PARRY Family History

Donald Parry in Canada 1924-1926

In 1924 my grandfather, Donald Martin Parry, travelled to Canada from the UK, probably in the company of a Rowland Thomas Lewis. It is thought that the two of them were involved in an agricultural scheme, and that Donald intended to remain in Canada permanently after his time on the scheme. Although his Form 30a immigration record indicates that he paid his own fare, the words "Mr Farrell Farm Office," appear to have been added after the destination, which was "London, Ont". I have been told that the 1924 London City Directory does show a John Farrell as a "provincial immigration officer" at 6, Market Square. This was the same business address as a Roscoe A Finn, who was a representative for the Ontario Department of Agriculture. It has therefore been suggested to me that Mr Farrell may have had the responsibility from the Farm Office of the Dept. of Agriculture for placing Donald on a farm.

The following photographs would have been taken during Donald's stay in Canada. We think he was working at Wilton Grove Farm. At some stage, he requested permission to travel to Saskatchewan to help with the harvest there. The comments in speech marks are from the backs of the photographs, as are the numbers in the brackets, which were perhaps film references.

By February 1927, Donald had returned to the UK. However, we believe that Rowland Thomas Lewis remained in Canada.

If anyone can help by providing further information then please, contact me.

I would be particularly interested in knowing more about Wilton Grove Farm, and about Donald's time there. It would also be great to be able to identify the agricultural scheme, and to find out what happened to Rowland Thomas Lewis.

On this page:

Wilton Grove
Around Niagara Falls
Farm Related
Travelling

Me and Mine Index page.
Parry Home Page

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Wilton Grove

Farm House, Wilton Grove "Farm House
Ontario"

"Wilton Grove
Nr London
Ontario".

(394*)

This is possibly the farm that Donald worked on for the majority of his stay in Canada. Unfortunately, I do not even know the name of the family that lived there at the time.

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Around Niagara Falls

"Niagara Falls".
(394)

cable car
(394)

It appears that this "Whirlpool Aero Car" still operates - see the Niagara Parks web site
The photograph to the left had no additional comments written on the back. However, the one below did:-

"The rapids below Niagara Falls.
with Perry."
(394)

So who was Perry? Since the note was possibly written by Donald's wife, Elsie, some years later, it seems unlikely to be a misspelling relating to the surname Parry. Could it be the name of someone else who was there?
cable car and rapids below

"Niagara Falls".
(366)

"Horseshoe Falls from Canadian Bridge".
(366)

"Sister Lou waiting for Maid of Mist"
(366)
"Niagara Falls" .

The Maid of the Mist is the name of the boats still used for visitors to "Explore the Roar" of the Falls - see the official Maid of the Mist site.

I have no information on who the "Sister Lou" was.

"Rapids from Prospect Park".
(366)

"Goat Island Bridge
Canadian Rapids".
(366)

"Niagara and Horseshoe Falls
from Canadian side".
(366)

"The Rapids from Sister Island".
(366)

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Farm related

haymaking

No number or information on the back.
This photograph looks like a photograph of another picture. Perhaps the original photograph belonged to someone else? Or could it have been taken from a magazine? But what was the purpose in taking this photograph - could it mean that Donald is one of the men in it?

Any thoughts on a possible source for the original picture, or a date based on the equipment in use, would be appreciated.

An unidentified farm, with no comments on the back of the photograph.
(394*)

"Corn Mills".
(394*)

Having found references to Ogilvie Flour Mills Co. Ltd. in Montreal and Winnipeg on http://janus.lib.cam.ac.uk/db/node.xsp?id=EAD%2FGBR%2F0115%2FFisher%2011 I was then able to find a biography of the company at the University of Manitoba Archives web site.

However, I have not yet identified which of the mills this is.