Our Canadian Family Page

Part of the Jackson Family History

Page updated 20 August 2008

The Empress of Ireland - Members of the Gash family emigrated to Canada on this ship.  Gladys Gash was only 4 years old when she made this journey with her Mother and Father, brothers, sisters, Aunts and Uncles and their children. 

I found the copy of the above postcard on the "Great Ships" website belonging to Jeff Newman.  I have emailed asking permission to use this picture.  His website can be accessed by following this link: http://www.greatships.net - for the page containing the Empress of Ireland just follow this link - http://www.greatships.net/empressireland.html

According to the above website the Empress of Ireland was built in Glasgow by Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering.  She was launched in 1906, making her maiden voyage from Liverpool to Quebec on 29 June 1906.  Early on the morning of 29 May 1914, eastbound from Quebec, Empress of Ireland encountered dense fog in the St. Lawrence River and after an approaching ship was sighted, she put her engines astern. However, she was struck broadside, between her funnels, by the Norwegian collier 'Storstad'. The damage to Empress of Ireland was so great that her watertight doors could not be closed. In addition, she had no power so she could not be beached and only four lifeboats could be launched. Fifteen minutes after the collision, Empress of Ireland sank to the bottom of the river with over 1,000 deaths. 172 crew members and 840 passengers died, the largest number of passenger fatalities of any peacetime maritime accident.   http://www.greatoceanliners.net/index2.html - this website contains more information on the history of the Empress of Ireland.  

The Empress of Ireland disaster occurred 4 years after their voyage - Gladys related that it went down in the St Lawrence seaway, in Quebec, Canada - adding that "They couldn't afford to go on the Titanic, so they took this ship!" 

Gladys was the daughter of David and Alice Gash and she was born in Rawmarsh, near Rotherham, Yorkshire in 1906.

The first member of the Gash family to emigrate to Canada, though, was the youngest sibling, Esther Gash - Esther came to Canada alone, on the "Empress of Ireland" when she was just 19 years of age.  The ship left Liverpool on 29 June 1906* - the destination port was Quebec, Esther was one of 1,217 passengers on that voyage.  Not much information is given other than Esther was single, age 19, her occupation was given as "Domestic" and her ticket number was 109772/392. There's a little more information on the Collections Canada shipping list - Esther's destination was given as 'Wolsey, Sask'; and she originated from Yorks, England. 

David and Alice Gash also travelled from Liverpool on the "Empress of Ireland" - David's sister Emma and her husband, Thomas Herbert Simms were on this same voyage.  The date of their departure was 11 March 1910.  The list shows D. Gash as a Farmer, age 40; A. Gash, Wife, age 37; D. Gash Son, age 15; A. Gash, Daughter, age 11; and Gladys, Daughter, age 4 - they had ticket number 43109.  T. Simms, Farmer, age 35; E. Simms, Wife, 31; Wm. Simms, Child, 8 - with ticket number 126932.  Their destination was St. John. 

The next to leave England from Liverpool was James Gash with his partner Esther Ann.  The "Empress of Britain" left Liverpool on 2 December 1910 and on board were J. Gash, Miner, age 33; E. Gash, Wife, age 31, R. Gash, Son, age 12; J. Gash, Son, age 4; E. Gash, Son, age 2. Their Ticket number was 127170 and they were bound for St. John.

Samuel and Clara Gash followed on 7 April 1911 on the "Empress of Britain" leaving Liverpool and bound for St John.  They had Ticket number 126940 and listed on this ticket were as S. Gash, Farmer, age 38, Mrs. Gash, Wife, age 42; A. Gash, Farming, age 14; Edith Gash, child, 4.

It wasn't until 1914 that the Wallwork family emigrated on the "Empress of Britain", leaving Liverpool on 24 July 1914.  On board were Mrs R. Wallwork, Wife, 40; John Wallwork, Lab., 19; Alice, Dom., 18; Albert, Lab., 14; Willie, child, 9; May, child, 4; Amy, infant, 10 months.  Their ticket number was 184084 and they were bound for Quebec.  I note that Rosehanna is listed as "Wife", yet I can't find her husband John on the lists.  I have searched for a death but I can't find one as yet.

