A Trip To The Clinic

November 12 1964
This evening Dick and I drove down to Lebret to Stan's garage as the automatic transmission was leaking and getting quite low. Stan advised taking the car in to Regina to an automatic drive clinic and he phoned to the place arranging an appointment for next Monday.

November 16
I got up at 4 am, had my breakfast, shaved and got ready and started out for Regina at 6 am. I did not know what the roads would be like so I drove slow and got to Regina by 7:30. The road was good and I made most of the trip before daybreak. I had to wait a while at the transmission clinic before anybody showed up but they were not too long getting at work on it. The foreman, Gerard Hooey, took it for a short drive to test it before they took the transmission out. After this was done he showed me different parts which needed repairing and figured that the total cost would be about $175. He said they would put a rebuilt transmission in for $185 so I agreed to that.
One of the mechanics, David Fraser drove me to the geriatric centre in his truck and I saw Uncle Arthur and Jack Fitch and Mr. Hutchings. They reckon that Uncle is a bit better than he was. He was sitting in an arm chair but he can't talk much and he seems to be pretty helpless. An orderly fed him with a spoon while I was there.
It had warmed up and was quite pleasant walking back to the clinic which is close to the new Leader Post building on Park street. They had the car all ready for me when I got back so I gave Hooey a cheque for the job and drove home getting back before 4 pm. As I'd had no dinner I made some cream of mushroom soup.

Late Harvest and Municipal Election

November 12, 1946
Bud came along before daylight this morning trying to start the tractor so he could take the outfit up to John Senft's. He couldn't get it started so he asked me to come out and help and eventually he had to put a fire under it to warm it up before he could start. Then he went down after the separator. He succeeded in getting it to the yard but the radiator was freezing up on him so he had to give it up as a bad job and went up to John Senft's. They both came back with John's team to haul the separator but when they started off one of John's horses was scared of the separator behind him so they had to take him off and borrow Roy's horse, Duke, before they could get away.
I got a tank of water and then turned the team out and did some fencing. They got John's oats threshed. Bud running the machine and John Senft, Kreutzer and Donald having racks. John Senft and Bud brought the separator back at night with the John Deere tractor. They threshed about 15 loads of sheaves.

November 12, 1946
The great municipal election day. Robert Senft and Mike Engel came after Uncle Arthur in a car and took him to Hobetzeder's  to be D.R.O. I went and did a bit more fencing on the East line of 13. John Senft hauled a load of wheat for Bud. and while we were having dinner he came along to haul a load for Dad. So I went to the bin with him and helped load up. Dad went off to Lipton with him. They didn't get back until nearly 6 pm and Edwin Senft came along in a car right behind them to take them back to Balrobie to vote. They only just got there in time. Bill Senft brought them and Uncle Arthur back. Manuel Miller won the election.

Bud Nevard on a newer tractor (Ford 9N). Not the one referred to in the above journal entries which was a McCormick Deering 15-30.

News From Ipswich

A letter from Cecil Nevard in Ipswich, Suffolk, U.K. to his brother Horace in Saskatchewan in 1940.

52 Corder Road
Ipswich
December 1940

My Dear Brother
You will I guess be surprised to hear that I have been laid up with pneumonia. Have been at home just two months today and expect to return to work on Monday next. Fortunately my wages are not stopped. I rather worried Ethel and the Doctor for two days or so as they were doubtful whether I should pull through but I am still here, thank God. I got it through being run down and then getting out of bed and patrolling the street on A.R.R. duty so must thank Jerry bombers for that.
Fortunately I was treated with the new drug, M693 so had no messy linseed poultices nor pneumonia jacket. I've finished with air raid work until the spring (Doctors orders).

I think you know that Horace is taking over our old home (as Emily wished) and is still living there when off police duty, on his own. He misses Emily very much.
I did the job to get co-op money transferred and post office account. Also small life assurance. I've paid all accounts and the balance handed to Horace who has undertaken to send you ten pounds after the war. The amount Emily told him was due to you. He would have sent it right away but under the present conditions there might be some difficulty.

