Inside front cover,picture of Ethel Eva Brander (Conybeare)
Frontspiecepicture of unknown female friend of Ethel
trip to Owen Sound to see special TSO concert there.
1912 November 30"one night stands" referred to the entertainment gig at the time
drove to the concert with the TSO conductor
big success, great supper on train, late supper later
1912 November 30end of evening on train, slept on train
1912 December 6Photograph of male in upper left, not named.
Another Orchestra night, Mischa Elman soloist, Ethel dislikes him
more and more for his pride and conceit
1912 December 6Review of TSO concert.
Bruce got his autograph: Diary has Pasted-in autograph of Mischa Elman
(Also found one on Internet site for $162 US.)
1912 December 6notes they played Dvorak Symphonic Variations, and copies in the
sheet music from the program, very interested in how that theme was repeated
Edith Hurry stayed with her
Social Christmas at home with teas and dinners and dances
Mr. Downer, Mr. Hamon mentioned - banker?
Xmas dinner guests: family including Steve and Fish, Clare, Nelles, Mr Haman,
Mr Allen
family games, skits, songs afterwards.
(The world without any recorded sound or pictures was so different.)
Games that have been killed off by TV are named as the big hits of the evening
Musical Chairs, "My Grandmother Died", "Coffee Pot" and "Oh you Mistle toe!"
Upcoming wedding, of "Fish"? Probably the Mr. Fisher that Elaine married?
1912 December 30scan of picture added to scan 10
Young woman, not Ethel - maybe Elaine?
"Elaine Conybeare is no more..transformed to Mrs. Frederick Ernest Fisher"
January 2, 1913
Elaine in Brussels lace veil, ermine furs, brocade dress, long train
bridesmaids Nora Miblock, Clare Wood, Ethel wore swansdown
Bishop came down from Calgary for occasion.
1912 January 5Wedding photo, Elaine front, Ethel middle-right
Happy couple off to train, "boys from bank" said goodbye (Fred Fisher must have been at the bank).
Bill Hogg best man
Busy social life after wedding, a sleighing party, no less.
Busy social life after wedding, a sleighing party, no less.
Back to music, Royal Alexandra on January 22 for String Quartette. Barely paid attention.
January 23, TSO, "Ysaye" (?) as soloist
Wikipedia:
"Eugène-Auguste Ysaÿe (without European script: "Eugene-August Ysaye" - back-accent on the second "e", umlauts on the last "y") was a Belgian virtuoso violinist, composer, and conductor. He was regarded as "The King of the Violin", or, as Nathan Milstein put it, the "tsar"."
Picture of him, plus glowing review of his brilliant play.
1913 January 26Picture of Eugène-Auguste Ysaÿe (without European script: "Eugene-August Ysaye" - back-accent on the second "e", umlauts on the last "y") on scan 17.
"...he looked like a wizard, too - rather fattish with a face that struck one as rather repulsive until one had got used to it".
(Man, it's easier recording with this stuff, knowing that everybody is long dead...)
She may have been pals with the TSO conductor, but he jumped all over her for criticizing the choice of pieces.
Rest of page is said criticism.
Spent January 25 at train station, meeting every train from New York in hopes of catching Elaine and "Fish" (Fred Fisher) returning from honeymoon.
Elaine and Fred Fisher arrived January 29.
Flurry of social events, some Conservatory lessons
More social events. "Lunched at the Blue Tea Rooms"
Mr. Welsman, TSO conductor, drove them to the Chicago Train. (More honeymoon?)
1913 February 9February 6, Clara Butt and Kennerly Rumsford sang with TSO.
Picture of the couple at top
Great review, got to sit with Welsman's mom in stuffed armchairs
Ongoing good review of singers and TSO.
on February 8, saw Mikado at Royal Alexandra, Bruce converted to
Gilbert and Sullivan like Ethel was already.
1913 February 16Big picture of Opera star Leo Slezak, (parent of Walter Slezak of Hitchcock movie fame, and grandfather of Erika Slezak, longest-serving actress in media for 40 years on One Life to Live). Slezak shown with dog and cat.
Took "Dickey" to see Slezak on February 13 with Orchestra. Ethel very fond of Slezak.
