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Record #7692
Name :
: James Anthony CLAYDON (1898 - )
  aka : James Anthony Claydin


Father
:
Mother
:
BMD and other details
Date of Birth
: 1 Jul 1898

Marriage (1)
:
Marriage (2)
:

Date of Death
:
Abode (1) : Place of BirthEngland, Derbyshire, Derby
Abode (2) : Place of Death / Burial
Sailing Information
Date of Arrival
: 28 Aug 1913
Country
: Canada

Ship
: Corsican

Placement Family
:
Homes / Agencys
Institution (GB)
:

Agency
: Catholic Emigration Society
NotesJames Anthony Claydon was born in Derby, a city in the East Midlands region of England. It lies upon the River Derwent and is located in the south of the shire county of Derbyshire. The oral tradition that has been passed down is that James and his siblings were placed in an orphanage after their mother died and their father was unable to take care of them himself. It is clear that James was, in fact, in an orphanage in England. It was in Coleshill, near Birmingham, and was called the St. Edward's Home for Boys, also known as the Father Hudson Home.

What we do know as fact is this: James and his brother Daniel were transported aboard the RMS Corsican in 1913 from Liverpool, England to Quebec, Canada as part of the child emigration scheme of the time. They sailed on 20 Aug 1913 and landed in Quebec on 28 Aug 1913. On the ship passenger list, their surname is spelled CLAYDIN, and they are listed among 34 boys labeled the 'Roman Catholic Party' who were sponsored for the voyage from England by the Catholic Emigration Society. From Quebec, they were taken by train to the St. George's Home in Ottawa, Ontario, which was the main receiving and distribution center for Roman Catholic children from about 1895 until the last British Home Children arrived in the early 1930s. The boys were then separated - James being sent to Ellaton, Norfork County, Ontario, and Daniel to the farm of Alex D. St. Louis in Tecumseh, Essex County, Ontario.

In Canada, James signed up to serve during WWI in the Canadian Over-Seas Expeditionary Force, and on his attestation paper, he listed his place of birth as Derby, England, and his full name as James Anthony Claydon. His residence at that time was Ellaton, Norfolk County, Ontario.

James served in the 133rd (Norfolk's Own) Battalion in the Canadian Expeditionary Force during the First World War. Based in Simcoe, Ontario, the unit began recruiting in late 1915 in Norfolk County. Between 1914-1916 over 400 men enlisted in the 133rd. After sailing to England in November 1916, the battalion was absorbed into the 23rd Reserve Battalion on November 11, 1916. The 133rd (Norfolk's Own) Battalion, CEF had one Officer Commanding: Lieut-Col. A. C. Pratt. James' Regiment number was 797649.

James' military records, obtained from the Canada Archives, indicate that, once he was deployed, he served with the Canadian Forestry Corps. He was probably put in this non-combat role because he had not yet attained the required age of 19 years for combat at the time he was deployed, and that is where he stayed for the duration of his service. The CFC was created during WWI to help satisfy the huge demand for wood to be used on the Western Front. These troops cut trees in the UK and France and prepared it for shipment to the front for myriad uses.

Unfortunately, I have been unable to find any records of James after his service with the C.E.F. I do know that he survived the war, but do not know if he ever married or had children. 
ContributorsCreated : 2009-05-03 17:59:05 / From original database

Last Updated :

Family History ResearchersRootsChatters with family connections to James Anthony CLAYDON:

wetipquin , Janibou

 
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IDNameDOBPlace of birthArrivals & ShipsDest.AgencyFamily links
7692 CLAYDON, James Anthony1898ENG, DBY, Derby Aug 1913 : Corsican CAN Catholic Emigration Society wetipquin , Janibou