1956 Landslide And A New Chevrolet

58 years ago last week the Fort Qu'appelle landslide was the big local news. As seen here in Bill Nevard's journal.
May 12: We started to clear away a space for our garage today. In the evening I went with George to Balcarres. We saw Bob Greenfield and he took us for a ride in his Chevrolet Bel Air demonstrator as far as the hill down to Lebret. He let me drive back to Balcarres. He has a nice two toned green Chevrolet on the lot but it is a standard drive.
May 13, 1956 Sunday, Dick switched over to morning shifts and I started on evenings again. A landslip has developed on highway 35 a mile west of Fort Qu'appelle and about 80 feet of the highway is covered with earth from the hill about 12 feet deep. Hundreds of people went to see it.
May 14: Dick went with George, Mrs. Birns and Dad to Balcarres this afternoon and bought the 1956 Chevrolet hardtop from Greenfield who is going to two tone it for us before we bring it home.
May 16: Mrs. Birns and I went to see the slide on 35 highway this morning. It has cut a gorge in the coulee 500 yards long.

A partial view of the Fort Qu'appelle landslide in May 1956. Borrowed from the Everett Baker slide collection which you really should have a look at.

Art and Writing

Bill Nevard was pretty handy at writing and drawing . Given a lead pencil and any old piece of paper he could (and did) produce some interesting art work. Like this one from April 16 1942.

Bill's journal entries from that time.........
April 15 We finished wood sawing today. Finished at Silver Birches before dinner and cut Uncle Arthur's in the afternoon.
April 16: Pig killing today. Uncle Horrie came and helped. John Senft called in dinner time.

Long Letter From Lexden 1911

An edited version of a long news letter from Emily Nevard to her sister in law, Mary Nevard, in Canada

                                                                                                    36 Straight Road
                                                                                                    Lexden, Essex

The 3 Nevard brothers had been in Canada over 7 years at the time this letter was written to Ernest's wife, Mary , by his sister, Emily , still back in Lexden, Essex, England.

Dear Mary: We were very pleased to hear you received the parcel alright. I don't mind the trouble of making things and sending them off if you get them. We had rather a business to get it off as we are always so busy.
We always have plenty of work , you see there are 12 of them in family at Hill House. Mr. and Mrs. Husnard, 4 children and 6 servants (2 nurses, housekeeper, cook, housemaid and parlourmaid). Then they are often having visitors so we have plenty to do. Then there are 5 of us to wash and cook for .
Mother is very pleased to hear you spent Xmas day altogether. You were really a jollier party than we were only we were more fortunate than you as we were able to go to Church.
The Parish tea was held on Friday the sixth of January. Cecil and I went. The entertainment was very good. I sat at Miss Colvin's table. She packed me a bonbon box full of things to bring home for Horrie. Ham sandwiches, jam pastries, sausage rolls, currant cake and bonbons.
It was a very wet day so I rode down in the tram car but it cleared off nice in time for us to come home. There were plenty of people.
I don't know if I told you that Mrs. and the Misses Colvins live next door to Mr. Griffin in the Warren Lane at the house where Captain Daniell formerly lived. Lance Stonehouse drive them in his brougham when they are out at night. Also to Lexden Church and back on Sundays. In the summer they drive in their pony trap.
Mrs. O'Grady did not have a table at the Parish tea so she decided to have a party on her own account and invited all the Mothers she knew. Mother, Mrs. Clayden and Aunt Annie and Aunt Vera received invitations and they enjoyed themselves very much.
Uncle Fred has been ill in bed for some time since before Xmas and he doesn't get better. Cecil is doing his work at the hall in the meantime. The Rector has invited the choir and Sunday school teachers to supper and a musical evening Thursday.
Uncle Jim is married but he is not at all well. Charlie died of consumption. A fortnight before he died the disease went to his brain. He was at his father's for 3 weeks. He told Aunt Annie he didn't wonder at people committing suicide if they suffered as he did. He said it felt as if the top of his head was being lifted off. He couldn't get any rest night or day until his father got a bottle of medicine from the Chemist to send him to sleep.
Fred Mann's son, young Jack, who has been in the army was out asked last Sunday and is to be married. They are going to live in the Colne Road.

