Using the AI Prompt Builder in RootsMagic 11 for Genealogy Research

John Arthur Bond (1890–1963)

John Arthur Bond was born on 3 November 1890 at 25 Maiden Lane, St Mary le Strand, London, Middlesex, England. He was the son of William Bond (1843–1893) and Jessie Harriet Williams (1857–1941).

His siblings included William George Bond (1879–1880), Laura Alice Bond (1882–1937), Thomas Henry Bond (1884–1918), and Frances Josephine Bond (1887–1975).

By the 1891 England Census, John was recorded living at 73 Jubilee Building, St George East, Southwark, London, and he was christened on 5 May 1891 at Saint Peter, London Docks, Tower Hamlets, Middlesex.

At a young age, John and his family emigrated from England, departing Liverpool on 14 April 1894, and arriving in Montreal, Quebec, Canada on 26 April 1894. By the 1901 Canadian Census, John was living in St Antoine, Montreal.

In 1911, John experienced a period of illness in Montreal but was also employed by the General Film Company. The 1911 Census recorded him living at Charles Boromee, St. Laurent Ward, Montreal.

By 25 January 1916, John had moved to Toronto, Ontario, where he registered for military service on 26 January 1916 during the First World War, a global conflict that involved Canada as part of the British Empire. He served overseas and was awarded a Military Medal on 31 January 1918 in France for his service. John was discharged from military service on 29 May 1919 in Ottawa, Ontario.

Following his military service, John returned to Toronto and continued his civilian life. He married Winifred Bulmer on 12 June 1919 at Niagara Falls, Ontario. They had three children: Irene Alberta Bond (1918–2000), John Daniel “Jack” Bond (1920–2000), and Myrtle Jane Bond (1930–1930).

John and his family resided in various locations across Toronto over the decades:

• Between 1920 and 1922, at Roncesvalles Avenue & Geoffrey.
• In 1921, he was recorded at 150 Roncesvalles Avenue.
• Between 1922 and 1923, they lived near Dufferin & College.
• Around 1924, on Lumberville Avenue.
• In 1925, on Lansdown Avenue.
• In 1926, on Hillsdale Avenue East, where he remained at least through 17 July 1942.
• Around 1958, he moved to Brian Avenue, Scarborough, Ontario.

John worked in Toronto both before and after his military service, though specific employment details after 1919 are not recorded. In 1945, he was still documented as working in Toronto.

He lived through significant historical events, including the Great Depression (1929–1939) and World War II (1939–1945), which affected Toronto and Canada socially and economically.

John Arthur Bond passed away on 8 February 1963 in Toronto, Ontario and was cremated on 11 February 1963 at St James’ Crematorium.

The Life of John Arthur Bond (1890-1963)

Origins in Victorian London

John Arthur Bond was born on November 3, 1890, at 25 Maiden Lane, St Mary le Strand, London, Middlesex, England. His father was William Bond, born in 1843, and his mother was Jessie Harriet Williams, born in 1857. At the time of John’s birth, Queen Victoria had reigned over the British Empire for more than five decades, and London was the world’s largest city, a bustling metropolis of over five million people facing the challenges of rapid industrialization and urban poverty.

John was not William and Jessie’s first child. The couple had previously had four children: William George Bond, born in 1879 but who died in 1880; Laura Alice Bond, born in 1882; Thomas Henry Bond, born in 1884; and Frances Josephine Bond, born in 1887. John would be among the younger children in this family.

Early Childhood in London

By April 5, 1891, when John was just five months old, the family had moved to 73 Jubilee Building in St George East, Southwark, London. The Jubilee Buildings were model dwellings constructed in the 1880s as part of efforts to provide improved housing for working-class families in London’s crowded East End. The family’s residence in these buildings indicates they were among the working poor of late Victorian London, living in an area characterized by dense population, industrial activity, and proximity to the River Thames docks.

On May 5, 1891, John was christened at Saint Peter, London Docks, Tower Hamlets, London, Middlesex, England. This church served the community surrounding the London Docks, one of the major port facilities that made London the commercial heart of the British Empire.

