One beautiful spring day I took a walk down memory lane. Memories from 1935 to 1940 brought many pictures and emotions to mind.
I'm standing beside a large hole in the ground on the south-west corner of Rebecca Street and Bronte Road. Around this hole are lilac bushes and shrubs that were once a delight to three ladies who lived in the farm house that was here. - Mrs. Hoffinan, Mrs. Page and Mrs. Rosenburger. There was also a barn. My father kept our one cow in the barn over the winter months.
The three women heated their home with coal and wood during the winter months. In the autumn, the coal would arrive by truck and a chute would be lowered through a basement window and into a bin. The bin was soon full of coal. During the winter months, my older brother Harold and I would go down each day into the dark cobwebby basement. We would fill a honey pail with coal and this would provide some heat overnight for the ladies and in the morning there would be enough live coals to start their wood fire burning to provide heat during the day. In exchange for this chore our cow had shelter for the winter months in their barn.
In the spring our cow would return to a shed (tin) built by my father, at the bottom of a steep bank. The cow grazed here. My father built wooden steps to the bottom of the bank and none of us were allowed to use them. (Today, this is Bronte Creek Outlook park and marsh area). These ladies also allowed us to plant a vegetable garden on their land and many an hour was spent weeding.
The house we lived in was owned by a Mr. Yhap, who lived on the east side of Bronte Road (the stone fence is still there). There were a number of cherry trees also owned by Mr. Yhap. My mother was given permission to pick all the cherries and pick she did! We children spent many an hour playing under the cherry tree while Mom picked and later canned many jars of cherries for the winter ahead.
The Belyea family lived on Belyea Street and kept hens and sold eggs. Mom would send me to buy some eggs. Also, Belyea had a car (many people didn't) and he would always give me a ride home. What a thrill that was for a five year old!! Mom would watch for me to return. She would see Alan driving his convertible (top down) and only the top of my head was visible. I didn't mind this bit of excitement once a week!
At the bottom of this steep bank, George Lee had a large vegetable garden (marsh area today). The Lee family lived in a house at the end of River's Bend lane. George built a storehouse into the river bank, complete with a door to preserve the vegetables. Mom would send me over to the Lee's with ten cents to buy a cabbage or carrots for supper. It was a fascinating place to visit - fresh vegetables in winter.
Scary pictures come back to haunt me. The Osborne family lived next to us (south side) and one day the house caught on fire. All of us children were whisked off to the Yhap' s house and the housekeeper was not to let us out or let us witness the fire. The house burned quickly and everything in it was lost.
Fire was always a danger and the volunteer fire brigade was kept busy, especially when George Lee decided to burn off the marsh grasses to prepare his garden. It wasn't long before the fire raged out of control and headed up the steep bank. Many volunteers worked for hours and eventually the fire was put out saving all the homes at the top of the hill (Bronte Road).
A few weeks later, my dad was cutting wood with a saw he built himself. I can still see the moving van that pulled up and stopped directly in front of our home. Two men jumped out yelling "Fire! Help!" Smoke was coming out the back and fortunately the van was empty. Again we children were taken to a neighbour's home. My dad was terribly upset expecting an explosion as he was using gasoline for the saw. The two men were fortunate to escape and they knew it!
On warm summer days, Mom would walk with us down to Sandy Beach for fun in the lake. It was a long walk down Bronte Road, across the arch bridge and down West River Street to the beach. I remember asking to go down to the Stony beach at the foot of Bronte Road. Mom said 'No! Stony beach was for the Jewish people and Sandy beach was for us gentiles!"
The Thompson family lived across the Sheldon creek by the lake in the house that is now known as the Sovereign House. Elaine was a classmate of mine in grade one. Her Grandfather lived with the family and taught the adult Bible class at the Bronte Baptist Church. I remember him as being tall and thin with snow-white hair.
Elaine came to school one day and announced that their cat had kittens and would I like one. What little girl could resist? Mom said I could have one, so the next day I walked home with Elaine after school and chose a kitten. Then, I started the long walk home (for a 6 year-old) carefully hugging this little animal. When I arrived home, my mother was frantic and had almost called the police. (We didn't have a phone). The kitten brought me much pleasure.
Continuing south on Bronte Road, I remember the Hill family - Mother Melrose (my mother's special friend) and the three boys, Bill, Craig and Ronnie. Ronnie and I were the same age, in the same class at school and playmates. Brother Bill was courting Donna Joyce and what fun Ronnie and I had bothering them. Bill would chase us out one door and we would sneak in through the back door. Bill and Donna did marry and shared many happy years. They were a wonderful couple!
Many years of happy events, sad events and interesting people continue to flood my memory as I travel often down memory lane.
Marjorie (Marge) White
Nee Buck
June, 2010
