Family Memories
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memory by Wray McDonnell
Xmas traditions in my house growing up. 1945 and onwards
On Xmas eve, mom would attach empty wool socks to the back of a dining room chair with clothes pegs. (We didn’t have a fireplace. )
If we’d been good Santa would give use something, otherwise it was a big lump of black coal! My dad’s brother Wray, who I was named after, was with us for the 1950 Xmas and he jokingly got a lump of coal in his stockingl! Apparently coal is an old Irish custom.
Usually we got an apple, some nuts like Brazil nuts…although we didn’t call them that. Also a few candy and possibly a small toy. Later on so called Japanese oranges became popular. (Now called mandarins oranges).
In the morning we would open our socks, but our tree gift opening could only happen after dad had finished milking the cow….after 9:00 or later.
And I forgot the treat left for Santa Claus . Mom and dad would leave a slice of mincemeat pie and a beer on the kitchen table. It was gone in the morning. It was Old Style beer..the label fascinated me. Uncle Wray drank rye whiskey made by Alberta Distillery of which he had some shares. He willed 100 shares to me which, in part, paid for my post secondary education. Another story.
Looking forward to everyone at Xmas time.
Dad
On Xmas eve, mom would attach empty wool socks to the back of a dining room chair with clothes pegs. (We didn’t have a fireplace. )
If we’d been good Santa would give use something, otherwise it was a big lump of black coal! My dad’s brother Wray, who I was named after, was with us for the 1950 Xmas and he jokingly got a lump of coal in his stockingl! Apparently coal is an old Irish custom.
Usually we got an apple, some nuts like Brazil nuts…although we didn’t call them that. Also a few candy and possibly a small toy. Later on so called Japanese oranges became popular. (Now called mandarins oranges).
In the morning we would open our socks, but our tree gift opening could only happen after dad had finished milking the cow….after 9:00 or later.
And I forgot the treat left for Santa Claus . Mom and dad would leave a slice of mincemeat pie and a beer on the kitchen table. It was gone in the morning. It was Old Style beer..the label fascinated me. Uncle Wray drank rye whiskey made by Alberta Distillery of which he had some shares. He willed 100 shares to me which, in part, paid for my post secondary education. Another story.
Looking forward to everyone at Xmas time.
Dad
memory by Wray McDonnell
A history of the McDonnell family home 1943-62.
It was located at 460-216 street, Langley (however at the time was 1440 Johnston Townline Road, Langley Prairie, BC).
After selling everything in Homebrook, Manitoba in the fall of ‘42 . First they took the train from Gypsumville to Winnipeg, then they took the CNR train to Fort Langley. They had 3 small kids in tow. Upon arrival Dad’s cousin Marion Roper took them to her home on Pacific Highway in Surrey for the first winter. (Dad had looked after her father for seven years previously! See ‘Dad meets Uncle Will article’).
Arthur & Irene McDonnell purchased the farm property in the fall of 1943 from Bob Thompson, who was the stepson of Daniel Craig the builder of the home. The purchase price was approximately $4200. It included the house and 80 acres , outbuildings including the cow barns, a milk house, a brooder house, root cellar, pig sties, chicken house , garage and outhouses .
There was no electricity/power…it came in 1947-48. Likely only 7-9 acres was clear of stumps and trees. . There was an orchard composed of many different apples varieties, a pear tree, cherry tree, and a reliable plum tree. The big old growth fir trees were long gone leaving stumps some of which were 6-10 feet on the stump. There were multiple water wells to serve each of the outbuildings. Wells were only 12-15 feet deep and each had a cast iron hand-pump.
Dad & Mom sold the farm to Bill & Myrtle Theodore in September 1962. Dad and mom had built the place up to the point where they earned a good living for the family. Dad was most proud of the fact that he never had to work off the farm to pay the bills. Few others in the district could claim such! In 1962, Dad was 62 and Mom was 47. Both had health issues. He had a heart attack& arthritis, she had asthma . I was 17 and not old enough to decide on farming for life .
They had a very small but good herd of registered Holstein cows, heifers, etc . And a flock of 2000 bird (chickens )to produce hatching eggs for a Cloverdale hatchery . It was diversified sources of income . Must write more!
From Taking a chance: Homesteading in Campbell Valley :
The original homestead was taken by Murdock Kirby in the 1892 era. Kirby was a remittance man from Mayfield , England. .. “a beans & rice fellow”.
Kirby sold the property to Daniel Craig ( a skilled carpenter) when he inherited money from England in 1903, and purchased a more prosperous farm in Milner.
Craig built the house around 1905 when he married Mrs Thompson. It was a very substantial home.
Daniel Craig married a 'Mrs. Thompson' (a divorcee visiting from England) who was a trained nurse. She set up a 'nursing home' for expectant mothers and sick children in the large house that Daniel built. This home still stands, and was used for many years by the Salvation Army for troubled youth - and swimming pool next to it was used by the public. I just chanced upon him, and his memory of those early years is still sharp.
