~
1953
f:\ n m
, ;. ,;- 0'.. +I'H?
+ro.-1+
J. /)I)VJJ) ·,z...., ;l-'\
W.l'lcA.J ..~.v,
t:lt
'3 T r~ . d. o...{.-t.
~
~
a--
~
(p
~
a.
3
~
~
~
Pa rr1cia Smtth
Smtth :Stmtty SpeV)ce.
Eleanor' Pete Srn 1th
W. L.' Bob' Smtth
Et-Ytel Smtth
Frunk C.Smd·h
Paul D. Spe.nc~lad~js Spence
Ed wo.rd 'Ted 15 pe.nce.
0
:z
!i,.
-:!:
r<'j
:;
""
..,_::;")
- _._"'
c2
r
...,...
-
f
~
~
(,
:L
-"'
'
~'
~
.t~
&·:/
\1'
<:)) ~
S'l·-=~
-
\1',
~
c.=;
~=
~
c
)<~
..?J'E
<:(
(l)
......:c
=~
<l)
3
~
<i:Z:~
1·
!Y',
('()
' ,-
THE FAMILY OF FRANK AND ETHEL SMITH
A History Compiled by
Patricia Anne Wheeler ( n ee Smith )
The beuer part of the following material is based upon the recollections of the lace Gladys Spence
r nee Smith) combined 1-\ilh Ill) mm childhood memories. Old phocographs from my mother's a/hum
greacly assisred our recall. A~ well my material has been read cmd emended b.> Gwen ,\finers
whose memorie.'> e\ tend h<.~rk jusr a hit farther chan mine.
About 1882, f.ran\..'s faLht:!r. jacob became instrumental in establishing th e Salvation A.rm)
in Can,lda. when he brought a customer from his grocery store to Churc h and introduced him to to a
friend in his Bible Study group
<~t
Wesley Knox Church-- jacob had discovered th,it both men were
Sahation Arm} member'> from England. These two gentlemen-- J. Addie and
A,.
Ludgate --
founded the Sal\ation Army in Canada. A plaque is dedicated to them in the lvlar\..et Square.
London. and also a windm"' and a cross at \\esle) Knox l'nited Church-- placed there b) the
Sahation /\rm) in gratitude.
jacob had married lvl<ltilda (Ti lly) Ounham about 1880 and son Fran\.. Colin was born on
januar) 22. 1882. There were also bab) brothers Russel. Charlie and john .
Cli pping from the V\ar Cry-- March 1'). I 932.
DEATH NOTICE Of. jACOB SM ITH
Brother jacob Smith of London I. has gone to hear the "well done"
•
just mer 50 ,vears ago two young men from city occupations were spending their off e\ enings
and Sundays in sen·ice for rheir f'..tasrcrs by ho lding open air sen ices on ch e Cil} Mar/..er in
London. The first open air wor/.. underu/..en h,\ Sai\·.Jtionists in Can.1da. The} im ired
a frequcnr
li.\lener ro join rheir parr_...
The yo ung men \'\-ere Brocllers ). idclie and A. l.udgare who larer berame vvidely /..nown as
Arm_\ OFncers: the listener.
);lCOb
Smith. The irn italian was accepled and rhus )arab Smirh bec.1me
the firs1 open a ir capt ure in C,mi.lda.
Gwen Miners remembers jacob Smith
clS
a big muscular man with a mustache who always wore a red
C.ucrnsc) (li\..e aT-shirt on!) cotton ~md hea\'ier, not stretchy) with the S,ll\'<Hion Army crest on
his chest.
Ethel Smith (Nee Rosenberg e r )
Baby Ethel was born to Abraham [. Rosenberger ( 1852 - 1939 ) and Annie Rosenburger
(I R:)3- 1883 ) on March 1/. 1880 in their home o n Centre Street in St. Thomas. Short!} after her
birth they moved to a tiny house at 76 Askin St. London. The Rosenbergers house was next to the
home her daughter, Gladys would live in many years later. The diminutive house was later moved to
Springbank drive where it still exists. in the year 2000.
When Ethel was three
ye<~rs
old her mother died giving birth to her baby sister Annie who
died five days later. When Annie (nee McAlpine) died at age 30, the casket was set up in the parlor
or (living room) for viewing and last respects as was then the custom. When the viewing
\\.lS
over.
it was necessary to remove Annie in the casket through the front window of the tiny house. This
was the very first Salvation Army funeral service in Canada. Annie and her infant daughter were
laid to rest at the Nairn cemetary south of Ailsa Craig, Ontario. The stone reads "IN Mt:'v10RY Of
1\.'\NIE wife of A. E. Rosenberger died, Aug 11 1R83 Age 30 yrs 8 m's ALSO Al\1\IE E. daughter of
above died Aug IS 1883."
After Annie's death, Abraham and daughter Ethel moved to Orangeville where he became a
baker and a grocer, living abm·e his store. Ethel was about eight years old when the bakery caught
fire. Abraham got Ethel safely out of the building, But she ran back inside to get her little gas lamp.
Since this was before many had electricity, that lamp was very important to her. Once again
Abraham rescued her. finding her hiding from the fire in a closet. Everything but the lamp was lost.
This little lamp stood with a collection of lamps in a cabinet at Ethel's daughter Gladys's home until
it was passed down to her grandaughter Pamela Worts. Had Abraham been less determined and
courageous, none of us - his decend.mts --would be here today.
Abraham and Ethel appdrently moved back to London before 1892 and set up a
grocer) store. About this time Abraham remarried. Ethel's new stepmother was Mar) 1'-.eil ( 18601942). Many of Ethel's decendants remember the Neil Family Annual Picnics which we attended up
to the 1990s or so. With her father's remarriage Ethel gained step aunts: Sara. Liz and Lou. \1ar)
and Abraham had a son Lloyd ( who died in the 90s). Lloyd had two sons Bob and Bill.
