The Children of Ross Dhu Part 2 Hilda Martin

 

In May of 2009 Stepehen Plowden from the UK wrote a letter to the Carleton Place and Beckwith Heritage Museum about the fact that Elizabeth or Jane Oliver Bellasis recently had discovered a picture of English children at Ross Dhu in their family photo album. The children were under the guardianship of Hilda Martin and he felt the date of the picture was from the summer of 1942 or 1943. The youngest of the charges was born after the outbreak of the war, and she is not a baby in the picture.

 

 

 

Hi Linda,

 

My name is Jonathan Roland Gay – I am the person who blogged last year on your WordPress page entitled “The Children of Ross Dhu – Evacuation to Canada”

 

I became very busy with my PhD research that I have only just remembered your Wordpress blog and looked to see your reply.

 

My great Aunt, Hilda Martin, lived in Woolwich near the Royal Artillery and trained as a nurse, serving during the First World War. She, therefore, had made connections with military officers in Woolwich and during her service. In 1923 she traveled to India and mixed with government officials and dignitaries – she was nanny/governess there. Hilda finally returned to Rottingdean where she had designed the ‘Seadowns’ house and instructed the architects what she wanted. In 1936 Seadowns had been built and freshly painted. It was at the top of Bazehill Road inset from the road (as is the current building). The house was very big and was to be a home for children of dignitaries abroad.

 

The children had a view of a school (St Dunstans??) in one direction, and a view of the windmill in the down-road direction. Geoffrey Plowden was one of the children at Seadowns who arrived there when he was 8 years old. I spoke to him earlier this year and he told me that he could smell the fresh paint as he walked in; the floors were wooden and the front room had a row of lockers for the children with toys in the same room. The children were evacuated to Canada (Carleton Place) in late July 1940. I attach a photo of Aunt Hilda (though she is younger here than 1930s/40s). I also attach a screenshot of the passenger list to Canada –  Hilda is on this obviously with the names of some of the children. The Edwardian travel clock went with her to India in 1923, to Canada in 1940 and back to England in 1944.

 

If you know of anyone who has a photo of Aunt Hilda at Carleton Place with the children or inside the house, I would love to have copies. If not, are there any photos of just the house and rooms?

 

best wishes

 

Jonathan

 

 

 

So where was Ross Dhu? At the Gillies home on Townline and Bridge

May 22– 2016 Update– Through the Public Archives we found out that  Ross Dhu was the home of Mr. David Gillies on Bridge Street at Townine in Carleton Place

 

 

 

CLIPPED FROM

The Ottawa Journal
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
11 Oct 1937, Mon  •  Page 3–

 

 

The Children of Ross Dhu –Evacuation to Canada

The War Children that Tried to Come to Canada–SS City of Benares

The Hart Children of Lanark — Laurie Yuill

The Wright Brothers– British Home Children

Thanks to Ray Paquette–While self isolating, I have taken the opportunity to “declutter”. I came up with a picture I have no idea where I got it, except from my parents. I have no idea of the significance of it but I’m sure you will recognize the location.

I seem to recall hearing that Carleton Place was the host of a number of British children who, for safety reasons, emigrated to Canada during WW2. Perhaps your followers can shed some light on this…

Carleton Place and Beckwith Heritage MuseumWe certainly would, thank you Ray Paquette! Just yesterday we came across this memory of the school from Jennifer Richardson, daughter of George “Geordie” Findlay: “I attended kindergarten run by the English people that minded the English children housed in the Caldwell house at the corner of Bridge St. and the Townline Road…. we sat at a big table to do our work. We played games in another room such as London Bridge. An English boy, Barry Blanchard lived with us during some of the war until his mother settled in Canada.”

Martin PuckettI have a small world story. In 1982 my college hockey team did a tour of Europe. I walked into a bar in Belgium and a man sitting at the bar quickly noticed I was from Canada by the pins I had on my jacket. He asked me where in Canada I was from. I replied Ottawa area. He replied that during the war he had been sent from England to live in a small town called Carleton Place. The pints and the conversation continued from there . Lol

Jennifer RogersLindaThe late Art Evoy told me that the Mutt family from Carleton Place sponsored a young boy from Britain during the war. The young boy’s father was a medic with the British Army.One of the Mutt’s sons signed up for the war and was sent to the Far East. While at the Far East the Mutt boy from Carleton Place was injured and sent to hospital. While at the hospital, the Mutt’s son was treated by a British Army medic who after chatting, realized that the injured solder’s family were the one’s who were hosting his son in Canada. An amazing coincidence.Duncan Rogers

Ray PaquetteDuring a discussion with my sister, Allison Bell, mentioned that she thought our cousin, Pamela Nichols, daughter of Tom and Wilma, granddaughter of Abner, was in the picture. Hearing stories of how Carleton Place children attended school with the British children might explain why my cousin would be in the picture and why my family ended up with it. Comments?