The Journey to Canada

The Bond family’s circumstances changed dramatically in the spring of 1894. On April 14, 1894, when John was three years old, the family departed from Liverpool, Lancashire, England. Liverpool was Britain’s principal port for transatlantic emigration, and millions of British subjects passed through its docks during the great wave of migration to North America in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

After approximately twelve days at sea, the Bond family arrived in Montreal, Quebec, Canada on April 26, 1894. They were part of a massive movement of people from the British Isles to Canada during this period. The Canadian government actively encouraged British immigration, offering land grants and promoting the country’s economic opportunities. For families like the Bonds, Canada represented a chance for better prospects than were available in London’s crowded East End.

The timing of this emigration is significant in the Bond family history. William Bond, John’s father, had been born in 1843 and would have been approximately 51 years old at the time of emigration. Tragically, William Bond died in 1893, the year before the family’s departure for Canada. This means that Jessie Harriet Bond made the decision to emigrate as a widow with her children, undertaking the challenging journey across the Atlantic without her husband. At the time of emigration, Jessie would have been about 37 years old, responsible for Laura Alice (about 12), Thomas Henry (about 10), Frances Josephine (about 7), and John Arthur (3 years old).

Growing Up in Montreal

The Bond family settled in Montreal, Quebec’s largest city and Canada’s commercial capital. In the 1890s and early 1900s, Montreal was a city of striking contrasts, divided between its French-speaking Catholic majority and its English-speaking Protestant minority, with the English minority wielding disproportionate economic power. The city was undergoing rapid industrial growth, with factories, railways, and the port driving economic expansion.

By March 31, 1901, when John was ten years old, the family was recorded in the Canadian census as residing in St Antoine, Montreal. St Antoine was an area of Montreal located on the southern slopes of Mount Royal, which during this period was transitioning from a wealthy residential area to a more mixed neighborhood as the city expanded. The presence of the Bond family in this area suggests they had established themselves in Montreal’s anglophone community.

A Young Man in Edwardian Montreal

By 1911, John Arthur Bond was twenty years old and working. That year, he was employed by the General Film Company in Montreal. The General Film Company was a major American film distribution company formed in 1910 as part of Thomas Edison’s Motion Picture Patents Company trust. The film industry was in its infancy, having emerged only in the 1890s, and Montreal was one of the centers of early Canadian cinema. John’s employment in this new industry placed him at the intersection of technology and entertainment during a transformative period.

On June 1, 1911, John was recorded in the Canadian census as residing in Charles Boromee, St. Laurent Ward, Montreal. His occupation was listed on that date as being in Montreal. Also in 1911, John experienced an illness in Montreal, though the specific nature of this illness was not recorded.

During this period, John’s siblings were also establishing their adult lives. His sister Laura Alice, born in 1882, would eventually marry and live until 1937. His brother Thomas Henry, born in 1884, would die in 1918 at the age of 34. His sister Frances Josephine, born in 1887, would live a long life until 1975.

The Move to Toronto and Military Service

By January 25, 1916, John Arthur Bond had relocated to Toronto, Ontario, residing on Carlton Street. Toronto was Ontario’s capital and was rapidly growing as an industrial and financial center. The city’s population had reached approximately 400,000 by this time. Carlton Street, located in what is now downtown Toronto, was in a central area of the city.

The year 1916 was significant in world history. The First World War, which had begun in August 1914, was in its second year. The war had become a grinding stalemate on the Western Front, with massive casualties mounting in battles like Verdun and the Somme. Canada, as part of the British Empire, had committed troops to the conflict, and by 1916, the Canadian Expeditionary Force was heavily engaged in France and Belgium.

On January 25, 1916, John’s occupation in Toronto was recorded. The following day, January 26, 1916, John Arthur Bond enlisted in the military in Toronto. He would have been 25 years old at the time of his enlistment. A physical description of John was recorded on January 25, 1916, though the specific details of this description are not available in the provided information.

