Material Type

Recording

Date Range

1982

Physical Condition

Excellent

Acquisition Source

Houlton, Andree

Scope and Content

3 Sony Cassettes. Approximately 2.50 Hours. Interviewee: Mrs. Andree Houlton, nee Rozier. Interviewer: Sheila Petherbridge. Date: 23 January 1982. Tape 1 Side 1 - Biographical information: Andree was born in France in 1906 to Julien & Antoinette Rozier. Her father was a horticulturist and worked in the family vineyard. Because of family conflicts they moved to Canada in 1906 stopping in Quebec and Manitoba before settling in Hardieville in 1908. Julien was employed as a Fireman at #6 Mine. - Description of Hardieville in 1908. She attended Bailey Street School until Hardieville School was built. When she started school she could not speak English. ~^Spur line ran to Hardieville. She also recalls the hearses coming and going on the road leading to Royal City Mine east of Hardieville. - She attended Hardieville School for about 2 1/2 years. When her father became ill the doctor advised him to work outdoors so they purchased a farm. - Her parents' impression of Canada. Both could read, write and speak English. - In 1909 her father came down with Typhoid fever and was in Gait Hospital. - They farmed 30 acres near McLean School. Her father was cheated out off his down payment on the farm. They purchased some other land. Also operated a small dairy. - Andree attended McLean School and then High School in Lethbridge. - Information about McLean School: describes the interior. Side 2 - Continue McLean School: field day, Christmas concerts. - She married in 1926 and it was after this time that McLean School held community dances. Prior to that they were held at Wilson Siding or Crystal Lake School. - Schools consolidated circa 1946. - After she graduated from Bowman; she wanted to take nursing, but her father was against it so she remained at the farm until her marriage. - Her husband, Steve, was born in England and came to Canada when he was 15. He lived with an Aunt in Ontario, but they did not get along and he ran away. He ended up in Saskatchewan and by lying about his age he was able to take out a homestead near Eastend. Stories and information about his homesteading days. To fill his days he took an Engineering correspondence course from the Alberta College. - Circa 1920 he was hired by Smith Farm to survey and set-up the irrigation system. - They were married November 1926 in St. Mary's Church in Lethbridge. They lived on the Smith Farm. - Information about Smith Farm. Tape 2 Side 1 - Continue with Smith Farm. It was started by William Smith and his nephew Richard Smith of England. They had 10,000 irrigated acres, the largest irrigated farm in Canada. There were about 65 men hired in the summer to flood irrigate. The Smith family never moved to Canada, but Richard would visit for about 1 month each year. Information about the Smith's. Description of the house. RB Gibbons was the only Lethbridge resident that Richard associated with. - Smith Farm operation: the farm was divided into sections and each section had its own keeper and keeper's house. The farm also employed its own bookkeeper. Information about Furd Counter, one of the bookkeepers. - Lord Tweedmuir visit. Side 2 - Continue Lord Tweedsmuir visit. - Continue with Smith Farm operations. Feeding the hired help. Wages and accommodations. - Circa 1931 the Smith Farm became a Ltd. company and various family members were shareholders. - Buying supplies. - Sugar beet industry. Steve won a number of awards. Beet laborers were women from north Lethbridge and during WWII, Japanese evacuees. Japanese girls were also hired as domestic help by Lethbridge residents. Japanses housing - chicken coops, shacks, granaries. - Phylis Turner (mother of John Turner) was a driving force behind the protection of the local sugar beet industry. - In 1947 the Smith family sold the farm and offered the Houlton's the home place. Houlton's were short money and Smith gave them $20,000 to use towards the purchase. Smith, being a devout Catholic, also donated money to St. Patrick's Church in Lethbridge. - The Houltons retired from farming in 1957 and because their children were not interested in farming, they sold it. - Information about Steve: agricultural awards. Tape 3 Side 1 - Continue with Steve: awards, his term as councillor on the Municipal District and County of Lethbridge, involvement with the Rehabilitation Hospital. - Information about Andree: she is a member of the Wilson/White Community Club, Eastern Star, numerous bridge clubs, Women's Auxilliary, VIP Group. - General information about Coaldale. They attended the United Church in Coaldale. - Stories about Kate Andrews.

Access Restrictions

Public Access

Accession No.

19921046000

Collection

Archive

Less detail