Ray PaquetteNo, its not Victoria School. It’s the old Townsview Apartments at the corner of Bridge and the Townline….

May 8 1945 V. E. Day in Almonte – Photos

VE-Day in Toronto

VE-Day celebrations, 8 May 1945

COURTESY OF CITY OF TORONTO ARCHIVES FONDS 1257, SERIES 1056, ITEM 195

 

Today Tuesday May 8 is VE Day-Victory in Europe — the official end of the fighting in Europe in the Second World War — was celebrated on 8 May 1945, after Germany’s unconditional surrender

Thanks to Sandy and Paul France we have these great photos of VE Day in Almonte

 

“The day started when George Moreau came to the town hall, rang the fire siren and then announced to all that the war in Europe was over.

The 3 people in the truck pic: centre Len Miller, right Des Miller (cousins of mine)

Multiple people in the truck: Howie Barr, Marguerite Wrigglesworth, Eleanor Wilson (cousin). Will try to identify others later if you like”

Among the first Canadians to celebrate were the sailors on naval and merchant ships on the Atlantic, and soldiers and airmen based in Europe. Their long ordeal would soon be coming to an end, although many would still be tasked with providing security to occupied Germany, and bringing aid to the Netherlands, where the Dutch were desperate for emergency food and medical supplies distributed by Canadian forces. Across the Netherlands, Canadians were cheered and welcomed as heroes.

At home in Canada, massive crowds filled city streets. There were parades, band concerts, tickertape dropped from the sky by aircraft, and spontaneous singing, dancing and exuberance. Offices, stores and some factories closed for the day, while other factories remained open, churning out war material for the ongoing battles in the Pacific.

Canadian students also left their classrooms to take part in the festivities, or to attend special religious services of thanksgiving. In towns and cities and rural villages there were prayers and tears of relief, as well as music, happy shouting and, for the most part, good-natured partying.

“The silencing of the guns in Europe,” said The Globe and Mail, “brought release from bondage of the spirit.” The Canadian Encyclopedia

Almonte Gazette 1945

May 10 1945 Almonte Gazette

Come and visit the Lanark County Genealogical Society Facebook page– what’s there? Cool old photos–and lots of things interesting to read. Also check out The Tales of Carleton Place and The Tales of Almonte

Information where you can buy all Linda Seccaspina’s books-You can also read Linda in The Townships Sun  Screamin’ Mamas (USA)  and The Sherbrooke Record

Bridge Street V.E. Day Parade Photos- Carleton Place and Beckwith Heritage Museum

 

Remembering Private Gordon Willard Stewart WW 2 Veteran

“Nanny Shail’s Nephew”– Gerald Whyte World War 2 Veteran

Family Photos of Arthur Williard Toop & James Henry Martin

Photo from Amanda Armstrong-From the photo collection of Margaret Martin

Thanks to Leanne Templeton this was found online.. click

Root and Toop family  Erin Township, ca. 1890 – 1939.

John Henry Root was the son of Robert and Elizabeth Root. John attended S. S. #9 Erin Township beginning in 1859. On 11 July 1894, John married Martha Ellen Reed (3 April 1871 – 31 October 1922) who was the daughter of Nathaniel and Nancy Reed. John Henry had a brother named David Oscar Root (1872-1937) who was married to Gertrude Eloise Nicholasina Watson (1879-1945). David and Gertrude has five children together; Ernest Robert Watson Root (10 October 1902 – 26 October 1979), David Nicholas Root (05 November 1905 – 30 March 1989), John Henry Haines Root (17 October 1908 – 17 November 1991), Ebenezer Hames Haines Root (28 September 1910 – 07 June 2001), and Gertrude Martha Elizabeth Root (15 August 1921 – 1921). John Henry Haines Root attended Awrey School, S.S. #9 Erin Twp., and Hillsburgh Baptist Church. He was elected M.P.P. in 1951, representing Wellington-Dufferin; he retired in 1975; he served on the Ontario Water Resources Commission and Hearing Boards. He married Lillie Matilda Toop (30 July 1906 – 5 October 1997) in Almonte, Ontario on 20 July 1932. John and Lillie met while she was teaching in Wellington County.

