For future generations (if interested) I would like to say a little about our grandparents and perhaps great grandparents.
Our father, George Charles Laight, was born March 6, 1879 in Toddington, Gloucestershire, England, the fourth child and second son of George and Sarah Laight. Dad's father, George Richard Laight, was born October 12, 1846 at Beckford, Gloucestershire. He died Jan. 17, 1892 at the age of 45 years.
Dad's mother, Sarah Hunt, was the daughter of William and Elizabeth Hunt. She was born July 11, 1848 at Toddington, Gloucestershire and died Dec. 13, 1883 at the age of 35 years. They were married at Alderton on July 11, 1872.
Great grandmother, Elizabeth Hunt, died February 25, 1901 at age 84, and great grandfather, William Hunt, died May 18, 1913 at age 96. He had supervised the building of Toddinton Anglican Cathedral and there is a stained glass window there in his memory. Dad had a lovely voice and sang in the choir in the Toddington Cathedral. I may say here that none of us inherited his ability to sing as I'm afraid we all sing like crows!
Dad's immediate family consisted of: Annie Flora born May3, 1874. She married James Alfred Henry Charles on Feb. 19, 1901 in England. She was married in black as the country was in mourning for Queen Victoria. Later they moved to Australia and raised a family of five girls; one I correspond with, Ruby Gilson. Agnes Francis was born Nov. 24, 1875 and never married. I think she must have died in the 1920s as I can recall the letter coming from England with the news. As was the custom in those days it and the envelope were edged in black. Hubert Wiliam was born July 29, 1877. He married and raised a family of 2 boys, Bob and Charlie and 2 girls Doreen (Dorrie) and Phylis. His wife , Jessie, died in 1984 at age 96. Harry Freeman was born on Sept. 16, 1881. Lily, the youngest, was also born in England but her birth was not recorded in the family bible. She and her husband, who's last name was Richardson, moved to Australia but soon moved back to England.
Our mother, Ethel Victoria Woollard, was born in Port Credit, Ont. Jan. 13, 1882. She was also the fourth child in a family of eight born to Annie and Bernard Woollard.
Mother's father, William Bernard Woollard (known as Bernard) was born in Ipswich, Suffolk, England. We do not know his birthdate but it was in 1850, he died June 2, 1903 at age 53 and is buried on the homestead at Wabamun. Grandpa's father was a wheelwright and carpenter on the estate of Lord Ashburton. He received a good education and when he graduated from school his father put him out to service as a footman. He disliked the work so much that he sailed for Canada sometime in the late 1800's. (pre 1870)Grandma said Grandpa told her that he landed in Canada armed with a knife and gun as he expected to be met by hostile redskins.
All we know of great grandma Woollard is that her name was Liza and she was born in England.
Mother's mother Grandma Annie Woollard, was born Celestia Ann Turnbull on Dec. 23, 1856 (1855) and passed away Oct.8, 1944 (1943)at age 88 years, she is buried in the Rexboro cemetery. She attended a a small school in Leslieville and her teacher was Alexander Muir, the author of "The Maple Leaf Forever". The maple tree which inspired the song was and still is as far as is known still standing on Laing Street in Toronto close to the home Grandma lived in when young.
Great grandma Jane Turnbull's name was Waite before she married, she came to Canada with her parents from Yorkshire, England. Our Great great grandparents Waite are buried in St. James Cemetery, Toronto.
All we know of great grandpa Turnbull is that he died in a diphtheria epidemic and left grandma the brickyard in what was Leslieville, now part of Toronto.
Great Grandma Turnbull was married again to John Morley, son of Charlotte and George Morley who came from England; she a lovely lady and he a fine old gentleman; but John, grandma's step-father was very mean to her. John Morley was a fisherman and grandma used to tell us how she would have to get up at 4 o'clock in the morning to get his breakfast and help him mend his nets. Grandma was not allowed to go to school as her step-father wanted her to do the work but she had learned to read printing although she could only write her name. She was very good at figures and taught herself to crochet, knit and made beautiful hooked rugs. There were hours and hours of work went into them as she dyed the rags, cut them into strips, and drew her own designs on burlap. I still have one she made with a horse head on it. A treasured possession!
She also made braided rugs. Grandma was a wonderful woman and we all loved her dearly.
Grandma and Grandpa Woollard were married in St. George Church, Toronto, on June 29, 1872 and raised a family of eight. They are: Liza Jane (aka Lillian), born Feb 9, 1873 (Beryl's(Bailey) mother) and named for her two grandmothers, Fred born in 1876, Annie born in 1879 and named after a sister of her father, Ethel born Jan. 13, 1882, next came Edwin born June 12, 1886, then Stanley June 5, 1889. Jessie made her appearance April 1, 1892 and Victor was born May 11, 1896. They were all born in Toronto. (Port Credit)
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Our mother, Ethel Victoria Woollard, came west with her family in 1902 to homestead on NE18-53-3-W5 at White Whale Lake, now called Wabamun. Only five children, Ethel, Edwin, Stanley, Jessie and Victor came west, the other three were married and stayed in the east. Liza was living in Toronto, Fred in Nipigon and Annie in Rossport.
The family left Edmonton with two teams, two wagons, one having a flat rack on which was a brand new row boat. Stan walked and drove the five cows. In those days there was only a summer road from Edmonton to White Whale Lake which could not be used if it was wet. Consequently, the family had to travel to the homestead via Lac Ste. Anne. It took three weeks to go sixty miles.
On the way to the homestead the family camped overnight at Devil's Lake. The weather was nice that night but it started to snow in the morning and snowed for two days. During these two days the family had nothing to eat but oatmeal porridge. When it stopped snowing Stan walked about 1/4 mile to a half breed's house (his name is forgotten) and asked if Ethel could use his stove to make baking powder biscuits. This man not only said "certainly" but he also gave the family some dry firewood as they did not have a fire, and they had a meal of fried bacon, biscuits and tea (Aunt Jessie still says it was the best meal she has ever eaten).
When they were fording the Sturgeon River at Noye's Crossing a front wheel on one of the wagons broke and the spokes all came out. The boys cut a tree and put it on the under side of the wagon and using the four horses managed to pull the wagon over the river. Then the family had to camp until someone came along and took the broken wheel to St. Albert, had it fixed and brought it back. In the meantime Stan walked across the Sturgeon River bridge ( a foot bridge) to Baupre's
to see if he could buy some bread. Mrs. Baupre didn't have any but her sister Mrs. Armstead, was baking bread that day. Baupre's son, Tom, got a horse and took Stan to Mrs. Armstead's home. She gave him eight loaves of bread and then Tom took Stan back to the bridge.
The family finally reached Lac Ste. Anne and stayed a week with Mr. and Mrs. Peter Gunn. Mr. Gunn was the Hudson Bay man. The family lived in tents that summer while Grandpa and the boys built a log house and barn.
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