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Alfred George “Alf” Pugh

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Alfred George “Alf” Pugh

Birth	:	19 Aug 1877 Southwark, London Borough of Southwark, Greater London, England
Death	:	5 Apr 1956 Calgary, Calgary Census Division, Alberta, Canada
Burial	:	Hanna Cemetery, Hanna, Hanna Census Division, Canada
Coordinate	:	51.6629500, -111.9205100
Plot	:	OLD SECTION Block 79 SW 03 (no headstone)
Inscription	:	NO HEADSTONE MARKER
Description	:	Notes by Mindy C. Pugh: Alfred George Pugh was the second child of poor parents in south London, England (Southwark, Surrey): George Pugh (a London dock worker, or "porter") and Louisa Mary Ann (nee Ash) Pugh. His siblings were: Eleanor Louisa or "Nellie" (1875-1951; Find a Grave Memorial #144101944); William Edward (1879-1917: Find a Grave Memorial #26607679); and Sidney Herbert (1882-1952: Find a Grave Memorial #125724736)--the last being my own grandfather. Following his mother's death in early 1888, Alfred George's father George was apparently unable to take care of his children (perhaps he was already in failing health), for... Read More	Notes by Mindy C. Pugh: Alfred George Pugh was the second child of poor parents in south London, England (Southwark, Surrey): George Pugh (a London dock worker, or "porter") and Louisa Mary Ann (nee Ash) Pugh. His siblings were: Eleanor Louisa or "Nellie" (1875-1951; Find a Grave Memorial #144101944); William Edward (1879-1917: Find a Grave Memorial #26607679); and Sidney Herbert (1882-1952: Find a Grave Memorial #125724736)--the last being my own grandfather. Following his mother's death in early 1888, Alfred George's father George was apparently unable to take care of his children (perhaps he was already in failing health), for by the summer of 1888 his three sons were in the care of J.W.C. Fegan, an evangelical who operated several "rescue homes" in the London area (and who accepted only boys). Fegan and other London "rescue home" operators routinely shipped orphans and semi-orphans over to Canada, where it was assumed that the children would have a brighter future. The three Pugh brothers were therefore fated to be among the 80,000 "Home Children" (most under the age of fourteen) who were apprenticed as agricultural laborers and domestic servants in rural Canada between 1868 and 1925. Their elder sister, Nellie, was old enough at the time to find work as a domestic servant and remain in England. Fegan shipped Alfred George to Ontario in March 1889 after "10 months in the home" (in London). At the time Alfred George was shipped to Canada, Fegan himself wrote that the boy was "rather dull, no moral failing." Given what we do know about Alfred George's subsequent life, this appears to have been an accurate assessment. Surviving examples of George's writing reveal awkward penmanship and a limited, stilted style; whereas his younger brother Sidney (who was given the same education at Fegan's) had better penmanship and command of language. At the same time, Alfred George clearly worked hard and had a sense of responsibility, as will be shown below. On April 13, 1889, Alfred George's services were engaged to L. Hunter of Caledon, Peel County, Ontario (for food and clothers to age 18). Fegan's "distributing home" in Toronto recorded on June 12, 1889 that it had a "letter from boy. Very happy, doing well." On June 12, 1890, the boy was engaged to John Jackson of Elmbank, Peel County, Ontario for $30 for his first year, $40 for his second year, and $50 for his third year. On October 20, 1891, the boy was transferred to Henry Jackson of Elmbank, Ontario, on the same terms. On October 29, 1892, the boy was engaged to David Dores of Littlewood, Middlesex County, Ontario, where he remained until November 10, 1893, when he was engaged to William Blake of Benmiller, Huron County, Ontario, where he apparently remained until August 12, 1895. He then (according to Fegan's Toronto records) "returned from North West on November 28, 1895." It is then not clear from Fegan's Toronto records where Alfred George lived before he "went to England" in January 1897, though one might assume he returned to live wtih William Blake for most of 1896. He apparently then remained in England for over a year (from January 1897 until April 1898), for an "Alfred G. Pugh," laborer, aged 21, arrived at Halifax, Nova Scotia on April 9, 1898 on board the "Labrador," which had departed from Liverpool. His destination was given as Toronto. The final record for Alfred George in Fegan's Toronto records was that he was with "Mr. Gardhouse of Humber, Ontario" (outside Toronto) as of June 1898. We know from Fegan's records that Alfred George's brothers William and Sidney were also engaged to farmers in the Toronto area at that time, but it appears that later that year Alfred George and William left for the Northwest, leaving Sidney behind (which he resented for the rest of his life). After 1898 the whereabouts of Alfred George and William becomes hard to trace for some years. For one thing, it is not clear from Fegan's Toronto records if "North West" meant British Columbia, Alberta, and points north, or if it simply meant the northwestern part of Ontario (which was also a frontier area). William appears to have been the first one to settle furthest west, given that he married in Spokane, Washington in 1904, whereas Alfred George does not appear to have settled in the Canadian west until 1910 or 1911. The 1901 Canadian census shows an Alfred Pugh of the right age working as a miner at North West Point in Ontario's Algoma district, whereas the 1910 U.S. census shows an Alfred G. Pugh of the right age living in Eureka, Dakota County, Minnesota as a farm laborer; his year of immigration to the U.S. is given as 1904. By the 1911 Canadian census, however, Alfred George was living at or near Red Deer, Alberta, where he had been joined by William, William's