Walter Edward Bushby (1882 - 1961)

Walter Edward Bushby

The older brother of Randy's Grandma Elsie was Walter Edward.  He was born in Worthing, Sussex, England on April 5, 1882.  He lived with his family in New Milton, England and would have learned the carpentry trade from his father, James William Bushby.  He can be found in 1904 as a 22 year old immigrant heading for Winnipeg, Manitoba.  He must have returned to England because he can be found crossing the Atlantic again on a passenger list from April of 1905.  This time his destination is Reston, MB and the 1906 Manitoba census lists him in the village of Reston with his brother Arthur Bushby and his wife and their two young children. 

In 1907, there is a marriage registered in Pipestone, Manitoba on June 2 for a Walter Edward Bushby and Ethel Elizabeth May Houre. 

A border crossing to the US was made in May of 1908 for Walter, age 26 and Ethel age 21.  The form states his brother is Arthur from Reston, MB, that he is a carpenter and that he is going to Westfield New Jersey.

The 1910 United States Census has them still living there but for some reason, his immigration year is written in as 1894.  That must be an error as he is on the 1901 English census with his family as an 18 year old boy and all the other forms list his immigration year as 1906.  Living in the household along with Walter and Ethel is her brother, Ernest House, also a carpenter.  His last name was likely mis-written from Houre.  This is where the story of Ethel appears to end.

I have been contacted by Toni from California through Ancestry and thinking it was our Ethel Bushby, she sent me the postcard copied below:

Postcard:  Addressed to Mr. L. Shore, 430 St John's Ave, Winnipeg from Toronto - July 1910

Well Luke, this in one of the many cousins you know but it is a case of position is not everything but it was taken in Hamilton for the 1st.  Got you card send me one of yours.  Ethel

She also emailed me many more photos and postcards referring to Shore relatives in Winnipeg and another addressed to Miss Katie Bushby at the same 430 St John's Ave. The unidentified photo on the left below I think looks so much like Walter's father James, on the right.  The mystery continues....



The next mention of Walter Bushby in the online documents is October 11, 1912 where he married Martha Florence Sparkman who was born in Westfield.

Walter Martha and Dorothy Bushby about 1914

  For the next 30 years, he is found on census and city directory documents with Martha and a family that grows to 4 children, Dorothy, Edna, Walter S. and John William.  The 1920 census shows Walter's 67 year old father James is living with them.  This fits with Uncle Frank's stories about him touring throughout the US in the 20's.  Walter died in 1961 and his wife 10 years later.

A Google search found that Walter and Martha's youngest son, John William,  had recently died and his obituary is linked here.  John was a WWII veteran and was an author of espionage novels and that website is linked here.  Interestingly, he was also a woodworker, as was his father and grandfather before him.

Thanks to Toni for the postcard and the mysteries to solve!