Week 28: 'Travel' - A Sad Time.
A lot of my ancestors have travelled, and some continued to do so throughtout their lives. But for this prompt, I will write about my Great Uncle Richard Pearce known as 'Dick'. He was born 05 November 1873 in Innerleithen, Scotland to William Pearce and Sarah nee Clark. He was a younger brother of my paternal grandfather - Francis George Pearce.
In the 1881 Scottish Census, he was seven years old, a scholar living with his famiy at Miller Street (Tory Block) Innerleithen.
In the next census in 1891 he had left school and at 17 yo was working as assistant aerated water manufacturer for his father. They all now lived at High St, Innerleithen.
A lot of my ancestors have travelled, and some continued to do so throughtout their lives. But for this prompt, I will write about my Great Uncle Richard Pearce known as 'Dick'. He was born 05 November 1873 in Innerleithen, Scotland to William Pearce and Sarah nee Clark. He was a younger brother of my paternal grandfather - Francis George Pearce.
In the 1881 Scottish Census, he was seven years old, a scholar living with his famiy at Miller Street (Tory Block) Innerleithen.
In the next census in 1891 he had left school and at 17 yo was working as assistant aerated water manufacturer for his father. They all now lived at High St, Innerleithen.
By the 1901 census, Dick is 27 (although listed as 24)and is married to Janet nee Bruce and is listed as retired Water assistant.
On 07 September 1907 he left Glasgow and boarded the ‘Athenia ‘ (ship) for Canada. The family story is that he went to join his brother Jim (JA) but apparently it didn’t work out. (I am not sure what they meant by this, but maybe it was to do with work, relationship with Jim or that his wife and family was still back in Scotland. The ship passenger list states he is 33 years old and a farm hand.
He was only there for about two years when he left to return home to Scotland.
However on his return journey, he collapsed onboard suffering from pneumonia and died at Port Arthur, Ontario, Canada on 02 Oct 1909, only 35years old.
His body must have been brought home as he is buried with family at Traquair Road Cemetery, Innerleithen on the Scottish Borders.
What a shock his death would have been for his family - wife Janet (known as Jenny) and the children Elizabeth (Bessie) 8yo, Sarah 6yo and William about 4yo.
Map showing hometown Innerleithen in Scotland (green dot on right) and Saskatchewan, Canada (black dot onleft) where he joined his brother Jim Pearce.
The Gravestone for Richard Pearce (Dick) who is buried with his parents, brother Joseph Henry and sister Mary Elizabeth (died at birth).
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