The Henry Harold Harrison Family

Biography

John Moor Brewis was born in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne on December fourth, 1904. He was the first child of John Moor Brewis, a marine engineer, and Mary Tidey. When John was born the family lived at 61 Trewhitt Road in Newcastle. Circa 1909 the Brewis family had another son, Ernest George.

In the 1911 census Mary and her two sons were enumerated living in a four room house at 104 Warton Terrace in Newcastle. John was six years old and his brother Ernest was two. John was attending school. The father was not at home and was probably at sea.

On November 9, 1923 at the age of 19 John Moor Brewis sailed to Canada on the S.S. Montrose. On his passenger declaration John stated that he was emigrating to Canada to take up a position with the Union Bank of Canada. He was apparently assigned to work at a bank branch in Norwood, Ontario near Peterborough.

Seven months after arriving in Canada, on June 21st 1924, John Moor Brewis married Mable Jane Puffer in Peterborough. Five months later, on November 13, 1924, Mable Puffer gave birth to a daughter, Barbara E. Brewis, in Los Angeles, California. John and Mable subsequently divorced.

Circa 1927 John moved to Toronto. The Toronto directories show him living at 291A Keele Street in 1928 and 91A Isabella in 1929. Both residences appear to have been rooming houses. No occupation is given for John in either listing. In the 1930 directory John is listed as the general manager of Moor Brewis & Co., stockbrokers, located at 100 Adelaide Street West. He was living at 12 Woolfrey Avenue in Riverdale which also appears to have been a boarding house.

In the early 1930s John married Agnes May Gilbert. The couple had a son, John Gilbert Brewis, born in 1932. They divorced in 1935. The 1935 Toronto directory lists John as a manager at H.P. Pedden & Co., a stock brokerage and living at 38 Burnaby Blvd.

In 1935 John married Mary Gertrude Pedden in Hamilton, Ontario.