Clipping from the London Frt>e Press
ABRAHAM ROSENBERGER PASSES IN HIS 76th
YEAR
Abraham E. Rosenberger, a na1i1 c of f\1cGiJJi,ray TOI">'nship and a rcsidcnr of London for the
pasr -II years. died Friday. )ul) 13 1939 at his residence. Ill Simcoe Street in his 76th year.
The deceased formerly conducred .~ grocery buisiness in the city of London. from which he
had been retired for about ten years. He 1-vas one of the oldest members of the Royal Templars of
Temper...mce, i111d a we//-J.:no\-\71 :md respected memher of Wellington Srreer United Church.
lie is survived by his wido1~. Mrs. Mary Rosenberger. and two children. Mrs. F.C.Smith.
Bruce Steer, London and ).L.Roscnbcrgcr of Wellington Street. A brother Frank and a sister. Mrs.).
1-Va/l..er, in Western Canada, and a sister, Mrs.). Hutchenson, of Ailsa Craig. also survive. Funeral
services will be held at the family residence on Sunday afternoon ar 2 O'clod.. The burial will be
made in Mount Pleasant Cemetery.
Ethel and Frank Smith
On New Years Eve, 1903, Ethel Married Frank Colin Smith (Jan. 22, 1883- July 31. 1969)
The following write-up appeared on their 50th Anniversary.
From the London Free Press
NEW YEAR MILESTONE MARKED BY LONDONERS.
Life-Long residents of London, well known 10 marker shoppers, Frank and Ethel Smith celebrated
their golden wedding anniversary New Year's Eve. Frank C. Smith, who operated a store on the
market for 52 years. and his wife. Ethel, were married New Years Eve 1903. in London.
"/remember we wanted
to
be married New Year's Day but because it was a Friday, my
parents, Mr. and Mrs. Abraham Rosenberger, thought the evening before would be a better dare. "
Mrs. Smith recalled. There was some superstition about Fridays in those days," she said. (Friday
flit, short sit -saying).
The Smiths met each other as children, they Jived only a few houses aparr. Mr. Smith
remembers tak ing nowers to his wife when she was sick. He was 14 ar rhe rime.
The co uple worked hard in their "cash and carry" store, the first of its kind, on the market
square. and it was just two years ago char Mr. Smith retired. He used ro gather bits of news for The
Free Press reporrers and at one time was a newsboy.
Mrs. Smith kept busy \'isiring rhe sick in hospitals and institutions as part of her duties
with the Mercy League of the Salvation Army. Her husband's time was occupied with rhe work of the
Excesior Bible Class. a non-denominational group that was started at Wesley United Church 33
years ago. Mr. Smith has been president for 31 years.
Both are very fond of flowers in !heir home and were pleased with nora/ remembrances sent
by friends. The third "person" in the house is a chihuahua (Peppi) who greets the doorbell with a
ferocious bark thar belies his size.
Mr. and Mrs. Smith have two children, W. LaVern Smith and Mrs. Smith (Gladys) Spence, both
Jiving in London. They are very proud of their three grandchildren and rreasure some oil
paintings done by their granddaughter, Patricia Anne Smith.
The family will gather for dinner coday 10 mark the occasion.
Ethel and FranJ... lived on Wilson Avenue, where their first child Warren LaVerne Smith was
born on December 20, 1905 (died 1968). He was to be called Robert -- but just before his birth, the
newspaper reported that a Robert someone had broken into a home in London (not a common
3
occurance back then). Grandmother, Matilda Smith wouldn't permit Fran\.. and Ethel to use that
name. Nevertheless, all his life he was Bob to his parents and everyone. Frank made candy which he
and Ethel would take to the Market to sell, taking Bob with them in his carriage. This was the first
step to starting his grocery store.
Gladys was born June 1st, 1911. (died, Oct 2000) Brother Bob (age five) tried to set her crib
o n fire by building a fire under it. When Gladys was old enough to go to school, she was quite
tubby. Bob (who wasn't sl..inny himself) didn't want a fat sister and paid Gladys fi ve cen ts to run
a round the bloc\.. each day to lose weight. She no doubt used the nickel to buy something fattening.
The Smiths lived at 22 Bruce Street (a block south of Askin) While Ethel and Frank spent
the d ay at their Grocery store Aunt Minnie Kerswell (nee: Lewis, a friend of Ethels), lool..ed after
Gladys before she was old enough to go to school, Aunt Minnie also baked bread, pies and tarts.
Later, she and Gladys would walk to the grocery store on market square where Gladys would be put
up on the cloth Redpath sugar bags to sleep until it was time to go home to bed after their very long
ho urs of work. They owned a horse and a wagon, kept in a barn behind the ho use - the same barn
that Bob, as a boy, jump off with an umberella as a parachute. It didn't work- he broke his a nkle.
Gladys remembers the four of them going to the country to visit a farm owned by the
McDonalds, cousins, related via the Neil family (Ethel's step mother). The farm was east of
Centrailia along the Little Ausable River -- in which one of the McDonald sons had drowned. The
McDonalds also had a daughter Mary who was Glad's age, and another daughter Le na.
After Aunt Minnie's husband, (a Salvation Army Officer ) died, s he a nd her son Wilbur (a
little older than Bob) moved in with the Smiths. Bob and Wilbur always seemed to be in tro uble
together. On one occasion the Salvation Army was holding an 'Open Air' mini service on a street
corner-- with a band, singing and tambourines to attract attention as well as a short sermon and
prayer befo re moving on to another corner. Bob and Wilbur were sitting out o n the porch roof
watching the service when a dog wande red into the circle of worshipers. "Get out, yo u dirty dog!"
yelled Wilbur and Bob --over a nd over. Ethel and Minnie were very strict Salvation Army. They
hadn't seen the dog, and were so shocked and embarassed that they sent the boys to separate rooms
fo r the rest of the day.
Gladys also remembe rs -as a little girl living on Bruce Street --going with Aunt Minnie to
the cemetary to clean the grave stone of Aunt Minnie's husba nd. They would have a lo ng wall.. along
Wharncliffe Road, crossing the river, the n up the long hill on Riverview Drive to Mount Pleasant
Cemetary carry ing a pail and brus h. At the cemetary they got the water to scrub the stone.