John served in the Canadian military during the First World War. On January 31, 1918, while in France, John Arthur Bond was awarded a military medal. The Military Medal was a British and Commonwealth military decoration awarded for bravery in battle on land to personnel below commissioned officer rank. This award indicates that John distinguished himself through an act of gallantry during combat operations in France.

The period of January 1918 saw intense fighting on the Western Front. The German Spring Offensive, launched in March 1918, would be the last major German assault of the war. By summer 1918, the Allied forces, including Canadian troops, would begin the Hundred Days Offensive that would ultimately lead to Germany’s defeat in November 1918.

John Arthur Bond was discharged from military service on May 29, 1919, in Ottawa, Ontario. The war had ended with the Armistice on November 11, 1918, and by spring 1919, Canadian soldiers were being demobilized and returning to civilian life. Following his discharge, John returned to Toronto and took up an occupation there.

Marriage and Family Life

On June 12, 1919, just two weeks after his military discharge, John Arthur Bond married Winifred Bulmer in Niagara Falls, Ontario. Winifred had been born in 1897, making her seven years younger than John. She would live until 1979. Niagara Falls, located on the border between Ontario and New York State, was a popular destination for weddings and honeymoons, particularly for couples from Toronto, which was approximately 130 kilometers away.

John and Winifred’s marriage came at a time of significant transition for Canada. The country had suffered enormous casualties in the First World War, with more than 60,000 Canadian servicemen killed. The returning soldiers faced the challenge of reintegrating into civilian life during a period of economic adjustment. The Spanish Flu pandemic of 1918-1919 had also killed thousands of Canadians, adding to the sense of upheaval.

Between 1920 and 1922, John and Winifred resided at the intersection of Roncesvalles Avenue and Geoffrey Street in Toronto. Roncesvalles Avenue, in the city’s west end, was in an area that was developing as a working-class and middle-class residential neighborhood. The area had good streetcar connections to downtown Toronto and to the industrial areas along the waterfront.

By June 1, 1921, the couple was living at 150 Roncesvalles Avenue, Toronto. This was the date of the Canadian census that year. John’s occupation in Toronto was recorded on this date. The 1920s were a period of economic growth in Canada, following the post-war recession of 1920-1921. Toronto was expanding rapidly, with new residential neighborhoods spreading outward from the old city core.

John and Winifred’s first child had already been born by this time. Irene Alberta Bond was born in 1918, likely shortly before John’s discharge from military service or soon after his return to Canada. She would live until 2000.

Their second child, John Daniel Bond, known as “Jack,” was born in 1920. He too would live until 2000.

Residential Mobility in Toronto

Between 1922 and 1923, the Bond family moved again, this time to the intersection of Dufferin Street and College Street in Toronto. This area, west of the downtown core, was characterized by a mix of residential and commercial development. Dufferin Street was a major north-south arterial road, and College Street ran east-west across the city.

Around 1924, the family moved to Lumberville Avenue in Toronto. This appears to have been another brief residence, as by 1925, they had relocated to Lansdown Avenue, Toronto. Lansdown Avenue, in the city’s west end, was in an established residential area.

By 1926, the Bond family had moved to Hillsdale Avenue East in Toronto. This residence proved to be more permanent, as John was still living on Hillsdale Avenue East on July 17, 1942, and this remained his address into the 1940s. Hillsdale Avenue East is located in the Davisville Village area of midtown Toronto, which was developing as a middle-class residential neighborhood during this period.

This pattern of residential mobility was common among working-class and middle-class families in Toronto during the 1920s and 1930s. Families often moved in search of better housing, more affordable rent, or proximity to employment. The various addresses indicate that John and Winifred moved within Toronto’s west end and eventually to the midtown area, possibly reflecting improving economic circumstances or changes in John’s employment.

The Interwar Years and the Great Depression

The 1920s and 1930s were decades of dramatic contrasts in Canada. The 1920s saw economic growth, the expansion of consumer culture, and increasing urbanization. However, this prosperity ended abruptly with the stock market crash of October 1929 and the onset of the Great Depression.

