Genealogy Chat

Hello... I need help reading the occupation on this canadian census please.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/seifriss/1920215448/

(If you look under the title there is a button that says all sizes.. press it and you can make the image bigger)

If you want to view the original its :

1911 Census of Canada
about John Rapley
Name: John Rapley
Gender: Male
Marital Status: Single
Age: 23
Birth Date: Dec 1887
BIRTHPLACE: England
Family Number: 206
Relation to Head of House: Brother
Tribal: English
Province: Ontario
District: York South
District Number: 138
Sub-District: East Toronto
Sub-District Number: 30
Place of Habitation: 314 Main St
Census Year: 1911

(you need ancestry world membership though)

Thank you.

It looks like "policeman" and "city". :)

Census can also be viewed at:
http://automatedgenealogy.com/census11/index.jsp
(Original image can be viewed as well)

I'm not sure but could it be Hydro Elect. ....short for Hydro electrician. (not sure if they would have them in those days though).

Kath. x

Hi Gillian,

We don't seem to be looking at the same thing as Lisa. Wonder if she's looking at the entry above.

Kath. x

Sorry, was in the middle of getting son off to school. :(

Will look again. (Yes, I did comment on the wrong brother.) :)

Hope I've redeemed myself, after that error. (Says with red face.)

http://www.torontohydro.com/
"1910's ElectriCity

Thomas Edison amazes the world with the first talking motion picture; the Canadian Press wire service is founded; and a sub-department under Toronto's City Engineer adopts the name "Toronto Hydro-Electric System"."

Just been googling and Ontario is known for Hydro electricity, but I can't find anything that says how long ago this was used.

Kath. x

Well done Lisa, maybe we are right then.

Kath. x

Ive just looked up the history of hydro electricity.. he lived in toronto, and there was a hydro elec plant in Toronto at that time.. so I guess that would make sense! Next random question.. I have him on a passenger list going to canada in 1909.. occupation listed as doctor. He comes from a family of labourers.. is it likely he would have been a doctor and why would he have changed to working in electicity?

Just my thoughts, but...

in 1911 he was age 23. Seems a bit young to be a doctor.

In 1911 the "darkened streets of the city" were lit, so it appears that a lot of work would have been done prior to that time - to make the switch to hydro-electric. Perhaps Toronto Hydro would have been an easy place to get a job, especially for a newly-arrived man.

If I read the census correctly this time :) it looks like where he worked was "on road" which could have meant digging up roads, making the switch from gas to hydro, etc. - not necessarily working directly with electricity.

Gillian :)))

I was born in Toronto; that's another reason why I was so flustered. Nothing like making a mistake with hometown information. ;)

This is a wonderful shot of a man in a "trouble wagon"
"Item 2091 - Toronto Hydro Electric System, Trouble wagon No. 29 - April 17, 1915 Fonds 1231; James Salmon collection"

Can be viewed here:
http://www.toronto.ca/archives/photographs/index.htm
Keyword: Hydro

This is the passenger list in question.. him and his brother William are about 3/4 of the way down. It lists age 22 occupation doctor.. it seemed odd to me too.....??

http://www.flickr.com/photos/seifriss/1921078912/

I deleted the above - a message had posted twice :(

Think I need to take a break now before I do anything else. :(


Hmmmm, have viewed the image...will respond in a bit.

I had a look at the trouble wagon, it is very fun!! :) If you want to delete the duplicate lisa.. just click on delete on the right.

Raych, my message was so long that the "edit delete add" buttons didn't show. Had to reduce the size of my font three times to be able to finally fit the delete option on my page. :)))

PS Thought the image was rather nice. There are additional images, but they weren't too exciting. There was one from around 1927 showing employees, but they were office workers. (I think)

The "o" does look different from the other o's used - perhaps you are right!

I looked up definition.. Docker - dock worker who loads and unloads cargo. Prior to his emmigration he was living nr Chatham in Kent, which I understand had/has a big dockyard so this seems much more likely.. thanks!!!! :)