BOMBEY AND SON - Francis Forester Walker

Biography

Francis Forester Walker (1893-1975)

Francis Forester Walker was born to a Roman Catholic family on 9 February 1893 to James J. Walker (47), a Railway Clerk, and Lucy McSweeney (47) in Westmorland, New Brunswick. Francis grew up with seven other siblings, five brothers and two sisters. The 1901 census lists his siblings in descending order: Frederick (25), Reginald (23), Henry (22), Gertrude (17), Lawrence (16), John (11) and Madeline (9). Francis, in 1901, was the youngest (7).

Before Francis was born, his parents had a few other children who tragically died. In the 1881 census, a child named Winnifred Walker is mentioned as aged 4/12 months old. Winniferd’s date of death is uncertain, but it is prior to the 1891 census, as they are not heard of after that date. One daughter, Kathleen Mary, died around two months old due to Cholera in 1889. Then, after Francis’ birth in 1893, their family had another daughter in 1894 by the name of Lucy Agnes Mary, who unfortunately died at two months old, nine days, to “Inflammation of the Stomach.”

In the book: "Souvenir booklet and directory of all students registered since January 17, 1855: seventy-fifth anniversary of St. Dunstan's College, August 7 & 8, 1929," F. F. Walker is listed to have been entered into enrollment between 1907-1913 on page 81. It is important to note that names listed in the book depends on when their name was first recorded in the register and count the years that their schooling may have been interrupted. In 1907 Francis would have been 14. In 1911, the year the book's inscription is dated, he would have been 18, which would have been around the standard age for college.

Francis was an excellent student during his time at St. Dunstan’s College. In the 1010-11 Prospectus, he got Honours in Greek for class II and Algebra III. Francis participated in various activities such as mock parliament, Philosophy day, football in 1910-1911 and was one of the editors of The Red and White. Francis was involved in the St. Thomas Aquinas Literary and Debating society in 1911, acting as Treasurer. Francis participated in mock parliament sessions while at college. Francis served in the mock parliament as the secretary of state on 2 February 1912. In 1912 Francis was also part of the drama club, acting as one of the evil characters in Richelieu. In March of 1913, Francis also served as Toast Master for his Philosophy class for Philosophers Day.

Francis was also an excellent writer. The 1913 March edition of The Red and White features an essay written about amusement within one's life. It is available on the Saint Dunstan's University website: "Place of Amusement in a Well ordered life."

Francis graduated from St. Dunstans College in 1913, in: "Souvenir booklet and directory of all students registered since January 17, 1855: seventy-fifth anniversary of St. Dunstan's College, August 7 & 8, 1929," his picture from the year he graduated is featured with other graduates in that year on page 65 and then also on page 25. After graduating from St. Dunstans, he began studying at Holy Heart Seminary to become a priest.

On 7 June 1913, tragedy struck the Walker family as Lucy, Francis’ mother, passed away just after he had graduated from St. Dunstan’s. She had been in failing health just before her death.

In 1916 Francis had his first mass on the 4 of July at St. Bernard’s Church. This mass was an important event in St. Bernard’s Church, as Francis was “the first to be raised to the dignity of the holy priesthood.” His mass was attended by friends, schoolmates, and family. He was a well-loved reverend in his career very early on, and on Christmas 1916, he was rewarded with gold for his work with the altar boys at the cathedral of St. John.

The 1921 census reports that Francis is 28, bilingual and single; although it does have a woman listed beneath him, “Bridget Duffy (45),” it is unclear why she is listed there, but her occupation is “housekeeper” with a “Patrick Duffy (52)”, carpenter, listed right underneath her. All three of them are Roman Catholic, so there might be a connection. There is a possibility that he was renting a house from the Duffy’s as Patrick seemed to own a house while Francis was renting, but this is speculation. The 1921 census is a bit unclear to read, but she is listed as a servant to the head of the house.

According to the 8 December 1923 edition of the Guardian, Francis was honoured to officiate his sister Madeline’s wedding. The event took place in Montreal later in the month, on 27 December 1923. His father was not there, as the paper mentions the “late Mr. and Mrs. James J. Walker.” It is suggested that between 1913 and 1923 his father passed away, but it is unclear when.

Even though Francis graduated from St. Dunstans College, he still remained invested in the Alumni Association, attending a meeting in 1929, then again on 29 May 1931 as part of the executive committee. He also attended this in 1933.

From 1932 to 1959, there is little mention of Francis in the newspapers and other publications online. From what information is available, his story from 1932-59 goes like this: In 1932, Francis attended the thirty-first Eucharistic congress in Dublin as a pilgrim. He participated in this event with other priests like of Walter J. McGuigan (noted on booklives). Further, into his career as a reverend, he participated in various funerals, pilgrimages, and marriage ceremonies leading up to 1959. The pilgrimages, in particular, were to St. Anne de Beaupre in Quebec. He arranged some of these pilgrimages himself.

