Tuesday, November 2, 2021

Stories from the Station: Ernest Fizzard Murley, Newfoundland Royal Naval Reserve


Ernest Fizzard Murley (NRNR)

Ernest Fizzard Murley 

Image Accessed at Ancestry.ca


Date of Birth: 14 August, 1898

Place of Birth: Marystown, Newfoundland

Date of Death: 1980, Halifax, Nova Scotia

Burial Place: Gates of Heaven Cemetery, Lower Sackville, Halifax County, Nova Scotia, Canada 


ID: 2148x

Enlistment Date: 26 August 1916

Served at HM Wireless Station: 26 August 1916 - 16 November 1917

Position: Guard


Appearance (as described in Service Record). 

Height:  5” 5’

Hair: Fair

Eyes: Grey

Complexion: Lush


Early Life

Ernest Fizzard Murley was born on August 14th 1898, in Marystown Newfoundland to Isaac and Isabella (Burke) Murley; he was the eldest of their two children. His father was a labourer working in the lumbering woods of Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. In 1912, while on a trip to visit his father in North Sydney, Ernest’s mother took ill with Typhoid Fever.



Death Certificate of Isabella (Burke) Murley 

 Image Courtesy of Archives Nova Scotia



According to medical records, Ernest’s mother Isabella suffered for three weeks before dying on August 8th, 1912. His father remarried in 1914 in North Sydney to Esther (Seward) Farrell. Between 1915 and 1919 the couple had 3 children: Chesley Murley (b.~ 1915), Melvin G. Murley (b~.1917) and Margaret (b~ 1919).


Naval Experience


Ernest Fizzard Murley’s Service Record: GN 182.3 Reel 1

Image Courtesy of the Rooms Provincial Archives



On August 26th 1916, Ernest enlisted in the Newfoundland Royal Naval Reserve. He trained for 28 days on H.M.S. Briton (formerly H.M.S. Calypso) under the command of Lieutenant Commander Anthony MacDermott. After his training, he worked as a guard at the H.M. Wireless Station. Here Ernest would have served alongside other reservists such as Nicholas Avery and William Alcock. Much like Avery and Alcock, Ernest was serving at the H.M. Wireless Station when Henry Candy was killed in September of 1917. He served at the station until November 16th 1917.


H.M Wireless Station 

Image courtesy of Admiralty House Museum and Archives 

Clem Scott Digital Collection


Following his service at H.M. Wireless Station, Ernest served as a guard for several onshore units, most notably H.M.S. Pembroke I and H.M.S. Vivid.


H.M.S Vivid 

Image accessed at olddevonport.uk



Discharged on April 16th 1919, Ernest received the Victory Medal and the British War Medal for his efforts during the First World War; he later received a war gratuity in 1920 issued from H.M.S. Briton.


Personal Life 

Following his time in the Navy, Ernest moved to Halifax, Nova Scotia. He married Margaret Joseph Ryan, on March 23rd 1923, at the Halifax Court House on Spring Garden Road.

 

The Marriage Register of Ernest Murley and Margaret Ryan 

Image courtesy of Archives Nova Scotia

35140.1675.1923


In the years after their marriage, Ernest’s wife Margaret gave birth to 8 children between 1924 into the early 1940s: George, Ernest, Allen, Barbara Ann, Ronald, Betty, and three other sons [1].



Death Register of Ernest’s son George 1924 to 1926

Image courtesy of Archives Nova Scotia

35140.1675.1926


Tragedy struck the family when Ernest’s eldest son George died  on December 20th 1926 at the age of 2. According to his death certificate, George was sick for less than a month with Lobar Pneumonia and Pneumococcal Meningitis.


Career 

After his time in the Navy, Ernest worked various jobs in the labour sector. Upon his arrival to Halifax, Ernest worked as a carpenter. He then changed professions and became a painter. Ernest worked in this profession until his retirement in 1967.


Death

Ernest died in 1980 in Halifax, Nova Scotia. He is buried at the Gates of Heaven Cemetery in Lower Sackville, Halifax County, Nova Scotia. He was survived by his wife Margaret (d.1982), his children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews.


Family Tree

  1. Parents: 

    1. Isaac Murley (b.1878 to d. 1950)

    2. Isabelle Burke (b.1881 to d. 1912)

    3. Esther Seward (b. 1878 to d. 1974)

  2. Siblings 

    1. George (b.1902) 

    2. Chesley

    3. Melvin 

  1. Spouse 

    1. Margaret Josephine Ryan (b.1901 to d. 1982)

  2. Children 

    1. George Murley (b.1924 to d. 1926)

    2. Ernest Murley (b.~ 1925) 

    3. Allen Murley (b. 1930 to d. 2008)

    4. Barbara Ann Mary Murley  (b.1931 to d. 2009)

    5. Ronald William Murley 

    6. Betty Murley 

    7. Unknown 

    8. Unknown 

    9. Unknown

Endnotes

1. It is important to note that due to unpublished census records for 1931

and 1941, and privacy laws we are unable to find the names of Ernest

Murley’s last three children.


References


1. Archives, Nova Scotia.”Nova Scotia Births, Marriages, and Deaths.” FN:105/1564/1926, April 20, 2020. https://archives. novascotia.ca/.


2. Archives, Nova Scotia.”Nova Scotia Births, Marriages, and Deaths. FN: 35140/1675/1923, April 20, 2020. https://archives. novascotia.ca/.


3. Newfoundland, Canada, Births, Marriages, and Deaths, 1850-1949 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2017.

Canada, Arriving Passengers Lists, 1865-1935 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2010.


4. Canada, Voters Lists, 1935-1980 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012.


5. U.S., Border Crossings from Canada to U.S., 1895-1960 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010.


6. Archives, Nova Scotia.”Nova Scotia Births, Marriages, and Deaths. FN:22/127/759. April 20, 2020. https://archives. novascotia.ca/.

Archives, Nova Scotia.”Nova Scotia Births, Marriages, and Deaths. FN:022077/1914. April 20, 2020. https://archives. novascotia.ca/.


7. UK, Naval Medal and Award Rolls, 1793-1972 [database on-line]. ADM171 Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010.

 

8. Service Record: Ernest Fizzard Murley, Provincial Archives of Newfoundland, and Labrador, GN 182. 13, Reel 3


9. Service Record: Ernest Fizzard Murley, Provincial Archives of Newfoundland, and Labrador, GN 182. 13, Reel 3


10. Statistics Canada, Census of Canada 1921, item 5483831, RG31, retrieved at : https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/census/1921 /Pages/ item.aspx?itemid=5483831


11. Nova Scotia Births, Marriages, And Deaths, “ Ernest Fizzard Murley and Josephine Ryan married in 1923 at Halifax County”. Registration Number: 1675, Number 35140, Registration year 1923,  Accessed at ,https://archives.novascotia.ca/vital-statistics/marria ge /?ID=180830.


12. Nova Scotia Births, Marriages, And Deaths, “George James Murley death at Halifax, Halifax County in 1926.” Registration number:1564, File: 105: Year: 1926. Accessed at https://archives. novascotia.ca/vital-statistics/death/?ID=209560   


13. Nova Scotia Births, Marriages, And Deaths, “Isabella Murley  died at Sydney, Cape Breton County in 1912.” Registration number:759, Book: 12, Year: 1912. Accessed athttps://archives.n ovascotia.ca/vital- statistics/death/?ID=116889 
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1 comment:

  1. AnonymousAugust 22, 2023 at 2:35 PM

    The names of the three remaining children are: Douglas Murley, Gerald Murley, and Edward Murley.

    ReplyDelete

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