Food is an important part of holiday celebrations, but do we always appreciate the people who prepare our festive treats? All too often, historical records focus on the wealthy party-goers, while the people working behind-the-scenes are forgotten. This photo from the Vanderhoef collection is a classic example: the notation on the back names the dog,… Continue reading Margaret Mole
Tag: Glenbow Ranch Provincial Park
Governesses
Unpredictable school schedules are not only a recent phenomena; they were common in the past, too. In particular, rural areas (such as those in today’s Glenbow Ranch Provincial Park) were susceptible to schooling disruptions due to inclement weather, inadequate funding, teacher unavailability, or insufficient student numbers. Some upper-class Glenbow families in the early 1900s avoided… Continue reading Governesses
Ethel / Anna Uphoff
Miss Uphoff wafts briefly through the history of Glenbow Ranch Provincial Park like a ghost. She appears out of nowhere, suffers a tragic accident, and then vanishes from the historic record. Even her true name is unknown. On Thursday night, 21 March 1912, Miss Uphoff was travelling with her sister — Nellie — aboard the… Continue reading Ethel / Anna Uphoff
Schoolteachers
As spring arrives, we have come to expect a break from school classes. However, a scheduled school-year is relatively new in the Canadian west. In the settlement period, changeable school calendars were caused by a variety of reasons, as illustrated by Glenbow School, once located in today’s Glenbow Ranch Provincial Park. At Glenbow, it took… Continue reading Schoolteachers
Blytha Copeman Pearkes
Constance Blytha Copeman Pearkes, who was born at Glenbow on 18 March 1902, led “an extraordinary life” due to “her wit, good humour and positive attitude” — and a bit of good luck. In 1900, William and Edith Copeman, left England and purchased Waverley Ranch (now in the centre of Glenbow Ranch Provincial Park). During… Continue reading Blytha Copeman Pearkes
Betty & Currey Wearmouth
Parenting is never easy, but can you imagine what it was like a century ago? Currey and Betty Wearmouth had the largest family in Glenbow, and Betty rose to the challenge. In 1910, when Currey returned to Glenbow to work at the quarry, he was accompanied by Betty and their first baby, Stennard. Their house… Continue reading Betty & Currey Wearmouth
Gertrude de la Vergne Tanner
In honour of International Women’s Day on March 8, this blog entry features Gertrude de la Vergne. In the 1920s, Gertrude worked to “Break the Bias” (this year’s IWD theme) by proving that women could excel in adventurous new fields. Gertrude was born in New York, but was essentially raised on Glenbow’s Millionaire Hill. She… Continue reading Gertrude de la Vergne Tanner
Marion Moodie
Marion Moodie, one of the earliest residents in the area that is now Glenbow Ranch Provincial Park, epitomizes the Albertan nurse — a devoted and essential professional. From the age of 12, Marion wanted to be a nurse. In 1891, when she was 24, her family moved from Quebec to Glenbow. On their isolated ranch,… Continue reading Marion Moodie
Dr. A. Walter & Amelia Park
Health care workers are heroes: dedicated, courageous, and altruistic. These qualities are exemplified by Dr. A. W. Park, a pioneering doctor in southern Alberta, who arrived in the region before the province was even created. Born in Ontario and a graduate of McGill University, Dr. Park (Walter to his friends) set up his practice in… Continue reading Dr. A. Walter & Amelia Park
Ernest & Alice Silvester
In today’s Glenbow Ranch Provincial Park, sandstone was quarried for important government buildings. At the turn of the last century, the people who came to work at Glenbow were strong, industrious and determined. The Silvester family exemplified these traits. The Silvesters were a striking couple. Ernest (Ernie) was over 6 feet tall and more than… Continue reading Ernest & Alice Silvester