Remembering Les and more

Leslie Gerald Lake was born 18 March 1916 in Kirton Holme, Boston, Lincolnshire, England. He was the second youngest child of Herbert and Fanny (Crawford) Lake. Les immigrated to Canada with his family in 1926. The family eventually settled in London, Ontario.

Les and his brother, Ray (my grandfather) enlisted in the army in St Mary's, Ontario. Ray was not accepted for overseas duty as he had curvature of the spine. Les served as a private in the 4th Perth Regiment. He was part of the Canadian Division who fought against the Germans in Ortona, Italy in December 1943 and January 1944. It was a horrible battle. Many men died or were wounded. It was the only battle in which the Perth Regiment did not succeed in its objective.

Les was first reported wounded in The London Free Press. However, the next day the paper reported that he had actually died of shrapnel wounds.







Uncle Les died of shrapnel wounds on Thursday, January 20, 1944. He was 27 years old. He was not married and he had no children. He is buried in the Moro River Canadian War Cemetery in Ortona, Italy.

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission, The Maple Leaf Legacy Project and Veterans Affairs Canada among others are all working hard to keep the memory alive of the men and women who served Canada to keep it "the true North, strong and free".






Two years ago, I received an email from a secondary school teacher located in Woodstock, Ontario. Thirty of her students will be travelling to Italy in November 2008. Each student had been paired with one Canadian soldier who was killed at the Battle of Ortona or during the Italian Campaign in World War II. One of these students represented Private Leslie Gerald Lake. This student participated in the wreath ceremony on November 25, 2008 in Ortona, Italy.

Uncle Les will not be forgotten.

Re-posted this Remembrance Day 2010.  Lest we forget.


Copyright 2010 by Kathryn Lake.

In the early 1980's, I was a very fashion conscious young teen. I had been struck with designer fever and just had to have the latest in apparel.

Brooke and Calvin were all the rage in the United States, but here in Windsor, it was Jordache Jeans.  The jeans were worn extremely tight; often the use of a coat hanger hook would be used to do up the  zipper.  And of course, the back pocket design was an important factor.  There were two other brands of designer jeans that were acceptable.  These were Angel Wing and Fancy A**.  I remember having one pair of Angel Wing jeans.  The gold thread stitching on the back pockets was beautiful. I really wanted a pair of Fancy A** jeans, but my parents wouldn't allow it.
A pair of Jordache jeans cost $32.39 at Thrifty's in the mall. The other two brands were more expensive.

To compliment the look of your Jordache jeans, you had to wear a pair of runners (Canadian term for running shoes, sneakers, tennis shoes) called Nikes (rhymed with likes).  Yep, that's what we called them.  We didn't call them Nike-ees.  There were white with a big red, blue or black check mark on them. We didn't know that that thing was called a swoosh back in those days. And you didn't tie them up.  You either knotted the ends of the laces or tucked them into your runners 'cause this was how it was and you wanted to look cool.

In the winter, we wore boots, but not just any pair of boots.  You had to have a pair of Cougars.





I remember when I was in Grade 8, how badly I wanted a pair of Cougars.  You just weren't cool if you didn't have a pair.  But they were quite dear.  The problem was that the economy was in bad shape.  My dad had been laid off and money was tight.  My parents wouldn't buy me a pair.  I was really upset about this (as any teenager would be).  What I got instead was a pair of "knock-off" brand boots.  I can't even remember what brand there were, but they sure weren't Cougars.  It wasn't until I was in Grade 9 that I finally had enough money to buy a pair of those lovely boots.  Cougars were made of a strange brownish-beige coloured leather with a vibrant red furry lining and striped laces.  They were never worn laced up.  They were worn with the tongue tied down and the laces criss-crossed around the back of the boot.  This made it easy for getting your Cougars on and off  quickly.  This was the way that it was and it looked cool.

Now to compliment your tight-fitting Jordache jeans and cool Cougar boots, you had to wear a bomber jacket.  I realize now that it just does not make any sense to wear a winter jacket that does not cover your derriere in the midst of a cold Canadian winter in January, but this is what we wore.  And we really were cool, in more ways than one!


Copyright 2010 by Kathryn Lake.

Being a city kid, it was always fun to visit my Grandma and Grandpa Lake in the country.  Hanging out at their house was interesting because there was stuff do to that you couldn't do in the city. A couple of things I can remember doing in winter included skating outdoors and snowmobiling.  I was introduced to these winter activities at a very young age.

