Early in November, 76 years ago as I post this, my sixteen-year-old father was making a trip from Montreal to Ottawa and Toronto
to (probably) attend the Royal Winter Fair in Toronto.
Here are a couple of quick letters he sent to his sister to share and document his experiences.
My father was staying at the Canadian National Railways' Chateau Laurier hotel in Ottawa. Hudson is a Quebec community which was located on the 'fast' line of the Canadian Pacific Railway which ran south of the Ottawa River. The 'big shots' would have been business people, politicians and military personnel travelling between Canada's seaport metropolis (Montreal) and the capital. The identity of 'Joe' is lost to time.
LC Gagnon's grandfather, WJ Rodger, was probably arriving to meet him after travelling via the original CPR line along the north shore of the Ottawa River which passed through Lachute - near the location of WJ's farm.
* * *
A party of Lachute dairy farmers was travelling together between Ottawa and Toronto on the CPR overnight train through Peterborough. Jack Black was a relative and a legendary Ayrshire breeder and exhibitor who made it his business to win prizes at cattle shows. It seems likely that WJ Rodger was taking some of his Ayrshire cattle for show or sale at the Royal Winter Fair, as well. Cattle would probably have travelled on a separate freight train between Lachute and Toronto.
Looking at the envelope details, you will notice that my father's letter went
from Toronto to Montreal by air mail - arriving at his home (Montreal) within 24 hours,
on a Sunday morning.
While in Toronto, my father attended a CBC radio game show.
* * *
When he was thirteen years old, my father travelled with his grandfather to Quebec City.
WJ Rodger's son (Stanley) and another relative were also on this trip.
This composite image shows both sides of the sticker
$100 in 1940 dollars would equal about $1700 in 2019 dollars.
WJ Rodger's son (Stanley) and another relative were also on this trip.
This composite image shows both sides of the sticker
$100 in 1940 dollars would equal about $1700 in 2019 dollars.
It seems likely that transportation and accomodation in Quebec City
would have been included in the provincial government's prize.
While everything from writing paper to train travel was in short supply during World War 2 - during which both of these trips occured - agricultural productivity was essential to the war effort. Consequently, a semblance of normalcy would have been maintained to reward and publicize the accomplishments of farmers. And some of their grandsons - who might follow in their footsteps, after all - were also able to experience these events.