The Lombardos
The Lombardo family with their seve n children were good customers and friends of Fran!..
and Ethel. During the Depression, as Fran!.. recalled to my husband (Bill), the Lombardos were
tltw lji..V et {\
LH I
c..•::)
Ted c., PetulS peVlc.e
u.ncl PC).+ 5md-h
holdt1'1Cj Pepp1
tV'l
bo..c.'k of' 3 7
Rtdou.tSr . 1q.;o
~
Ethel 5mtlh (Gwen &
Pats~
In
n1
~ft;u.nd.)
back9ank.fl -fOr
Gtcds Weddtnq /Cf~2
-4;---- ~~lenw" t'~j tdt--t
Ethel5 rni+-h beside
37 Rtclot,A.t, Note slone
bun ba.ttt .
t
Bus 5 petrttn a.nd
Bob5YYHth. ?J...
Bruce Street 1 ~1
bctci<j11:?W1d·
<f-
Iq J
WeddP'l~
1'12?
M
t P!ea.sa~• r
W~rnc.lJtfe
R.l~
ot Bob o.nd Pet-e Sm 'WJ, Gwen Woods ~luwer91 Y-1
-::i
Dc.tY'ldlls~t.
~R Srtdge
WJl.son Ave 37 Flood.
among the many families he occasionally provided with free scuttles of coal. Later their son Guy
Lombardo and his brothers Carmen, Lebert and Victor with a few other London lads formed the Guy
Lombardo and His Royal Ca nadians dance band. Still later their brother-in-law Kenny Ga rdiner
became the band's vocalist. Inte rnationally famous they often returned to London to play at the
Port Stanley Stork Club on the shore of Lake Erie. In 1937, the yea r of the big London flood, they
returned to do a benifit show. They built a home for the ir parents in Conneticut a nd the whole
family moved nearby. When a photographer friend of my hus band asked Guy, while taking his
picture at Malton Airport. if he remembered Frank Smith, his a nswer was, "I certainly do."
Frank C. Smith Cash -and -Ca rry
My father, Bob worked after school in his father Frank's grocery store, and continued to do
so until Frank retired a bo ut 1950 . when he became a broker with Bongard's. Ve ry early in the
century, Frank had purchased the business from a Mr. Steel for whom he had worked. This was the
pre-mall and supermark.et era-- FranJ... Smith's establishment, when it closed, was the last large
Cas h-and-Ca rry store in London. However Frank's store and others surrounding as they did the
open space around the marke t bazarre in which customers parked their wagons and cars presaged
the ma lls that would soon become commonplace. Working in the store was no t easy. The clerks
constantly bustled around the shel\'es collecting everything the customer wanted. Many purchases.
like cheese and butter. would h<lve to be \vrapped in brown paper, sealed with brown tape or tied up
with string. Such commodities as peanut butter. raisins and dates came in big barrels and had to
be scooped into small wax-coated cartons (like todays milk cartons, only plain with no printing)
and the n weighed. While the store didn't sell meat, they did handle eggs, c heese and other dai ry
products. After the store closed at 6 pm . the stoc k. had to be replenished. Other purchases had to
be put into small p.lper bags and weighed on the scales. This was also the pre-plastic bag and
elaborate ·pJastic pacJ...aging era.
Bulk purchases such as s ugar and fl o ur came in big c loth 50- or I 00-po und hags. Rob once
described to m y husband, Bill how farmers. vvhen they drove into London for s upplies, never
managed to tie up any c lose r than the next block or the other side of the square. Or so it seemed to
Bob -- who had to carry the I 00-pound sac ks they purchased to their wagons .
Any customers with telephones could pho ne in orders which were deli vered. The store
pho ne number was 855. later Metcalf 855. There were rats, mi ce and cockroaches- normal back
then, but kept under control. It wouldn't be unusual to tak.e a can off the s helf only to find a mouse
caught in a trap behind it. Huge spiders, as big as tarantulas, occasionally a rrived hidden in
massive bunches of bananas. Whenever such a sh ipment turned up, Bob would send me to sit in the
car. Otherwise, the whole family worked until almost midnight getting th ings ready to open again
5
_j
~
tete wor\<ed f
FRANK C. SMITH
e
(:z. blocks nor+h) .
CASH &CARRY
:X:
0
~
Bobs
II>
bro.nch ~
.::l
Sture
shops
'ZQ
Zellers
sh
t;J.Q:a
i
DUNDAS STRFET
~
Jail
::s'
r"
6~
I7J
"'0-
c~
j
0
Jacob Srn1th Franks
~
fo.+her wo..s a tennant
~~lE
Wrolwo
e:>
rl
;:
8
~
Marl<et BaZAar
t-he eet rllj 18!} o s .
FC\rmers
ope11
['11
5tl).lls
t
~
North
Court
r\ouse
O'Mara.s
Butcher
M-orels
,;o.~'1~q
London Ontario
(J.)
-...J
~
0..
0
(:
-t-
Store
Dept.
BcizO.c
; ;
Da.mo11Her'os
; ;
: ;
· ·
\,QI'l~O"'
: :
•
.
,,.,,...,...,
<i•.h-o~lt
t>tt~nar- 20¢
~~
q~
t~
3O"":s
-
•-
:I:
V>
:s0
(b
0...
P.
SL
~p
~
~
5
g-
'~Bon.qards
where. Bob
wor\(et:.l It\ tl,e 50~ a.fter
Sa.lva.t1 n
.C..5
~~
~~
Fro.nk rehreo!.
~~
Arm~'~'~ Ca.naclct
'C./
r~
_
trough
I
~
5J
'Frcmk 5rnt+h ho..d a. wo.rehou.se..
o.long here. In IC!30the+loor
collapsed lr'lJUrl n9 Bob ancl Ru.ss
A)
('")
:I:
~
3.
