Celebration of Queen Victoria's birthday on the grounds of the second Government House of Upper Canada (the first outside of Fort York), at the corner of King and Simcoe Streets, Toronto. ca 1854. Courtesy of wikipedia. Date 1854
This week's letter marks the first of several that mention Victoria Day which fell on May 24th in 1911. Noah's letter is dated May 1st, so when he simply asks Ethel if she is going to a 'big picnic on the 24th', all Canadians know he's talking about Victoria Day. This start-of-summer holiday isn't always on the same calendar day, so check the Genealogy Notes below for more information.
Author of Letter: Noah Clement Draper (24 yrs old)
Dated: May 1st 1911
Addressed to: Miss Ethel Nelson, Bellhaven, Ont., Dear Ethel
Mailed from: Grand Coulee, Sask.
Relationship: Courting
Profession: Farmer
Writing instrument: Fine point pen, Black ink, but looks grey in places and pencil-like in others.
Writing Paper: Thick, textured, linen-like paper, 9 inches x 6.5 inches. Paper is folded in half, with a front and back page, but inside, Noah has turned the paper lengthwise and written straight down both pages.
People/places mentioned in this letter:
*Maud
*Della
Mother - *Sarah Sophia Deverell Draper, Noah's widowed mother
*Louie - Noah's sister, Sarah Louisa Draper, married to Fred Coventry
*Elva & Will - Ethel's cousin, Elva Jane Nelson, married to William Mitchell *Steward - Noah's cousin, Stewart Trueman Draper of Indian Head, Sask
*Leslie Nelson (the missing cousin) - 20 yr old brother of Elva Nelson (above)
- Manfred - I suspect Noah is talking about his cousin on the Draper side, Manford Terry, married to Etta May Prosser, and living in the township of North Gwillimbury (same township as Belhaven).
Other mentions:
** Picnic on the 24th
*the Head - see my map of Indian Head, Saskatchewan
* Look under the Categories/Labels in the right side column for more posts on this
person/place/thing.
** see Genealogy Notes below
Dated: May 1st 1911
Addressed to: Miss Ethel Nelson, Bellhaven, Ont., Dear Ethel
Mailed from: Grand Coulee, Sask.
Relationship: Courting
Profession: Farmer
Writing instrument: Fine point pen, Black ink, but looks grey in places and pencil-like in others.
Writing Paper: Thick, textured, linen-like paper, 9 inches x 6.5 inches. Paper is folded in half, with a front and back page, but inside, Noah has turned the paper lengthwise and written straight down both pages.
People/places mentioned in this letter:
*Maud
*Della
Mother - *Sarah Sophia Deverell Draper, Noah's widowed mother
*Louie - Noah's sister, Sarah Louisa Draper, married to Fred Coventry
*Elva & Will - Ethel's cousin, Elva Jane Nelson, married to William Mitchell *Steward - Noah's cousin, Stewart Trueman Draper of Indian Head, Sask
*Leslie Nelson (the missing cousin) - 20 yr old brother of Elva Nelson (above)
- Manfred - I suspect Noah is talking about his cousin on the Draper side, Manford Terry, married to Etta May Prosser, and living in the township of North Gwillimbury (same township as Belhaven).
Other mentions:
** Picnic on the 24th
*the Head - see my map of Indian Head, Saskatchewan
* Look under the Categories/Labels in the right side column for more posts on this
person/place/thing.
** see Genealogy Notes below
| Grand Coulee, Sask. May. 1st 1911. Miss Ethel Nelson, Belhaven, Ont. Dear Ethel;- Well I did not get your letter last week but hope to get it today hope you are well. I have a little cold & am feeling blue but guess I will pull through. Well we have had 3 days rough weather & it stoped the seeding but we are at it again now. suppose you are through down there. I have about 135 acres of wheat to put in yet and 30 of oats. that means about 4 1/2 days. |
| Well I suppose you will be going to a big picnic on the 24th. Have not heard of any around hear yet but guess there will be one all right. Have not started batching yet & you bet I hate to start so come up and help me out. I tell you that batching is not what it is cracked up to be when you have a nice little Lassie only 1600 miles away. Say you said I would have to tell you what I most wanted to hear. cant you guess. it is only five words and starts with come and ends with me say I wouldn't be long in doing it you bet. Has Maud gone out to B.C. yet or has she gave up the notion? And is Della back from Toronto or did she get spliced up & stay there. Well I guess you would think I - was not very buisy just now if you could see me. it is about 2 p.m. & my teams are out in the field and I have to soon go & draw out wheat for them. Mother is down at Louies for a few days then she is going down |
| to the Head for a while. So you did not know Elva & Will were in the West. yes they are working for Steward this summer. Dont know wheather that cousin is out hear or not but will try & find out and let you know. Oh say Ethel you asked me who told you about the man having the money it was Manfred. Well Dearest I guess I will close for this time. & will be glad when I do not have to write way down there but can jaw you all I like. Ha. Ha. Bye Bye write often Your wee Lover. N. C. D. xxxxxx an a lot more xxx |
Genealogy Notes
The picnic on the 24th - In 1911, May 24 was Victoria Day, which is a celebration of the Queen Victoria's birthday as well as the reigning monarch.
Although Queen Victoria was born on May 24th, 1819, we don't always celebrate on the 24th. Officially, the holiday falls on the Monday closest to, but not past, May 25th, which is usually, but not always, the third Monday in May. Yes, it sounds confusing, but thankfully, we all have accurate calendars that show us the date from year to year.
I checked the Newmarket Era, which is the newspaper Ethel received, and found that even back in 1911 the day was spent in athletic tournaments like Baseball games just as we have it today. In fact, as you'll find in the next few weeks of letters leading up to the 24th, both Noah and Ethel will talk about the sporting events and festivities happening in their locales.
Unofficially, Victoria Day is the first day of summer to Canadians, just as Labour Day is our last. For more information on what Victoria Day means in Canada, check out my It's Canada Day post I did for my group blog over at Inkwell Inspirations.
What do you do to celebrate the beginning of summer?
Although Queen Victoria was born on May 24th, 1819, we don't always celebrate on the 24th. Officially, the holiday falls on the Monday closest to, but not past, May 25th, which is usually, but not always, the third Monday in May. Yes, it sounds confusing, but thankfully, we all have accurate calendars that show us the date from year to year.
I checked the Newmarket Era, which is the newspaper Ethel received, and found that even back in 1911 the day was spent in athletic tournaments like Baseball games just as we have it today. In fact, as you'll find in the next few weeks of letters leading up to the 24th, both Noah and Ethel will talk about the sporting events and festivities happening in their locales.
Unofficially, Victoria Day is the first day of summer to Canadians, just as Labour Day is our last. For more information on what Victoria Day means in Canada, check out my It's Canada Day post I did for my group blog over at Inkwell Inspirations.
What do you do to celebrate the beginning of summer?
