occupation

Porter, soldier in WW1, gardener
in florist’s greenhouse

dates

Born: 2 Aug 1872, St Aldates, Oxford

Married: Eliza SHIRLEY, Lower Heyford, 1893

Died: 12 Dec 1954, Toronto, Canada

residence

Oxford; Headington; New Marston; emigrated to Canada

submitted by

Elsie M TRAFFORD (wife of grandson)

related faces

Eliza TRAFFORD, née SHIRLEY (wife)

Alfred TRAFFORD (nephew)

Background information

Walter John TRAFFORD was born on 26th August 1872 at St Aldates, Oxford. His parents were John TRAFFORD and Lucy BAGGETT (BAGOT, etc) who married 24th September 1855 at Lower Heyford. John was a confectioner's porter at the time of Walter's birth and lived at 4 Thompson’s Yard. Walter was the youngest of seven children born to John and Lucy.

In 1893 Walter married Eliza SHIRLEY. They had seven children, and lived in the Headington area. In 1899, when son Ralph was born, they lived on Marston Road, New Marston. Their youngest child, May Elizabeth, was baptised in 1905. Walter is listed variously as an ‘ironmonger’s porter’, and ‘grocer’s porter’ among others.

In 1908 Walter uprooted his family and emigrated to Canada. On arrival they settled in the ‘Forks of the Credit’, Ontario, a short distance north-west of Toronto, but two years later Walter moved the family to Mimico (now a suburb of Toronto). He worked at various jobs at first, then gained employment at a florist’s greenhouse where he remained until retirement.

Walter had been a member of the 12th York Rangers Regiment (Militia), and despite his age, in 1916 joined the 127th Battalion, York Rangers. He was sent to Russia but returned early in 1917. He then returned to his job at the greenhouse.

Walter died on 12th December 1954, and is buried in Park Lawn Cemetery in Toronto.