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Record #23313
Name :
: Ernest Frederick BETTS (1900 - 1977)
  aka : Fred


Father
:
Mother
:
BMD and other details
Date of Birth
: 15 Nov 1900

Marriage (1)
:
Marriage (2)
:

Date of Death
: 12 Feb 1977   Notes : Massive Coronary
Abode (1) : Place of BirthEngland, Lincolnshire, Stamford
Abode (2) : Place of Death / BurialCanada, Ottawa
Sailing Information
Date of Arrival
: 19 Oct 1908
Country
: Canada

Ship
: Dominion

Placement Family
: Bryant, Robert
Homes / Agencys
Institution (GB)
:

Agency
: Barnardos
NotesAt the age of 7, Fred Betts arrived in Canada Oct. 19, 1908. In England, his father had abandoned the family. His mother tried to take care of her three children, but unfortunately died of unknown causes. His sister, Elsie May, had arrived in Canada earlier in the year. His older brother, Sydney, remained in England, never to be heard from again. His parents were Charles Betts, who apparently spent his time in local pubs singing for drinks, and Annie Maria Linfoot,who died in 1904. Despite the willingness of some family members who, I'm told, were willing to care for the children, they were removed and sent to a Barnardo home.
From information and stories retrieved, he was sent to a farm in Reach, Ontario and spent the next few years as a child labourer in various farms throughout the region. I know he did not have a pleasant childhood and he refused to speak of it. I believe because it was too painful for him to talk of those memories.
His sister in the meantime, I believe was adopted, received an education and went on to be a nurse, and live a very satisfying life.
At some point in time, they were able to find each other. I'm uncertain as to when that was.

At the age of 16, he left. I'm not certain where he went or what he did, but it has been mentioned that possibly he began the life of a sailor and sailed the seven seas.
1936 - Border crossing at Niagara Falls
1941 - He was a merchant seaman on the "SS Canadian Cruiser" which was torpedoed and sunk by the German pocket battleship "Admiral Scheer". He spent the rest of the war as a POW. I have an account of his time in Germany and will post it here shortly.

After his liberation from the POW camp, he returned to Canada. He took a job as a dishwasher at a restaurant in Ottawa, on Sparks Street called Bowl's Lunch. There he met the love of his life, my mom, Rhea Rose Alba Blondin. The only way he could get her to go out with him was to lie about his age. He told her he was 34, she believed him, she fell in love, they got married, then he told her his real age. Kind of funny, I don't think she ever forgave him for that.


BETTS, Ernest - 10, lodger with Robert Bryant family in Reach, Ontario, arr 1908 on SS Dominion with Dr Barnardos SEE McDONALD 
ContributorsCreated : 2013-11-10 07:11:05 / From original database

Last Updated : 2013-11-10 11:57:03 /

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Surnames starting with:   A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z  30 Entries        
Page: [1] 2 53 Entries        
IDNameDOBPlace of birthArrivals & ShipsDest.AgencyFamily links
3029 ABBOTT, Edward1863ENG, LIN, Bourne Jun 1882 : Dominion CAN Unknown  
22207 ARCH, William Alfred1908ENG, LIN, Grantham Jul 1923 : Minnedosa CAN Barnardos  
21835 BAKER, Edwin Matthew1913ENG, LIN, Boston Jul 1928 : Doric CAN Church of England Waifs and Strays Association newron11  
10846 BEE, Frederick William1907ENG, LIN, Glanford Brigg Jul 1923 : Regina CAN National Childrens Home  
23314 BETTS, Elsie May1897ENG, LIN, Stamford Aug 1908 : Dominion CAN Barnardos  
23313 BETTS, Ernest Frederick1900ENG, LIN, Stamford Oct 1908 : Dominion CAN Barnardos  
7073 BIDWELL, George1896ENG, LIN, Edenham Apr 1910 : Corsican CAN Unknown  
6229 BOUGHTON, Violetta1880ENG, LIN, Stamford May 1892 : Mongolian CAN Maria Rye  
27212 BOURNE, Marjorie1923ENG, LIN, Caistor Nov 1935 : Balranald AUS Fairbridge Homes  
27039 BURGESS, Norman1917ENG, LIN, Louth Oct 1928 : Beltana AUS Fairbridge Homes  
11862 CARLEY, Rose1892ENG, LIN, Grantham Jul 1903 : Lake Champlain CAN Bristol Emigration Society  
11861 CARSLEY, Horace J1890ENG, LIN, Bourne May 1906 : Virginian CAN Childrens Aid Society  
5458 COLE, Gwen1942ENG, LIN, Grimsby Jun 1952 : Ormonde AUS Fairbridge Homes  
17245 DAVEY, James1897ENG, LIN, Horncastle Oct 1904 : Southwark CAN Barnardos  
9169 FIDDLING, Sarah1876ENG, LIN, Louth Jun 1885 : Polynesian CAN Barnardos  
10210 GLEADLE, Millicent1890ENG, LIN, Glanford Brigg Aug 1906 : Tunisian CAN MacPherson Homes  
16432 GOULDING, Walter Gibson1908ENG, LIN, Lincoln Sep 1921 : Minnedosa CAN Barnardos  
16933 HAYES, Herbert1890ENG, LIN Mar 1893 : Labrador CAN Barnardos  
12364 HENRICKSON, Jane A1891ENG, LIN, Grimsby Aug 1901 : Parisian CAN Barnardos  
11735 HENRICKSON, Kate1889ENG, LIN, Grimsby May 1902 : Dominion CAN Barnardos  
7915 HICKSON, Kenneth1912ENG, LIN, Boston Mar 1930 : Baltic CAN Canadian Government Scheme  
5526 HITCHIN, Walter1912ENG, LIN, Lincoln Mar 1921 : Omar AUS Fairbridge Homes  
2968 IRONMONGER, George L.1898ENG, LIN, Lough May 1911 : Tunisian CAN MacPherson Homes  
2969 IRONMONGER, John Thomas1897ENG, LIN, Louth May 1911 : Tunisian CAN MacPherson Homes  
5386 KERSHAW, Leonard1911ENG, LIN, Grimsby Aug 1925 : Montnairn CAN National Childrens Home  
26808 LESTER, Cecil1923ENG, LIN, Horncastle Oct 1934 : Moreton Bay AUS Fairbridge Homes  
26807 LESTER, Ralph1925ENG, LIN, Horncastle Oct 1934 : Moreton Bay AUS Fairbridge Homes  
5180 LEWIS, James 1917ENG, LIN, Grantham Mar 1932 : Montclare CAN Barnardos  
15185 LILL, Edward Lock1901ENG, LIN, Grimsby Mar 1911 : Sicilian CAN Barnardos louiseread1  
15186 LILL, Fred Lock1903ENG, LIN, Grimsby Mar 1911 : Sicilian CAN Barnardos louiseread1  
IDNameDOBPlace of birthArrivals & ShipsDest.AgencyFamily links
Page: [1] 2 53 Entries        
Surnames starting with:   A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z  30 Entries