Robert Cheyne

     Robert Cheyne was born, 25 December 1891, in Govan Parish, Lanark, Scotland.¹

Robert Cheyne and David Cheyne were listed on the 1901 Scotland Census at Kilmacolm Orphanage, Bridge of Weir, in Kilmacolm Parish, Renfrew, Scotland. Robert was 9 years old and David was 5. Both were born in Govan Parish, Lanark. They were probably brothers.²

Robert Cheyne and David Cheyne were found on a passenger list, dated 8 May 1905, at Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They were passengers aboard the Corinthian, out of Glasgow. They were in a group of 105 boys from "Quarier's Home" who were being transported to Brookville, Ontario. Robert was 13 and David 9, both born in Lanark.³

Robert Cheyne was found on a passenger list, dated 3 December 1909, at Montreal, Quebec, Canada. He was passenger aboard the Victorian, out of Liverpool. He was 20, single, born in Scotland and a clerk. He was destined for Winnipeg via Canadian Pacific Railroad.⁴

Robert Cheyne was listed on the 1911 Canada Census at 534 Langside, in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. He was one of two boarders in the household of Nick Hare. He was single, 22 and born in Scotland. His occupation was blank.⁵

Robert Cheyne was found on a passenger list, dated 11 August 1912, at Quebec, Quebec, Canada. He was returning Canadian passenger aboard the Grampian, out of Glasgow. He was 18, single and born in Scotland. He had been in Winnipeg for three years and destined for Winnipeg.⁶

Robert Cheyne was found on a list of military personnel dated 12 February 1917 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. He had signed an Attestation Paper joining the Canadian Over-Seas Expeditionary Force. He was single, a railway brakeman, resided 184 Harrison Avenue, Winnipeg and was born, 25 December 1891, in Govan, Scotland. He had no previous military experience. His brother, Mr. Peter Cheyne, in Glasgow was listed as his next of kin.¹

Robert Cheyne was found on a passenger list, dated 25 May 1919, at Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. He was listed with a group of military personnel in a dispersal unit after the war aboard the Aquitania, out of Southampton. He was a Private, residing in Winnipeg, a Presbyterian and had a brother.⁷

An account of David and Robert Cheynes was provided by a contributor. "He (David Cheyne) came to Canada as one of the "Home Children", an orphan along with his brother, Robert. They had another brother, Peter, back in Glasgow. The two Canadian brothers got separated during WWI and each believed that the other had died in the war. They tripped over each other many years later with Dave living in Kingston and Bob, married and living in Winnipeg. Not clear on how he found out about his existence, but he just got on a plane and went out there, walked up to his house and shocked him with a knock on the door! "Uncle Dave" lived with my great-grandparents in Kingston, first as a boarder then as a caregiver as they all aged. He worked as an ambulance attendant in the 1920's. Feet were injured in WWI - always wore "army boots" after that. Passed away in 1983, around Christmas. Loved to fish and had a great collection of antiques - apartment had 27 clocks at the time of his death"!⁸