* I have received an email from the chairperson of the Empress of Ireland Committee, Marion Kelch.  This committee has been established to try and keep all the artefacts from the sunken vessel in Canada - and house them in a Canadian museum for all to see instead of being sold to another country or bought by a private buyer when no one would have access to them.  http://www.empressartifacts.org/ is the home page of their website.  Marion had found my Canadian family webpage and informed me that she has started a collection of photographs of the people who emigrated to Canada on the Empress of Ireland.  The date of 29 June 1906 when Esther Gash sailed has some significance in that it was the Maiden Voyage of the vessel.

http://www.empressartifacts.org/index1.htm contains an open letter from Marion concerning the proposed sale of artefacts to destinations outside Canada. Marion is trying to contact all descendants of the people who travelled to Canada on the Empress of Ireland.  Please use the links above and contact the committee with your family's experience.

Another Great Ocean Liner found on the Great Ocean  Liners  website is the ship 'Aquitania' - my brother David Roy Braithwaite emigrated to Canada in 1949 on this ship.  According to the information given, he must have been on one of the final voyages of this Liner as her last voyage was in 1950.  The four images on the right show 2 postcards sent by my brother to Olive College (our lodger) and my parents on his arrival in Canada.

My friend, Anne Thompson, printed me an entry from the Passenger lists leaving UK 1890-1960.  We found a "Donald Braithwaite" in the index of passengers who travelled on the ship, "Aquitania", Cunard White Star Line; departing from Southampton on 25 October 1949 bound for Halifax, Nova Scotia. As that was the year my brother, David Roy Braithwaite emigrated, I thought it worth checking.  Sure enough it listed my brother: 

Ticket No. 215187; To Port of Halifax; Braithwaite D.; Tourist Class; Male, age 22;

From 50 Kilnhurst Rd., Rotherham; Occupation Plumber; From England; bound for Canada.

Some of the first names were typed in full and others showed just an initial; on some of the entries with an initial, their names were handwritten alongside the initial letter.  On my brother's entry the writing is very faint and impossible to read, but it looks nothing like "Donald"!  I have asked Findmypast to amend their index. 

I have tried to find the voyage or voyages my brother and his wife made in 1953 after their marriage in Leicester, but no sign of the passenger list with their names on can be found to date, although the lists have been transcribed to 1960.

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The pictures shown on the right were taken in Canada in 1993 on a visit to see Gladys and Ian McElwee at Coquitlam.  The 1st picture shows Gladys and Mack; the 2nd picture, from left to right: me, Hilary Jackson, my sister-in-law Alma Elizabeth Braithwaite (nee Driver), Gladys McElwee (nee Gash) and my daughter, Wendy.  Gladys had a huge collection of hats and we had great fun trying them on.    Please click on each photo to get the bigger picture and 'back' button to return.

A letter from my cousin, Chris Gash contained information on Gladys Gash and her family, and enabled me to "bridge that gap".  Although we met Gladys and her husband Ian Robertson McElwee (known as 'Mack'), I unfortunately did not make a note of his name, nor did I realise how they were related to our family.  I was not at that time following our family's history.  Another good opportunity missed!  Please follow this link to the Gash Family page to see Gladys's place in our family tree.

I received an email 28 Dec 2004 from Ian and Gladys McElwee's family, from Bernie Stelzl - Bernie has supplied me with more up to date information regarding this branch of the family:

Gladys Lorraine Gash was born in Birchwood, Rawmarsh, Yorkshire on 17 January 1906.  She was 100 years of age in January 2006.  Gladys married Ian Robertson McElwee in Calgary, Alberta, Canada in 1924.  They were married for 72 years before Ian died on 15 March 1996. 

Ian Robert McElwee served in two world wars.  I have obtained Ian's attestation particulars from the Library and Archives Canada website, http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/archivianet/cef/001042-100.01-e.php   but unfortunately only one page was available - I repeat some of the information here -

Gladys and Ian had three children:

Irene married Martin Colter and they had a daughter named Margaret.  Sadly Martin Colter died six months before Margaret was born.  He was killed in Surrey, England, when a shell exploded whilst in the army - he was only 19 years of age - this happened in 1942. 

Irene didn't re-marry, and in 1950 she was crossing a creek when she slipped on a wet rock, fell into the water and hit her head on the rock - there was no one around to help her and she drowned. 

Their daughter Margaret was 7 years old and was thereafter brought up by her Grandparents, Gladys and Ian McElwee.

Margaret married Bernard Stetzl in 1960 and they have two boys - Mark and Todd.  Mark has a daughter Amy who was 16 in 2004.

