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Title: Hungarian interview - Edmund de Fay
Description: Edmund de Fay talks about his childhood in Hungary, and the occupation of Transylvania by the Romanians following the First World War. During the interwar years, Mr. de Fay attended school and trained for a career as an Air Force Officer. He became a specialist in aerial photography during the Second World War, and served as a General staff officer
Show moreEdmund de Fay talks about his childhood in Hungary, and the occupation of Transylvania by the Romanians following the First World War. During the interwar years, Mr. de Fay attended school and trained for a career as an Air Force Officer. He became a specialist in aerial photography during the Second World War, and served as a General staff officer. Following the war, he immigrated to Austria, near Innsbruck, and then to Germany, near Munich. He worked at a truck repair shop, and also as a pianist in a mess hall. He performed in a travelling show and later worked in a photographic shop. Mr. de Fay talks about his life as a 'Displaced Person.' He moved to Canada and worked as a photographer in Brantford and Toronto. Following the Hungarian Revolution of 1956, he was involved in refugee assistance. Mr. de Fay talks about the Hungarian House in Toronto and the purpose of its community activities in Canada. As a professional photographer, Mr. de Fay travels the world with the film crew of the United Church. He was also involved in the Hungarian (Air Force) Museum in Oshawa, and a Hungarian television program on Metro Cable. He offers his views on a new multicultural television station.
Edmund de Fay parle de son enfance en Hongrie et de l’occupation de la Transylvanie par les Roumains après la Première Guerre mondiale. Pendant l’entre-deux-guerres, M. de Fay a entrepris des études et suivi une formation en tant qu’Officier de l’armée de l’air. Il est devenu un spécialiste en photographie aérienne durant la Seconde Guerre mondiale et a servi en tant qu’officier de l’état-major. Après la guerre, il a immigré en Autriche, près de Innsbruk, et ensuite en Allemagne, près de Munich. Il a travaillé dans un atelier de réparation pour camions, et aussi comme pianiste dans un réfectoire. Il a joué dans un spectacle itinérant et a ensuite travaillé dans une boutique de photos à Brantford et à Toronto. Après la révolution hongroise en 1956, il a participé à des projets pour venir en aide aux réfugiés. M. de Fay parle de la Hungarian House à Toronto, des objectifs et activités communautaires de cette organisation au Canada. En tant que photographe professionnel, M. de Fay voyage à travers le monde avec l’équipe de tournage de l’Église unie. Il a aussi participé aux travaux du musée hongrois (l’armée de l’air) à Oshawa et à une émission de télé hongroise sur Metro Cable. Il partage ses idées sur une nouvelle station de télévision multiculturelle.
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Date: 1979-05-15

Title: Hungarian interview - Tibor Ferentzy
Description: Tibor Ferentzy tells the story of his emigration from Hungary to Canada. He talks about the first jobs that he had after arriving in Canada. Mr. Ferentzy became involved in a Transylvanian Association that is concerned with the conditions of the Hungarian minority in Romania. The Association sends care packages, and sponsors dance groups with
Show moreTibor Ferentzy tells the story of his emigration from Hungary to Canada. He talks about the first jobs that he had after arriving in Canada. Mr. Ferentzy became involved in a Transylvanian Association that is concerned with the conditions of the Hungarian minority in Romania. The Association sends care packages, and sponsors dance groups with performers Transylvania. Mr. Ferentzy compares the different waves of immigrants, and their future. He also talks about his affiliations with scouting movement.
Tibor Ferentzy raconte comment il a émigré au Canada de la Hongrie. Il parle de ses premiers emplois peu après son arrivée au Canada. Par la suite M. Ferentzy a fait partie d’une Association Transylvanienne qui s’occupe des conditions de la minorité hongroise en Roumanie. L’Association envoie des colis et soutient financièrement des troupes de danse. M. Ferentzy compare les différentes vagues d’immigrants et leur avenir. Il parle aussi de ses affiliations avec le mouvement scoutiste.
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Date: 1979-03-14

Title: Hungarian interview - Judith Kopacsi-Gelberger
Description: Judith Kopacsi-Gelberger describes her early life in Hungary, including her parents' background. Because of his involvement in the Hungarian Revolution in 1956, Ms. Kopacsi-Gelberger's father was separated from his family and imprisoned. She describes what it was like living in Hungary as the daughter of an 'enemy of the state.' Ms. Kopacsi
Show moreJudith Kopacsi-Gelberger describes her early life in Hungary, including her parents' background. Because of his involvement in the Hungarian Revolution in 1956, Ms. Kopacsi-Gelberger's father was separated from his family and imprisoned. She describes what it was like living in Hungary as the daughter of an 'enemy of the state.' Ms. Kopacsi-Gelberger gives her reasons for moving to Canada. She talks about the first occupations that she had in Canada and also the influence of her relatives. She also discusses her first and second marriages, and the campaign to bring her parents out of Hungary. Ms. Kopacsi-Gelberger explains her 'Jewish connection' and 'Hungarian connection,' and her children's ties to their heritage and the future.
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Date: 1982-12-08

Title: Hungarian interview - Steve Mayorcsak
Description: Steve Mayorcsak gives a brief description of his family background, and his parents' decision to immigrate to Canada. He talks about his life as a young boy in Ontario and also some occasions when he noticed prejudice towards him. Mr. Mayorcsak describes his enterprises and social commitments in the tobacco farming community of Delhi, Ontario.
Date: 1977-07-22

Title: Hungarian interview - Miklos Majorcsak
Description: Miklos Majorcsak gives a general description of how he immigrated to Canada from Hungary. In 1928 his father had come to Canada and found employment working as a farm hand in western Canada. In 1938 he sent for his family to join him, partly because of the situation in Europe and also because of the financial opportunities in Canada. The Majorcsak
Show moreMiklos Majorcsak gives a general description of how he immigrated to Canada from Hungary. In 1928 his father had come to Canada and found employment working as a farm hand in western Canada. In 1938 he sent for his family to join him, partly because of the situation in Europe and also because of the financial opportunities in Canada. The Majorcsak family moved to Ontario and settled in Tillsonburg. Mr. Majorcsak talks about the cultural differences and customs in Hungary and Canada. He describes his own wedding and the rituals surrounding that custom. He also compares the games that children play in Hungary and Canada. Mr. Majorcsak shares his plans for his own children, including maintaining their Hungarian heritage by attending Hungarian church, social events, and teaching them to speak Hungarian.
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Date: 1977-07-24

Title: Hungarian interview - Mrs. Blasko
Description: Mrs. Blasko describes her childhood in Hungary. Her family had relatives in Canada, which influenced their decision to emigrate from Hungary to Canada. Mrs. Blasko talks about her initial disappointments upon arriving in Canada. Her first job in Toronto was working as a dressmaker for Buchanan & Sinclair, on Spadina Avenue. She eventually made the
Show moreMrs. Blasko describes her childhood in Hungary. Her family had relatives in Canada, which influenced their decision to emigrate from Hungary to Canada. Mrs. Blasko talks about her initial disappointments upon arriving in Canada. Her first job in Toronto was working as a dressmaker for Buchanan & Sinclair, on Spadina Avenue. She eventually made the decision to work from home, because she was unable to find suitable care for son. Mrs. Blasko talks about the Independent Mutual Benefit Federation theatre group. Mrs. Blasko's husband was the General Secretary of the IMBF, although she was unwilling to discuss his involvement with the Federation. Mrs. Blasko also talks about the Hungarian immigrants who arrived following the 1956 Revolution.
Mme Blasko décrit son enfance en Hongrie. Comme ses parents avaient de la famille au Canada, ils ont décidé de quitter la Hongrie pour émigrer au Canada. Mme Blasko parle de ses premières déceptions à son arrivée au Canada. À Toronto, elle a eu son premier emploi en tant que couturière avec Buchanan & Sinclair sur l’Avenue Spadina. Ensuite elle a dû travailler de la maison car elle n’arrivait pas à trouver de l’aide pour s’occuper de son fils. Mme Blasko parle de la troupe de théâtre Independent Mutual Benefit Federation. Le mari de Mme Blasko était le secrétaire général de IMBF mais elle n’a pas voulu discuter de ses liens avec la Fédération. Mme Blasko parle aussi des immigrants hongrois qui sont arrivés après la révolution de 1956.
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Date: 1977-02

Title: Interview of Hamish and Isla Robertson : Interview
Description: June 18 2005 (Isla Clark and James Robertson) Isla Mary Clark Robertson (Montgrew Farm, Keith, Banffshire, 1 September 1940; her name comes from the river Isla in the North East, not the place). She has an older brother, Ian, and two older sisters, Audrey and Josephine-Jessy, a younger sister, Wilma Mackay, and younger brother, Alastair. Her father
Show moreJune 18 2005 (Isla Clark and James Robertson) Isla Mary Clark Robertson (Montgrew Farm, Keith, Banffshire, 1 September 1940; her name comes from the river Isla in the North East, not the place). She has an older brother, Ian, and two older sisters, Audrey and Josephine-Jessy, a younger sister, Wilma Mackay, and younger brother, Alastair. Her father was William Clark (Fortry Farm, Grange, Banffshire, May 12, 1912). He came from a family of six: James, George, John, Alexander, Elizabeth, and then himself. A lot of them joined the police force. He was a farmer's son and was tipped to take over the farm, but there was a disagreement and he therefore ended up working on different farms. He then signed up to the Territorial Army and called up to the Seaforth Highlanders during WWII; he stayed in army until 1951. He then worked for the laird of Ballindalloch for a year; they got their own place called Delchirach and stayed there until his son took it over. They retired to the old station house in Ballindalloch. They were a quite a devout, Church of Scotland Protestant family. He sang in the choir and became known as the “Bothy Ballad King” of the North East; he was recorded by Hamish Henderson, who was collecting songs for the Scottish Studies Department of Edinburgh University. (Link: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bothy-Ballads-Northeast-Various-Artists/dp/B000002419/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1315586577&sr=8-2). Her mother was Josephine Robb MacKay (Montgrew Farm, Keith, Banffshire). She came from a Catholic family, but they were not all that religious. A story goes that a Catholic priest was chased out of the house, either by the grandfather, who might have had a drinking problem, or by the grandmother, who was not prepared to have any more children! Her brother played the fiddle. None of them were into bagpipes, but they did enjoy the Highland Games. She stayed at Fort George, Inverness, during the war. She said it was a great place to be as a child; they woke up to the bagpipes every morning and were able to “run wild”. She went to school there with children from all over Scotland and some from England. She then lived in Ardersier on the Moray Firth until she was 11, and then went to Corglass, Knockando, which is now a wind-farm. While there she went to Aberlour school and then moved to Ballindallich. She then left to go to Edinburgh after high school and worked in the Scottish Records Office for two years. Her job entailed delivering bound volumes of records to Sir James Fergusson of Kilkerren, the Keeper of the Records of Scotland. After a year she learnt polyography and became the reader indexer of records; she was chosen because she was the only one who knew how to read Latin. But she decided to become a teacher instead and signed up for teacher-training at Murrayhouse, Edinburgh, and was given a grant for college because Scotland was in desperate need for teachers; she was there for 3 years. After college, she taught at a school in Easterhouse, Glasgow, “a slum clearance area with not a lot of facilities”, and then Saracen Primary School. She remembers discipline (i.e. the belt) and “respect” towards the teacher (i.e you didn’t question their decisions/judgements) being a big part of the Scottish education experience when she was both a child and a teacher herself. After this, she emigrated to Montreal with her husband, James, to teach at Maisonevue School and remembers a “fantastic difference” in the attitude of the children towards the teacher (she doesn’t specify what, but no doubt it was something to do with less harsh discipline and less deference. When she first came, she had to do two years probationary work in Quebec to get a permanent teaching certificate. She left Canada to go back to Scotland, had a child, and became a stay-at-home mum for a while. She then returned to Canada and she became a substitute teacher for a while. One of the reasons she came to Canada was so her children wouldn't be brought up in Scotland's sectarian mess. She remembers Paisley was a real eye-opener in terms of bigotry. Even the nurseries were separated along religious lines; she remembers walls being built. She also worked for the Victoria Order of Nurses for two years as a care assistant. She remembers caring for a 92 year old Scottish lady who was from Peebles; she became very fond of her and found it hard to cope with her death. She then took a secretarial course at Capilano College 1980 and subsequently got a job as a stenographer and then a PA to the Consul General and the British Consulate and stayed in this employment until retirement. She thinks that British Columbia has inherited a class-consciousness from its British roots, although it's moderated somewhat by a monetary-class-consciousness from America rather than a social one. She got involved in Sons of Scotland in West Vancouver– her roles included being a Treasurer, a standard bearer, and chief of the Seaforth Camp in North Vancouver. She also joined the Moray, Nairn and Banff Society and later became the society’s president. Around the early 1990s both this society and the Caledonian Society were fading away (lack of membership, money, drive). So Isla came up with the idea that they really needed to provide more and better quality Scottish entertainment, so they booked such artists as Roddy Brown from the Corries, Gaberlunzie, Peter Morrison, Old Blind Dogs, and subsequently put on a lot of great programs. The society’s Burns Suppers attendance grew and its newsletter reached a peak of 400 members at one stage. But there was a significant lack of young people and the older members, inevitably, started to fade away. All the events were held in the Scottish Cultural Centre. She also feels that younger people – that is, children and grandchildren of Scots, etc – do not need the “support” of the centre like their emigrant parents or grandparents sought out, nor do they have a real desire to gather in order to keep hold of a heritage – they are Canadian. Although she feels things like piping and Highland Dancing will keep on growing, she is fearful of the future of small membership groups such as the Moray, Nairn and Banff Society. She goes back to Scotland every year to see her relatives. When speaking of her feelings when going to Scotland, she says she used to feel like they were going home when her parents were there, but now she feels the opposite – her children, on the most part, are in Canada, and so are most of their closest friends. When asked if her feelings of Scottishness grew due to her being in Canada, say states quite bluntly, “No”. She does say, however, that she is quite “North-East” in her way of doing things, and they have a lot of Scottish friends, but they also have friends from other places, like Hungary, China, and Kenya, which broadens one’s perspective. She does say that she personally feels “rooted” in her Scottishness and thinks that she will never feel fully Canadian. She still eats porridge for breakfast, for example, and her Scottish sweet-tooth is still firmly in place! She enjoys reading Ian Rankin and Sunset Song is a favourite novel. She can't stand Sir Walter Scott.... But her tastes are pretty eclectic. She doesn't enjoy “overwhelmingly Scottish” novels; Rankin is good because he's just a good writer. James MacIntyre Robertson (Granton-on-Spey, 12 January 1936). He started school in Tomintoul in the Cairngorms. He remembers there being a lot of evacuee children from the cities at his school (supposedly as a precaution to escape the bombing) as well as children who had lost their parents. He also remembers a lot of orphaned kids from Glasgow were gathered by the Catholic Church, Catholocized, and sent up to Tomintoul. The majority of people in Tomintoul were Catholic and there was no sectarian animosity in these places like there was/is in Glasgow. People tended to marry into same religion, but there was no segregation when it came to education, etc. He left school at 15 and became a ship-right apprentice in Glasgow. He got 28 shillings a week from the Youth Employment Office to live on. He remembers the shipyards being awash with people. His first job was working on a destroyer around 1951. The personnel officer was a man named MacNeil, who was one of the performers of the popular radio show The Mcflannels. He remembers learning that he was murdered in Govan for being a homosexual. It was MacNeil who urged James to take his Junior National Certificate, so he went to night school at Sholans Academy in order to accomplish this. When back at work, he started making moulds and templates for commercial- and passenger-ships. He finished his apprenticeship, was called up for National Service in the RAF (repairing aircraft), and then was posted to Singapore as a maintenance worker in a confiscated German liner. His was the first commercial ship to go through the Suez Canal after the long years of unrest. He stayed in Singapore for a year and a half before coming back to Scotland on Christmas Day, 1958. He returned to work at Fairfield shipyard. By this time, the first computers were coming out, and they were doing 10-scale drawing. So he was sent to Glasgow University for one day a week to learn computer programming. He also met Isla around this time, and they were married in 1966. They learnt of opportunities in Montreal through newspaper advertisements, and so they emigrated (see Isla’s transcript). He worked for Vickers, which was on the French-speaking East Side of Montreal. He then applied for position in Toronto as a loftsman at Douglas Aircraft; he drove back to Montreal every weekend. Then they went back to Scotland and stayed in Port Glasgow for a year, then Paisley, with James working for Lithgows for 4 years. He was then offered a job in Collingwood, Ontario, but the process took too long. He then found out about work at the Vancouver Shipyards, which was just about to begin building the Queen of Alberni. They enjoyed their first year in Vancouver and decided to stay. He worked in many shipyards and ship-related jobs across Canada until his retirement at 65. His father was Edward John Robertson (Duffton, 1895-1985). He was a joiner and was wounded in WWI. He became a postman after the war. His mother was Kristina MacIntyre Robertson (Aberfeldy). She came from a family of 6; 4 bothers became policemen. She went to Tomintoul to work in the hotel. Keywords: Banffshire; Tomintoul; ballads; teaching; Scottish societies; religion; shipyards
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Date: 2005-06-18, 2005-07-13