More good review of Leo Slezak
More good review of TSO concert with Slezak
More good review of TSO concert with Slezak
February 15, saw three operas
Cavalleria at Royal Alexandra, not great
Liked Le Jongleur better
February 15, saw three operas
Saw Trovatore with Gordon and Ted ("Ted" seems to be engaged to Gordon)
Gordon drove
Mixed review of Verdi's Il Trovatore. Some parts great.
A week of grand opera. "Herodiade" on February 17
February 20 was "Rigoletto" with Mr. Welsman and Grandma (?)
(Presumably not the grandma Conybeare in England, must be Mrs. Attwood.)
A week of grand opera. "Herodiade" on February 17
February 20 was "Rigoletto" with Mr. Welsman and Grandma (?)
(Presumably not the grandma Conybeare in England, must be Mrs. Attwood, unless
it is "Grandma Welsman".)
Saturday night was Barber of Seville.
Night finished with 1812 overture
1913 March 9March 1 was Pops TSO concert. Ernest Seitz on piano, Frank Converse Smith viola,
Victoria College Glee Club sang. (Too much glee club.)
Pictures, apparently Ernest Seitz on right, Frank Converse Smith on left
March 1 was Pops TSO concert.
Played 1812 overture again. Nutcracker at the end to wake everybody up again.
1913 March 9March 1 was Pops TSO concert.
Large picture labeled "Frank Welsman".
Heard NY Philharmonic the other night Josef Stransky. Multiple classics.
Ride of the Valkyries "had to be repeated". (This never happens any more. So many reminders this is before recordings could be listened to at home.)
She liked one player, found later he was considered great, and congratulated herself on developing musical taste. (At least the education is doing that.)
Heard "Blue Bird" again. Has friends staying, gave a recital, a party.
New teacher, Leo Smith, teaching her "orchestration". Dr. Anger is ill.
Has missed lessons, has to work hard from here on to get "scholarship"(?)
Saw John McCormack "of Victrola Fame". This is 12 years before the first electric Victrola, but some experimental mechanical recordings had been made, and they must have picked the greatest tenor of the day to record.
1913 May 7Pictures of an adult man, adult woman that is not EEC, and a young girl, the
second of the girl with a small dog. No labels. The back says it's a postcard, but it was never mailed.
Picture of young woman at upper right.
Exams will be tough. Final Concert no longer seemed so important.
Featured "Mr. Welsman's young Jewish prodigy, Fred Cohen"
(Google turned up Mr. Cohen as a soloist in one TSO concert in 1914).
1913 June 4Picture of young woman at left, appears to be Ethel herself.
Visit to Owen Sound May 24.
June 2, Betty Tamblyn married "Andy", that is Andrew Granville de Sherbinin.
Dr. Fisher buried next day, was Conservatory Music Hall professor.
1913 July 4Year over, she got honors in two subjects, can now put "FTCM" after her name.
(Guessing "Fellow, Toronto Conservatory of Music") Sorry Dr. Anger did not live to see it. I think the "Dr. Fisher", dying on previous page, was actually Dr. Anger. (Does that indicate some Freudian slip about her brother in law, Mr. Fisher? It's weird coming across little "mysteries" about a family so long dead.)
June 20, went iwth Josephine Doheny to Niagara, did all the tourist stuff including oilskins and flannel to go out on a boat.
Picture of three people in oilskins, presumably them.
Very excited by Niagara Falls trip under the spray.
1913 July 4Very excited by Niagara Falls trip under the spray.
1913 July 4Two pictures,of young woman label "Edna Ault" and young man. Second picture same
two and a second younger man. Had short vacation with them, left Barrie
for Muskoka on July 3, helped grandma to get settled.
1913 July 11
Retta came, went for trip.
1913 July 11Page is all pictures of people swimming, none are her, or are labeled.
Men in full-length swimsuits, swimming in lake off dock.
Includes picture of family of six.
1913 July 11"Port Carling Yesterday" Various people on vacation.
Young woman labeled "Retta Hurry", man at wheel of small boat labeled "Welsman".
Lady in sixties labeled "Grandma Welsman".
1913 July 11Page of six pictures, all turned out - how much the tech improved since 1910
is amazing - of Frank Welsman, his family, including his mother, enjoying
vacation at Port Carling.
Left Muskoka on 14th, to Toronto, "Roy met me", stayed with friend, left on
16th for home.
