Purkis - South Vancouver BC

[ElizabethHerts]

Edward Henry Purkis is on the 1911 census at Medway Kent. He is a retired Lieutenant RN. Born 1854.
His wife is "Ellen Peaceful" and was born in 1856 in Chichester.

He helpfully states that he has a wife and children and writes:
"At present in South Vancouver BC"

If anyone has access to records for Canada could they please tell me if they spot any Purkis family members in the area?

I only have 4 children for them, and I expect they could have been born in different places.

[kiterunner]

The 1911 Canadian census has a William Purkis at Tow Hill, Comox-Atlin, BC, age 38, born England, single, born Jun (or Jan?) 1873, year of immigration 1904. Nationality Canadian. Occupation Farmer. I'll see if I can find him on a passenger list.

[kiterunner]

No luck with that! Sorry!

[ElizabethHerts]

Thanks for looking, Kate.

I have found one of the children on a passenger list -

Passenger lists leaving UK 1890-1960
Name: Walter E PURKIS
Date of departure: 20 February 1908
Port of departure: Liverpool
Destination port: Halifax
Destination country: Canada
Date of Birth: 1885 (calculated from age)
Age: 23
Occupation: Laborer

[kiterunner]

Edward Henry Purkis married Ellen Peaceful Rasell Oct-Dec 1882 Portsea, so if that William was one of Edward's children, he would have been from a previous marriage anyway. Probably a red herring.

[ElizabethHerts]

Edward Henry Purkis and Ellen Peaceful Rasell didn't marry until 1882 so I don't think William Purkis is anything to do with them, unfortunately.

I was searching the death indexes as well as the 1911 census and could only find Edward Henry, who died in Mar 1927 Yarmouth registration district.

[ElizabethHerts]

One of the daughters, Olive Annie Purkis, didn't go to Canada in 1911 as she is in London:

1911 Census
PURKIS, Olive Annie
PADDINGTON, London
Reference RG14PN23 RG78PN1 RD1 SD1 ED23 SN268
She is a helper in a home/school.

She married in Paddington in 1919.

[kiterunner]

Aha! There is a marriage on Family Search:

Robert George Amos Purkis age 22, born Portsmouth, England, parents Edward Henry Purkis and Ellen Peaceful Rassel, married May Isabel Hobday age 21, born Maidstone, England, parents Thomas Henry Hobday and Isabel Jane Ford, 18 Jun 1912 South Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

[ElizabethHerts]

Edward Henry Purkis married Ellen Peaceful Rasell Oct-Dec 1882 Portsea, so if that William was one of Edward's children, he would have been from a previous marriage anyway. Probably a red herring.

Snap, Kate!

[ElizabethHerts]

Aha! There is a marriage on Family Search:

Robert George Amos Purkis age 22, born Portsmouth, England, parents Edward Henry Purkis and Ellen Peaceful Rassel, married May Isabel Hobday age 21, born Maidstone, England, parents Thomas Henry Hobday and Isabel Jane Ford, 18 Jun 1912 South Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

Fantastic, Kate! I'm playing catch up with you!

[kiterunner]

Canadian passenger list entry for Robert Purkis Sep 1909 on the Empress of Britain, to Quebec, age 18.

[kiterunner]

Oh, and FamilySearch also has a death for Robert George Amos Purkis, 21 Nov 1986, age 96, North Vancouver, born Portsmouth 3 Sep 1890, widowed, spouse Elsie Minerva Reid, father Edward Henry Purkis, mother Ellen Peaceful Rusell.

[ElizabethHerts]

Thanks, Kate.

Robert's naval record is available for download on the TNA documents on line website.

[ElizabethHerts]

Oh, and FamilySearch also has a death for Robert George Amos Purkis, 21 Nov 1986, age 96, North Vancouver, born Portsmouth 3 Sep 1890, widowed, spouse Elsie Minerva Reid, father Edward Henry Purkis, mother Ellen Peaceful Rusell.

I didn't find that one!
Death for May/Marion (she seems to use different variants):

Death Date: 12 Apr 1944
Death Place: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Name: Marion Isabell Purkis
Gender: Female
Age: 52y
Birth Date: May 1891
Birthplace: Kent, England
Marital Status: Married
Spouse: Robert George Amos Purkis
Father: Thomas Hobday
Mother: Isabell Ford
Indian Agency:
Indian Band/Tribe:
Film Number: 1983206
Digital Folder Number: 4437853
Image Number: 354
British Columbia Archives Film Number: B13183
Registration Number: 3222
Collection: British Columbia Death Registrations, 1872-1986

[ElizabethHerts]

He must have married again - here is wife no. 2's death:

Death Date: 04 Aug 1975
Death Place: Salmon Arm, British Columbia, Canada
Name: Elsie Minerva Purkis
Gender: Female
Age: 70y
Birth Date: 17 Jan 1905
Birthplace: Edmonton, Alberta
Marital Status: Married
Spouse: Robert George Amos Purkis
Father: Alexander Reid
Mother: Janet Drysdale
Indian Agency:
Indian Band/Tribe:
Film Number: 2050444
Digital Folder Number: 4479352
Image Number: 1703
British Columbia Archives Film Number: B13344
Registration Number: 75 09 012284
Collection: British Columbia Death Registrations, 1872-1986

[Uncle John]

The 1911 Canadian census has a William Purkis at Tow Hill, Comox-Atlin, BC, age 38, born England, single, born Jun (or Jan?) 1873, year of immigration 1904. Nationality Canadian. Occupation Farmer. I'll see if I can find him on a passenger list.

Comox is half way up the east side of Vancouver Island. My aunt lives at Powell River on the mainland, at the other end of the ferry route.