Material Type

Photograph

Physical Description

4 digital copies of photographs

Physical Condition

Excellent

History Biographical

Walter Birrell was born in Dunfermline, Scotland on 24 January 1884. Mr. Birrell worked for the North British Railway Company in Scotland from 1900 to 1907, beginning as an engine cleaner and rising to the position of locomotive fireman. He arrived in Canada on 29 September 1909 and began work for the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) the same day. Mr. Birrell began work in the CPR's Angus shops in Montreal, and transferred to Lethbridge as a fitter's helper on 5 May 1910. On 16 January 1911 he was promoted to fireman and on 12 November 1920 was promoted again, this time to the position of locomotive engineer. Mr. Birrell worked in the Lethbridge Division of the CPR for the rest of his career, and made runs to Medicine Hat, Manyberries, Coutts, Glenwood and the Crowsnest Pass. He spent the last 18 months of his career on the Aldersyde run, retiring from the CPR on 15 January 1949. Christina Reid Birrell came to Canada in 1910. She and her husband Walter had three sons: David, Thomas and William. Mrs. Birrell also had one brother, Thomas Reid, who was living in Detroit, Michigan at the time of her death. The couple lived at 422 12 Street B North. Christina Birrell died on 31 March 1948, and her husband Walter died on 5 May 1965. They are both buried in Mountain View Cemetery, as are their three sons. [Sources: The Lethbridge Herald, 5 April 1948, page 6 ; The Lethbridge Herald, 9 November 1949, page 7 ; City of Lethbridge cemetery database]

Acquisition Source

Rowntree, Sharon 1315 20 Street North Lethbridge, Alberta T1H 3P1

Scope and Content

Four digital copies of photographs showing members of the Birrell family.

Access Restrictions

Public Access

Accession No.

20091060000

Collection

Archive

Less detail