~
0
0
z
~
-;
~
~
~~------------
\._
------
eN Stotlo n
and
L.ondot"l Port Sto.nle.L:\ t lecrnc
Ratlwa.lj
.!.~·--
l~L------
·- ·. Ho•
Sl
~
. ~
,.....,
?'
-t"
;, II'
YORK STREET
Coo.\ llJmbe:f
Q.
p~
"'\
I
r--1
j
:A>
If\
PJanue. cle tc.o.ted tu the start ct '~he
•
h orse
'----'wG\+er
"'~
_p
~
fohn LAw•
c;o.v"' P,v-l<s lV\eat
Resto.urqnt .
(J'l
?
111
:-t
re
(tea. ()ncl fntd CL>kt
racobSmoths
s hops Theatre
Ct9~r
(later Slmpso'
rn
\I'l
t
;:
W•I\ID.YY\S...-,thr
bulter
Bun.~er
---
-+
0
Smallman
and
l~m
::-nl'
i
So.ml,laiSVYn+hs
; ;
luncheon nool...,
Smo.ll~o~~res Mqr~et
'l
KING- STREET
Bank
:5
Obc:Adio.L r.
~
store.
Bank
k§ ftrst sm.
ttvrnn £.. E"n~S~nk)
o{- the
~n
56 104'-
~
3:r
I
0
t..on ~o'(l Free Press
where G-la.c! woY4<ecl a.s
a c1 lah'ci an.
C-ranciTheC\ter where
..
(Yo• · · tldr · 'llo · • - -forf.~ ~-nfor.J 11 oe.er"--~bud-L -,.. wa..".C...,....,z.trw
.
.
·----·- --- ----· .---- --·
-·--· . -
~
a t 8 am. Sundays and Wednesday afternoons they had 'o ff -- unless the re was inventory to be
ta ken.
In season , ta bles (ora nge crates supporting planks) lade n with fres h fruits and vegetables
we re d isplayed on the sidewa lk in fro n t o f th e store. Root vege ta bles a nd fruit were sold year round
ins ide the store while o pe n cra tes of o ranges and gra pefruit leaned against the coun ter. These were
the responsibility o f rra nl,.' s bro th e r , Russ.
A blocJ,. away Fra nk o pe ned a second store on the no rthwest corne r of Dundas a nd Talbot
Streets. T he horse a nd wagon we re used to tra nsport supplies between the two locatio ns. Glad
worked with Bo b a t this sto re we ighing groceries. She wo uld wo rl,. a ll weel,. a nd earn twelve d ollars.
Wh ile they closed the s to re a t six, again t hey ac tually worked almost till midnigh t.
Whe never the re was a heat wave, a photogra phe r fro m the local pa pe r, T he London Fr ee Press
located just around the corne r, would turn up for a sh ot o f Fra nk frying a n egg on the hot pavement
in fro n t o f his sto re. This became an annual ritual.
In la te r years the business ope rated two cars- Fo rds --sold to the m by a Mr. Brown o n
Talbot Street near Queens Ave nue (a block no rth of the second sto re). The cars were needed for
delivering groceries to c usto me rs who tele pho ned in their o rde rs. Durin g th e war, because of the
del ive ries, their cars we re a mo ng the very few in town still being drive n. Due to gas rationing,
most cars we re put up o n blocks 'fo r the d ura tio n ' o r became scrap me ta l in su pport of the war
effort.
Foods suc h as meat, butte r a nd su gar we re a lso ratio ned. Everyone received a n allocation of
ra tion cou pons. sta mps which they tu rned in with their money whe n purchasing ratio ned foods.
These h ad to be very carefully ta llied a nd stuc k o n la rge s heets wh ich were in tu rn passed on to
the who lesalers wh o s upplied the food in bulk. Th e sta mps collected had to matc h t h e q ua ntities
delivered . Keeping trac k o f these was a majo r jo b. l can re me mber the furnitu re in o u r livi ng room
regularly being covered wit h la rge sheets of glue-coated brovvn paper tha t had to be moistened so
stamps wo uld stick, as my pa re nts (Bob a nd Pete) a nd l waited for t he m to dry.
Beside the two stores, Fra nk rented a storage b uildi ng on King St reet, south of Marker
Sq ua re. On New Yea rs day in 1930. as new s tock was coming in, Bo b a nd Russel Smith, (Fran ks
brother) we re in side working. Sudde nly -- under the weigh t o f the m assed barrels a nd crates -the floor ga ve way be neath the m. Russ a nd Bo b fell some d ista nce a nd were both badly injured. So
much so that they we re o ff work fo r a n extended period a n d Bob developed serio us absesses on his
crushed leg. By this time he was ma rried to Eleano r a nd so was well cared fo r. l would not a rrive
for a coup le o f y ea rs. Mo re o n Bob a nd Pete la te r.
At about this time. Gladys had wa nted to ta l,.e a college course to become a dia t icia n.
However, because o f the Depressio n the fa mil y couldn't affo rd her tuition. T he re was however a
course s he could take a t the Technical School whe n she fini shed he r grad e 12 at South Collegiate.
Fi"Clnl-- C Sn1d·h Casl-1 and Carr~
~
Two LOndon men, C. F. Mackewan and W. L. Smith, •
who were among 35 Canadians named honorary 33rd
degree Masons at the meeting of the supreme COi.Jncil
of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite Masons ,
·meeting in Hamilton. It was the 82nd annual session •
of the council.
Gladys completed the course, becoming a dietician doing demonstrations for the London Free Press.
She loved the job, but had to quit to tal..e Bob's place after the accident.
THE WOODS FAMILY
Charlie Woods came to Canada and joined the Canadian Army during the First World War. In
England, after the war. he married Nellie and they returned by ship to Canada. They met Frank
Smith onboard ship during a trips to England. Charlie and Nellie stayed with Fran!.. and Ethel for
awhile and then ended up living a few doors away at 14 Bruce Street-- Frank and Ethel were at 22.
Charlie worked as a contractor and, during the depression, for London Life Insurance in London.
Ottawa and Windsor. Nellie and Gwen remained in London.