Bill McElwee, Gladys and Macks' only son passed away on 8 November 1987, aged 58. He was married twice - his first wife was Ruth and they had three children; Bill's second wife was Connie and their two children are Kenneth and Maureen.

Kathleen McElwee married and has four children - Fred, Shayne, Peter and Laura.

My nephew David Braithwaite emailed me the following pictures, supplied by Gladys - a larger image can be seen by clicking on to each picture, to return then press the "BACK" button, top left:

Picture 1: Uncle Mac and Aunt Gladys McElwee and their first child Irene

Picture 2: Front row, left to right are Aunt Elva Gash, Uncle Hedley, Aunt Elva's mother, Aunt Gladys, Uncle Mac; At the back, left to right. Lorie, daughter of Hedley and Elva Gash and the girl sat with Lorie is not yet known; this photograph was taken in Calgary.

Picture 3: Aunt Gladys with Uncle Mac's cousin Jack from Chicago, on the Grouse Mountain chairlift in West Vancouver.

Picture 4: Aunt Gladys with her grandson, Freddy in the Columbia Icefields, Rocky Mountains, Canada.

Picture 5&6: Uncle Mac (far right) with his WWI buddies, somewhere in Britain - this letter was on the back of photo number 5.

Picture 7: Aunt Gladys and Uncle Mac.

Picture 8: Gladys McElwee nee Gash celebrating her 100th birthday with family and friends on 17th January 2006. Sadly Gladys died later that year on 6 September 2006.

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On 8 July 2005 I received an email from George D Kilvington.  George had been surfing the net for genealogy information when he found my Gash Family website.  George is a descendant of David and Alice Gash and is currently residing in Duncan, Vancouver Island in Canada.  George promptly got in touch with his cousin Susan who has studied the family's history and has documents and photographs.  Susan Principe then emailed me and kindly provided me with more information, documents and photographs of their side of the family some of which appear further down this page.

The daughter of David and Alice Gash and older sister of Gladys, namely, Alice Edna Gash was 2 years old and living in Greasbrough, near Rotherham at the time of the 1901 Census.  (See the Gash family website)

Alice Edna Gash married John Wallwork and they were George's maternal grandparents. 

Susan wrote:

As you know, David Gash and Alice Ward Gash came to Canada and settled in the coal mining town of Fernie, British Columbia. My grandmother Alice was 12 at the time. She later met John Wallwork in Fernie, where they were married. He and his family were originally from Wombwell, I think. They had six children; two were still births, but four survived. They were Robert Douglas, Kathleen Elsie (my Mom), Doris May, and George David. Uncle Bob and my mom are the two still surviving. My mom, Kathleen, just turned 85 years young on June 24, 2005. 

The 1901 Census shows John, aged 6 born Wombwell and living in Wath upon Dearne in the Townend area, in 4 rooms:

In the 1891 Census, John and Rose Hannah Wallwork were living near Wombwell at 162 Hemmingfield, in 4 rooms:

The 1881 Census has John, lodging at 59 Wombwell Main Colliery Houses with the Gaunt family:

I have received an email from a descendant of the Caunt family, Doug Caunt was born in Skegby, near Mansfield, Notts but now lives in Australia - Doug tells me that the surname should have read "Caunt" and that Thomas Caunt was born in Calverton, Notts

John Wallwork married Rose Hannah B Sanderson in 1888, registered at Barnsley June Quarter of 1888, vol 9c page 298 -  Rose was living in Wath upon Dearne in the 1881 Census with mother Mary Ann Pettinger. 

In 1871 John Wallwork, senior, was shown, age 13, living with his parents in Victoria Road at Parkgate, Rawmarsh near Rotherham:

In 1861 their address is given as Wombwell Main, Wombwell, Barnsley:

In 1851 Joseph and Martha were in Farnworth, Lancashire, their address is given as Nan Lane, Sugar field:

Looking at FreeBMD for a marriage, I found two possibilities:

1  In June 1846 a marriage was registered at Chorlton, vol 20 p127 for a Joseph Wallwork; also registered was a Martha Ivill

2. In March 1848 a marriage was registered at Chorlton, vol 20 p109 for a Joseph Wallwork; also registered was a Martha Harrison

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George Kilvington tells me that