1913 July 22Stopped two days in Lethbridge 4:30AM train each way
Off to Victoria, met "Steve" on train at Fernie
Four photographs
Ethel and Father (I think) walking gardens of Riverview (I think) with dog
Ethel in same garden, underexposed
Ethel on Ferry to Vancouver Island
Steve on Ferry to Vancouver Island
1913 August 7Two weeks in Victoria with "Aunt Clare",
joined by Mother and Dad August 5
Picture of Aunt Clare in front of her house
Picture of her five nieces - apparently the "3 Niblock Girls" are cousins
Aunt Clare at Number 2 Alma Place, two more staying at number 8
1913 August 7Various people meeting and staying with Victorians
Five photographs, none labeled
Five women in one, maybe same 5 cousins
12 and 13 women in two photographs, presumably whole family
Various people meeting and staying with Victorians
Names like "Evelyn Jones", Toute and Mary Mackenzie, Evelyn
the Watsons "two brothers and a father"
Glorious time at Cowichan Bay.
Four photographs, again no labels,
I think upper right is Ethel and her Mother. Lower right just Ethel.
1913 August 7Two large photographs: view of a bay, and a wooden-platform bridge across a creek.
1913 August 26One large photograph: two men on bumper of an open automobile,
a phaeton, stopped on a road in deep forest.
Had lovely time at Carnival week
1913 August 26Went to Shawnigan with Florence (Not sure if this is Florence Annie Conybeare)
and to Cowichan
photograph of bay on Vancouver Island
1913 August 26Had to stay overnight, rain made road unsafe.
Two large pictures: at left, the road near Cowichan she was permitted to
drive upon, nearly her first time at a wheel.
At top, icture of bay with commercial boat with a string of small boats behind it. (Towing them?)
1913 August 26Tuesday 19th, left Victoria, Ed Watson accompanied them to Vancouver
Four photographs, all showing (presumably) Ed Watson, Ethel, and companion on
the returning ferry.
1913 August 26Clare met them, all went on a drive in Stanley Park.
Two pictures, small dark one shows Ethel and Ed Watson
Large one is Ethel and Ed Watson, with a hired car and driver with cap,
in what appears to be a 1913 Cadillac with the raised rear seats, and convertible roof. In front of the same "Hollow Tree" that everybody visits today.
I think the tree might still be rooted. (No longer is, supported by steel.)
1913 August 26Trip through Rockies mostly at night; shame as even the Alps don't compete.
Two photographs on BW postcards, labeled:
Eagle Peak and Mt. Avalanche, Glacier, BC
The Great Glacier of the Selkirks, Glacier, BC
1913 August 26Lethbridge, quiet
Dad left for Winnipeg August 25,
Bruce left for Swift Current, having become a Bank of Montreal employeed
1913 August 26Six photographs, all dark and blurry save two at bottom,
taking by stone house that is not Riverview, young woman and dog
1913 August 26Six photographs,
All seem to be Ethel playing with two dogs, label says "Shucks and Bosh".
Rented a studio above the Sherman Theatre
Got old piano from home into studio
Ethel and Elaine got trip to Calgary from Mason and Risch, to choose
new grand piano for drawing room (of Riverview, presumably).
Describing the "Social Club" of young couples, including Fishers "for the chaperone". Just socializing in Lethbridge.
More Social Club details, at meeting they "danced to the strains of a Gramophone", her first mention of recorded music.
1913 October 15Last Sunday (October 14) long walk around coulees, around big bridge
Two large photographs of women on bridge
1913 October 15Three pictures of coulees of Lethbridge, third has Ethel and Elaine with
three chow dogs
1913 October 15Two colour postcards of the Lethbridge Bridge, or rather "C.P.R. Steel Viaduct"
1913 October 25Another strenuous walk, up Engine Hill, with Mr Monaghan, Elaine and dogs joined.
Two pictures, Ethel (probably) on a knob of the hill
and Elaine (probably) in a tilted photograph showing her climbing a steep slope.
1913 October 25More story of walk. Three pictures. Man, woman, dog, on hill;
Dog on hill, woman with two dogs on hill "illustrates some of our scrambling"
1913 October 25Across traffic bridge, up coulee, walked back.
Three pictures: woman with two dogs (Elaine I think)
Elaine with one dog, and one dog, begging
1913 October 25Walked railroad track, ate sandwiches looking at bridge across way.
Three pictures: Ethel and Elaine among the coulees, one of bridge.