Title: Interview of Frank Ward
Description: Frank Ward May 29 2012 Frank Hamden Ward, born in Toronto Aug 24, 1926. Fourth of five children. Siblings: Tommy (passed in 1924 at 5 years old); Jean Emma (born 1921, passed in 2002); Robert “Harry” Harrington (born 1922, passed in 2004); Mary (still living on a farm near Orangeville at time of interview). Father: Thomas John Ward, born in
Show moreFrank Ward May 29 2012 Frank Hamden Ward, born in Toronto Aug 24, 1926. Fourth of five children. Siblings: Tommy (passed in 1924 at 5 years old); Jean Emma (born 1921, passed in 2002); Robert “Harry” Harrington (born 1922, passed in 2004); Mary (still living on a farm near Orangeville at time of interview). Father: Thomas John Ward, born in Nantwich, Cheshire, England in 1874. . Lived in Alderney in the Channel Islands until age 9; father John operated a store in Alderney. When the British discontinued their military presence in the area in 1883, the family moved to Toronto, Ontario, where Thomas later worked with the Canadian Pacific Railway. Worked for Consumer Gas. Passed away in 1935, when Frank was 9 years old. Paternal Grandfather: John Ward, owned a shop in Alderney. Mother: Edith Janet Henderson, born in Milhaven, Ontario in 1887. One sister, Anna, passed early on in life. Legal secretary for Bowlby & Bowlby in Toronto. Married in May 1917; moved into home address in 1919, where she continued to live until 1948, after her husband passed in Nov 1935. She was left with 4 kids to care for, and decided to give up her career to raise them. She tried to apply for their house to be turned into a duplex for rental, but was denied because she was a widowed woman. Maternal Grandfather: John Colin Henderson, born outside Quebec City in 1834; passed in 1891. Maternal Grandmother: Henrietta MacAllen, from Mull of Kintyre. Had a home in the Kilmartin area overlooking the sea. Married John in 1883. Father named John MacAllen from Kilmartin; Mother from north Kintyre. Maternal Great-Grandfather: John Henderson, came to Canada 1800; married Christie MacEllan in 1813 in the Church of Scotland. Passed in 1863. The “reform laws” of the 1800s opened up the playing field for citizens in the Colonies to sell goods back to Britain. Were well-off upon leaving Scotland. He had his own ships to send goods back and forth. Operator of mill-sites (sawmill, nail mill, etc.) and owned a whiskey distillery. One of these mills was still standing when Frank was a boy. The MacAllan side of the family were Gaelic speakers. Frank can remember men working for 50 cents a day during the Depression. A cousin of his, Norman Trott, convinced him to attend Northern Secondary School in Toronto. He worked for a year at an investment company called Watt & Watt, where a partner of the firm named Roy Wilson took him under his wing. He advised Frank to return to school, and so he attended the University of Western Ontario. While at Watt, he learned to consider the value of risk. He took a general course, as he was considering joining the ministry at the time, and received a Bachelor’s of Arts. Frank’s mother had been quite dedicated to her bible study course, which left an impression on him. He attended church every Sunday of his own free will. Ended up studying theology at a 2 year bible college in Ontario. He wrote to the college in Edinburgh, and was accepted to study there. Walter MacLeary assisted him in arranging travel to Scotland. A crew had lost a sailor after he abandoned ship, and Walter got Frank the job working on the ship over to Scotland, which meant the trip didn’t cost him a cent. It was an old Liberty Ship. He struggled with the “miserable, rainy weather”, and was sick a lot. He completed his Theology in Edinburgh, then moved to Glasgow for 2 years, where he was an associate minister at St. James parish of the Church of Scotland. Returned to Canada in 1957. His first church in Ontario was a Presbyterian church. He compares the difference between Anglican and Roman Catholic churches in terms of building design, etc. He had attended Deer Park Presbyterian Church as a child, until his father passed away; they began attending Calvin Presbyterian Church. Frank married his wife Elizabeth July 31 1956. They met at St. Christopher’s Church in Edinburgh in 1954. They were married in Mayfield North Church by Minister James White. She had to “flee from her house” as her Jewish parents were unhappy with her decision to marry Frank. They chose to move back to Canada together; Frank came over in October, Elizabeth followed in November. They were involved with running a church for a few months. Westmount United Church in Oshawa from 1959 – 1966. Moved to Burnaby, British Columbia, and remained with the same church until 1986. He was also involved with the Burnaby North Community Association, and the building of a community centre in the area and the blocking of major high-rise development on East Hastings. Frank ran for mayor of Burnaby at one point and won most of the ridings in North Burnaby, but not the position. Frank is living with Leukemia to the time of this interview. Frank discusses the difference in attendance levels at churches in the Maritimes versus churches in Ontario. In his experience, the attendance was lower in provinces further to the West. He talks about St. James Church in Govan, Glasgow, and how the number of churches in Scotland has decreased over time. He said you could hear the roar of the Glasgow Rangers [Football Club] Fans from Govan. Frank has 2 relatives still in Scotland; he has travelled back at least 10 times, and plans to go back again. He feels Iona is an interesting place in terms of religious history. There were 56 different Presbyterian churches in Scotland prior to 1929, at which point many amalgamated to the United Presbyterian Church. The Church of Scotland is predominant in many areas, where the Free Presbyterian Church is dominant in the Highlands. Frank notes that in areas where the Free Church is the main denomination, many people will draw their blinds on Sundays for the Sabbath, and ferries will not travel (such as to the Isle of Lewis). However, these people will not abstain from drinking. Frank owns spectrophotometers from his great-grandfather’s distillery (for measuring sugar content) which have been in the business since 1812. Frank describes the Roman Catholic churches presence in Scotland in the 1700’s as an “ethnic cleansing”. He talks about the overall decline in church attendance in Canada over time, and notes that Pentecostal churches have not seen the same declines. He describes a decline in men entering the priesthood or attending theological studies, which he has seen in Vancouver. He provides a modest estimate that 10% of people are attending church regularly on Sunday in the Pacific Northwest. Frank’s feelings of “Scottishness” come from his time spent in Scotland – when he is there (particularly in the Highlands and in Glasgow), he feels at home, and is accepted as such. He describes the “Hielanman’s Umbrella” in Glasgow. Politics and religion were not major subjects of conversation in his family. He owns quite a few Scottish books, including writings by his family members. Daughter: Helen Ward. Does a lot of radio work and newspaper articles, as well as teaching English as a Second Language. Son: James Ward. Enjoys Scottish events such as Burns Dinners. Married a Mexican woman. He goes to the Scottish Cultural Center with his sons Santiago and Tomas. Santiago is one of the best in his age and division in B.C. for track and field. Favourite relative was Uncle Harold Babcock. He was mayor of Bath for a number of years. He was a very understanding and realistic man, who spoke with a great deal of respect and acceptance for people. Frank Ward hasn’t given much thought to the Scottish Nationalist Party and the 2014 referendum for independence, but he knows many people who are in favour of it. He thinks the desire for independence goes across political party lines.
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Date: 2012-05-29

