Version 6.01

11 February 2025

David March © 2014

HAZEL LEOLA MacKAY

Hazel Leola MacKay was born on 12 June 1909 in Winnipeg, Manitoba to Alexander David McKay (1884-1958) and Minnie Wray Wells (1885-1959). She had one brother, Clifford Hugh Alexander (1909-1984). In 1911 the McKay family was living in the Crowe Block in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. From 1914-1919 they were at 122 9th St in Saskatoon and in 1921 at 2050 Retallack Street in Regina, Saskatchewan. Alexander was a traveller for Moose Jaw Glass & Supply Co and then manager for Can Supply Co in Saskatoon.

It would appear that Hazel and her brother changed the spelling of their last name to MacKay as that was the spelling used in her signature as a witness to her brother's marriage in 1934 and on death and marriage records found for her brother. Her parents were both registered under the surname McKay on their death records.

Hazel had moved to Vancouver by the time she was 19 and worked as a stenographer for various companies. By 1935 she was working as a stenographer for Home Oil Company. Hazel married Sydney Francis (Frank) Barbour circa 1944. Frank was also working for Home Oil company at this time.

Frank was born on 31 December 1889 at 52 Howson Road, Lewisham, England to Edward Alexander Barber (1856-1938) and Sarah Jane Horey (1862-1940). He was baptized on 30 March 1890 at St Mary, Lewisham. His siblings were: Alice (b 1882), Edward Alexander (Ted) (b 1883), Ada Florence (b 1884), Dora Marriott (b 1886), Frederick William (1887-1970), Violet Maude (1889-1976), Reginald Alfred (b 1891), Charles Edwin John (b 1893), Marguerita Wallace (b 1895), Roland (b 1897), Lillian Edith (b 1899), Ella May (b 1900), Harold (b 1902) and Norah (b 1905). In 1891 the Barber family was living at 38 Lennard Road, Beckenham, Kent England and in 1901 at 6 Clifford Road, Croydon, Surrey, England.

It would seem that Frank decided to change his surname to Barbour when he immigrated to Canada because he used that surname on 28 August 1907 when he boarded the SS 'Lake Manitoba' in Liverpool, England. He arrived in Montreal, Quebec on 7 September 1907 and gave his final destination as Winnipeg, Manitoba. Almost every document and listing found for him in Canada was under the name Barbour. In 1913 he travelled to the Federated Malay States to visit his brother, Ted, and on to Yokohama, Japan in 1914.

Frank was a lodger in Isle a la Crosse, Saskatchewan at the time of the 1916 census and married Eleanor Matilda Parker circa 1917. Frank joined the Royal Flying Corp on 21 November 1917 and was discharged on 11 May 1918 as he suffered from nausea when flying.

On 28 August 1918 when he enlisted for WWI in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan he listed his occupation as North West Mounted Police and his wife, Eleanor M Barber as next of kin. Eleanor died the same year.

Frank married Karen Kristine Balborg Sorenson (1888-1934) on 25 June 1921 in Port Moody, British Columbia. He was identified as a widower on his marriage registration. In the 1920's Frank lived in Vancouver, British Columbia and worked for Union Oil as an assistant district sales manager. In the 1930's and 1940's he still lived in Vancouver, but was working for Home Oil as a purchasing agent. It is likely that he met Hazel while working for Home Oil because she was a stenographer for that company from at least 1935 to the time of her marriage.

In 1944 Syd F and Hazel Barbour were listed at # 101 1919 Robson Street in Vancouver. In 1944 Frank was department superintendent for Home Oil and in 1945, superintendent of a refinery. In 1945 the couple was living at 2411 Bellevue Street West in Vancouver. In 1962 they were still at the same address, but Hazel was listed as a statistician and Frank as retired. Frank died on 5 April 1982 in Williams Lake, British Columbia and Hazel on 1 April 1985 in Vancouver.

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

Additional information has kindly been provided by Carolyn Jones, great niece of Frank Barbour.