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Record #18065

Name :: : Robert Dixon TUNBRIDGE (1887 - 1955)
Father: :
Mother: :

BMD and other details

Date of Birth: : 31 Aug 1887
Marriage (1): :
Marriage (2): :
Date of Death: : 15 Jan 1955

Abode (1) : Place of BirthEngland, London

Abode (2) : Place of Death / BurialCanada

Sailing Information

Date of Arrival: : 15 Sep 1895
Country: : Canada
Ship: : Sardinian
Placement Family: : Mr. Morgan

Homes / Agencys

Institution (GB): :
Agency: : Barnardos

NotesFrom Robert's attestation papers: his nearest relative is unknown, he was born in London, England, worked as a mechanic, he enlisted on October 23 1914 in Regina, Saskatchewan. He is listed as 5' 5", blue eyes, fair hair, with a tattoo on his right arm - initial RDT.

Robert married Annie Eliza Simmons on 17 Feb 1915.

From "For the Sake of the Children" by June Rose:

"Robert Tunbridge was sent out at the age of eight in 1895 and boarded with a Mr. Morgan. He was visited regularly. When his mother in England wrote to Stepney complaining that she had had no reply to letters to her son, Barnardo's in Stepney wrote to Barnardo's in Toronto who contacted Robert;s employer to see that "the boy writes to his mother". The farmer and his wife both wrote to the Toronto home with the reassuring news that Robert was "quite well and hearty".

When Robert was ten, a neighbor who lived a quarter of a mile away wrote to the homes with disquieting news "The other night he has seen the employer give Robert a good thrashing", and "his skin was cut with a whip and the blood was shining through. Another neighbor saw him kick the boy with big heavy boots". The home visitor paid a special visit and Robert was found another place. The new employer wrote complaining that they boy was not getting along well: "he lies so that they cannot believe one word he says and is addicted to anything eatable he may come across". His report added: "he is however goodnatured and good company and pleased to see a visitor from the home". Then Robert stole a jack-knife from a nearby store, some money and a ring from his employer's wife. For this the farmer thrashed him and Robert ran off.

Again Robert was apprenticed to a new master. The homes asked 100 dollars for four years' apprenticeship but the employer bargained and got Robert cheap for 90 dollars since he was "scarcely first class". The new employer wrote optimistically that Robert was improving and he "hoped to make a man of him". But again Robert ran away and a letter shortly after carried the alarming news that he held a revolver and threatened to shoot anyone who attempted to take him back to his employer. The employer explained that he had caught Robert a few Sundays ago "in the commission of an unnatural offence with a mare, the same evening he indecently assaulted his employer's little girl. He was thrashed the next morning and ran away."

The obituary of Robert's daughter:

TUNBRIDGE Marjorie Alice (Marnie) September 23, 1921 - December 28,
2008 Beloved Marnie passed away peacefully on December 28th, 2008,
with her family members present, along with her devoted caregiver,
Zane Lowell. She was feisty and fearless right to the end and will be
sorely missed by her family and many friends at St. Andrew's Wesley
United Church. Marnie was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba and spent her
early years in Vancouver. She graduated from the University of British
Columbia with a Bachelor of Arts. She then spent a year at the United
Church Training School in Toronto and became a deaconess. Her desire
to work in Japan for the United Church became a reality after studying
the Japanese language in Berkeley, California. Her first posting was
Kanazawa, Japan, then Nagano City, followed by 32 years in Ueda. There
she re-started a small church in the mountains, teaching English and
giving both English and Japanese Bible classes. She opened her home
for a "Sunday School" on Saturday afternoons with children spilling
out to the yard and many mothers asking for Bible teaching. She
touched the lives of thousands of Japanese families with her kindness,
devotion to the church and independent spirit. In 1986, she retired to
Vancouver and plunged herself into activities at St. Andrew's Wesley
United Church, starting up a very popular Seniors Drop-in Centre with
her friend Hazel Harrison. Marnie was the daughter of Robert Dixon
Tunbridge and Annie Eliza Simmons. She leaves a brother, Fen Tunbridge
of Lethbridge, Alberta; a sister, June Hillman of Gibsons, B.C;
nephews Gary and Tony, and nieces Keri and Tracy. Her generosity,
wisdom and pragmatism will be missed by all her family. She will also
be remembered fondly by her very close friend, Enid Horning. A
memorial service will be held Wednesday, January 14th at 11:00 a.m, at
St. Andrew's Wesley United Church, Burrard and Nelson, Vancouver, and
in accordance with Marnie's wishes, it will be followed by a lunch. In
lieu of flowers, donations could be made to the Marnie Tunbridge
Children's Fund, an endowment of St. Andrew's Wesley United Church.
Published in the Vancouver Sun and/or The Province on 1/10/2009