Title: Interview of John Buchanan
Description: John Buchanan Feb. 18 2015 Born: John Buchanan, on May 26, 1939, in the family home in Shettleston, Glasgow. Only child, oldest grandchild on both sides. They lived in a tenement building with no hot water. Father: Born in Bridgton, Glasgow in March 1915. Worked manual labour. A large steel company in his area had relocated to a town called Corby,
Show moreJohn Buchanan Feb. 18 2015 Born: John Buchanan, on May 26, 1939, in the family home in Shettleston, Glasgow. Only child, oldest grandchild on both sides. They lived in a tenement building with no hot water. Father: Born in Bridgton, Glasgow in March 1915. Worked manual labour. A large steel company in his area had relocated to a town called Corby, England and he relocated there for work around age 17 or 18. It was called “little Scotland” due to the number of Scots who moved there. He worked for a time in Blochairn, Glasgow in steel products, immediately before World War Two. Neither he nor his brother who worked there were allowed to enlist in the War initially, as they were considered essential workers. He later worked as a fireman in the Merchant Navy on the North Atlantic Run, until about 1946. Near D-Day, his ship (the S.S. Wallace Rose) was loaded with munitions, and had to be towed out of a minefield. He was mentioned in the dispatch, without his knowledge. Burned his feet badly during his time in the Navy. He worked as a shunter for a time after the Navy, as well as in a market in Glasgow, and did odd jobs such as newspaper delivery to earn money. He then got a job as a steelworker. He immigrated to Canada in 1957, qualified as a steel director. Kitimat was meant to be the new aluminum capital of the world, but the provincial government vetoed the project, and the workers ended up in Vancouver. He chose to stay, and was involved in several large jobs, such as in the airport hangar. Dennis Gladstone was a friend of his who worked on the Second Narrows Bridge. He retired in 1965. Paternal Grandmother: Maiden name Jemima MacGrath, from south side of Glasgow. She was Catholic, which caused controversy with the Protestant Buchanan family. Paternal Great-Grandfather: Buchanan, came from Ireland. Protestant. Mother: Maiden name Frew. She followed her husband to Canada in 1958. She travelled over by plane, and John stayed on his own in Scotland. Maternal Grandfather: Tommy Frew, from Lanark. Family owned a surface pit. Had a brother and sister; Tommy worked the pit, mining for coal with his father and brother. The brother moved to Buffalo, New York, and sister moved to Falkirk (Glasgow). Maternal Grandmother: Sarah Simpson, from east end of Glasgow. John stayed with his grandmother on many weekends. She was a big stout woman, with a slight, small husband. They were deeply religious and had six children. Maternal Great-Grandfather: William Simpson, slater & plasterer. He lived with his daughter Sarah, and would babysit John as a child. He had another daughter named Jeanie, who had married a well-off man and never had children. John was closer with his mother’s side growing up, although he had Sunday dinners and the odd gathering with his Buchanan family. John jokes he was the “perennial dunce” of the class. He attended Eastbank Academy for primary school, which also had a reputable secondary school. The school used a streaming system, and as he was more interested in soccer (football) than school, he was not in the academic stream. He left school at 15, which was normal. He may have been at a disadvantage, as he was nearly six months younger than many of the children in his class. His first (and favourite) teacher was Ms. MacKenzie. John played soccer at a junior professional level until around age 20. It gave him quite a bit of prestige in the area, being published in local newspapers. He played for the Maryhill Juniors. John and his wife moved into Canada House on May 26th, planning to make a move to Canada; they were allowed to immigrate June 6th, 1960. They rented a small place at 16th & Main. John worked night shift as a cleaner in the Vancouver General Hospital, then later applied with MacMillan-Bloedel, off of Marine Drive & Fraserview Golf Course. He worked for 6 months making sheets of plywood. They returned to Scotland for 3 years, and “grew up” in terms of economic responsibility. Upon return, an Amnesty was declared: those born after the 1st of June, 1939, didn’t have to serve the mandatory 2 years in the Army if they completed a five year apprenticeship instead. His apprenticeship was in the shipwright trade, but he was days short on completing it. Technology had taken over so much of the trade that by the time his apprenticeship ended, it was essentially useless. The shipyards in Scotland were also declining, and still producing ships with technology from the 1930’s. “Britain was going to Hell in a handbasket, and Vancouver became more appealing”. He worked as a carpenter in high-rises, then worked as a door-to-door salesman for 8 or 9 months, reselling “soft goods”. He learned many tactics to “get a foot in the door”. He compared it to milking a cow. He then started his own business as a window cleaner. He learned what people were paying for potatoes, and figured it would make a good business, so he sold them along with his window treatments. His wife also worked and had a very good income. They went into a bank and were denied, and that was when they decided to return to Canada. Moving to Vancouver: They ultimately moved in 1964. Areas like Burnaby were appealing to new immigrants, as they had lots of space. John worked for American Building Maintenance Company on Hastings as a window cleaner, and was laid off after two weeks after the contract was cancelled. He was recommended as a substitute for two weeks to the Burrard building, and ended up staying on for 2 years. He was also the assistant coach for one of the provincial soccer teams; a player named Gary Thompson asked him to inquire about scholarships. John phoned around to the newly created Simon Fraser University, and was passed onto the Athletic Director. He was told there was no plan for a soccer department. A year later, Blaine called Jack, and asked him whether he would like to work as the Pool Manager. John had no experience with pool managing or PDP (teacher training), but after talking it over with his wife, he accepted the position. He had never met anyone that had attended University, and so it was a “great adventure”. He began work with SFU on May 1st 1966. He started in the “bottom ranks”, and took a pool management course. He was surprised to find that the academics he encountered were not very different from other folks. Many people in Recreation were overworked, and there was a “trickle-down” effect in the ranks. However, he became one of the team quickly. The school was expanding quickly, and he became the Equipment Manager, which expanded with the creation of the Kinesiology Department, under Dr. Eric Bannister. PDP became part of the Education department, and a Recreations department was created. John became Equipment Manager for Athletics & Recreational Services, which serviced both realms. He became a union member at this point, which made a substantial change to working conditions & money (early 1970’s). He had often volunteered to assist with Intramural sports. John was taken out for lunch by Dr. Martin Henday at the Caribou Pub, and was asked to work as the Assistant Manager of Recreation. It was an “astronomical leap”. He then became the Manager of the Department of Recreation, which was possible since it was not an academic department. He says today, he wouldn’t get in the front door. It became a large enterprise, getting into summer camps and more. There were very few Recreational activities geared at women to start. John explains that there was a large fuss about women “ruining their hair” with recreation in the 1960’s, which fell away when the popularity of fitness rose in the 1970’s. John began the SFU Soccer Program in 1966 as a Club, through to 1974 when it became a Varsity sport. When it was a club, it was open to all members of the University, including faculty. They played in the Pacific Coast League. He was Head Coach of the team until 1980, and they won a national championship, as well as a Rose Bowl. He was never a full-time coach as he had his job in Recreation, and so he wasn’t paid for this work. He became involved with the North American Soccer League in 1974, as well as a staff coach with the Canadian Soccer Association. He wound up Assistant Coach at the 1978 Olympics. In 1981, the Departments of SFU shifted again, and John was forced to choose between coaching and his position in Recreation. Career-wise, it was an easy choice to retain his Recreation job, as he had a young family at home. To the credit of the people who followed him, SFU Soccer still remains to the time of the interview. They’ve just recently hired the 5th coach of their 50 year span. John was able to do a lot of travelling with the team. In 1983, he left his position at the Department of Recreation. During his time, SFU produced more players for the North American Soccer League than any other University program. He made the “fatal mistake” of picking up a set of golf clubs, and Jack Westover, a golf coach at SFU, convinced him to help with reorganizing the program from 1985-1990. Jack went away to qualify for the LPGA and “essentially never came back”. John took the team to the NAIA National Championships 13 times in the next 11 years. John stepped away as the coach. The Golf Program was shut down by the Athletic Director in 2005, after fluctuations in funding. The money spent on Golf was minimal, but it “looked good on paper” to have it cut. Michael Stevenson was upset about the loss, and used the NC2A negotiations as an opportunity to bring the program back, as well as a Women’s golf program. A new Athletic Director was appointed. They asked John to return, but he refused. They are ranked 8th nationally in the NC2A in 2015, out of 200 schools. It can be difficult to recruit women to the team, as they don’t have the same scholarship money to offer as other schools. John was the first inductee into the SFU Hall of Fame in the 1980’s. He was inducted into the Canadian Soccer Hall of Fame in 2010. In 2013, he received an award from Simon Fraser, and in 2014 he received the Chancellor’s Award. It was an honour. He remembers a stranger told him before he took the job at SFU, “A new university is like a new village, it grows”. Wife: Josephine Robson. Met at a dance hall in Scotland, The Glasgow Pally. John fancied the redhead he spotted dancing, who spent some time hiding from him. They were both 17; they had their first date when he was 18, and were married at 20. She passed away in 2004. Father: Joseph Robson, worked in the forge. Mother: Susan, lived to age 91. Her parents came from Ireland. She had an Uncle killed in the First World War. Josephine was 1 of 8: 6 sisters and 2 brothers. Another sister also immigrated to Canada. The oldest daughter Netta is still alive in Parkhead, Glasgow, Scotland at time of interview, and aged 76. The family was Catholic, but a sister named May “broke the ice” by marrying a Navy man who was Protestant. They were a strict family prior to that, and Joseph had cousins in town he had never met because they had been disowned. Miners would show up for “a pitch and toss” and would scrap each other. Their father, Joseph was known to show up to any fight he was paid for. John discusses the tensions between Catholics and Protestants in Scotland at the time. He feels the Catholic Church brought some segregation on itself by pushing for separate school systems. In his upbringing, he went to Sunday school and attended the Church of Scotland. He was also a member of the Life Boys until age 13. He played soccer with the YMCA until age 16. He stopped attended church as a teen, but was married in the same church he was baptised in. His wife was willing to be married in the Protestant church. It was at times an economic decision, as many Protestant men had good jobs through their connections. For example, John’s grandfather was a Freemason, which helped him get a job at the local shipyard. These connections happened without John’s knowledge at the time. His father was also a Master in the Freemason’s Lodge. John first chose to leave Scotland because he was going to be enlisted in the Army. They had to “tiptoe” through immigration, as the police were on the lookout for deserters. Prestwick was the point of departure, and John was the last person to get on the plane. The stewardess asked him to step aside, and he was sure he was going to be caught, but she was actually upgrading them to First Class. They were only here 13 months before returning to Scotland, at which point there was an amnesty put in place where an apprenticeship could take the place of army service. He left the second time for a better life; 40% of the population at that time lived in tenement buildings. John became involved in Simon Fraser University Pipe Band by another happy accident. George Pedersen was the President at the time; a man called Dennis Roberts was the first Information Officer for the University, and was a Scot. He formed the first pipe band to play on behalf of SFU. They put on a performance, and John inherited the equipment from this. Pederson called up John and consulted him as the “expert” on bagpipes – since John was from Scotland. He jokes, “I’m from Glasgow, not from Scotland”. Pederson had many ideas about highlighting the Scottish link in the school’s namesake, which got John’s imagination going. It was agreed that if there were to be a Pipe Band, it would have to be worthy of representing what was then a $200 million dollar institution claiming Scottish heritage. They went forward with that plan; John phoned the Scottish Cultural Association and the BC Piper’s Association; at that time there were only 3 bands in the area – Victoria Place, Triumph Street, and Port Moody. He called Jimmy McMillan, who strongly recommended the Lee brothers, Terry and Jack. As a coach, John was looking for organization & discipline, which they carried. Dr. Ian MacGregor was the Director of Recreation, and worked with John on forming the band and acquiring the brothers. Terry Lee is in the Highland apparel business, and was able to provide information on the cost and standards of dress in bagpiping competitions. The bill to outfit the band at that time was $10000. When John presented the invoice to be approved, he was met with shock, but two weeks later it was approved. The Pipe Band was ultimately part of an attempt to rebrand the school’s image overall, as it struggled with being called “the high school on the hill”, and was considered to be full of “Socialists and Communists”. The Scottish culture became more central to the identity of Simon Fraser University. Martin Henday was able to acquire scholarships for players, which continue to 2015. John was responsible for administration of the band. Once it began to gain prestige, people began to question why the band fell under Recreation rather than Ceremonies, and the change was made. He feels it was “the best ten thousand dollar investment Simon Fraser ever made”. John recalls a time they hosted a Highland Dance competition through Recreation, which was a great success. He was also involved in the 25th Anniversary celebrations of SFU, in which they hosted a Highland Games. It was difficult to charge admissions, as the university could not be closed off; they ran into some other issues, and the plans were ultimately cancelled in favour of the publication of an anniversary coffee table book. John never experienced blatant discrimination based on being a Scottish immigrant in Canada; however, he did hear from an uncle back home that those who chose to emigrate were “deserting the ship” instead of staying to improve things. The same uncle (Jacky) ultimately settled in Australia. He was actually John’s favourite relative, as he was only 12 years older than John. He says it’s common for family back in Scotland to think “you left, and that’s it” – “a subtle alienation”. He still visits some of his mother’s family when in Scotland, usually every 4 years. He and his wife learned not to speak much of their life in Canada, as it could come across as bragging. John has a new grandson named Johnathan Hamish Zen Buchanan (a tribute to Scottish heritage father and Japanese heritage mother). John was a huge fan of Scottish comedians like Billy Connelly, and often played records for his son growing up. Looking back on his life, John would improve his education; it lost him an opportunity to be a Director at SFU. John had spoken to a nephew living in Troon about the referendum for Scottish independence, and found he was very much in favour of it. There seemed to be a divide between the younger and older generations on that issue in John’s experience.
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Date: 2015-02-18