wife (Maggie), and their young daughter (Gladys); they evidently lived on a farm next to his. The William Pughs remained there through the birth of their son (Charles Elmo) in August 1912 and then returned to Spokane a half year after that. The 1916 Alberta census shows Alfred George as residing at Battle River. Family tradition indicates that Alfred George visited England several times after his time there in 1897-98, the latest being in the 1930s (his English nephew Hugh Dove reported years later that Alfred George enjoyed English soccer). One of those visits was no doubt in 1907, for it was in that year that Alfred George paid his only visit to his brother Sidney following their separation in 1898. A postcard sent by Alfred George from Buffalo, New York to Sidney in Milwaukee, postmarked June 14, 1907, strongly suggests that George was either on his way to England or returning from there. This would have given Alfred George a chance to stop in Milwaukee when either leaving or returning to his home (which could have been in Minnesota by then--see above) . Another clue exists in a photograph that was taken at the "Milwaukee Art Novelty Co." In it, Sidney is standing behind a seated, slightly older man with straight, black hair. Sid would have been 24 years old in 1907, and he appears to be this age in the photograph. The seated man is probably Alfred George. The 1907 Milwaukee city directory shows that the Milwaukee Art Novelty Co. had two addresses: 307 Third and 530 Grand Avenue. 530 Grand was one block north of the Johnson boarding house, on or near the northwest corner of Fifth and Grand (now Fifth and Wisconsin); this is probably where the photograph was taken. Sid's widow Ethel later reported that Sidney was so rude to Alfred George during that 1907 visit that Alfred George never visited him again. A postcard mailed by Nellie (Pugh) Dove to her brother Sidney in early 1927 said that Alfred George was leaving via Southampton following another of his visits to England. His ship, the "Minnedosa," arrived at St. John, New Brunswick on March 12, 1927. The ship's list indicated that Alfred George was 49 years old, a landed immigrant, and his destination was Talbot, Alberta. The 1952 obituary for Sidney indicates that Alfred George was residing at Coronation, but that was probably old information by then (he was probably at Youngstown instead--see below). The Fegan home records (quoted above) indicate that Alfred George was hard-working, and there is indeed one more indication that he had a strong sense of honor. J.W.C. Fegan strongly encouraged his "boys," once they had established themselves in Canada, to repay the cost of their transport to Canada, so that other "boys" could then be sent over. Fegan set this cost at 10 pounds (which was a substantial amount in the 1890s), but once a "Fegan boy" had repaid that amount his name was entered on a Fegan "Roll of Honour" as one of the "Old Boys" who had helped "give some other poor fellows a chance in life." This "Roll of Honour" was periodically reproduced in Fegan's newsletters, and it indicates that Alfred George "went out" from England in 1889 and repaid the cost of his passage in 1894. Alfred George must have been quite proud of this honor, for in a 1919 letter that his sister Nellie (Pugh) Dove wrote from England to their brother Sidney in Michigan, she referred to Alfred George as "Dear Old Boy"--though he was a couple years younger than she. Alfred George's 1956 death certificate provides us with a glimpse of his final years. It states that he last worked as a farmer 11 years before (ca. 1945), and then for some time was a resident at the Eventide Home in Youngstown, Alberta (located east of Hanna). For the last six months of his life he was a resident at the Tuxedo Nursing Home (2417 14A St. W) in Calgary, where he died after suffering from pneumonia for three days; his death certificate indicated that he also suffered from "senile debility." Alfred George's burial record indicates that his funeral arrangements were handled by the Whyte Funeral Home of Hanna, Alberta, and that he was buried at Hanna ("Grave 3, S.W. 79"). The death certificate also indicates that Alfred George had been resident in Alberta for 42 years (which dates back to around 1913), but we know that he was there in 1911. Still, allowing for a few years' discrepancy, this strongly suggests that Alfred George did not permanently settle in Alberta until the 1910s---and that the Alfred G.Pugh who appeared in the 1910 U.S. census (in Minnesota) was no doubt him. Family tradition maintained that Alfred Geoge's nursing home burned some years after his death; it was not specified whether that was the one in Youngstown or in Calgary. No suggestions have been offered (either in family tradition or in public records) as to why Alfred Pugh never married. He was no doubt-hard working and did have a sense of honor/responsibility; the one possible photo we have of him (from Milwaukee, almost certainly 1907) shows a well-groomed and handsome man. But perhaps he prized his independence greatly, and might have been "odd" (remembering that J.W. C. Fegan labelled himn as "dull").

frequently asked questions (FAQ):

Where is Alfred George “Alf” Pugh's memorial?
Alfred George “Alf” Pugh's memorial is located at: Hanna Cemetery, Hanna, Hanna Census Division, Canada.
When did Alfred George “Alf” Pugh death?
Alfred George “Alf” Pugh death on 5 Apr 1956 in Calgary, Calgary Census Division, Alberta, Canada
Where are the coordinates of the Alfred George “Alf” Pugh's memorial?
Latitude: 51.6629500
Longitude: -111.9205100

Family Members:

Parent

Siblings

William Edward Pugh

(1879 - 1917)

Flowers:

Left by Anonymous on 13 Nov 2017

Left by Anonymous on 28 May 2022

Nearby Cemetories:

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Coordinate: 51.6629500, -111.9205100

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