That when Dr. Marr came as Langley's first doctor, Mrs. Thompson had to give him much practical advice as he was still 'wet behind the ears.'
Mr. Thompson foundly remembers dances at Murrayville Hall, but is still really annoyed that pranksters set his horse loose as the dance and he had to walk all the way home in pitch black - of course, his horse finding his way home far sooner than he did!
P.Davis - 1997
It was located at 460-216 street, Langley (however at the time was 1440 Johnston Townline Road, Langley Prairie, BC).
After selling everything in Homebrook, Manitoba in the fall of ‘42 . First they took the train from Gypsumville to Winnipeg, then they took the CNR train to Fort Langley. They had 3 small kids in tow. Upon arrival Dad’s cousin Marion Roper took them to her home on Pacific Highway in Surrey for the first winter. (Dad had looked after her father for seven years previously! See ‘Dad meets Uncle Will article’).
Arthur & Irene McDonnell purchased the farm property in the fall of 1943 from Bob Thompson, who was the stepson of Daniel Craig the builder of the home. The purchase price was approximately $4200. It included the house and 80 acres , outbuildings including the cow barns, a milk house, a brooder house, root cellar, pig sties, chicken house , garage and outhouses .
There was no electricity/power…it came in 1947-48. Likely only 7-9 acres was clear of stumps and trees. . There was an orchard composed of many different apples varieties, a pear tree, cherry tree, and a reliable plum tree. The big old growth fir trees were long gone leaving stumps some of which were 6-10 feet on the stump. There were multiple water wells to serve each of the outbuildings. Wells were only 12-15 feet deep and each had a cast iron hand-pump.
Dad & Mom sold the farm to Bill & Myrtle Theodore in September 1962. Dad and mom had built the place up to the point where they earned a good living for the family. Dad was most proud of the fact that he never had to work off the farm to pay the bills. Few others in the district could claim such! In 1962, Dad was 62 and Mom was 47. Both had health issues. He had a heart attack& arthritis, she had asthma . I was 17 and not old enough to decide on farming for life .
They had a very small but good herd of registered Holstein cows, heifers, etc . And a flock of 2000 bird (chickens )to produce hatching eggs for a Cloverdale hatchery . It was diversified sources of income . Must write more!
From Taking a chance: Homesteading in Campbell Valley :
The original homestead was taken by Murdock Kirby in the 1892 era. Kirby was a remittance man from Mayfield , England. .. “a beans & rice fellow”.
Kirby sold the property to Daniel Craig ( a skilled carpenter) when he inherited money from England in 1903, and purchased a more prosperous farm in Milner.
Craig built the house around 1905 when he married Mrs Thompson. It was a very substantial home.
Daniel Craig married a 'Mrs. Thompson' (a divorcee visiting from England) who was a trained nurse. She set up a 'nursing home' for expectant mothers and sick children in the large house that Daniel built. This home still stands, and was used for many years by the Salvation Army for troubled youth - and swimming pool next to it was used by the public. I just chanced upon him, and his memory of those early years is still sharp.
That when Dr. Marr came as Langley's first doctor, Mrs. Thompson had to give him much practical advice as he was still 'wet behind the ears.'
Mr. Thompson foundly remembers dances at Murrayville Hall, but is still really annoyed that pranksters set his horse loose as the dance and he had to walk all the way home in pitch black - of course, his horse finding his way home far sooner than he did!
P.Davis - 1997
memory by Wray McDonnell
There is a picture of the barn , perhaps built 1910 era showing the fruit orchard and a big stump . The area was heavily forested with firs, spruce, hemlock, cedars, etc. there were big stumps for years afterwards. The old timers originally would drill holes into them and pour hot coals in to burn them off . Later , after say WWI, blasting powder was used. When they could afford it . Dad did lots of that . Then after WW2 , small bull dozers became common. D4’s caterpillars. Dad hired one to do 5 acres on the east end of the farm. Later bigger machinery became for hire eg HD19 Allis Chalmers …..
Dad did 20 acres on the south side. Very productive soils especially in the first few years. When they arrived in ‘43 hay was produced or cut mainly from the creek meadows in Campbell creek which flowed on the north part. Not particularly good cattle feed, mostly ‘rip gut’ and sedges. Dad used to pour hot water mixed with molasses on it to get the cows to eat it. Us kids loved to stick our fingers in the barrel hole to taste. That pretty well ends when good land was cleared. Then good machinery was needed. . Around 1949 or 1950,
Dad persuaded a prominent Holstein dairy farmer (Tom Berry) to sell him two purebred calves. Our cattle registration prefix was “Homebrook”! Did not require a bull as artificial insemination became common. Much cheaper and relatively high quality animals ….Safer too . Started around 1947 or so. Biggest problem was that he had to drive to a call the AI unit from someone with a phone. We got a phone around 1952. Party line, of course. AI technicians would drive out to inseminate the cow in heat. Worked very well
Dad did 20 acres on the south side. Very productive soils especially in the first few years. When they arrived in ‘43 hay was produced or cut mainly from the creek meadows in Campbell creek which flowed on the north part. Not particularly good cattle feed, mostly ‘rip gut’ and sedges. Dad used to pour hot water mixed with molasses on it to get the cows to eat it. Us kids loved to stick our fingers in the barrel hole to taste. That pretty well ends when good land was cleared. Then good machinery was needed. . Around 1949 or 1950,
Dad persuaded a prominent Holstein dairy farmer (Tom Berry) to sell him two purebred calves. Our cattle registration prefix was “Homebrook”! Did not require a bull as artificial insemination became common. Much cheaper and relatively high quality animals ….Safer too . Started around 1947 or so. Biggest problem was that he had to drive to a call the AI unit from someone with a phone. We got a phone around 1952. Party line, of course. AI technicians would drive out to inseminate the cow in heat. Worked very well
memory by Anne Griffin
It’s funny how memories from one sibling to another can be so different. I guess 5 years makes a big difference.
