Ida Isabella Hale

    Ida Isabella Hale was born on Saturday, 16 August 1913 at 22 Frichot, Toronto, York Co., Ontario, Canada. She appeared on the census of 1921 in the household of Frederick Hale at 91 Davenport Road, Toronto, York Co., Ontario, Canada. She was enumerated as: Hale, Ida, daughter, single, age 8, born Ontario, both parents born Ontario, Canadian, English, able to speak English, unable to speak French, Church of England, able to read and write, 8 months as a student, at school. Nothing noted as to her being mute. She attended Jessie Ketchum Public School, starting on September 11, 1921. Her date of birth was August 26, 1913, address was 126 Davenport Road, father was Frederick Hale, Teamster for Britnel's, Baptist. She left April 22, 1922 and went to a shelter. There was no mention in her file of her being mute or mentally handicapped. An image of Jesse Ketchum P.S. can be found here. After the death of her mother, Ida said she lived with her Aunt Fanny and Uncle Tommy Warlow. On June 21, 1922 at the age of eight, she was placed in the Orillia Mental Health Centre by her father. Her religion was listed as Baptist, her address was Summerhill Ave, Toronto. She had been a ward of the Children's Aid Society. She spent 46 years at Orillia, and at the age of 54 she was placed into a group home setting near Orillia. She stayed there until January 1986, then was put into a group home near Gravenhurst, Ontario. In October 1993 she was placed in the South Hampton Nursing Home. According to the files of her Public Trustee and Social Worker, she never received visits or correspondence from any family members the entire time she was in their care. There was a notation of a former Orillia worker, who regularly sent her Christmas presents after her placement in the first group home. Her listed interests were: knitting; sewing; going to church and helping at church functions; helping with housework; watching television and colouring. Ida believed her name to be Ida May and her date of birth to be December 12, 1914. She knew all her family members names, and seems to be particularly fond of John (Jack) and Bill (Willy), (as she called them.)
     Ida died on Thursday, 19 May 2005 at the Southhampton Care Centre, 140 Grey Street, Southhampton, Grey Co., Ontario, Canada, at age 91 years, 9 months and 3 days due to breast cancer. She was buried on Sunday, 22 May 2005 in the 6'th Line Cemetery, Innisfil Twp., Simcoe Co., Ontario, Canada.