1913 October 25Great adventure of afternoon was getting back across river
Two pictures of hike, dogs.
Two pictures labeled "FISHER" appear to be male in Lethbridge landscapes
Great adventure of afternoon was getting back across river
Two pictures of hike, dogs.
Two pictures labeled "FISHER" appear to be male in Lethbridge landscapes
Social Club met at "Westminster House" Bridge, dancing, games, supper
Two pictures
Ethel in drawing room
Grand piano , presumably at Riverview, with two animal skin rugs in front.
1913 November 15Twelve mile walk recently, along river, back to Six-Mile Coulee.
Two pictures, Ethel against Lethbridge landscape.
1913 November 15Twelve mile walk recently, along river, back to Six-Mile Coulee.
Two pictures, Ethel against Lethbridge landscape.
1913 November 15Five more pictures of walk along river, just Ethel and dog.
1913 November 15Bad week: Mother broke her knee at Social Club, had to be wired back together.
Now in bed for some weeks.
Flower Guild Ball and two Social Club parties.
Attended "Bal Poudre" - dance with powder and patches (?)
November 15, "moving picture party, first the Bijou, then Starland"
1913 November 19
November 18 was Mother's Birthday (Letitia Ida Attwood)
"Dad...badly singed when he went to light the furnace. The gas had been turned on and there was quite an explosion"
1913 November 15Seven BW photographs of a sixty-something woman in a dry yard, plaing with up to three dogs, two white, one dark. Label: "Mrs. Chacy".
Two months of social life. Skating at artificial lake at Henderson Park
"so much nicer than a cramped little rink"
Christmas, missed Bruce and Steve.
1914 January 11Usual guests at Xmas dinner, then musical chairs, "Pilodex", dancing
(presumably "Piladex", a game since 1890, of batting a balloon across a
wire.)
Needs to write thank-you notes for all her Xmas gifts yet.
Two BW pictures, of chow dog in yard, and in armchair
1914 January 14Four dog pictures, yard and chairs, one of view from Riverview (not of river).
1914 April 6Two dog pictures, one white in yard, one white and black both in chair.
Elaine in Medicine Hat early January for a month, Ethel as well for a few weeks.
Fishers gave up house, did not like it, could not get good maid, Elaine didn't like housekeeping, now living at Riverview. Bruce resigned from bank in January, tried school again, gave up, now at Riverview.
Bruce home to "wait for something to turn up". (Had job 7 months.)
Mother had to go to New York,
Ethel in charge of house.
1914 July 5
Visited Medicine Hat latter April, Mother returned from New York May 19.
Elaine feeling rotten in hot summer.
Tomorrow Frank Welsman marries Helen Grasseth.
1914 July 5Page of BW family pictures enjoying yard and nearby terrain. Dog playing
with barrel. Label EASTER SUNDAY April 12th
1914 July 5Five BW pictures. Top, all three dogs playing with barrel.
Middle out of focus pictures of CFP Conybeare
Bottom, somewhat focused picture of CFP Conybeare, looking left, 3 piece suit, in garden. Wild hair.
Copy of birth notice for Francis Bernadette Fisher, July 20, 1914
Picture of Fred Fisher holding newborn Bernadette
Praise of new baby. Father off to North Battleford and new job, Manager of Bank of Montreal.
1914 July 27Picture of Elaine Fisher nee Conybeare holding newborn Bernadette Fisher
Tennis parties, Market, Sewing Club, Aquatic Club, Swimming parties.
1914 July 279 photos, all of newborn Bernadette Fisher, Elaine seen in one, Uniformed hired nurse seen in two others.
(This is a month after Britain, and therefore Canada, declared war on Germany
she weirdly uses the phrase "Mother has been in the wars again" for her mother breaking her wrist in a fall. No mention of actual war for a dozen pages until late October.)
Bernadette growing well, left August 3 for family in North Battleford.
Much sewing club, many wives named: Davidson, Eckstrom, Layton, Higinbotham, Malcleod, Stltze, Downer, McArthur.
Teaching again, taken over Miss Pollock's class. (First indication she had a job.)
1914 September 3Glorious visit to Ross Ranche with "Oley." and "a certain Eric Ings"
Seven photographs, apparently at "Ranche" of people on horses, lounging, at a large rock house. The man in overalls with pipe can be identified as
"Oley", or "Oly", later Major Jack Ross,
who dated Ethel a few times in England, before he was killed at The Somme.
