Year: 1914

OK – let’s face it, I don’t know how Deborah and Isabella met their men. But it is fun to guess. And my guess goes something like this. When the sisters arrived in London Ontario they sought social activities. They soon learned that the Royal Regimen of Canada trained soldiers at the Wolsesley Barracks right in the centre of town. And they learned that the military hosted social events – and especially popular were the Saturday night dances there. What better place to meet strong handsome men! So Saturday nights you would find the two sisters at the dances at the Wolseley Barracks. And it didn’t take long for the two sisters to attract male attention. Isabella soon met a Canadian Soldier from Kincardine Ontario who had been training with the regimen since 1910. His name was Gordon Murrray Boyles. Older sister Deborah met young Robert Dixon recently arrived from Preston, Lancashire. Robert, although he wasn’t a soldier, had been training with the local militia. Neither Robert or Gordon were large men, they were both slight of build. Who knows maybe they had become friends and were sitting at a table at one of those Saturday night Dances when these two attractive Irish Canadian sisters catch their eyes. They decide to make a move – invite them over for a drink – maybe there was a live band – maybe playing some Irving Berlin – and they get up the courage to ask for a dance? And the two sisters were quite taken by the two men. And so they started seeing them, socializing with them, dating them – and three of these young people were a long way from home – and needed companionship – and one thing led to another . And they Canadian Army never really went anywhere. So the sisters thought military men were good safe choices. And they were right. They had chosen well. Then everything changed.

The Great War is declared. Above are the headlines in the London Evening Press on August 4th 1914. Britain declares war that night. And with Britain at war so was the British Commonwealth – and therefore – so was Canada. Knowing what we know now it is probably impossible for us to imagine the excitement this Great War would initially create in the young country of Canada. It is hard for us to understand how enthusiastic Robert Dixon and Gordon Murray Beaton would be to get involved as soon as possible. Maybe even their girlfriends Deborah and Isabella would be encouraging them to go. Afterall, it would be an adventure and their men would be back home in just a few months. This excitement about the Great War would continue for some time . To question it would probably be seen as unpatriotic. But the horrors of it all would soon be evident. The mood would change. And the lives of Deborah and Robert , Isabella and Gordon, would change forever. The Great War would cast a shadow they could never totally escape.

August 10, 1914. Britain, and as a result Canada, have been at war for less than a week. Robert Dixon and Deborah Ross are married in London Ontario at St Paul’s Cathedral Anglican Church.

Robert is 25 years old and is now working as a teamster. Now a teamster in London Ontario in 1914 meant someone who drove a team of horses – not a truck – and not a member of the Teamsters Union. Who exactly Robert is working for as a teamster we don’t know. And we see on the Marriage license that Deborah Ross is one year younger than Robert at age 24. Except of course we know that Deborah Ross was born thirty years ago in Ballinamallard, Ireland in 1884. Oh well – so – Deborah wasn’t totally forthright about her age – a woman has to do what a woman has to do – Deborah sensed that Robert would want to be the senior in the relationship – and she was quite ok with letting him think he was. And besides, the pretty young Deborah could easily pass for 24. Deborah’s sister Isabella is there to witness the wedding – but she isn’t going to contradict her big sister when it comes to her age.

Did Robert and Deborah move up the wedding because of the war ? This is a possibility – maybe Robert who had some military experience in England and had already joined the local militia in London Ontario was keen to join the army and defend England and the King. And if that was the case then it might have made sense to get married before he left – before they would be separated by the Great War. Also , if the couple were good financial planners, they might have known that by getting married that Deborah would receive a separation allowance. Though it seems unlikely the couple would have known this given the war had just begun. The wedding was probably planned well in advance of the war.

A few months after Deborah Ross is married so is her little sister Isabella. And what a place to get married in! Her husband to be, Gordon Murray Beaton is a soldier in the Royal Canadian Regiment. The Royal Canadian Regiment is in extensive training in London Ontario before the war – from 1910 onwards. But when the Great War begins the Royal Canadian Regiment is absurdly , or luckily for them, not sent to Europe, but to Bermuda ! Nice posting or what? Here they are in Garrison Duty – meaning NOT in battle. There might have been a few German Prisoners of War there to guard, and some physical training for the action to come in Europe , but that was about it. Sending Canada’s already formed Regiment to Bermuda was apparently questioned in Canada’s parliament at the time. But it was the British who had made this request as it would enable them to get their troops, currently stationed there, back home to fight n the Great War. So, after August 1914, we find Gordon Murray Beaton posted in Hamilton Bermuda. And we also find Isabella making her way to Bermuda. Isabella and Gordon are married in Bermuda on November 17th, 1914. We don’t know precisely which church they were married in , but let’s assume it was the one below as it is the oldest Anglican Church in Hamilton, Bermuda. A beautiful church it is – constructed of Bermuda Limestone. So now you know that your great great Aunt Isabella was married in a beautiful church in Bermuda you might just have to go see it at 45 Church Street.

The men of the Royal Canadian Regiment don’t avoid the Great War forever. In August 1915 they sail from Bermuda to Halifax where they board the ship that will take them to the action in Europe. Soon after they are involved in some of the most horrific battles of the Great War. Gordon Murray Boyles will have a very hard time of it. Isabella Ross Beaton returns to Canada in July 1915. She returns on the SS Bermudian via New York City. Most likely she visits her brother George in New York City before taking the train back to London Ontario, where she will live with her sister on Central Avenue. As shown on the document below, Isabella is a pretty Irish Canadian girl from Ballinamallard, 5 foot 3 inches, 23 years old with brown hair, blue eyes, and a fair complexion. What isn’t noted in the document below is that your great great aunt Isabella is 6 months pregnant.