Title: Interview of Alan Matheson, 1; 2
Description: Alan Matheson Jan 15 2015; Jan 26 2015 Born: James Alan Matheson. Born in Calgary, Alberta, March 29, 1959. Second eldest of four (two brothers and a younger sister). Father: Daniel Glenn Matheson. Born in Lac-Mégantic in Quebec Sept 15 1925. Went into the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1944, stationed in Borden, Ontario. Moved to Calgary after being
Show moreAlan Matheson Jan 15 2015; Jan 26 2015 Born: James Alan Matheson. Born in Calgary, Alberta, March 29, 1959. Second eldest of four (two brothers and a younger sister). Father: Daniel Glenn Matheson. Born in Lac-Mégantic in Quebec Sept 15 1925. Went into the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1944, stationed in Borden, Ontario. Moved to Calgary after being stationed at Currie Barracks. Worked for Alberta Wheat Pool and became involved with Decca Records in the 1950's. Opened the first standalone record store in Calgary (Glenn’s Music). By the time he sold the business to Columbia Records in 1972, he had expanded to two locations in Calgary and three in Vancouver. He also promoted concerts around Alberta like Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong. Was involved with the White Heather fundraiser shows, and a lover of Jazz. He passed away in 2006. Paternal Grandfather: Daniel Matheson. Conductor for the Canadian Pacific Railway on trains through northern USA and into Quebec. Paternal Great-grandfather: Daniel Matheson. Grammar school teacher in Sherbrooke, Quebec. Immigrated to Canada in 1867 from the Isle of Lewis, Scotland. Married a French woman from Bordeaux. Mother: Edith Joyce Deslan, born Nov 30 1926 in Calgary Alberta. Still living at time of interview. Went to nursing school and worked as a nurse at Calgary General Hospital and others until her first child was born in 1957. She also worked at the Royal Jubilee Hospital in Victoria for a time. Played a flute in the Calgary Junior Orchestra. Had a sister who also played piano and flute. Father: Born and raised in England, family from Isle of Jersey and Brittany, France. A talented flute player. Both parents were musical, especially his mother. His father was an avid collector of jazz records. Daniel was able to pick up a lot of American radio as a boy in the 1930s due to Lac-Mégantic’s proximity to the border. He recalled going into record stores, and the clerks would sneer at him and pass him the "race record catalogue". Maternal Grandmother: Maiden name Howsen, born in Teeswater, Ontario in 1890. She was very proud of her Scottish roots and owned a brooch that had a MacKinnon slogan which read: "Fortune Favours the Daring". She moved to Calgary in 1906 at age 16. There was greater opportunity for her father, a shopkeeper, in the newly established city. They lived in a tent for a short time while the family home was being built. Her father established a business and she learned accounting skills, which led her to work at a bank in Pincher Creek, AB, where she met her husband. She was widowed in 1942, and returned to Pincher Creek as an accountant for the Alberta Wheat Pool. Alan would always ask her questions about her life, as he had been fascinated with history and her being witness to it. As a young girl in Ontario she had heard Sir Wilfred Laurier speak. Great-grandmother: Maiden name Fairburn; also related to MacKinnon family. Alan took piano lessons as a child from age 6; his maternal grandmother and aunt would take him to Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra performances, and the whole family was very musical. He was already fascinated with the idea of composing music at the age of 5. His father always had records around the house, and Alan took up the cornet after hearing a solo on a jazz record. He wanted to be a composer rather than a performer, and realized he could compose as he played. He found the cornet to be more lyrical than the trumpet, which always felt “brash” to him. His first Piano teacher was a Mount Royal College student named Beverley Jones in 1965. He had several teachers after moving to the Lower Mainland, the best of which was Abuelita Fraser, originally from Venezuela. He learned to play jazz by playing along with records, and was exposed to lots of live music through his father’s concert promotion. He idolized Duke Ellington, and was lucky enough to hear him in Vancouver in 1973. His only trumpet instruction was through his school band (Cliff Drive Elementary, in Delta), aside from one instructor (who had studied under principal trumpet player in Vancouver Symphony) who corrected his technique. He was also heavily influenced by classical works like Bach. Alan talks about the need to set your ego aside as a musician to listen and learn from others. His future University teacher, Vincent Cichowicz, was one of the artists he would listen to on classical recordings. He would often go into his father’s store on Sundays and sit in the listening booth, exploring new music. His number one mentor was Dave Robbins, founder of the Music School at Vancouver Community College, as well as a teacher at the Courtney Youth Music Camp. He had Alan sit in with the VCC Big Band when still in high school. Dave also encouraged him to develop a Jazz History class. Alan attended VCC in 1976. He attended Humber College for a year, but ultimately auditioned for the music program at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois under Cichowicz. While in Chicago he encountered the famous trumpet player Cootie Williams, as well as bass player “Truck” Parham, who both made large impressions on him. Truck would occasionally let him sit in on sessions at a venue called Andy’s. Mentors were very generous with their time to young musicians who showed dedication. At that time, students at Northwestern University “self-segregated” themselves to a degree; however, Alan found by and large he did not run into many issues regarding race in the music community. Northwestern University had a high quality of teachers, students, and “intellectual rigor” which provided a rich learning experience for Alan. He wound up playing a lot of jazz piano during “jam sessions” with fellow students. He held an informal jazz session in 1980, which was uncommon, and continues to be to the time of interview. Alan discusses how there are few of these jazz “jam sessions” in Vancouver in 2015. He featured Canadian composers such as Phil Nimmons in his final University recital, organizing his own big band. As a child, Alan was regularly featured on a radio show called “The Romper Room”, as father had connections to the local radio station in Calgary. He would discuss records and music. Alan studied orchestration and composition under Stephen Chatman at the University of British Columbia. He never tried to emulate any particular musician in his solo playing. He says a player’s style has to come from an emotional response rather than an intellectual or theoretical one. Alan demonstrates his method of practicing music, including “singing it out” to practice articulation and phrasing, on the recording. He would “fool around” on other instruments, such as clarinet and saxophone, but never tried string instruments. He has composed arrangements for violin/string quartets. Classical composers like Stravinsky, Tubin, and Tormis inspire Alan – his wife is Estonian, which led him to become interested in Estonian artists. He was not competition minded and did not enter many. He played in the New Westminster Stage Band Festival one year. He feels judging a jazz competition can be more difficult than classical. He does a lot of adjudication work. Most of his compositions have been jazz, aside from some soprano and piano, including a piece inspired by John Dunn’s poetry. Alan met his wife Rina in 1978 at Vancouver Community College, where she was an ESL instructor. Alan played with the Vancouver Youth Orchestra while attending high school. He joined the Musician’s Association at 18, and was working and going to school. While in Toronto at Humber College, he played in the Humber A Band, had wonderful listening experiences in the jazz clubs and sat in with Warner Vache. He has played on and off with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra as an adult. This has given him the opportunity to play with many talented musicians. He has taught at Vancouver Community College, University of British Columbia, and Capilano University. In 2015, many secondary schools in the Lower Mainland have jazz ensembles and strong music programs, but few elementary schools have bands. Alan notes the difference in students who begin earlier in life. He also notices a decline in live music in venues around Vancouver. In the 1970’s-1980’s there was a similar problem on the city, due to the strict rules around liquor licences, which help fund live musicians. Clark Terry was another notable player, who soloed one of Alan’s arrangements. Alan has never been to Scotland, and wishes he knew more about his heritage. He doesn’t attend Robbie Burns; however, his wife used to organize ceilidhs when she worked at the Scottish Cultural Centre in Vancouver, which Alan would play at. Looking back on his life, he doesn’t have many regrets, and has no plans to retire anytime soon.
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Date: 2015-01-15, 2015-01-26

Title: Interview of Anne Vernon, 1; 2
Description: Anne Vernon March 9 2011; June 29 2011 Born: Anne Leith Fraser, July 16, 1926 in Lanarkshire, Scotland. Born at a home called Balgownie. One brother, William (Bill) Fraser. Very good at sports as a young boy; he was the only male descendant on the Fraser line, and was quite favoured as a result. During the War, the headmaster told their mother that
Show moreAnne Vernon March 9 2011; June 29 2011 Born: Anne Leith Fraser, July 16, 1926 in Lanarkshire, Scotland. Born at a home called Balgownie. One brother, William (Bill) Fraser. Very good at sports as a young boy; he was the only male descendant on the Fraser line, and was quite favoured as a result. During the War, the headmaster told their mother that he should be sent away, as they lived so close to the docks in Glasgow, “a magnet for young boys”. He went to Keil Boarding School and did well there, playing cricket, rugby and golf. Served in the Army. Worked at the Lochrin Iron Works for a time. Married a woman named Penny in what was then Rhodesia, and had 2 sons and 1 daughter. They live in South Africa at the time of interview. When Anne was 17, she “ran off” and joined the “wrens” (Women’s Royal Naval Service, WRNS). She attended training in Mill Hill in London. She describes playing on the carts used for transporting wire in the family business as a child. She describes how jobs were held for people when they left for the War. Anne attended school at age 5, and found it “very difficult”. She remembers playing sports with all the boys in the fields off the avenue she lived on. At age 11, she went to Parks School (all girls) in Glasgow. She played field hockey, tennis, and swam. She left school at age 16 because her brother was going to boarding school, and signed up to join the “Rens”. She had started by volunteering, sending packages to Prisoners of War held in Germany. The packages were mostly clothes (socks), as well as canned goods. Her cousin was a lorry driver for the Army, which encouraged her to find her own path and join the Wrens instead. She had been trained as a typist after leaving school at Glasgow Commercial College, which was her lifelong career to an extent. She is unsure why she didn’t choose the Airforce, as her favourite Christmas gift as a child had been a model airplane set. She has always had an interest in engineering and architecture. After being trained in Mill Hill, she was posted to Chatham, Kent, and later to Gillingham. She served in the North Tower; D-Day had come and gone. Anne and other ladies in the Wrens would go into London to see ballet and theatre with actors like Alan Klunz. They served 24 hours on, 24 hours off. She met a man (“Kit”) and eloped with him in Scotland. Mother: Maiden name Leith, from Aberdeen, Scotland. Maternal Grandfather: Leith. Licenced grocer of some repute, large shop on Union Street in Aberdeen, served on the Police Board. Maternal Grandmother: Anne (Annie) Anderson. Died before Anne was born. When Anne was doing market research for the Scottish government in the north, her grandmother was remembered as a gentle, elegant lady by people 30+ years after her death. Father: Alan Inglis Fraser. Born 1898/99. Had 3 sisters. He had “ran away” with a friend age 16 to join the First World War. Member of the Lovat Scouts. He rode a motorcycle as a dispatch rider. His friend was injured in the trenches on his 15th birthday. In 1938, travelled to the States to look for the latest thing in wire machinery, because it was known that another War was coming. His father ran Lochrin Iron Works. Passed at age 43, when Anne was 16. Had spleen issues. Several people in the same age group who had served in the trenches with him passed suddenly around the same time. Paternal Grandmother: Born in New Elgin; her mother had been widowed early on in life, and remarried. Met in Alan’s father in Johnson’s Sawmill. Life was tough at that time; you had to walk everywhere in Elgin. Paternal Grandfather: William Fraser. From Lochrin, family of 12 boys. Worked at Lochrin Iron Works, and eventually became managing director, until government officials took over the company upon his death. Married in Edinburgh. Anne was working as a fundraiser for children impacted by violence until shortly before this interview. Ex-Husband: Bertram “Kit” William Ernest Wells. Mother from somewhere near Fife/Arbroath; she would claim her father was a Pirate. She was a Plymouth Brethren. Kit was a “naval type” who worked in Communications. Kit went out to Malta in the 1950’s and Anne followed him. They were stationed there for 2 years and had 2 children; a boy and a girl (Tory & Patricia). Things were too difficult and they were not working out, and the station in Malta was being shut down. Anne describes the political state of Malta at the time. There was a large religious presence in the area. After returning to Scotland, Anne left Kit, and moved in with her mother, along with the 2 children. Anne returned to college to upgrade, and went back to work in various offices in Glasgow to support her family, while her children attended school locally. She received a small monthly pay from the Navy. She would travel about 12 miles into Glasgow by train or bus. Anne describes how it was common for people to drink “whiskey and water” in their teenage years; when you were an adult, you were given “sippers” – a straight shot of whiskey. Binge drinking meant many people did not survive their 21st birthdays. Anne would attend shows at Green’s Play House in Glasgow by herself as a young woman. She had been introduced to classical music in school and loved it. She was also a fan of jazz. She would have to sneak out because her grandmother was quite strict, though her mother approved. She recalls going ice-skating as a child. Anne went for a drink in Glasgow with her brother Bill in Feb. 1956. She remembers the students were collecting cans and coins for the local hospitals. Bill introduced her to some student friends of his, which is where she met her husband Gavin Vernon. He stayed in a house called “The Hovel”, just off Great Western Road. They were married Dec 26, 1960, in Coatbridge. Husband: Gavin Harold Russell Vernon. Born in Kintore (outside Aberdeen) August 11, 1926. At age 3 & ½, he visited his paternal grandparents with his mother. His grandfather was a minister with the Church of Scotland. In the time they were away, his father sold his practice and joined the P&O as a surgeon doctor. Gavin worked in for BICC (British Insulated Callender’s Cables) electrifying the railway from Airdrie to Glasgow. He was an electrical engineer and eventually got his degree from the University of Glasgow. He had attended Strathallan Boarding School from age 11 on. He had a great sense of humour and was very clever. He loved school. He was “called up” to the military at 17¼, and served in the Army at the Perth barracks. He served in Palestine. His best memory of his time there was pulling oranges right off the trees. He was later stationed in Cyprus, before returning to Glasgow and attending university. During the summer, the undergraduates had to take summer jobs related to their discipline. He often worked as a troubleshooter for Glasgow Transport. He commuted from Glasgow to London for work for a long time. Gavin worked in Egypt and in Saudi Arabia as a contractor later in life. Gavin never belonged to any particular political party. Father: Harold Russell Vernon. One of 4 boys and 1 girl. Father was a minister at Arbuthnott. Country doctor & surgeon. Lived with his new wife in Turnberry. Gavin only saw his father around 3 times from age 3 to 20, though he paid his school fees once. Mother: Catherine Jean MacGregor. Born in Dalhousie in the late 1800s, where her father was the estate factor. Taught a boarding school for girls from age 16 to 21, until she became a nurse. Youngest Theatre Sister in Scotland in her time. Ran the Edinburgh Infirmary Nursing Home during the War. Anne tells the story of when she heard the War was over, the night of “V-Day”. She had been attending a film with a friend from the Wrens in Gillingham, when an announcement came over the speakers: the War in Europe was over. They followed the crowd onto the trains into London, and were separated due to the number of people. She was in front of the Buckingham Palace when Churchill and the Royal Family appeared outside. Anne remembers Churchill stepping out on a balcony with a cigar, waving and giving the “victory” sign. She missed the last trains out of town, and she ended up spending the night. Two guards let her tour the War Room and she saw the red phone Churchill had used. Anne talks about how many high ranking officers of the Second World War had served as junior officers in the First World War, which may have been to their benefit. Gavin had sent for a job application in northern Scotland, and was refused after 1000 people applied in the same day. He immediately went down to the Consulates offices; first to the American Consulate, where he found the service was rude, and then to the Canadian Consulate, where he was greeted kindly and given an application form. Canada was looking for engineers. He came to Toronto in June of 1963, then took a train to Regina, Saskatchewan. They were going to start liquid mining for pot ash, something completely new. Anne sold the flat they owned in West Glasgow, and flew with her two children to Canada. She was astounded by the weather in Regina. She would start a garden in May, and had harvested two crops by September, when they travelled to Vancouver. Gavin was let go from the mine, and called H. A. Simons for a job in Vancouver. Gavin never technically adopted the children from Anne’s first marriage, but they attended their parent’s wedding, and had their last names changed to Vernon. Anne and Gavin rented a home in North Vancouver. Gavin travelled first by rail, and Anne followed in the car, with the kids, their belongings, two cats and two dogs. Anne got a job at Bell Irving. She also worked for the Federal Government as a secretary for the Department of Transport. Anne found out she was pregnant again at age 42, when Gavin was at work in Maine. She gave birth to their son, also named Gavin. He attended Waldorf School in Vancouver. H.A. Simons gave Gavin “an offer he couldn’t refuse”, and he accepted a job in Czechoslovakia. In the meantime, Anne offered her services as a typist in exchange for an architect to do the planning on their home renovations. Gavin did all the electrical design on the home. Anne followed with young Gavin, flying into Prague from London. Gavin attended school in Vienna. Anne worked part-time for H.A. Simons in the local mill while they were in Czechoslovakia. Young Gavin was relocated to Strathallan School. The family lived in Aberdeen for a time. They still owned the house in Vancouver. Gavin worked in France for a time, as well as Holland and Saudi Arabia. She laughs that their furniture has crossed the Atlantic 3 times. Gavin Vernon’s famous removal of the Stone of Scone from Westminster Abbey in London on Christmas Day, 1950, started in Glasgow, while he was a university student. They bought a car – Gavin, Ian Hamilton, Allen Stuart in one, and Kay Matheson transported the larger piece in her car. The students were members of the Scottish Covenant Association. Anne says that the film on the event was fairly accurate, although it left a few moments out. The border was closed between Scotland and England at that time. The stone was broken at the time – they planned to put the pieces back together with a copper pipe. When they heard the Queen Mother was going to make a call out for the return of the stone, Gavin said it was enough, and left the stone at Arbroath Abbey, before notifying the police and media. The incident had sparked a manhunt across the country. They were never charged. Gavin and Kay spoke a little Gaelic; a police officer understood them speaking to each other. The movie based on the event was called The Stone of Destiny. Anne describes it as a “prank that lifted people’s spirits”. The War had made life difficult and dull, and the event gave the Scots “something to think about”. Anne talks about the modern push for independence in Scotland. Gavin went into hospital Jan. 26, 2004, at which point he learned he had inoperable lung cancer. He fought with radiation treatment, and chose to live his final days at home. He had the Burns Supper organization run his memorial services. He passed away March 19, 2004. In the years since Gavin’s passing, Anne has been involved in Elder’s College, attending and arranging classes on a wide range of subjects that interest her. She volunteered with the Westminster Historical Society, publishing a newsletter.
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Date: 2011-03-09, 2011-06-29

