WARBRIDES-L Archives

Archiver > WARBRIDES > 2004-11 > 1101233613


From: mary gair <>
Subject: Re: [WarBrides] [Fwd: Phyllis Scott]
Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2004 11:13:33 -0700
References: <412FF58D.D653812E@telus.net>


----- Original Message -----
From: <>
To: <>
Sent: Friday, August 27, 2004 8:01 PM
Subject: [WarBrides] [Fwd: Phyllis Scott]


> This is a multi-part message in MIME format.
> --------------14C2D739A3F38D2465579B0B
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
> Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
>
> I am resending because my e-mail never appeared in my inbox from War
> Brides Rootsweb.
> I seem to have been bumped from lists since installing anti virus
> software and a firewall.
> No offense intended in the comments about cricket!
> Best to all,
> Hazel
>
> --------------14C2D739A3F38D2465579B0B
> Content-Type: message/rfc822
> Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
> Content-Disposition: inline
>
> X-Mozilla-Status2: 00000000
> Message-ID: <>
> Date: Thu, 26 Aug 2004 10:07:27 -0600
> From:
> X-Mailer: Mozilla 4.73 [en] (Win98; I)
> X-Accept-Language: en
> MIME-Version: 1.0
> To: "" <>
> Subject: Re: Phyllis Scott
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
> Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
>
> Kenneth,
> that is a wonderful work you are doing in memory of your mother. It is a
> story so familiar to those of us who made similar journeys across the
> Atlantic to Halifax, Nova Scotia and thence to scattered dropping off
> points across a vast country. I also went to Alberta: days of sweat (in
> May) and smoke on a monstrous train (compared to British trains which
> were much smaller), a thousand miles of lakes, a thousand miles of bush
> and a thousand miles of prairie - a journey that was difficult to
> comprehend because we never seemed to be getting anywhere. No one had
> told us that it would take so long, nor that we would have to cross a
> continent to meet our husbands.
> I envied those who got off the train in Eastern Canada. Once I saw the
> prairie, I envied those going on to British Columbia!
> We had a war brides meeting yesterday with only 18 in attendance out of
> 26 members for this branch. It was mentioned that next year might see
> the end of the Alberta War Brides Association. Perhaps it is only a
> rumour, although so many are now unable to attend due to illness and
> travel.
> We talked of a number of things as we sat sipping tea waiting for our
> veal cutlets:
> Re rationing: "My mother used to empty the tea leaves out of the pot to
> dry them, then she added a bit to new tea to extend it."
> "One war bride shocked her mother-in-law in Canada by pegging tea bags
> on to the clothes line to dry them for future use".
> Talk gradually got around to using make-up on legs during the war (as it
> usually does). We all agreed it was a nuisance, especially getting the
> line (seam) drawn up the back of the legs. We all agreed it was a
> failure.
> It is corn season here (August). We all agreed that it was used as
> animal fodder in Britain. Many of us were reluctant to eat it. We also
> agreed it was called maize.
> Talk got around to the game of cricket and the size and shape of
> balls... the conversation deteriorated from then on as suggestions were
> put forth.
> Old war brides have a sense of humour!
> Keep going Kenneth. Everyone should envy or emulate your efforts.
> Precious memories of a war bride mother...lovely!
> Hazel
>
>
> --------------14C2D739A3F38D2465579B0B--
>
>
>
> ==== WARBRIDES Mailing List ====
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> Debbie Beavis, Listowner. mailto:
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>Hello Phyllis,
I too travelled to Alberta as a war-bride and, like you
I thought the train must be going around in a circle, I had never seen so
much country in my life. I enjoyed the trip, I had my little girl with me of
18 monnths and I was also pregnant with my second daughter. We still reside
in Alberta. We have been back to England many times as I still have family
there but I don't think I could live there now. My husband and I have
narried 62 years. We don't do any travelling now due to ill health, that is
why it is great to keep in touch with other war-brides.
Mary


This thread: