Born in England, Daisy Louise Saunders spent her adult life in western Canada and published a collection of poetry in 1926.
This author's life has been researched earlier for inclusion in the
Entry revised by Linnea McNally
Daisy Louise Bird was born in 1885 in Winchfield, England, to Louisa Dennis (1845-1910) and Joseph Bird (1848-1890), a farmer-grocer-merchant.
Educated at a private school for girls in Reigate, Daisy followed the same path taken by many semi-genteel, unmarried and "redundant" English women, emigrating to Canada to teach school. In 1910, she joined her brother Charles, who had immigrated to Marshall, SK, in 1903; the pair then moved to Battleford, SK. Eventually, all of the Bird siblings settling in and around Lashburn, SK, and Pincher Creek, AB.
In December 1912, Daisy married William James Saunders (1882-1974), a local farmer and fellow British settler who became prosperous, moving later into prospecting and distributing natural gas in the Lloydminster area. The couple had one daughter, who died in infancy.
While she spent the rest of her life on the prairies, Daisy may have made extensive visits to Vancouver, as she published a few verses in the
Daisy died in 1969 and was buried at the Lashburn Cemetery; William died five years later, in 1974.
Joseph Bird was born in 1848 in Basingstoke, England, to Joseph Bird (b. c1817) and his wife Maria (b. c1818). In 1878, Joseph married Louisa Dennis (1845-1910), with whom he had six children. He was a grocer, provision merchant, and farmer, who died in Basingstoke in 1890.
Louisa Dennis was born in 1845 in Bemondsey, England, likely to Charles Dennis (c1811-1875) and his wife Mary Ann (c1816-1885). In 1878, Louisa married Joseph Bird (1848-1890) with whom she had six children. She likely died in Basingstoke, England, in 1910.
Charles came to Canada in 1903 and farmed in Lashburn, SK.
Sidney came to Canada in 1910 and settled in Lashburn, SK, where he worked as a salesman.
Alice came to Canada in 1910 and lived with her siblings, Charles and Daisy, in Lashburn, SK.
Dennis came to Canada in 1908; he lived for a time with brother Reginald in Macleod, AB, and farmed in Wilton, SK.
Reginald came to Canada in 1906 and settled in Kerr, Macleod, AB, where he farmed. He died in Pincher Creek, AB.
William James Saunders was born in 1882 in Herstmonceux, Sussex, England, likely to James Saunders (1856-1921) and Jane Friend (c1858-1921). William came to Canada in 1903 and married Daisy Louise Saunders (1885-1969) in 1912. He was a prosperous farmer who became involved in natural gas exploration and distribution in the Lloydminster area. Widowed in 1969, William died in 1974, likely in Marsh all, SK. He was buried in Lashburn, SK, next to his wife.
Private girls school, Reigate, England
Schoolteacher, Lashburn, SK
Farmer's wife
Vancouver Poetry Society