November is upon us with changes in weather, changes in time and changes in age! The weather is becoming cooler (yay!), time change is happening (boo!), and it’s another birthday for me (it’s just a number!).

Let’s start by wishing those in our family whose birthday is in November. Happy birthday to Dennis, Cole and Braydon! And an extra special mention to my great-nephews Ezra and Elliott – one day we will meet.

On to more family connections – who shares your birthday?  Born November 15, 1863, to Edward Albert Press and Elizabeth Mary Beevor is Frederick William Press. Frederick is my great, great grandfather:

Frederick was born in North Walsham, Erpingham, Norfolk, England, a small village in northeast England. I do not have a copy of his birth registration but will hopefully be able to order one soon as I have the registry information. However, I do have the baptism registration showing his birth date, and baptism on October 13, 1972, in Worstead, Norwich, Norfolk, along with his siblings (Edward, Bertha, Walter, Frank, Arthur, Sydney and Percy). This was not an uncommon practice as priests travelled from community to community doing mass baptisms (along with marriages and funerals).

  ^{Baptism Date    Name & Birth Date        Parents           Last Name                District         Father’s Profession}

Frederick and his family lived in a few places in this area (as noted by the ‘7’ in the map below). The 1871 Census of England and Wales shows the family of eight (parents and six children) on Langate in Smallburg, Worstead. The 1881 Census of England and Wales has the family located at Spa Common, Muckle Hill House, North Walsham, Erpingham, Norfolk.

A marriage licence was applied for by Elizabeth Barnard with the consent of her father, Daniel, for marriage to Frederick William Press, on September 27, 1886, and they were married on October 1, 1886. Their first child, a son (Frederick William Bond Press Jr.), was born on April 6, 1887. We can only guess why they married; however, the math says it all! The marriage took place in the Parish Church of Mutford in the County of Suffolk.

The 1891 Census of England and Wales shows the following information for the household of Frederick W. Press:

• Address:  Cromer Road, Overstrand, Erpingham, Norfolk, England
• Age:  26
• Occupation:  Miller
• Wife:  Eliza Press, age: 23
• Son: Frederick W.B. Press, age 4

Norfolk Electoral Registers for the period 1889 to 1907, puts the family in these areas:

• 1889 to 1892 – Roughton, house on Callows Farm
• 1893 – Roughton near Joy’s Mill from Cromer Road
• 1894 – Roughton near Joy’s Mill
• 1895 – Overstrand, Suffield Park from Roughton
• 1896 – Overstrand, Suffield Park
• 1897 to 1898 – Cromer, Station Road
• 1899 to 1907 – Roughton, Mill House, from Cromer

The 1901 Census of England and Wales shows a move happened sometime between 1891 and 1901. It lists the family’s last name as “Prep” which made it a little more difficult to find:

• Address:  Thorpe Road, Roughton, Erpingham, Norfolk, England
• Age:  36
• Occupation:  Miller
• Wife:  Eliza “Prep”, age 33
• 4 children: Frederick W.B. (13), George E. (7), Effie (5) and Leonard A. (3).

1904 Kelly’s Directory (Norfolk) shows Frederick’s occupation as Miller/Merchant at Roughton Mill. He is also listed under the “Corn & Flour Merchants” section at Roughton Mill. On June 5, 1907, Frederick left his family and England via Liverpool on the ship Lake Manitoba landing in Montreal, Canada on June 16^th. Leaving the family would have been a very hard decision to make but it was for the benefit of their family as a whole.

Frederick’s wife, Elizabeth (“Eliza”), and their five children (Frederick, George, Effie, Leonard and Bertha) followed in October 1907, coincidentally on the same ship, Lake Manitoba!

Within four years, the family settled in New Westminster, BC at 1316 – 10^th Avenue as shown in the 1911 Canada Census. In the 1909 City Directory, I have found both Frederick and his son, Frederick Jr., listed at 826 1^st (presumably 1^st Avenue in New Westminster).

1921 Canada Census’ show Frederick and his wife still living at 1316 – 10^th Avenue, as well as the City Directories for the period 1925 – 1937 and the Elector’s List for the year 1935.

Frederick passed away November 3, 1937. At this time, it is not known the cause of his death as I’ve been unable to obtain the death registration.

The Vancouver Sun, Nov. 4, 1937; Newspapers.com

Frederick was buried on November 6^th, at Fraser Cemetery, New Westminster.

Frederick, at the age of 35, his wife and family immigrated to Canada in 1907. This is the first of the Press family in our line to come to Canada . The family has been in Canada for over 115 years spanning four generations. Thank you for taking the hard journey across the ocean and across Canada (probably by train) to bring our family here.

I hope you have enjoyed getting to know Frederick. We are truly blessed to have such brave members of our family for immigrating to a strange country where our family now calls home. 

Take care, everyone!