1950s - The Myth of Suburbia

My experience of growing up in the 1950s in a suburb of Vancouver, Canada strayed from the typical family life that magazines and ads wanted people to believe. My parents were divorced when I was a toddler and my mother moved into a house in a typical suburban neighborhood of Vancouver as a single parent with two toddlers. She definitely stood out and I was teased by other children in the neighborhood because I didn’t have a dad. Things definitely are so different nowadays with so many one parent families, same sex parents, and even grandparents raising their grandchildren as an example. Back in the 1950s though, that wasn’t the case, and my family stood out on that quiet tree-lined street.

I used to be so envious of friends and classmates having a ‘normal’ family with both mother and father and living the ‘surburban dream’. In reality though, I learned later that things were not what they seemed. Some of those perfect families had a far from perfect happy home life. One friend’s mother had a serious problem with an eating disorder, one friend’s father was an angry man who drank too much and was physically abusive and the list goes on. At the time though, appearances were everything and the dad would be out there mowing the perfect lawn on a Saturday morning and the mother would be in the house, cooking and cleaning. That’s what I saw and I was envious of my friends as my mother and my life was so different.

With no dad around it fell to my mother to take care of the lawn and home repairs although to be honest it seems my grandfather would come over to help her and do most of that. My mother had a difficult time being a single parent in such an environment and as such, was very unhappy and had trouble coping. In retrospect, I often wonder how much happier she would have been if she had been living in an environment where she was accepted and not made to feel different.

I love the 1950s but sometimes I do think about the darker side of that era and what it was like for people like my mother.

OLD WEST OUTLAWS - Tom Horn

I have been fascinated with genealogy and my family tree for several years and every so often I have come across a colorful ancestor or two. One such character was Tom Horn, an authentic old west outlaw (1860-1903). He wasn’t a true blood relative but became a branch in my tree through his younger sister Mary “Maud” Ambrosian Horn (1869-1968), who married a distant uncle of mine.

Tom was one of 11 children and was born in Missouri, USA. He ran away from home at the age of 14 to escape his father’s beatings and cruel punishments. He ended up doing a variety of occupations, working for a railroad in Kansas, a driver for Overland Mail in Sante Fe, where he became proficient using a rifle, a wrangler in Arizona, an interpreter and scout with the army in dealing with Apaches, a job as a detective for the Pinkerton Agency in Colorado, hunting down cattle rustlers, to name a few of his many jobs. It was told that he craved excitement and didn’t like to stay in one place. He spoke several languages fluently, English, German, Spanish and several Native American dialects. Tom never married but had a long time girlfriend, Glendoline Myrtle Kimmell (June 21, 1879 to Sept 12, 1949). She was born in St. Louis, Missouri and died in Long Beach, California. She never married or had any children and spent her later years living with her mother who was widowed at the age of 38.

Tom was eventually hung for the killing of a 14 year old boy but there was always some doubt as to the real facts surrounding that event. He always claimed his innocence.

When reading of the ‘Wild West’ Tom Horn was very much a man of those times. He was a cowboy, gun for hire, cattle rancher, miner, drifter, and his life story makes for a fascinating read.

𝙎𝙖𝙡𝙚𝙢 - 𝙅𝙪𝙡𝙮 1692 - 𝙒𝙞𝙩𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙏𝙧𝙞𝙖𝙡𝙨 - 𝙎𝙪𝙨𝙖𝙣𝙣𝙖𝙝 𝙉𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙝 𝙈𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙞𝙣, 𝙢𝙮 𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙧

I have a love for genealogy and through my research discovered an ancestor named Susannah North.  The 'North' family is related to me on my maternal side.   Susannah was accused and found guilty of witchcraft and died by hanging in 1692.  She proclaimed her innocence up until the end.

