Ada Harland's WW1 Diary from Yorkshire England to Canada



Dec. 21, 1904
Ada as Helena
in
"A Midsummer Night's Dream"

Several years ago I purchased a tiny diary kept throughout 1914 during WW1 by Ada Harland. Ada lived in Falsgrave, Scarborough, Yorkshire England and wrote in her little book almost daily. The 3x2 inch book is difficult to read as Ada was a prolific writer and crammed as much as she could on to each page.

Along with the diary was a photo of Ada and a letter dated Dec. 31, 1914 from "Bertie" in Salisbury Plain England. Bertie was with the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI). Ada and Bertie eventually married.

I did some genealogy sleuthing and found that Bertie was born Herbert Ashby in Scarborough Yorkshire England to parents John & Elizabeth. At some point Bert left England for Canada because in September 1914 he enlisted in the Canadian Army to fight in WW1.

Bertie and Ada were married in Yorkshire England in the first quarter of 1919 and in the fall of that same year Ada sailed to Canada on the ship Scandanavian to join her husband in Vancouver B.C.



One son Henry was born to the couple around 1920. In 1935 Henry and Ada can be found on Ships Passenger lists sailing to England in June and returning to Canada in August. Ada noted that she was going to Falsgrave Road in Scarborough so presumably they were visiting family and friends.

Bert died in British Columbia in 1960 at age 70 and Ada died in 1977 at age 87.

Here is Ada's first entry in her diary (Jan. 1, 1914)  Much of the writing is very difficult to read.

Jan. 1, 1914. Thursday.
At Ms. Vollums to supper. Walk with J.T. to Scarboro. Good---- [bye?] at 4.30 a.m. Bed. Up at mid-day

Jan. 2, 1914. Friday
Business writing. Writing all day until 8:30. To [crossed out] Dance. Had everyone. Supper with Ms. Foster. The 'stave' Last Waltz