"My grandfather, John Wallwork, served in the First World War with the 2nd Canadian Mounted Rifles, and was gassed in Ypres.  He suffered ill health the rest of his life from wounds received there.  He was also "mentioned in dispatches".  He settled with his family in the Coal Creek area of British Columbia, where my mother, Doris May was born.  Coal Creek is now a ghost town.  They relocated to Fernie, B.C., where John worked in the coal mines there.  During the Depression of the Thirties, they briefly relocated to Candiac, Saskatchewan, then to the Burke Mountain area east of Vancouver, where the family took up homesteading.  "Mac" and Gladys McElwee also homesteaded the same area along with them.  Poor health caused my grandfather to quit the homestead, and they moved into Vancouver, where they spent his remaining years.  My grandmother resided with her daughter Kathleen and her husband Karl, and my uncle George in Port Coquitlam, outside Vancouver, then moved to Victoria, where she lived out her remaining years.  Kath and her family still live in the Victoria area.   It seems coincidental that in my service in the R.C.M.P., (Royal Canadian Mounted Police) my last posting was Coquitlam/Port Coquitlam, where the family lived for many years, and now, in retirement, I have located in Duncan, B.C., where my Great Grandfather and Amy had lived years before. I recall as a child, visiting "aunt" Amy on a small farm outside Duncan.  My Great Grandfather, David, lived in Sidney, B.C., then Duncan.  My memories of him are rather vague, but I do remember him in a three-wheeled, self-propelled chair festooned with flags of the Empire on Victoria Day, and, a lasting childhood memory of him sitting with me whilst we ate Jello, and referring to it as "dithering pop".  Strange what memories remain from early childhood!"  

More about George can be found on this website:

http://www.rcmpsite.com/?content_action=RCMP_mus_frames

I found John Wallwork's attestation particulars on the Library and Archives Canada website, http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/archivianet/cef/001042-100.01-e.php

Alice Edna and John Wallwork had the following children:

John Wallwork died in 1954 and Alice Edna Wallwork died in 1992.

Their son, Robert Douglas Wallwork married Anna Helena von Krueger and they had three sons:

Robert John's wife is Joan and they have two children: Andrew and Katherine

Ronald Thomas married Janeen and they have one son Thomas who is currently attending medical school

Gary David married Flori Haynes and they have two children, Eric and Brenda. Gary David died in 1999.

Kathleen Elsie Wallwork married Karl Heinz Peter Hanisch who came to Canada from Germany.  They were married on 14 April 1960.  Their daughter Susan Alice Hanisch was born on 20 January 1961.

Susan is a registered nurse, working in the intensive care unit of one of the hospitals in Victoria, BC.  Susan's husband is Philips DeLara Principe - born in the Philippines.

Doris May Wallwork married George Kilvington - born in Port Alberni, British Columbia; George was born in B.C. but grew up in Calgary, Alberta.  He came to Victoria, B.C. as a result of having joined the Canadian Navy in 1939, serving on the North Atlantic convoy escort duties throughout the war.  He participated in at least one convoy escort to Murmansk and also minesweeping duties in the Atlantic, serving on the HMCS 'Kelowna' and the HMCS 'Medicine Hat'

George was posted to the West Coast in preparation for the proposed invasion of Japan which fortunately never took place.  George met Doris May Wallwork whilst on leave in Vancouver where Doris was working at the Boeing Air plant as a riveter at Sea Island, just south of Vancouver.  The Kilvington family originated from Thirsk, North Yorkshire - there are two small villages called North and South Kilvington just north of Thirsk.

Doris and George Kilvington's two sons were:

Unfortunately Ronald Dwayne died two days after he was born.

George Donald born, 1 January 1948 married Susan Lee Craven in 1971.  George served in the Royal Canadian Mounted Police for 28½ years and is now retired and living on Vancouver Island.

George David Wallwork, the youngest child of Alice and John died in 2004 from lung cancer.  He had married later in life, but had no children.

I also found David Gash junior's attestation paper on the Library and Archives Canada website, http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/archivianet/cef/001042-100.01-e.php

Whilst John Wallwork and David Gash were overseas news of their progress was being relayed to residents of Fernie and the surrounding area in the Fernie Free Press.

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The following series of pictures have been sent by my distant cousin Susan Principe, a larger image can be seen by clicking on to each picture, then using the "BACK" button to return:

Picture 1: David Gash born 1870 Chapel Hill, Dog Dyke, Lincolnshire

Picture 2: David and Alice Gash (formerly Alice Ward) married 21 August 1894 in Greasbrough, Rotherham

Picture 3: Alice Gash (on the left) with a friend.

