8 Photos — Looking for Hilda Dunkley Lesway’s Story

 

To Hilda with love from Millie 1911- Henry Soar Photographer-N. Finchley (London)

All Photos- Carleton Place and Beckwith Heritage Museum

Jennifer Fenwick Irwin gave me some older photos that the Carleton Place and Beckwith Heritage Museum were trying to identify. Trying to figure out “who is who” in any photo that is 20 years older or over is tough. That’s why it is so important to put names on photos when you have them, because 15 years from now- unless it is family, no one will know who they are. Photographs are important to local history as they speak volumes about our community, and background scenery gives glimpses into our past.

So after going through the box I found a series of 10 photos that seemed to belong to one family as the name Hilda was on each of them. I finally found a postcard that was addressed to Hilda Dunkley, so I had a name.

Another card was addressed simply “To Hilda and Jim” so I knew someone in her life was called Jim, and indeed found out after she emigrated to Canada in 1911 she met or had an arranged marriage with someone named Jim. It was probably the latter as he was a widower and his first wife was Mary Fulton. His full name was James Lesway, and he was born in Cedar Hill and a farmer in Pakenham. They married in 1914  in Blakeney and was 22 years older than she was bringing his children into the marriage.

Author’s Note- So how did her photos end up in the Carleton Place and Beckwith Heritage Museum? The Lesway family moved to William Street in Carleton Place in 1920 where James became a labourer for the C.P.R. and made $800 a year. They were on the 1921 Carleton Place census with 3 young sons living with them. The family later moved to Napoleon Street.

All Photos- Carleton Place and Beckwith Heritage Museum–These photos came to us from Kathy Lowe, nee Henderson. Her father was Cecil. 

To Hilda- With best love your cousin Bessie — Wishing you a Happy New Year

Hilda Dunkley was living in the Warkton Rectory in Kettering (a town in Northamptonshire, England, about 81 miles (130 km) north of London ) in 1908 and did not immigrate to Lanark County until 1911. She became a boarder in 1911 at the White Residence in North Lanark at the age of 21. Millie ( first photo above) had sent this postcard to Hilda as it was a photo postcard of where she lived also in North Finchley, a suburb of London.

Millie had sent her news that she had found the album Hilda was looking for and hoped Hilda would keep it and Millie gave  her love to Lottie. ( cannot see the date on the postmark)

May 1, 1909 Postcard sent from East Haddon in Northamptonshire, England where she was living with her father as it was addressed to Miss Dunkley c/o Mr. Dunkley. I assume her Father later died as she made her way to Canada in 1911.

Dear Hilda,

Pleased to hear you got home safe. Sorry to hear your Father is not looking very well we have heard. Your coming in hope you come soon near of a place. (?) With love, Mrs. L.  (assume it is the woman below Mrs. Lenentia)

 

“Grandmother Mary & Marjory”

Posted June 6th, 1913 not mailed

We have come to have a look at you. It was such a nice sunny day when this photo was taken. But, the photographer said our windows looked so pretty he wanted to take the home, so we were in the picture. You cannot see the hanging plant (pink clover) or the lovely geraniums nor long laced curtains because of the deep window seat, but it does look nice.

I have not had an answer to my first letter to Harry and I hope he is getting on nicely. I see you had not gone to him by your last letter. Bessie and Violet came by here yesterday. Mrs. Crutchley was here on Wednesday. (Dad’s birthday) We had Aunt Vin over on Saturday night until Sunday, a fortnight, ago also Uncle Silas, Cousin Jack B? Florrie and a friend came on the same Sunday so we seem to be getting some visitors now, more than we had a week ago.

 

To Hilda from Auntie Lis 20th october 1919 

Aunt Edie and Uncle Joe Bird plus Baby Edith

To Hilda and Jim from Edie and children ( Aunt Edie Bird & Joe & Edie)

 To Hilda with best wishes from Mrs. Lenentia

From Alese and Nancy May to Aunt Hilda ( Uncle Harry’s children)

From Alese and Nancy May to Aunt Hilda

 

Thanks to Anthony Tyler Tony Henderson​ we now have a photo of Hilda Lesway to add to my story.. He is searching for more family photos if you have them

back row left to right
william (bill) lesway son of adolphus lesway and susan berry.
waleter sevedson, husband of, edith bell lesway doughter of, john james lesway (as bill)& mary fulton.
hilda maud dunkley, second wife of j james lesway. front row james and hildas children raymond, james, margaret, and mary on james knee pi ture was taken in 1926 or 27

