I am trying to find as much information as I can about m grandfather, James Daniel Harrington (known as Jimmy). Born January 31st 1919 but I dont know where (he would never say) he lived on 1st Avenue from a small child until he came to England at the start of WW2 but his family lived there longer. His family consisted of mother Margaret (Irish or of Irish origin) and stepfather, Percival Harrington who was an architect. He had two sisters;Helen and Dorothy (Dorothy's married name was Moore) and a brother Arnold.
My grandfather went missing in Toronto in the mid 1960's. He left behind a wife and daughter who never found out what happened to him which is what I have been trying to do for the past three years without success. I wondered if he travelled home to Verdun.
It would be fantastic if anybody remembers him or his family, even better if there are surviving relatives 
34 comments:
You can contact the province of Quebec and ask for a birth certificate for your grand father - you have his mother's name do you know his father's name not the stepfather.
According to the Lovell directory for the city of Montreal and surrounding areas there lived a George Harrington at 435 First Avenue Verdun - perhaps he was Geo. Percival Harrington http://bibnum2.bnquebec.ca/bna/lovell/src/1938-1939/4.Annuaire_montr%E9alais_des_rues/F/110773_1938-1939_0334.pdf You can check other years in this directory and see till what year the family appear at that address.
Shirley could you post the URL to that site?
S.A.
Thank you for your replys. I cant get the birth certificate because I dont know his mothers name before she married (George) Percival Harrington. I have no idea what my grandfather's birth name would be. I tried to find out the information through the army (I assumed he needed his birth certificate when he signed up) but they cant release the information to me without proof that he is dead. It is interesting that there is a George Harrington listed in the directory though. I have no George as listed as a relative and on his marriage certificate he lists his fathers name as Percival but maybe his stepfather chose to go by his middle name. I will look for more information under George though. Thank you again.
Sorry to be a nuisance but I have just spoken with my grandmother and have found out that my grandfather was living back in Verdun between 1947 and 1962. I do not know the address but it was in the area of 1st Avenue. I am hoping somebody remembers him from this time.
Was your father's father in the Canadian army or Expeditionary Forces ?? There are listings...In the CANADIAN VIRTUAL WAR MEMORIAL. I looked but I could find no George, Percival, Percy. There is also listings of Expeditionary forces which discloses quite a bit of info (I found my g. f. in there) Laurie
My grandfather never said but I will can check, thank you. Sadly he did not seem to get on well with his family (apart from sister Dorothy) so would talk very little about them.
Hi Jinxxy In the 1960 Lovells there was a Percy Harrington listed at 1022 lst Avenue Verdun. Assistant Supervisor, Canadian Pacific Railway. I hope this may be of help in your search.
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Thats great, thank you
Biking did you mean this http://bibnum2.bnquebec.ca/bna/lovell/index.html
I guess I should have payed more attention to my high school french.
Suppose you tell me a for instance of what you are looking for and I will provide the link - basically you want the http://bibnum2.bnquebec.ca/bna/lovell/index.html then principal..... pick a year and then rue alphabetique rue is street just shout if you want more help
I don't know if this could be helpful at all, but while going through my Classmates.com page I came across Edward Harrington who was at Verdun High School 1956 - 1960. Good luck with your search.
Thanks for the Lovell's link, I dont understand French but I'm gradually finding my way around it Sadly I dont have an Edward Harrington in my list of relatives and I dont know the name of the school that my grandad and his brother attended other than the fact they wore naval uniforms there as I have photographs of them both. I have no real idea of how big Verdun is but I guess I was hoping for living relatives that could shed some light on Jimmy's disappearance or anybody that remembered him or his family. Thank you for the replys though.
Jinxxy I suppose you've considerd using a genealogist. They're inexpensive and very helpful.
S.A.
