Brown, Percy Harold

Percy Harold Brown was born on 4 August 1875 in the Clapham area of London, England. His father Alfred Piercy Brown, a tobacco manufacturer, was from the Holborn area of London while his mother Emily Mortlock was from Seal in Kent. The couple’s marriage was registered during the third quarter of 1891 in St George Hanover Square, London. Children born to Alfred and Emily were Emily Mary (1872), Beatrice Catherine (1874), Percy, Alfred George (1877), and Ernest Piercy (1878). The family employed domestic Mary Cox for many years. By the time of the 1901 census Percy’s mother had died.

During the second quarter of 1899, in Lambeth, London, Percy married Evelyn May Sharpington. Born on 1 August 1877, Evelyn was the daughter of Arthur Joseph Sharpington, a bricklayer, and Susannah Crow who had married in 1868 in Lambeth. At the time of the 1901 England census Percy and Evelyn were living in Clapham with Percy working as a commercial clerk. Evelyn had given birth to daughter Eva Grace in 1897 in Lambeth, with Eva assuming the Brown surname by the time of the census. Daughter Doris Edna was born in 1899.

The Brown family immigrated to Canada in 1904, arriving in Montreal aboard the Vancouver on June 26th. Percy’s occupation was given as plasterer on the passenger list, with the family on their way to Manitoba. First settling in Winnipeg, by the time of the 1911 Canada census they were living in Kenora, Ontario where Percy was working as a clerk in a cigar store.

Moving back to Winnipeg, Percy enlisted on 14 June 1915 in Winnipeg. His occupation was given as clerk and his wife Evelyn on Laura Street in Winnipeg as next of kin. As a Private with the 221st Battalion, he arrived in England on 19 April 1917 aboard the Ausonia. First posted to the 11th Reserve Battalion upon arrival, he was transferred to the 78th Battalion (Winnipeg Grenadiers) on 7 June of 1917, awarded a Good Conduct Badge a week later. The 78th Battalion had disembarked in France on 13 August 1916, where it fought as part of the 12th Brigade, 4th Canadian Division in France and Flanders until the armistice. Percy was granted a two week leave in mid January of 1918. From mid April until into July, Percy spent time in a number of hospitals and convalescent depots in Etaples and Trouville (tonsillitis, vds, stomatitis), rejoining his unit in mid August. In late November he was appointed Lance Corporal and was granted a two week leave to the UK in early March of 1919. Returning to England that May, Percy embarked for Canada aboard the Adriatic on 31 May, arriving in Halifax on 7 June. He was discharged from service on demobilization 12 June 1919 in Winnipeg.

For a while after the war Percy, Evelyn, and Doris lived on Balmoral Street in Winnipeg, with daughter Eva having married Rudolph Busch in 1916 in the city. Moving to Rue La Verendrye in the Saint Boniface area of Winnipeg, according to his later obituary Percy worked for the customs service.

Percy died on 12 August 1926 in Saint Boniface Hospital only minutes after being admitted for surgery for an abscess on his throat. At the time of his death he was survived by his wife Evelyn, his two daughters, siblings Emily Nichols (d 1947, London, England), Beatrice (d 1953, London, England), Alfred (d 1959, Vancouver, Canada), and Ernest (d 1971 Victoria, Canada). He was predeceased by his mother and father (1916) back in England. Percy’s wife Evelyn later died on 25 June 1950, with their daughter Doris dying four days later, both in Winnipeg. Daughter Eva (James) Logie died in 1986, also in Winnipeg. Percy, Evelyn, Eva, and Grace are all interred in Brookside Cemetery, Winnipeg.

By Judy Stockham

Percy’s grave marker photograph provided by Laura R, findagrave.com.

 

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