A weekend in Banff. Wanted Helen Campbell to see it, so they went to Calgary on
Labour Day instead of the Crowsnest Pass, and on to Banff, to surprise her.
Slept on train in Calgary, left while they slept, arrived Banff 6AM.
Long day, walked around, could not meet local friend Peggy Clarke.
Cave and Basin. Couldn't find "old shack", there's a "new building".
"They are building a splendid new swimming bath between the Cave and the Basin".
Description of Cave and Basin legend Donald Dalgetty,"The Old Scotchman", bright plaid tie, tam-o-shanter, long streamers, long-winded stories and jokes. (Not legendary enough to be found in google 109 years later, alas...)
Continued recitation of Donald Dalgetty's amusing rap of Cave facts.
More recitation of the Dalgetty Cave history and geology. Found in 1880 by CPR surveyors seeing steam.
Dalgetty on how the first discoverers destroyed all the stalagtites they found. Sad.
Dalgetty on water temperature (90F) and geology.
(Ethel seems to have memorized the whole lecture, or taken notes.)
Dalgetty jokes about Scotsmen's feet, how cave features resemble artworks, etc.
(Ethel seems to have memorized the whole lecture, or taken notes.)
Dalgetty how cave features resemble artworks, etc. How he joked with Prince Arthur
(Ethel seems to have memorized the whole lecture, or taken notes.)
Father laughed at much of Dalgetty's lecture.
Then walked 3 miles back to hotel. Had swim in new bath, 90 minutes.
Father laughed at much of Dalgetty's lecture.
Then walked 3 miles back to hotel. Had swim in new bath, 90 minutes.
1914 September 9Full page commercial photo of Banff Springs Hotel, 1914.
Before leaving "needed a shoe shine to appear in polite society."
Sat in observation car through mountains. Admired Mt. Rundle as "jagged skyline".
Saw Palliser Hotel, Pantages vaudeville in Calgary, nearby. Then home.
1914 September 9Page of six amateur photos. Riverview seen from east side, another
of Riverview looking through estate gates, from south side, where houses of
7a avenue are now. Clear that Riverside 7-acre estate was whole west end of
current 7 Ave and 7a ave crescent. About 20 houses sit there now. (How the HELL did my family lose all that money? Dad just said "Grandmother drank the estate", but that's a lot of drinking...)
1914 October 25Writing something about war, complains civilians really get no information, they try to follow, but can't tell what's going on.
I will transcribe the next page fully:
"...boys whom I personally know who have volunteered:"
Bruce Conybeare
Arthur Rosewell (wounded in right knee, discharged)
Charlie Conybeare
McKean
Magrath Godwin (killed in action)
E.P. Chappelow (lost leg and taken prisoner) ["killed in action" crossed out]
Penny Lee (killed in action)
Godfrey Hunt
Arthur Code
Eddie Patteson
Miles Martindale
Davidson
Matthewson
Pete Estlin
George Bennett
Victor Maclean
1914 October 25(transcribing full page, one which the names continue).
Frank Galliher (killed)
Freddy Woods
Bruce David D.C.U.
Fred MacBeth (killed)
Fernley Smith
Dr. Nicolai (Belgian)
Roland Roberts
Percy Belcher (wounded in lungs)
Ross Lethbridge
J.R. Anderson
Eric Ings
Oley Ross
Pat McLelland
A.N. McClinton
L.B. Mason (crossed out)
Clair Erwin
Dr. Bapty (seriously Wounded)
Clarence Rogers
Billy Richardson
Aubrey Jones
Lieut. Fennell
Capt. Biggs
Capt. Beatty
C.S. Pingle
Barnes
Col. Whittaker
Lieut. Brick
Bennett
Barney Barnum
Lieut Wills
Harold Higinbotham
Gordon Travis (killed in action)
Hastings Mewburn
Dr. Stewart
L.S. Ripley
Dick Coatsworth
Gillio
Gillingham
Serg. Smart
Sidney Robson
Harry Lilburn (killed in action)
Arnold Whitmore
Will Bastedo
(previous pages had 62 names, six dead, four major wounds. At first I thought that this had happened by October 25 1914, but I think she amended that page over the years and it may be a full-war casualty rate of 10%)
Nothing much to write, Christmas had Bruce and Steve absent.