A geneologist did offer to help after i posted for information on a Canadian geneology site. He said he was in Verdun and could look up possible grave sites for my grandad and also in Toronto and check on missing person files. He wasnt cheap though and he wanted half the money up front and I chickened out from going ahead with it in case he just disappeared with the cash
OK if he is Catholic he would be buried in Notre Dame des Neiges Cemetary - they have online search you just have to put in the last name and everyone with that name comes up http://www.cimetierenddn.org/en/services/necrologie/recherche.asp There is also one for the non-catholics Mount Royal Cemetary or something like that
The Canadian government has a on-line list of Genealogists who they recommend. I don't remember the URL sorry. My genealogist charged me $160 at $20 per hour. She was located in Ottawa Ontario and found my grandmother's grave site in Montreal even though grandmother's name was not inscribed on the stone, To make even more difficult, she was registered on paper as Annie Fox and not Annie Foy (correct spelling - see my album entiled Biking) . She also discovered my grandfather had been raised in an orphanige in Ontario with two of his siblings. She mailed me copies of all the records which included aunts and uncles' baptisms etc.
S.A.
There are plenty of genealogy forums for looking up long lost relatives. One I found that might be of interest to you is http://genforum.genealogy.com/harrington/ You will be able to tell your story, and hopefully you will get some replies. They worked in my searches. Good luck Laurie
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Jinxxy When and if you take these names and addresses of Arnold, please let me know you have them. I will delete my posting for confidentiality.
(does that make sense ???)
Thanks Laurie
I would try the Dorval number first - my son grew up in Verdun but now lives in Pointe Claire which is 5 minutes from Dorval Airport - so Dorval is a more likely address.
I agree with Shirley...... I looked up Lovells, randomly picked a year..... 1971.... Arnold Harrington was listed at Brookhaven address. I lived one street over when I moved from Verdun to Dorval, and there were alot of senior citizens on that street. Lots of churches schools in that little area. Soooo maybe this fellow is your uncle. Wouldn't that be a start. Let us know. Laurie
Thank you so much for your replies. I have posted on so many geneology forums and never had as many helpful suggestions as I have recieved from here. My grandad always said that no people were as good as Verdun people so I guess he was telling the truth I have made a note of the contact details for both Arnold Harringtons so that the details can be deleted now. Am so tempted to call them but dont want to scare them if they are elderly so will write to them instead.
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Jinxxy. Give them a call. Just explain to them who you are searching for. And be sure to start off telling them you ARE NOT a telemarketer!!!!!!. Good luck.
Winston Allison ( formerly of 835 3rd Avenue, Verdun) Now in Vancouver, Washington, USA
Can’t afford to quit your job? – Earn your AS, BS, or MS degree online in 1 year.
Well call ask to speak to Arnold - start off my saying hello my name is michael/john/david whatever (sorry I dont know your name Jinxy) Harrington and I have an uncle Arnold Harrington - I am looking for my grand father's relatives would this Arnold Harrington have had a brother James Daniel??? what is worst case scenario they hang up. With any luck Arnold wont be dead and you end up talking to the Widow
I suggest you find out if he is from Verdun first, then state who you are and that your grandfather was James Daniel, who disappeared etc....... When people with missing relatives are contacted and the caller begins with the names of the missing person, hairs raise and suspicions arise.
Excellent point maggie.
S.A.
Good point Maggie - asking if he is originally from Verdun would be a good starting point.
I also think phoning would be the better option. If you sent a letter, he might not be able to write something back if he is quite elderly. He might put it aside and forget it. Laurie
The last year that Percy Harrington is listed at 1022 1st Avenue is '78-'79. There are a few Harringtons listed in Verdun over the 70's and a couple on Ouimet in LaSalle (not far from Verdun) I think Verdunites like to solve mysteries.
Just a quick update as you were all so kind in my search for information. I did try phoning Arnold Harrington a couple of times but got no reply so I am now hoping that he replies to my letter and that with luck he is my grandad's younger brother and knows what happened to him.
Wishing you a lot of success in your search. I have found in my searches that often people are reluctant to give out information in a phone call, but given half a chance, they'll eventually respond to a written letter. Gives them time to ponder what they want to reveal, to whom their revealing information and gives them the option of responding or not.
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