Wrathalls of Western Canada

This page covers the origin of the Wrathall families of Western Canada: the line of Richard Parker Wrathall of Yorkshire, who settled in Victoria, B.C. in 1889.
Bill Wrathall of Inuvik has provided this information on his line, who settled in British Columbia (B.C.) in 1889:

"I have completed some research on my family name and was surprised to establish a link (maybe more) after reading Milton Matthew's comments regarding James Wrathall's emigration. James Wrathall is a direct link to my ancestors. My records indicate he was the brother of William (my link), who was christened in 1831 in Kettlewell; his sister Ann was christened in 1839 in Conistone. William's brother Robert was christened in 1842 in Conistone, and I think [his siblings] Tennant and Jane [may also have been christened there].

"James' mother was Elizabeth Atkinson; his father was John Wrathall. They were married 26 Nov 1827 in Hubberholme. John Wrathall's father was William Wrathall, who married Mary Petty 24 Nov 1795 at Burnsall. I have names of all daughters & sons for the above and place of christening (all in Burnsall, Hubberholme, Conistone, Kettlewell).

"[Your ancestor] James Wrathall's brother William married Grace Parker on 14 May 1850 at Linton in Craven, Grassington, [Yorkshire]. I believe they had about 13 children. Their son Richard Parker Wrathall (born 1850) and married Alice Richmond about 1880 and moved to Canada in 1889. My branch of the family tree starts here; Jane, Mary, Alice, Robert, John and William were brothers & sisters of Richard. I do not have their birth dates/places. I do have names of their spouses, however.

"Richard Parker Wrathall died in February of 1914, and is buried in Ross Bay cemetery, Victoria, B.C. alongside his wife Alice who died Feb 3rd, 1906..... It seems we have some connections here and ... I would like to establish linkages/communication with descendants still residing in England."

Bill, who can be reached at bwrathall(at)shaw.ca, has put together a preliminary pedigree and descendancy of his ancestor Richard Parker Wrathall; click HERE to read it. This lineage is based on the idea that Richard Parker was descended from John and Elizabeth Wrathall of Buckden/Bordley. However, further research in August 2001 indicates that Richard Parker is actually descended from John Wrathall and Mary Hall. Click HERE to view the immediate ancestors of Richard Parker; click HERE to view Bill's lineage from John Wrathall and Anne Pickersgill of Linton.

Bill Wrathall's grandfather William opened a photography business in Prince Rupert, B.C. in the early 1900s; click HERE for more info.

Bill returned from touring England in 1998. While there, he sent a postcard from Skipton on November 3, and another of the Parish Church of St. Michael and All Angels in Linton, Grassington, N. Yorkshire on Nov. 4 . This is the same postcard sent earlier by Roy Wrathall of Cambridge, but now Bill has added comments on the site:

"Arrived in Skipton late this afternoon [Nov. 3]. Will look at gravesites in a.m., then visit Grassington and Linton. Not sure what I will accomplish as only here for 2 days. I'll send a few more cards for your "archives". ....Weather ... cloudy but at least no snow.

"I now appreciate why the Wrathall clan remained in this area [Wharfedale] for hundreds of years. Perhaps the most beautiful area I have seen to date. Magnificent church - will mail church literature to you on my return. The white pillar gravesite (on left) is that of William [Wrathall] and Grace [Parker] - my great-great-grandparents."

After returning home on Nov. 20, Bill wrote the following:
"As mentioned in my cards, I managed to get through Skipton and onto Grassington. It is truly a beautiful area. ..... Fortunately, I brought along my trusty camcorder.......... I also picked up some parish books: [I will make extracts of these available] once the postal strike is over."
Bill has also made available the autobiography of his grandfather William W., which you can read HERE. This autobiography makes reference to W.W. Wrathall's uncle Bob and first cousins Fred, Tom, and Willie in England, who clearly correspond to the great-grandfather Robert, grandfather Thomas, and great uncles Fred and William of Robert Wrathall of Silloth

For a reduced version of a photo of Prince Rupert by William W. Wrathall, click HERE

W.W. Wrathall's records from the British Columbia Archives (Royal BC Museum):

Click HERE for a map showing points of interest in Canada.

Heather Smith of British Columbia introduced herself in 1999:

Roy Wrathall gave me your name and suggested I join the Wrathall list, which I have done. I found the "Wrathalls of Canada" page you posted, with all of Bill Wrathall's (of Inuvik) family information. I had much of it, but was pleasantly surprised to find it as I have been trying to contact the Wrathall family of Prince Rupert for more than a year, now.

I believe Bill Wrathall, of Inuvik, and I are 3rd cousins, once removed. Our common ancestors were John & Ellen Walker of Yorkshire. I have a letter written by Bill's grandfather, William Walker Wrathall, to my grandfather, John West, and a couple of their family photos that I would be pleased to share with him. I have quite a bit of Walker family history if he's interested in that branch. Hopefully, he will be glad to meet another cousin, as distant as I am!

Heather could be reached at kqsmith(at)istar.ca in 1999.

The following entry for Richard Parker Wrathall was taken from the B.C. VOTERS LIST 1898 , extracted by Hugh Armstrong (hughlarmstrong(at)shaw.ca) from the Sessional Papers of the British Columbia Government, 1899:

Wrathall, Richard Parker, 1 Speed Ave, Butcher, Victoria City

Richard Wrathall's records from the British Columbia Archives (Royal BC Museum):

E-MAIL: wrathall(at)rawbw(dot)com

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