The witch hunts ended almost abruptly as they started, lasting from 1692 to early 1693. Many villagers stopped hunting for witches because they had lost friends and family during previous trials.  They felt that innocent people were being executed and wished to end the witch hunts.  Another villagers began to doubt the evidence provided in court. They claimed that some of the evidence was not practical and that confessions were being forced through torture and were simply not true.  When Salem villagers realized that the witch hunt had resulted in executing innocent people, they greatly regretted their actions and the jurors and judges of the court began to lose their status as villagers.  These accusations eventually forced the jurors to flee the village or apologize.

In May of 1693, Governor Phipps pardoned all accused “witches” currently in custody.  Later, on January 14, 1697 the general court of Salem ordered a day of fasting to commemorate the innocent lives that were lost during 1692 and 1693.  In 1702 the general court of Salem named the 1692 witch trials un-lawful. The trials then became a dark part of American history.

My ancestor, Susannah, was born in Buckinghamshire, England in 1621.  Her mother died when she she was a young child and she later emigrated with her father, Richard North, her stepmother Ursula and at least one sister to the Massachusetts Bay Colony and settled in Salisbury, Mass in 1639, about 40 miles north of Boston.  The North family was one of the first families to settle in that area which at that time was inhabited by Penacook Native Americans and surrounded by wilderness.

On August 11, 1646 Susannah married a widowed blacksmith named George Martin and they had eight children.  In 1654 Susannah and George moved to nearby Amesbury.

Descriptions of Susannah say that she was short, slightly plump, active, and “of remarkable personal neatness.” She was also said to be very outspoken, contemptuous of authority, and defiant in the face of slander which had followed her for years. Over time Susannah, much like the other accused witches, was viewed as a troublemaker and her name appears numerous times in court records even prior to the Salem Witch Trials.   In one trial she was accused by a William Browne of tormenting his wife Elizabeth with her spirit.  She was released on bail and that charge was eventually dropped.  In 1671, after their father's death, George and and his wife Susannah (her sister Mary Jones would join them later) became involved in lengthy litigation over Susannah's father's estate. Both she and her sister Mary expected to inherit a large share of it. However, their stepmother produced what  they considered a fake Will which left almost all the estate to her. In October 1674, their inheritance would be lost when the court found against them. After her husband George Martin died in 1686, Susannah was left a poor widow.  Her reputation as a troublemaker, her previous witchcraft accusation, and litigious nature, made her even more vulnerable.  When Susannah was accused of witchcraft in 1692 she had no one to come to her rescue.  There was no mention of her children at that time and I have always been curious why they did not come to the aid of their mother unless they were too afraid of being accused along with her?

On April 30, 1692, a warrant was issued for Susannah’s arrest on a formal charge of witchcraft, and she was arrested on May 2nd.  A personal longstanding friend of hers, Orlando Bagley, was the one who approached her on the morning of her arrest.

On May 2, Susannah was taken to Ingersills Tavern in Salem Village for examination. She pleaded not guilty, and answered the charges against her. She underwent the indignity of a physical examination on June 2, 1692. The examinations were intended to discover whether the accused had any physical abnormalities, especially anything that could be used to suckle a familiar or even the devil himself. Susannah was examined twice during the same day; at neither examination was any abnormality discovered.  According to her arrest warrant she was accused of witchcraft by four girls who lived in Salem Village, Mary Walcott, Abigail Williams, Ann Putnam Jr and Mercy Lewis.  It is not known how these girls knew Susannah, as they did not live in the same village, but perhaps they heard about her bad reputation from others and made the decision to accuse her?  The history books do not really say.  After her arrest in Amesbury on May 2nd she was brought to Salem Village and questioned by Judges John Hathorne and Jonathan Corwin.   She was one of the few people accused of witchcraft not from Salem.  Despite the lack of concrete evidence against her, Susannah was found guilty of witchcraft and hanged at Proctor's Ledge near Gallows Hill on July 19 along with Rebecca Nurse, Sarah Good, Elizabeth Howe and Sarah Wildes.  She was aged 71.  She was buried in a shallow grave near the execution site with the other victims but because the exact location of the executions has never been found, it is not known where her body currently lies.

