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  1. #1
    CourtenayL
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    Default EDWARD LESLIE COURT (LESLIE EDWARD COURT)

    Dear British Genealogy Forum - Canadian Genealogy

    Please can you help with this enquiry. Thank you.

    Our ancestor Edward Leslie Court (also known as Leslie Edward Court) was born in 1905 in Fulham, London, England. He emigrated to Canada on 27 March 1926 on board the ship Antonia, arriving at Port Halifax, Nova Scotia to become a farmer, with Canadian contact being 'friend' Canon Vernon from Jarvis Street, Toronto, Ontario. Nearest relative in England was Uncle Thomas Gilbert Court, 17 Woodbury Park Gardens, Ealing. It says on the passenger list that Edward was a clerk but was coming to Canada to be a farmer and intending to settle in Canada.

    Please would you be able to advise how to trace Edward's living family in Canada as we have no further details about Edward and his new life in Canada. Thank you.

    Edward's mother was Ruth Thrasher/Ruth Jezard/Ruby Jezard and she married Albert Edward Court in 1900 in Fulham, England. Ruth Jezard was an actress and performed at The Royal Drury Lane Theatre and we have also found her crossing aboard ship to America with a theatrical group. Albert Edward Court was Chief Of Staff at the London Coliseum. Ruth's sister Louisa Thrasher/Jezard married Percy Atkins who was a Theatrical Business Manager.

    Please can you give us any further details regarding Canon Vernon and why he was Edward's contact when he came to Canada. Thank you.

    We know that Edward's father Albert Edward Court born 1876 Norwood, Lambeth, London, England (also known as Edward Albert Court) died in 1923. We do not know what became of Edward's mother Ruth Thrasher/Ruth Jezard born 1879 Lambeth, London, England (later known as Ruth/Ruby Court when she married).

    Due to Edward's aunt Alice Thrasher having an illegitimate baby in 1893, Alice altered her name to Grace Courtenay and when she married in 1901 to her husband Herbert Solomon she stated she was a spinster (leaving no trace of her birth maiden name Alice Thrasher). Tracing (Grace) Alice's family has been difficult as we only knew her as married name Mrs Grace Solomon and maiden name Miss Grace Courtenay. Unfortunately Grace and her husband Herbert never spoke of their families in later years and so it was assumed that they were both only children, when in fact they both came from large families. An old family rumour is that Grace's son Horace was the son of an aristocrat (Grace is found in the 1901 census living on own means in a boarding house). Horace lived in a boarding school in the 1901 English census with his cousin Violet Alice Louise Jezard born in 1890 (also suspected to be illegitimate) but unfortunately there is no trace of her in the 1891 English census, 1911 English census, any possible marriage and death (only her birth in 1890 and baptism in 1896).

    In the 1911 English census Herbert Solomon, Grace Solomon, Horace Courtenay (Grace's illegitimate son) and Leslie Court (Edward Leslie Court) are living together. We know that Edward's father Albert is still alive as we have found him in the 1911 English census but we cannot trace his mother Ruby Court in the English census.

    Thank you very much for your help.

  2. #2
    Jan1954
    Guest

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    Quote Originally Posted by CourtenayL View Post
    Please would you be able to advise how to trace Edward's living family in Canada as we have no further details about Edward and his new life in Canada.
    Please be aware that this part of the query may only be answered in general terms as details of living people are not allowed on the forum.

    Thank you.

  3. #3
    gasser
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    Default

    Please can you give us any further details regarding Canon Vernon and why he was Edward's contact when he came to Canada. Thank you.
    You will find this answer by googleing "canon vernon toronto". which throws up his obituary that appeared in the Montreal Gazette January 1934.

  4. #4
    Lizzy9
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    Default

    Hi CourtenayL,

    I'm finding this request difficult to follow, as somethings are not explained. Please can you answer the questions below?

    1. Why Ruth/Ruby Thrasher/Jezard had two surnames before becoming Mrs Court?

    2. You also mention Ruth's sister Louisa Thrasher/Jezard

    3. Did the sisters' marry using the name Thrasher or Jezard?

    4. What evidence do you have to prove Alice Thrasher changed her name to Grace Courtenay ?

    5. You say Horace (Alice/Grace's son) and Violet A L Jezard are cousins, which of Alice/ Grace's siblings' is parent to Violet?

    I see Horace and Violet were christened on the same day, Jul 12th 1896 at St Philips Kensington.

    Violet Alice Louise dau of May and George Jezard (Steward on P&O)

    Horace son of Louisa and Percy Thresher (Clerk)

  5. #5
    Lizzy9
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    Default

    This looks like a possible for Priscilla and her daughters' in 1891, if them they weren't known by either Thrasher or Jezard???? Though what the surname says is unclear and I'm not convinced it's been transcribed accurately, two subscription sites have different transcriptions.

    Everything points to it being them except Priscilla is born Wales, all dau's London, ages match.

    St John the Evangelist, Westminster, RG12 Piece 79 Folio 197 Page 40

    Priscilla Torplow 50
    Eliga Torplow 23
    Louisa Torplow 19
    Ruth Torplow 12

  6. #6
    CourtenayL
    Guest

    Default

    Hi Lizzy

    Ruth Thrasher was born in Westminster in 1879 and the missing daughter Alice is found working as a servant in the 1891 census, so I also believe this to be the family (how could the transcriptions be so incorrectly transcribed)? Please note, Alice Thrasher alters her name to Grace Courtenay as her maiden name when she marries in 1901.