My Christmas memories are a bit different for me than Wray’s.
My earliest memories are of hanging socks on the phoney fireplace mantle in the ‘front room’ , not a real fireplace but it held our stockings at Christmas and a few pictures on top, the rest of the year. We were not allowed in the front room, it was kept for company, having a newer green chesterfield and chair. The Christmas tree was set up in the window of the front room. We had bubble lights that hardly worked, and lots of homemade decorations. Apparently, during the war, Christmas cards were made to become Christmas tree decorations and we had lots of them. My three big sisters, Lill, Joyce and Kay, always decorated the tree and I was only allowed to hang some tinsel! We went out every year and tromped thru the bush to find and chop down our tree. They were pretty scrawny I remember, what would be called a ‘Charlie Brown’ tree now.
My Mom worked hard to get the Christmas dinner ready.
I remember helping her tear up dry bread into the big blue speckled roaster for the turkey’s stuffing. She made all sorts of pies and goodies for the desserts. The house smelled wonderful when I came in from outside! My Mom was an excellent cook and her Christmas dinners were great, lots and lots of vegetables, cauliflower with cheese sauce, Brussels sprouts, turnips, carrots with parsnips, along with that special stuffing , turkey and lots of mashed potatoes and gravy. Always lots to eat at our table for sure. I don’t remember having too many visitors at Christmas, our neighbour Fred Thomason was always there of course and I remember when I was about 4 or 5 having Auntie Marion there, she lived in White Rock and was my Dad’s cousin. My Dad always changed from his work clothes to a shirt and tie, for dinner.
We all gathered in the front room to hand out our presents. I remember getting a doll with pink hair one year…..most years my Grandma Dumont, my Moms mom, would send a package, she made us each a pair of socks, including Mom and Dad. My dad always got a box of handkerchiefs, no Kleenex in those days. Us girls generally got something we needed, clothing mostly, a new blouse or skirt for school (the girls all had to wear skirts in school, even in the snow, we wore slacks to school and changed into our skirts when we got there)
So that is a memory I thought I’d share of Christmas on the farm when I was about kid
My Christmas memories are a bit different for me than Wray’s.
My earliest memories are of hanging socks on the phoney fireplace mantle in the ‘front room’ , not a real fireplace but it held our stockings at Christmas and a few pictures on top, the rest of the year. We were not allowed in the front room, it was kept for company, having a newer green chesterfield and chair. The Christmas tree was set up in the window of the front room. We had bubble lights that hardly worked, and lots of homemade decorations. Apparently, during the war, Christmas cards were made to become Christmas tree decorations and we had lots of them. My three big sisters, Lill, Joyce and Kay, always decorated the tree and I was only allowed to hang some tinsel! We went out every year and tromped thru the bush to find and chop down our tree. They were pretty scrawny I remember, what would be called a ‘Charlie Brown’ tree now.
My Mom worked hard to get the Christmas dinner ready.
I remember helping her tear up dry bread into the big blue speckled roaster for the turkey’s stuffing. She made all sorts of pies and goodies for the desserts. The house smelled wonderful when I came in from outside! My Mom was an excellent cook and her Christmas dinners were great, lots and lots of vegetables, cauliflower with cheese sauce, Brussels sprouts, turnips, carrots with parsnips, along with that special stuffing , turkey and lots of mashed potatoes and gravy. Always lots to eat at our table for sure. I don’t remember having too many visitors at Christmas, our neighbour Fred Thomason was always there of course and I remember when I was about 4 or 5 having Auntie Marion there, she lived in White Rock and was my Dad’s cousin. My Dad always changed from his work clothes to a shirt and tie, for dinner.
We all gathered in the front room to hand out our presents. I remember getting a doll with pink hair one year…..most years my Grandma Dumont, my Moms mom, would send a package, she made us each a pair of socks, including Mom and Dad. My dad always got a box of handkerchiefs, no Kleenex in those days. Us girls generally got something we needed, clothing mostly, a new blouse or skirt for school (the girls all had to wear skirts in school, even in the snow, we wore slacks to school and changed into our skirts when we got there)
So that is a memory I thought I’d share of Christmas on the farm when I was about kid