Residents of the town of Amesbury later placed a stone marker near Susannah and George Martin’s home that read:  “Here stood the house of Susannah Martin. An honest, hardworking Christian woman accused of being a witch and executed at Salem, July 19, 1692. She will be missed! A Martyr of Superstition. T.I.A. 1894”

In 1711, the Massachusetts legislature passed a resolution clearing the names of the convicted witches and offered financial restitution to their descendants. Susannah Martin’s family did not wish to be named and did not seek restitution, perhaps out of fear or shame? In 1957, the Massachusetts legislature formally apologized to the victims of the Salem Witch Trials but did not specifically mention any of the victims by name.  Finally, in 2001, the Massachusetts legislature passed a resolution officially exonerating five of the victims not mentioned in the previous resolutions: Susannah Martin, Bridget Bishop, Alice Parker, Wilmot Redd and Margaret Scott.

I can only imagine what my ancestor and her family went through but it does mean something even after so many many many years to know that she and the others with her at that time were finally left to rest in peace.

𝕳𝖆𝖑𝖑𝖔𝖜𝖊𝖊𝖓 𝕻𝖔𝖘𝖙 𝕮𝖔𝖛𝖎𝖉

Growing up in Vancouver, Canada most memories of Halloween are of rainy dark weather, perfect for a spooky night. Back then children went trick-or-treating with just their friends and it was rare to see a parent/adult out accompanying a child. We felt safe in our own neighborhoods. When we got home we would excitedly dump our bag (usually an old pillowcase) of treats out on the bedroom floor and didn’t have to wait for an adult to make sure it was safe. Back then, Halloween pretty much involved making decorations at school on Halloween day or if it was on a weekend, on that Friday before Oct 31. We didn’t decorate the house except for putting a pumpkin in the window. Since then Halloween has become a major holiday with families decorating for the whole month of October inside and outside. With the onset of Covid, in 2020 however, Halloween came to a sudden stop with no more trick-or-treating though people still put up the scary decorations. In 2021 a few families ventured out into the night to trick or treat though not many and most homes had their porch lights off and blinds closed. In 2022 it is hard to say if the tradition of knocking on doors for ‘treats’ will become popular again but I suspect many homes on October 31st will still be dark with no porch light on. Forget Halloween, the world in general is a scary place.

My stepfather – Arnold Alfred Burrell 1924 – 1991 Canadian Artist

I remember my stepfather, Arnold Burrell, loved making these little drawings for my mother. Any card or letter he gave her would be accompanied by these delightful sketches. We lived with him throughout the 1960s in Duncan, British Columbia on Vancouver Island.

He came by his talent naturally through his father, Herbert Heckford Burrell, (1870-1956) who at the age of 21 completed a Bachelor of Music degree at Cambridge University in the UK, remaining there as a tuor for 2 more years. Apart from his music, cmposing and playing piano he also was a very talented sketch artist. He served in WW1 where he was asked to be a 'war artist' because of his sketch work, however, he decided he would be more useful serving as a stretcher bearer though he continued to do sketch work on the front lines. He also kept very detailed war diaries which can be found in the Canadian War Museum. He was also a very talented chess player winning many tournaments both in the UK and in Canada.

Arnold was a charming character but when his passion and demons overtook him he had only one purpose and that was to create art. He was driven by his art and his creativity consumed him. I remember we had an old barn that was falling apart which he took over for his studio and when he was out there no one dare disturb him. His art really left him no time for family life and he was happiest in front of his canvas. I remember his eye for color when it came to painting walls in the house; he could make a room come to life just by the paint colors he choose. He and my mother parted ways around 1970. We moved back to the Vancouver area and he remained on the Island. His work is still greatly admired and respected many years after his death in 1991.

