Chantry, Robert

Robert and bessy

Robert and his mother (1915);  photo from Pamela Peart, his great niece

R. CHANTRY

Robert Chantry (Chantrey; 'Bob' later 'Roy')

Born at Scotter

Son of Harry (a farm worker from Scotter) and Bessy Sophia (nee Drayton of North Kelsey) 

Family lived at High Street, Scotter

Baptised 2nd June 1889 at St. Peter's Church

Father died the next year 

Mother became a charwoman

Called up on 19th February 1916

Joined the Labour Corps on 25th April 1918

Demobilized on 21st January 1919 and transferred to the Army Reserve of the Lincolnshire Regiment

Decided to emigrate to Canada with his sister Grace and their mother 

His passage paid for by the Government

On 21st May 1920, with $40 each, set sail aboard the ’Victorian’ from Liverpool bound for Quebec

Headed for the home of brother Thomas and his wife Mary (nee Graham) in Ballycroy, Ontario

Intended to become a farmer 

Described as 5 feet 7 and a half inches tall, fair complexion, grey eyes, dark brown hair 

A Protestant

Lived with his mother and sister at Concession A, Etobicoke Township

At their home farmed a few acres, grew fruit trees and kept livestock

Became profoundly deaf

Died 6th September 1946 aged 57

the ‘Toronto Star’ reported:-

Train victims 

   Weston, Sep. 7 - When he was struck by a train on the C.N.R. right-of way which runs through the Weston Golf Club, Roy Chantrey, of Etobicoke, suffered fatal injuries today.

   Chantrey, an employee of the golf club, was crossing the track with a lawnmower. The train, travelling east, was brought to a stop and the man removed to the Weston station. Dr. F.D. Cruickshank was called but pronounced the man dead. The date of an inquest has not been set. Mr. Chantrey is survived by a sister and brother in Thistletown and two brothers in England.’

Buried alongside Grace and close to their mother in St. Philip’s Anglican churchyard at Etobicoke

Father buried in St. Peter's churchyard 

Brother of Joseph