1893 Toronto Canada Cumpston Basil Lancelot son of Basil Arthur Cumpston and Florence Jane Ashton. Birth 1916 6th June. Cumpston Basil Lancelot age 23 Border Regiment Lce Corpl from PPCLI London Gazette. Promoted to temporary 2nd Lieuteneant on probation with effect from 7th Mary 1916.
1917 Thursday 10 May Achiet Le Grand Cumpston Basil Lancelot age 24 2nd Lieutenant 2nd Battalion, Border Regiment death. Died of wounds. Son of Basil A and Florence J Cumpston, of 443 Walmer Road, Toronto, Canada, age 24.

 Ms. Elfreda Florence Cumpston b: Oct 1903 in Ontario, Canada Father: Mr. Basil Arthur Cumpston
Mother: Ms. Florence J

Married His Honour Mr Justice Everett Lane Weaver b: 03 May 1901 in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada d: 12 Apr 1971 Age at death: 69

Ontario, Canada Marriages, 1801-1928 about Elfreda Florence Cumpston Birth Place: Weston Ont Age: 24 Estimated Birth Year: abt 1904
Father Name: Paril Arthur Cumpston (This should read Basil) Mother Name: Florence Jone Ashton
Spouse Name: Everett Tom Lane Weaver Spouse's Age: 27
Spouse Birth Place: Hespeler, Ontario Spouse Father Name: Tester Everett Weaver
Spouse Mother Name: Yda Louise Milligan
Marriage Date: 9 Jun 1928 Marriage County or District: York
 

Daughter of Basil Arthur Cumpston and Sister of Basil Lancelot Cumpston

CITY OF TORONTO 1923 MARRIAGE

7401-23 George Warburton SPRAGGE, 30, school master, Cobourg, Port Hope, s/o Albert Warburton SPRAGGE (b. Toronto) & Elizabeth Harriet DUDLEY, married Jean Marion CUMPSTON, 27, Wapella Sask., Toronto, d/o Basil Arthur CUMPSTON (b. Penrith England) & Florence Jane ASHTON, witn: T. KITCHENER & Treda CUMPSTON, both of farmer, 26 Dec 1923 at Christ Church
 

Ontario, Canada Marriages, 1801-1928
Name: Joan Manon Cumpston
Birth Place: Wapella, Sask Age: 27 Estimated Birth Year: abt 1896
Father Name: Basil Arthur Cumpston Mother Name: Florence Isaac Ashton
Spouse Name: George Warburton Spragge Spouse's Age: 30 Spouse Birth Place: Cobourg, Ontario
Spouse Father Name: Albert Warbarton Spragge Spouse Mother Name: Elizabeth Harriet Dudley
Marriage Date: 26 Dec 1923 Marriage County or District: York Registration district: Durham

Basil Arthur was a 'remittance man' sent to Canada by his family in Barton Hall Westmorland. See description below of Remittance man.

Western Land Grants (1870-1930) Legal Land Description Part Section Township Range Meridian W 3 15 33 W1

Reference: Volume: 104Folio: 212Microfilm reel number: C-6017
Names: Basil A Cumpston

Canadian Genealogy Index BASIL A CUMPSTON 1901 Northwest Territories
County Qu'appelle, Wapella. Farmer Lovell's Directory of Manitoba and NW Territories for 1900-1901 Volume page 489
The province and county are associated with the location of the record source and in some cases may not be the same as the place where the event occurred.

Beginning in the 1880's, groups of British Remittance Men came to Canada looking for a new life. A Remittance Man was called that because most received a scheduled remittance or allowance from their families. These payments were often made in order to keep the man away from Britain where it was thought he would cause problems for his family.

The 'Remittance Men' who came to Canada were second sons, which under British tradition of the time meant that these individuals should expect to inherit nothing from their family's estate. Following British tradition, all wealth and property were given to a family's oldest son, assuring that the family's fortune stayed in one piece.

The second sons of such families often led purposeless lives, many of them not knowing what they would do to earn a living. Some of these sons were uncontrollable young men who were an embarrassment to their families on account of their indulgence in drinking, gambling and continuing rounds of parties. All were seen as a drain on the family's revenue. Whatever the case, the main solution to their situation was often the same. They would be sent off to a far corner of the British Empire to make whatever living they could.

Some British immigrants of this class, however, did not fit the regular Remittance Man stereotype. A number of them were hardworking, married, did not receive regular remittances (if any at all) and who went on to be valuable and well thought of members of Canadian society.

The Remittance Men came to British Columbia from England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland traveling by ship across the Atlantic Ocean. The trip took approximately two weeks and they journeyed in luxurious surroundings. They ate well, slept in comfort and played cards while smoking fashionable cigars. These men were known for not traveling lightly. They brought all they thought they would need to continue living the life of luxury they were used to in Britain. They found, however, that their best suits were of no use when hunting and ranching in the Canadian West.

Upon arrival in British Columbia, the Remittance Men tended to live in communities established by British people. These communities were places such as Windermere in East Kootenay and Nelson in West Kootenay. Towns like these were advertised in Britain as being plentiful and beautiful paradises in which British people could recreate the aristocratic lifestyle they were accustomed to.

Reality however was much different; their land was not cleared, the homes they had to build did not resemble British cottages, and the regions they came to looked nothing like that featured in the promotional materials. In the majority of cases, their homes were cabins, although some managed to build Victorian and Edwardian houses. The men continued to live and behave as they had done in Britain, holding themselves apart from the Canadian society. They hunted, fished and some ranched while other became involved in investment schemes.

The Remittance Men received an education that was to prepare them for life in the British aristocracy, but in Canada this education was of no use. Many did not know how to farm or how to clear land, so they appeared to be foolish. Because the Remittance Men did not take part in Canadian society, many Canadians disliked them. The Remittance Men were mocked and jokes circulated about the foolish behavior of these marginalised individuals. They were often considered to be eccentrics who lived by themselves and had little contact with their neighbors.

Communities were enriched by the architecture and culture Remittance Men shared. This helped to develop regions that were culturally diverse, and in these cases Remittance men shared some of the cultural value they brought with them.
ABASTRACT from http://www.fortsteele.ca/exhibits/kootenay/ethnic/rmen.asp