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- aka Bob. Birth Registration 038453 Archives of Ontario microfilm MS929 Reel 144. Birth was attended by Dr. J.N. Harvie. Robert signed his enlistment Attestation Papers on 3 May 1918 in Regina, Regimental Number 2684207. Born 9 November 1898 in Orillia, Ontario, Canada. Was with the Royal North West Mounted Police, was a mechanic by trade and a Presbyterian. Next of kin, D.C. Thomson, Box 150, Orillia, Ontario, Canada, father. He was 5' 7 3/4" tall, had a 35" expanded chest, sallow complexion, brown eyes and black hair. Robert Duncan and Helen Beatrice's marriage recorded in the Orillia Presbyterian St. Andrews Church Records, marriage register 1909-1926: Robert Duncan Thomson, age 24, resident of Orillia, born Orillia, bachelor, commercial traveller, Presbyterian, parents Duncan C. Thomson (born Orillia Township, Ontario) and Nellie Gertrude Passmore; Helen Beatrice Dryden, age 20, resident of Orillia, born Guelph, spinster, Presbyterian, parents Thomas W. Dryden (born Wellington County,Ontario) and Ethel Beatrice Barber. Witness, Jas. H. Thomson and Edna D. Watson of Orillia. Married 15 October 1923 at Presbyterian Church, Orillia by Rev. N.H. McGillivray by license #D40629. Marriage registration 020273 Archives of Ontario microfilm MS932 reel 660.
As a young man, Bob went west to Drumheller area, Alberta, Canada to help with the harvest. He was an avid horseman so joined the North West Mounted Police. After World War I broke out, he transferred to the Fort Garry Horse in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada and from there went overseas. His mother, Nell, went by train to Winnipeg to say good bye. On his return to Orillia, he became a member of the Simcoe Grey Foresters Reserve. He met Beatrice Dryden through her acquaintance with his sister Caroline. They were married in St Andrew's Presbyterian Church, Orillia in the early morning, October 15, 1923, so they could catch the morning train to Toronto. Bob travelled as a salesman for his fathers Milling and Baking Co. for a time, then was a car salesman. He always wanted to farm so around 1938 the family moved to Alliston, Ontario to a farm known as the Loblaw Farm (south half). When World War II broke out, help was scarce so he had to give up and moved to Aurora, Ontario where he travelled for Kilgour Paper Co. and latterly ran Dawson's Grill. In 1945 he purchased another farm in Streetsville, living there until October 1951 when they moved to Mimico. He was back to selling cars for Ontario Automobile, 1100 Bay Street, Toronto, Ontario. After his daughter Mary Yvonne's husband Ted Stacey died, leaving her with five young children, and working the night shift at Peel Memorial Hospital, Bob and Bea moved back to Streetsville to be near their grandchildren. Bob died in 24 July 1973 and is buried in Streetsville Public Cemetery. (Provided by Mary Yvonne (Thomson) (Stacey) (McGrath) Evans).
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1898 - 1973 (74 years)