On a church webpage, there is mention of Francis having been at a church from 1940 until his death in the 70s. He was a devoted member and pastor of St. Teresa of Calcutta Parish, a catholic church in Southern New Brunswick. During the time Francis was a reverend at the church, the first recreation and bowling alleys were built, and when they burned down, he was determined to build them bigger and better as he had much concern for the youth at the church. The new hall and alley were built in 1950.

The date that Rev. Francis Forester Walker died is unknown, but he passed away in 1975 and was buried in St. Francis Xavier Roman Catholic Cemetery Ward's Creek, Sussex Parish, Kings Co., NB. His sisters and their husbands were buried along with him.

The inscription on the inside cover where we find Francis’ mark in history is on the first cover page of “Bombey and Son” by Charles Dickens: “Dec 4th 1911. Francis Walker, St. Dunstan’s College, Charlottetown, P. E. I.”

Bibliography
1871 Census of Canada. Item number 2544833; Reference number RG31 - Statistics Canada; Line number 19; Westmoreland, Moncton, New Brunswick.

1881 Census of Canada. Item number 4966733; Reference number RG31 - Statistics Canada; Family Number 351; Westmoreland, Moncton, New Brunswick.

1891 Census of Canada. Item number 508109; Reference number RG31 - Statistics Canada; Family Number 265; Westmoreland, Moncton, New Brunswick.

1901 Census of Canada. Item number 737049; Reference number RG31 - Statistics Canada; Family number 264; Westmoreland, Moncton, New Brunswick.

1911 Census of Canada. Item number 1938128; Reference number RG31 - Statistics Canada; Family number 98; Westmoreland, Shediac Parish, New Brunswick.

1921 Census of Canada. Item number 1143521; Reference number RG31 - Statistics Canada; Family number 37; Hopewell, St. John and Albert, New Brunswick.

“$30,000 Donated to St. Dunstan’s,” The Charlottetown Guardian, 8 August 1929, page 1. Accessed through UPEI | Robertson Library, Island Newspapers catalogue.

“Annual Meeting Alumni Ass’n of St. Dunstan’s.” The Charlottetown Guardian, 29 May 1931, page 7. Accessed through UPEI | Robertson Library, Island Newspapers catalogue.

Birth Record - Francis Forester Walker, 1893. Place: Westmoreland, Moncton, New Brunswick. Number 5860. Code A5/1893. Source: Provincial Archives of New Brunswick.

Birth Record - Lucy Agnes Mary Walker, 1894. Place: Westmoreland, Moncton, New Brunswick. Number 6190. Code A5/1894. Source: Provincial Archives of New Brunswick.

“Central Guardian (...) Attend Pilgrimage (...).” The Charlottetown Guardian, 25 July 1928, page 3. Accessed through UPEI | Robertson Library, Island Newspapers catalogue.

“Central Guardian (...) Pilgrims Return (...).” The Charlottetown Guardian, 22 July 1930, page 6. Accessed through UPEI | Robertson Library, Island Newspapers catalogue.

“Charlottetown and Queen’s County (...) The third sitting of St. Dunstan’s College (...).” The Charlottetown Guardian, 2 February 1912, page 9. Accessed through UPEI | Robertson Library, Island Newspapers catalogue.

“Class of 1913.” St. Dunstan’s University Collection, 1913. https://sdu.upei.ca/islandora/object/sdu%3A59.
“Commerical Diplomas (...) Stenography.” Page 27. https://sdu.upei.ca/islandora/object/sdu%3A893. Accessed through UPEI | Robertson Library, SDU Digital Archive.

Death Record - Kathleen Mary Walker, 1889. Place: Westmoreland, Moncton, New Brunswick. Code 3384. Reference C4/1889. Source: Provincial Archives of New Brunswick.

Death Record - Lucy Agnes Mary Walker, 1894. Place: Westmoreland, Moncton, New Brunswick. Code 3144. Reference C4/1894. Source: Provincial Archives of New Brunswick.

“Friends in Moncton and Vicinity of Mrs. J. J. Walker (...).” The Charlottetown Guardian, 14 June 1913, page 6. Accessed through UPEI | Robertson Library, Island Newspapers catalogue.

“In Memoriam | Daniel Pius McCormack.” The Guardian, Charlottetown, 13 May 1953, page 11. Accessed through UPEI | Robertson Library, Island Newspapers catalogue.

“In Memoriam (...) _ Mrs. J. J. Walker.” The Charlottetown Guardian, 9 June 1913, page 3. Accessed through UPEI | Robertson Library, Island Newspapers catalogue.