In 1929, Fran\.., Ethel. Gladys, Charlie, Nellie and Gwen Woods (age 6) all set off for a
holiday in England leaving Bob to mind the business on his own. He was 23 years old and. as I've
said. married to Eleanor Louise 'Pete' nee: Wheeler, the year before. They lived in their newlybuilt home, a two-bedroom bungalow at 416 McKenzie Ave.
The six who sailed to England stayed with Nellie's mother for awhile. Then, leaving Nellie
and Gwen in England, they went to Germany and France to see where Charlies had been stationed
during the First Wo r ld War. One day Gwen was playing on the bacl-. steps in a puddle. Her
grandmother came along and swept the puddle away. Because of this, Gwen refused to ever again
return
to
England - and never did.
Fran!.. made several trips to England in the '20s for the Salvation Army which sponsored
immigrants \vho wished to become farmers in Canada. On one such trip, his ship was caught in a
terrible storm. At home in London it was reported that a ship had been lost at sea- and Ethel
thought it was Franl..'s. This was the reason, it was always said. that her hair turned premature!)
white.
When Gwen was a about seven, she contracted scarlet fever. As was the practice then the house
was put under quarentine. and everything had to be washed down with l.ysol. A bed was set up in the
parlour so Gwen could see her friends through the front window of Bruce Street when they came to
visit. Frank stayed with Bob and Pete while Gladys went to Aunt Minnie's on Adelaide Street. At the
time Gladys was attending the nearby Technical School. One night Aunt Minnie caught a still-alive
mouse in a trap. Since there was no inside toilet, chamber pots were kept under the bed in case there
was a need in the night. Minnie put water in the pot and dropped the mouse in hoping to drown it.
Then she covered the pot and placed it outside on the doorstep where the mouse somehow escaped.
Early the next morning. the mill..man arrived -- before Minnie could remove the chamber pot or even
put out her empty mill.. bottles. Minnie was so embarassed, and tool.. a lot of teasing over the incident.
There was a song we sang about Aunt Minnie, usually while in the canoe at Port Stanley (in the
'30s ), which also embarassed her. She would get quite cross.
9
'l
ill)
Dr Stc.nfte\ds c:o++a.9e
l
J
scn:>ened •n pon:.h
w•fh w•ndows f.htl \
could be lowerl!.cl
- - - I L-J Glo.d&
Srn•ttfd
~
~ If~
dn vewa'j
l ~ 't2.
~
Rt --n~
WMh lnc:l
mo.c~•"e
~'ole
c
!ll
r~ (,
~ - _u dJ ~"""' j "\~! 1 (jb'f:f"!
r, o\ \~
o •o •l->-1~
l/
wc.~e..- O cJ li,....,..,.,~
J
j'
~f . ~--~
OY\
' p·
/
+-'ne s love t, woo cl
3 1
...__
(j)
'
::t
-
~
pole
l,o~ up j
L
io
r
~
- clolioes f,nes 3/-tu .,3-!<p
"'' ~~ .
arl5
cloor+o
undercoiiCJD.t>
clovblJ doo,... -~
6'rl__washcJa
-
·'9-\.._),
'">e ~
~
dou'ole
along
'~!?
(
•rtCl-fence
W€Sts tde
~
W/,ht
'\
.~tHdow~>to roo.d
.., ,_r
r
'-
7
~
, .·1'~ .~,r~~ ~
vJ
'
1
LJ,to
(
"- -\">
'
~
,
'\~.......,
(t
~~
(
pulleclouttvsleeptwo .
'I
•
--
-
-
----
L
.
/ 0c~}
(~II St U: lt5hi bulbi}
st~ht whe11 re+urntrl~k
t 'ne "'~~~ly w<>.lk .,I. own i-he board wc..\k
./.
\~
L
r
'\
'}Jt!/ C \.V
Hotel parktnj
I~
Et
~2Tt
+la9pofe ) (
f\ welcom'".9
V\
I
~o.sh ~:rtvl> 1-o
San
colour€d !tghts were
sTruflg arouVlcJ +heyo.rd
(
Ontario
~,
v
.
.-1
=:-.:::-_.:.-.fi~===ic:::::.()
i::::=·jf/"!~/'\ I
c c-he!.~ttt>~ -trees • j
to wo.sl.off
;
Port Stan le_tj
w illow,
o
--
GJuches on porc-h al(
ll~,~~~-:iliff-a-;::;Cottage 1930'5
\
.
C.Oit'e>j ~
h
I
\-T
-id-~:"'-:.:=./~ ~~_:-/
--~~
~l..~t~~~/
iap-w•~
d
ho~
.9ro-S
)
'l.
.
I --;
~
/
n osto. f;orcle<
';
'<.c;;:cieo\~/
'
c.> c.he9lnu+ +nes
.
'
~-
\
p
~
rl
\ .
':)
4""sluma,e
Wlcl.e't-
C.(). noe
f
-
!U..SS
~
Q) ~i
slo
~
"-
J'
•
~
Q ~o
0
"?'
~
(j)
Vl
-
I
r
'P()rKt¥)0.
J
('
'-.,
tP
( t... le1
,_p--,. ,.,____
~~
Stnk
'-
"The
'\..c,,
I r,s
s w",j
-;:->
.I
e.
/V"r c)
C.I
-"'~~
fl
s put up eac.h
a3 w:nd +o.ken
\,_ _'--")'~fi: ~ "'' son
down
_(
~
d
l>
~
5Q(I
~
:r
.-.r -..,
"
I
p
;;
ul
~
wrllow
\
'
" .fenR
gcte -In bearJ1
Wtll ow
]f
Aunt Minnie's
Song
(to the tune of In the Shade of the Old Apple Tree)
Neath che crust of Aunt Minnie's old pie,
There is something for you and for f.
It may be a hair that Aunr fvfinnie lefr there.
Or it may be an o ld rusty nail.
There were more verses which Gladys couldn't recall.
