© 2018, Christian Cassidy
Tragic Endings: In this series, I try to piece together the lives of Manitobans who died well before their time. Most of the information comes from newspaper stories as inquest documents likely no longer exist. As a result, there will be gaps in the life stories and any errors in reporting or prejudices of the day may be repeated.
If you have additional information about any of these lives, please feel free to contact me at cassidy-at-mts.net
The Tilley Family of Winnipeg
It turns out that they were on an ill-fated train journey from Halifax to Winnipeg in 1920. This is their story.
Google Street View, 2014
Alfred R. Tilley was one of six sons born to Alfred and Elizabeth Tilley of Middleton, England.
The Tilleys moved to Winnipeg circa 1911 with some of their adult sons, including Alfred R., Arthur, George and Harry. Most settled at 558 Clifton Street which was known as "Elm Cottage". (Alfred first appears in the Henderson Directory at this address in 1911, the others appear in 1912 and 1913. Another son, Herbert, also appears in 1913.)
Alfred and Harry began a wholesale garden market and greenhouse operation four blocks west of the home at 547 Minto Street. Arthur and George also worked there.
January 28, 1920, Winnipeg Tribune
Alfred married Grace Lillian Payne in Winnipeg in September 1915 and the couple moved to 501 Craig Street. They moved again in 1917 to 574 Minto Street and had a son, James, in November.
The family went on an extended holiday to Allred's home country of England in July 1919 and boarded the No. 1 Canadian Pacific Vancouver Express train in Halifax in late January 1920 to return home. The train was so long that it had to be split into two sections, each pulled by its own engine.
January 26, 1920, Quebec Chronicle
At around 10:30 a.m. on Monday, January 26, 1920, the trains neared Corbeil, Ontario, eighteen kilometres from North Bay, when the engine of the first train lost steam power and stalled just after passing a bend in the track. The second engine rounded the bend and plowed into it.
Nine passengers on the first train were killed and at least seven died later in hospital. Dozens were injured and had to endure a long wait in near minus 30 degree temperatures before being rescued.
February 4, 1920, Winnipeg Free Press
There was early confusion about the fate of the Tilleys. Initially, they were considered missing and presumed dead, which gave a tiny hope that they may not have been on the train. Later, it was discovered that they were recorded as being from Vancouver.
One of Tilley's brothers travelled to North Bay to identify the bodies and they were returned to Winnipeg by train for burial.
The funeral for Arthur, Elizabeth and James Tilley took place on February 3, 1920 at Gardner's Funeral Home on Kennedy Street and they were buried in a single grave at St. James Cemetery.
The inscription on their headstone reads: "In their death they were not divided."
August 15, 1918, Winnipeg Tribune
As for others in the family, Arthur Tilley, a bother of Alfred's, had a couple of near death experiences during the war.
In October 1916, he received a gun shot wound to the right leg and was returned to England to recover. In July 1918, he was wounded in a poison gas attack and was again sent back to hospital. He returned to his unit a couple of months later and was discharged back to Winnipeg on June 12, 1919.
Arthur and George, the two surviving Tilley brothers, ran the garden business until their retirement around 1948.
2 comments:
FYI There was another Tilley brother not mentioned above his name was Herbert and he was the youngest and was my Grandfather. He didn't work as an adult at the market garden. He worked at the Manitoba Telephone System.
Hi unknown. I updated it to include Herbert.
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