Stella Madge McPhee Grant (nee Freeborn) was born on March 27, 1897 on the family farm near Wellwood, MB. Stella married William P. McPhee (1893-?) on January 17, 1920 in Carberry, MB. The couple lived at Minto when William returned from the First World War, then moved to Wellwood. Together they had three children: Ross, Myrtle and Kathleen. Stella married Allan James (AJ) Grant (?-1960) on May 24, 1952 in Wellwood, MB. In 1960, Stella moved to Winnipeg be closer to family. Stella Freeborn Grant died on December 8, 1994 in Winnipeg, MB. She is buried at Carberry Plains 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 Stella Freeborn Grant about early pioneer life, life as a homemaker and the Village of Wellwood, MB. Interviewer is Isla Kennedy.
Notes
History/bio information from the records, the Wellwood local history "Wellwood, then and now" and Grant's obituary. Description by Christy Henry.
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Very poor. Item has been broken in half on a diagonal from top to botton. Upper right corner is missing. Various tape stains and some tape residue on the bottom left.
History / Biographical
Lottie Louisa Currie was born on September 9, 1876 in St. Mary's, Perth, ON, to William and Eleanor Currie. She came to the Brandon area with her family in the 1880s. Currie worked as a bookkeeper and stenographer for Smith & Burton, from at least 1906 until the business ceased operations in 1917.
Currie continued working in bookkeeping and accounts, first for Brandon Gas & Power Co., then for the Manitoba Power Commission. She appears to have retired around 1942. She is not listed as living in Brandon between 1943-1945, but was once again a resident by 1947. Currie was a member of the First Presbyterian Church, a charter member of the Brandon Business and Professional Women's Club and in 1916, she passed her examinations for the St. John's Ambulance Association.
Lottie Louisa Currie died on November 25, 1972 in Brandon, MB.
Smith & Burton, a grocery store that also had mail order and china departments, was founded by E.B. Smith and John Burton in the 1886. It was housed at a few locations in downtown Brandon; their location at 829 Rosser Avenue is the one that mostly likely appears in the photograph.
Scope and Content
Item is a portrait of office employees at Smith & Burton, grocers. Lottie Currie, daughter of William Currie, is shown standing on the left.
Guy Masson "Bay" Smith was born on June 7, 1899 in Glenboro, MB. He graduated from Glenboro High School and then relieved his father in the post office while the latter served on a Military Tribunal. Bay enlisted with the Royal Air Force in 1918. For a short time he was the manager of a cream buying station in Glenboro before moving to Corning, SK in 1924, where he was an agent for Imperial Oil. In 1929, Bay returned to Glenboro to take over the Post Office duties from his mother, Elizabeth Alice Smith. Smith was appointed postmaster in 1950, and continued in that position until he retired in 1965. Under his leadership, a new post office was built in 1954; upon his retirement he sold the Smith Block and Post Office building. Smith married Mayme McKnight (1899-1977) in December 1923 and together they raised two children: Tannys and Robert.
Bay was active in community life. He was a charter member of the local Kiwanis Club and a member of the Masonic Lodge. He served long tenures on the Rink Committee, the Glenboro branch of the Red Cross and the Glenboro Board of Trade. He was a past president of the Junior and Senior Bands, was Secretary of the South Cypress Centennial Committee, and treasurer of the annual Fun Fair. He was a founding member of and helped design the local course at the Glenboro Golf Club. Bay Smith died on September 16, 1997 in Glenboro, MB.
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 Bay Smith about his family history, his life and career and his community involvement in the town of Glenboro. The interviewer is Irene Brown.
Notes
History/bio information from the records, the Glenboro local history "Beneath the long grass" and Smith's obituary. Description by Christy Henry.