Thursday Evening: Dear Mary, Cecil has been out to see Uncle Fred this afternoon. He found him very ill in bed. The doctor says he has had influenza and kept about at his work. Now it has settled in his leg. His leg is very much swollen and very painful so he can not get much rest. Cecil says he looks very thin and remind him so much of Father. They live just opposite Stanway Hall now
I have been thinking of paying Louie a weekend visit for some time but I don't know when I shall be able to go as it is hard work for me to get away. Mother get so tired by the time we have finished up the work.
We were very pleased to see the photo of the threshing outfit but we would like to have a clearer view where we could see who they are. I hope one day they will be rich enough to have a real good photo taken.

Grandmother is always very pleased to hear all the letters read. She always tell me to send our very best love to all. Isn't it wonderful how she live so long. It is very dull for her to sit by herself all day, especially washing days but we generally finish on Tuesday night. Horrie amuses her a good bit. It is quite amusing to hear him talk to her. He talk to her so old sometimes. Now I must leave off as I am going to start ironing. Thank Ernie very much for his letter. Now I must say goodbye with love to you all from us all.
From your loving sister, Emily Nevard.

On The Road

An edited account of Dick Nevard's trip from B.C. to 14th Field Dressing Station, Wainright , Alberta.

Dear Bill:  Yes, I have arrived safely in Wainwright on May 30th (1944) and found your letter waiting for me. So Bud is back in England now! I wonder if he will be sent back to Canada soon?
Now I'll continue my journey. I think I got as far as Prince George in my last letter. We left P.G. on the 19th. It was dusty but I enjoyed it. Passed through Quesnel in the afternoon and followed the Fraser River. Crossed it at Prince George. I built kind of a shelter out of short straight saplings for the night.
The 19th and 20th we were passing through the famous Cariboo district which tourists like to travel along in peace time. The road curves and twists about in many directions so one is seeing an ever changing scene. It was interesting to hear the various comments the different fellows made. The boys from Ontario liked the mountain sides partly covered with evergreens with the river flowing past. That was lovely. The rest of it was no good in their estimation. I saw a groundhog. It looks like a gopher only bigger, about the size of a cat.
The second night I built a shelter and shingled it with cedar branches. It served the purpose for it kept the snow and rain off all but the top part of my blanket. Some of the fellows got soaked in the middle of the night and had to get up and collect wood to light a fire and dry their blankets. I never heard any of it but heard later that the air was warm from their language.
The 21st was a cooler day. The country side began to flatten out somewhat as we passed into the Kootenay. Sage brush country although it was still mountainous. There was a river running along the valley with willow and poplar trees growing along the banks. We went into the Indian village of Ashcroft to gas up. Then we went into a bull pasture to camp for the night. We set up the canvas tarp covering from the truck and 15 or 20 of us slept under that.
When we arose the next morning it was raining hard. I helped wash the pots at the field kitchen at meal times that day. We had dinner at Kamloops exhibition grounds. It rained most of the day but the tarps over the trucks kept us dry. We camped that night at Salmon Arm where we were in barracks. It rained most of the next day but we had a good time waving at the residents who lived along the roadside. (especially the girls)
At night we put the vehicles in Revelstoke park while we slept in the arena.
The 24th we traveled the longest distance covering 121 miles that day. We went around the big bend and when we nearly around we came upon a wrecker which had gone over the side into the Columbia River the day before. At the time we reached the scene it was being hauled up by another wrecker.
That night we slept in the back of the truck. The following night we got back to the CPR line again and camped at Golden. There was a dance in the Legion building that night. I guess the residents, musicians and girls were quite tired because that was the third night in a row they had been entertaining soldiers.
May 26th we had dinner just outside Field. All that morning we were gradually climbing until at dinner time we were up to the snow line. It looked rather odd to see green leaves coming out on the poplar trees and snow nearby. We could see a coal mine in a mountain side. We went through the Kicking Horse Pass and could look down into the canyon. As we neared Banff in the afternoon we could see mountain goats on the cliffs and crags, and elk down on the green slopes. We slept in the camp grounds at Banff that night where they have those tables with roofs over them. I slept on a table and rolled off during the night but did not hurt myself. In the evening I walked up town going without supper in camp in order to get more time to see Banff. I went to see the famous gardens that Edward North had sent me a picture of . Only a few flowers in bloom. There was a foot of snow there just a week before. Still the layout of the gardens and waterfalls was well worth seeing. I visited the fish ponds and saw fish in all stages of development. And Bow Falls and Banff Hotel.
The next morning we left the Rockies behind and entered the foothill country where Wilf Carter wrote some of his songs about. We drove through part of Calgary which looked quite pretty with green lawns and trees. The lilacs were in bloom. We camped about six miles outside Calgary that night much to the displeasure of some of the fellows. But they were pleased after supper when two or three trucks drove them down to Calgary. I did not go myself. Well at any rate it seemed more like home. The atmosphere seemed different somehow.
Well cheerio Bill
Your loving brother Dick.

