top of page
Forum Posts
Ian Mattey
Jan 04, 2025
In Canadian Prowse Lines
Another, somewhat notable, Prowse line in Canada was the Beaumaris line, with origins in Liverpool, and before that from Teignmouth, Devon.
Beaumaris is a small town on Tondern Island in the middle of the Muskoka Lakes area, about 200 kilometres north of Toronto. Today, that region is an upscale cottage and resort area favoured by the upwardly mobile but many attribute it's start to Edward Prowse, b. 1840, 3rd generation of the Liverpool shipping magnate Prowses, and his brother-in-law John Henry 'Harry' Willmott.
William Prowse, b. circa 1784 in Teignmouth, Devon (per 1851 Census) was by 1804, when he married Jane Birchall, living and prospering in Liverpool. By 1841 he was already well established as a ship builder and merchant, having founded William Prowse & Co with Peter Colliver. Here is an interesting account of the Lalla Rookh, one of the ships of the William Prowse & Co. fleet. William, himself, retired to Bridgport, Dorset, where he died in 1858. Bridgport was where some of his ships were built or repaired by John Cox, including the largest ship ever built in the yard there, the 'Speedy'.
Several of Williams sons and grandsons would also become involved in, and eventually assume control of, the company. The company built and operated sailing ships that moved goods and people all over the world, whilst also importing and selling much of those goods in England. William's eldest child (of eight) was Joshua Prowse, who joined the firm and was a ship chandler. Joshua married Ann Bridson and they had seven children, the fifth of whom was Edward. Ann died in 1861 and Joshua in 1871. With four older brothers and the family business in freefall from the advent of steamships, which they failed to anticipate, Edward was ripe for new adventure when his brother-in-law told him about Beaumaris, so off he set with his wife, four young children, his brother-in-law, and his brother Robert.
John Harry Willmott was a banker and had heard about the Muskoka region from others and so checked it out on his way to a posting in South America. A year later, in 1873 he and Edward came to the area and bought a farm on the island, which included the 'White House' on the shores of the lake for the princely sum of $1,560. They saw the potential of the area as a 'get-away' destination for the well-to-do of Toronto and began to develop it with cottage and resort properties, all of which was accelerated with the building of a railway from Toronto to Bracebridge.
Norman Everett Prowse
Edward and Mary Ann Margaret Willmott had five more children after arrival at Beaumaris. All-in-all, they had ten children, six boys and four girls. Their second child, a son, died in infancy in England. All of the remaining nine died in Canada: one son died in 1883 and two other sons in 1887; none of them had married. Also, only one of the four daughters ever married, so in total only 3 of their children ever married and went on to have children of their own. Two of them were sons that survived into the mid-1900's; Horace Edward Prowse (1869-1955) and Norman Everett Prowse (1882-1946). Horace had four children with his wife Annie Elizabeth Broadley; two sons and two daughters, and from those children, records of a few grandchildren and great grandchildren are known. Norman had a son and daughter with his wife Irene Margaret Kelly but unfortunately no further records from this branch have yet been found.
Though perhaps not completely, the Beaumaris line has suffered the all-too-common process of 'daughtering-out'. I'm aware of one descendant of this line, Josh, from a maternal connection, though I'm waiting for info from him to connect him back to the line itself. I wonder if there are others out there?
0
0
13
Ian Mattey
Jan 04, 2025
In Canadian Prowse Lines
Hello all, it's been a hot minute since I last posted on the Forum but here we are...
I'm excited to say that Leanne Cooper and Robert Prowse, who are both descendants of the Prince Edward Island Prowses, as well as myself will be making a presentation on the many fascinating correlations of the Prowse lines in Canada and the history of Canada. Well known are the Newfoundland and PEI Prowse lines but there were many other Prowse branches that came to Canada - even one that came from Australia.
Did you know that there is a church in Winnipeg, my hometown, with Prowses from at least four different lines buried in the churchyard? Or that Judge, Daniel Woodley Prowse penned, with the help of his son, 1895's A History of Newfoundland? How many of you know that Newfoundland was the oldest British Colony, that its discovery by the Europeans predates Columbus by hundreds of years when the Vikings arrived, and that Newfoundland only became part of Canada in 1949?
Anyway, that's a bit of a sneak peek - hope you'll join us in September for the whole presentation.
Cheers and all the best in 2025!
0
0
9
Ian Mattey
Oct 19, 2023
In DNA
This Forum section is for discussion/interpretation of DNA testing results and to encourage Y-DNA testing of male Prowse descendents to help fill in missing gaps in the Prowse tree. Over to more knowledgable folks from here....
1
2
19
Ian Mattey
Oct 18, 2023
In Prowse Events
Your thoughts about having/attending a Prowse reunion in the next year or two? When? Where? Etc.?
0
2
30
Ian Mattey
Oct 12, 2023
In Prowses Down Under
Tell us about how your Prowse line came to be in Australia, your forebears, and any interesting anecdotes along the way?
2
22
140
Ian Mattey
Sep 07, 2023
In General Discussion
Alan Prowse yesterday sent a message asking: "I remember hearing that a Prowse married a Rothschild some years back last century, Do you know if this is so?"
Anyone know the answer?
1
0
39
Ian Mattey
Sep 14, 2022
In General Discussion
I found this to be a good article on explaining all those wacky first cousin, second cousin, once removed, twice removed relationships - plus, there's a downloadable chart. Cousin Chart—Family Relationships Explained by Family Search
0
0
24
Ian Mattey
Aug 26, 2022
In Canadian Prowse Lines
A new member, @alexandra.l.collard, is seeking further information on her Prowse tree. "Thanks for adding me I look forward to being in this group and hopefully gleaning useful information for my family tree. My great grandmother was Anna Sibella Prowse, daughter of George Prowse of Montreal, Quebec, Canada. I have traced his tree back to William Prowse (1490) of Devon England, but I can't seem to go further. If anyone has information on his parents or spouse, it would be much appreciated." George Fabes Prowse b. 1805 in Devon - d. 1883 in Montreal. m. Sarah Neal 1805 - 1871
1
16
130
Ian Mattey
Mar 06, 2021
In Famous Prowses
0
4
83
Ian Mattey
Admin
More actions
bottom of page