Language Note
English
Conservation
Preservation copy made 2021 (R. Hess)
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Hazel B. Smith was born on May 14, 1906 in Toronto, ON and moved to a farm south of Carberry with her family when she was 2 years old. The family then moved to Arizona, MB, then back to Carberry while she was quite young. Hazel attended country school and then school in Carberry. She took nurses training at Winnipeg General Hospital but was unable to finish her second year due to health problems. Although unable to complete her training, Hazel helped with maternity cases and did some home nursing after returning to Carberry in the 1930s. In the years after the Second World War she worked in a doctor's office. She also worked at the Children's Hospital (BC?), a logger's hospital at Alert Bay, spent two years at Fox Memorial Hospital, then moved to Sioux Lookout. Upon returning to Manitoba she worked with the Inuit and then spent nine years at Grace Hospital after she and her mother settled in Selkirk, MB. Arthritis forced her to change occupations and in 1967 Hazel was hired as custodian for the then new Carberry Library. She retired in 1969, and was replaced by Audrey Harburn. Hazel never married. Hazel Smith died on May 3, 1996 in Winnipeg, MB. She is buried at the family plot in Carberry, MB.
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 Hazel Smith about her life as a nurse and library clerk. Interviewer is Audrey Harburn.
Notes
History/bio information from the records and Smith's obituary. Description by Christy Henry.
Language Note
English
Audio Tracks
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Margaret Winnifred Smith (nee Scarrow) was born November 7, 1902 in Rathwell, MB. She took her schooling at Rathwell and became a telephone operator. She then went to Vancouver and then back to Winnipeg where she received comptometer instruction at Success Business College. Following her studies, she worked at Speirs-Parnell (which became Westons). Whilie in Winnipeg she joined the United Church Central Congregational Choir and the CNR Choral Society. She met Henry Bernard "Harry" Smith (?-1974) at Speirs-Parnell and they were married in 1928. They had no children.
When Harry joined the RCAF in 1939, Margaret went with him to Vancouver and then Saskatoon. They were living in Ladner, BC at the end of the Second World War. While in Saskatoon Margaret was president of the Airmen's Wive Group, and a member of Knox United Church choir. In ladner she was choir leader in the United Church. In 1945, the couple moved to Neepawa, where Harry started a business with Fred Anderson called Smith and Anderson Radio Electric. In Neepawa, Margaret joined the United Church choir, was president of the Missionary Society and the Business & Professional Women's Club, and a member of UCW. Margaret Smith died on January 26, 1999 in Neepawa, MB. She is buried at Riverside 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 Margaret Smith about her life story and that of her husband, Harry. Interviewer is Winnie Cheetham.
Notes
History/bio information from the records, the Neepawa local history "Heritage," and Smith's obituary. Description by Christy Henry.
Audio Tracks
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Vella May Smith (nee McLean) was born on November 25, 1900 in Golden Stream, MB. She attended Golden Stream School. She was briefly employed as a stenographer for the Bank of Montreal before marring Guildord James Smith (1887-1961) in Gladstone in 1922. The couple lived in Gladstone until 1924, when they moved to the Lidstone district. On the farm, they raised four children: James Alexander, Nina, Sheila and Irene. In 1957, Vella took a position as a cook in Flin Flon, then in 1959 she began working as a cook for the CNR. She remained in that position until 1961. Vella retired in 1965. Vella enjoyed music, particularly playing the piano, gardening, sewing, and was a skilled horsewoman. In her early years, she acted as a community nurse. She was a member of the Lidstone Women's Institute and the Merry Mixers senior's group. Vella Smith died on December 31, 1991 in Swan River, MB. She is buried at Birchwood 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 Vella Smith about growing up in the Village of Golden Stream. Interviewer is Betty Gibson.
Notes
History/bio information from the records and Smith's obituary. Description by Christy Henry.
Audio Tracks
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Robert Alexander Smith was born on March 25, 1901 at Madford-Ingelow, MB. He attended Matheson school and farmed in the Ingelow district. The family farm, 2-12-17, was sold in 1951, and Robert moved to Winnipeg where he was employed with the International Harvester Company and Triange Auto Supply. Robert met Martha Buchanon Thorburn (1917-2010) when they were both Scout leaders and actively involved with Chalmers United Church in Winnipeg. The couple married in 1955, and together they had one son, Alexander. Robert and Martha retired in 1971, and moved to Douglas, MB. Robert Smith died on November 30, 1983 in Brandon, MB. He is buried at Carberry Plains 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 Robert Smith about the early days at 2-12-17. Interviewer is Blair Loree.
Notes
History/bio information from the records, the Douglas local history "Echoes of A Century," and the obituaries for Robert and Martha Smith. Description by Christy Henry.
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