Six guests at dinner, plus Fishers had come from North Battleford, Elaine and baby staying for a month. Producing play "Are you a Mason?"
Two photographs: Friend Helen Campbell with baby Bernadette
Helen visited St. Louis, got a job dancing in a play "Joseph and his Brethren", for $20/week. Lasted 3 weeks.
1915 January 22Full-page photograph of baby, presumably Bernadette. Blurry!
1915 January 22Half page facial photograph of Helen Campbell, professional, in fine hat.
Gothic-font card for "Miss Helen Campbell", "Joseph and His Brethren Co."
1915 January 22Four amateur photographs of Bernadette Fisher, in chair, bed, about 6 mos. old.
1915 January 22Four more amateur photographs of Bernadette Fisher, in chair, bed, about 6 mos. old. Held by elderly woman, perhaps granny Fisher?
Elaine and Bernadette home Feb 18, Ethel to Medicine Hat February 20
Week with "Pingles", met Capt Pingle, local Quartermaster, and Capt J.R. Anderson, paymaster, for the four hundred Canadian Mounted Rifles.
1915 May 22
Mourning the dead; loss of Medicine Hat local, Penny Lee, was awful
"he always took leftover girls to dances and looked after strangers".
Bruce is in London in the Records Office, don't have to worry
1915 May 23Photograph of woman in Nurses uniform, letter in other hand, about hospital work
Label : Dicky Bird - red - crossing in England
Monotony around here, just "jogging on",
Going to England to do Red Cross work. "Florence has got me a place promised in the Westminster Hospital, 3 months training after I get real Red Crossing to do.
Plans to see Dad when he gets home from New Jersey, visit North Battleford, and go to England.
1915 July 28Inserted writing sheet:
Lethbridge July 17 1b
This is to certify that Miss Ethel Conybeare is in perfect physical condition.
(same handwriting, signature): A.M. McNally, M.D.
1915 July 28Four amateur photographs: one younger woman in a garden with Ethel, Ethel
in same outfit petting dog, two of same dog, being petted by a young woman
and a mature man, on a house porch.
Label: These are pictures taken in Medicine Hat.
Now in North Battleford
Fishers have cottage at Meota on Jackfish Lake, SK, near N.Battleford
Even the cottage has a name, "Redwing".
Enjoying lake, neighbours, etc.
1915 August 6These five pages are all pictures of Ethel, Fishers, enjoying lake, hammocks,etc
Quality of photos is up 10X from the first 1910 camera!
1915 August 6These five pages are all pictures of Ethel, Fishers, enjoying lake, hammocks,etc
Quality of photos is up 10X from the first 1910 camera!
All pictures seem to have little Bernadette - at a tent, in the cabin, the yard.
1915 August 6These five pages are all pictures of Ethel, Fishers, enjoying lake, hammocks,etc
Quality of photos is up 10X from the first 1910 camera!
The person holding Bernadette in the first picture may be "Granny", i.e. Ida Conybeare
1915 August 6These five pages are all pictures of Ethel, Fishers, enjoying lake, hammocks,etc
Quality of photos is up 10X from the first 1910 camera!
Fishers at cabin; upper right picture appears to be clear shot of Elaine Conybeare Fisher.
Seven hours to get to Regina, with the "Great Unwashed". Loves the CNR over the CPR, just better-run trains.
1915 August 6These five pages are all pictures of Ethel, Fishers, enjoying lake, hammocks,etc
Quality of photos is up 10X from the first 1910 camera!
1915 August 19Thre more pictures from Mateo vacation, by lake. Hammocks.
1915 August 19Vacation pictures. Young woman in upper left on horse may be "Kathleen" mentioned in text. Came to stay when "Her camp broke up" indicating some may have just camped all summer in various places.
1915 August 19Vacation pictures. Elaine and Bernadette on dock, by tent, in chairs outdoors.
Complaints about CNR train bumpiness, operation, routing. Two kinds of stops
in Saskatchewan. Towns with grain elevator containing one pig, and towns with one street with a CIBC at one end, and a white church at the other.
Plans to stay in Winnipeg, catch better train to avoid 5 hours in Sudbury, unappealing.
Notes that from now on, diary will be letters to whole family, pasted into book by Mother. (Whole rest of Volume III is paper pasted onto book pages.)
