directories for more recent years may lead you to a living relative. "Bonne Chance!"

[tony vines]

Tony, that is terrible, it did make us laugh though !

Sue

I know. I feel suitably ashamed.

[Barnzzz]

Hello Ian, thanks very much for this ! I found Percy's attestation papers and noticed where he was when he joined up, but I had no idea where to go from there ! You've given me a lot to look at and I'll let you know how I get on.

Thanks again, Sue

[IanBrowness]

Hello Ian, thanks very much for this ! I found Percy's attestation papers and noticed where he was when he joined up, but I had no idea where to go from there ! You've given me a lot to look at and I'll let you know how I get on.

Thanks again, Sue

Hi Sue:

Glad to hear the info was helpful. If you need any help navigating the Lovell's Directories or the Quebec records, Private Message me using the link above and I might be able to assist.

Take care,
Ian

[Barnzzz]

Hi Ian, thanks for offering your help. However I've been been quite successful and found Beakes in other years in Lovells. I dusted off my French skills and found what I was looking for. Only then did I find I could have done it in English !
I'm still working on the other info you kindly provided.

Thanks for pointing me in the right direction

Sue

[pauline solomon]

Hi Sue,
Have just started or rather restarted looking at my family history and came across this post so thought I should make contact
even though the post was some time ago. My father is Percival Harold Beake son of Oliver Alfed and Selina Beake, my grandparents.
Indeed my father was named after his uncle.My grandparents returned to England and Bristol about 1925.Uncle Fred and Aunty Nell
returned to Weston Super Mare.Hope this reaches you and that we can share more family info.
Hoping to hear from you Pauline