Title: Interview of Ronald Reid
Description: May 11 2012 Ronald Dunlop Reid (b. 1931 in Victoria, BC) is the only child of Kenneth Dunlop Reid (b. 1901) and Margaret Harriet Cullum (b. 1899 in Victoria, BC). His father was the eldest of two boys and his mother had one sister. They married in 1926; his mother stayed home with the children while his father worked for the Victoria street
Show moreMay 11 2012 Ronald Dunlop Reid (b. 1931 in Victoria, BC) is the only child of Kenneth Dunlop Reid (b. 1901) and Margaret Harriet Cullum (b. 1899 in Victoria, BC). His father was the eldest of two boys and his mother had one sister. They married in 1926; his mother stayed home with the children while his father worked for the Victoria street lighting department (prior to this job he had studied electrical engineering at McGill, worked in Ontario, for BC Electric in Vancouver, and for Cominco in Trail, BC). Ron’s father was very active in the Victoria Electrical Club, the McGill Graduate Society, Historical Society, and with the Freemasons (in 1958 he became the Grandmaster of British Columbia); his other interests were archery and fishing. Ron’s paternal grandfather, John Dunlop Reid (b. mid 1860s in Dunlop, Ayrshire) had one brother and two sisters and his paternal grandmother (b. 1879 in Owensboro, Kentucky; d. 1969) had one older sister who died at the age of sixteen in Seattle. John Dunlop Reid’s father, Thomas Reid (b. 1821) married Jane Dunlop, the heiress to property in the village of Dunlop and, together, they had three children. Their eldest son (also Thomas Reid whose eldest son married Mary Ann Kerr Jameson and moved to Owensboro, Kentucky, Seattle, Washington, and finally retired in Victoria, British Columbia) took over the farm while Thomas and Jane built a house on the Dunlop property with the help of their youngest son, John Dunlop Reid. John Dunlop Reid married Helen Muir of Kilmarnock; they had four children, the eldest of whom was Ron’s great-grandfather. There are no known Gaelic speakers in the family. Ron grew up in Victoria. Both of his parents were responsible for discipline. There were no vacations during the war, but afterwards, in 1945, his family toured Portland, the Oregon Coast, Washington State, and the Okanagan. His family was close and regularly saw each other; Ron’s favourite relative was his maternal grandmother who lived very close to him. Ron attended Sir James Douglas Elementary School, Central Junior High School, and Victoria High School before completing one year of college. Sir James Douglas was a “good elementary school,” but he neither enjoyed high school nor the sports. Ron worked for the mapping branch of the provincial government and the instructional department of the provincial emergency program (Civil Defense) before retiring in 1998. In 1954, Ron married his first wife, a nurse, Cora Jone Hansen (b. in Saskatchewan), with whom he had four children. After their divorce he married Kathleen, a widow with three children of her own. Between the two of them they have thirteen grandkids; their children are spread across North America, Asia, and Australasia. Since their respective retirements in 1998, Ron and Kathleen have travelled, bought a house, and taken up gardening, trailering (Vancouver Island, Interior BC, and the USA), and lawn bowling (Central Saanich team). Ron’s impetus for his “Scottishness” was his paternal grandmother who bought him his first kilt (at approximately ten years old). Ron and his wife, Kathleen, have made approximately twenty trips to Britain; her family lives near London and they have often made road trips up to Scotland. After being accidentally misled by the minister of the local church, they found the old Dunlop property on their second trip to the area. Their last trip to Scotland was ten years ago (2000). Ron does not closely follow Scottish politics, but when asked about the upcoming referendum, Ron is not sure whether Scottish separation is a “good thing.” Ron has lost connections to any remaining Scottish relatives. He enjoys reading books by M.C. Beaton. If Ron were to relive his life, he would not change anything; he is “very happy with it.” His biggest satisfaction in life is retirement; he enjoyed his job, but “it has been nice to leave a structured working environment.”
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Date: 2012-05-11

Title: Interview of John Fraser
Description: John Allen Fraser April 21, 2015; Second interview date unknown; May 1, 2015 Born Dec. 15, 1931, in Yokohama, Japan; moved to Canada at age 3. Baptised by an Anglican priest in Japan. Brother born in Canada in 1935. Interview begins abruptly, in the middle of a sentence. John describes speaking at a gathering of the Fraser clan. He describes Simon
Show moreJohn Allen Fraser April 21, 2015; Second interview date unknown; May 1, 2015 Born Dec. 15, 1931, in Yokohama, Japan; moved to Canada at age 3. Baptised by an Anglican priest in Japan. Brother born in Canada in 1935. Interview begins abruptly, in the middle of a sentence. John describes speaking at a gathering of the Fraser clan. He describes Simon Fraser’s history in B.C. – he doesn’t think he is related, as his family is Presbyterian, and Simon Fraser was Roman Catholic. He wore his Seaforth kilt, as he doesn’t have a Fraser kilt. John knew Lord Lovat – he ran the British Commandos during the Second World War. John joined the Reserves one week after the Korean War was declared. His father had a strong view that depending solely on volunteers in War was wrong. He was encouraged, and so he joined the Cadet Corps to further his training. He attended 3 years of law school at the same time. They were trained with live ammunition – four of his friends were killed in demonstrations, with no investigation. Served in the Seaforth Highlanders, and served in the Canadian Brigade in Germany with the Highland Battalion in 1953. He visited the Fraser house in Beaufort Castle while on leave, and had lunch with the Lord and Lady. He received a letter from his father, explaining that his Battalion was due to be sent to Korea. In summer 1953, negotiations established a ceasefire in Korea, and so the unit was held back. John was a keen soldier. He returned to Canada and finished law school, and became involved with the Reserves again. He served as an honorary officer with the Seaforth Highlanders into 2010. He speaks about the concept of militarism, and how the views of those that served differ from the public views on War. John’s first ancestor (John Fraser) came to Canada from Scotland in 1759, to his knowledge. Possible connection to the start of the 78th Fraser Highlanders. When Prince Charlie came from France to Scotland in the 18th century, the Fraser clan was very much involved in the Battle of Culloden. This fighting spirit continued when Frasers came to Canada, with the Fraser Highlanders fighting in the Battle of the Plains of Abraham. He speaks about the contributions of Scots to Canada. John received the Order of Canada in 2001. Father: Clarence Fraser. Born & raised in Atlin, Yukon. Moved to Vancouver to enlist. All brothers served in the First World War, except one (Allen). He was denied entry, although he was the best shot in the family. They grew up hunting, trapping, and running dog teams. For Allen, living in Vancouver during the War and walking down the street without a uniform was difficult. John’s father learned to speak some Japanese during his time there selling BC lumber (7 or 8 years). The family lived in Powell River for a time, where he also sold lumber. Horace, another brother, became a well-known land surveyor, and served in the Seaforth Highlanders. He was badly injured and taken out of action for a time. Lyle, served in the PPCLI; also wounded in action at one time, but managed to round up fellow soldiers. He received a military medal. Paternal Grandfather: John Allen Fraser. Born in Canada. Owned a general store in Fort William (now Thunder Bay), Ontario, and worked in the fur trade. Had a contract with the company building the Canadian Pacific Railway to supply ties. He worked himself across the country this way and ended up in Vancouver. The railway opened up shipping from Asia. Gold was discovered in the Yukon, and John couldn’t resist; he went north, eventually becoming a government agent, gold commissioner, and local magistrate in Atlin, Yukon. A cousin owns a copy of his diary. Mother: Laudie Robinson. Her fiancée was severely injured during the First World War, and passed from the flu upon his return in 1919. Family came from West Side of Ireland to Ontario, Canada in 1830 as farmers. Father named John, mother named Mary. She once joked with John, “I’ve heard enough of your Highland heritage; you’re over 50% Irish, and that’s the problem”. She went back to visit family in Ireland with her husband and John. They went to visit her Uncle John. Met John’s father in Tokyo, Japan, on a trip with her cousin around 1929. Married in Ontario. John was on the rugby team at Prince of Wales High School. He continued to play rugby into his 30’s, when the workload from his law firm took priority. John was recommended to a law firm with Gregory Grant & Cox in Victoria, BC. He joined up with the Seaforth Highlanders again in while there. He had planned to marry a young woman who married another man, and so he felt the need to relocate from Victoria. A partner of the firm was taking over a new law firm in Powell River, BC, and John jumped at the chance. He wanted to work in the courtroom more than anything, and did defence work, which impressed the people at Ladner Downs Law Firm. He worked there for a long time. Wife: Family name Finley. Family came to Canada in 1850. John has received many accolades: He was a cabinet minister in the Clark and Mulroney governments, earning him the Order of Canada & Order of BC; Canadian Forces decoration, Queens Council, and several honourary law degrees. Won the Vimy Award for outstanding service to the Canadian military. Politics: Father identified as a conservative Liberal, and didn’t have any respect for Mackenzie King due to his lack of military service. In Vancouver, if you were interested in politics and wanted to advance your career, you were expected to become a Liberal. John became involved with the Progressive Conservative Party in his first year at UBC, sitting as a Conservative in the “mock parliament” hosted by the School, debating Canada’s presence in Germany. He felt service in politics was “the patriotic thing to do”. In 1968, he ran as a Member of Parliament for Vancouver South in the year of the “Trudeau sweep”. He stayed active after this run, Joe Clark became leader of the Conservative party. John ran again for Vancouver South, against Gordon Gibson. The Speaker was appointed by the Prime Minister. At the best of times, they would talk to the leader of the opposition for consultation, but not always. John was the first elected Speaker of the House of Commons, and then later ran as Speaker. The workload increased by 60% when he was Speaker. John worked very hard to learn French and connect with French-Canadians. There was a large German and Sikh community in his area. He encouraged people to approach him over issues. Military support, international trade, and environmentalism were his main concerns. He recalls some eventful moments in the House of Commons, including challenging Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau during Question Period, which prompted Trudeau to point at John and say, “I’ll see you outside”. John tried to show respect for anyone who the Canadian people elected. If there’s no acceptance and respect between both sides of the House of Commons, John says it’s impossible for a Speaker to “control the House”. In John’s time, climate change was not as much of a discussion. He was at a cabinet meeting with the Minister of Fisheries when global warming was brought up, and Mulroney asked John to give a briefing on the topic. He said it was his conviction that most scientific research indicates we are collectively issuing greenhouse gas emissions at a dangerous rate, impacting the climate. At the time, reports were saying the planet was headed for another Ice Age. Some scientists argued that carbon was necessary for growth. It is still an issue that needs to be addressed to this day, as misinformation is still around. There is science which is difficult to argue with. He is a passionate fly-fisher and has strong feelings about the environment. He spent lots of time outdoors as a child. Was a member of the British Columbia Steelhead Association. John notes the difference between Conservative politics in Canada and the USA. He discusses the idea of a “Red Tory” (a left-leaning conservative). He points out that not all Conservatives are reformists. John became a Boy Scout, and started attending Anglican Church services at St. Mary’s because of that. He recalls a service in which a minister taught acceptance of the Jewish faith. There was anti-Semitism in Vancouver at the time; a major golf course would not allow Jewish people to play. John tells a story of rumours flying around the neighbourhood after his parents let a Jewish family friend stay the night. John discusses the unification of the Canadian Armed Forces under Trudeau. He discusses his experiences in the military, and describes how the soldiers who trained him were almost “parental”. He is critical of the changes made during unification, such as a suggestion of removing rank and special uniforms, which he felt collapsed morale. He discusses Canada’s military history at length. He was part of the Cadet Corps at Point Grey Junior High School. John had a friend as a child, Joan Patterson, who tracked him down while he was in training at Camp Borden. She asked him to come visit in Toronto, and they got along famously, which made his time in Ontario more bearable. He kept in touch with her for years after. He discusses training exercises he experienced.
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Date: 2015-04-21, 2015-05-01