Lillie was a schoolteacher from 1928-1932. She was born in Almonte, Lanark County to Walter Augustus (Gus) Toop and Margaret A. Lawford. She attended S. S. #6 Ramsay Township in Lanark County, beginning in 1913. She started her teaching career on Manitoulin Island in 1928 until 1931. She then moved to Wellington County where she was the principal of the two roomed Hillsburgh Public School, and also taught senior students from 1931-1932.

John and Lillie lived in Erin Township on concession 3, lot 20. They had six children; John Bennett Root (24 May 1933 – 19 February 2016), Ada Lillie Marie Root (27 June 1934 – 4 September 1936), Evelyn Margaret Eloise Root (18 July 1938 – 23 May 2017), George David Walter Root (15 August 1939 – ), Robert Orville Winston Root (11 November 1943 – ), and Alfred Clayton Henry Root (25 August 1948 – )

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Margaret Martin with “Irene’s Kids”— The original Art’s Variety on Townline Road, then known as Wayside Inn when owned by my Great-Grandparent’s Arthur & Della Toop (owners from 1939-1948). Photo was taken in the early-mid 1940’s. My Grandmother Margaret Martin (nee Toop) standing with friends in the back row on the left.  From-When You Needed “Variety” You Went to Art’s or the Wayside Inn 1940s — Photos

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Grand Old Ladies of Carleton Place

When You Needed “Variety” You Went to Art’s or the Wayside Inn 1940s — Photos

The Mystery Ruins of Carleton Place- Photos by Adam Dowdall

ph 50479: Black and white photo of the Toop family standing outside their family home in Almonte, Ontario, ca 1914. Gus Toop is in the centre of the photo; his wife, Margaret Toop, is beside him on the right, and his daughter Lillie Matilda Toop is on his left. The other five siblings in the photo are not identified–click

Remembering Leonard McNeely and Gordon Willard Stewart 1939

Hi Linda,

My uncle Leonard McNeely from Carleton Place, ( man in middle unknown) and Dad Gordon Willard Stewart on the right. Taken at my grandparents farm near Carleton Place, in 1939.

Thanks to Hazel Stewart Huneault 

 

Clipped from The Ottawa Journal,  29 Apr 1971, Thu,  Page 40

Come and visit the Lanark County Genealogical Society Facebook page– what’s there? Cool old photos–and lots of things interesting to read. Also check out The Tales of Carleton Place.

Information where you can buy all Linda Seccaspina’s books-You can also read Linda in The Townships Sun andScreamin’ Mamas (USA)

 

The Angling Adventures of John and Leonard McNeely

Remembering Private Gordon Willard Stewart WW 2 Veteran

“Nanny Shail’s Nephew”– Gerald Whyte World War 2 Veteran

Gerald Whyte– Photo-Debbie Roy

Debbie Roy put this up yesterday.

This is a photo of my Nanny Shail’s nephew, Gerald Whyte. He was killed during World War II and is buried in France. His Mom, my Great Aunt Bertha, was able to visit her son’s grave a couple of times before she died. He lied about his age when he enlisted – he was only 17.

Gerrie Dryden Thanks for sharing this picture Debbie. He was only 18,  I was named after him. (I was supposed to be a boy)!!

 

 

                                        Carleton Place Trivia-November 11th 1940

Clipped from The Ottawa Journal,  29 Nov 1939, Wed,  Page 12

Remembering Private Gordon Willard Stewart WW 2 Veteran

 

 

Thanks to Hazel Stewart Huneault we now have a record of Private Gordon Willard Stewart World War 2 Veteran. Her Dad was from Carleton Place and with the Cameron Highlanders of the Ottawa Unit.

Hazel has sent her father’s picture, his soldiers pay book and a letter home. (1944)

Stew Ferguson and Maggie Porteous/Ford–Tom Edwards

Uncle Johnnie Erskine and Stewart Ferguson by Tom Edwards

How to Deal With a Garter Belt Emergency! – Actual 1940’s War Bride Letter – Zoomers

 

How to Deal With a Garter Belt Emergency! – Actual 1940’s War Bride Letter – Zoomers.

 

 

Dearest,

First of all did I tell you that Mrs. Benelics is expecting another baby? Gosh, that woman sure has ambition! I just happened to think of a most embarrassing moment while I was in San Francisco the other night. Just across from the library I heard something snap, and felt something slip. It seems that my garter belt had ‘given” and was just about ready to fall off.