Plea to not paste new letters to book until pictures also come in because she
wants strict chronological order. (Oh, "future" historians bless you, Grandma..)
Told about S.S. Arabic sunk, same size as Cymric she plans to travel on.
"Complains"(?) about pranks and a goodbye kiss at the end of her vacation.
And complains about CNR breakfast.
Fascinating old-style usage of the term "Making love". She "allows herself to be picked up" by one Paul Fleming, a man who turns out to know her from dances at Havergal. Glad it was for short train journey, not ocean voyage, as he "Makes love very violently and while it was amusing for a little while, it wouldn't be fun for very long."
Clearly means "hitting on her" and obviously, rather than easily-ignored. Interesting how blase' she is about it, when the diaries have never mentioned a boyfriend. (My wife notes that Ethel's mother read this "diary" and it will be quite bowdlerized of her real romantic life.)
Fascinating old-style usage of the term "Making love". She "allows herself to be picked up" by one Paul Fleming, a man who turns out to know her from dances at Havergal. Glad it was for short train journey, not ocean voyage, as he "Makes love very violently and while it was amusing for a little while, it wouldn't be fun for very long."
Clearly means "hitting on her" and obviously, rather than easily-ignored. Interesting how blase' she is about it, when the diaries have never mentioned a boyfriend. (My wife notes that Ethel's mother read this "diary" and it will be quite bowdlerized of her real romantic life.)
1915 August 26
Stopped at Hamilton now. Reached Toronto August 22nd.
Visiting friends in Toronto; Welsmans. Seen shows.
Trouble getting "Queen car" from show; "They don't go to Yonge St. any more"..."because of traffic congestion".
"Toronto has changed in this short time".
Safely aboard Cymric, from New York. "My baggage has been searched for bombs".
Lost her glasses
1915 August 27 - on paper pasted into book: Stationery "On Board S.S. "Cymric"Back of sheet is pasted postcard, US 2 cents postage,
Postmark: New York, N.Y. Aug 28 11 AM 1915
Address:
Mrs CFP Conybeare
Bank of Montreal
North Battleford, Sask
Canada.
(If her mother was still in North Battleford, then the elderly lady in all the vacation photographs is indeed Ida Conybeare.)
Cabin companion is Mabel Howitt, English lady
No interest in rest of boat, though men are critiqued for looks. And women: "There are one or two nice-looking women, bu the rest are hopelessly English". (Perhaps "nice looking" refers to be "being nice" and the English are more formal or haughty?)
Boat is very steady, but they are loaded well down with ammunition.
1915 August 30
Seasickness for most when they hit the Gulf Stream on 29th, better on 30th.
Straker mother and daughter from Lethbridge aboard. Descriptions of passengers.
Descriptions of passengers.
1915 September 2
Preparations for being torpedoed. Instructions for muster. "The captain requests that there shall be no panic."
Have more boats than needed: only sixty passengers.
1915 September 5
This is "Torpedo Sunday", the danger zone. Practiced life-boat drill.
Everybody making to save precious articles if they have to run. Everything at hand for a quick exit, in bed with stockings on. "one woman who looks like a negress but says she is Spanish, really MUST save her manicure set!" "This old tub would sink in minutes...life boats look rather decayed!"
Cheers rose when morning brought a patrol boat of the Royal Navy to escort.
1915 September 5 - later
Being escorted because the "Hesperian" was torpedoed this morning, and the submarine is still hanging around somewhere. This ran around the ship as gossip despite being "secret". Now night, ship all dark. Safe until 4AM dawn.
Ship all dark at night, safe until 4AM dawn.
Contemplates that it might be her last evening. Spending it with unhealthy-looking little girl who looks very neglected by uncle taking her to England; getting her bathed and put to bed.
1915 September 5(?)Diary has pasted-in professional studio photo of young woman who is not Ethel. No label. Tiny label on it has "1910" legible.
Euston Hotel
Rough train journey in. Straight to bed, wakened by Bruce to take her to hospital for interview.
1915 September 7Back side of postcard from SS Cymrick with abstract of log for Aug 27-Sept 6 voyrage of 3,123 miles. Voyage 186 - East.