“Miller - Riley Vows Heard In Double Ring Ceremony.” The Guardian, 12 September 1959, page 6. Accessed through UPEI | Robertson Library, Island Newspapers catalogue.

“Our History.” St. Teresa of Calcutta Parish. http://www.stfxsussex.ca/history.html.

“Personals (...) Mr. Francis Walker (...).” The Charlottetown Guardian, 20 September 1915, page 3. Accessed through UPEI | Robertson Library, Island Newspapers catalogue.

‘Pilgrims Will Leave Saturday.” The Charlottetown Guardian, 10 June 1932, page 8. Accessed through UPEI | Robertson Library, Island Newspapers catalogue.

“Rev. Francis F. Walker Celebrates First Mass.” The Charlottetown Guardian, 4 July 1916, page 3. Accessed through UPEI | Robertson Library, Island Newspapers catalogue.

“Souvenir booklet and directory of all students registered since January 17, 1855: seventy-fifth anniversary of St. Dunstan's College, August 7 & 8, 1929.” St. Dunstan's University Alumni Association. Accessed through Special Collections UPEI. LE3.S2A83 1929.

“St. Dunstan’s College (Affiliated to Laval University) Prospectus and Course of Studies | Scholastic Year 1910-1911.” St. Dunstan’s College 1910. Page 28 and 30. https://sdu.upei.ca/islandora/object/sdu%3A1655#page/40/mode/2up. Accessed through UPEI | Robertson Library, SDU Digital Archive. Pages 25, 65, 81

St. Dunstan’s College - Red and White - College Chronicle. “A meeting of the older students (...).” December 1910. Page 41-43. https://sdu.upei.ca/islandora/object/vre%3Arw-batch2-1027. Accessed through UPEI | Robertson Library, SDU Digital Archive.

St. Dunstan’s College - Red and White - College Chronicle. “Alumni.” December 1933. Page 36. https://sdu.upei.ca/islandora/object/vre%3Arw-batch2-2408. Accessed through UPEI | Robertson Library, SDU Digital Archive.

St. Dunstan’s College - Red and White - College Chronicle. “Our Graduates.” December 1913. Page 58. https://sdu.upei.ca/islandora/object/vre%3Arw-batch2-1663. Accessed through UPEI | Robertson Library, SDU Digital Archive.

St. Dunstan’s College - Red and White - College Chronicle. “Philosophers Day.” March 1913. Page 61. https://sdu.upei.ca/islandora/object/vre%3Arw-batch2-874. Accessed through UPEI | Robertson Library, SDU Digital Archive.

St. Dunstan’s College - Red and White - College Chronicle.“Staff.” June 1911. Page 57. https://sdu.upei.ca/islandora/object/vre%3Arw-batch2-167. Accessed through UPEI | Robertson Library, SDU Digital Archive.

St. Dunstan’s College - Red and White - College Chronicle. “Staff.” May 1912. Page 56-57. https://sdu.upei.ca/islandora/object/vre%3Arw-batch2-1040. Accessed through UPEI | Robertson Library, SDU Digital Archive.

St. Dunstan’s College - Red and White - College Chronicle. “The Drama “Richelieu” (...).” May 1912. Page 61-62. https://sdu.upei.ca/islandora/object/vre%3Arw-batch2-1048. Accessed through UPEI | Robertson Library, SDU Digital Archive.

St. Dunstan’s College - Red and White - College Chronicle. “The Place of Amusement in a Well-Ordered Life.” March 1913. Page 62-64. https://sdu.upei.ca/islandora/object/vre%3Arw-batch2-869. Accessed through UPEI | Robertson Library, SDU Digital Archive.


“St. Francis Xavier Roman Catholic Cemetery Ward's Creek, Sussex Parish, Kings Co., NB | New Part (...) | Walker - Rt. Rev. Francis F., D. P. 1893-1975.” Kings County GenWeb New Brunswick - Canada.https://sites.rootsweb.com/~cannb/Cemeteries/Kings%20County/ki-l05.html.

“The Central Guardian (...) Priest Remembered (...).” The Charlottetown Guardian, 29 December 1916, page 6. Accessed through UPEI | Robertson Library, Island Newspapers catalogue.

“The Public Forum (...) Rev. Francis Walker (...).” The Charlottetown Guardian, 8 December 1923, page 12. Accessed through UPEI | Robertson Library, Island Newspapers catalogue.

“Queens County Guardian | Offices in New Prose Block – Charlottetown | Francis Walker has returned (...).” The Charlottetown Guardian, 13 June 1908, page 13. Accessed through UPEI | Robertson Library, Island Newspapers catalogue.