Picture 4: David Gash - George Kilvington remembers his Great Grandfather in his three-wheeled vehicle festooned with flags.

Picture 5: Left to right: John and Alice Edna Wallwork, Doris Kilvington and David Gash.  My distant cousin George Kilvington emailed me to let me know that the baby in Alice Edna Wallwork's arms was him as a relatively newborn baby, dating the photograph to be sometime during 1948 as George was born in January 1948 and the photo was taken at Alice and John's home on Wall Street in Vancouver.

Picture 6: Lydia Grundy, the 2nd wife of David Gash - married at Cranbrook on 27 Jul 1928

Picture 7: The grave of David and Alice Gash in Fernie, BC; Alice died in Dec 1924; David died on 9 August 1952

Picture 8: Minnie and David Gash; David born Coningsby, Lincolnshire - age 6 at the time of the 1901 census, son of David and Alice Gash. Minnie was David's first wife.  David Gash married Miriam Buckler in 1919 in England during the time David was in England with the 54th regiment.  Minnie died shortly after they returned to Canada after the war in April 1920 - as reported in the Fernie Free Press.

Picture 9: A newspaper cutting announcing the death of David Gash, jnr sent to me by Lorie Keith*.

Picture 10: The daughter of David and Alice Gash, Alice Edna Wallwork (nee Gash) born 1 October 1898.

Picture 11: John Wallwork, the husband of Alice Edna Gash, he served in the 2nd Canadian Mounted Rifles, in WWI.  John was gassed at Ypres.    He was also "mentioned in dispatches"

Picture 12: Robert Douglas Wallwork, eldest child of John and Alice Edna Wallwork (nee Gash)

Picture 13: Kathleen Elsie Wallwork, eldest daughter of John and Alice Edna Wallwork

Picture 14: George Wallwork, youngest child of John and Alice Edna Wallwork

Picture 15: George Kilvington and his wife Doris May (formerly Wallwork).  Doris May - 2nd daughter of John and Alice Edna Wallwork.

Picture 16: Alice Edna Wallwork (nee Gash) with grandson George Donald Kilvington.

Picture 17: The parents of Susan Principe; Kathleen Elsie Wallwork and Karl Heinz Peter Hanisch on their wedding day 14 April 1960.

Picture 18: Susan Alice Hanisch, daughter of Kathleen and Karl Hanisch - age 1.

Picture 19: Robert Douglas and Anna Helena Wallwork February 1994   

Picture 20:  Sons of Robert and Helena Wallwork, Gary, Robert and Ronald (left to right)

Picture 21: Doris and George Kilvington

Picture 22: Alice Edna on her 90th birthday with her  children, from left to right, George David, Kathleen Elsie, Doris May, and Robert Douglas

Picture 23: The same occasion with sister Gladys, brother-in-law Mac and brother Hedley.

Picture 24: Susan Alice Hanisch and Philips Principe were married on 14 June 1986.

Picture 25: Susan Alice and Philips Principe with their miniature schnautzer, Ilsa.

Picture 26: George Donald Kilvington, son of George and Doris May Kilvington.

Picture 27: George Donald and Susan Lee Kilvington formerley Craven.

Picture 28: Royal Canadian Mounted Policeman, George D. Kilvington

Picture 29: George Donald and Susan Lee Kilvington enjoying their holiday cruise from San Francisco to Mexico.

Picture 30: Ronald Thomas and Janeen Wallwork

To be continued - more pictures

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Susan had also solved a mystery for me, whether my Great Uncle Samuel Gash emigrated with his brothers and sisters; this is her reply to my query:

Samuel and Clara Gash did move to Canada with their children, Arthur and Edith. They bought a wheat farm in Candiac, Saskatchewan, near Regina. By all reports, it was one of the largest farms in the province at that time. They were very fortunate not to have been severely affected by the drought ("dust-bowl") during the Great Depression. Apparently, there was a natural spring on the property that was sufficient for irrigation, which sustained their crops and farm. During the depression, my Nanny Alice Edna and Grandad John Wallwork lived and worked on the farm because the Fernie coal mine had closed operations. Nanny cooked and Grandad was a hired hand. My Mom, Kathleen Elsie was a little girl when they were there. She recalls going to the local  general store close to the farm to buy a lollipop. Uncle Robert and Aunt Doris were there, but Uncle George had not been born then. Mom recalled that Uncle Samuel was a quiet and kind man. Aunt Clara, apparently, was not a good cook, so my Grandmother tried to teach her while they were there. They lived on the farm until both their deaths. Both died of cancer; Samuel from stomach cancer, and Clara from breast cancer, which was prevalent in the Dobson family. Arthur married and had children, but we did not have any further contact with them. Edith married Tom Cheers and they had two daughters. Aunt Edith and Uncle Tom settled in White Rock, British Columbia. Tom worked for the border crossing between Canada and the United States until his retirement. Aunt Edith was a very talented crafter; sewing, needlework, and all sorts of projects. I remember one Christmas she made bookmarks from felt, embroidery thread, and hairclips. I still have mine in the writing desk. She also made me a laminated wooden plaque which housed an old photo of my Mom holding me as a baby. It is on the wall beside me here in our home office. Both Tom and Edith passed away in the 1970's or '80's. 