I recall going skating outdoors with some of my aunts, uncles and cousins at Ware's Pit. I was almost four years old at the time. I remember it was really cold and I fell down a lot!  I was envious of my cousin, Joyce, who being two years older than me, seemed to skate effortlessly and never fell down.  I complained about falling down, how hard it was to skate and how cold it was.  My dad yelled at me to stop complaining, which didn't help any.  I thought it wasn't fair that it was just so hard.  I couldn't wait to get back indoors where it was nice and warm, and Grandma had hot chocolate waiting for us.

 The other winter activity I can remember is going snowmobiling with my Grandpa. I remember one time when I sat behind Grandpa, and my brother sat behind me.  Grandpa said "Hold on tight, you don't wanna fall off." Soon we were zipping across the snow.  I thought it was exciting and just a little bit scary to go racing across the fields, the scenery going by in a blur.  I don't suppose my brother remembers it quite the same way though, as he fell off the back of the snowmobile.  Although he wasn't hurt, he was upset.  Grandpa yelled at him for not holding on, which didn't help any.  And, that was it, our ride was over.

Here is a photo of me, Grandpa and my brother.  This was probably the first time we went snowmobiling. I was five years old and my brother was three.  As you can see, I sat on the back this time.  And, I didn't fall off!

This was written for the 8th Edition of the Canadian Genealogy Carnival.
Copyright 2010 by Kathryn Lake.

The focus of today's Surname Saturday is the surname LAKE.  My ancestral line going back seven generations:

1. Kathryn LAKE

2. My father.  He is living, therefore to protect his privacy, no details will be provided.

4. Raymond Stanley LAKE  was born 19 May 1919 in Kirton Holme, Boston, Lincolnshire, England.  He immigrated to Canada in 1926 with his mother, Fanny (CRAWFORD) and his brother, Tom.  His father, Herbert and six of his siblings had immigrated two months earlier.  Ray married my grandmother in 1939.  He died 26 January 1975.

8. Herbert LAKE was born 4 April 1875 in Wigtoft Fen, Boston, Lincolnshire, England.  He died 28 February 1957 in Thorndale, West Nissouri Township, Middlesex, Ontario, Canada.  He was buried 2 March 1957 at Woodland Cemetery, London, Middlesex, Ontario, Canada.
9. Fanny CRAWFORD was born 21 February 1879 in Boston, Lincolnshire.  She died 2 April 1949 in Thorndale.  She was married to Herbert 23 March 1899 in Boston, Lincolnshire, England.
Together they had eleven children:
..........i. Horace Victor LAKE (1901-1980) was married to Lucy ROBINSON (abt 1903-1975).  They had no children.
..........ii. Elsie May LAKE (1902-1987) was married to Leonard William COULSON (1902-1948).  They had seven children.
..........iii. Muriel Maud LAKE (1903-2003) was married to Sidney Harold DIXON (1898-1981).  They had one child.
..........iv. Herbert Ronald LAKE was born 20 November 1905 in Kirton Holme, Boston, Lincolnshire.  He was christened 1 December 1907 in Kirton Holme.  He immigrated to Canada in 1926 with his father, Herbert and five siblings.  Ron died 11 September 1978.  He is buried in Mapleton Cemetery in Mapleton, Dorchester South Township, Elgin, Ontario, Canada.  Ron never married, nor had any children.
..........v. Ralph Harold LAKE (1907-1996) was married to Clara May MATTHEWS (1915-2003).  They had two children.
..........vi. John Reginald LAKE (1909-1978) was married to Marjorie June JAMIESON (1912-1986).  He was known as Jack. Together they had six children.  He had three other children as well.
..........vii. Kathleen Irene LAKE (1910-1995) was married to Thomas William FAIRBAIRN (1900-1960).  They had six children.
..........viii. Nora Evylin LAKE (1912-2001) was married to Alvin John SHANNON (1911-2002).  They had five children.
..........ix. Thomas Frederick Davey LAKE (1914-1991) was married to Gwendolyn Mary BACHELOR (1917-1989).  They had three children.
..........x. Leslie Gerald LAKE was born 18 March 1916 in Kirton Holme, Boston, Lincolnshire.  He immigrated to Canada in 1926 with his father and five siblings. He joined the Perth Regiment during World War II.  He died 20 January 1944 in Ortona, Chieti, Italy from shrapnel wounds.  He is buried in the Moro River Canadian War Cemetery in San Donato, Chieti, Italy.
...4.....xi. Raymond Stanley LAKE (1919-1975) was married to my (#5) grandmother.  She is still living, thus no details will be given.  They had six children.

