A Salvationist in the family?

[pottoka]

Does anyone know anything about members of the Salvation Army who emigrated to Canada at the beginning of the twentieth century, and whether it was as missionaries?

I have some papers left by my grandmother, sent to her by her first cousin once removed who started his family tree well before the Internet and, having emigrated to Canada, was asking for confirmation of what he had sketched out. Long, long, ago, when I was young and probably believed that nothing would change, I was interested in my ancestors and talked about them with one grandmother (but not the other, I wonder why?). Then, with the typical callousness of youth, I fell in love, got married and thought about other things. Being in another country probably didn't help! Now both my grandmothers are dead, so answers from a whole generation have disappeared with them, and I have to seek them elsewhere.

This person was not in my tree until a few days ago when a will in his favour popped up, but even then, I had great difficulty fitting him in. His mother was widowed four years before he was born, and he bears a different surname, anyway. His birth registration was made with a mistranscription which didn't help! Then on the 1901 Census, he appears under the surname of his mother. I can't find him on the 1911 Census so presume he emigrated before then.

The only candidate is an adult (no age given) with no first name, who sailed from Bristol to Montreal on 29th September 1910 on the Royal Edward. His occupation is given as Salvationist, and he is travelling with several other Salvationists. He has the title Staff Coombs.

[Jan1954]

If you visit the workhouse website (workhouses.org.uk/), it is alluded to. Click on Other Establishments and then Salvation Army Shelters.

In 1890, William Booth published a book, “In Darkest England and the Way Out” where he proposed that three types of “colony” be created, one being overseas and one of which was in Canada.

It could also be worth contacting the Salvation Army iteself. They have a website: salvationarmy.org.uk/history - put https://www1. in front

[Peter Goodey]

Have a look at the book My Ancestors were in the Salvation Army. I think Parish Chest can supply it.

[Kerrywood]

I can't find him on the 1911 Census so presume he emigrated before then.

The only candidate is an adult (no age given) with no first name, who sailed from Bristol to Montreal on 29th September 1910 on the Royal Edward. His occupation is given as Salvationist, and he is travelling with several other Salvationists. He has the title Staff Coombs.

Perhaps he has the title Staff-Captain COOMBS?

I found a possible candidate in Toronto in 1911 (Toronto Centre > Sub-District 29 - Ward two), a Thos COOMBS born 1868, Staff-Captain in the Salvation Army, with a wife, daughter and two lodgers, all Salvationists living at 152 Shuter Street.

You may be able to access it here, and then click Split View at the top of the screen to get an image.

https://automatedgenealogy.com/census...ng+Thos+Coombs

Click the 1901 link on the right of the 1911 transcript for a view of the earlier census.

Of course, there may be other candidates too.

[Kerrywood]

Looking more closely, all these COOMBS were born in Ontario. Does that rule them out of your picture?

[pottoka]

Thank you for your suggestions. I did look up the Salvation Army on various sites before posting, including their own; apparently they can look for early members, for a fee, but a lot of their archives were destroyed in WWII, and you're likely to be luckier with North American members.

Kerrywood, thank you for that possibility, but I should have said that he was born in 1887, in Nottingham, and he was always known as Bert, short for Bertram.

Something that I find strange is that there has never been any mention in the family of Salvationists, even if they were on the other side of the pond. I'll have to mention it to the older generation next time I 'phone, although Dad (my afore-mentioned grandmother's son) was born well after Bert emigrated.

[Kerrywood]

I should have said that he was born in 1887, in Nottingham, and he was always known as Bert, short for Bertram.

Yes, that might have helped.

In that case, in 1911 is he perhaps at RG14/20536 SN116? (reference to record held by TNA)

[pottoka]

Yes, that might have helped.

In that case, in 1911 is he perhaps at RG14/20536 SN116? (reference to record held by TNA)

Kerrywood, you are an absolute marvel! I looked for him everywhere, but I never thought of adding an 'e' to his name (which is a mistranscription, anyway).

For those who don't have the 1911 Census, Bertram Coombs is not the Salvationist that I had thought, but is tranquilly at home in Nottingham where he was born carrying on his profession of basket-maker, with a wife of two years and a daughter aged 1.

Armed with that knowledge, I made a new search of the Passenger lists leaving the U.K. and found him quite easily in 1922. He and his family, wife Hannah, and children Irene, Hilda, John and Francis left Liverpool on 31st March 1922 on the SS Melita of the Canadian Pacific Line, headed for St Johns, Newfoundland, in Canada. His occupation is Basket-Hampermaker, and the family is intending to settle in Canada.

I believe that Bert's last address was in Alberta.

[Kerrywood]

Glad to hear that's sorted.

[AdeleE]

It appears that they were Mormon converts. Here is a title of a publication held by the LDS:

https://templeready.net/eng/Library/f...=Our++heritage