Title: Interview of Angus Macpherson, 1; 2
Description: Angus Macpherson Nov 9 2011; Nov 14 2011 Born: Angus Macpherson, Dec 12 1951, in Johnstone, Scotland (between Paisley & Glasgow) First of four siblings (2 sisters and 1 brother). One sister lives in England, just north of Liverpool. She took music lessons for a time, but gave it up. Another lives in Oakville, and is married to a piper. She is a
Show moreAngus Macpherson Nov 9 2011; Nov 14 2011 Born: Angus Macpherson, Dec 12 1951, in Johnstone, Scotland (between Paisley & Glasgow) First of four siblings (2 sisters and 1 brother). One sister lives in England, just north of Liverpool. She took music lessons for a time, but gave it up. Another lives in Oakville, and is married to a piper. She is a former drummer with the Vancouver Ladies & Burnaby Ladies Pipe Band. Her son is a Pipe Major and also plays in the 78th Frasers, along with a daughter who is a tenor drummer. Youngest brother was a drummer with Triumph Street & City of Victoria Pipe Band. Father: John Macpherson, born in Glasgow Dec. 25 1922. Second oldest; older sister (lives in Vancouver), 2 younger brothers and a younger sister. Older sister fluent in Gaelic, as she was born on Skye. Younger sister was active member of the Gaelic Society; John did not speak it himself. Went to Harris often for holidays to visit family. A cousin named Andrew MacPherson owns a B&B in Portree. Both sides of his family were “wee freeze” Presbyterians, who did not take kindly to noise on Sundays. Paternal Grandfather: John Macpherson. Paternal Great-Grandfather: John Macpherson. Born on the Isle of Skye, raised outside Portree, and moved to Glasgow in late teens. Mother: Isabel Panayotou. Born in Glasgow in 1923, brought up on Argyle St. Paternal Grandfather: Athanaseos Panayotou, from Icaria, Greece. Maternal Grandmother: Born in Cushendun, Northern Ireland. Worked in a munitions factory during the First World War in Glasgow. Angus attended Netherlee Primary and Eastwood Secondary in Glasgow, and has happy memories of school in Scotland. He is still in touch with friends from Primary School. In Secondary, they wore uniforms, and boys and girls had separate classes. The belt was still used by teachers when he was in Secondary School. He played on the school and community soccer teams. They moved to New Westminster, British Columbia, when he was in grade 9. He noticed many differences between the school systems, such as uniforms, lockers, etc. Angus tried to get rid of his Scottish accent as soon as possible, as some people thought it sounded funny. He attended New Westminster Secondary School. Latin had been a required class back in Scotland, which was unique in B.C. He graduated in 1969 and then attended University of British Columbia for 3 years. He also worked with BCTel in the summers, and had just started the Triumph Street Band, so he left university to work at BCTel first time. Unfortunately they weren’t hiring, and so he was unemployed for a few months, before getting a job in inside sales for a steel manufacturer and distributor. Later became sales manager for BC in a different industrial steel distributor, due to retire in the next year. Moving to Canada: His father John worked as a crane driver at the docks in Glasgow. During the 1960’s, the shipping industry in town was no longer economically friendly. He already had 2 sisters living in B.C. which encouraged the move. The family almost moved to Australia instead. John ended up working as a custodian for BCTel to get started in Canada, before becoming a Sherriff’s Officer, which he did until retirement. The family flew on British United. He remembers a stewardess on the airplane mistook a passenger’s thick Scottish accent for Dutch/German. Angus didn’t want to move; he was 14, and was very connected to his friends and life in Scotland. Angus only recently got his Canadian citizenship, as he always had an idea that he may go back to Scotland. He remembers waking up his first morning in New Westminster, and found the electric wires and telephone lines completely foreign. He remembers going down to Columbia Street and buying Easter candy, which was another Canadian novelty, as it was Easter Holiday. Angus began playing bagpipes with the Boy’s Brigade at age 11, until the family left Scotland. His first teacher was named Billy Cline, who told Angus he would be a Pipe Major one day. The Boy’s Brigade was similar to the Boy Scouts, and had levels called “Knots”, “Lifeboys”, “Boy’s Brigade”, etc. with different uniforms. You could earn badges, and it was military style, similar to cadets. They did a lot of marching and performances. Not every Boy’s Brigade had a pipe band. He was part of the 231 Glasgow Company. In New Westminster, his cousin Drew had been taking piping lessons from Malcolm Nicholson, and Angus joined him. The Kiwanis Boy’s Pipe Band played in Santa Rosa, and got to perform at Disneyland. They were involved in many competitions such as the European Championships, but did not go to the World Pipe Band Championships. He was one of the founding members of the Triumph Street Pipe Band. His most influential piping instructor was Hal Senyk. Also took lessons from John A. MacLeod and Jimmy McMillan. He would listen to records of the Powell River Pipe Band and the Vancouver Ladies Pipe Band. He saw performers like Murray Henderson, Ian Morrison, and Donald MacPherson. He remembers the stories they told almost more so than the performances. He went to the World Championships with Triumph Street in 1976, 1979 and 1988. They won the drumming championship in 1979. Angus also taught with the Vancouver Ladies Pipe Band at that time, who won the Worlds in 1980, along with other championships to follow. Attended Worlds with the Port Moody Pipe Band in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2006, 2009 & 2010 (grade 2 level). Choosing music to perform is a collaborative effort amongst the band. The lead drummer creates the score, and players will create harmonies. Angus discusses the variety among bagpiping tunes, and predicts the bass section will increase in future bands. Medleys may go longer, and the format of championships may change. Wife: Judith (Judy) Patricia Taylor, born in Vancouver Sept 24, 1954. Went as a juvenile representative of the BC Pipers Association to the Montreal Expo and in Halifax. Member of Vancouver Ladies Pipe Band. American/English father, Scottish mother. Started bagpiping and Highland dancing at a very early age. Joined the Vancouver Ladies’ Pipe Band at age 9. She progressed to the Senior Amateur level and won the World Championships in 1983 with the VLPB. She met Angus at the Vancouver Ladies Winter Recital in 1968. Married in 1974. She had won awards long before Angus. Last played in the New Westminster Highland Games before her first child was born. Her Scottish grandparents: Mother’s father (last name Patterson) from Jemimaville, Black Isle, Mother’s mother (maiden name MacArthur) from Carloway. Children: Neil, born 1984 and Kathryn (Katie) born in 1986. Neil started playing bagpipes at age 10 with Robert Malcolm Pipe Band. Went to Scotland in grade 3 & grade 2 competitions. Then joined the Port Moody Pipe Band, and stayed until 2005. Katie also went through the ranks of Robert Malcolm, and moved on to Port Moody. Was in Highland dance from age 7 on, before giving it up for tenor drumming. Neil won a silver medal in Piobaireachd in Kansas. He always wanted to play with a band in Scotland, but Angus convinced him that the local Simon Fraser University Pipe Band was impressive in itself, and both Neil and Katie became members. They’ve attended Highland Games with Angus since they were born. Neil often went golfing and watched European FC Qualifying matches with his grandfather Macpherson, and played soccer growing up. Angus is set to retire and settle in Powell River, but is unsure if he will retire from piping. He describes the difference in level of commitment between Grade 1 & 2 pipe bands. He discusses the origin of the BCPA’s “knock-out” competitions, started by Donald Ross around 1971, and the early days of the BCPA. There were trios and drumming “knock-outs”, and it served a chance to get out in the off-season. Many bands now have members come in from around the world. He plays the New Westminster Remembrance Day service. Angus served as President for the BC Piper’s Association for several years. He was the youngest member of the Board when he first joined, around 1972. He held the Annual Gathering at Vancouver Technical School. Also on the Board of the Western Pipe Band Association for 5-6 years. He had the chance to meet many notable pipers, such as Jim Burgess. He is a big fan of newer Celtic bands. Angus keeps up with the politics in Scotland to a degree, such as the rise of the Scottish Nationalist Party. He has always retained strong feelings of “Scottishness”. He enjoys haggis and mashed “nips” (turnips), his wife always makes shortbread. His mother made huge Scottish breakfasts. He is fascinated by Scottish transportation (buses and ships).
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Date: 2011-11-09, 2011-11-14

Title: Interview of Violet Third
Description: Nov 2 2011 Violet Third (née Schleger; b. 1921 in Neudorf, Saskatchewan) is the daughter of German immigrants; her father owned a cement-contracting company and her mother was a dressmaker. At the age of three, the family moved to Vancouver (the West End) where Violet attended Dawson Elementary School and a commercial secondary school on Broadway
Show moreNov 2 2011 Violet Third (née Schleger; b. 1921 in Neudorf, Saskatchewan) is the daughter of German immigrants; her father owned a cement-contracting company and her mother was a dressmaker. At the age of three, the family moved to Vancouver (the West End) where Violet attended Dawson Elementary School and a commercial secondary school on Broadway and Granville. Her first job was in her sister’s restaurant on Pender and Granville. At nineteen, Violet met her first boyfriend and soon-to-be husband, Bruce Third, at the Alexandra Ballroom dance hall. One year later they married. Shortly thereafter Violet began working in the accounting department at Bruce’s father’s business, George Third & Son Ltd. (at the time of her retirement she had worked there for fifty-five years), where her husband and the majority of the Third family work(ed). Violet was the first female employee of George Third & Son Ltd. When asked about Bruce’s father, George “Geordie,” Violet describes him as a “good man” who worked hard and loved his life and family (there were many Third family gatherings). He was very tall, of a strong build, and had a horseshoe-shaped scar on his forehead (he had learned blacksmithery and the horse trade in his hometown of St. Fergus). Born in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, at nineteen George immigrated alone to Brandon, Manitoba (his intention was to emigrate permanently). He did not particularly like Manitoba and continued westward to Vancouver, where he established George Third & Son Ltd. Geordie’s brother, Robert, a tailor, immigrated to Vancouver soon afterward, but did not permanently settle in the city. Geordie married Ann (née Bruce; b. in Winnipeg) and, together, they had two sons, Douglas and Bruce. Although George was very proud of his Scottish heritage, he only returned to Scotland once for a two-week visit in 1968 (this may be due in part to his bad arthritis that made travel difficult). A well-known man with a good reputation, Geordie enjoyed scotch, Scottish songs, and held many parties at which the Police Pipe Band often played. He did not retire until eight-two, when his wife’s dementia forced him to stop working. Geordie’s son, Bruce, was also a hard-working man who invested a great deal of time in his children and grandchildren’s lives; he could often be found cheering at their soccer games or at their Highland dancing competitions. Bruce also enjoyed singing, dancing, playing the piano, and golfing. A founding member of the America Welding Society BC Section, there is now an annual “Bruce Third Welding Scholarship” that is given to a promising welding student. The Third family is quite involved in the Scottish community in Vancouver. Although Violet herself is not a Scot, she has never felt out of place at Scottish events or in various groups/organizations (she danced for awhile). Out of Violet and Bruce’s children and grandchildren, two [Highland] danced for some years and both Brett and Rob are/were pipers. The family regularly attends Burns Suppers and Highland Games, and haggis is a very popular food with the Thirds. Violet is very grateful for how George Third & Son Ltd. has fed the family for close to one hundred years, or four generations; since the transition from blacksmithery to welding, the business has completed various projects, including rides for Disney World, various Millennium Line skytrain stations, the Robson Square Domes for the 2010 Olympics, and steel for the soon-to-be-demolished Port Mann Bridge. Curved staircases are George Third & Son’s specialty. If Violet were to relive her life, she would not change anything (except for maybe being a better golfer). Her biggest disappointments are her son’s illness and that Bruce did not live longer. Her chief satisfactions are her health and her children, grandchildren (12), and great-grandchildren (17). One of her granddaughters, Dr. Tamara Davis, is a renowned astrophysicist in Australia who works with a Nobel Prize winner.
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Date: 2011-11-02

