A Surname Inquiry
Dassy
Alfred J Dassy was born in London in 1900, he was taken to Canada on a ship called the Corsican in 1912 (although his age was incorrect on the passenger lists). Voter lists suggest he settled in the Muskoka/Parry Sound area from 1949 onwards. He married a woman called Anna at some point in the 1950s/60s but I have found no record of it. The last voter list he shows up on is in 1972 so I presume he died within 10 years of this.
Does anyone know anything about this man? Any marriage info, any death info, did he have children, what did he do for work... I appreciate that there are probably no photos of him. Any details at all would be overwhelmingly appreciated
5 comments
Maureen Groh
Alfred Dassy is listed on the British Home Child registry # 27074. He was brought to Canada as an indentured child by Catholic Emmigration Association. He was sent to Ottawa but that may have been their distribution home for children.
I will look a bit further. Should be able to find him on 1921 census. Most indentures were until the age of 21.
You can find more information on Home Child Canada. Try the FB page also.
Diane Shaw
Here he is on 1911 census in Stanwell Middlesex England
St Anthony’s Home for Boys
Alfred Dassy, male, 10, year of birth estimated 1901, school boy, inmate,
He was obviously living at the home but it doesn’t say for how long.
This was just a print out and for some reason I cannot locate the information on the original census.
I tried to find you an address in Ontario re date of death information but all they give you is a phone number or email address. Look under Archives of Ontario or ServiceOntario.
DOB appears to be very expensive to get.
Good luck. If I come upon the name I will let you know. It is also a French name.
Diane Shaw
Canada has strict privacy laws. Marriages not released in the time period you are looking for. I don’t know why he isn’t on the census. I checked the WW1 enlistment records for Canada but didn’t find him there.
This may be him on 1931 census in Alnwick Northumberland County Ontario. This is near the Ottawa area where his immigration said he was going. Census have a terrible reputation for having lots of mistakes in them but I think this is him except for age is off a bit which is not unusual.
Alfred Dassey,servant, 27, b England, parents born England, immigrated 1911. Roman Catholic, general farm labourer, white. He is living with/working for a Charlton Grigg.
Births: [ca. 1830]-1917 predominantly 1869-1917 (Note: these records include registrations for a small number of pre-1869 births)
Marriages: [ca. 1801]-1942 (Note: There are many gaps in pre-1869 marriage records)
Deaths: 1869-1952, and Deaths of Ontarians overseas – 1939-1947
For registrations of births after 1917, marriages after 1941 and deaths after 1951, please contact Service Ontario.
Diane Shaw
1949, 1957, 1962 voters list Bracebridge
Dassy Alfred was by himself in 1949 and Mrs Anna was there from 1957
1945 he is in Dorset and is a caretaker.
1935 he is labourer at RR2 Hastings
1940 a Alfred J Dassey is farmer in Innerkip, Oxford Ontario
On a family tree on Ancestry, his father is listed as Arthur Rutland, mother as Alice Dassey.
Why was he known as Dassey?
Cannot find him on 1921 or 1931 census. Marriages and deaths are not released in the time period you are looking for.
Megan
Hi Diane,
Thanks so much for that – I believe it’s my Ancestry family tree you’ve found. Yes he was definitely known as Dassy, his parents weren’t married although they made it seem that they were on the baptism record.
This mother had 6 children with at least 3/4 different men, they pretended to be married on paperwork (I presume this was to protect the children somehow) but the children were all known as ‘Dassy’ or a variation of it (‘Dassy’, ‘Dassey’, ‘D’Assey’, etc) and they were all raised by the mother with no mention of the father/s.
Apologies, I’m not familiar with Canadian law – when will marriages/deaths for this time period because available to the public? Also, is there anywhere best to find obituaries?
Also, what are the laws around releasing birth records please? There is a voters list for the last known address with an ‘Alf Dassy’ living there, but this is the late 1990s so I presume it’s Alfred and Anna’s son? Although I have no record of him after this.