| Description | Work completed by volunteer includes the following information:
Ernest Norris was born in Flemingate, Beverley on 15 Apr 1889, the fifth child of Henry Norris, a shoemaker, and his wife Eliza Ann (nee Nelson). Ernest and his two-year-old sister Ethel were baptised at the Wesleyan Methodist Chapel on 9 May 1889. Ernest had six sisters and two brothers: Annie; Florence; Herbert; Ethel; Lilly; Minnie (who died an infant), Mabel and George Nelson. By 1901 they were living in Bogle Lane, renamed as Beaver Road, before moving to 11 Dyer Lane.
Ernest went to Canada in 1910 to join his brother Herbert who moved there two years previously. In 1911 at Wetaskiwin, Alberta, Ernest married Ethel Rose Brown, an English girl from Aston, Warwickshire. According to the 1916 Canadian Census, Ernest, Ethel and their three daughters, Edna, Muriel and Jessie were living at 98 Main Street, Camrose and Ernest was employed as a school caretaker.
Ernest Norris, occupation a fireman, enlisted in the 238th Battalion, Canadian Infantry at Edmonton, Alberta on 16 Aug 1916. Within a month of enlistment, Private Norris embarked with the Canadian Expeditionary Force on the SS Scandinavian at Halifax, Nova Scotia. The ship docked at Liverpool on 22 Sep. The 238th Battalion, on arrival in England, was redesignated as a Forestry Battalion and undertook training in camps in Surrey. Ernest contracted pneumonia during this time and spent a week in quarantine in hospital at Witley. Following this training period he was posted to Scotland and served in the Edinburgh, Nairn and Inverness districts. He spent the major part of his time in Scotland with the 110th Company at Netheybridge, near Grantown-on-Spey, Morayshire - in the latter district, remaining there until 4 Apr 1919 when he was posted to the Base Depot, Sunningdale for repatriation to Canada. Private Norris embarked on the SS Bohemian on 14 May. The ship arrived at Halifax, Nova Scotia on 24 May. Ernest was discharged on 30 May 1919 at Winnipeg and returned home to his family.
A fourth child, Clifford G Norris was born in 1920. By 1921 the family moved to Lloyd George, Victoria, Alberta. Ernest and Ethel subsequently moved to British Columbia. They appear in the 1949 Canada Voters List at 1168 Pendrell Street, Vancouver and Ernest was working as a watchman.
Ernest Norris died on 29 May 1973 aged 84.
Includes photograph, information taken from census, military records, Commonwealth War Graves, newspapers |