BEATRICE GRESHAM - Toronto 1928 - Completed

[Jacquie in Canada]

I found her as Grasham (spelled with an "a", not an "e").

There is a border crossing document for a Beatrice Grasham dated 16 Dec 1924 indicating she crossed the border between Washington State and British Columbia. Her husband is listed as being Fred T. Grasham. Beatrice was 38 and born in Louth, England. Her last permanent address was listed as being in Seattle, Washington and she was heading for Toronto. It also indicates she came to North America on the Allania which arrived in Halifax in Mar 1914.

There is a border document with the same date for Fred T. Grasham who was 41 and born in Louth. He arrived in North America via Saint John, New Brunswick on the Victorian on Mar 1911.

There is also a document for Wilbur E. Grasham who crossed the same day and was 8.

There is a birth for a Wilbur Edward Grasham born 5 Nov 1915 in Seattle to parents Fred Taylor Grasham and Beatrice Laughton.

I did see a border crossing document for Beatrice Laughton crossing the border to the US from British Columbia in Mar 1914 but it gave no details. It was actually a list of people who were debarred and her name was listed, crossed out and a note that it had been listed in error. This would seem to indicate that Beatrice and Fred were married in the US. I couldn't find their marriage in Washington records though.

Jacquie

[Jacquie in Canada]

1920 US Federal Census for Seattle, King County, Washington:

6525 - 7th Ave NW
Fred T Grasham, head, 37, immigrated 1910, naturalized 1918, born England, parents born England, tire and repair shop
Beatrice Grasham, wife, 33, immigrated 1910, naturalized 1918*, born England, parents born England
Wilber E Grasham, son, 3 years 2 months, born Washington, parents born England
*It's not unusual for the wife's immigration information to be wrong. Many times it's listed as being the same as the husband's whether that's right or not.

WWI draft registration

Fred Taylor Grasham, born 16 Dec 1882, address 6525 - 7th Ave NW, Seattle, in business for self, nearest relative Beatrice Grasham, same address

There is a border crossing document for Fred Grasham dated 13 Apr 1935. He crossed the border at Niagara Falls, New York. He lists his address as 718 Queen Street E., Toronto. He was only going to be in the US for 2 days as it appears he was going to England. His place of birth is listed as Yarbo?, England.  The incoming UK passenger list datebase indicates that he departed from New York and arrived in Southampton on the Berengaria on 26 Apr 1935. He was travelling alone. He returned on the Ausonia which arrived in Quebec on 8 Jul 1935. He has his home address as 718 Queen Street E, Toronto.

Fred also made a trip alone to England departing from New York and arriving in Liverpool on the Caronia on 23 Apr 1928. He returned on the Ausonia which arrived in Quebec on 17 Jun 1928. He lists his address as 718 Queen Street E, Toronto.

There is also a passenger list for the Empress of France which departed from Montreal and arrived in Liverpool on 25 Aug 1960 which had both Fred and Beatrice aboard. Fred's date of birth is listed as 16 Dec 1883 while Beatrice's is listed as 4 Nov 1886. They were going to The Grove, South Reston, Lincolnshire for 2 months.

Jacquie

[Jacquie in Canada]

Here's a link to the passenger list at Library and Archives Canada for the Victorian which Fred arrived on in 1914:
http://data2.collectionscanada.gc.ca/e/e148/e003686555.jpg

Unfortunately it appears the passenger list for the voyage Beatrice was on didn't survive or else she got the details wrong.

I also found the naturalization documents for Fred Taylor Grasham in Washington. I'll PM you about that.

It appears Wilbur made a few trips to England as well. The incoming UK passenger list database has him arriving in Liverpool on the Empress of France on 21 Sep 1951. He was on the Franconia which arrived in Liverpool on 21 May 1955.  He arrived in Southampton on the Homeric on 1 Jun 1956. Finally he was on the Empress of England which arrived in Liverpool on 22 May 1960. He was alone each time and was staying in London. On two of the passenger lists he is listed as being a teacher.

There is also a border crossing document for Wilbur crossing into the US at Buffalo, NY on 17 May 1942. It appears he was travelling to Greenland via Boston so he was only in the US for 2 days. He lists his mother as his nearest relative and has an address of 50 Montclair Avenue, Toronto.

I googled Wilbur E Grasham and it appears he was a Professor of Political Economy at the University of Toronto. I'm attaching a link to a University of Toronto alumni publication that has a "in memory" section that indicates when
Wilbur died:
http://alumni.utoronto.ca/s/731/images/editor_documents/Engineering/smspring08.pdf

A woman from Toronto requested a census look-up regarding Fred Grasham in the Lincolnshire forum here in Apr 2009 but it looks like she hasn't been back since then unfortunately. You could try PMing her and hopefully, if she hasn't changed email addresses, she may get a notice of it sent to her email address and will come back. Here's a link to the thread here:
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,374620.0.html

Jacquie

[cosmac]

Amazing what information you can find when you get the name right!

Debbie

[Jacquie in Canada]

Amazing what information you can find when you get the name right!

Debbie

So true. It sure would have helped if that passenger list that Ada had been on would have had Beatrice's surname spelled correctly.

Jacquie

[kiwicatz]

Lisa and Jacquie
Thank you so much for that.
I have another part of the family named Grasham, so will be interesting to see if they all link up.
Thanks so much for your help.
Regards
Jan