Allied Clans of Leader & Gurney - Family Tree

1935 Census Newfoundland and Labrador:
Best: Eliza. Residing at 63 Power/Powis St is Eliza Best, 73 Widow*, and her son George 29, who is a Labourer. They use 3 rooms of the home Eliza owns, and have lodgers at $10/month - Lloyd and Mary Bursey (27 and 22) and they use 2 rooms. Lloyd is a Grocer at ?Bowrings? and he has earned $600 in the last year. George and he has earned $50 in the last year. Eliza's house is worth $2000.

Residing at 63a Power/Powis St is Eliza's son Seebert (transcribed Seaward) 43, and his wife Minnie 44, and their six children: Evelyn 20, Edith 18, Myrtle 17, Irene 16, Phyllis 13, Wallace 9, and Violet 6. Seebert is a Clerk ant the Express Office and he has earned $1080 in the last year. They also pay rent of $10/month for 7 rooms - possibly to their mother.

No-one owns a radio.

* implies date of death for George before 1935

"Phyl was a Newfie**. Was a CWAC - Corporal Best - already [when the war broke out?]. She was going out with, and possibly engaged to, a Seaman who was torpedoed. She went over to meet his family anyway, and met Ken [Gurney] on the ship returning from flight training in Canada. When Ken came home on furlough [to Watford] there was a letter waiting from Corporal Best (who the family didn't realise was female!). Phyl came down with tonsilitis and was in hospital in Leesdon near Watford, so she came for a week's R&R with the Gurneys!!

They were married in Watford around 1945. Phyl delayed her demobilisation after the war until Ken was demobbed, then they went to Newfoundland.   ref: CWEJL

** [from Newfoundland]