Family History Through the Alphabet Challenge~H is For Hirst & Huddersfield

 H is for Harry Hirst and Huddersfield

 Harry Hirst was the man who adopted my dad in 1929, along with his wife Lillian Pickering. Lillian died in 1931 before the adoption was finalized in 1933 and Mr. Hirst was not prepared or able to raise a young child on his own so my dad was made a ward of the Children's Aid Society. due to the neglect in the home ( information obtained from records from the Children's Aid Society) but  dad still saw Mr. Hirst on and off through the years, often running away from the orphanage or foster home he was in to see Mr. Hirst. Harry died when my dad was 17, at that time dad left  the foster home and went to live with his sister (adopted) Ivy and her husband Harold.No matter the neglect or hard life that dad had, he always spoke with  great  respect and love for the man he always called his father.

Harry Edward Hirst was born in Huddersfield, England on the 11th of April,1891, his parents were William Hirst and Anne Shaw. The Hirst family left England in 1894 arriving in Quebec and making  their home in Grand- Mère.

Harry Edward Hirst

I'm not sure when Harry and Lillian married I have not been able to find a record of their marriage, their daughter Ivy was born about 1917 either in Quebec or Manitoba. Lillian and Harry lived in Manitoba up until they adopted my dad, at which time they moved to Fort Williams. Harry never remarried after Lillian died.  He  worked for the Hudson Bay Company for many years according to my dad, Harry's death Certificate  listed his occupation at that time as an Elevator Operator for the last 5 years.

Harry Hirst died on December 20th 1944 at McKellar Hospital, at the age of 53 from a heart attack. He is buried at Mountain View Cemetery, 1351 Broadway Avenue, Thunder Bay Ontario, Canada.

 

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