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Hi, I was wondering if anyone who has a worldwide subscription to records could possiby check something for me please. I have an Ancestry subscription which includes all types of UK records and parish records etc but, sadly, not Canadian ones etc.,

Frank Alfred Thornley (born 1886, Middleton, Manchester), I have as the eldest child of William Thornley (and his wife Mary) and living in Middleton in the earlier censuses with his sisters Emily (b1888) and Eliza (b1890), along with William and Mary's adopted son, Fred, (actually their nephew) born 1898.

I am trying to track down what happened to the said Frank Alfred Thornley (born 1886, Middleton). He would appear to be on the 1911 census, living at 3 Whittle Lane, Birch, with wife Emma and a 1 year old daughter, Mary, but there the trail seems to end.

I cannot trace a death for Frank Alfred and, asking in the family, nobody seems sure what happened to him. There is however reference on Ancestry to a number of records which could relate to him but I do not have membership to cover them: I would be indebted if anyone could possibly check these for me and see if they could possibly be my elusive Frank Alfred Thornley.

Frank Alfred Thornley
British Columbia, Canada, Death Index, 1872-1990

Frank A Thornley
Border Crossings: From U.S. to Canada, 1908-1935

Frank A Thornley
U.S. City Directories, 1821-1989 (Beta)

Frank Alfred Thornley
Canadian Passenger Lists, 1865-1935

Frank A Thornley
Seattle Passenger and Crew Lists, 1882-1957

????

Death Date: 25 Jan 1982
Death Place: Saanichton, British Columbia, Canada
Name: Frank Alfred Thornley
Gender: Male
Age: 95y
Birth Date: 11 Mar 1886
Birthplace: Middleton, Lancashire England
Marital Status: Widowed
Spouse: Emma Smith
Father: Frank Thornley
Mother:
Indian Agency:
Indian Band/Tribe:
Film Number: 2051674
Digital Folder Number: 4479418
Image Number: 1467
British Columbia Archives Film Number: B13617
Registration Number: 82 09 002160

Wow, thank you so so much - no wonder no-one alive now seems to know what happened to him.

I feel sure this may be correct and 95 years of age too.

Off to let my cousin know as we were both so puzzled.

Thank you so much

Barbara

Name: Frank A Thornley
Arrival Date: Feb 1915
Arrival Port: Victoria, British Columbia,
Age: 28
Estimated Birth Year: 1887
Birth Date:
Birthplace: Middleton,
Birth Country: England
Gender: Male
Race: English
Last Residence: Bc
Accompanied by:
Departure Date:
Departure Port:
Departure Contact:
Arrival Contact:
Ship Name:
Airline:
Record has photo?:
NARA Publication Title: Manifests of Passengers Arriving in the St. Albans, VT, District through Canadian Pacific and Atlantic Ports, 1895-1954
NARA Publication Number: M1464
NARA Roll Number: 279

Death Date: 18 Jan 1980
Death Place: Saanichton, British Columbia, Canada
Name: Emma Thornley
Gender: Female
Age: 93y
Birth Date: 23 Nov 1886
Birthplace: Lancastershire, England
Marital Status: Married
Spouse: Frank Alfred Thornley
Father: Samuel Haigh
Mother: Elizabeth Atkinson
Indian Agency:
Indian Band/Tribe:
Film Number: 2051385
Digital Folder Number: 4479402
Image Number: 583
British Columbia Archives Film Number: B13601
Registration Number: 80 09 001456

Thank you so very much for your help

Barbara

hi barbara

all info found here

https://www.familysearch.org

Ah, got too excited at first, but can’t be right as Frank Alfred’s father is given as Frank Thornley and, if it were our Frank Alfred, it should be William who is his father although year and place of birth (1886, Middleton) are correct.

Will carry on working on it and let you know if I turn anything else up.

I am sure these are the deaths of Frank Alfred Thornley and his wife Emma who I found on the 1911 census and went from Middleton to Canada in 1915 but, on reflection, do not think this is the correct Frank Alfred I am searching for - oh, well, back to the drawing board.

Check out this post:

http://www.genesreunited.co.uk/boards.page/board/general_topics/thread/568058

Is it possible that the person registering Frank Alfred's death got his father's name wrong?

This is interesting:

Canadian Passenger Lists, 1865-1935
Name: Frank Alfred Thornley
Gender: Male
Age: 49
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1886
Birth Country: England
Date of Arrival: 14 Jul 1935
Vessel: Andania
Port of Arrival: Quebec
Port of Departure: Liverpool, England
Roll: T-14791

He had previously been in Canada from 1911 to 1935. His birthplace was Middleton. His onward destination was home at Galiano, Sydney. BC

Emma's death in Saanichton in 1980 gives her father as Samuel Haigh, which fits in with:

Surname First name(s) District Vol Page
Marriages Sep 1909
HAIGH Emma Blackburn 8e 1007
THORNLEY Frank Alfred Blackburn 8e 1007

Border Crossings: From Canada to U.S., 1895-1956
Name: Frank A Thornley
Arrival Date: Feb 1915
Port of Arrival: St Albans, Vermont, United States
Age: 28
Birth Date: abt 1887
Birth Country: England
Gender: Male
Race/Nationality: English
Record Type: Manifests

He was a farmer, travelling to his wife Emma in Port Clement, BC.

Border Crossings: From U.S. to Canada, 1908-1935
Name: Frank A Thornley
Age: 39
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1886
Arrival Port: Sydney, Nova Scotia
Date of Arrival: 13 Aug 1925
Birth Location: England, Lancs, Middleton
Gender: Male
Citizenship: English

Looks like the family were arriving from Santa Barbara, California.

He was a contractor but intended to be a farmer. Had previously been in Canada from 1911 to 1921. Travelling with wife Emma H (38), daughter May (15) born Middleton and daughter Emily (8) born California.

His nok in England was mother Mrs Thornley in Middleton.

Frank and his wife gave religion as agnostic and for children stated "will choose".

UK Incoming Passenger Lists, 1878-1960
about Frank Thornley Name: Frank Thornley
Birth Date: abt 1886
Age: 49
Port of Departure: Montréal, Québec, Canada
Arrival Date: 15 May 1935
Port of Arrival: Glasgow, Scotland
Ports of Voyage: Montreal
[Quebec]
Ship Name: Letitia
Search Ship Database: View the 'Letitia' in the 'Passenger Ships and Images' database
Shipping Line: Donaldson Line
Official Number: 146330



He's heading to 63 Dunford St., Middleton. Does that address mean anything to you? Not intending to stay.

Sorry I was not on the boards later yesterday but friends called round and it was quite late when they left.

Wow, yes, that address certainly does mean a lot Margee - it is next door but one to where a part of our family used to live and I do remember, from early childhood, that the people living there in the 60s were in some way related to us and the message from Elsie (2004) is certainly discussing our family in the first part of her message - I will endeavour to get in touch with her.

If the father's name on Frank Alfred's birth certificate is incorrect then the rest would certainly fit into place - thanks you so so much MarieCeleste. Must update my cousin with this information as I had told her yesterday that I did not feel that this could be the correct Frank Alfred but is now looks almost certain to be correct after all.

I am so grateful for the help of everyone - thank you so much

Barbara