William Rock-Carpenter
Lydia Rock
164 Avondale Avenue
Built 1924-1925

The house at 164 Avondale Avenue was built in 1924-1925 by Lydia and William Rock. The lot consisted of the north part of lot 8 and part of lot 9 of 288 Huron Street (Lots 8-9), essentially the back yard of 288 Huron Street, owned by John and Margaret Robertson.

William Christian Rock was born in Fullarton Township on February 22, 1887, apparently the sixth of eight children born to George Augustus Rock (1843-1914) and Frederika Hartwich (1846-1909). William’s father was born in Hesse, Germany, and arrived in Wilmot Township, Waterloo County with his family before 1857. William’s parents and siblings eventually moved to Logan and Hibbert Townships in Perth County, working as farmers. 

By 1911 William had left home and was working as a farm labourer, living as a lodger at 260 Nile Street, Stratford. On February 21, 1913 William married Lydia Schellenberger in Stratford. At the time of their marriage William had been living in Calgary, working as a contractor. 

Lydia was born on April 15, 1889 in Fullarton Township, the third of six children born to Michael Schellenberger (1851-1909) and Maria Eckert (1859-1900). Lydia’s parents were born in Perth County. Her paternal grandparents had emigrated from Alsace-Lorraine by 1844.

In the 1914 city directory, William was listed as a carpenter and was living with Lydia at 147 King Street in Stratford. From 1915 to 1922 William and Lydia were living at 12 Well Street. William was listed as a carpenter every year except 1920, when he was working at the Stratford Manufacturing Company. In 1923 William and Lydia were living at 288 Huron Street, the house that was built on what would become the lot to the south of their house. They lived at 164 Avondale for 1924 and part of 1925 only. At some point in 1925 they were living at 292 Huron, and John Near, a salesman working for W.J. Thurston, was living at 164 Avondale.

In 1926 William and Lydia emigrated to Detroit, a very common occurrence during that period for residents of Ontario because of the rapid industrialization of Michigan.  By 1920 William was working as a millwright at an auto factory. By 1940 he was working as a self-employed painter. 

William died on July 10, 1950 in Eloise, Wayne, Michigan and is buried there. His body was donated to medical science. Lydia died in Adrian, Lenawee, Michigan on October 20, 1979.

William and Lydia had three children: Esma Ruth (1916-1988), Ray Harold (1921-1992), and Larry Eckert (1922-2009). All were born in Stratford. All three children, of course, accompanied their parents to Michigan. Esma Ruth married a machinist in Detroit and died in Palm Beach, Florida. Ray Harold worked for the Aluminum Company of America by the age of 20, shortly after registering with the military. He was in the military from 1942 to 1950, and then was in the air force from 1951 to 1964. He was buried in the Fort Custer National Cemetery in Michigan. Larry Eckert married in Detroit, registered in the military in 1942, and worked at Detroit News and in building construction. He died in Pompano Beach, Florida.