    1879 BIRTH
    Name: Ruth Thrasher
    Date of Registration: Jul-Aug-Sep 1879
    Registration district: Westminster
    Inferred County: London
    Volume: 1a
    Page: 484

    1891 CENSUS
    Name: Alice Maud M Thrasher
    Age: 19
    Estimated Birth Year: abt 1872
    Relation: Servant
    Gender: Female
    Where born: Bermondsey, London, England
    Civil parish: Bermondsey
    Ecclesiastical parish: St James
    County/Island: London
    Country: England
    Registration district: St Olave Southwark
    Sub-registration district: St James Bermondsey
    ED, institution, or vessel: 7
    Piece: 375
    Folio: 39
    Page Number: 1
    Household Members:
    Name Age
    George Cornwall 33
    Mary Ann Cornwall 32
    Beatrice C Cornwall 8
    Emily F Cornwall 4
    Geo Vincent Cornwall 2
    Wm John Cornwall 1
    Alice Maud M Thrasher 19
    Mary Ward 17
    Eliza E Marin 20

  7. #7
    CourtenayL
    Guest

    Default

    Hi Lizzy

    Thank you very much for your help with this. Please find further details below - although the post was really only about Edward Leslie Court, as his family has been so difficult to trace, I just gave a brief overview of what we know about them, so here goes! When we first started we were only looking for Horace Courtenay's father - we believed Horace's mother Grace and step-father Herbert to be only children and then found a whole family!

    1. Why Ruth/Ruby Thrasher/Jezard had two surnames before becoming Mrs Court?

    Born 1879 as Ruth Thrasher
    Father Robert Thrasher dies in 1879
    Mother Priscilla May Thrasher (maiden name Pope) 'remarries' to John Jezard
    We have not been able to find a marriage for Robert Thrasher and Priscilla Pope - is it a common-law marriage
    We have not been able to find a marriage for Priscilla Pope/Thrasher and John Jezard - is it a common-law marriage
    Ruth uses a combination of Ruth/Ruby Thrasher/Jezard before she marries as Ruth Court/Ruby Court

    2. You also mention Ruth's sister Louisa Thrasher/Jezard

    Mentioned Louisa just so she was not forgotten in this very complex story!
    Born 1874 as Louisa Thrasher
    Louisa Thrasher and Percy Atkins marry in 1905

    However, in 1896 they are the 'baptism' parents Louisa Thresher and Percy Thresher to Horace Thresher (who was born as Horace Thrasher in 1893 and becomes by the 1901 census Horace Courtenay)

    3. Did the sisters' marry using the name Thrasher or Jezard?

    Eliza Priscilla Thrasher born 1868 - any marriage unknown or may not have married, death unknown, unable to trace in 1901 census and 1911 census

    Alice Mary Thrasher born 1871 - marries as Grace Alice Courtenay in 1901 to Herbert Lewis Solomon

    Louisa Thrasher born 1874 - marries as Louisa Thrasher in 1905 to Percy Frederick Atkins (their 'baptism' son Horace Thresher is not listed with them in the 1911 census - but Horace Courtenay is listed with Grace Courtenay now married as Grace Solomon in the 1911 census

    Ruth Thrasher born 1879 - marries as Ruby Jezard to Edward Albert Court (born as Albert Edward Court)

    4. What evidence do you have to prove Alice Thrasher changed her name to Grace Courtenay?

    Horace Thrasher birth certificate - Horace Thrasher born 2 January 1893 (Horace Courtenay also had the same birthday) is Alice Thrasher's son. However, Alice describes herself as Grace Thrasher formerly Courtenay and uses her deceased father Robert Thrasher as Horace's father's name. Grace Thrasher is also living at 81 Archel Road - at the same address where her mother Priscilla May Jezard is living. When (Grace) Alice marries in 1901 she uses Grace Alice Courtenay.

    5. You say Horace (Alice/Grace's son) and Violet A L Jezard are cousins, which of Alice/Grace's siblings' is parent to Violet?

    Birth certificate mother is Eliza Jezard (formerly Eliza Thrasher) and Alfred Jezard (although again we cannot find a wedding certificate) - we believe that Alfred Jezard does not exist

    Baptism parents - mother is May Jezard and George Jezard - it has been suggested that Priscilla May Jezard is May Jezard but who is George Jezard? Also it has been suggested that as Priscilla May Jezard died in 1900 as a widow, that is why Horace Courtenay and Violet Alice Louise Jezard have been sent to a boarding school in Southend. The whereabouts of Violet's mother Eliza Thrasher are unknown and Horace's mother Grace Courtenay is living in a boarding house in the 1901 census living on own means. Horace later lives with his married mother Grace Solomon and step-father Herbert Solomon, together with his cousin Leslie Court (Edward Leslie Court) son of Ruth Thrasher in the 1911 census. We have been unable to trace Violet in the 1891 census, 1911 census, getting married (if she did) and dying. We have been unable to trace Ruby Court (Ruth Thrasher) in the 1911 census.

    I see Horace and Violet were christened on the same day, Jul 12th 1896 at St Philips Kensington.

    Violet Alice Louise daughter of May and George Jezard (Steward on P&O)
    - one set of birth parents as explained above
    - another set of baptism parents as explained above

    Horace son of Louisa and Percy Thresher (Clerk)
    - one set of birth parents as explained above
    - another set of baptism parents as explained above

    Apparently, St Phillips Kensington is outside of the parish from where Horace and Violet were living at 133 Finborough Road - Horace was definitely an illegitimate baby so it was important for an illegitimate child to be baptised within their parish should the mother and/or child need parish relief or for the mother to claim bastardy relief from the father and/or father's family. There is such a cover-up going on here - as both children are baptised together and sent away to boarding school together, could they actually be brother and sister? Horace Courtenay is possibly the illegitimate son of an aristocrat - it is his father that we are trying to trace!

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