Keith Road – Walter Draycott’s Great War Chronicle

Friday 14 August 1914 – very hot

August 14, 2014 by Sarah McLennan

Working on Schools Keith Road. Hugh Neill calls in evening & has chat – feels lonely

The heat is very intense.

German Cruiser Leipzig is outside Cape Flattery. HMS Rainbow is in Esquimalt, also Shearwater & Algerine.

*HMS Rainbow –An Apollo-class cruiser originally built for Great Britain’s Royal Navy but was transferred to the Royal Canadian Navy in 1910. The Rainbow was brought into Vancouver to assist with the Komagata Maru incident; it also patrolled the west cost of North America during WWI.

Wednesday 29 July 1914 – fine & hot

July 29, 2014 by Sarah McLennan

Working on Keith Road School. To garden party in evening given by the Rev. N.J Thompson.
Home at 10:50 pm

Thursday 23 July 1914 – very hot

July 23, 2014 by Sarah McLennan

Working on Keith Rd School but feeling ill. Scots win the King’s Prize of the Royal at Bisley. Australians win the MacKinnon Cup.

*The Bisley meeting is a rifle shooting competition held by the National Rifle Association of the UK. Originally the competition took place in Wimbledon but was moved to Bisley in 1890. There were both individual and team shooting events during the Bisley meeting. A variety of shooting competitions still take place at Bisley today. Draycott was himself a skilled competitive marksman, and followed the sport with interest.

Wednesday 22 July 1914 – very hot

July 22, 2014 by Sarah McLennan

Working on Keith Road.

Fixing creek. Making Plank Bottom. Mr. & Mrs. Hugh Neill take a walk in my garden. To Shiells in evening. Buying odds & ends. He leaves to Calgary Monday.

Tuesday 21 July 1914 – very hot

July 21, 2014 by Sarah McLennan

Working on Keith Road. Charles is still out of work. In evening I do a little finishing off the Verandah of my first house. I have over a hundred cabbages planted and all doing well. Had new potatoes for over a fortnight. Flowers blooming for a month.

Monday 20 July 1914 – fine & later cloudy & rain

July 20, 2014 by Sarah McLennan

At work on school grounds Keith Road. Gale is still blowing out in the Gulf. Receive a letter from Mrs. Graham.

I buy furniture from Mrs. Neill for $25.00.

Saturday 18 July 1914 – very hot

July 18, 2014 by Sarah McLennan

Worked half a day at Keith Rd Schools. Left home at 3:30 pm for Vancouver. Charles opens savings account at Post Office with $35.00. I have $70.00 in Post Office Bank.
I buy a grey suit at Fashion Craft Store in Granville St for $18.00. Had supper at Leonard’s. Saw Miss Minnie Quirt at Penders café. Home at 11 pm.

8 Launches are wrecked in gale at English Bay

Friday 17 July 1914 – fine, hot

July 17, 2014 by Sarah McLennan

To work on Keith Rd School doing Blacksmithing. Higgins & Fisher men are paid. Australia wins MacKinnon Cup [at Bisley].

Scores 900 – 1,000
Austria: 786 – 745 = 1531
England: 791 – 740 = 1531

Charles goes to town. I to Shiel’s & get Lumber at 7 pm

500 Hindus make strong resistance against deportation. They are at present on Board Kamatura [sic] Maru.

* Komagata Maru –Japanese steamship filled with 376 passengers from the Punjab region of India. 352 were denied access to Canada due to exclusionary immigration laws designed to restrict the immigration people of Asian descent. The Komagata Maru was detained with most of its passengers on board when it arrived in Vancouver on May 23^rd 1914, and left with the majority of them still aboard on July 23^rd.

Monday 13 July 1914 – Clouds

July 13, 2014 by Sarah McLennan

At work on Keith Rd School. Cloudy day.
Charles & myself eat mushrooms & were very ill afterwards.

Saturday 11 July1914 – cloud & sunny

July 11, 2014 by Sarah McLennan

At work on Keith Road School till 12 noon. Wrote letter to cousin Bessie Graham, Ireland. Orangemen celebrate at Victoria. To Burnaby in afternoon, left at 3:30 pm. Arrived (after visiting Quirt’s and Theobald’s in Vancouver) at 9:30 pm. Stayed all night, Arthur Junior not at home.

*Orangemen–A protestant fraternal group that organizes community and political activities. “Orangemen’s day” aka “The Twelfth,” is holiday commemorating the Glorious Revolution (1688) and is celebrated on July 12th each year in Canada by the Orangemen. On the eve of the Orangeman’s day large bonfires are often lit to celebrate.

Friday 14 August 1914 – very hot

Wednesday 29 July 1914 – fine & hot

Thursday 23 July 1914 – very hot

Wednesday 22 July 1914 – very hot

Tuesday 21 July 1914 – very hot

Monday 20 July 1914 – fine & later cloudy & rain

Saturday 18 July 1914 – very hot

Friday 17 July 1914 – fine, hot

Monday 13 July 1914 – Clouds

Saturday 11 July1914 – cloud & sunny

Funders

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