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Hi,

I am trying to find out when my great aunt,Susanna Hodgson (nee Heaps) and her family left Liverpool for Alberta, Canada.

Susanna and John were married in Liverpool in the June qtr of 1909 and their first daughter, also Susanna, was born in the June qtr of 1910.

The family were still in Liverpool in April 1911, when the census was taken but by May 1912 , and the birth of their second daughter, Ruth, they were living in Calgary, Alberta.

Any help would be appreciated

Frank

Canadian Passenger Lists, 1865-1935
about Susanna Hodgson Name: Susanna Hodgson
Gender: Female
Age: 16m
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1910
Date of Arrival: 3 Aug 1911
Vessel: Empress of Britain
Search Ship Database: View the 'Empress of Britain' in the 'Passenger Ships and Images' database
Port of Arrival: Quebec
Port of Departure: Liverpool, England
Roll: T-4779

Canadian Passenger Lists, 1865-1935
about Susanna Hodgson Name: Susanna Hodgson
Gender: Female
Age: 23
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1888
Date of Arrival: 3 Aug 1911
Vessel: Empress of Britain
Search Ship Database: View the 'Empress of Britain' in the 'Passenger Ships and Images' database
Port of Arrival: Quebec
Port of Departure: Liverpool, England
Roll: T-4779

Can't see John, must have travelled seperately.



Andy

Hi Andy,
This must be a different Hodgson family.According to the 1911 census, they were still in Liverpool. Unless John travelled out after it was taken!!

Frank

The 1911 Census
Basic facts about the 1911 census. Taken on the night of Sunday/Monday April 2nd/3rd 1911. Details recorded for each person were: ...
www.1911census.org.uk/ - Cached - Similar

HODGSON, John Stanley Head Married M 23 1888 House painter and paperhanger Lpool Lancashire
HODGSON, Susanna Wife Married
2 years F 23 1888 Yes Lpool Lancashire
HODGSON, Susanna Daughter F 0 (11 MONTHS) 1910 Lpool Lancashire

Why a different family?
Census in April in England in 1911
Left England in July 1911
Arrived in August in Canada in 1911.

For 1916, look up at
http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/databases/census-1916/001100-100.01-e.php

Province:Alberta
District Name:Calgary East
District Number: 34
Sub-District Number:5
Sub-district Description:City of Calgary
Division Number: P
Microfilm:T-21948
Reference:R233-47-9-E, Statistics Canada

You want page 43 of 47. It says John also immig'd in 1911 (possibly via the US, if he left soon after the 1911 census - the earliest Liverpool departure that landed in Quebec City was 20/4/1911 - one has to wait until Quebec is ice-free). In a substantial minority of immigrations, one family member would go out first, get established, then send for the rest of the family.

For Alberta BMDs - like Ruth & Maggie's b.certs, check out

http://www.servicealberta.gov.ab.ca/1175.cfm

That would make sense. Apparently there was another male Hodgson on the same . crossing, although his initial is unclear. It could either be? or J. He is also recorded as being an engineers and single, which obviously doesn't tie in with the 1911 census by profession or marital status
Frank

Given that Ruth was born in late May 1912, John, if he went first,couldn't have gone out in April. He must have still been in Liverpool in August .
Frank.

8m 3w before 31/5/1912 was 10/8/1911 - just after when Susannah would have arrived in Calgary.
I don't think there are passenger trains on that route now, but I can ship a freight car load of stuff from Quebec City to Calgary in 128 hrs nowadays.

Can we pinpoint John's departure? Many thanks, Frank

New thread started on John Heap:

http://www.genesreunited.co.uk/boards.page/board/ancestors/thread/1270673?jump=7674884

This looks like a possible for John Heaps death

England & Wales, Death Index: 1916-2005
about John Heaps
Name: John Heaps
Birth Date: abt 1877
Date of Registration: Jul-Aug-Sep 1955
Age at Death: 78
Registration district: Liverpool North
Inferred County: Lancashire
Volume: 10d
Page: 93


And this his marriage. You'd need the death certificate to check the informant


Liverpool, Lancashire, England, Marriages and Banns, 1813-1921
about John Heaps
Name: John Heaps
Birth Year: abt 1877
Age: 27
Marriage Date: 1 Aug 1904
Parish: Liverpool St Luke
Spouse's Name: Sarah Annie Dean
Father's name: Thomas Heaps
Spouse Father's Name: James Dean

Thanks for the advice ladies,


Regards
Frank

As far as I know, John and Sarah emigrated in 1906. There is no evidence of them on the 1911 census.

Regards,
Frank

England & Wales, Death Index: 1916-2005
about Sarah A Heaps
Name: Sarah A Heaps
Birth Date: abt 1882
Date of Registration: Apr-May-Jun 1955
Age at Death: 73
Registration district: Liverpool South
Inferred County: Lancashire
Volume: 10d
Page: 430


I think you need some certificates as this looks like Sarah....her birth year on the marriage to John Heaps is 1882

Thanks Ginny. As you say the informant on the death certificated might prove crucial in determining if it is my relative.

Regards
Frank

I have just checked on Freebmd and thee are no other John Heaps Liverpool births given other than the 1877 one, which as we know, is my relative.

However, I can find no trace of them on the 1911 census.

Cheers
Frank

Hi Everyone,

Just to let you that I have now solved the puzzle of John and Sarah, thanks mainly to Ginny and another friend.

It seems that the emigration story may have simply been a family myth. Ginny's find of the two deaths allied to my own find of their respective births confirms that they were one and the same couple.

I also now know that John and Sarah were most probably in Harrogate in 1911 as a friend has found a matching couple, by YOB,age, birthplace and occupation. I now also think that they were also childless if this is the right couple. They certainly didn't have any children according to Freebmd.

Many thanks for all your help,

Frank :-)