I had some acquaintances drop in with a little box of miscellaneous and some photos, a letter etc. They were Jim and Maureen Singleton, and they had the effects of a former Home Child that were sent to her grandfather John Worden, following the passing of this home child in the First World War.
This is Bertie Hooper, who on the 1901 census was listed in Exeter, England, as a member of the family of Thomas and Eliza Hooper of Exeter Parish, County of Devon, England. The children were listed as Louie, aged 17, Beatrice, 14, Thomas, 10, Minnie, 8, Gladys, 6, Bertie, 4 and Fred, 2.
Next Bertie appears on the ”Dominion” ships list in 1906 leaving Liverpool, England for Quebec, Canada.
He then appears on the 1916 Census of Canada at the farm of John Worden at the age of 20 years along with other young hired helpers.
His Attestation Paper shows he signed up for service at Arcola, Sask., on March 30, 1915. His service number was 426815 as shown on his dog tag. His service record was improperly transcribed in that his parents are listed as Thomas and Eliza Hooker, even though he is Hooper.
The Canadian Virtual War Memorial Index shows that he was killed in action Sept. 4, 1916, and is memorialized on the Vimy Memorial at Calais, France with the 13th Battalion, Canadian Infantry (Quebec Regiment). The Battle of Somme was from July 1, 1916 to Nov. 18, 1916.
He is listed under the Roll of Honor on page 225 of Book 1 of the Arcola-Kisbey Golden Heritage history book, along with the others working at Wordens farm, being Bert Marchant, Bertie Hooper, Ledd Bertin, and Frank Hawley. He was the only one killed.
There is a photo of the Worden family with three service men, one that genealogy researchers think is Bertie and the others two of the above. Also, in the collection is a letter from his sister Gladys who was a nurse, we believe, according to the address at the Old Toronto General Hospital. However, she married within weeks of his getting killed probably unbeknownst to her at the time and they moved to the U.S., where she passed away in 1921.
His mother passed in 1902, which is probably why he became a Home Child, as there were so many very young children for the father to take care of. He passed in 1931. Genealogy members are still researching siblings and their descendants.
The Weyburn Genealogy Society has several photos including family and servicemen. They were able to identify one, a neighbour boy named John Kraehling from Arcola district, and the other a couple of photos of Geo. E. Stronge of the RM of Lomond.
Genealogy members have contacted a family member for those. The remainder of the service men’s photos are taken by Bates & Co., Bramshot England, so they could be from anywhere.
Members of the Genealogy group still working on those as well as the family photos and trying to find a living descendant of his siblings. Now they know why these items were sent to John Worden rather than a family member.