PORT STANLEY
Laff-a-Lott cottage was purc hased by Frank from the previously mentiond Mr. Steel who's son
suffered from TB. !lis doctor suggested getting him away from the coal and wood smoke o f London. The
cottage, with a door from his bedroom directly onto the porch was ideal. Frank had previously
worked for Mr. Steel and bought his business when he retired in the early 1900s. The son died in the
late '20s. Frank bought the cottage. Gwen recalls so many friends sleeping on the pullout couches on
the veranda, that it was solid beds from end to end.
There was always a big pot of water on the stove to heat the cold tap water. On wash days there
was water on both the e lectric a nd \\'OOd stoves. The washing machine outside the bacJ... door washed a
lot of sheets and towels. From the vvashing mdchine the laundry was put through the wringer that
squeezed out the
soap~
vvater and it dropped into the laundry tub where it was rinsed in mo re hot
water, then wrung out <lgdin in the wringer to the laundry basJ...et. Clothes lines were strung from
tree to tree. Between. there were long w·ooden poles with notches in the top to prop up the line and
keep the laundry off the ground.
When I was born, july 29, 1932. I was t.tl-..e n directly to Port Stanley on leaving Victoria
Hospital. I slept well during the da). hut cried ,111 night. Ethel. my Grandmother, would put me in the
car and drive around for hours to get me to sleep. The cottages were close together and I'd keep the
neighbo urs awake.
I remember driving to Port Stanley from Lo ndon with grandfatherFranJ... in his big Mercury.
He drove so slow, it was like being in a funeral procession -- he wanted to enjoy the scenery. he said.
By contrast, my Grandmother, drove lik.e the proveriable bat out of hell. Ethel was tiny and you could
hardly see her in the drivers seat o f her big red ;-..ash purchased through Smitty Spence, who sold
cars before insurance. We labled it the Fire Truck because of her driving style.
Each night everyone went for a s troll along the boardwalk by the fast food stores before
turning in. Harper's specialized in Verner's gingerale and roo t beer, while Mackie's was 1-..nown for
their o range drink (Honey dew melon I think). ho t dogs and french fries. Wimpy's sold hamburgers
and had a large cartoon c utout of the Wimpy character from the then popular Popeye comic strip
I\
u
cooks
grape arbouf'
car poM
~""":1
71-~~~~~·::3-... II
J[_
IIJ~t
t. '
! JJ
Sun
room
SUN ROOt'\
bedroon,
,,~J
\. '
steps up to
closet
sho:..~e r
rl.lc:A<c> un
~
~
-
diYH"\er
gon9
bedroom
G~~
\..itndow,
~elll
!
IV
'·\
...._ _ _? balconlj
~~'
I
~~ o~;~o~ ll~
deet;
"'""
plo.nh
111[11/4'~.~ Fran\<&
Ethe\
/i Ioo'::~m~\.
wtndow
seal over
radtalo r
bedroorn
?or+r-rut-o~
Boo Ho
@
bedroo i'Tl
'l
'
0
(! :~0'1
-
-
ba\ccm~
·-
0
~ ""\
v
l l,
1
~
_
--~
I
bl
ool
I_ _
phn~ef"'
I
~~--
A5 REMEMBERED BY
//
_,../'/
;/~
----
----
I
~-
•
_
-
/
o,al"
_1-
sr~?S
_ J
-
......=...
~~
.
sa'1~ c,.t£1'1 wooo'
STcN£
~ ALL ~NO
IR ON rENCE
'"'-'"""
I '1! Ji7'1
~
'
~!
I
'
• .:..._
j
~
•.
'
." <
-- -'iS
propped up o ut front. When you touched his mustache, yo u got a little shod.. There was the big dance
hall (later the Stork Club), and an open air dance ha ll, sometimes u sed for roller skating. a bowling
alley. penny game machines, ferris wheel, merry-go-round and booths with games like those at
country fai rs today. I wo n severa l little plaster nick-nacks. One booth run b) Frank's brother
Charlie, had some monkeys. I beleive they raced and you wagered o n the outcome. Fran\... did not
approve.
My Grandfather liked to cla im there was a pot of money hurried in the sand in front of the
cottage. My friends and I spe nt h o urs digging up the area, encouraged by findin g pennies he or my
dad tossed in the hole when we weren't looking. We spent our pennies on the boardwa lk. The big
wi llow trees around the cottage we re ve ry climbable. You could spend hours up there spying on
people going by.
Fra nk invested his money in ho uses and property, selling them off when money was needed.
He purchased a number of properties near Black Friers Bridge in west London and several cottages
at Port Stanley. The cottages were rented o ut by the week, and the who le family would go a nd clean
them between tenna nts. They were equipped with pots pans, dishes a nd some bedding, which would
sometimes disappear when a tennants left. One cottage was called Dearcotl -- I can't recall the
names of the others.
37 RIDOUT STREET SOUTH
Fran\... and Ethel bought 37 Ridout Street South in 1928 when Gladys was 16- p la nning to
make it into rental apartments. Charlie and Alex Mann, Fra nk' s good friend. wo uld do the
renovations. However, Glad a nd Ethel wanted to live there. Charlie and Nellie moved in with them
ro help pay the bills. Charlie, who was very good with his h ands. built a n amazing train set in the
artie, and did a great deal of repair work. But by the late '30s he was working our of tovm and was
seldom around. Nellie continued to live in the house until it was sold after Frank's death in 1969
--one year after the d eath of his son Bob.
Before they moved into Rido ut St.. Glad took her friends to see the house after Sunday School
on a rather dark and gloomy day. In the unlit dinning room th ere was a window seat with a hinged
top . When they lifted this lid, a cloud o f white plaster dust fle w up. A ghost!! The gi rls ran
screa ming out of the house.
Their new home was a very large residence (see rough floor plan) built early in the century.
Glenwood was enscribed o n the heavy iron gate on Ridout Street. T he attic with its big wi ndows
overlooking Thames Park a nd the river, was made into a huge play room with a large doll house
belongi ng to Gwen and the wonde rful train layout built by Uncle Charlie (Woods) that included
mo untains tunnels. roads, little cars, people and buildings - no ne of which could be touched. Off
the play room was a bedroom for a ma id. a library and a cedar-lined (beautiful-smelling) room for
13
storing out-of-season clothes. Once they had moved in, Glad and Gwen made a point of eating a meal
in every room of the huge house-- including the big bathroom. Gwen remembers Frank occasionally
making toffee on a big flat stone in the backyard.
