Juliette Isabelle Victoria Wilkes (ne: Carre)

As luck would have it, I came across this picture of Juliette, Edward and Georges' sister, on the web shortly after posting their picture from WWI. While As luck would have it, I came across this picture of Juliette, Edward and Georges' sister, on the web shortly after posting their picture from WWI. While Edward and Georges both emigrated to Canada in the 1900s, Juliette (and her sister Gabrielle) remained in England.

I'm not sure when the photo was taken but probably in the late 1890s. Juliette was born in Deptford in southeast London in June 1869. For much of her early childhood, Juliette lived in France where her father worked as a commission agent in the wine trade.

In 1881, Juliette returned to London with her family where they lived in St Giles in the Fields and St. Pancras. Juliette worked as a Telegraphist, and in 1893 married Harry Wilkes in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Northumberland.

Harry was a military man and in 1888 had enlisted in the Durham Light Infantry. Juliette and Harry had three children- Doris Eveline, Harry Edward and Phillip Arthur. Doris Eveline was born in February 1894 in Newcastle-upon-Tyne (headquarters for the Durham Light Infantry), Harry Edward in July 1895 in Exeter, Devon and Phillip Arthur in May 1900, likely in Bermuda where Harry was serving overseas.

In 1902, Juliette and Harry moved to Dublin, Ireland where Harry continued his miltary service until 1912 when he was discharged. In 1915, Juliette and Harry were living in Bishopstoke, Southampton. Juliette and Harry's daughter, Doris, married Reginald John Hopkins in Winchester, Southampton in 1915. Reginald and Doris raised their six children in London where Reginald was from. Sadly, Juliette and Harry's second child, Harry Edward, died in WWI at the age of 21 at Heilly, Somme, Picardie, France in September 1916. No leads at this point about their third child, Phillip Arthur.

If there are surviving family members through Juliette, they are likely through the Hopkins family of London.

Juliette died in 1961 at the Langthorne Hospital in Leytonstone, an area of East London. She was 92.

That's it for now. In the meantime, London Calling...

Remembrance Day 2008

Seeing as it's Remembrance Day, I thought I'd share this photo of Stephen Carre's dad, Edward (ne Eduard) Alexandre Frederic (b. 1871) and his brother, Georges Hector Carre (b. 1873)- both emigrated to Canada from London, England where they lived since childhood.

I'm afraid I don't know much about the photo but family lore suggests they both enlisted for service with the Home Guard during WWI. I received the photo from Uncle Stan (nephew of Edward and Georges) in the 1980s.
They would have been in their early 40s in 1915.

Edward came to Canada from London in the early 1900s. From Uncle Stan-
"Edward the eldest boy had what is known as 'The Wanderlust' and he emigrated to Canada at an early age about 20 years. The story goes that he hung on the back of a train to Liverpool where he went to the [Tilbury] Docks and worked his passage to Vancouver by tending the horses and cattle below deck."
 

Georges came to Vancouver with his young family around 1910. From Uncle Stan-
"Uncle George took advantage of this [money left in will from Edward and Georges' mother Ellen who died in 1910] and decided to emigrate to Canada... He went with his wife Alice (ne Webb) and three children, [Madeleine], Georges and Gabrielle... Uncle George and Alice lived at various places, Vancouver and New Westminster. The two families often met."

Aunt Maggie has memories of Edward going to Wigwam Inn every year hiking in from Squamish. The Wigwam Inn, located at the nonrth end of Indian Arm, originally opened as a luxury German Biergarten resort and fishing lodge in 1910. Maggie remembered seeing Edward go off with his backpack that had a small pot and other camping necessities hanging off the back when she stayed with them as a child. She says he loved his annual hike until he was too old. Around 1943, he ended up getting rescued by my grandparents, Stephen and Joy Carre. He was brought back in poor condition, starving and cold. He was not allowed to go back much to his consternation.

Here is a photo of Papa and Joy around 1939 on the trail from Squamish to Wigwam Inn, Indian Arm, a trek of 77 km return, no mean feat.

According to Aunt Maggie, Edward changed his name from the accute accent pronunciation because the French were so hated before the turn of the century (Carre is now pronounced Carr).

Edward worked as an Engineer at the Medical/Dental building which was then next to Christ Church Cathedral. She used to go down to the massive boiler rooms where Edward took care of the huge boilers and heating systems. It looked like the pictures ogf the ones on ships such as the ones you see in movies. Edward let Maggie climb the metal ladders that were all around and overhead.

Edward and Georges had two sisters who remained in London- Juliette and Gabrielle. Juliette married Harry Wilkes and had three children. Gabrielle married Richard Arthur Churchill and had six children.

Over the next month, I hope to track down surviving members of the Carre sisters in London before I head there in December- wish me luck. With names like Churchill and Wilkes, it's not going to be easy!

Edward is buried next to his wife, Annie (ne Evans) at Forest Lawn Memorial Park at Royal Oak in Burnaby (d. 1956). He was a member of the Canadian Legion, Grandview Branch. Georges is buried (d. 1942) at Ocean Memorial Park in Burnaby.