Here's Samuel and Clara Gash's son Arthur's attestation details obtained  from the Library and Archives Canada website, http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/archivianet/cef/001042-100.01-e.php   only one page was available though - I repeat some of the information here -

Arthur's place of birth was given as "Sand Hill" - this is a series of streets adjoining Ryecroft in Rawmarsh, Rotherham, Yorkshire, very close to where my family lived on Kilnhurst Road at Rawmarsh. Barry and I's first home was on a new housing estate built at Sandhill - we used to live on Grange Road.  In the 1901 Census Samuel and Clara Gash are shown as living at 4 Peashill Street, Rawmarsh.

The Canadian 1911 Census is now available thanks to volunteers at the following website:

http://automatedgenealogy.com/index.html and today I found my Great Aunt Emma's family and her brother Samuel Gash's family residing with them in Saskatchewan in Qu'Apelle Township - No.36; Place: 6-15-9

Head of the Gash family, Samuel is not present at the time of the census.   As can be seen, there was more information requested on the Canadian census than shown on our English census forms. 

I have just met a descendant of Samuel and Clara Gash, Dorothy Galenzoski nee Gash, their Grandaughter and daughter of Arthur Gash was visiting her son who now lives in Stockport, Lancashire.  Dorothy emailed me on 12 May 2008 and we met on the day before she returned to Canada. 

The photo on the left shows Dorothy with me in front of Wentworth Woodhouse Stable block.  Dorothy lives in Surrey a suburb of Vancouver and she is to speak to her cousin, who is the daughter of Edith Cheers nee Gash (daughter of Samuel and Clara Gash) - Edith and Tom's daughter has researched the family history and will be able to let me know more about that side of our Gash family. Since she returned to Canada, Dorothy has also put me in touch with another Gash 'cousin' from Great Aunt Esther's family, Larry Gifford. 

Samuel and Clara Gash's son, Arthur Gash married Pearl Giles on 1st November 1939 in Candiac, Saskatchewan, Canada and they had four children:

 Dorothy has sent me the following photographs:

Picture 1 - Grave of Samuel and Clara Ann Gash in Wolesly, Saskatchewan. Samuel died in 1934, age 62 and Clara in 1938, age 73.

Picture 2 - Arthur Gash in his Canadian Army Uniform - Arthur enlisted in WW1, his attestation papers are shown above.

Picture 3 - Arthur Gash and Pearl Giles on their wedding day - 1st November 1939 at Candiac, Saskatchewan, Canada.

Picture 4 - Phyllis Van Overbeke's grandson in front of Candiac Hotel and Post Office.  Phyllis is the 1st daughter of Arthur and Pearl Gash. Candiac is now what is known as a "Ghost Town".  There is a website which shows quite a few buildings which remain deserted by its former residents -  http://www.ghosttownscanada.ca/gallery/showgallery.php/cat/578 on this website, image 3130 (page 2) shows another view of this building.

Picture 5 - The 40th Wedding anniversary photograph of Arthur and Pearl Gash, standing behind Arthur and Pearl are their daughters and son, Evangeline, Dorothy, Jim and Phyllis.

Picture 6 - Arthur Gash celebrating his 90th birthday surrounded by his family - back row: Herbert Galenzoski, Charles and Edward Van Overbeke, Brian Gash, Mitch ?, and James Gash.  Middle row: Charlene ?, Phyllis Van Overbeke, Dorothy Galenzoski, Lori Gash, Charlene Gash, Casandra ?, Cindy and Trina Van Overbeke, and Donna Gash.  Front Row: Kim Galenzoski, Arthur and Pearl Gash, and Albert Galenzoski.