The Great Depression hit Canada harder than almost any other developed nation. Unemployment reached 30% by 1933, and the economy did not fully recover until the onset of the Second World War. The depression was particularly severe in the Prairie provinces, where drought and falling grain prices devastated agriculture, but industrial cities like Toronto also suffered significant unemployment and hardship.

On June 30, 1930, John and Winifred’s third child, Myrtle Jane Bond, was born. Tragically, Myrtle Jane died the same year, in 1930. Infant mortality, while declining from earlier decades, was still a significant risk in this period. The death of a child was a profound loss for the Bond family.

By 1945, John’s occupation in Toronto was recorded. The year 1945 marked the end of the Second World War. Germany surrendered in May 1945, and Japan surrendered in August 1945, following the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The Second World War had mobilized Canadian society completely, ending the unemployment of the Depression years but bringing the anxieties of war, rationing, and the loss of Canadian servicemen overseas.

John’s son, John Daniel “Jack” Bond, born in 1920, would have been 25 years old in 1945 and may have served in the Second World War, though this is not confirmed in the available information. His daughter Irene Alberta, born in 1918, would have been 27 years old in 1945.

Post-War Years and Later Life

The period following the Second World War saw dramatic changes in Canada. The country experienced an economic boom, the beginning of the Baby Boom generation, the expansion of suburbs, and increasing prosperity. Toronto grew rapidly, both in population and in geographic extent, as suburbs spread outward and the automobile became the dominant form of transportation.

Around 1958, John Arthur Bond and Winifred moved to Brian Avenue in Scarborough, Ontario. Scarborough, located east of Toronto, had been a separate municipality but was part of the Toronto metropolitan area. During the 1950s, Scarborough was experiencing rapid suburban development, with new subdivisions of single-family homes spreading across what had previously been farmland. The move to Brian Avenue represented a common pattern of the time, as older city residents moved to newer suburban homes.

By this time, John would have been approximately 68 years old, approaching the end of his working life or recently retired. Winifred would have been about 61 years old. Their surviving children, Irene Alberta and John Daniel “Jack,” were both in their late thirties or early forties and would have had their own families.

John’s mother, Jessie Harriet Bond, had died in 1941 at the age of 84. She had emigrated to Canada as a widow in 1894 and had lived to see her children establish themselves in their adopted country. John’s sister Laura Alice had died in 1937 at age 55. His brother Thomas Henry had died much earlier, in 1918, at age 34, possibly a victim of the First World War or the Spanish Flu pandemic. His sister Frances Josephine, the youngest of his siblings, was still living and would survive until 1975.

Final Years

John Arthur Bond died on February 8, 1963, in Toronto, Ontario. He was 72 years old at the time of his death. Three days later, on February 11, 1963, his remains were cremated at St James’ Crematorium in Toronto.

The year 1963 was a time of significant change in Canada and the world. John F. Kennedy was assassinated in the United States in November of that year. Canada was in the midst of the Quiet Revolution in Quebec, which would transform that province’s society and politics. The post-war boom was continuing, and Toronto was becoming increasingly diverse as immigration from outside the traditional British and European sources increased.

John’s wife, Winifred Bulmer Bond, survived him by sixteen years, dying in 1979 at the age of 82. Their daughter, Irene Alberta Bond, lived until 2000, reaching the age of 82. Their son, John Daniel “Jack” Bond, also lived until 2000, reaching the age of 80.

A Life Across Two Centuries

John Arthur Bond’s life spanned 73 years, from the late Victorian era to the early 1960s. Born in London during the reign of Queen Victoria, he emigrated to Canada as a young child, grew up in Montreal during the Edwardian era, moved to Toronto as a young man, served in the First World War with distinction, married and raised a family through the boom of the 1920s and the hardship of the Great Depression, lived through the Second World War, and witnessed the post-war transformation of Canadian society.

His life trajectory reflected the experiences of many Canadians of his generation. He was part of the great wave of British immigration that shaped English-speaking Canada in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. He participated in the Canadian war effort during the First World War, earning recognition for bravery in combat. He navigated the economic uncertainties of the interwar period, raising a family during both prosperity and depression. He lived to see Canada emerge as a modern, prosperous nation in the post-war era.

