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Research in Other Countries => Canada => Topic started by: SWH1 on Monday 13 October 14 15:04 BST (UK)
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Hi trying to find her place of birth for a project am working on with regards to ww1. Think she was born in 1890, father William. Died in Cornwall Canada. I would also like to know is she had a sister called Nora? any photos would be fantastic. She/ both worked for the Scottish womens hospitals during ww1.
many thanks Alan
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Do you believe Isabella was born in Canada and returned to England to volunteer during WW1?
Or was WW1 before she arrived in Canada?
Looby :)
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I think she was born in Canada, certainly i think she traveled from Quebec to the uk in 1916.
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There is an Isabella McCaw on the Canada 1901 Census in Montreal Quebec- born 1891 - father William. Her ethnicity is Scots but I beleive it indicates she was born in Quebec.
https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/KH5K-RS4
No obvious Nora as a sister though :(
Looby :)
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Could be her, some other info Obituary: MISS ISABEL C. McCAW
Miss Isabel Catherine McCaw, who died on July 3 at age 87 in Cornwall, Ontario was for many years in
her younger days a reporter for the Montreal Star. Some of her outstanding articles following World War
I dealt with the political and military situation in the Balkans, some of which she had witnessed at first
hand.
As an ambulance driver with the Scottish Women's Hospitals' Motor Ambulance Column, attached to the
Serbian First Army, she had personal experience of that small army's amazing capture of enemy
strongholds on 7,000 foot highmountain ridges and "the subsequent pursuit which swept Bulgars,
Austrians and Germans out of their beloved Serbia like chaff before the wind."
She also served in Greece and Macedonia and earned the ribbons of the Serbian gold "za Roznu sluzbu",
First Class, which was equivalent to the British D.S.O., the Serbian Great War Active Service Medal, the
Scottish Women's Hospitals' Medal, the General Service Medal and the Victory Medal. She was twice
mentioned in despatches.
Miss McCaw, a graduate of McGill University, was the daughter of William McCaw, a noted Montreal
insurance man and sportsman, and his first wife, Catherine Blacklock. As a descendant of Captain Ronald
Macdonell (Leek), King's Royal Regiment of New York, who settled in St. Andrew's West, Ontario in
1784, she became a member of The United Empire Loyalists' Association and was a member of the Sir
John Johnson Centennial Branch. She is survived by her step-sister, Miss Gladys W. McCaw of Montreal
and a nephew, William H. Calkins of Wilmington, Delaware.
Step sisiter Gladys does fit.
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am also looking for another Canadian Florence Lyle Harvey. Same project etc.
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Isabella must have been a fiesty lady :D
Certainly look like her on that Census having a sister Gladys.
Interestingly I found something which MAY relate to sister Marcella.
This info comes from a submitted family tree on Familysearch (so therefore may well be wrong!)
https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.2.1/9C4Q-W8G
This gives Marcella's father as a Thomas McCaw and her mother as a Marcella Blacklock - note maternal grandma is a Catherine McDonell/Blacklock. Date of Marcella's death is in 1894. It also has her father (Thomas?) born in Ayrshire Scotland.
Sorry none of this brings you closer to a definite place of birth for Isabella.
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Dates of birth and deaths are also don't fit on that McCaw /Blacklock tree. :-\
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Hi,
1911 census has the same family from the 1901 census... Dad William is an agent. Sisters Marcella and Gladys are there as well. Says Isabella was born in Quebec.
http://data2.collectionscanada.gc.ca/1911/jpg/e002076174.jpg
RK
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Marcella is on the 1891 Census - https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MW59-7RG
Don't know where you would get access to original but it gives you an idea of where Isabella must have been born.
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Hi again,
In 1891, William is a young widower with daughters Christina, Marcella and Isabella. Images are here:
http://data2.collectionscanada.gc.ca/1891/jpg/30953_148208-00486.jpg
at the very bottom of the page
http://data2.collectionscanada.gc.ca/1891/jpg/30953_148208-00487.jpg
Isabella at the top of the page.
RK
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Ahhh all making sense now -
William McCaw was the son of Thomas McCaw and Marcella Blacklock
https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.2.1/9C4Q-WDC
he had a lot of siblings -
https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.2.1/9C4Q-WZC one being a Marcella!
Odd that he married a Blacklock too....maybe a relative??
Have to go and make my dinner now....almost 4.45 here.
Good luck with your project SWH1
Looby :)
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Ahhh, that explains it Looby :) :)
I don't have access to Ancestry, but perhaps someone who does can check the Quebec birth records for Isabella.
RK
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Any more information on Nora or Florence - possible years of birth, parents etc??
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Haven't looked for other two names.
Was intrigued by Thomas McCaw grandfather of Isabella McCaw being born in Ayrshire - my home county ;D
Discovered McCaws on the 1841 Census at Ardlochan (a farm ?) Kirkoswald Ayrshire (not a million mile s from me )
Really must go or dinner will be late.
Good hunting.
Looby :)
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Enjoy your dinner :) :)
I wonder if this is the correct Florence Lyle Harvey - interestingly also a journalist. In the image, it shows that she is going to California to live. She was born in Hamilton, Ontario in 1878.
https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/KZ1G-2R3
If so, her parents are John and Williamina
https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FMQ8-J96
RK
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From what I can see online, Miss Florence L Harvey of Hamilton was quite the golfer.