Sunday dinner (at noon) after church was a family affair with roast beef, mashed potatoes. and
other vegetables. (canned if not in season) plus celery and carrot sticks (that Frank prepared),
pickles, olives, and dessert of a choice of pie made by Aunt Minnie or Freeda (maid and family
friend). After dinner it was off to Sunday School or 'Meeting' at the Salvation Army, then bacl- for a
supper of cold roast beef. salads and leftovers. In the evening Ethel and Nellie (and sometimes the
rest of the family) would be back to the Salvation Army and another Meeting.
I remember sitting next to my Grandfather Frank at one of these Meetings which took place in
a very poor downtown location (where a downtown indoor Plaza parking lot is now located). When the
collection plate was passed. he said, "Now watch that old chap when the plate comes by him." The
man's hand went into the plate empty-- and came out with some coins. After that I was always
happy to go to Meeting just to watch and see if others did the same.
For Ethel and Frank's fiftieth Anniversary in 1953, Bob and Gladys bought their parents a
television --which they didn't want, not approving of movies or plays. However, even though there
were then only three or four hours of programming each day, the television went on while there was
still only a test pattern -so they wouldn't miss a minute. Dinner was eaten in the livingroom each
night, and there were always friends and family visiting in order to see a little of this new
entertainment. When 37 Ridout was sold after Frank's death, it was the largest privately owned
residence in London. It is now (to quote from the London Free Press's 'Our Architectural Heritage
series) used as "a social rehabilitation centre" by the Western Ontario Thereupeutic Community
HosteL
Christmas at Ridout Street
Christmas at Ridout street was invariably celebrated with a gigantic turkey cooked in a layer
of gauze covered with a batter. Frank's side of the family would come: brother Russel, his wife
Flossie and children Ruth and Ronny (who was handicapped). Another brother, john, an alcoholic
was never mentioned. Also absent was Charlie Smith who had a large family of his own. Often present
was cousin Fred Landon (later president of Western University) and his wife Margaret, friends
Myrtle Foster (who was my school teacher at Miss Matthews School) and her sister Shirley Foster. As
well there were Aunts Laura, Sara and Lena who may not have been relatives but simply friends. And
of course the Woods were present at Christmas and at New Years when Ethel's family , the
Rosenbergers (her half brother Lloyd and wife plus sons Bob and Bill) came. A few of the Christmas
crowd would also show up. Over the years the group mix changed as grand children came along. (I was
the first). Glad married Smitty (Smith) Spence on August 3, 1942 and along came Ted, Paul and Pam.
14-
r?
31
RidoutStree.t
---1
IC!Sq N. !:. a>m-
-"(?r 0~ \1 VIYl~J"DOfYl ·
J'l\argare.+ A nn1 Nelhe
Fro.,..,k1 PCllil, !3ob1
G-\c:W..f-' Mel PG\ m .
l"1_ 'j 1~0 •VI 1'-
Shlrle<j Fostel~' Pete'Sm tth 1 Glad~.7 Spence1 o.nd
M~:r+le Foster dom3 dtshes 1n the ktkhe.Y1.
~
\q 51
Bob
c~.nd.
DoMy'
·Pete'& BobS~,th, Nellie Wood.s, EthelSrnrtkTedSpe.rc~~;=.-:--:q,
Iooktrtg fuwards rivr"ngroon, ' fireplace beJ.w.,d Bob 0 Pete .
.. ~
..
ro.
-
c:ww
~
~
Wneeier
f-
tq l+l.
5pe "c;.e
wectdll~
{1~j
1\t.:\
c
x,,
f"t'\':j
Q,,~
~-''
n
Bob5md·~ o.vld.Gwei'L
Woods on the beach
b~ the ch:~V'I~e hot.l.Se
---1
B1\t Wheeler and Ted5peY1ce tn 1'
.front of Laff- a -lm Cotto_g e.
The St-ork 0 ub where
Gu~ Lombardo oltc.~" p\a~_:i
The Ho~e( Or1an ,., back9rouncl-1,
?ats11 Sm 1th o.ge 2- wi~
the tJoclors cottase nextdoor ln bQ.c..k~round.
I
--7>
Fro.nk fue beach covnber
retun'lln_9 11-om the loea.ch.
' \he Breo.ke.l"S'Cotta.ge in
bo.c~(n~l-lt) wo.s used by
i~e Smd-hs before +tney
purc.lrl Cl.5 ed 't..o.1f- a. -l...off'
Port Sron le~, Ontario
Pete Nellie Gla.d
Gwle:~ Pa.n1 o.nd
rruV'Ik
+t•
~}
Gwen married Stanley (Mi ke ) Miners and had Bobby and Margaret Ann. The dinning room table was
stretched into the living room a nd sometimes there was a separate table for the children. I remember
the dinner once being in the basement where there was a larger area with a ping-pong table on which
to eat. There was even a kitchen and a bathroom down there at the foot of the stairs. Beyond the pingpong room was a cosily furnished hideaway with a Victrola a nd records (78s) for Gwen and Gladys
and their friends. Off that was a storage room with a very large turtle shell hanging on the door.
Bob and Pete
Eleanor Louise (Pete) Wheeler (no relation to my husband's family who are also Wheelers)
married Bob Sm ith on July 1, 1928. They had gone through high school together. Pete lived on
Beaconsfield Ave, which had houses on the south side on ly - across the street was a two-story-high
embankment, the right-of-way for Cl\i trains. It ra n east off Wh arncliffe Rd just north of Springbank
Drive as it was then.
Bob and Pete's wedding took place in the Wheeler's Beaconsfield Ave home. Gwen remembers
being the flower girl and scattering petals from her basket as she went down the aisle while the guests
all held long daisy c hains. (:vtany years later the house was demolished in an explosion, possibly
caused by narural gas) . Shortly afte r Eleanor a nd Bob were married, her parents and three brothers.