The moves from London to Montreal to Toronto traced the westward movement of economic opportunity in Canada during this period. Montreal had been Canada’s dominant city in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, but Toronto’s growth accelerated in the mid-twentieth century, and it would eventually surpass Montreal as Canada’s largest and most economically important city.

John’s employment in the film industry in 1911 placed him in one of the new industries of the twentieth century. His military service in the First World War connected him to one of the defining events of the century. His various residences in Toronto reflected the patterns of urban development and residential mobility that characterized the city’s growth.

The family he and Winifred created—despite the tragic loss of their infant daughter Myrtle Jane—extended into the twenty-first century. Both of their surviving children, Irene Alberta and John Daniel “Jack,” lived to the year 2000, carrying forward the family line and the memories of their father’s generation.

John Arthur Bond was laid to rest through cremation at St James’ Crematorium in Toronto, a final resting place in the city that had been his home for nearly half a century, far from the London streets where he had been born but in the country that had been his home for most of his life.

The Life of John Arthur Bond (1890–1963)

The following account details the life of John Arthur Bond, spanning 72 years across two continents and multiple historic eras.

Early Life in London (1890–1894)

John Arthur Bond was born on November 3, 1890, at 25 Maiden Lane in the parish of St Mary le Strand, London. He was the son of William Bond and Jessie Harriet Williams. At the time of the 1891 Census, the family resided at 73 Jubilee Building in Southwark. John was christened shortly after, on May 5, 1891, at Saint Peter, London Docks.

His early childhood in London occurred during the late Victorian era, a period of significant urban density and the expansion of the London docklands. Following the death of his father in 1893, the family dynamics shifted, leading to their departure from England.

Emigration and Youth in Montreal (1894–1915)

On April 14, 1894, John, alongside his family, departed from Liverpool. They arrived in Montreal, Quebec, on April 26, 1894. This move coincided with a period of rapid industrial growth in Montreal, then the commercial hub of Canada.

By 1901, the family lived in the St. Antoine district. By 1911, John was residing on Charles Boromee in the St. Laurent Ward. During this year, he experienced an illness and held a position at the General Film Company. This period marked the early rise of the motion picture industry in North America; the General Film Company was a major distributor during the “silent film” era.

Military Service and World War I (1916–1919)

In early 1916, John moved to Toronto, Ontario, residing on Carlton Street. On January 26, 1916, he enlisted for military service. This was during the height of World War I, a conflict that saw over 600,000 Canadians serve in the Canadian Expeditionary Force.

John’s military service involved deployment to Europe. His service record includes a notable achievement on January 31, 1918, when he was awarded the Military Medal for bravery in the field while serving in France. He remained in service through the end of the war and was officially discharged in Ottawa on May 29, 1919.

Family and Professional Life in Toronto (1919–1945)

Following his discharge, John returned to Toronto and married Winifred Bulmer on June 12, 1919, in Niagara Falls, Ontario. The couple established their home in Toronto, where John resumed civilian employment.

The 1920s saw the family move frequently within the city:

• 1920–1922: Roncesvalles Avenue & Geoffrey
• 1922–1923: Dufferin & College
• 1924: Lumberville Avenue
• 1925: Lansdown Avenue
• 1926: Hillsdale Avenue East

During this period, John and Winifred raised two children, Irene Alberta and John Daniel “Jack.” They suffered the loss of a third child, Myrtle Jane, in 1930.

John remained at the Hillsdale Avenue East residence for at least sixteen years, as records place him there through July 1942. This address was his home during the Great Depression and much of World War II. By 1945, he continued his professional life in Toronto as the city began its post-war expansion.

Final Years and Legacy (1946–1963)

By approximately 1958, John had moved to Brian Avenue in Scarborough, a suburb that experienced a massive housing boom following the Second World War.

John Arthur Bond died in Toronto on February 8, 1963, at the age of 72. His cremation took place on February 11, 1963, at St James’ Crematorium. He was survived by his wife, Winifred, and two of his children.

Summary of Life Events

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