Version 6.01

11 February 2025

David March © 2014

ELLEN “MAY” THOMPSON

Ellen “May” Wheatley was born on 22 August 1898 in St Pancras, London, England to John Henry W Wheatley (1857-1939) and Ellen May Cook (1866-1908). She had one brother John Henry (b 1896) and several step-siblings, Lillie Annie (1886-1925), Hilda May (1885-1920), Violey Beatrice (b 1888) & Maud (b 1892).

May was married to William Edward Thompson in Pancras, London in the first quarter of 1919. May and William set sail from Liverpool on a troop ship, SS ‘Baltic’, and arrived in Halifax, Nova Scotia on 21 August 1919. They gave their final destination as Star City, Saskatchewan. William was born on 3 April 1891 in Islington, York County, Ontario to George Alexander Thompson (b 1855) and Georgina Peers (b 1857). His siblings were: George Alexander (b 1878), Hugh Peers (b 1880), Thomas Archibald (b 1887), Georgina May (b 1893) and Charles Laurence (b 1897). The Thompson family lived in York until at least 1891.

By 1901 they had moved to Winnipeg, Manitoba and by 1916 to Star City, Saskatchewan. William enlisted for WWI on 8 May 1916 whilst he was living at 431 Magnus Ave, Winnipeg. He gave his occupation as accountant. He arrived in Liverpool, England on 12 August 1917. It is presumed that he met and married Ellen May while in England.

By 1921, William and May were living at #4 Coronation Court, 444 5th Ave N, Saskatoon and William was credit manager for J H Ashdown Hardware Co, post he held until about 1932. The family then moved to Vancouver, British Columbia. William served in the military during WWII from 1942-1945. Ellen and William were divorced when he died on 21 August 1969 in Vancouver, British Columbia.

The name written on the quilt was clearly Mae Thompson. Although we could find no document where Ellen May used the spelling Mae, we could find no other candidate for this signature. Perhaps someone else signed for her or she changed the spelling of her name at some point. It is also very possible that we were unable to correctly identify the person belonging to this signature.

This family tree can be found on Ancestry under the title 3rd Ave Thompson 4 Tree.