Picture 7 - Dorothy and her son Warren Galenzoski at Upper Haugh, Rawmarsh - Warren lives in Stockport, Lancashire.

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Dorothy put me in touch with the granddaughter of Arthur's sister Edith Gash.  Juanita lives in Burnaby, British Columbia and subsequently contacted her mother, Joy Chornley who sent me the following information:

Samuel and Clara Gash had two surviving children, Arthur and Edith Gash - both were born in Rawmarsh, Rotherham, South Yorkshire but Samuel and Clara tragically lost several babies - some of the following information is from the FreeBMD records but the actual dates shown are from death announcement cards which Edith Cheers had saved:

Edith Gash married twice, her first husband was William Chapman, an  merchant seaman, born in England.  They married at Moffat, Sask on 14 July 1925. Their daughter Phyllis Joy Chapman was born at Candiac, Saskatchewan, in 1930. William's ship sank in the China Sea during the Japanese Chinese War and William was never found.  He was declared dead on 7 November 1939.  The family learned later that he had survived but know nothing more about him. 

Edith married Thomas Albert Cheers at Glenavon, Saskatchewan on 4 December 1939 and their first child Christine Alana was born in 1940 at Indian Head, Saskatchewan, but survived only a few minutes.  Their 2nd child, Judith Alberta Cheers was born one year later at the Royal Victorian hospital in Montreal. Tom Cheers was born at Birkenhead, near Liverpool, England on 24 April 1906.

Phyllis Joy Chapman, known as Joy, was adopted by Tom Cheers on 30 October 1940.  Joy married David Frederick Chorney in 1950 at Regina, Saskatchewan, and they had two children:

There are photographs of Edith and Tom on Photo Gallery 1 and one of Edith lower down this page.

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Thomas Herbert Simms also enlisted for the Canadian Overseas Expeditionary Force - here's his Attestation Paper details from the collectionscanada.gc.ca website:

The above batch of thumbnail pictures were in my parent's collection - can anyone please help identify the unknown people and the locations? To view, just click on each picture and a larger photo appears; press the back button on the top left to return.

Picture 1: Esther Ann and James Gash with James's sister Esther

Picture 2: Extreme left Great Aunt Emma Simms nee Gash, 2nd left her sister Esther Johnson formerly Taylor nee Gash.  I don't know the identity of the other two people.  Can anyone identify them please? The Grandson of Esther, Larry Gifford has supplied me with the missing names - they are Bill  and Hannah Mulroy nee Johnson.  Hannah was the older sister of Oscar Johnson, Esther's 2nd husband.  The photograph was taken in front of Esther and Oscar Johnson's house in Duncan, B.C.

Picture 3: Left to right; Unknown lady, Great Aunt Emma Simms, her sister Esther, and Esther's 2nd husband Oscar Johnson.

Picture 4: This picture was taken in front of Aunt Emma's house - left to right David and Lydia Gash; James and Esther Ann Gash; Esther and Oscar Johnson and Emma Simms.

Picture 5: The same people appear in this picture.

Picture 6: Aunt Emma's house - I'm not sure whether this is in Saskatchewan, Qu'Apelle Township or in Duncan, Vancouver Island.

Picture 7: This picture has been sent from my brother's collection - left to right Samuel, Lydia, Emma, Esther Ann, James and Herbert Simms.

My thanks to Great Uncle Jim's granddaughters for identifying/amending some of these names.

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* I have corresponded with another distant cousin Loretta Keith (Lorie) who lives in Calgary - Loretta is the daughter of Hedley Fernie and Elva Maud Gash and these are her pictures - please click on each one to see a larger picture:

Picture 8: Edna, Gladys and Hedley Gash, children of David and Alice Gash

Picture 9: Alice Ward Gash with son Hedley.

Picture 10: Hedley Gash with his Grandfather 1915-17 - is this David Gash, senior?

Picture 11: Robert Douglas Wallwork and Hedley Gash circa 1910.

Picture 12: Three Great Aunts: Emma Simms nee Gash, Esther Taylor nee Gash, and Clara Ann Gash nee Dobson with their nephew, Hedley Gash.

Picture 13: David Gash with son Hedley at Alice Ward Gash's Grave.

Picture 14: Elva Gash in 1930.

Picture 15: Hedley and Elva Gash 1930

Picture 16: Hedley, Elva and Carley Gash 1934 

Picture 17