ContributorsCreated : 2012-11-15 05:04:51 / From original database

Last Updated : 2012-11-15 18:51:22 /

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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

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ID	Name	DOB	Place of birth	Arrivals & Ships	Dest.	Agency	Family links
8354	ABBOTT, Frederick Albert Prosper	1885	ENG, LND, Homerton	Apr 1895 : Parisian	CAN	Barnardos
5046	ABBS, Bertie Cecil John	1914	ENG, LND, St. Pancras	Mar 1930 : Duchess of Richmond	CAN	Barnardos
18925	ABERY, Harold Thomas	1908	ENG, LND, Marylebone	Mar 1927 : Melita	CAN	Salvation Army
3078	ABIGAIL, Helen Mary	1877	ENG, LND, Pimlico	Aug 1894 : Vancouver	CAN	Colonists Aid Society
3104	ABRAMS, Frederick	1892	ENG, LND, Battersea	May 1906 : Empress of Britain	CAN	Fegan Homes for Boys	Diblet
3105	ABRAMS, Reginald Edwin	1896	ENG, LND, Battersea	Apr 1909 : Empress of Britain	CAN	Fegan Homes for Boys	Diblet
3116	ACHURCH, Florence Daisy	1901	ENG, LND, Fulham	Sep 1913 : Virginian	CAN	MacPherson Homes
3123	ACKERMAN, Arthur Edward	1877	ENG, LND, Wandsworth	Jun 1888 : Parisian	CAN	Louisa Birt
3124	ACKERMAN, George Abraham	1875	ENG, LND, Wandsworth	Jun 1888 : Parisian	CAN	Louisa Birt
3134	ACKLAND, Herbert George	1898	ENG, LND, Camberwell	Oct 1906 : Dominion	CAN	Barnardos
5493	ACOL, John	1920	ENG, LND, Hampstead	Nov 1932 : Balranald	AUS	Fairbridge Homes
3174	ADAM, Thomas Wilkie	1893	ENG, LND, Pimlico	May 1911 : Pretorian	CAN	Labourers & Domestics
9229	ADAMS, Maud	1885	ENG, LND, Kingsland	Sep 1901 : Tunisian	CAN	Barnardos
8762	ADAMTHWAITE, Ethel Maud	1887	ENG, LND, Holborn	Jul 1898 : Labrador	CAN	Barnardos
9959	ADAMTHWAITE, Mary Kate Jane	1886	ENG, LND	Jul 1898 : Labrador	CAN	Barnardos
9831	ADKINS, Ann	1899	ENG, LND, Camden	Aug 1908 : Dominion	CAN	Barnardos
9833	ADLINGTON, George Richard	1880	ENG, LND, Limehouse	Nov 1891 : Sardinian	CAN	Barnardos
7340	ADLINGTON, Percival Stanley	1883	ENG, LND, Limehouse	Nov 1891 : Sardinian	CAN	Barnardos
17049	AFFLECK, Adelaide Mary	1897	ENG, LND, Camberwell	Jun 1910 : Corsican	CAN	Unknown Catholic Group
10030	ALBERY, Charles Samuel	1882	ENG, LND, Battersea	Jun 1893 : Vancouver	CAN	Barnardos
9857	ALBURY, George Arthur	1884	ENG, LND, Southwark	Jun 1893 : Vancouver	CAN	Barnardos
8537	ALDEN, James Robert	1872	ENG, LND, Poplar	Aug 1884 : Sardinian	CAN	Barnardos
8538	ALDEN, Thomas George	1878	ENG, LND, Holborn	Jul 1893 : Oregon	CAN	Fegan Homes for Boys
16550	ALDRIDGE, Ada Florence	1900	ENG, LND, Clapham	Jul 1911 : Sicilian		Barnardos	Niksmum
10413	ALEXANDER, Dorothy May	1903	ENG, LND, Shoreditch	Jul 1908 : Tunisian	CAN	Catholic Emigration Association
10414	ALEXANDER, Matilda Julia	1902	ENG, LND, Shoreditch	Jul 1908 : Tunisian	CAN	Catholic Emigration Association
8694	ALEXANDER, Rose	1898	ENG, LND, Hoxton	Jul 1908 : Tunisian	CAN	Catholic Emigration Association
4743	ALEXANDER, Rose Mary	1873	ENG, LND, Kensington	May 1887 : Corean	CAN	Charlotte Alexander
8467	ALGER, Ada	1876	ENG, LND, St Olave	Jul 1886 : Parisian	CAN	Barnardos
9026	ALGER, Ellen	1872	ENG, LND, St. Olave	Jul 1886 : Parisian	CAN	Barnardos
ID	Name	DOB	Place of birth	Arrivals & Ships	Dest.	Agency	Family links

Page: [1] 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 575 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

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