Frank Granville Humfrey, b 1870. Chester and Canada. Mystery man.

[Kendra71]

I am going through family tree notes written by William Augustus Humfrey in the 1930s, and am struggling to find anything reliable on his brother Frank Granville Humfrey, who apparently emigrated to Canada sometime after 1901 when he last appears in the UK census. I'm starting to think the notes on Frank may be a wind-up or a family joke!

I know the following: 

• Frank Granville Humfrey, born 1870 in Broughton, Flintshire, Wales
• In 1896 he married: Elizabeth Draycott
• Together they had a son: Charles Francis Humfrey, born 30 May 1897 in St Oswald, Chester, England.

Several things seem odd or suspicious though:

• His brother's notes describe an illustrious career in WWI, but I have found nothing about either him or his son in the Canadian military (I posted originally to the WWI board, link below):
  "Frank... finally settled at Vancouver. He had married about 1896 Elizabeth Draycott of Chester and had one son, Charles Francis, born 1897, and this son afterwards came over from Canada with his father, both in the Timber Battalion, during the War. The father, with his technical knowledge, soon rose to the rank of Captain, and the son saw active service in France. They returned to Vancouver..."
• I have found a notice in a Welsh newspaper saying that Frank Granville Humfrey drowned on 3rd August 1908 at Sturgeon Falls, Ontario, but can find no official record of this.
  
• The notes suggest he was a bit of a black sheep or drifter:
  "Frank had a varied career as a wine merchant's assistant, PO sorter, schoolmaster, bank clerk, West African goldmine storekeeper, Banana firm's clerk and other trades, and eventually emigrated to Canada, where he had just as varied a time."
• There are postings from about 1900 in Chester saying that creditors will be paid a one off dividend to settle the Frank Granville Humfrey matter. He may have been bankrupted, but I don't know why.
• The 1930s notes say that the son (Charles Francis) was calling himself Graham.
• I can't find either Charles Francis or his mother Elizabeth Draycott / Humfrey on the 1911 Canadian census, even with wildcard spellings.

I would be very grateful for any ideas.
Thanks, Simon

FYI, my original post to the WWI board:
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=776295.0

[polarbear]

Possibility?

Arriving St John New Brunswick Canada on 23 Dec 1906 on the Empress of Ireland...

F G Humfrey 36 Acct Clk (matches 1901 census)
Eliz 34 Wife
Chas 91/2

All down as b. England
County in England from which passengers came.....Cheshire
Destination Toronto (Ontario)

They would proboably have travelled by train from St John to Toronto.

No sign of any of them after their arrival.
Unless very badly mistranscribed, there is no sign of a 1908 death registration for Frank in Ontario.

PB

[suzard]

Could this be him and family??
Depart Liverpool England
14 Dec 1906
on Empress of Ireland
Master J V Forster
Destination St John New Brunswick Canada
Ticket no 85258
Frank Humphrey (note spelling ) labr age 36
Elizth Humphrey wife age 34
Chas Humphrey child age 9

Suz

[Kendra71]

Thanks to you both! That does look right.

Polar bear - I think Frank put the notice in the Chester paper himself, either as a joke or to escape from creditors.

Do you know if it is possible to find out details of his bankruptcy in 1900/1901?

Regards, Simon