> -----Original Message----- > From: Karen Abbott [mailto:karenabb@comcast.net] > Sent: Tuesday, April 03, 2007 1:34 PM > To: copies@bccopies.ca > Subject: birth record question > > Hi, > > I'm a writer working on a book for Random House about 1930s burlesque > legend Gypsy Rose Lee, and I'm trying to trace her family lineage. > Gypsy's real name was Rose Louise Hovick, and it's always been > assumed that she was born in Seattle, Washington, USA. (Her sister, > Ellen June Hovick, reportedly was born in Vancouver.) However, I > recently obtained a copy of Ellen June's birth certificate, which > indicates that she was born in Seattle--not Vancouver--and on a date > that is frequently cited as Gypsy's birthday. > > I'm guessing that Gypsy was born out of wedlock, and her mother > either didn't report the birth, or went north to deliver the baby in > Canada so the neighbors wouldn't talk (hence the Vancouver > reference). Ellen June's birthday is recorded as January 8, 1911, and > Gypsy was approximately two years older, so I assume she was born in > either 1908 or 1909. Is there any way to search for and obtain birth > certificates in Vancouver for these years? I'm not quite sure how the > system works, but I'd happily hire a local researcher if that would > increase my chances of finding birth date information for Rose Louise > Hovick. I live in Atlanta, GA, USA, so my ability to search for > records myself is obviously limited. > Hi Karen, > Unfortunately the laws in British Columbia don't allow birth records > to become public until 110 years after the event. I can't think of any > other > method to find out, especially if the mother came from Seattle just to > have > a baby and then return. The census and phone records would be of no help. > I > am going to forward your email to the BC List and see if anyone there has > an > idea. Sorry I couldn't be of more help. > > Don (in Vancouver) ----- Original Message ----- From: "Don" Sent: Tuesday, April 03, 2007 7:03 PM Subject: [CAN-BC] Gipsy Rose Lee > Can anyone help her?? I'm more than surprised that no one has stated what to me may be the obvious. There is a Vancouver Washington. It is in Clark County, in the south-west of the state, bascially across the river from Portland Oregon. There was no mention of Vancouver WA in the initial message from Karen, only the premice that the mother possibly went north to Vancouver BC. Toni ~ Ontario