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Record #4692
Name :
: Alexander Benjamin BIDDIS (1869 - 1939)
  aka : Ben Beddis


Father
:
Mother
:
BMD and other details
Date of Birth
: Nov 1869

Marriage (1)
:
Marriage (2)
:

Date of Death
: 1939
Abode (1) : Place of BirthEngland
Abode (2) : Place of Death / Burial
Sailing Information
Date of Arrival
: 11 Aug 1884
Country
: Canada

Ship
: Sardinian

Placement Family
:
Homes / Agencys
Institution (GB)
:

Agency
: Barnardos
NotesBen was living at Dulwich Farm in Dulwich (southeast of London; just north of the Norwood area) when he moved to Barnardo's Home. His mother came to visit him at the home on October 9, 1880 (there might have been more visits, but this one was recorded). Ben's maternal grandmother was Sarah Dell. She was about 70 in 1879, and lived at 5 Little Suffolk Street, Borough (called Sudrey Street at least by 1889).

In 1884, Benjamin Beddis, 14, arrived in Quebec, Canada, along with a group of 48 children. From Quebec, he traveled to Oxford County (Princeton Post Office, Woodstock) in Ontario where he stayed with a W. McArthur family for four years, until April 1888. From there he went to work on a farm in Innerkip, Ontario for a James Mugary Wilson. By 1899, at the age of 31, he was married and owned his own farm. (EDITORS NOTE: The 1891 Canadian Census placed Ben on the farm of a James Montgomery.)

On May 24, 1893, in the Central Methodist Church Parsonage, Township of Blandford, Oxford, Ontario, Canada, a marriage was registered between Alexander Benjamin Biddis, 23, labourer, born in England, son of William and Ann Biddis; and Jane Small, 22, born in Canada, daughter of Matheson and Jane Small. Witnesses: Charles Biddis and Elizabeth Small, both of Blandford Township. (Source: Schedule B Marriages, Oxford County, Ontario, Canada, page 307)

Benjamin and Jane Biddis had four sons, two dying young: Alexander Benjamin Biddis, 27 Jul 1893; Alfred Charles Biddis, 2 April 1895; Robert Matherson Biddis, 14 Mar 1898, died 28 Oct 1898 Oxford County, 7 mths; and William Matthews Biddis, 22 Jul 1902, died 23 Oct 1902 Oxford County 3 mths. All the children were born in Oxford County, Ontario, father Alexander B or Ben BIDDIS and mother Jane SMALL.

The 1894 Directory for Blandford Township lists Benjamin Biddis lived at Concession 4 Lot 6; there was also a Charles Biddis listed at Concession 4, Lot 6.

Benjamin Beddis posted in Barnardos UPS & DOWNS, Volume 1, #3, October 1, 1895, "BIDDIS Benjamin farms for himself near Woodstock and is looking for a Barnardo boy but not 'one who would need to go to school in the winter as I have a lot of light work to do.'"

In Barnardos UPS & DOWNS with Almanac for 1902, Volume VII, No. 2, January 1, 1902, "Biddis, Benjamin prosperous farmer."

A letter was sent to Ben in 1935 (three years before he died) probably from Barnardo's asking about his condition and the overall results of his having been sent to Canada. There is no record of Ben's having answered this query. However, one of Benjamin's descendants said "[We] can answer ... that they (themselves) turned out very well and that we are all proud of Ben's amazing and heart wrenching journey (and proud to be related to him)."

Jane BIDDIS died 13 Aug 1934 Woodstock, Oxford county aged 64y 11m 30d - birth date 14 Aug 1869 Oxford county, father Matherson SMALL and mother Jane BELL.

In the Innerkip Cemetery Records, it lists Jane Small as having died in 1934, age 65, wife of A. Benjamin Biddis, who died 1939 age 68. 
ContributorsCreated : 2009-02-08 14:29:35 / From original database

Last Updated : 2009-02-08 15:45:46 /

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IDNameDOBPlace of birthArrivals & ShipsDest.AgencyFamily links
3004 AARON, Alfred Robert1899ENG, LAN, West Derby, Liverpool Mar 1911 : Sicilian CAN Barnardos  
3003 AARON, John Richard1895ENG, LAN, West Derby, Liverpool Mar 1911 : Sicilian CAN Barnardos  
3007 ABBEY, Bertha1890ENG, DUR, Stockton on Tees Jul 1904 : Southwark CAN Barnardos  
3006 ABBEY, John1887ENG, DUR, Stockton on Tees Oct 1904 : Southwark CAN Barnardos  
3161 ABBEY, Thomas1892ENG, DUR, Stockton on Tees Oct 1904 : Southwark CAN Barnardos  
3020 ABBOT, Alice1877ENG, MDX, Islington Oct 1893 : Labrador CAN Barnardos  
3047 ABBOT, William1878ENG,     Apr 1895 : Parisian CAN Barnardos  
3019 ABBOTT, Alfred1869ENG,     Aug 1887 : Parisian CAN Barnardos  
23669 ABBOTT, Alice1877ENG,     Oct 1893 : Labrador CAN Barnardos  
3022 ABBOTT, Bertie1894ENG, SFK, Ipswich May 1909 : Corsican CAN Barnardos sharonmx5 , patty_in_ms  
3025 ABBOTT, David Henry1891ENG, ESS, Grays Mar 1901 : Tunisian CAN Barnardos  
3055 ABBOTT, Douglas Groves1910ENG, HAM, Hartley Wintney Apr 1924 : Montclare CAN Barnardos  
3858 ABBOTT, Emily Jane1886ENG, YKS, Guisborough Jul 1903 : Dominion CAN Barnardos  
8354 ABBOTT, Frederick Albert Prosper1885ENG, LND, Homerton Apr 1895 : Parisian CAN Barnardos  
3036 ABBOTT, George1894ENG, MDX, London Jul 1904 : Southwark CAN Barnardos  
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3045 ABBOTT, Leslie1883ENG,     Mar 1893 : Labrador CAN Barnardos  
3060 ABBOTT, Lilian1903ENG,     Jun 1912 : Tunisian CAN Barnardos  
3026 ABBOTT, Mary1888ENG, ESS, Maldon Oct 1902 : Colonian CAN Barnardos  
3049 ABBOTT, Penelope1901ENG, KEN, Sidcup Jun 1912 : Tunisian CAN Barnardos  
5046 ABBS, Bertie Cecil John1914ENG, LND, St. Pancras Mar 1930 : Duchess of Richmond CAN Barnardos  
3061 ABDALE, John George1873ENG, NBL, Newcastle Upon Tyne Mar 1891 : Norwegian CAN Barnardos  
3063 ABEL, Albert Edward G.1901ENG, ESS, West Ham Aug 1910 : Tunisian CAN Barnardos  
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3065 ABEL, Florence1902ENG, ESS, West Ham Aug 1910 : Tunisian CAN Barnardos  
3067 ABEL, Frederick1889ENG,     Jul 1900 : Tunisian CAN Barnardos  
3068 ABEL, George1887ENG,     Aug 1905 : Dominion CAN Barnardos  
3069 ABEL, George1897ENG,     Mar 1907 : Dominion CAN Barnardos  
3071 ABEL, John1886ENG,     Jun 1897 : Labrador CAN Barnardos  
IDNameDOBPlace of birthArrivals & ShipsDest.AgencyFamily links
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