Oh, Baby! 7th Edition - Smile For The Camera Carnival

7th Edition - Smile For The Camera

So many baby photos, which to choose? Some are truly orphaned now,

and unlikely to be identified, but here's a favourite though.

Mum with her Drummond twin cousins, born 1917, Balcarres, Saskatchewan, Canada.

Photo believed taken in 1918.

Sure hope Mum was holding on tightly.

Here's something interesting I found in my 'Treasure Chest'.

Mailed from Regina, Saskatchewan to Winnipeg, Manitoba;
postmarked Regina Mar 3 1930 VIA AIR MAIL.
5 cent Air stamp; cover stamp Regina to Winnipeg, First Regular Official Flight


2327 McIntyre St
March 1st, 1930


Dear Sister

Here is to be my first “Air Mail” letter, why live in this modern age and not take advantage of all Modern Methods. It looks as if planes were going to be more popular than they have been. What will be the next thrill to amuse mankind.

Well we are having a bit more winter and it’s surely better now than next June. The days are getting so much longer and the sun warmer and the cold does not seem so severe as before, but I do like the mild weather.

I thought of going over to see Alice Dennison yesterday but did not make it. I haven’t seen them since before Xmas. Alex saw Lionel the other day and he asked why we never went around. I dropped in to Mrs. Ware’s and stayed too long there. Col. had been in hospital for over two weeks and is still in the house but hopes to go to his office next week again.

Dad has got started in his office again. Can’t say yet how they will get along. Chipman has lots of pep and the people he worked with before said he was a good Salesman but business seems pretty dull in every branch, and so many places have laid of a lot of help - however if the wheat price comes back again it will help some. McPhail sounds rather a hopefull note since he came back and forecasts a raise in prices.

What is Walter doing? Did the job he hoped to get develop yet?

Well our bunch are much happier working. Don is like a different fellow you would scarcely know him, he is as cheerful and happy and likes his work so much. Did not get home untill mid night last night. That happens ends of months. Laurie says “You would think Don was Manager of the Imperial Bank” instead of Junior – he walks & talks with such importance.

Was glad to get your letter yesterday had thought you had forgotten us here. Hope your knees are better again. The streets here are in same condition.

Hasn’t Annie Pattison got the big heart in her? She is always nursing some sick one or other. I hope the little girl is soon quite well. How is Tom McIntosh doing now?

Did I tell you I had a letter from Aunt Mary Jane a while ago. She told me, they expect Muriel will be married this next summer, her intended is a teacher too.

You said you were dreaming of us lately. I often dream of you too. Laurie is fairly well. he is thinner than usual, and had a touch of pleursy a couple of weeks ago. Dr Richie put a Bella dona plaster on him and told him to get an XRay of that lung just for to be satisfied as he never seemed to be real well since that bad cold at Xmas however it revealed nothing and puts his mind at ease. He has taken a six weeks Officer’s course and was going three nights a week to Armouries. I think it was too much as well as work.

I am going down town now for the Sundays supplies. We just seem to get away with loads of eats here. Don Mantle comes to dinner here every Sat. and we are always eight at any time.

Love to All - Maggie

This was sent by Maggie (Irwin) Drummond in Regina to her sister, Amy (Irwin) Scott, (my grandmother) in Winnipeg. Both sisters were born and married in Newdale, Manitoba. Alex was Maggie's husband; Walter was Amy's. Don and Laurie are Maggie's sons. Annie Pattison and Tom McInTosh were cousins. Most of the others mentioned, I believe, were 'family friends'.

In Winnipeg, the new Prairie Air Mail service was heralded as "An Epoch in Western Communication" by the Manitoba Free Press. Hundreds turned out to see the first Winnipeg mail flight - so many with motorcars that there was a traffic jam. (WFP, Tuesday, 4 March 1930, p. 1,4 - NewspaperARCHIVE at Godfrey Memorial Library - godfrey.org) Pilot W. J. Buchanan flew into Winnipeg from Regina with the first air mail solo on March 3rd, ten minutes ahead of time, and carried 8 bags of mail - about 500 pounds worth.

ROGERS- mother and daughter trip, California, Summer 1961

Diane on Olvera Street, Los Angeles, California, U.S.A., Summer, 1961 - Sophisticated or what! Diane at the hotel in her new outfit, Los Angeles, California, U.S.A., Summer, 1961 (bought with her own hard saved money).
Diane at Forest Lawn Cemetery, California, U.S.A., Summer, 1961

Today I'll be participating in the Scanfest for the first time (well, I hope so anyway - if Windows Live Messenger continues to recognize my various identities).

I've pulled out some more of my mum's photos to scan - had to have a good look again last night and mull over some of the family connections, of course. (I think I just found an address for one 'lost' relative by searching with Google this morning!)

Here are a couple of my mum's photos from our trip to California in summer 1961. These three are of me. Funny, I still remember all these outfits; one I still have in my trunk - guess which one.

There are a few photos from Forest Lawn Cemetery which was one of the 'highlights'. My mum wasn't so interested in the burials though, as the art replicas and buildings, including the Wee Kirk o' the Heather church, "a faithful rendition of the village church at Glencairn, Scotland, where Annie Laurie of Scottish lore worshipped". I do remember seeing through this church, but oddly, I don't remember my mum ever mentioning that her cousin, Margaret Agnes DRUMMOND was married there in 1949 (to Andrew Joseph SMITH), although I do have the wedding announcement card here in the 'IRWIN' file. Margaret's mother was my 'Aunty Grandma' (great aunt Maggie IRWIN).

No baby bother along on this trip. Lucky really, as when leaving the cemetery, mum and I were hit by a car and ended up going to hospital in an ambulance. We weren't badly hurt, but we were shaken and bruised. I remember Mum didn't want to call Dad and tell him about it as he'd be sure to tell her to get us right home. She waited a day, and we continued to limp along on almost all our planned excursions.

Why waste our time fussing!

LINKS

Bienvenido to Olvera Street - El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historic Monument, Los Angeles, California: http://www.olvera-street.com

Forest Lawn Memorial Cemetery, Glendale, California: http://www.forestlawn.com/About-Forest-Lawn/Locations-and-Directions-Glendale.asp

And,

For more about Scanfest, see 'AnceStories: The Stories of My Ancestors': http://ancestories1.blogspot.com