16. John LAKE was born in 1827 in Kirton in Holland, Boston, Lincolnshire.  He was baptized 5 August 1827.  He occupation was agricultural labourer.  He died of exhaustion due to fracture of the thigh on 6 February 1898 in Swineshead, Boston, Lincolnshire.  He was buried 10 February 1898 in Swineshead.
17. Naomi DOWSE (1828-1907) on 7 December 1858 in Mablethorpe, Louth, Lincolnshire.
John and Naomi were married 7 December 1858 in Mablethorpe, Louth, Lincolnshire.
He and Naomi had eight children:
..........i. Ellen Eleanor LAKE (1860-abt 1954) was married to George WOOLLEY.  They had no children.
..........ii. Benjamin LAKE (1861-1940) was married to Margaret QUINCEY (1859-abt 1909).  They had two daughters:
....................ii.i. Annie LAKE (1890-?)
....................ii.ii. Rose Ellen LAKE (1892-1982)
..........iii. Naomi LAKE (1863-1949) was married to John ROBINSON (1861-1941).  They had seven children:
....................iii.i. Polly ROBINSON (abt 1885-?) was married to Sidney PIPER.
....................iii.ii. John William ROBINSON (1886-1962) was married to Lizzie Ann ?
....................iii.iii. Naomi ROBINSON (1889-1979) was married to Edmund RYMER.  They had two children.
....................iii.iv. Fred ROBINSON (1894-?) was married to Sarah JOHNSON. They had one child.
....................iii.v. Walter Herbert ROBINSON (1894-1967) was married to Kathleen ?
....................iii.vi. Walter ROBINSON (1894-1902)
....................iii.vii. Ethel ROBINSON (1900-1984) was married to Neil ELLERBY.  They had ten children.
..........iv. John LAKE (1867-?)
..........v.William LAKE (1867-abt 1963)
..........vi. Eliza Lake (1868-?)
..........vii. Elizabeth LAKE (1870-1957)
...8.....viii. Herbert LAKE

32. Benjamin LAKE was born about 1788 in West Keal, Spilsby, Lincolnshire.  It is interesting to note that no baptismal record has been found for Benjamin.  It is likely that he was baptized, however, due to the Stamp Act (1783-1792), his parents did not pay the tax to have the event recorded in the parish register.  He was an agricultural labourer.  Benjamin died 6 August 1869 in Kirton Holme of rheumatic inflammation of the brain.  He was buried 10 August 1869 in Kirton Holme.
33. Eleanor ROBSON (abt 1789-1875).  She and John were married 9 June 1823 in Bag Enderby, Horncastle, Lincolnshire.
Benjamin and Eleanor had two children:
..........i. William LAKE (1824-1903) was married to Orpah DOWSE (1833-aft 1901). Orpah was sister to 17. Naomi DOWSE, who married William's brother, 16. John LAKE.  They had two daughters:
....................i.i. Elizabeth A. LAKE (1857-?)
....................i.ii. Mary Ann LAKE (1864-?)
...16.......ii. John LAKE

64. William LAKE was christened 9 October 1757 in West Keal.  He was buried 16 January 1827 in West Keal.
65. Sarah BOROMAN (abt 1758-1837). They were married 8 December 1783 in West Keal.
William and Sarah had two children:
..........i. Mary LAKE was baptized 12 December 1784 in West Keal.
...32...ii. Benjamin LAKE

128. Benjamin LAKE was born about 1728.
129. Mary (unknown) was born about 1733.  They were married about 1752 and had four children:
...........i. Benjamin LAKE was born about 1749 in West Keal.  He was buried 19 April 1753 in West Keal.
...........ii. Frances LAKE was baptized 5 June 1753 in West Keal.  She was buried 29 May 1760 in West Keal.
...64...iii. William LAKE
..........iv. Benjamin LAKE was baptized 27 October 1761 in West Keal.  He was buried 13 December 1763 in West Keal.

If you are researching this LAKE family, I would appreciate hearing from you.


Copyright 2010 by Kathryn Lake.

Overall I have to say that I am quite pleased with the work I have accomplished to date with my Lake family research.  However there remains one genea-goal that I am hoping to accomplish in 2010.  Here it is:


Proving whether or not Frank Sidney Lake Crawford really was a Lake.
Now in order to accomplish this goal, I am dependant on my male family members to cooperate.  I am hoping some of them on both sides of the pond will be willing to take a DNA test.  I feel this would then finally put to rest the issue of Great Uncle Sid's paternity.  I am looking forward to the next Lake family gathering.


Written for the 87th edition of the Carnival of Genealogy.

Copyright 2009 by Kathryn Lake.