Person

Percival “Percy” was the youngest of eight sons born to Harvey Darke, a draper’s assistant from Manchester, and his wife Susannah Darke, nee Jacques born and raised in Sunderland. They married in the autumn of 1865 in Sunderland and spent their married life in Bishopwearmouth. Their first child Alfred James was born when they were living in North Durham Street and ten years later they were living in Gill Bridge Avenue with six boys and Susannah’s parents. In 1891 they were living at 7 St Marks Road North, Bishopwearmouth with seven of the boys, the oldest Alfred having married and left home.

When the 1901 census was taken Harvey Darke had just died and there is no record in Sunderland of Susannah or 11-year-old Percival. Bertie was in the Royal Navy on board HMS Furness and all the other boys were married. Susannah died in Sunderland in February 1910 and on census day 1911 Percival was working as a linotype operator, and living in Portsmouth, Hampshire with his elder brother Harvey and his family. Eleven months later he was in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada having sailed from Liverpool on board the SS Teutonic, bound for South Falls, Ontario and life as a farmer.

1913 saw Percy living in Regina, Saskatchewan and working as a printer where he built a successful career until he joined the Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF) in 1917. He originally enlisted and passed his medical on 2 January 1917, but was hospitalised with “la grippe” [influenza] and did not officially become Driver 1250721 in the 77th Depot Battery, Canadian Field Artillery (CFA) until three weeks later. Prior to sailing for England he made his will, leaving everything to his brother Wardell, although he changed this the following year to Wardell and Alfred.

April 1917 saw him in Shorncliffe Camp, Kent attached to the Reserve Brigade CFA and after two weeks leave in July he was in France attached to Canadian Corps Reinforcement Camp. After a stay in hospital in France at Etaples with pleurisy and convalescence at Trouville, Percy was posted to the 27th Brigade CFA in January 1918. He remained with that unit until his return to England in March 1919 and a posting to the 48th Battery until his discharge in Toronto, Canada on 7 May 1919.

Returning to Regina and a home at 2249 Osler Street, the 1921 Canadian census has him living in one room in a wooden house in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan and working as a farmer. It may have been here that he met and married Constance Scott, who had emigrated to Canada with her mother in 1917 and settled in Saskatchewan.

By 1949, Percy and Constance were living at 737 Partington Avenue, Essex, Ontario and Percy was again working as a printer. They were still in Essex at the time of the 1957 Voters List that records Percy as a gentleman; presumably retired. He was formally retired by 1963 and his last listing in 1974 shows Percy and Constance living in a retirement apartment in Windsor, Ontario.

Civil Parish: Sunderland

Birth date: 12-Jan-1890

Armed force/civilian: Army

Residence: 7 St Marks Road North, Bishopwearmouth (birthplace)
102 Esslemont Road, Southsea, Portsmouth, Hampshire (1911census)
737 Partington Avenue, Essex, Ontario, Canada (1949 voters list)
3286 Byng Road, Essex, Ontario, Canada (1957 voters list)
2344 George Street, Essex, Ontario, Canada (1963/5 voters lists)
505 Oak Tree, Windsor, Ontario, Canada (1974 voters list)

Employment: Linotype operator (1911 England census)
Printer (1913 Canada)
Farmer (1921 Canadian census)

Family: Parents: Harvey Darke, Susannah Darke nee Jacques
Siblings: Alfred, Enock, Wardell, William, Frederic, Harvey, Bertie
Wife: Constance Darke nee Scott

Military service:

1250721
Driver
Canadian Field Artillery

Gender: Male

Contributed by Jayell, Durham