You are all wondering, I expect, how we are all getting along here in England. Believe me we are not in the least downhearted nor wanting for food. Of course its not pleasant when the Jerries are passing overhead, which they frequently do at night. One never knows when they will drop a bomb. Quite a number have been dropped in this vicinity but only about nine people killed and a few wounded. Very little damage done except on one occasion. We live within 200 yards of the place where a land mine exploded and about 600 houses damaged. No windows were broken in our house.
This was the only big bang we have had. As it did not go off at once all the people were evacuated and no one was hurt.
Leslie is still at Napiers in London. Just had a move up to the analysis department. They are all quite ok.
Ethel's father slipped down and cracked his knee cap some six weeks ago. Still in London hospital but getting on well and expects to come out shortly
Their home in London is quite ok. Ethel went up to see him about a fortnight ago. She said that although lots of damage had been done in parts there's plenty of London left and life goes on much as usual.
Daphne who is still working hard sends her love to you, one and all, in which Ethel joins.

Your affectionate brother
Cecil

P.S. Leslie hopes to get married next June to an Ipswich girl (quite nice)
One of Ethel's cousins from Ontario came over with the first
contingent of the Canadian R.A. He is a Sergeant and has been to see us.

1940 Letter From Ipswich

                                                                                                            51 Corder Road
                                                                                                             Ipswich
                                                                                                             29 September,1940

My Dear Horace
You are naturally wondering how we are getting along during these terrible times. Well, thank God, up  to the present , fit and well. We of course get Nazi bombers over most nights and as an air raid warden I have to report at the Post and then wait for the bombs to drop. Fortunately none have fallen in my sector. For although I have passed a course in first aid, well I should be rather sorry for my patients.

We have had a number of bombs dropped around the district and some in the town. One broke most of the stained glass windows on the South side of our Church but no structural damage.
Four people only have been killed altogether. 3 on one occasion and then 1. Mostly from shock.
England has not yet been invaded and no attempt made. Believe me if Hitler and his crowd attempt it he will have a warm reception for the vast majority of people will fight to a man. We haven't got the wind up, neither have the people of London. I speak from my personal experience for Ethel, Daphne and I spent a week with Ethel's father in London.
The barrage is terrific, not pleasant, but you can live through it.

Leslie came home this weekend and he is quite fit and still working at the same place. Louie and all her family are still the same. Poor old Louie misses her treatment her poor legs are as bad as ever. Muriel has been moved to Nayland and she cycles over to see us occasionally when she has a day off. Its 13 miles from here so quite a good ride.

I have not yet heard from you since I wrote about Emily. Its hard to part with your mother and your sister but considering all things one can not feel but that they are better off. For when the air raid goes it is advisable to get downstairs and when you are aged or unwell that is far from pleasant, and as likely as not get a chill.

As to food there is plenty in the shops. I can see no difference from pre-war times and prices have gone up, but very little. The only thing I personally miss is sugar. I wish we could have more than a half pound per week per person per week. This is for cooking and everything. Butter goes down next week from 6 ounces to 2 ounces per person per week. But  there is plenty of margarine to make up for it.
I went to Lexden yesterday afternoon to see Horace. He is now a full time special constable doing clerical work in the Chief Constable office. He misses Mother and Emily very much but is still carrying on the house at Lexden. He will not have to go into the army and Ethel (Hall's) husband is exempt for some time.
Daphne still works at ---------- and is now in the cashier's office. Plenty of money about but not for Daphne.
Can now hear a German bomber going over but its very dark and cloudy and he is up so high (3 miles I suppose) so he doesn't know where he is fortunately.
Well have no more news so must conclude with fond love from all the family to all the clan of Nevards.

Your affectionate Brother
Cecil