Ancestry's Canadian Passenger Lists, 1865-1935 first indicate John and Fanny NIXON as passengers bound for Quebec/Montreal in 1907. This has to be confirmed.

Fanny and Jack NIXON were stranded in England during World War One, where Jack's occupation was an iron turner: presumably this was a 'reserved occupation'. After the War they returned to Canada and resided in London, Ontario. They had five children: Hilda Mary, born at 10 Auburn Avenue, Bredbury - 1st quarter 1916 Stockport 8a 43; Marion, born at 10 Auburn Avenue, Bredbury - 4th quarter 1917 Stockport 8a 35; Dorothy, born in Canada; Dorothy's twin brother who died; and John Harper (Jack) born in Canada. All these children married and had two children, with the exception of Jack, who had one son. Four of these children have married and have at least two children each. Right: Fanny and John Robert, thought to be at the time of their wedding.

Above: Marion NIxon's baptism register at Hoviley Brow Primitive Methodist Church. Source: Manchester City Archives: Hoviley Brow Primitive Methodist Baptism Record 1845-1934 C22/5

There is no obvious record of Hilda's baptism.

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Their life at 10 Auburn Avenue, Bredbury

Above: The location of Auburn Avenue, Bredbury, where Fanny and John lived and where Hilda and Marion were born

The 1911 and 1928 maps of Bredbury shows that the area around Auburn Avenue was an industrial area. The area opposite Auburn Avenue was a disused colliery. Between Marian and Stockport Road there was a second disused colliery and a narrow strip of land known as Rope Walk. The extensive Bredbury Steel Works and Rolling Mills were entered by Lyndhurst Avenue and bounded by the railway line. Another foundry was located at the junction of Stockport Road and The Broadway. In 1917 Jack, the iron turner, could have worked in either of these two units.

Above: Map of Bredbury in 1923 showing the local industry, with Auburn Avenue in yellow. Scale 1:10,560

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'They said that Great Uncle Jack was a very specialist turner, a long lathe turner, someone who can handle long pieces of turning metal where due to the length there is some play on the metal along its length which the turner must cope with (ie fantastic co-ordination hand to eye) to get a straight finished article. The story went on that even once he had retired the company in Canada would call him up for specialist jobs and that he only went when the weather suited him - they had to wait on him as there was no-one else who could produce these pieces. (Source: Alison Warner)

Fanny's father, John Harper, build two rows of houses both named Auburn Avenue. His Bredbury development was off the busy A560 Stockport Road, which leads to Hyde. It is about two miles (3km) to the Knott Lane area, where Mary, Agnes and Henry john lived. The building style is similar to Hyde: there are good quality facing bricks and a rougher 'common' brick on the gable end and back faces. Right: Fanny and Jack's home at 10 Auburn Avenue, taken August 2009

	Left and Below: A general view of Auburn Avenue, Bredbury, in 2009. Number 10 is by the disabled notice fastened to the front wall.

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Auburn Avenue faces a modern Bredbury Medical Centre and its wire fenced car park, built on the old colliery site. At the end of the Avenue is a wire fenced industrial area containing one factory, which appears, in some form, on the 1923 map.

Almost one year later the family returned to Canada on the 'Megantic'. The ship was bound for Montreal and the family to Quebec.

Above: A cropped image of the NIXON's emigration 17 October 1919 on the Megantic. Click on the image to open A4 landscape image of the whole width. Source: TNA BT 27/899, page 16

Megantic was built by Harland and Wolff in Belfast in 1908 for the Dominion Line as the Albany. She was turned over to the White Star Line, prior to launching, to serve the the Canadian route and renamed Megantic after Canada's Lake Megantic. In 1910, when Scotland Yard's Inspector Dew arrested the infamous Dr. Crippen and his mistress Ethel Le Neve in Quebec, they were escorted back to England aboard Megantic. Megantic served as a WWI troop transport. In 1919, after reconditioning, she resumed her regular Liverpool to Montreal passenger service. She carried 230 first class passengers, 430 second class and 1000 third class.

Above: The White Star Line RMS Megantic of 18474 tons

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Above: NIXON immigration to Quebec 1919 on board Megantic, landing Quebec 26 October 1919 at 09.30. Click on the image to open a full size A4 landscape image. Source: Canadian passenger lists 1865-1922, page 42

This lists introduces certain interesting facts:

The columns 'When', 'Where', 'How long' are headed by 'If so'. The response to the preceding column is 'Yes' but it is not possible to read the column heading. The sign ü implies 'ditto'.

In late April 1956 John and Fanny boarded one of Cunard's newest and most luxurious liner RMS 'Ivernia' in Montreal, landing in Liverpool on 5 May 1956. Their destination, for a three month holiday, was 213 Dowson Road, Hyde, the home of Maggie and William Boote (as defined by the address of Malcolm Boote's birth).

The passenger list describes John as retired and Fanny as a housewife. Both were Canadian citizens, with a Canadian passport.

Above: UK Immigration record from in-bound passengers to Liverpool, dated 05 May 1956, page 31

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The RMS Ivernia, at 21,716 tons, was built in 1955 in Clydebank for Cunard Line's Dominion service to Canada. She was the second of the Saxonia Sisters quartet designed for luxury and speed. Carrying 929 passengers and 461 crew and cargo at 20 knots, they would be the largest ships to operate up the St Lawrence River to Quebec and Montreal. Right: A post card, contemporary with the Nixon's voyage, illustrates RMS Ivernia

The RMS Ivernia maiden voyage began on 1 July 1955 arriving in Montreal on 7 July 1955. After a successful career she was rebuilt and restyled, in 1963, to make her more suitable for cruising and was renamed RMS Franconia. She was laid up until 2004 where she was towed to Alang, India and was scrapped.

In June 1966 Patricia, her mother and brother and grandma Hilda, visited the families of Nellie (Wyril's daughter) and Alec Shaw.

In the late 1970s Hilda, Marion and Jack NIXON, then in his nineties, visited families in England, and the place where they were born.

In January 2003 Marion KERON, the last living child of Fanny, was living in her own home and is a mind of family history. Marion's son has provided many documents for this page.

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The family information for this page: provided by Patricia Ryde This page was created by Richard Crompton and maintained by Chris Glass	Version A16 Updated 05 September 2010