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9C05EED9173DE633A25754C2A9659C946596D6CF
I didn't pay to see the whole article, but the free summary gives you lots of information. There is a lot more online about Florence and her golfing prowess.
Also looks like she wrote about golf :)
RK
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If any of this fits with your information for Florence, I have some more information from the Canadian papers... she was in South Africa for a while doing interesting work, then she went to London in 1940.
RK
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Yes, that is the right Florence. Here is her induction into the Hamilton Sports Hall of fame. It mentions her being an ambulance driver in WW1. There is a photo too.
http://www.hgcc.ca/index.cfm?ID=1138&Download=(1%5B%2257B%26%25Q-0%20%0A&f=823
This says that she came back to Canada from California and died in Ancaster, Ontario in 1968.
RK
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From the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame. There is another picture here... looks military to me?? :)
http://www.rcga.org/hall_of_famer.aspx?id=25&x=PRgE5ZkK1ko%3D
RK
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Ontario Golf Hall of Fame
https://gao.ca/about-us/ontario-golf-hall-of-fame/ontario-golf-hall-of-fame-member-bios/florence-harvey-class-of-2000/
Also interesting:
http://www.nsga.ns.ca/History_of_wgolf
RK
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Any hints about Nora??? I don't see anything promising yet...
RK
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Quickly back to Isabella McCaw...
Here is her father's obituary from the Montreal Gazette. A bit of background about the family...
http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1946&dat=19280405&id=NW8tAAAAIBAJ&sjid=9YsFAAAAIBAJ&pg=4361,558086
RK
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Fantastic work.. really happy i have more details.
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Well done RK.
That's a lot of good info on Isabella McCaw and Florence Harvey, unfortunately I'm not finding anything on Nora.
Looby :)
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Nora, i had hoped would be her sister but that's not the case. Many thanks to you both for helping here is my web site on these incredible woman http://scottishwomenshospitals.co.uk
Alan
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I have a number from Canada and trying to put them together.
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Your website looks very interesting. I will take a better look later.
About Nora - are you not sure of her nationality?
Looby
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Hi,
If you need a picture of Isabella, you could contact McGill University in Montreal. If she was a graduate, they ought to have a graduation photo...
RK
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not a clue, but will find out when i take a look at her records, that will be next week. Cheers you have been a fantastic help and Runkitty solved Flo.
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Very interesting website! I am glad you are paying tribute to these amazing women :) :)
As for Florence in South Africa, the article I found from 1940 is about a tea being held in her honour in Toronto. She had been living in South Africa "for some time", where she had been active in golf clubs and womens work. She had assisted in the management of a unique school that taught weaving to the "native Zulu girls'. The school had been started by the late Mrs Marjorie Pope-Ellis. It says that products of this school have "found favour" in New York and London. Florence drove an ambulance in Serbia in the Great War. The article says she is going to leave Canada soon to take up residence in London England.
This is the only information I have found so far about her activities in South Africa.
RK
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Mrs Marjorie Pope-Ellis is another SWH women i am looking to catalogue. Wonder if she was a Canadian. so far i have Dr Edna Mary Guest, Dr Honoria Somerville Keer and the two above, there were more but have not had the time yet to work on them.
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I don't think Nora is Scottish :-\. Can't find a birth on Scotlands People or an entry on 1911 or 1901 Census. Of course Nora could be short for another name - Eleanor for instance.
Looby :)
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Wonder if this could be Nora ??
https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XWL6-X2P
Born Calcutta approx.1894 living in London. Nora Hardy Maccaw.
Looby :)
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Its possible, its the right age. Will look into getting a home address when i look at the file. Cheers.
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Nice find Looby!! That looks to be a girls' boarding school.
If that is her, the birth registration is on familysearch and on FindMyPast. Dad is a merchant
https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FGWB-H5T
RK
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Another good find RK :D And here's a brother Guy Hardy Maccaw - https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FG84-VWL
who by 1911 is in the military - https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/X7V7-TVY
Looby
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I found 2 outgoing UK passenger lists for Miss M Pope Ellis
16 Aug 1928, she is leaving from London on the ??? Castle, and is contracted to land in Natal. Her profession is poultry farmer :). She was born in 1890, but doesn't say where... however she is on the list of British passengers. Last address in the UK was 13 Cancell Rd S.W.9. She is travelling first class. Country of intended future residence is Tanganyika
15 April 1932, she is leaving from Southampton on the Warwick Castle, and is contracted to land in Natal. There is no profession listed now. She says she was born about 1893.... again, I don't know where, but she is on a list of British passengers. Last address was Boks Corner, West End, Southampton. Country of intended future residence is South Africa.
Looks like she has just been visiting the UK... Country of last permanent residence in both cases is "other parts of the British Empire"
RK
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Sorry to be bouncing around here... but 1891 census has Guy as a boarder in England... with his sister Vera H McCaw, age 6, also born in Calcutta, India. They are living with the Vicar of South Stoke and Wood, named Hubert G Hind -- and his family. This includes a governess.
https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/71DS-RZM
So, it doesn't seem that this McCaw family has any Canadian connections. I think you need to look in India or the UK for her.
RK