Edward Charles Woodhall - A journey to Canada

Three of Edward’s diaries that survived pre war are 1910, 1912 and 1913.  Much of 1910 is in code I suspect to keep his walks with girlfriends and others private.  By 1913 he was 18 and a bit more mature, able to make decisions regarding his future.  The selected entries relate to his journey to Canada. Using the diary entries I have used online resources to expand on the short notes entered by Edward.

 

 

 Sat 11 January 1913      Went down town and booked passage SS Victorian

The newspapers were full of adverts offering passages to Canada where opportunity waited those prepared to be servants or work on farms.

Times [London, England] 24 Mar. 1913: 2. The Times Digital Archive. Web. 21 Sept. 2014.

Wed 22 January 1913   Went to Canadian Lecture at Temperance Hall

Fri 24 January 1914        Went to Wrays, interview with H.B.Wray.

H.B. Wray, along with wife and 3 year old son appear on the passenger lists for Grampian, sailing 8^th March 1913 from Liverpool to Halifax.  He was listed as a 30 year old farmer already living in Canada.

Thu 20 February 1913  gave in notice 

from Cadburys

Thu 27 March 1913        changed money

Fri 28 March 1913          Left home at 7.20.  Father and Edie came to Liverpool. Boarded Victorian [A119] 12.30. Sailed 5.30

  

I found more about the ship and the shipping line at this wonderful website.

Sat 29 March 1913         Seasick in  morning.  Round coast of Ireland south. 289m

The following week in the diary seen here shows that Edward was perhaps not fit for a life on the ocean waves unlike his oldest brother Ernie who served with the Royal Navy.

Fri 4 April 1913                Land sighted 9  Halifax 11 [7.00 Canadian]

Sat 5 April 1913               Landed past inspector.  Looked round Halifax.

Sun 6 April 1913              St John.  Lay in harbour waiting for tide.

Mon 7 April 1913            Landed 10. Passed customs. Left for Montreal.

Tue 8 April 1913              Arrived Montreal 6pm, left for Winnipeg 11pm.

Two days on a train until

Fri 11 April                        Arrived Winnipeg 3.40am.  Went to Pactinos.  Arrived Mr Wrays 7.30 

He left Mr Wray’s arriving in Brandon on Monday 14 April, and moving on to Beresford and Mr Pengelly the same day.  Remaining entries are the days work activities and either who he wrote to or received a letter from.

Other than the brief diary entries there is a gap in detail until the first of letters saved by brother Bill.  This is dated 23 August 1913.

Edward starts by thanking Bill for a photograph of home and slightly rebukes him for the brevity of the letter.   Questions follow about a recent holiday to Auntie at Kidsgrove [Auntie was their mothers sister, Annie Groom, who had married a policeman, Bob Mason].  Then comes wise advice about doing his homework and getting sister Edie to help if needed -  'do it all Bill for knowledge is no carriage give your mind to it and it will be as easy as ABC, different to my work'.  He then states that he has worked no less than 19 hours per day during the past week due to being the middle of harvest and a very heavy crop.

The next letter is dated 12 October 1913 and Edward comments on Bill's improved letter writing and penmanship.  He urges him to continue with his studies and to 'not go in for manual work it don't pay so well as brain work, learn all you can and be content at home and try your luck in B'ham [Birmingham] for all that glitters is not gold in the colonies.'  Edward had requested some vests and pants to be sent, especially needed now as it was getting very cold.  A few words about threshing being over and the weather followed by 'give my love to Winnie Brookes tell her I will write to her when I am a little more settled.  Give Mrs Colbourne the same will you tell her I have not forgotten her and her genuine ways  and good looks she is one of my sweethearts now Bill for the last girl I spooke to was Edie and I haven't spoken to one since, awfully lonely after being amongst so many, give her my kindest love.'

The next dated 3 November 1913 again urges Bill to stick to his studies.  A bit about rugby and to avoid twists and bruises for Edward was still suffering from the effects of a twisted knee sustained during the game.  He also observes that the team is doing better without him in it!  Then 'I have not had a bathe since I left KN [Kings Norton] and I don't expect I shall do any skating.  We had six inches of snow on Friday and now you can see the sledges running about.'  A note here - the family enjoyed swimming so the 'bathe' referred to would be a swim rather than a bath in which to wash.

Moving into 1914 the first letter kept was dated 8 February.  A parcel was anticipated with Edward being able to travel to Beresford the day after to collect what he expected to be a jersey. He was looking forward to receiving it as the temperature was reaching 53 degrees below freezing [in farenheit] with 'some fearful blizzards have been blowing my face as been all frozen and is very sore I can tell you.  I can hardly hold the pencil for blisters as a result of frost bit  it is nippy you can bet.  I wished many times last week that I was back home again.'  And then 'We killed a pig last Monday and the blood froze in him and wouldn't run out so you can tell what the weather is like.'

Note that the quotes are written as Edward wrote, the spellings and grammar are his.  There are only a few letters but the general tone comes over as if from someone who was expecting great things from the opportunity to travel to Canada but the reality was something quite different.  It was a harsh life, extremes of weather that were not experienced in England, especially living in a city.  Days were long, comforts were few, and extras were expensive to buy.

Before much longer Edward would be on his way back home as the world faced new challenges never seen before.