Arthur Leith-Ross

[heedrapper]

Hi Rootschatters,

Can anyone help me please with the parents of Arthur Leith-Ross who married Sylvia Hope Ruxton in Westhampnett  Qtr. Sep 1907.

April 1907. Canadian and RMC graduate, Arthur Leith-Ross, who was the Protectorate's Chief Transport Officer, supervising the "cart route" between Zaria and Kano.  Sadly, Arthur Leith-Ross died in Nigeria only a year later, of blackwater fever, however the memoirs of his British wife, Sylvia Hope Ruxton, one of only three European women in Northern Nigeria at the time, were published posthumously in 1983.

[CaroleW]

When and where was he born - is there a suggestion that he was Canadian?

April 1907. Canadian and RMC graduate

Do you have a copy of the marriage cert showing his age and also his fathers name

From your own post on Rootsweb   http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=heedrapper&id=I998

Arthur Leith-Ross, of Hargrave, Manitoba, Canada.

so there doesn't seem to be much point posting for info on his parents on a Sussex England board if he was born in Canada

[heedrapper]

I have 4 posibles in my tree....not just the Arthur on the link you have posted....

Arthur Leith-Ross son of John Leith-Ross and Elizabeth Young, married Elspeth Milne, died 1900. Not him.
Arthur Leith-Ross son of Arthur Leith-Ross and Elspeth Milne, born in Canada. Possibly him.
Arthur Leith-Ross son of Robert Leith-Ross and Annie McDonald Binney, (ancestry shows two public trees, both un-sourced b. 12 Sep. 1884 and d. 29 Sep 1918). If true, then not him.
Arthur Leith-Ross son of David Leith-Ross and Mary Veitch. Another possible.
No marriage cert, hence my enquiry, he was Canadian and he served time in the Royal Military College of Canada. The reason its posted in the SUSSEX forum, is that he married in Westhampnett, SUSSEX. It would also appear that there is a memorial plaque for him at the Singleton War Memorial which can be found in the Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary and includes names from the hamlet of Charlton. SUSSEX. (the date on the plaque I think is wrong) This post is relevant in SUSSEX.

[CaroleW]

Then perhaps the surest way of linking the right person is buying a copy of the marriage cert to establish his fathers name and occupation - and also Arthurs age at that time

Her biography shows Sylvia was b 1884 and died 1980 so perhaps Arthur was born roughly around the same time

[heedrapper]

D'oh. I wish I would have thought of that. But then again if I had, rootschats would not have existed.
I've always found Rootschatters to be helpful, nae, bend over backwards to find a solution to help fellow strugglers......

[heedrapper]

I've reseached this subject, till I have blanked. I don't use rootschats as an 'easy option', or 'lets get someone else to to do the work'. I enjoy digging and finding the solutions to the problems. This is my hobby, and I get frustated if I can't find my own solutions. Rootschat is a great site and helped me in the past when I was a novice, when I post now, it's because I have exhausted my searches. In the past, when I've bricked walled, Rootschatters have found a solution for me, and have humoured me thru' my learning curve.

[Chris in 1066Land]

Moderator Comment

The last few posts on this topic have been deleted due to inappropiate comments for an open board.

We all get a bit frustrated with our research now and again - but we are all here to help each other in our quest for ancestors

Chris in 1066

[heedrapper]

Hi Rootchatters,
I am getting very close to solving this one. I must say that without the help and advice of MonicaLesl, it would have remained a mystery, probably for ever. She has worked tirelessly on this since my last post, and found crucial information and contacts that I was able to pursue. I now have an approx. birth date, and a father’s name. Both tie in nicely, with previously known info that I had, ‘put on the shelf’, (Monica’s expression). I’m sure with a little more research, I will nail this guy to the info I previously have. Thank you Monica, a true Rootschatter.
Bill.

[otherwisewullie]

My first post.  Are you aware of the references in the book by Charles Allen to Sylvia Leith-Ross?
"Plain Tales from the British Empire".
I am interested because she went on to become education secretary in Northern Nigeria. My aunt, Dr Anna (Nan) Cunningham (born Galloway) practised as a dentist in Northern Nigeria in the 1930's. There really were not that many expats in West Africa at that time - a few thousand. Only a small proportion were women.

Kind regards