Title: Interview of Hugh Aird
Description: Hugh Aird Nov. 22 2011 Born: Hugh Norman Aird in Winnipeg, Manitoba in 1925. Moved to Vancouver at age 2. Older sister Catherine Marian born in 1918. Father: Born in Lochinver, Sutherland, Scotland in 1890. Came with his parents to Winnipeg in 1904. Served his apprenticeship under his father. Enrolled in the Canadian Army in 1915, and was shipped
Show moreHugh Aird Nov. 22 2011 Born: Hugh Norman Aird in Winnipeg, Manitoba in 1925. Moved to Vancouver at age 2. Older sister Catherine Marian born in 1918. Father: Born in Lochinver, Sutherland, Scotland in 1890. Came with his parents to Winnipeg in 1904. Served his apprenticeship under his father. Enrolled in the Canadian Army in 1915, and was shipped to France in 1916. Severely wounded, and spent the rest of the war in hospital in England. Discharged in Winnipeg in 1919. Two sisters and one brother. One sister married a man in Winnipeg from the Isle of Skye. Paternal Grandfather: Cabinetmaker, born in 1864. Built the interior of a hotel in Lochinver which still stands today. Later, the family moved up to Scourie. Gaelic speaking household. Immigrated to Canada in 1904. Not particularly religious. Brother Hector also settled in Winnipeg. They considered settling in St. Kilda and North Carolina before settling on Canada. Moved to Vancouver in retirement. John Robertson, a piper from Edmonton, visited them every year, and started a Pipe Band which Hugh joined. Paternal Grandmother: Margaret Sutherland. Hugh recalls his granny Sutherland made great pancakes, and would boil her tea in an aluminum pot. She never spoke Gaelic with him. Paternal Great-Grandfather: John Aird. Paternal Great-Grandmother: Catherine MacPherson. Mother: Maiden name: Morrison. Born in Scourie, Sutherland, Scotland. Brother Donald served in Second World War, and suffered from “shellshock” upon returning to Scourie. Another brother named Norman, graduated from Edinburgh University; passed away shortly after from meningitis. She had two sisters, and all three women became nurses. Gaelic speaking household, but were under strict instructions to speak English by their parents. Served as a nurse during World War One, which may have been where she met Hugh’s father. Married in 1917. Travelled back to Scotland in 1924 to introduce her daughter to her parents. Maternal Grandfather: Donald Morrison. Innkeeper. Maternal Grandmother: Marian Monroe. Hugh and his wife lived in England for a time and often travelled to Scotland, but did not visit Scourie. Wife: Joanne Murdeina Nicholson. Met in 1950; 10 months later, they were married. Grew up in a Gaelic speaking household; parents from North Lewis. Her older sister was born there, while she and her brothers were born in Canada. Deeply religious family, attended Highland Church. She refused to be married in the Church. She could understand the Gaelic speakers when she travelled back to Lewis with Hugh, but couldn’t speak it. Joanne was active in the Gaelic Choir for many years. Cousin’s husband owned the only pub on North Lewis. Many family members had a fear of boats, likely due to the history on the Islands of deaths at sea between fishing accidents and others. A boat full of returning WWI soldiers had been lost in 1919. Mother: Maiden name Margaret MacLellan, also born in North Lewis. There have been very few Pipe Majors out of Lewis; Hugh mentions a legend that at one point the people of the island had been convinced to burn their pipes and fiddles, effectively stamping out generations of musicians. Schooling in Vancouver: Attended Hastings School, Franklin School, Templeton School, Vancouver Technical High School, and University of British Columbia. Worked in Pacific Mills during the summer for two weeks while attending university, and injured his foot, resulting in him being off work, and didn’t return to school in the fall. Worked for the Liquor Control Board for a time. Began work for Shell Oil in 1949, and was employed with them for 33 years. Transferred to Oakville, Ontario, in 1962 to start a new refinery. Transferred again to Sarnia, Ontario until 1975. Then transferred to England for 2 years developing the plans for Sarnia. Requested his family to be transferred to Vancouver, while he worked the main office in Calgary, and commuted back and forth for 2 years before retiring in 1982. Children: 3 daughters, born 1951, 1953, 1960; Deborah Margaret, Elizabeth Joanne, and Joanne Louise. All enjoy the pipes, but did not play. Hugh’s cousin Colin Sutherland played the bagpipes, and so he always knew he would do the same. His grandfather also played piping records such as Willie Ross. Malcolm Nicholson was his first teacher. Donald MacIver asked him to join his band at age 11, which he did until age 14. Joined the Seaforth Cadets in 1939 and stayed until 1944. He taught the Glengarry Girl’s Pipe Band for one year. Hugh ended up being invited to the Army Piping School in Edinburgh Castle, but was unable to attend, as the Korean War broke out. He was a member of the Seaforth Highlander’s Pipe Band at the time, and continued to play with them until he moved to Ontario in 1962. Ed Esson was Pipe Major. Many men returned to the band after going to war, and they were a great group. Many Scots said of war, “You need to remember the good, and forget the bad”. Hugh picked up bagpiping again as an adult while working in Redding, England. Hugh served as a pallbearer at Ed Esson’s funeral in 1983, and Ed willed Hugh his set of pipes. He continued to play them until about a year ago, and passed them over to the Seaforth Highlander’s in Vancouver. Hugh had introduced himself to Ed at the 1946 Games. The Highlanders requested Hugh to take over Pipe Major when Ed passed, but he was unable to transfer his job back to Vancouver with Shell. Hugh had a successful competitive bagpiping career, but disliked competitions the more he participated. He won the BCPA’s Cairn for Piobaireachd (genre) in 1946, and two times more in years following. His last competition was in 1958, in which he placed 2nd to Jimmy McMillan. Jimmy Watt and Danny Murray would have ceilidhs with Hugh at Jimmy McMillan’s house. One of the greatest performances Hugh ever heard was from the Seaforth Highlanders in 1939 in which they won the Walter Douglas Trophy for Quartets. Alec Johnson, retired Pipe Major for the Vancouver Police, was Hugh’s instructor for a number of years after Donald MacIver passed away. Donald MacIver had been a stonemason back in Scotland, and only had one working lung. Alec had been taught by the famous John McCull. Another memorable performance was Alec Johnson playing “The Bells of Firth”. Hugh also heard John Burgess play, and was impressed with Bruce Standing’s performance at the Victoria Highland Games. Hugh also studied with Kenny MacLeod for a time. He stuck close to Ed Esson after 1946. Hugh discusses the attitudes towards Neil Sutherland when he became Pipe Major of the Calgary Scottish Highlanders. He replaced a very popular Major, and it took some time for the band to warm up. He also discusses the evolution of pipe bands over time, such as the shift from drums keeping time to the Pipe Major keeping time. In 1983, Hugh was approached by the Seaforth Association to create a pipe band. They went to the Edinburgh Tattoo in 1988. Then he joined the Vancouver Police Pipe Band, and spent 10 years instructing with them. He ultimately had to give up piping due to arthritis in his hands. “Wee Donald” MacLeod was Hugh’s largest bagpiping influence. Seamus MacNeill once differentiated between Highland and Lowland bagpiping techniques, where Highland method was more melodic and less technical. In Hugh’s opinion, modern piping has leaned too far towards technical. Donald MacPherson was another great player, with a wonderful tone to his pipes. Hugh attended his first BC Piper’s Association meeting in 1939. He found the older generation of pipers to be very helpful. The meetings were well attended in those days. They later moved meetings to the Seaman’s Hall, and then to the Seaforth Highlanders in the late 1940’s. The Association didn’t have a lot of money to start, and was only funded through membership dues. The Gaelic Society met at the Elk’s Hall, and Hugh used to attend with his granny Margaret Sutherland. Some memorable performers include Jimmy Duthie, Allister Gray, and Margaret MacDonald. The Powell River Pipe Band was a great team. There was controversy and competition between Powell River & the Seaforth Highlanders, as Seaforth always came first in drumming. Hugh describes Bill Urquheart, the piper who won the Cairn times in the years prior to Hugh’s first win. Bill lived in Vancouver and was well-liked; never married. Also discusses competing with Bill Barrie. There were many great competitors who won the [MacCrimmon Memorial] Cairn for open Piobaireachd. Hugh’s understanding of Piobaireachd improved as he matured. He found he enjoyed playing more once he stopped competing. The average Seaforth Cadets Band ran 12-16 pipers and 8 drummers. Hugh wanted to play with the Shriner’s Pipe Band when he retired in 1982. He had to become a Freemason in order to be a Shriner, which he decided wasn’t for him. In the 20 years he had been gone from Vancouver, the Pipe Bands had changed tremendously. Hugh loves Strathspeys in pipe music, and discusses how they are uniquely Scottish. He found more satisfaction playing in bands as opposed to solo. Hugh mentions the Piobaireachd Society. He also mentions the Quartet events which no longer exist in modern piping competitions.
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Date: 2011-11-22

