Arthur Minter

1876 - 1932  (56 years)

• Name	Arthur Minter
  Birth	2 Apr 1876	Coombmartin, Devon   [1]
  Gender	Male
  _UID	B7E7B498074946C2A32A9213F65FB8A566A1
  Death	23 Sep 1932	Toronto, Ontario, Canada   [2]
  Notes	1901 census: Arthur, 24, single was a stoker on the Royal Navy ship 'Royal Sovereign', on station in Malta. From the Ellis Island web site: Arthur (31, a stoker) and brother Walter (25, engine driver) arrived in New York on the SS New York on 2 June 1907, having left Southampton on 25 May 1907. They were en route for Toronto, to their friend Mr Bray, 380 Montrose Avenue, Toronto. Arthur's marital status was given as 'm' **, Walter's as 's'. They had $28 each. There is a possible link with sister Harriett, who in 1891 was living as BRAY, DRAY or GRAY but there is no sign of Harriett on the Ellis Island site. ** A possible explanation for the 'm' is that Arthur may have been the Arthur Minter who married Bessie Vanstone in Q4 1898 (Cardiff 11a/589). Bessie was born in Hartland, Devon which is about 14 miles from where Arthur was born. Why the marriage took place in Cardiff isn't known but Bessie's first child Emily Louisa was born there in Q1 1899 (suggesting an enforced marriage) and a second child was also born there in Q3 1900. Bessie Minter appears in the 1901 census as a visitor at 15 Union Street, Bideford, Devon with Tom Humphrey, 37 a railway labourer, born Aldershot, Hants, his wife Mary E Humphrey, 38 a laundress, born Barnstaple, Devon and their daughter Ellen M Humphrey, 6½, born Barnstaple, Devon. Bessie was said to be unmarried, aged 25 a collar machinist born in Hartland, Devon. With her were her two children, both born in Cardiff, Emily L, 2½ (whose birth as Emily Louisa was registered in Q1 1899 (Cardiff 11a/453)) and William R, 9 months (whose birth as William Robert was registered in Q3 1900 (Cardiff 11a/384)). It would seem that if Bessie was indeed Arthur's wife, he left her as an 'unmarried' mother by 1901 (at which time he was at sea - see above) and deserted her completely by emigrating to Canada in 1907. Bessie hasn't been found in the 1911 census but probably married Edwards Tiernay in 1920. The 1898 marriage certificate might confirm the above but hasn't been obtained. January 2009: see sister Harriet's notes. She married James Arthur Harknett, aka Dray in Q4 1890, so perhaps the reference above to 'Mr Bray' should be to 'Mr Dray'. The following site indicates that Arthur joined the Canadian Overseas Expeditionary Force on 15 April 1915 at Toronto: http://data2.archives.ca/cef/gpc011/501017a.gif Name: Arthur Minter; Birthplace: Barnstaple, Devonshire, England; Next of kin: Mrs Arknett, Fryer St, Shoeburyness, Essex; Birth date: April 2 1876; Occupation: fireman; Married: no; Previous military service: Royal Navy; Apparent age: 39 years; Height: 5 ft 8 1/2 ins; Chest 39 in, range of expansion 4 ins; Compexion: dark; Eyes: grey; Hair: black turning grey; Religion: C of E; Several tattoos. January 2009: the 'Mrs Arknett' referred to above would have been Arthur's sister Harriet Harknett.
  Person ID	I426	Canterbury, Kent
  Last Modified	5 Jun 2020

  
  

  Father	Charles Minter,   b. 18 Jul 1826, Canterbury, Kent d. 22 Oct 1894, Rochford, Essex (Age 68 years)
  Mother	Eliza COTGROVE,   b. 24 Jul 1838, Leigh, Essex d. 11 Jul 1905, Rochford, Essex (Age 66 years)
  Marriage	9 Nov 1857	Leigh, Essex   [3]
  Family ID	F151	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Bessie VANSTONE,   b. Jun 1874, Hartland, Devon d. Mar 1939, Southampton RD (Age 64 years)
  Marriage	Dec 1898	Cardiff RD   [4]
  Children	1. Emily Louise Minter,   b. 31 Dec 1898, Camden, London d. Dec 1970, Southampton RD (Age 71 years)   2. William Robert Minter,   b. 20 Jun 1900, Cardiff RD d. Dec 1966, Bournemouth RD (Age 66 years)
  Family ID	F346	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	11 Dec 2011

  
  

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  Birth - 2 Apr 1876 - Coombmartin, Devon Death - 23 Sep 1932 - Toronto, Ontario, Canada  = Link to Google Earth

  
  

• Sources

  [S14] BMD index. [S129] Family Search, Janaury 2012. [S14] BMD index, Q4 1857 Rochford 4a/272. Date from Lydia Freeman. Place from Paul Twyman, March 2010. (Reliability: 3). [S14] BMD index, Q4 1898 Cardiff 11a/589. (Reliability: 3).