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Archiver > WARBRIDES > 2006-05 > 1149024566


From: "Joan Hamilton" <>
Subject: Train Ride
Date: Tue, 30 May 2006 17:29:26 -0400
References: <245a428499781d0567b7b17d08f403f3@calhounsportswear.com>


I remember that train ride, getting off the Leticia, seeing the "Christmas
Trees" on the skyline at Halifax Harbour, going through beaufiful country in
N.B.with mountains, then flat through Quebec, small communities with large
Churchs, we did get ripped off a bit, not knowing the different money,
stopping to let brides off, one poor girl was not met, so came back on the
train, to be looked after by Red Cross, made many of us wonder if we would
be met ok!
On my papers it said Mimico, knowone had hear of the place! I was to get off
at Toronto Union station, I have been there many times since but that
morning, I enter through a door and "a mile" down the end of the room was a
door my husband was to come through, he did, much to my relief.
We set off up Bay St., such high buildings, where were the teepees???
So much water has passed under the bridge but I do not regret coming to
Canada as a Warbride.
Joan Hamilton
Bobcaygeon, Ontario


----- Original Message -----
From: "Stella Myers" <>
To: <>
Sent: Monday, May 29, 2006 11:01 AM
Subject: Re: WARBRIDES-D Digest V06 #140


> My Memories 9of the train ride from Halifax to Toronto,
> I can still remember the sooty grimy train, and the rush to
> the wahroom to freshen up and change into the nice outfit
> we brought to meet our husbands in at Toronto, and the
> apprehenson we had, But for me at least it all turned out well,
>
> Stella Myers
> St, Catharines, Ont.
> On May 29, 2006, at 5:00 AM, wrote:
>
>>
>>
>> WARBRIDES-D Digest Volume 06 : Issue 140
>>
>> Today's Topics:
>> #1 memories of train journey [Bev Tosh <>]
>> #2 Re: [WarBrides] memories of train ["ivy kellam"
>> <>]
>>
>> Administrivia:
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>> ______________________________
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>>
>> From: Bev Tosh <>
>> Date: May 28, 2006 6:06:25 PM EDT
>> To:
>> Subject: memories of train journey
>>
>>
>> War brides everywhere,
>>
>> I invite each of you to share a memory with me of your train journey in
>> the
>> 1940s en route to your new home.
>>
>> The reason I ask is that I will be giving several slide (or digital)
>> presentations onboard the train
>> as I retrace your rail journey from Halifax westward. Now, 60 years
>> later, I
>> would like to share your words, memories, or pictures - especially train
>> or
>> platform photos - with other passengers.
>>
>> I hope to hear from many of you, and thanks for considering this special
>> request.
>>
>> Bev Tosh
>> a daughter
>> www.warbrides.com
>>
>>
>> ______________________________
>>
>>
>> From: "ivy kellam" <>
>> Date: May 28, 2006 9:42:09 PM EDT
>> To:
>> Subject: Re: [WarBrides] memories of train journey
>>
>>
>> I remember viewing Halifax from the deck of the Queen Mary in perfect
>> weather. As we entered Halifax Harbour we heard the music being played on
>> shore, "Here comes the Bride" Many of the wives who had been married for
>> a number of years thought the choice of music quite humorous, but to we
>> newer brides it was welcoming .
>> Our first glimpse of the trains was that they were monsters. I will
>> never forget the lonely sound of those trains as they travelled through
>> miles and miles of Bush.
>> Occasionally in the night we would see a small number of lights and the
>> train would stop at a small station, brides would leave the train to be
>> greeted by their husband or new family . Some of the greeters would
>> carry toys or throw confetti . Many of us became concerned at the lack
>> of habitation along those miles of rail lines. Surely our future was not
>> to embark at one of those lonely stations. The trains in those days did
>> not boast air conditioning and as the days were hot and humid the
>> children and babies became overheated in their English woollies. The
>> brides too found the heat and humidity uncomfortable as we were wearing
>> warm Fall clothing. Windows were opened wide and soots blew all over our
>> clothing. We certainly did not want to arrive at our destinations,
>> dirty, and tired, we wanted to look our best.
>> If we became ill we had to deal with a French speaking doctor.
>> impossible? During the trip we made friends as we were all drawn together
>> by our unknown future in a land that seemed alien. At least our group
>> were travelling to Toronto not like the girls who travelled furthur West,
>> we could not imagine five or more days on a train .
>> As we drew closer to Toronto we noted more houses, streets and other
>> forms of habitation. We sighed with relief. At last we were advised to
>> have our papers handy. We stepped off the train and were led into a room
>> where our papers were checked. We were then directed to depart,
>> individually, through large double doors. Imagine when those doors
>> opened. we saw hundreds of people necks craned and eyes on us as we
>> walked down a cordoned off pathway . People took pictures, cheered and
>> sighed over the small children and babies. Little did we realize that
>> the radio that morning had announced our arrival at Union Station.
>> As we proceeded down the walk area a husband or greeter walked towards
>> us. Many of the men were not in uniform and the sight of husbands seen in
>> suits for the first time looked strange and unfamiliar.
>> The small children were bewildered by all the confusion and fuss. My
>> husband greeted me and presented me with a beautiful corsage of red
>> roses. Outside the Station a friend in a car awaited our arrival, in the
>> stores we passed I noted all the fresh fruit.. I have never ceased to be
>> overawed by the fruits and vegetables grown in Ontario . The first place
>> I take my English visitors to when they arrive for a visit is to the
>> wonderful Fresh fruit and vegetable open air markets. We drove to a hotel
>> in Toronto where my husband had booked a suite! he presented me with a
>> dozen Dale Estate Roses.. next day we headed for Brampton where those
>> roses were grown. The evening we ate at a charming French Restaurant
>> with the friend who had picked us up at the station plus his girl friend
>> . What a perfect beginning to my long life in Canada. Later in life I
>> always had that perfect beginning to look back on. Life has not always
>> been a bed of roses. My daughter advised me thatd she could never leave
>> her family and country as I did. Personally I don't think any of us had
>> any idea what the challenge was that we had embarked upon. I don't
>> believe our experience will every be repeated again , women now have
>> independece, birth control and money. We lacked all of those necessities
>> in those days.
>> Use this information in part or as a whole. Ivy Kellam
>>
>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Bev Tosh" <>
>> To: <>
>> Sent: Sunday, May 28, 2006 6:06 PM
>> Subject: [WarBrides] memories of train journey
>>
>>
>>> War brides everywhere,
>>>
>>> I invite each of you to share a memory with me of your train journey in
>>> the
>>> 1940s en route to your new home.
>>>
>>> The reason I ask is that I will be giving several slide (or digital)
>>> presentations onboard the train
>>> as I retrace your rail journey from Halifax westward. Now, 60 years
>>> later, I
>>> would like to share your words, memories, or pictures - especially train
>>> or
>>> platform photos - with other passengers.
>>>
>>> I hope to hear from many of you, and thanks for considering this special
>>> request.
>>>
>>> Bev Tosh
>>> a daughter
>>> www.warbrides.com
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> ==== WARBRIDES Mailing List ====
>>> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>>> 2006 YEAR OF THE WAR BRIDE
>>> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>>>
>>>
>
> ______________________________

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