Title: Interview of Reid Maxwell
Description: Reid Maxwell November 6 2012; November 13 2012 Born: John Reid Thompson Maxwell. Born Jan 29 1961, raised in hospital in Concordie, family home in Bowhill, Cardenden. First grandchild, oldest of 2 sisters (one living in Fife, another in England), recently learned of a half-sister came from his father’s time in South Africa. John Reid after his
Show moreReid Maxwell November 6 2012; November 13 2012 Born: John Reid Thompson Maxwell. Born Jan 29 1961, raised in hospital in Concordie, family home in Bowhill, Cardenden. First grandchild, oldest of 2 sisters (one living in Fife, another in England), recently learned of a half-sister came from his father’s time in South Africa. John Reid after his grandfather, who he knew quite well and considered his best friend. Thomas Maxwell was his paternal grandmother’s first husband who died. He stayed with his paternal grandparents every weekend; they lived in Bowhill. When his parents split up, he went to live with them, and stayed until he reached high school. His grandparents lived in the old cemetery house; for a long time his address was Cemetery Lodge, 22 Main Street, Cardenden. Reid’s son Keith was born in the same hospital as him and raised in the same town until the family move to Canada. Mother: Katherine Patterson Couser. Grew up in Dundonald. Her father was a miner, and had a first wife who had passed with the name Patterson. He had become very sick with “the black lung”. Unfortunately lost both her parents at age 11 within a week of each other, and so she was raised by her oldest sister Mary. Had her first child at age 17; was a housewife until later in life, when she became a cashier at a grocery store. Separated from Reid’s father when he was around 10. She still lives in the village in Bowhill. Father: Gordon Maxwell. Born in May 29 1941 in Dunfermline, Fife. Was adopted as a child by his mother and her first husband, Thomas Maxwell, who was a coal miner and died from “black lung”. His father John Reid married his mother when he was still a schoolboy. Still living to time of interview. Grew up in Jamphleurs, northwest of Bowhill – where Bowhill Collierie was located. Became an electrical engineer, training in a Naval Dockyard. Then worked for a company called Taylor Instruments. In 1983, he began working in a nuclear facility outside of Capetown, South Africa. Paternal grandfather: John Reid. Passed Sept 1991. Avid gardener, “simple man who lived off the land”. Did farmwork, worked at a saw mill in the offseason. Worked as a plowman, and was later employed by the Bowhill Collierie as a groundskeeper, starting in the 1960’s. By the end of the 1960’s, all the mines in the area began to shut down. He was forced into early retirement because of this. He bought Reid his first drum and pair of drumsticks, and took him to his first football match. They would enjoy a dram together in John’s later years. Paternal grandmother: maiden name Mckee. Passed Sept 1999 at 99 years old. She was the one who encouraged Reid to begin drumming, and asked his cousin to bring him along to a pipe band practice one day. She raised him with great-grandmother: Jeannie Mckee (maiden name Taylor). Passed December 1977. Lived with Reid’s grandparents. Her husband, Robert Taylor, played drums. Was alive in the time of Queen Victoria. Cardenden, Scotland is a small former coal mining town. Named for Carden farm. Unemployment was always on the increase in Bowhill, as the mines shut down and jobs moved away. Reid describes it as “the blue collar of blue collar” towns. Up until quite recently, it was common to buy locally grown vegetables from around the area. Moving to Canada: Reid immigrated with his family in 1981. Reid attended Dunend Primary School in on the border of Dundonald and Bowhill. Enjoyed high school, and played football, rugby and basketball. Left school at age 16, which was common. Graduated May 1977. Laughs that he failed music in high school, but won the World Pipe Band Championship in August 1977 with Dysart & Dundonald Pipe Band. He feels the focus in school was on classical music, where he enjoyed drumming for the pipe bands. Nobody in the family spoke Gaelic. He wishes he was taught it in school, rather than French. Reid has always owned a set of drums, and could do a roll in his first lesson. He has never had the slighted inclination for bagpiping. He started on formal lessons around age 6 or 7. Matthew Hannah was the lead drum for Dysart & Dundonald, which Reid only joined because his cousin was a piper there. Reid had pneumonia as a child and stopped for about a year. His first and most influential teacher was called William Bell, from Bowhill. The key instructor of the Dysart & Dundonald Pipe Band. Would instruct in his parent’s house – he was only 6 years older than Reid. Reid would attend band twice a week. He would buy drumming LPs at Highland Games (just called competitions in Scotland) and listen to them over and over. He would buy every album from Muirheads, Shotts, etc. Reid was part of the group who started the Robert Malcolm Memorial Pipe Band. It was envisioned as a band to prepare young players for Simon Fraser University Pipe Band. Bob Shephard instilled his thoughts on this. They were amazed when over 50 kids came out to their first meeting. He also teaches drum by telephone and later Skype. This started from teaching his son drumming over the phone. Reid is lead drummer for the Simon Fraser University Pipe Band. Came to the band as an out-of-town player in 1992, invited by Terry Lee, and within 6 months made the decision to move to British Columbia. He talks about the CDs and trips the band has made, such as their trip to the World Pipe Band Championships in Glasgow. He recalls the Piobaireachd prepared for the trip. In total, he has been to the Worlds 7 times with Dysart (2 world championships, 4 drumming titles), 8 times with the 78th Fraser Highlanders, and 8 times with Simon Fraser University (6 championships, 4 drumming titles). His first was at age 14, competing in grade 1. Reid met Jim Blackley, a jazz drummer, who gave him advice which has stuck with him. He likes to include unique influences in music when he can, such as incorporating African influences into drumming. A tough choice Reid had to make was when his first wife asked him to leave the pipe band world, as it demanded so much of his time. He chose to carry forward with drumming and they ultimately divorced. He doesn’t regret the decision, as he met his current wife. Wife: Rachel Parkinson through drumming, at a class he taught with Terry Lee. She was a piper, and has her doctorate in mononuclear science. He has been able to carry on his passion for drumming. His first wife was a woman from Toronto named Susy Villalta. Parents from Italy. Met in Canada in 1977 at the Canadian National Exhibition. Kept in touch by letters, and were married after she moved to Scotland. Married when they were both 19. They planned for him to finish the year with his pipe band in 1981, then moved to Toronto. He remembers listening to the police sirens as he fell asleep on his first nights in Toronto, which never would have happened in his small town in Scotland. Reid lived there until 1992. His wife’s family served them a huge Italian feast upon arrival. He said a big mistake was assuming all of Canada was like Toronto. He prefers the climate on the West coast. He did feel that he was leaving Scotland forever, and describes himself as “a separatist”, and says he will only go back if Scotland is independent. When he does back to Scotland for competitions, he is looked upon as a Canadian. He found himself part of the Scottish community in Ontario, and never experienced any discrimination. Played with the 78th Fraser Highlanders while in Toronto. Reid, as well as others, feel that the cohesion between himself, Jack Lee and Terry Lee has been responsible for the success of the Simon Fraser University Pipe Band. He notes George Watsons College as a great example of a school that has made the Pipe Band “cool”; juvenile band, a model similar to the Robert Malcolm Memorial Band, but run during school hours. Reid’s first job in Canada was in the stockroom in a sport’s store. He doesn’t have any post-secondary education – it was not considered an option for him. He became in the communications industry, involving pagers. After two recessions in Ontario, he decided to go into business for himself as a professional drummer and instructor, in Vancouver in 1992. He tries to make drumming “cool”, and SFU has never had issues attracting drummers to the band. He is amazed by the success and the number of young people that have gone through his programs. He doesn’t have any plans on retiring soon, as he still feels capable. Reid talks about how if you are a “Fifer”, you always refer to it as “The Kingdom of Fife”. He has been a proud Canadian passport holder since 1987. His grandfather had a phrase that “a Scotsman would fight his shadow”. Reid’s grandparents came to visit him in Ontario several times, while in their seventies, staying for 10 weeks one time. His grandfather John saw the potential in Canada, and admired people who were willing to “roll up their sleeves and work”. Reid goes home to the village every year. Reid composed a paper with his wife Rachel on the history of the World Pipe Band Championships. He talks about the demanding schedule of pipe bands. He doesn’t see a bias in drumming judges based on equipment; it is style. He has never been judged by a family member, friend, or person related to the music he was performing, which he is proud to say - he feels they have all been “honourable” wins. Reid often finds himself reminding the band members of who they are performing for, and attempting to play for the masses. He feels bagpipes can be enjoyed with other sounds, and hopes that the entertainment value of pipe bands continues to increase. Children: Keith, lives in Toronto; Grant, has been playing drums since childhood. Played in the RMM Band from 1997 on, and was a member at their win at World Championships in 1999 & 2001 (grade 3). Moved into the grade 1 band. He is a very talented drummer, and played in the Solo Drumming Championships. Reid decided early on that he wouldn’t force any of his sons into drumming. Both sons have feelings of “Scottishness”; Keith was born in Scotland, and enjoys a dram with his father, and Grant connects to the heritage through music. Reid thinks that competition is a good thing for children, and music is a healthy way of learning self-discipline. The SFU Pipe Band was under consideration for a Juno at the time of this interview. Towards the end of the interview, Reid discusses the Scottish Nationalist Party and 2014 Scottish Independence Referendum. He considers himself a separatist; his mother, still living in Scotland, is against separation.
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Date: 2012-11-06, 2012-11-13

Title: Interview of Laurie Anderson
Description: Jan 11 2012 Laurie Hamilton Anderson (b.1947 in Glasgow) is the youngest of five children (three sisters and one brother). His father, David Vernon Anderson (b.1910/1911 (approx.) in Glasgow), was one of eight children. Although never in active service, David was in the army in the Second World War (his brother died in service). An employee of
Show moreJan 11 2012 Laurie Hamilton Anderson (b.1947 in Glasgow) is the youngest of five children (three sisters and one brother). His father, David Vernon Anderson (b.1910/1911 (approx.) in Glasgow), was one of eight children. Although never in active service, David was in the army in the Second World War (his brother died in service). An employee of Scottish Legal Life Assurance Company, he also served as the superintendent of the first non-sectarian youth club in inner city Glasgow. He spent his evenings there in Maryhill teaching boxing and ballroom dancing. Laurie’s mother, Agnes (née) Robertson (b.1920s (approx.) in Glasgow), was one of six children and a social worker with impoverished Glaswegian families. Both of Laurie’s parents were politically involved, devoting their time to various social justice committees and causes. While Laurie’s father was also a devoted soccer coach (before a leg injury he had been a professional soccer player), his mother enjoyed reading Agatha Christie novels. With the exception of a few early ancestors from Ireland and England, the majority of Laurie’s family were born and raised in the Glasgow area. Laurie grew up in a house the royal borough of Rutherglen where he attended Calderwood Primary and Rutherglen Academy (at sixteen he dropped out of school to contribute to the family income). His family, albeit poor, was close to each other. His parents were musical and Sunday evening sing-a-longs were a regular occurrence (many of Laurie’s siblings are involved in the theatre). Every summer the Anderson children accompanied their parents to the one-week camp for inner-city children that they led and, later in the summer, the Anderson family would go on their own two-week beach holiday in Girvan. Laurie remembers going every summer for at least ten to eleven years. Rich Uncle John and Uncle Bill the electrician were Laurie’s two favourite relatives. At age fifteen (possibly sixteen) Laurie met his wife, Nancy Mason, at a Glaswegian dance hall. His first girlfriend, they married in December 1964 and left in May of the following year for Canada. With a two month-old baby and neither a job in Vancouver nor much money, Laurie describes them as “very immature…naïve…and innocent.” After six months in Vancouver, a homesick Nancy returned to Scotland; meanwhile, Laurie stayed another half-a-year to work at Scott Paper Ltd. and repay their loan. However, after five days back in Glasgow, Laurie returned to Canada House and within three months they had returned to Vancouver permanently (Laurie’s sister and her family later immigrated to the United States). Laurie resumed work at Scott Paper (for a total of ten years) and, with his factory salary, they were able to buy a house in Coquitlam. Laurie and Nancy had two sons together: Dean and Scott (both of whom now have children of their own). After thirteen years they divorced; both remarried and are still good friends (Laurie and his second wife later divorced). While leading tours at Scott Paper, Laurie realized his passion for teaching; he returned to school, finishing his high school education and then enrolling part time at Douglas College. In 1977 Laurie completed his teacher training; this led to a permanent full-time position with the Coquitlam School District. For thirteen years Laurie taught Grade Seven Math and English at Anmore Elementary and Westwood Elementary. After serving as a school principal, Laurie returned to SFU for his Masters and finally his PhD in Educational Leadership. In 1992 he became the district principal of curriculum for the Vancouver School District (later serving as the Director, Associate Superintendent, and Acting Superintendent). Eighteen years later, Laurie assumed his current position as the Executive Director of the SFU Vancouver campus. Laurie’s feelings of “Scottishness” revolve around his tendency towards being “judgemental and Scottish” and his sense of humour. He is very proud of his heritage, but is neither very involved in local Scottish events/groups nor makes an effort to fill his house and life with “Scottish things” (i.e. tartan, books, music). He believes that his family would vote in favour of an independent Scotland in the 2014 Referendum. When asked about his biggest satisfactions in life, Laurie listed his childhood, his children and grandchildren, and the opportunities (esp. jobs) given to him throughout his life.
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Date: 2012-01-11

Title: Interview of Mary Macaree
Date: 2004-03-19, 2004-08-13

Title: Interview of John McIlwraith
Description: March 10 2005 John McIlwraith (b. Sept. 4, 1926 in Glasgow) was one of four children. Father: William Mason Peyton McIlwraith (b. in Connel Ferry, Scotland (near Oban)), had three brothers and three sisters. He met John’s mother after returning from service in the First World War. William was an engineer for Singer as well as an amateur musician
Show moreMarch 10 2005 John McIlwraith (b. Sept. 4, 1926 in Glasgow) was one of four children. Father: William Mason Peyton McIlwraith (b. in Connel Ferry, Scotland (near Oban)), had three brothers and three sisters. He met John’s mother after returning from service in the First World War. William was an engineer for Singer as well as an amateur musician (banjo, guitar, piano, choir conductor) and baker. He would compose and transpose music for choirs. During the Depression, he was forced to take on a variety of odd jobs to make ends meet (perming hair, painting, photography), and refused to accept unemployment. A small man, he was very bright and disciplined. John’s paternal grandfather, John McIlwraith, was a foreman for the Singer’s Clydesbank factory. Mother: née Phee (b. 1901 in Portobello, Edinburgh; one of seven children), also worked for Singer; she was in the accounts department. John’s father first saw her on the train to work. In her spare time she sang and competed against John’s father in their household baking competitions. At the time of interview (2005), John’s mother was 104 years old and living in Victoria. John’s maternal grandmother (from Arran) was a Gaelic speaker (John understood some as well). The McIlwraiths were not religious. They were a close family; having no television, they often spent evenings together listening to John’s father’s music. John’s favourite relative was his paternal uncle, Bob, who was a carpenter and a “generous man.” John spent the majority of his childhood living in a flat with his family in Glasgow until the outbreak of the Second World War when he, his siblings, and a couple of his cousins went to live with his their maternal grandmother in Machrie Bay on the Isle of Arran. He was around 11 or 12 at the time. He attended elementary school in both Glasgow (St. David’s) and on Arran and completed his secondary school education upon his return to Glasgow at the end of the war. His school on Arran had grades 1-6 in the same class. After graduation, John attended Skerry’s College in Glasgow, learning shorthand and typing. John has since worked as a writer and broadcaster for many different newspapers/companies in both Scotland and Canada, including: CKNW, Mississauga News, and the Oakville Courier, among others. He was a columnist mainly writing essays and humourous pieces. He had written some humourous essays in Scotland. Before beginning his professional career, John did a variety of odd jobs throughout his youth (errand boy, milk and grocery delivery, and newspaper delivery). He remembers siphoning cream off the top of milk deliveries. John immigrated alone to Canada in the spring of 1957. It had become too hard to earn a living in Scotland. His wife at the time, Bridie (1st wife, Bridget Fitzsimmons, a nurse whom he married in 1950), and their three children (Gordon, Susan, and Fraser) later joined him. They first moved to Vancouver, then to Ontario for 3-4 years, and later returned to Burnaby/Vancouver. John worked as the Sales Manager for Evergreen Press for ten years and was a co-owner of the French restaurant, La Colombe. Although not successful at the time of purchase, John helped turn the restaurant into the finest French eatery in Vancouver. When asked about memories of saying goodbye to his family and friends in Scotland, John mentioned the going-away party that his friends held for him. He knew a friend who had moved to Hamilton. His parents thought his move to Canada was a great idea; his sister Mary was already living in California at the time and many members of his family gradually emigrated in the years following. He remembers the day he left Scotland, there was a piper playing at the airport and it was pouring rain; as he landed in Vancouver, it was also pouring rain, and a piper played at the airport. He felt he hadn’t gone very far from home. Children: Gordon (b. 1952), Susan (b. 1954) & Fraser. John passed away in 2006 (one year after the time of this interview).
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Date: 2005-03-10

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