Well done, Osprey! I'm glad the records said William Williams was the father; I saw him on one census with Elizabeth and Martha, but the previous census (1841) Elizabeth was listed as "Ind", and no William in sight, and searching for any Williams in Wales is.... hard.
Anyways, new findings on Harry Addis!
His address in Calgary Alberta was 1207 - 11th West Calgary, Alberta, as seen on his Vancouver marriage:
http://search-collections.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/Image/Genealogy/a7e1ed8c-f6f0-4d77-a220-4f7b2badc168 That marriage to Ethel May Ralls took place 22 Sept 1924.
But.... he married Ethel May Ralls again, in Calgary, in 1927! (Index only)
And! He was already married to Hilda May (still looking for a maiden name) in 1912!
Long story short: He is on several passenger lists, dob ranging from 1880 to 1887. His address (above) and constant occupation on the lists determine it is indeed the right guy.
Besides being in the army in Wales, where he listed John Rowe as his stepfather, back in 1901ish, he also joined the Canadian Army in 1915.
The service records are here (slow to load, make sure to click the digitized record link):
https://central.bac-lac.gc.ca/.item/?op=pdf&app=CEF&id=B0042-S029In those records, you will find he married Hilda in 1912, and he did produce his marriage registration. Harry give the same Calgary address appears and states a birth date of
26 Aug 1883, in Newport, Mons.
If you look at the pay schedule, you will see a constant confusion of paying his wife, Hilda, who lived in Cornwall, vs paying E. Addis (mother) in Calgary. (That becomes important in a bit).
A couple of notable passenger lists:
In 1915, Hilda May Addis (age 24) with daughter Maud (age 3) are sailing from Canada to England to reside in England permanently.
In 1925, Harry Addis, in Feb 1925 left Liverpool to sail back to Canada. For some unknown reason, he lists his status as "son" although he is not traveling with anyone. Says he is 38, a motorman, returning home to 1207 11th Ave. W. Calgary, and that his nearest relation in England is his father:
H. Addie [sic] 59, Baglesbourne Rd (possibly Eaglesbourne Rd, hard to read), Thornhill, Thornton Heath, Surrey. Well, can't be his father, so I thought maybe father in law? I cannot find that address on the 1939, or anywhere, for that matter.
But then, Thornton Heath was mentioned in this article!
Cornubian and Redruth Times 04 June 1925
PERRANWELL DIVORCE CASE
In the Divorce Division, on Thurs-
day, a decree nisi was pronounced in
favour of Mrs. Hilda May Addis, of
Virginia Cottage, Perranwelt, be-
cause of the unfaithfulness of her
husband, Harry Addis, who did not
defend the case.
Married in 1912 in Canada,
petitioner said that her husband
joined the Canadian Forces in 1915
and returned to England. He did
not support her after 1910, and when
they met last year he confessed he
had been living with a
Miss Annie
Day at Thornton Heath.
Evidence of misconduct was called,
and Mrs. Addis was granted a decree
with costs, and custody of the two
children.
So who is Annie Day!?! The line "did not support her after 1910" is what the newspaper wrote. However, the article also appeared in the Cornishman 03 June 1925 where it stated "did not support her after 1919", which makes far more sense, and must be the cause of the difficulty the army had in who to send his pay to, as mentioned above.
The child Maud, of Hilda, I believe to be Maud Patricia Irene Addis who married Smith Churchill.
Harry and Ethel married in Vancouver, but it was not legal, so they remarried again after the divorce in Calgary. If the Thornton Heath mention in the 1925 passenger list was still to see this Annie Day... well, he was already remarried ( or at least between the two marriages to Ethel). Or did Hilda move to Thornton Heath?
The divorce article states Harry and Hilda had two children, but only Maud was on the ship. Perhaps one was born after she returned to England.
I believe Hilda did not remarry, at least before 1939, as there is a high potential find for her on the 1939 with one daughter. I got all excited when I found a Hilda May Addis with a James Addis, but it turned out to be an evil rabbit hole. If you are hunting for the missing child, don't let this couple fool you.... it's not the right Hilda May, and will suck many hours of your life away chasing her!
