That's very interesting as on the 1881 census John is listed as widowed. At the time of the census William J is just 1.

I had a look at your website and there is a slight family resemblance between William and my father (could be coincidence, but spooky all the same!). William would have been the cousin of my great-great-grandfather, Robert. I'm going to see if I can verify the link but all the signs point to my John Battley and William's father being the same person.

If you need any help on the 'Home' information then let me know. I might be able to chase it up for you as I'm in the UK ?

So, what do you want to know about the Battley's?!

A condensed version is probably suitable for now and then I can give you more information at a later stage. William Battley m Mary Ready 1832 in Mendlesham, Suffolk. They had 6 children. George 1833 Eliza 1836 Charlotte 1838 William 1840 (my ggg-grandfather) Robert 1842 John 1845 (your gg-grandfather, I think) 

This is the part where I need validation as I'm going from bits and pieces found on the net... John m Mary Ann Smith abt 1863. They had 5 children, as you know. Ernest Valentine m Beatrice Mary Ellis in 1894 and they had 2 children in Ipswich, Suffolk before moving to , Manitoba, Canada. They had 2 more children but I don't know if they were born in UK or Canada.  

(John married Mary Ann Smith in abt. 1863. They had 5 children in Ipswich, Suffolk: Priscilla, Ernest Valentine b. 14.2.1872, Polly, Richard, William J b 1879/1880.)

I can't find any more data on the other children and it's quite possible that William was a Home child, especially if John was widowed. Perhaps Ernest and Beatrice decided to go find him ?

Continuing my line, (which I know about for certain), William (born 25 Dec 1840 in Mendlesham Suffolk died 21 Feb 1908)  m Mary Chatfield, abt 1863. They had 11 children in Mendlesham, Suffolk.   Elizabeth Jane 1863 m Henry Fecamp William 1864 m Clara Jane Bryant Frederick John 1866 (moved to Australia in 1890's) m Annie Alice Johnson Robert 1867 (my gg-grandfather) m Laura Hart Walter 1868 (also moved to Australia in 1890's) m Mary Ann King

Annie 1890 m Gregory Durrant

Ada Mary 1872 Kate 1875

Alice 1877 d 1878 Minnie 1880  

I have dates for all the above if you need them and also details of children etc. Robert and Laura had a daughter, Roberta b 1891 d 1920. Unsure if they had any more children. Roberta m Godfrey Foster. They had 2 girls, Phyllis b 1914 d 2001 and Edith Lilian (my grandmother) b 1916 d 2000.

Regards

Marie

For the Ancestry of the below Battley's Click here

Ernest Valentine BATTLEY born 14 Feb 1872 in Ipswich, Suffolk, England, died 10 Aug 1948 (Aug/14/1948 according to the Cemetery records) in , Manitoba, Canada. (St. Vital Cemetery buried Aug 17/1948)The 1901 census has them living in 21 Old Foundry Road Ipswich, and has his occupation as Boot and Shoe Warehouseman. Ernest is 29 in the census, Beatrice is 29, and daughter Olive is 3.

Married to:

• Beatrice Mary ELLIS  on 13 Oct 1894 in Ipswich, Suffolk, England who was born 15 Jun 1871 in Ipswich, Suffolk, England, died 25 Feb 1947 in , Manitoba, Canada. Buried in St Vital Cemetery on 2/28/1947.

They had the following children:

• Living
• Living
• Olive Gwendolyn BATTLEY born 5 May 1897 in Ipswich, Suffolk, England, died 21 Mar 1978.
• Stanley Ernest BATTLEY born 11 Nov 1901 in Ipswich, Suffolk, England, died 5 Jul 1966 in , Manitoba, Canada. M to Alma E.  1907 - 1984 (St. Vital Cemetery)

CTH notes have him as a Lay Preacher in Holmfield (Manitoba) in 1897

Married to:

Some source: From Ontario Archives, microfilm MS 932

#015158/02 (Rainy River) William John BATTY, 22, clerk, Ipswich Eng., , s/o John and Mary Ann BATTY, married Annie YOUNG, 21, Lac Seul, Lac Seul, d/o John & Annie YOUNG, witn James KIPLING & Sinastin JACONS, both of Rat Portage, 22 Jan 1902 at Rat Portage

• Annie YOUNG who was born 25 Oct 1878 Lac Seul Ontario, died March 21, 1909, 239 Marion St. in , d/o John YOUNG and Magna THOMPSON (more on YOUNG) From the March 22nd, 1909 edition of the Manitoba Free Press "Mrs Annie Battley, wife of W. J. Battley, died early yesterday morning after an illness extending over the past nine months.  Deceased who was 28 years of age, and a native of Ontario, leaves a husband, and three small children.  The funeral will take place from the family residence 239 Marion street, Norwood, to Elmwood Cemetery to-morrow afternoon at 2 o'clock." - a note that she died of "Phthisis Pulmonalis" (Chronic Tuberculosis)

• Ernest John BATTLEY born 7 Nov 1902 in York county, Ontario - no date of death - does not show in later notes as around. - work in progress.
• Clifford Ballington BATTLEY born 26 Feb, 1904 died 24 Dec 1980
• Priscilica Annie BATTLEY  born 5 Dec 1905 in , Manitoba Picture ca 1910    Picture ca 1920 married to Cecil Albert Henry PARKER / SHEANE
• Florence May BATTLEY born 1 Jan 1907

• Agnes Mae HARVEY born 25 Dec, 1888 died 3 Jan, 1975

• Phyllis BATTLEY born 12 Jun 1912 died 14 Apr, 1987, married to George BRADLEY born 4 Sep, 1895, died 27 Oct, 1965.
• Winston James BATTLEY born 11 Oct, 1916, died 29 Mar, 1993. married to <Private>.
• <Private>

BATTLEY , W J Age: a Sex: M Year of arrival: 1893 Microfilm reel: C-4539 Ship: SS Labrador Port of departure: Liverpool Departure Date: 6 Jul 1893 Port of arrival: Quebec Arrival Date: 14 Jul 1893 Destination: Minnedossa, Manitoba Comments: 43 boys for Rev Frs R Hole, Minnedossa, Man. From the young colonists? and Lord Aberdeen, in charge of Mr Carrington. Note: The child's surname was illegible or difficult to decipher.