Ontario puzzle

[Dargie]

I have a distant relative who appears in the UK 1901 and 1911 census, born at St Catherines, Ontario in 1878.
In 1911 she is the widow of my great uncle, Horace Stanton living in Kensington. In 1901 she is living with her mother and step father in Shropshire. Her name is Laura Helen DICKINSON. Her mother's name is Isabella L and second married name is MORRIS.
Her mother Laura is noted as born in Coburg, Ontario but is listed as a British subject.
I cannot find either in 1891 or 1881.
Is there some way I can check the census details or birth,death and marriage registrations for Ontario? I do not know when Laura came to England with her mother and possibly her father.
Passenger lists?
I notice form the sticky attached that there are no online indexes for Ontario.
Would be great if someone could point me in the right direction!
Many thanks
Marj.

[Procat]

Hi Marj,

There are now several Ontario census online - just google for Ontario census.

The family search site has the 1881 Canadian census which is free.

[Dargie]

Hi Neighbour!
Thanks so much. I will give that a go!
Hope it is raining at your place as it is here!
Marj.

[Procat]

On and off. Unfortunately Hoppers is in a bit of a dry belt.

[AdeleE]

If you mean that her birth name was Dickenson, then I have found this registraton:

16001-78
Lincoln, St Catharine's
Nov 17, 1877
Laura Hellen Dickenson
Father: Joseph E Dickinson
Mother: Isabella Crawford
Occupation of father: Civil Engineer
Informant: J E Carroll(C.E.) St Cath.
When Registered: Mar 14, 1878
Accoucheur: Dr T Mack

Adele

[AdeleE]

These are the other children of Joseph & Isabella born in Ontario:

Daniel Dickenson 2 Feb 1875
Margaret Isabella Dickenson 10 Sep 1876
Gertrude Florence Dickenson 15 Feb 1879

All born in Lincoln county.

Adele

[AdeleE]

Marriage - Cobourg, Northumberland & Durham

Joseph Udon(?) Dickenson, 35, res Ottawa city, b. Ireland, bachelor, civil engineer, son of Daniel & Margaretta Dickenson

Isabella Louisa Crawford, 21, res Cobourg, b. Canada, spinster, dau of Angus & Martha Crawford,

married Mar 25, 1874 in Cobourg, witnesses Angus & Martha Crawford of Cobourg.

Adele

[Dargie]

Thank you so much AdeleE that is brilliant!

If Joseph was an engineer it is possible he came to UK with the family and died in UK I shall now know what name to check.

So happy to get all that information it has given me something to work on.

Just as I was about to submit this I notice you have also found their marriage. Fantastic, thank you again so much.

Cheers
Marj.

[AdeleE]

Glad to help.

This is just a theory, but I wonder if the Dickenson family went to India after the birth of Gertrude in 1879. I see on the 1901 UK census that Isabella's new husband Charles Alexander Morris is a Lt Colonel born in India.

The only Dickenson I can find on the 1881 or 1891 census in Canada, US, or England is 16 year old Daniel Dickenson, born in Canada, a pupil at the Kings School in St Nicholas, Warwickshire (RG12; Piece: 2469; Folio 11; Page 16).

I also can't find a Charles Morris & Isabella Crawford/Dickenson marriage in England or Canada between 1879 & 1901, nor a death of suitable Joseph Dickenson in Ontario.

Adele

[Dargie]

Hi AdeleE
You have read my mind!

I have been thinking along the exact same lines as you. I wasn't sure if I should ask you to check the Canadian death registers for Joseph and the marriages for Charles and Isabella but here you are! Ahead of me!

I also found Daniel at the school and it is beginning to make perfect sense. (to me) I think that they went to India but sent young Daniel off to a posh English school to get educated. There is no sign of Gertrude or Margaret anywhere so maybe the conditions in India contributed to their death and also Joseph's.

Now if only we had a way of researching in India!!!

I do appreciate your help. I think I have come to the end of the road here. If only I could find out how Laura came to meet and marry Horace who was part owner in a Greenwich silk mill! They married in 1908 and sadly he died in 1909. Both Laura and her mother were widows in 1911.
(Actually the silk milk did a lot of trade with India so maybe that is a clue and we are on the right track!)

I will let you know if I get any further confirmation of this theory.

Many thanks again.
Marj.