Christmas Letter Dec. 43

Headlands P.O.
Dec. 19, 1943
Dear Dick
I didn't write my usual epistle to you last Sunday as I had finished my last letter only two days before and had it posted on the Saturday so now I have 9 days news to tell you.
Roy went to Lipton with John Fleming on the Friday although I didn't know it until afterwards.
On Saturday the 11th Dad and both uncles went to Lipton in the democrat taking King and George. Uncle Horrie brought the mail down with him as he came and I got your last letter written from B.C. Pleased to hear that you are able to make a little extra money. Hang on to it as you will find it very useful later on. I don't think you need furnish any more towards the tiller as I will have enough accumulated to pay for it when it comes I expect. Of course there is always the possibility that the company may not be able to fill my order.
I got another load of wood home while the men were away in town. Uncle Arthur rode back from Lipton with August Zielke in his truck and August took a load of barley back to town for him.
Sunday was quite a bit colder, 10 below zero in the morning and Monday was quite cold but nice and bright and I managed to get 2 more loads of wood home. August Zielke took two loads of wheat down for Uncle Arthur who rode to Lipton with him the first time and sent away the final payment on the separator. On Tuesday the 14th I got 2 more loads of wood home which makes 20 loads piled in the yard and ready for the saw and I guess that should make a year's supply although I still have a little to get in.
In the afternoon I hauled away manure and got a jag of oat straw. Dad baked a Christmas cake. We are getting all the cattle in now. On the 15th I went on 25 and got 50 green poles for a new hen house. The weather was turning milder again. On the 16th I went again and got another 50 poles. I guess I will have to get a third load to have enough. Part of Uncle Arthur's big slough has had the snow cleared off with a fresno and there is a bunch come and skate or slide there every Sunday now. Wheales, Bartons, Suppples, Berners and so on. On the 17th Cliff Barton came to Silver Birches to help Uncle Horrie kill his turkeys and Dad went up to help. I think they killed 32 altogether. Dad is sending one of them to Regina and Uncle Horrie is going to have a gobbler from Dad. The Herrings went to a dance at Headlands. It was a farewell affair for Billy Bordass who is going overseas.
Yesterday we chopped oats both for ourselves and for Uncle Horrie. It was a mild day , hardly freezing but too windy for comfort. Donald brought the mail down in the evening. Besides your letter Dad got one from Uncle Cecil. I think he is going to live in Colchester when he can get a house. Today has been reasonably nice without any outstanding events to record. I have composed 4 new songs in the past week. Dad will take your rubbers, felt socks, mitts and overalls tomorrow and leave them in Andy Gray's office for you when you come home. If you are coming home for New Year's celebration I guess I'll probably be seeing you before I write any more letters. Anyway I'll wish you a merry Christmas and ask you to convey the compliments of the season to Uncle Eddie and Aunt May from us. I think thats all the news I've got just now so goodbye Dick
From your loving brother E.W. Nevard

Bill and Dick Nevard by poplar logs about 1922.

Christmas 1936

The Nevards celebrated Christmas at "The Poplars", home to the Ernest Nevard familly. Here is an account of the day from Bill Nevard's journal.

Christmas day. Fairly cold but calm. Everybody assembled at the Poplars for dinner and supper. Aunt Alice actually staying until after supper. We all had some of the plum pudding made by Grandmother Nevard and sent out from England. Also we had Headlands concert graphically described by Joy and Donald and various presents handed around.

This is a photo of Sarah Wagstaff Nevard (Grandmother) with her daughter Emily Nevard about 1936

And just throwing in another Christmas card. This one from 1917.

Coronation Day 1937

May 12, 1937 actually. While Bill Nevard worked at home planting the crop , some of his family made the  trip to town for the day of celebration of the coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. Some excerpts from letters give quite a good account of the day's events. This one written by Joy Nevard....

Donald, Uncle Arthur and I walked to Senft's. When we arrived quite a few people were there. Edith Seip, Miss Dodd, Mrs. Newton, Tom and Irene. We waited for a while til Mr. Dan Seip came with the truck with some of the other children in it. We all got in the truck and went off singing and yelling. When we arrived in town we got out and wandered around buying and looking at things.
At ten minutes to one we all went to the town hall. There were 8 schools there including Lipton, Hayward, Jeshurun, Shawlands, Headlands, Balrobie,  Heavylands and Freelands. Then all went up in twos and we had medals pinned on our coats. After that Mr. Fisher gave a speech. We all marched to the school grounds where there were some trees stuck in holes in the ground and piles of dirt on each side and as each pair came up we went one on each side of the hole and threw a handful of dirt in. After that we marched to the sports ground. We had races. Donald won one race and got fifteen cents. I raced but I did not win.
Then there were ball games. When the games were over we went to the town hall for supper. We went out and had some fun. Then Mr. Dan Seip, Uncle Arthur and Miss Dodd came to the truck. They stood talking for a while. Then Miss Dodd came and told us we could stay to the picture show. We got home about 11 o'clock.
                                                                Your loving cousin, Joy
P.S. Kenny Fisher took pictures of us while we were having our badges put on and we were standing in line.
 Now some from Roy's letter....

I guess you heard the coronation celebrations over the radio eh? Well Bud and I rode down to Lipton on Snap and Fly on coronation day  and Uncle Arthur and Joy and Donald went with the rest of the children in Dan Seip's truck.
We watched the different school groups all assembled in front of the school. Then we went over to the station and watched the children march to the sports grounds. We went over to the sports grounds and watched the procession circling around. We saw Sidney Ford and he was with us for quite a long time. He was asking us about you too.
We went to the Chink's cafe and bought chocolate, ginger beer, peppermints, gum, etc.
After a while we went to the sports grounds again and watched Headlands playing softball against Heavylands. Heavylands won. Balrobie played against Hayward and Balrobie won. Sandy Goff was pretty good.
We went to Calver's and got tickets for the picture show. Then we had lunch at the chink's. We had supper at the town hall. At half past seven the picture show started and lasted for two hours. When we came out we saw them shooting off fireworks in Walwyn's back yard. We came home a few minutes later.
                                                     Your loving cousin Roy

Main street of Lipton as seen from the top of a grain elevator in the 1930s

Working At Redpaths

The winter of 1910-1911 Arthur and Margaret (Daisy) Nevard left their homestead at Winstanley Grove to work at the farm of Mr. Redpath in the Parklands district. They received this post card to mark Christmas and Daisy's birthday on the 26th of December. I have been unable to read the name of the sender.
Dear Daisy:
As I wrote you a week or so back I don't think I will write now as I am very busy. But I must just wish you a very happy Xmas, also a happy birthday. You seem to be very happy. Do you like the idea of going to Mr. Redpath's? It seems alright to me and you will be more lively I should say. We all have colds and no wonder with the damp weather we have. Much love to both, your loving sister.....

Christmas From Far Away

Another old christmas card , from 1908 this time. Alice Hall sent this christmas post card to her nephew, young Bill Nevard in December of 1908. It would have been five years since she had seen him leave  for Canada.

Interesting to see all the areas in red on this card which I am assuming are British colonies.

Christmas Card From Cecil

My grandfather, Horace Nevard's brother, Cecil Nevard, sent this photo/postcard as a Christmas card to his brother , Ernest in Canada in 1910. Written on the back....
To Ernie,
As I cannot come myself I am sending this to wish you every happiness this Xmas time through the coming year. From Your loving brother, Cecil.

Christmas 1916

A Christmas card sent to my grandfather, Horace Nevard, from his sister Emily Nevard. Horace was somewhere in France with the 195th Canadian Expeditionary Force so it would have been quite a different Christmas than he had ever known before.
On the back is written: 

With much love and all good wishes for a happy Christmas and God's blessing through the coming year.

A Christmas Card For Ernie

Bill Nevard was known as "young Ernie" to some in the family. It was a long way from his original home in Lexden, Essex, U.K. to his new home in Saskatchewan, or as it was known then, "district of Assiniboia". It must have been exciting to receive letters and cards from their family still in England. Like this one from Aunt Louie (Louisa Nevard/Hall).

Dear Ernie
I thought perhaps you would like to have a card from Aunt Louie. I hope you will get this in time for Xmas and I hope you will all spend a happy one. I wish I could send you something else but it costs too much by post so we shall have to tell the postal folks they must make it cheaper. I must write and tell you about little Horrie anther time. He is a funny little boy and makes me think of you when you were his age. Uncle Cecil is coming to see us for Xmas if he can. I hope poor mother's cough is better. We had a nice letter from her Sunday morning.
Wishing you all a Happy Xmas and a bright and prosperous new year.

From your ever-loving Aunt Louie

No doubt a familiar view of Bill's old home town of Straight Road, Lexden, Essex.