 

 

1911 North Lanark Census

Name:	Hilda Dunkley
Gender:	Female
Marital Status:	Single
Race or Tribe:	English
Age:	21
Birth Date:	Aug 1889
Birth Place:	England
Census Year:	1911
Relation to Head of House:	Boarder
Immigration Year:	1911
Province:	Ontario
District:	Lanark North
District Number:	89
Sub-District:	21 – Ward 1
Sub-District Number:	21
Place of Habitation: Name Age Thomas R White 66 Christena White 59 Hilda Dunkley 21
Neighbors:	View others on page

 

Marriage

Name:	Hilda Dunkley
Age:	24
Birth Year:	abt 1890
Birth Place:	East Haddon England
Marriage Date:	29 Apr 1914
Marriage Place:	Lanark, Ontario, Canada
Father:	Henry Cory Dunkley
Mother:	Mary Elizabeth Burrell Dunkley
Spouse:	John James Lesway

Geneology of her husband

Name:	John James Lesway
Age:	46
Birth Year:	abt 1868
Birth Place:	5th Line Pakenham Township, Ontario
Marriage Date:	29 Apr 1914
Marriage Place:	Lanark, Ontario, Canada
Father:	Adolphus Lesway
Mother:	Susan Berry
Spouse:	Hilda Dunkley

 

Clipped from

1. The Ottawa Journal,
2. 21 May 1942, Thu,
3. Page 4

Death

Name:	Hilda Maude Dunkley
Gender:	Female
Death Age:	60
Event Type:	Death
Death Date:	19 Nov 1950
Death Place:	Almonte, Ont
Spouse:	John James Lesway
Notes:

Clipped from

1. The Ottawa Journal,
2. 20 Nov 1950, Mon,
3. Page 26

James Lesway-Carleton Place Connection

 in the 1921 Census of Canada

Name:	James Lesway
Gender:	Male
Marital Status:	Married
Age:	54
Birth Year:	abt 1867
Birth Place:	Ontario
Relation to Head of House:	Head
Spouse’s Name:	Hilda Lesway
Father Birth Place:	Quebec
Racial or Tribal Origin:	Scotch (Scotish)
Province or Territory:	Ontario
District:	Lanark
District Number:	97
Sub-District:	Carleton Place (Town)
Sub-District Number:	46
City, Town or Village:	Town Carleton Place
Street or Township:	William St
Municipality:	Carleton Place
Occupation:	Labourer
Income:	800
Neighbors:	View others on page
Household Members:	Name Age James Lesway 54 Hilda Lesway 31 Raymond Lesway 4 James Lesway 2 Ronald Lesway 1

Children

Kennedy, Mary Kathleen

(nee Lesway)

Peacefully at Stoneridge Manor, Carleton Place with family by her side on Thursday, July 05, 2018, in her 95^th year.

Loved wife of the late Leo Kennedy. Cherished mother of Joe (Eleanor), Linda (Richard) Greene, Jerry (Betty), Anthony (Katherine), Carroll, the late Michael (late Shirley), and the late Hugh. Loving grandmother of 22 grandchildren, 28 great-grandchildren and 5 great-great-grandchildren. Survived by her brother John Lesway. Predeceased by siblings Jim (Margaret), Ray (Kaye), Ron (Laura) Joe and Margaret (Cecil) Henderson.

Friends may visit the family at the Alan R Barker Funeral Home, 19 McArthur Avenue, Carleton Place on Tuesday, July 10, 2018 from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated in St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Hawthorne Avenue, Carleton Place on Wednesday at 11 a.m. Interment will be at St. Michael’s Cemetery, Corkery. Donations in memory of Mary to St. Mary’s Catholic Church or Stoneridge Manor would be appreciated.

A heartfelt thank you to the Dr. Roger Drake and the entire staff of Stoneridge Manor.

Children ( ones I could find)
Children Clipped from The Ottawa Journal, 12 Mar 1945, Mon, Page 15 Clipped from The Ottawa Journal, 20 Sep 1939, Wed, Page 9 Clipped from The Ottawa Journal, 02 Nov 1939, Thu, Page 15   Clipped from The Ottawa Journal, 30 Dec 1939, Sat, Page 10