Version 6.01

11 February 2025

David March © 2014

Ada Darling Doak was born on 21 October 1887 in Doaktown, New Brunswick, Canada to Joseph Edward Doak (1852-1919) & Mary Ann Curtis (1860-1935). Ada had two brothers, F Johnson (b 1883) & Ernest Havaland (1884-1962) and three sisters, Agnes Grace (1891-1990), Bessie (b 1891) & Daisy Alma Montgomery (b 1900). Joseph was a carpenter at the time of his marriage on 12 December 1881. He was following in his father’s trade as did his brothers.

Joseph came to Saskatoon in 1909 when he established the Doak Manufacturing Company on Main St supplying timber and wood products to the building trade. Over the succeeding years the business provided employment for several members of the family. Ada worked as a stenographer in her father’s office in 1910 and in the same year, the company had over twenty employees. This was at the height of the Saskatoon boom. The mill closed about 1918.

Ada married Arthur Victor Costley on 22 September 1912 in Saskatoon. Arthur was born on 24 May 1887 in Kentville, Kings, Nova Scotia, Canada to David Truman Costley (1836-1923) & Elizabeth N Lockhart (1839-1907). Arthur had two sisters, Sarah Lavinia Costley (1870-1949) & Mary (1875-1949) and one brother, Truman Edwin Costley (1883-1975).

Arthur was an electrician by trade having arrived in Saskatoon in 1910. He worked for Fletcher & McGarvey, Electricians who were based at 230 1st Ave. Arthur progressed through the company becoming a sales manager by 1914. From 1918, he had taken ownership of the company and later when they moved premises, renamed it Broadway Electrical & Radio Shop.

Ada & Arthur raised two sons, Cyril Victor Doak Costley (1913-1987) & Lloyd Johnstone Costley (1916-1971) and one daughter, Ruth Gwendolyn Costley born in 1921 who died in infancy aged 4 years.

When the boys were older, Ada ran her own business, Broadway Seed, from the same premises as Arthur’s electrical business.

Arthur & Ada retired to Vancouver, British Columbia where Arthur died about 1950 and Ada died on 7 September 1971.

The family tree can be found on Ancestry under the title 3rd Ave Costley Tree.

 Mrs A V COSTLEY née ADA DARLING DOAK