William first came to Canada in 1894 under care of the Dr. Barnardo homes of England. He was the son of William Cheesman and Ellen Halley. William siblings were: Rose, Matilda, Mary Ellen, Edward and Caroline who died as a toddler. William was orphaned at the age of 13 and had spent 2 years living on the streets of London when the Dr. Barnardo homes took him in. To my knowledge he would never see his siblings again. The Dr. Barnardo homes trained William as a farmer and he would go on to obtain land through the Dominions Land Act in Saskatchewan. in 1912 his bride Annie Rita Marion Prince arrived in Canada and they were married. Together they had 6 children, 5 born in Rosetown Saskatchewan: Archibald William, Edward Ralph, twin Gwendoine Grace and Helena Mary and Sidney Basil. The family returned to England in 1919. There in 1922 Olive June was born. Shortly before her birth, William and Annie separated. William retuned to Canada and Annie and the children went to live in the Kington Union Work House. In 1924 the family was immigrated back to Canada also as British Home Children, where 4 of the chidlren were placed for adoption.
William lived out his life in Edmonton, his whereabouts unknow to his family. It appeared that William suffered greatly from the loss of his family.
What ever the reason was that he left the family, William's final years were spent (in my opinion) as a broken man. There is no evidence that he ever remarried or had any more children. He was a pauper, wandering from place to place. William was ill. When he contacted the Barnardo offices in 1945 (and this contact is the only reason we now know what happened to him), he was seeking a copy of his birth certificate so that he could apply for his pension (often very difficult to obtain in those days). Not knowing his true age, William was under the impression he was about 69 years old at this time. I wonder what his thoughts were when he found out he was only 67 and he had to wait another couple of years before applying for pension.
In April of 1948 William was ill and admitted to the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Edmonton, Alberta. He was just 2 months past his 70th birthday and, therefore, 2 months past the qualifying age for the pension. On April 15, 1948, William left this world the same way he arrived in Canada. Alone. Nobody there to love or care for him. Nobody to mourn him. Nobody to comfort him in his final days.
He was buried by the City of Edmonton in a communal unmarked pauper grave in the St. Joachim's Cemetery in downtown Edmonton. For 60 year's, William laid in his unmarked grave, unclaimed. Not one person in all those years had even called to inquire about him. But, on April 15th 2008, (60 years to the day of his death) , I called the Holy Cross Office to inquire about the William Cheesman buried there and what they told me that day will haunt me forever.
In 1948 when you were buried under these circumstances your were quite often placed in a communal grave, which means he is buried with a number of other souls. Quite often, where there was a still born birth, these children were slipped into one of these graves. William was given 6 stillborn babies with whom to share his eternal rest In life, William had lost his 6 children: Archie, Ralf, Gwen, Mary, Sidney and Olive June. In death he was given 6 children to watch over.
In October of 2008 his last surviving child Olive June, and the only child he had never laid eyes on, placed the memorial stone in memory and forgiveness for her father.
William lived out his life in Edmonton, his whereabouts unknow to his family. It appeared that William suffered greatly from the loss of his family.
What ever the reason was that he left the family, William's final years were spent (in my opinion) as a broken man. There is no evidence that he ever remarried or had any more children. He was a pauper, wandering from place to place. William was ill. When he contacted the Barnardo offices in 1945 (and this contact is the only reason we now know what happened to him), he was seeking a copy of his birth certificate so that he could apply for his pension (often very difficult to obtain in those days). Not knowing his true age, William was under the impression he was about 69 years old at this time. I wonder what his thoughts were when he found out he was only 67 and he had to wait another couple of years before applying for pension.
In April of 1948 William was ill and admitted to the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Edmonton, Alberta. He was just 2 months past his 70th birthday and, therefore, 2 months past the qualifying age for the pension. On April 15, 1948, William left this world the same way he arrived in Canada. Alone. Nobody there to love or care for him. Nobody to mourn him. Nobody to comfort him in his final days.
He was buried by the City of Edmonton in a communal unmarked pauper grave in the St. Joachim's Cemetery in downtown Edmonton. For 60 year's, William laid in his unmarked grave, unclaimed. Not one person in all those years had even called to inquire about him. But, on April 15th 2008, (60 years to the day of his death) , I called the Holy Cross Office to inquire about the William Cheesman buried there and what they told me that day will haunt me forever.
In 1948 when you were buried under these circumstances your were quite often placed in a communal grave, which means he is buried with a number of other souls. Quite often, where there was a still born birth, these children were slipped into one of these graves. William was given 6 stillborn babies with whom to share his eternal rest In life, William had lost his 6 children: Archie, Ralf, Gwen, Mary, Sidney and Olive June. In death he was given 6 children to watch over.
In October of 2008 his last surviving child Olive June, and the only child he had never laid eyes on, placed the memorial stone in memory and forgiveness for her father.