Generations

The ‘generation theory‘ is a concept which asserts that people’s personalities (and in fact entire generations) are influenced according to when in history they were born and that their formative years (teenage and young adult years) shape their attitudes in response to the political, economic and social factors such as the music, fashion and technological developments of that time. It is not a proven scientific theory per se but it is an interesting one. The woman who should perhaps be given credit for starting the trend was the novelist Gertrude Stein, who reportedly first coined the term The Lost Generation to describe the people who had lived through World War I. That phrasing was popularized by Ernest Hemingway in his novel ‘The Sun Also Rises’, which quotes Stein saying,“You are all a lost generation” in reference to those who had lost their brothers, their youth, and their idealism. In recognizing the time frame of each ‘generation’ we realize that generations overlap and that these time frames are not cast in stone but are more of a general reference point.

LOST GENERATION: 1900 – 1920s This generation refers to those who grew up or came of age during World War I. Over 16 million were killed and over 20 million wounded. This time period included a group of writers and artists who lived and worked in Paris or in other parts of Europe during World War I and the Depression and who had a great influence on the literature of the day. This group included authors such as F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway, Ezra Pound, and T.S. Eliot. This time frame also was called “The Roaring 20’s” and was a decade of economic growth driven by recovery from wartime devastation and deferred spending, a boom in construction, and the rapid growth of consumer goods such as automobiles and electricity. The Roaring Twenties was a time when many people defied Prohibition, indulged in new styles of dancing and dressing, and rejected many traditional moral standards.

The GREATEST GENERATION: 1929 – 1945 These people grew up during the Depression and fought in WW2. This generation’s childhood was marked by economic success and technological advancements such as the radio and telephone. This success was in stark contrast with their later years, which were marked by economic turmoil when the Great Depression hit as a result of the 1929 stock market crash. The depression lasted roughly a decade and resulted in a 25 percent unemployment rate. People had to work hard during the Great Depression to provide for their families. They learned how to make due and how to be frugal with very little, traits which many continued with for the rest of their lives. They developed a strong work ethic. During the war they learned self-sacrifice and honor.

BABY BOOMER GENERATION: 1946 – 1964 There was a big baby boom when WW2 ended, hence the name Baby Boomers. The 1950s was an era of economic growth, prosperity and upward mobility. It was a time before big corporations such that in the 1950s one could call a government office or a business and reach a human voice rather than just a recorded voice. In those days families had dinner together, and there was conversation and no iPhones. For youngsters there was creative play outside all day, and parents didn’t worry about sex offenders in the neighborhood or mass school shootings. There were great technical advances as baby boomers were interested in products that would improve their lives and provide more leisure time. In the early to mid 1960s baby boomers believed that they could make the world a better place and were determined that love and peace could take the place of hatred and wars. Many baby boomers (and others) feel that this was the golden era.

GENERATION X: 1965- 1978 Generation X was so named because of the generation’s refusal to be defined. They witnessed some of the world’s greatest advancements including space exploration and the development of the computer. The 1970s is remembered for the disco craze and Archie Bunker . Generation X is a relatively smaller generation than those that surround it. This generation was sometimes called the ‘latch key generation’ partly related to the high divorce levels that required both parents to work. The 1970s were a tumultuous time. In some ways, the decade was a continuation of the 1960s. Women, African Americans, Native Americans, gays and lesbians and other marginalized people continued their fight for equality, and many Americans joined the protest against the ongoing war in Vietnam. In general, this generation was more educated than the previous one as college enrollment more than doubled. It was a challenging time as economic growth was slowing down with loss of jobs. As a throwback to the 1950s and early 1960s, the mantra was to spend, spend, spend and when the economy started to downslide this generation was faced with debt including student loans and steep mortgages.

