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Record #2893
Name :
: William Allen LAYFIELD (1891 - 1958)


Father
:
Mother
:
BMD and other details
Date of Birth
: 29 Dec 1891

Marriage (1)
:
Marriage (2)
:

Date of Death
: 1958
Abode (1) : Place of BirthEngland, Lancashire, Manchester
Abode (2) : Place of Death / BurialEngland, Surrey
Sailing Information
Date of Arrival
: 12 Apr 1907
Country
: Canada

Ship
: Tunisian

Placement Family
:
Homes / Agencys
Institution (GB)
:

Agency
: MacPherson Homes
NotesA birth registration was found for a William Layfield: March Quarter, 1892; Liverpool; Vol 8b; Page 103.

A death registration was found for William Layfield, aged 45 years, in the September Quarter of 1899; Manchester; Vol. 8d; Page 270.

Creed register M327/2/2/22 states that Harriet Layfield (Church of England) was admitted from Hulme to Withington Workhouse on June 13, 1900 along with three children: William, 9, Walter, 4, and Annie, 2. The boys were discharged on 26 Jun 1900 and Annie died on November 20 1900 (possibly from a fall from a rocking horse). There is no indication of a discharge or death for Harriet.

In 1901, William Leyfield, 10 years of age, and his brother, Walter Leyfield, 5 years of age, were residing at Chorlton Union Cottage Homes, Styal, Cheshire, England. (Source: 1901 Census of England; Class: RG13; Piece: 3320; Folio: 28; Page: 7.)

In 1901, the boys' mother, Harriet Layfield, widow, 38, school teacher (born in Ripon, Yorkshire) was residing at the Chorlton Union Workhouse (Source: 1901 Census of England; RG13/3673 folio 164 pg 31.)

(EDITORS NOTE: In 1895 the Chorlton Union purchased a 190 acre estate in Styal, Cheshire. Here they built cottage homes for children in care. There were about 27 cottages including a couple of nurseries each housing between 13 and 28 children. The estate also included a senior school for more than 350 children, workshops, a laundry, a 16 bed hospital, a church, a swimming baths and the remaining 140 acres was farmed. The children did not wear uniforms and therefore could mix with other village children without being noticed. That covers the period up to about 1908.Styal Cottage Homes continued to operate until the 60's, after this it was used to house women prisoners.)

The boys were admitted to the MacPherson Homes in March 1907--just 3 weeks prior to their being shipped off to Canada. With reference to their mother, Harriet, her whereabouts were unknown.

In 1907, William Leighfield, 15 (along with his brother Walter Leighfield, 10) arrived at Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, with a group of 48 children accompanied by Rev. Robert Wallace and en route to Belleville, Ontario, Canada.

In 1911, William Layfield, 19, is shown as a labourer for Joseph W. Perrin and family in Cavan, Durham, Ontario, Canada. His date of birth is shown as December 1891 and his immigration year as 1907.

From the Chorlton Union Register of Children (M4/60/2):

Particulars re parents: 'Deserted. Mother Harriet Leighfield, widow'
Township chargeable: 'R.O.'
Prior chargeable: Styal Cottage Homes'
Date of discharge from school: 13 Mar 1907
Society responsible: Manchester and Salford Boys' and Girls' Refuges
Sailing: 4 Apr 1907
Destination: Ontario

William:
Born 29 Dec 1891
Employer: Miss I T Hutchinson, Canan, Ontario
Employer: James Perrin, Millbrook, Ontario
Reports: various good and fair reports from 1907-1911, including one dated 25 Apr 1908: 'boy met with accident, lost use of one eye through kicks from colt' (Hutchinson)

On October 2, 1915, William Allen Layfield enlisted in the Canadian Armed Forces. He declared that he was born in Manchester, England; that his next of kin was his friend, J. W. Perrin, who resided at R.R. No. 2, Fraserville, Ontario, Canada; that his date of birth was December 29, 1892; that he was a farm laborer; and that he was not married. He was described as 5 foot 5-1/2 inches in height; dark complexion; brown eyes; and dark brown hair. He was a member of the Methodist faith. He had distinguishing marks noted: soar external to left eye. left eye defective. "This man has auspthmalus(?) left eye and is wearing an artificial eye."

William returned to England and married an Evelyn Bauder (Shultz--she was a widow when they married) (1905-1936). He had two girls by this marriage -- Joan and Sylvia and five sons. Sylvia married a Mr. Shaw, and Joan married a gentleman by the name of Chuck Zasada (1949-2003).

William Allen Layfield died in Surrey, England, in 1958 (Jul-Aug-Sep Quarter; Vol. 5g; page 604) and is buried at the Parish of St. Jude's, Englefield Green, England. 
ContributorsCreated : 2008-01-22 05:41:41 / From original database

Last Updated : 2009-02-01 11:15:44 /

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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  2 Entries        
IDNameDOBPlace of birthArrivals & ShipsDest.AgencyFamily links
3541 LAYFIELD, Walter William1895ENG, LAN, Handforth Apr 1907 : Tunisian CAN MacPherson Homes  
2893 LAYFIELD, William Allen1891ENG, LAN, Manchester Apr 1907 : Tunisian CAN MacPherson Homes