Harry Spafford (b. 22 Oct 1888, d. 10 May 1978) was born in Holmfield, Manitoba. He married Isabella Hawking of Ninga in 1914 and the couple moved to Brandon in 1915 where they continued to reside until 1973. Harry worked as a locomotive fireman and then as an engineer with the Canadian Northern Railway (CN). While with CN, he was an active member of the Brotherhood of Local Engineers and Firemen No. 788 of Brandon. He served as an alderman in Brandon from 1928 to 1945. In 1932, Harry ran in the Manitoba by-election for Brandon as an Independent Labour candidate and lost to the Conservative member George Dinsdale. In 1952, Harry ran as a Co-Operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF) member in the provincial election and lost to Conservative party representative Reg Lissaman. Harry Spafford passed away in Burnaby, BC, and is interred in the Ocean View Cemetery. (Source: see obituary in McG 4.1 File 66)
Alva/Alvery/"Alvie" Reddell/Riddell/Ridall Spafford (b. 15 Mar 1891, d. 23 Aug 1985) was born in Enterprise, Manitoba, in the R.M. of Turtle Mountain. In 1911, he married Francis Ethel Harrison (d. 1979) in Killarney and had three children. Alvie farmed in Bannerman from 1902 to 1936, after which he moved to Boissevain to work as a Rawleigh salesman. In 1942, the family moved to Brandon where Alvie worked as a conductor with the CNR until his retirement. Alva Spafford passed away at the age of 94 at the Brandon General Hospital. His funeral was held in Killarney, Manitoba. (Source: Obituary, Brandon Sun, 23 Aug 1985)
Scope and Content
Photograph shows [left to right] Carl Spafford, Alva Spafford, and Harry Spafford posing together in a banquet room.
Notes
Writing on the back of the photograph reads: Harry Spafford on right, Alva Spafford center, Carl nephew of Harry on left. Harry retired in 1962 as an Engineer. Alva retired in 1965 as a Conductor. Carl retired in 1977 as a Conductor. [Note: conflicting dates are provided on photographs for Alva's retirement, i.e., 1956 vs. 1965]
Alva Redell "Alvie" Spafford was born on March 15, 1891 at Enterprise, MB. He attended school at Victoria Lake and Henderson schools. Alvie left Enterprise in 1902, and moved to Bannerman, MB, where he farmed until 1936. He later moved to Boissevain, where he worked as a Rawleigh salesman, and then in 1942, he moved to Brandon and was employed as a conductor for the Canadian National Railway (CNR) until his retirement. Alvie married Frances Ethel Harrison (1895-1979) and they had three children: Carl, Edna and Raymond. Alvie Spafford died on August 25, 1985 in Brandon, MB. He is buried at Killarney and District Cemetery.
Custodial History
As part of the Westman Oral History Collection, this collection was accessioned by the McKee Archives in 1998. The original tapes from the Westman Oral History project were deposited in the Brandon Public Library. Copies of these originals were made by Margaret Pollex of the Brandon University Language Lab at the request of Eileen McFadden, University Archivist in the early 1990s. These copies compose the collection held in the McKee Archives.
Scope and Content
Item is an audiocassette tape containing an interview with Alvie Spafford about his life, and early days in Manitoba. The interviewer is Effie McPhail.
Notes
History/bio information from the records and Spafford's obituary. Description by Christy Henry.
Language Note
English
Conservation
Preservation copy made 2021 (R. Hess)
Related Material
Fred McGuinness collection (1-2015)
Audio Tracks
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Photograph shows a banquet room in the Prince Edward Hotel. Rectangular tables are organized in an U-shape layout. The tables are covered in white linen table cloths and have place settings.
Photograph was taken by Christy Henry in the spring of 2001 at Dr. A.E. (Edward) Milton's retirement tea for the Department of Religion at Brandon University. The tea was held in the Elephant Room of the Knowles-Douglas building and organized by the Religion Club.
Custodial History
See series level of the Christy Henry fonds for Custodial History.
Scope and Content
Photograph shows Ed Milton, Peter Hordern (Professor, Department of Religion) and Robert (Bob) Brockway (Professor Emeritus, Department of Religion) at Milton's retirement tea.
