When William Alfred Webb was born on February 1, 1883, in Manchester, Lancashire, England, his father, William Richard Webb (1859-1942) was 23 and his mother, Elizabeth (née Dutton) (1859-1943), was 23.
William Alfred married Louie Shepherd on December 31, 1904, in Bradford, Lancashire, England.
Louie Shepherd was born on June 24, 1882, in Manchester, Lancashire, England. Her father, William Shepherd Jr. (1846-1899), was 36, and her mother, Mary (née Jones) (1847-1909), was 35.
They had five children during their marriage:
- William Alfred Webb Jr. (1909-1962) married Alma Leona Beckler (1912-1982)
- Unnamed Infant (1912-1912)
- George Edward Webb (1915-1957) married Dorothy Irene Griffin (1917-2010)
- Vera Webb (1917-1917)
- Arthur Allen Webb (1918-1918)
On May 12, 1909, son William Alfred Jr. is born. He’s baptized at Christ Church in Bradford, Lancashire, England. The address they’re living at appears to be 57 Orme Street, which is a few blocks away from where the family is on the 1901 census. The current street does not appear to go to number 57. William Sr.’s occupation is a “carter” which is typically someone who drives a two-wheeled horse-driven cart.
According to both census and immigration records, the couple emigrated to Hamilton through Nova Scotia in 1910 with son 10-month-old William and Louie’s sister May (listed as a “Webb” on the record) in tow.
The 1911 census shows the couple living with William at 84 Wellington Street North alongside other family members (both Louie’s and William’s).
An unnamed infant son is stillborn on October 15, 1912. The couple is still living at 84 Wellington Street.
George Edward is born in 1915. No birth registration has been located.
In early 1917, Vera is born. Her life is so short, there is no birth registration. She dies on February 10, 1917, at six weeks old (Coincidentally, this is the day before Dorothy Irene Griffin, George’s future wife is born). According to the death registration she had lung congestion lasting a week. She’s laid to rest at Hamilton Cemetery. No memorial has been located.
Another son is born 18 months later on October 2, 1918. Arthur Allen Webb lives only four days—having an abscess on his neck.
The 1921 census shows them living at 89 Wellington Street North, Hamilton, with even more family.
The houses on Wellington have since been replaced by several large apartment buildings and a strip mall.
William worked as a driver at the nearby Royal Oak Dairy on East Avenue (eventually getting a job there for son George as well). For an unknown reason, it appears that Louie went back to England on her own in October 1929 (there’s a record of her crossing).
William Alfred Jr., Alma (Beckler) Webb, William Sr., front left: Webb,
Billy Webb, George Webb, Linda Webb, Dorothy Webb)
William Alfred died on January 10, 1951, in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, at the age of 67. His obituary suggests that he was an employee of the Hamilton Cooperative Creameries Limited, and an avid bowler.
Louie survived her husband by eleven years and died on April 30, 1962, in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, at the age of 79.
The obituary suggests that Louie worked at the Eaton Knitting Mills in Hamilton.
Both Louie and William are buried at Woodland Cemetery in Hamilton.
Main image: Louie, William Alfred and William Alfred Webb Jr.