Arthur, Harold and Hersey moved to Long Beach California. Bob a nd Eleanor built a small two-bedroom
bungalovv at 4 I 6 McKenzie Avenue. Eleanor was always called "Pete"- after the part she played in a
school performance of Peter Pan. She dressed in the latest fashions which she designed and made
herself, sometimes with dress hemlines above the knee-- and then-unheard-of trousers. This did not
go down well with a very conservative mother-in-law who generally wore black, navy or a Salvation
Army uniform. As well. Eleanor wa:, a little too practical for her time. Once when Ethel asked her to
come over with baby Patricia Anne ( myseiO on a very hot afternoon, she dressed me in a diaper only.
Ethel went into shod.! She had wanted to show off her first grand child to friends-- but not almost
naked. However I'm su re I was cool and happy. This story was repeated over and over again by the
Smiths -- to mom's chagrin (seemingly) .
In 1936. my mo ther a nd I travelled hy train to Long Beach, California, to visit her parents and
brothers whom she had n't seen since they had moved to the States shortly after her wedding. I recall
very little of the trip apart from riding on the train -- I was on ly three years o ld. We were there for
three months and I h ad my fourth birthday in Long Beach. Happily. we have some good pictures of the
trip. We would go to Long Beach again just before I turned th irteen, late in the War. That trip I do
remember.
Eleanor was very handy at crafts and knitted beautiful sweaters with complicated designs for
everyone in the family. She could knit while reading a book or watching television. She also did
wonderfu lly elaborate needlepoint -- sometimes to her own designs-- and embroidery.
15
Once her daughter was off to school, Eleanor worked in Frank's grocery store. Later she became
Peggy Glass's assistant in the office at London's well known Grand Theatre. She made many costumes
as well for some very famous players in various productions including The Four Poster with London's
Hume Crony n and wife jessica Tandy-- on it's way to Broadway and later to be filmed. She also
hosted a cocktail party for them. (The Smiths were never told as alcohol was served -- they would
disapprove.) In return, the famous pair presented her and Bob with an engraved si lve r tankard which
is now a proud possesion of my son Chris. She designed and made an elaborately pod.eted new cape for
the internationally famous 8/ac/..:srone rhe Magician . The London Little Theatre group also recognized
he r acting talents. She once played the part of an Indian in a movie made with the cooperation of the
London Little Theatre.
My Grandmother Wheele r returned to London about 1961 to visit Bob and Pete who brought her
tO
Toronto
to
visit us at our former home on Belsize Avenue. She was a very spry and witty lady who got
along well with Bill. She enjoyed an argument (driving daughter Pete nuts) and is reputed to have
debated a canvassing jehovas Witness to a standstill - she was Christian Science.
Bob was active in the Rotary, the Masons and the Shriners earning a Thirty-third Degree in the
Masons --a s ingular honour in that he was o ne of only thirty-five recipients in a ll of Canada. As a
Shriner, he managed and played in their renowned Oriental band. During a Shriner's parade in London,
my husband, Bill and our young sons Don and Doug were standing on the kerb eagerly watching. But
Bill could not pick Bob out of the dark-skinned, bearded and exotically costumed band -- until he
winked. A room in London's famed Moccha Temple has been named a fte r him.
When Bob died in 1968, it was as if Eleanor's life had e nded. With no pension and only the
money from Bob's life insurance policy, she had to sell the house they had lived in a ll their married
life. But this paid for a very nice room at Central Park Lodge on Horton Steet at Wellington. When her
father-in-Jaw, Frank died a year after his son Bob, he le ft he r enough to visit her Mother a nd three
brothe rs in California - where she died peacefully and unexpectedly less tha n two years after Bob.
Had s he survived to return to Canada, she would have taken up residence in Unionvilla (Unionville) to
be near her daughter ( me ) and he r grandchildren.
Pat Wheel er
Markham, Ontario
February 24, 2001
\b
H
Pete 1n ct london L,tt/e Theo.+re mou1e prod.u.dron
N\om
lpperwash 1'
p t"c n \c.. • Fra n k
Edtth ManY)
Ethel &Ma~'"CiCArd AnY!
~wen, Fronk
Pa.ts~ &
?
froV)I<&Ted
lqt.f-5 - 7
lr
Po.tsy '"Glads becl-1'
Dou3 4-, Don 5, wit\eeler
and Pam Spence 6 1 h
fr-ont of lf./6 {'J1C!"\enz.re
Gla.d and 5mrtt'j
on Ea.sterSunday.
~room
on R1dout St.
plus Hale SmY!fie.!cl
who died on +he lake
lfl '4-'ir ctfter his sail·
1-.~at- v - ~- ~auq'-..L
:_, -·
.:
~
:.. ar)
~-
h-··~··".:.:. c-.-~. 1' r-ro.nk 0.5 he c.lwa.'iS
·
1
Gwen 0 Ma nor'l M<t..ean
~ l+l" M<Ke.nue Av~e 1 'zg
Bo'b and Pe.res home
Note grope ar'oour{eur port)
and Sun room w1 n olow'lo
-f1 aJ'Icl. RoGLoul .5! be.yond -rl,e
r o.VIl'll!
1 d re.ss eel. 0 n ba.cl<
~teps of 37 Rtdou.+
<f:GioJ~s o,r;ci_Bob o Yl
+he. roo+c:.ha.tr ,n
frov-rl of 22 Bruce St .
"'~
/
•
so,,
I
j";)av~«3 ~
'
v,CJ ~ ' T"'PII ~ 0}\.;1.1 r
f'o+s.! - - - - - - - - - .
Cr\ad o•1 +he ::?5. Melli to
on wCA~ Ic.. Engta.nd t.7
Fmnce. l<?2.Cf --7
Bob w~H, c.o.r" used for
cJeJ,ve.nes, on ba.ckyarcl
South Colle.;!10.te 1n bac~
/.-