Findlay, William Francis (1874-1932)

William Francis Findlay – about 1915 – Vancouver City Archives – Port P379 – [William F Findlay]; http://searcharchives.vancouver.ca/william-f-findlay;rad

William Francis Findlay was a sportsman and newspaperman. He lived at 1829 Alberni Street in 1915 and 1916.

He was born in Palmerston, Ontario, on July 17, 1874. His father was William Andrew Findlay; his mother was Elizabeth Ann Carter.

He first appeared in Vancouver about 1891, when he was boarding at the Carter House at 156 Water Street. He continued to live at the Carter House for almost 20 years.

Carter House – about 1887 – Vancouver City Archives – Hot P1 – [Exterior of Carter House hotel – 166 Water Street]; http://searcharchives.vancouver.ca/exterior-of-carter-house-hotel-166-water-street;rad

In 1891, he was working as a compositor at the short-lived Daily Telegram at 321 Cambie Street. William John Gallagher had organized this paper in 1890 to respond to the News-Advertiser’s attacks on municipal government policies. The supporters of the Telegram included several prominent citizens, such as Mayor David Oppenheimer [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Oppenheimer], former member of the legislature James Welton Horne [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Welton_Horne], and realtor Charles David Rand.

In 1895, William was still living at the Carter House, and still working as a printer, although he was then with Thompson Brothers, who were booksellers and stationers at 108 Cordova Street.

By 1901, he was working as a printer for Thomas Evans and Thomas W. Hastings, whose printing shop was in the Irving Block at 541 Hastings Street.

In the early 1900s, he was an active member of the Vancouver Athletic Club, and was the superintendent for a short time in 1907 and 1908. He was a member of the Royal Vancouver Yacht Club. He was also a referee and timekeeper at wrestling matches, and he would often demonstrate his skill at “Indian club swinging”: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_club.

Indian club swinging; http://www.indianclubs.com/images/oldswinger.jpg

By 1910, he was a reporter for The World newspaper, and was still living at the Carter House on Water Street, but only until his marriage in the summer of 1910.

On August 17, 1910, in Vancouver, he married Nancy Ann McMillan. She was born in Cardiff, Wales, on January 10, 1881. Her father was Ewing Hugh McMillan; her mother was Alice Jepson. The next year, William and Nancy were living at 1051 Seaton Street in Vancouver (Seaton Street became Hastings Street in 1915).

William and Nancy had three children. William continued to work in the newspaper business through the 1920s. By 1924, the family had moved to 268 East 11 Avenue in Vancouver.

On April 18, 1932, William and Nancy went to the annual dinner of the B.C. Institute of Journalists at the Hotel Vancouver. After the dinner, they were driving home with Mr. and Mrs. Charles A. Sutherland. As they went across the old Granville Street Bridge, their car skidded into the path of a street car that was also crossing the bridge. (Note: the photograph below shows a portion of the bridge, but it is four years later, and it may not be the exact location of the 1932 accident involving the Findlays.)

Granville Street Bridge – 1936 – Vancouver City Archives – Br N43 – [Granville Street Bridge]; http://searcharchives.vancouver.ca/granville-street-bridge-5;rad.

Both William and Nancy died from their injuries. Mr. and Mrs. Sutherland also suffered serious injuries, but they eventually recovered. The coroner’s jury concluded that the crash was an accident, and did not attach blame to anyone.

William and Nancy were buried in Mountain View Cemetery in Vancouver.

William and Nancy had the following children.

Lewis Francis Findlay (born about 1911)

Margaret Findlay (born about 1914)

Betty Findlay (born about 1915)

Bruce William Findlay, born September 16, 1916, in Vancouver; died April 7, 1921, in Vancouver.

Sources

William Francis Findlay

Origin and Development of Newspapers in Vancouver, Bessie Lamb, Master of Arts Thesis, University of British Columbia, 1942, Chapter 6, “The Daily Telegram,” pages 44-48, https://circle.ubc.ca/bitstream/handle/2429/30226/ubc_1942_a8%20l2%20o6.pdf?sequence=1

1898 BC Voters List, http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~canbc/vote1898/votef.htm: Findlay, William Francis, Carter House, Water St, Printer, Van.

“Canada Census, 1901,” index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/KHVJ-76X : accessed 19 Jan 2014), William F Findlay in entry for Averina Carter, 1901; http://automatedgenealogy.com/census/View.jsp?id=59978&highlight=32&desc=1901+Census+of+Canada+page+containing+William+F.+Findlay; http://data2.collectionscanada.ca/1901/z/z001/pdf/z000010448.pdf

“Resignation of William Findlay: Superintendent of Vancouver Athletic Club Will Retire from Office at Annual Meeting of the Club This Evening,” Vancouver Province, January 20, 1908.

“British Columbia Marriage Registrations, 1859-1932,” index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/JDZN-MCW : accessed 19 Jan 2014), William Frances Findlay and Nancy Ann Mcmillan, 1910.

“British Columbia Death Registrations, 1872-1986,” index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FL26-49N : accessed 19 Jan 2014), William Francis Findlay, 1932.