1915 September 7Front side of postcard with SS Cymric at sea
1915 September 10th - pasted-in stationery from Oakfield Park near Dartford, Kent.Went with "Florence" (never seen a last name), went to 3 hospitals, and picked Westminster over Middlesex and St. Georges. Will be allowed to live in Nurses' Home while awaiting position next month. Tea and shopping at Selfridge's. Visited Belgravia house turned into "Officer's Hospital".
Rich lady who owns the house in Belgravia pays for the whole hospital, for 19 patients that get 7 nurses. Bruce at Shorecliff, trying to get War Office to give him a Commission.
Rich lady who owns the house in Belgravia pays for the whole hospital, for 19 patients that get 7 nurses. Bruce at Shorecliff, trying to get War Office to give him a Commission. Offended Major General Sam Steele by writing to him for help, when Steele only knew his father, not Bruce.
Bruce trying again with letter from "Dr. Mewburn" that Bruce has 2.5 years at Western Canada College and six years at Upper Canada College. Whole Records Office was stripped of Sergeant's stripes that had kept them from being challenged for leave papers when going around London. New officer insisted they wear Private gear.
Describes 30 acre Oakfield Park glowingly. Place has no electric, they have candles at night. "Tomorrow Augustus and I are going to Brogueswood, Emily Conybeare Craven's home for a week. Florence is going to Harrowgate for two weeks for the sulphur baths."
1915 September 15th - pasted in paper "written for Cousin Emily's Visitor's Book"An acrostic poem where the first letters of each line spell out "Brogueswood"
Also a pasted-in professional photo of Brogueswood from "Ridley's Studios"
Tenterden
Loves Brogueswood, which has 100 acres. Thick wild woods. "One can't imagine Cousin Arthur in a formal setting. He was out in America for 25 years and prospected through the Canadian Rockies years before the CPR came west of Winnipeg." (i.e. 1880, 35 years earlier - a father, perhaps?) Then he had a ranch in BC.
1915 September 15th - Brogueswood Biddenden, KentPhotograph of Brogueswood interior, sitting room, stairs at back.
Arthur married, Emily Conybeare presumably, he was Arthur Craven(?), and came
home (NB: England still home after 30+ years) because Canada was "too civilized" by 1896.) Emily and Augustus argue for fun - "Conybeares are scrappers", so perhaps Augustus is also Conybeare?
Fred Conybeare of Oxford got into trouble for being too pro-German.
Arthur married, Emily Conybeare presumably, he was Arthur Craven(?), and came
home (NB: England still home after 30+ years) because Canada was "too civilized" by 1896.) Emily and Augustus argue for fun - "Conybeares are scrappers", so perhaps Augustus is also Conybeare?
Fred Conybeare of Oxford got into trouble for being too pro-German. Was also kicked out of Harvard. Beaten up in newspapers and Parliament. Went to Spain. "He was a peace-at-any-price chap, perhaps because his son Jack was at the front."
Can hear the guns across the channel sometimes. Can hear English Monitors bombarding Zeebrugge. Haven't see a Zepplin yet; maybe they'll bomb Westminster Hospital, trying to hit the Abbey.
Augustus treats her paternally, doesn't do a bad job.
1915 September 17th
Letter from Bruce that the 24th will be among troops on move. There will be
casualties by the time you read this.
Went hop-picking with Phyllis - fragrant work.
Hop-picking would have paid them less than sixpence; was just for fun. Went blackberrying, enough to make a "tart, as they insist on calling pies".
Some socializing to come from Tenterden, departing Monday (1915 September 20) for London
End page of Volume III, just vacation photos, probably Mateo lake.Fred Fisher, Elaine Conybeare Fisher, three people balancing on a board
at the lake.
End page of Volume III, two vacation photos, probably Mateo lake.One photo of a chow dog in gardens at Riverview.
two photos of chow dog at Riverview (visible in background)
One photo of young man in British Army uniform. Presumably Bruce?
Detail of that photo on next scan.
From family resemblance, and lack of anybody else it could be, about 99% surethis is a photo of Henry Bruce Attwood Conybeare, age 20, in the Canadian Expeditionary Force, early 1915.
Fragment of onion-skin page of a letter, with "Love, Ethel" at the bottom.Seems to be from later date, as she complains about a watch not working on the wards. Has a cold, and fragment starts with words "is quite beyond me".
It speaks of a ring and a "ripping wristwatch he gave me", and I think it comes from after she met my grandfather, a year later.