William first came to Canada in 1894 under care of the Dr. Barnardo homes of England. He was the son of William Cheesman and Ellen Halley. William siblings were: Rose, Matilda, Mary Ellen, Edward and Caroline who died as a toddler. William was orphaned at the age of 13 and had spent 2 years living on the streets of London when the Dr. Barnardo homes took him in. To my knowledge he would never see his siblings again. The Dr. Barnardo homes trained William as a farmer and he would go on to obtain land through the Dominions Land Act in Saskatchewan. in 1912 his bride Annie Rita Marion Prince arrived in Canada and they were married. Together they had 6 children, 5 born in Rosetown Saskatchewan: Archibald William, Edward Ralph, twin Gwendoine Grace and Helena Mary and Sidney Basil. The family returned to England in 1919. There in 1922 Olive June was born. Shortly before her birth, William and Annie separated. William retuned to Canada and Annie and the children went to live in the Kington Union Work House. In 1924 the family was immigrated back to Canada also as British Home Children, where 4 of the chidlren were placed for adoption.
William lived out his life in Edmonton, his whereabouts unknow to his family. It appeared that William suffered greatly from the loss of his family.
What ever the reason was that he left the family, William's final years were spent (in my opinion) as a broken man. There is no evidence that he ever remarried or had any more children. He was a pauper, wandering from place to place. William was ill. When he contacted the Barnardo offices in 1945 (and this contact is the only reason we now know what happened to him), he was seeking a copy of his birth certificate so that he could apply for his pension (often very difficult to obtain in those days). Not knowing his true age, William was under the impression he was about 69 years old at this time. I wonder what his thoughts were when he found out he was only 67 and he had to wait another couple of years before applying for pension.
In April of 1948 William was ill and admitted to the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Edmonton, Alberta. He was just 2 months past his 70th birthday and, therefore, 2 months past the qualifying age for the pension. On April 15, 1948, William left this world the same way he arrived in Canada. Alone. Nobody there to love or care for him. Nobody to mourn him. Nobody to comfort him in his final days.
He was buried by the City of Edmonton in a communal unmarked pauper grave in the St. Joachim's Cemetery in downtown Edmonton. For 60 year's, William laid in his unmarked grave, unclaimed. Not one person in all those years had even called to inquire about him. But, on April 15th 2008, (60 years to the day of his death) , I called the Holy Cross Office to inquire about the William Cheesman buried there and what they told me that day will haunt me forever.
In 1948 when you were buried under these circumstances your were quite often placed in a communal grave, which means he is buried with a number of other souls. Quite often, where there was a still born birth, these children were slipped into one of these graves. William was given 6 stillborn babies with whom to share his eternal rest In life, William had lost his 6 children: Archie, Ralf, Gwen, Mary, Sidney and Olive June. In death he was given 6 children to watch over.
In October of 2008 his last surviving child Olive June, and the only child he had never laid eyes on, placed the memorial stone in memory and forgiveness for her father.
William lived out his life in Edmonton, his whereabouts unknow to his family. It appeared that William suffered greatly from the loss of his family.
What ever the reason was that he left the family, William's final years were spent (in my opinion) as a broken man. There is no evidence that he ever remarried or had any more children. He was a pauper, wandering from place to place. William was ill. When he contacted the Barnardo offices in 1945 (and this contact is the only reason we now know what happened to him), he was seeking a copy of his birth certificate so that he could apply for his pension (often very difficult to obtain in those days). Not knowing his true age, William was under the impression he was about 69 years old at this time. I wonder what his thoughts were when he found out he was only 67 and he had to wait another couple of years before applying for pension.
In April of 1948 William was ill and admitted to the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Edmonton, Alberta. He was just 2 months past his 70th birthday and, therefore, 2 months past the qualifying age for the pension. On April 15, 1948, William left this world the same way he arrived in Canada. Alone. Nobody there to love or care for him. Nobody to mourn him. Nobody to comfort him in his final days.
He was buried by the City of Edmonton in a communal unmarked pauper grave in the St. Joachim's Cemetery in downtown Edmonton. For 60 year's, William laid in his unmarked grave, unclaimed. Not one person in all those years had even called to inquire about him. But, on April 15th 2008, (60 years to the day of his death) , I called the Holy Cross Office to inquire about the William Cheesman buried there and what they told me that day will haunt me forever.
In 1948 when you were buried under these circumstances your were quite often placed in a communal grave, which means he is buried with a number of other souls. Quite often, where there was a still born birth, these children were slipped into one of these graves. William was given 6 stillborn babies with whom to share his eternal rest In life, William had lost his 6 children: Archie, Ralf, Gwen, Mary, Sidney and Olive June. In death he was given 6 children to watch over.
In October of 2008 his last surviving child Olive June, and the only child he had never laid eyes on, placed the memorial stone in memory and forgiveness for her father.
Family Members
Siblings
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Advertisement