Firelight

1947
February 21 John Fleming went for the mail in his cutter and Uncle Arthur went with him. I cut another half load of wood. Uncle Arthur brought back a lot of calendars from Walton for my use.

February 22: After melting snow in the morning I went down on 13 in the afternoon to get a load of oat straw. I saw two coyotes over on the ten acres across the valley. I went down nearly to the south fence and saw five of our horses but not Firelight. So then I went back to the old 1942 oat straw pile, (not much left of it), and I found her there, dead and partly eaten by coyotes. She had apparently laid down in a hole and been unable to get up. None of our horses seem to be in bad condition. This had evidently happened in the last week.
February 23: Sunday at home. Dick came to dinner and helped to eat my birthday plum pudding. He went back at night. He says he will go out of partnership with Eddie in the summer as he can not get on very well with Mr. North.

From Hen House to Home

                                                Headlands P.O. Sask.
Oct. 25, 1945
Dear Dick; Dad is intending going to Lipton tomorrow so I will seize the opportunity to write a letter and get it off to you. You may find this letter rather more interesting than usual as I have some fresh developments to tell you about. Not exactly fresh either as they have been in the making for some time but i was waiting until there was something definite to tell you.
It will be no news to you to hear that Uncle Arthur and Bud don't get along very harmoniously  together. That was one fly in the ointment as far as Bud was concerned. His other trouble was with the new settlement board. After working 100 acres of summerfallow all summer and getting it prepared for next year's crop, he was told by the board that they didn't think the farm was suitable and they wouldn't help him with it. Bud was inclined to chuck it up and get out but I guess he didn't like to lose his summer's work so now he has leased the farm from Uncle Arthur until the end of 1947. The other development will interest you. You remember that Dad was building a new hen house near the basement, a second new hen house I should say. He had put a pitch roof on and shingled it but had never got around to plastering it and getting it finished. Well Uncle A. is going to live in it. He has bought cement and lime and we have been busy the last few days on it. The outside walls are plastered but it has to be done inside and door and window put in. It should be comfortable when it is finished so when you get back you may find Uncle A well established in his new domicile.
Last Friday Bud went to Lipton to get an x ray and posted my letter to you.
I picked some more stones . on Saturday Bud finished tillering our 25 acre piece, had dinner here and then went home and started tillering Uncle A's wheat stubble. I picked stones in the morning and hauled water after dinner.
On Sunday Dad and I went to North's for dinner in the democrat. We found them all well. Eddie had just received your letter of sympathy and you will be interested to hear that it was the first one they had received from England. Mr. North is still able to hold up his end in conversation and seems much the same as ever. Eddie told me that Syd has got his discharge and intends to get a job in Regina for the winter. We had supper at Tom's. Tom Heggie, his wife, and two daughters were there. Ethel went away in the afternoon to a confirmation at Cupar. Shirley Wheale and Mrs. Franklin (Ivadelle) were going from Headlands to be confirmed. After dinner I went for a walk with Eddie to look at his hens. A fine lot of Hampshires. He is getting rid of his older hens to the Keliher creamery. They have a plucking machine there now so he doesn't have to pluck them. He'll likely tell you all this when he writes. He was telling me that he'd like you to go into partnership with him in the chicken business after you get back as he finds it too much for himself alone and with a good partner he could expand the business a bit.
Of course I mentioned the Christian citizenship course you were interested in and that you were thinking of taking up Church work. Anyway, you'll have time to settle it when you return to Canada and I suppose that time is steadily drawing closer. Different fellows keep coming home. I hear Bert Binnington is back and looking for a job in Regina. William Michelson is taking the old Harry Millward farm. Bill Grainger is back on the farm again I hear.
Last Monday Bud caught the bus to Regina. Uncle Horrie and Donald took him to Lipton in the democrat while I hauled water and gravel. This was the day of John Walt's sale. I hear that Mrs. Bordass bought the car. For Malcolm I suppose, and its likely he'll do little else but exercise it as long as he can get gas.
On Tuesday Dad, Uncle A. and I were working on the hen house. Filling up holes in the walls ready for plastering. Uncle H. there too. Bud came back from Regina yesterday and today we have been busy plastering and have got the outside done.
Yesterday afternoon John Fleming took Uncle A. and Bud to Lipton and they fixed up the lease. I forgot to tell you that on Sunday morning we woke up to find our first snow covering the ground. Most of it has gone now.
So long and happy landing from your brother,   E.W. Nevard.

