Kenora Great War Project

 

Personal Details
Date of BirthApril 19, 1873
Place of BirthBirkenhead
CountryEngland
Marital StatusMarried
Next of KinElizabeth Scott (Wife), Bay Street, Keewatin, Ontario
Trade / CallingFlour Packer
ReligionPresbyterian
Service Details
Regimental Number820694
Service Record Link to Service Record
Battalion141st Battalion
ForceCanadian Expeditionary Force
BranchCanadian Infantry
Enlisted / ConscriptedEnlisted
Address at EnlistmentBay Street, Keewatin, Ontario
Date of EnlistmentMay 1, 1916
Age at Enlistment43
Theatre of ServiceGreat Britain
Prisoner of WarNo
Survived WarYes
Death Details
Date of DeathJune 22, 1950
Age at Death77
Buried AtLake of the Woods Cemetery, Kenora, Ontario
Plot52E-36-3

Scott, Thomas Steele

Birth and early life:    The obituary of Thomas Steele Scott states he was born in Wishart, England and died in his 59th year; however, records indicate he was born April 19, 1873, Birkenhead, Cheshire, England, son of Thomas Scott and Janet A. Steele. By the time the 1881 census was taken, the family was living in Wylies Land Concession, Cambusnethan, Lanarkshire, Scotland. Thomas, the father, is a coal miner and Janet is at home raising their five children: William S. (born one month before the 1871 census); Thomas; Elizabeth B. (born about 1876); Mary M. (born about 1878); and Marion (born 1880).

Thomas married Elizabeth Calderhead Lindsay on June 29, 1900 at the Methodist Church Hall, Caledonian Road, Wishart, Lanarkshire, Scotland. Thomas’ parents and Lizzie’s father were all deceased at this time. Three years later, on June 20, 1903, the couple departed from the port of Glasgow on the  S.S. Sicilian  and arrived in Montreal ten days later on June 30th. Thomas was a miner and he and Lizzie were heading to Shoal Lake, Manitoba. By the time of the 1911 Census, they had moved into Keewatin where Thomas was employed as a flour packer at the flour mill.  He and Lizzie were living on Bay Street. They had no children.

War experience:  At the age of 43, on May 1, 1916, Thomas enlisted in Keewatin, Ontario, with the 141st Overseas Battalion, also known as the Bull Moose Battalion. He listed his faith as Presbyterian.  Lizzie was next of kin.  The Kenora Miner and News recorded the day the battalion left for training in Port Arthur:

The Keewatin unit accompanied by the Keewatin band and a great crowd of friends came over in the ferry and private launches. The band played many patriotic numbers which delighted the crowd and pleased the men who were leaving.

While in Port Arthur, Ontario, he was hospitalized for tonsillitis for four days in December 1916; then, on February 23, 1917, Thomas made out his will leaving everything to his wife. In April, the battalion traveled to Halifax and on the 28th of the month, Private Scott and the rest of the 141st embarked on the  S.S. Olympic  at Halifax, landing in Liverpool on May 7th.

Thomas was immediately sent to Shorncliffe and on May 14th was transferred to the 18th Canadian Reserve Battalion at Dibgate. On September 7, 1917, he was posted to the Manitoba Regimental Depot (MRD) then on the 9th was sent to the Canadian Forestry Corps. On September 16th, he was taken on strength from the MRD to Base Depot CFC Sunningdale.    On February 25, 1918, Thomas was appointed Acting Corporal then reverted to Private on April 19, 1918. On this same day, he was posted to Company 127, District 52, Sunningdale, taken on strength in Carlisle, England. He remained here until the following year, when, on March 28, he was struck off strength and reposted to the base Depot at Sunningdale. On April 19, 1919, Thomas was transferred to MD 10, Canada Camp. On April 20th he went to Kinmel Park to prepare for the return to Canada.    He was discharged May 1, 1919.

Life after the war:    Following the war, Thomas returned to Keewatin and took over his old job as packer at the mill.    In the 1921 census, he and Elizabeth were in their late 40’s and had remained childless.    They were living on Ottawa Street at the time.  In the 1935 and 1945 Canada Voters’ Lists, Thomas was employed as a caretaker at the Keewatin Post Office.    Elizabeth died January 26, 1948 and, in the 1950 Voters List, Thomas was recorded as being retired and living alone in Keewatin.    Thomas had been a member of the IOOF Minnetonka Lodge #292 and also a member of the Royal Canadian Legion, Keewatin Branch.

Date of death and burial location:    Thomas died June 22, of 1950 and was buried on the 24th, alongside Elizabeth in the Angel Crest Block, Lake of the Woods Cemetery, Kenora.

By Susan (Hillman) Brazeau in support of the Kenora Great War Project – honouring all who served, remembering those who died

SOURCES
1881 Scottish Census
Scotlandspeople.gov.uk
1891 Scottish Census
Passenger Lists: 1903
1911 Canada Census
1916 Canada Census
Library and Archives Canada: Attestation Paper and Service Record
1921 Canada Census
Canada Voters’ Lists 1935, 1945
Kenora Miner and News:   Obituary June 23, 1950
Lake of the Woods Cemetery Records

Scott-Thomas-Steele-10 Scott-Thomas-Steele-11 Scott-Thomas-Steele-12 Scott-Thomas-Steele-13 Scott-Thomas-Steele-14 Scott-Thomas-Steele-15


« Back To Soldier Biographies