From Bev:  

Pup (William Clark) was born in New York City in 1872 (or 1873).  His mother was the governess of the children on the Lady in Waiting to Queen Victoria.  Pup lived with his mother and sister (great aunt Mabel) in Windsor Castle for most of his life.  His father was a blacksmith at the castle.

I don’t know why Pup was born in NYC unless his mother was over on business.  He was raised in England and became a “Gentleman’s Gentleman” to a Navy Captain for many years and traveled the oceans blue.

He then immigrated to New York permanently about 1895 and settled there where he met Nanny at an “English Club” in NY.  He was about 35 and Nanny was 19.  

I guess it was love at first sight and they were married in 1902.

Nanny (Esther Henrietta Purkis) was born in London, England.  She was a “Cockney” – that is someone who was born within the sound of the “Bow Bells” in London about 1884.

Nanny was one of 5 or 6 children.  Her mother was “French” from France.  Her father was from London.

Her mother died in childbirth (including the baby).  The father remarried a young English woman who was a nasty one – “The Wicked Stepmother” you might say.  She treated the girls like work slaves.

Nanny and her sister Liza decided to leave home.  They came to America – New York in particular, where she and her sister went to “The British Club” where she met Pup.

Nanny and Pup married in 1902 in NYC where they lived for a few years in the area now known as “Harlem”.

Our Aunt Mabel was born in NY in May 1903 (9 months to the wedding day).  Edith was born 13 months later in July 1904

Pup was not a good provider and not too much of a family man and Nanny got fed up and decided to leave him.

Nan had an older brother “Will” living in Toronto.  She wrote to him of her unhappiness, wrote Pup a “Dear John” letter, used the rent money to buy train tickets and off she went to Canada (Toronto) with Mabe and Ede.  How brave of her!  21 years old with two babies and hardly any money, but as life unfolded, Nanny was a gutsy lady.

Pup missed her so within a year or so he too came to Toronto to be with her.  Many children followed this reunion, including a little boy adopted, named “Billy” who died with some childhood disease when he was about 6 years old.  (My Mom (Edna) used to tell me that Billy died in her arms.)

Stan, George, Lorraine (Mabe & Harry’s first born daughter who died at age 4 from Diphtheria), and Bev were all born at 171 Tyrrel Ave.

Pup joined up in the army for the First World War.  He was over 40 by now and was actually too old to be in the services.

He was sent to Europe and was “gassed” (mustard gas) and sent to hospital in England for months to recover.  By the time he was sent home to the family, the little “Nell” (Helen) didn’t know him and was frightened for a long time.

Pup was always troubled with his respiratory system due to the war and on doctor’s advice the family moved to Colorado for a couple of years for his health, but they returned to Canada to the family home at 171 Tyrrel Ave (Oakwood & St. Clair) where Pup lived until he had to be hospitalized at “The Red Chevron” (for old soldiers) until his death in Feb 1953 (Bev & Murray’s wedding year).

Nan lived at 171 Tyrrel until her death about 1963.

Both are buried in Prospect Cemetery off St. Clair.

Ann Perkis – 1860 – 1889 (died in childbirth)   married to  Charles Perkis – 1865 – 1920

they had Esther – 1882 – 1963

Esther Perkis married Wm Clark – 1879 – 1953

They had Mabel (1904), Edith (1905), Edna (1907), Irene, Helen, Stan

William Clark’s mother’s name was Annie Frith (maiden name) from Wales.  She died at age 87 in 1921

She and Great Aunt Mabel came to Chicago in 1893 for the World’s Fair and stayed a year.

Mabel Clark (Pup’s sister) – confirmed at St. Peters, Eaton Square April 16, 1888