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  1. #1
    Brick wall demolition expert!
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    Default Find a relative's for a hero

    The original post is one of those that seems to be "hiding".

    Some of you may remember about a month ago I was asking for help to try and track living relatives for a chap who left Wales in the 1920s and went to Canada, joined the police force in Ontario and was killed in the line of duty, and who they now wish to name a bridge after.

    Well I though I would let you know, that I have managed to find grandchildren of one of his cousins living in Canada, and they are delighted to have made contact with the Sudbury Ontario Police museum who are promoting this project.

    I found the cousins through an Ancestry tree!

    If anyone is interested the chap was Fred Davidson and you see the link here:
    https://www.gsps.ca/en/yourpolice/honourroll.asp

  2. #2
    Growing old Disgracefully
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    Well done you xxxx

  3. #3

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    Indeed, well done!

  4. #4
    Super Moderator christanel's Avatar
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    Hi Megan
    a great result for you and the descendants of Fred Davidson. Congratulations.

    Christina
    Sometimes paranoia is just having all the facts.
    William Burroughs

  5. #5
    Brick wall demolition expert!
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    I have now had a whole raft of newspaper cuttings from Canada about the murder and the across country manhunt that ensued culminating in an ambush and shoot out in which one of the killers died, the arrest of the other, his trial, conviction and execution. All of which read like something from the 1930 gangster movies.

    One of the newspaper cuttings, (Sudbury Star July 23 1937) is about his funeral, and that includes details of his life and family, and holds enough clues to spark the interest of any self respecting family historian. I knew that Fred was the youngest of 6 children; 4 sisters, and 1 brother. Whilst I had been able to trace the sisters, I had been stumped by the brother after he had married and had had two children. So all I had was:

    John William Davidson born in 1895 in Ferryside, Carmarthenshire. He married Gladys Mary Lawrence on 12 May 1920 in Pembroke, St Michael. Their children being: Frederick C J Davidson born in 1921 in Pembroke and Margaret L Davidson born in 1922 in Pembroke.

    The articles states: “and his only brother, a railroader lost his life some years ago in a railway accident in Wales.”

    Allowing for the possibility that the article may not be 100% accurate I looked for death registrations between 1922 and 1937 that would fit and found two; one in 1927 in Pembroke and one in 1930 in Hendon, both for a John W Davidson. However, I can’t find any newspaper reports of a rail accident that would narrow it down. There seems to be a lack of Welsh newspapers available on line for this period.

    Nor have I been able to find any Railway employment records for him (John William Davidson).

    The newspaper article says that Fred (Alexander Frederick born 1900) went to Canada (Toronto to work for the Canada Pacific Railroad) in 1926. We know from the National Union of Railwaymen’s records that he was a member until June 1926, and that he was a “checker”, whatever that was. I have not been able to find him on a passenger list. The newspaper article says that he “had police experience having served a year as a county constable in Wales. He also had experience as a railroader being a railway telegrapher and signalman before coming to this country.”

    Some of these statements don’t seem compatible, so I was wondering whether anyone can help find:

    1. Any information about the death of Fred’s brother, and or the accident
    2. Any railway employment records for Fred’s brother
    3. Any passenger listing or immigration for Fred

  6. #6
    janbooth
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    I have found a National Union of Railwaymen record dated 10 July 1913 for a John DAVIDSON, aged 17, who was a Porter at Camarthen. Not that this helps you much in looking for his death! However, given that he was still in Pembroke when he was married in 1920 and that there were at least a couple of John William DAVIDSONs born in the London area c1896, I think the death registration you found in Pembroke in the September qtr 1927 is very likely to be your man. However, like you, I cannot find any newspaper reference to his death - so far, nor can I find any Passenger List records for brother Fred at the moment.

    Janet

  7. #7
    Name well known on Brit-Gen
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    On marriage 12 May 1920 John W gives his address as Station House Pembroke occupation Railway man.
    Marriage was by licence
    Witnesses Aleaxander Frederick DAVIDSON/ Peter GWYTHER
    Both fathers deceased but desc as Railway Man

  8. #8
    Brick wall demolition expert!
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    I am inclined to think that the Pembroke death registration is the most likely.

    One thing this tale has brought to light for me is the lack of Welsh newspapers - one of the principal newspapers in South Wales is the Western Mail, but looking at the British Newspaper Archive site there seems to be a gap between 1919-1939 isn't that just typical?

  9. #9
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    Check out a Gladys Mary DAVIDSON marries Thomas LEWIS q2 1929 Pembroke

    Register
    Merlins Cresc
    Pembroke
    1) Gladys M LEWIS 21/03/1894
    2) Thomas LEWIS 21/08/1885
    3) closed record
    4) Charles LAWRENCE 15/05/1875 single
    + 2 others

  10. #10
    Name well known on Brit-Gen
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    Name:
    Leo F Mayes
    Date of Registration: Oct-Nov-Dec 1946
    Registration district: Pembroke
    Inferred County: Pembrokeshire
    Spouse: Margaret L Davidson
    Volume Number: 8c Page Number: 987

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