GENERATION Y: 1981 – 1996 This group is also called “Millennials’. They are known to strive for work-life balance and are tech-savvy. They grew up with the internet, cell phones and digital communication. They are confident and ambitious and are not afraid to question authority . They are open and adaptive to change. Because they grew up with computers etc. they have an intuitive knowledge of that technology. They did face employment challenges and a high cost of living. As opposed to baby boomers who tended to be loyal and stay with one company or one occupation, millennials are not afraid to leave their current position to pursue better opportunities. As far as design goes, millennials tend to like modern design, glass, and pastels. Of note, the Berlin Wall came down at the end of 1989.

GENERATION Z: 1998 – 2010 They are also called “zoomers” (which has also been used at times to describe the Baby Boomers). They spend more time on their electronic devices and less time reading books. Gen Z is used to having everything personalized just for them, from playlists to newsfeeds to products features of all kinds. They’ve grown up expecting that. They are politically progressive and shrewd consumers. This generation is sometimes called the “loneliest generation,” as their endless hours spent online can foster feelings of isolation and depression. More time spent on smartphones or watching Netflix means less time cultivating meaningful relationships. This generation is no longer craving fast new experiences, but instead are slowing down to enjoy the world. Second-hand and used items help to feed the feelings of a simpler time; making young people feel more at ease with the hectic pace of modern times. The catch phrase in the early part of this generation was ‘Y2K’ and everyone wondered what the year 2000 would bring and of course September 11, 2001 changed the world forever. Facebook started up in 2004.

Generation Alpha: 2010 – 2024 (And so it follows that Generation Beta will be born from 2025 to 2039). This generation was named after the first letter in the Greek alphabet. Generation Alpha is the first to be born entirely in the 21st century. Generation Alpha uses smartphones and tablets naturally. These children were born along with iPhones, iPads, and applications. They don’t know and cannot imagine how life was without them. They are not afraid of technology or touching buttons to learn what those buttons do. Generation Alphas learn by doing. Much of their interaction and relationships will be online. Who knows what they will achieve – the future is theirs!

Beautiful Vancouver

Growing up I was lucky to call Vancouver my home. Surrounded by mountains, ocean, beaches and beautiful forests of Sitka Spruce, Douglas Fir, and Western Red Cedar, it truly is a beautiful city. Warm summer days might have found us at English Bay, Spanish Banks, Kitsilano or Jericho Beach.

Other times we would have fun visiting Stanley Park and the Stanley Park Zoo which was free and which dated back to 1888 when Stanley Park first opened. The Zoo closed in 1996. Back in the 1950s it was always a treat to see the polar bears, the penguins and the otters. Walking around Lost Lagoon in Stanley Park was also fun.

BACKYARDS

Most children these days don’t have the big backyards that some of us can remember. Or maybe because we were young the backyard just seemed big…. We seemed to have endless space to play tag or just run around skipping rope, sitting under a big leafy tree playing dolls or just lying staring at the sky and daydreaming. Seems today most children are inside sitting at their computers or watching television. Growing up, we were sent outside to play and we did, finding endless games to play, running around, shouting and laughing and being kids. Now, with such an increase in population, land and space is precious and you are lucky to find a tiny bit of green space.

1960s - Time it was, and what a time it was, it was a time of innocence, a time of confidence. Paul Simon, 1968

Growing up in the 1960s was a magical time. Folk singers like Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Pete Seeger, Gordon Lightfoot, Harry Chapin, Donovan, Peter, Paul and Mary, Crosby, Stills and Nash, Arlo Guthrie, sang their way through the decade, telling us “The answer, my friend, is blowin’ in the wind, The answer is blowin’ in the wind”, “For the times they are a-changin'”, “For standin’ in your heart is where I want to be and long to be, ah, but I may as well try and catch the wind”. People were fighting for social justice, for freedom. We thought it was the beginning of Aquarius, the beginning of a golden age. It truly was an amazing decade to live through. By the end of the 1960s, though, people were disillusioned and with the assassinations of President Kennedy, Martin Luther King, Bobby Kennedy, and the Vietnam War, it was no longer a time of innocence.