“Death Takes One Victim of Accident: Mrs. W.F. Findlay Succumbed Shortly Before Noon Hour: Her Husband Reported Low: Both Terribly Injured In Bridge Crash Saturday Night,” Vancouver Province, April 18, 1932, page 1 (includes photograph of Mrs. W.F. Findlay and William F. Findlay).

“Mrs. W.F. Findlay Dead; Sportsman Dying After Crash: Mr. and Mrs. Chas. Sutherland Also Injured When Auto Strikes Street Car,” Vancouver Sun, April 18, 1932, page 1, (includes photograph of Mrs. Findlay); http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=8C5lAAAAIBAJ&sjid=0IgNAAAAIBAJ&pg=1147%2C1850471.

“Mrs. W.F. Findlay Dies From Crash Injuries,” Vancouver Sum, April 18, 1932, page 2; includes photograph of William F. Findlay); http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=8C5lAAAAIBAJ&sjid=0IgNAAAAIBAJ&pg=967%2C1855865

“Death Takes W.F. Findlay: Second Victim of Collision On Granville Bridge Succumbs: Inquest Ordered,” Vancouver Province, April 19, 1932, page 1.

“W.F. Findlay Succumbs to Injuries: Inquest Ordered Into Crash Which Cost Life of Noted Journalist and His Wife,” Vancouver Sun, April 19, 1932, pages 1 and 4, http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=8S5lAAAAIBAJ&sjid=0IgNAAAAIBAJ&pg=4598%2C1944615; http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=8S5lAAAAIBAJ&sjid=0IgNAAAAIBAJ&pg=3090%2C1961873

Nancy Ann and William Francis Findlay, death notice, Vancouver Province, April 20, 1932, page 21; Vancouver Sun, April 20, 1932, page 20, http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=8i5lAAAAIBAJ&sjid=0IgNAAAAIBAJ&pg=2725%2C2153232 (link leads to index of classified ads; death notice is in column 1, in the bottom third of the column.)

“Jury Finds Bridge Fatality Accident: No Blame Attached to Anyone In Verdict at Findlay Inquest,” Vancouver Province, April 21, 1932, page 9.

“Accident Verdict in Auto Crash: Coroner’s Jury Informed of Frightful Head Injuries Received by the Findlays,” Vancouver Sun, April 21, 1932, page 9, http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=8y5lAAAAIBAJ&sjid=0IgNAAAAIBAJ&pg=1116%2C2291128.

William F. Findlay, Find A Grave; Burial: Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver, Greater Vancouver Regional District, British Columbia, Canada, Plot: OLD/0/03/006/0005, http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=35299965

Carter House

Lewis Carter (1843-1923) ran the Carter House; he was from Ireland, and was apparently not related to William Findlay’s mother.

“British Columbia Marriage Registrations, 1859-1932,” index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/JDZP-WQ2 : accessed 19 Jan 2014), Lewis Carter and Margaret Jane Mcmorran, 1886.

“Canada Census, 1891,” index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MWKS-TZL : accessed 19 Jan 2014), Lewis Carter, Vancouver City, New Westminster, British Columbia, Canada.

“Canada Census, 1901,” index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/KHVJ-78H : accessed 19 Jan 2014), Lewis Carter, 1901.

“British Columbia Death Registrations, 1872-1986,” index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FLKJ-PLL : accessed 19 Jan 2014), Lewis Carter, 1923.

“British Columbia Death Registrations, 1872-1986,” index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FL24-M8V : accessed 19 Jan 2014), Margaret Jane Carter, 1925.

Nancy Ann McMillan (wife of William Francis Findlay)

McMillan family, http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/SCT-WIS/2006-11/1164523661

Jepson family, http://boards.ancestry.com/surnames.jepson/19.2.2/mb.ashx

McMillan/MacMillan Family of Argyll, http://boards.ancestrylibrary.com/localities.britisles.scotland.arl.general/7693/mb.ashx?pnt=1

“England and Wales Census, 1871,” index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/V55X-6X6 : accessed 19 Jan 2014), Ewan Mcmillan in entry for Robert Mcmillan, 1871.

“England and Wales, Marriage Index, 1837-1920,” index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/2DP5-2ZZ : accessed 19 Jan 2014), Ewen Hugh Mcmillan, 1876.

1898 British Columbia Voters List, http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~canbc/vote1898/votemcl.htm, “McMillan, Ewan Hugh, 113 Hastings St, No trade, Van.”

“British Columbia Marriage Registrations, 1859-1932,” index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/JDZX-SFW : accessed 19 Jan 2014), Ewen Hugh Mcmillan in entry for Francis Joseph Cleary and Mary Alice Mcmillan, 1900.

Bruce William Findlay (son of William Francis Findlay)

“British Columbia Death Registrations, 1872-1986,” index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FLKN-2PJ : accessed 19 Jan 2014), Bruce William Findlay, 1921.

British Columbia Death Registrations; Registration Number: 1921-09-279700, Bruce William Findlay.