                                     Uncle Arthur and the new house.

Spring Time 70 Years Ago

Headlands P.O.
March 27, 1944
Dear Dick
Since I wrote to you a week ago there has been nothing very thrilling occur around here to get into the headlines. Last Tuesday ,the 23rd, Dad and I loaded up 5 or the young pigs in the sleigh to take to Lipton. It wan't a lot of trouble an I started out for town about 8 am.  getting there at 10:30. So I went along fairly good. The road wasn't too bad most of the way down and of course five pigs didn't make a big load. Bailey who is in the lumber yard ships pigs every Tuesday and Buster Dobson's boy helped me unload them at the stockyard. After the pigs are unloaded they are stamped on both shoulders with a special instrument. Every owner's pigs having a different set of numbers. Uncle Horrie came down with a load of wheat but he was quite a bit later than me getting down. I think his team had all it wanted to do in spots as some places it was pretty well bare. Roy came down with him. I posted a letter off to you. I guess you should have it by now.
Monday was a mild day and the snow kept melting as the day progressed. On he way home near town the ditches had water in them while the highway was getting bare. I had planned going to town with wheat on Thursday but that thaw fixed the roads. I got home about 5 pm. The 22nd was another mild day and the snow going quite a bit. I hauled away 5 days manure and got water. Roy was helping Uncle Arthur get his oat straw home before the loose horses eat it all up as that is where they mostly stay now. He was hauling some to Uncle Arthur's and some home. Dad let the hens all out of the new hen house for the first time. After dinner I cleaned out the old chicken house.
Dad heard from Goffs that McCullough is in hospital with a bleeding ulcer and had to have two transfusions. On the 23rd I went on 25 with the team and sleigh and got 30 green poles for a hen house and had a look at the barley to see that it was ok.
Dad made a steak and kidney pudding, Uncle Arthur and Donald being here to help us eat it.
On Sunday I picked up the mail at Silver Birches and got your latest letter and , believe it or not, one from Bud. A fairly long one too and more interesting than usual. He had been to visit the ruins of Pompeii and was writing mostly about that. Uncle Arthur got a letter from him too but I haven't heard anything about it yet. Bud wants me to write to him but he didn't send any address. I suppose I can get that from Uncle A.
Sunday being a nice day I let the team out and likewise the cows. Dad went up to Silver Birches for his usual Sunday afternoon constitutional and while he was away Sandy Goff came along bringing the saw back. He didn't stay as he had chores to do. Tom Goff is sick with the flu and in bed quite a bit.
Today I took three loads of wheat out of our big bin up the hill to put in another bin to make room so I can begin fanning. Tomorrow, weather permitting, I'm taking two more young pigs to Lipton and will post this letter.
So long and don't tumble off any mountains. From your loving brother,
E. W. Nevard

Joy Nevard, probably going for the mail on Rusty