DIARY OF MARY SAUNDERS

1903 - 1915

Transcribed in 2002 by Roberta Hinde Rivett

Dedicated to Ruth McCheane Chamness Bergman, daughter of the diarist, who graciously lent the treasured originals of the diary for purposes of transcription.

CONTENTS

Introduction

Chapter One England May to December 1903 page 3

Chapter Two England to Canada May to December 1907 page 23

Chapter Three January to December 1908 page 44

Chapter Four January to December 1909 page 85

Chapter Five January 1910 to December 1912 page 129

Chapter Six January to December 1913 page 169

Chapter Seven January to December 1914 page 203

Chapter Eight January to September 1915 page 247

Appendix I The Saunders Family page 273

Appendix II The McCheane Family page 289

Appendix III The Hinde Family page 303

Appendix IV The Wake Family page 323

Appendix V Homestead Neighbours page 327

Appendix VI Nathan Saunders and Son by Joshua Wake

Appendix VII Added Notes

Appendix VIII Map of Great Bend Municipality

Appendix VIV Homestead Plan

Illustrations

Frontispiece: Mary Saunders in England at age fifteen, 1906

Picture courtesy Ruth Bergman

Chestnut Bank Friends’ Boarding School, about 1906.

Picture courtesy Ruth Bergman. Opposite page 20.

Mary and her sisters Eliza and Lucy in England, 1906.

Picture courtesy Ruth Bergman Opposite page 22.

Mary at the homestead, 1907.

Picture courtesy Ruth Bergman Opposite page 28.

William Cronyn McCheane with wife Caroline and daughter Hannah Mary, circa 1910 , Home Farm.

Picture courtesy Saskatchewan Archives Board SAB S-B 9918 Opposite page 128.

William Cronyn McCheane in the yard of Home Farm, Halcyonia, circa 1910.

Picture courtesy Saskatchewan Archives Board S-B 9916. Opposite page 130.

Hannah Mary McCheane (later Crabb) feeding chickens at the Home Farm, Halcyonia, circa 1910.

Picture courtesy Saskatchewan Archives Board, S-B 9917 Opposite page 142

Street in Borden, Saskatchewan, 1912, showing the McCheane Brothers’ Farm Machinery Building

Picture courtesy Saskatchewan Archives Board, S-B 9872 Opposite page 178.

John McCheane, with Edith Hinde (later McCheane) and Mary Saunders (later McCheane) in the “Brush” car, Borden, 1912.

Picture courtesy Saskatchewan Archives Board, S - B 9919 Opposite page 186.

Introduction

In 1903 when she started her diary, Jemima Mary Saunders was twelve years old and a student at the Friends’ Boarding School, Chestnut Bank, in Fritchley, Derbyshire. In 1904 her widowed father Nathan Saunders and her older brother Edmund (Eddy) Saunders emigrated to Canada, to homestead in the Borden district in the Great Bend area, in the crook of the North Saskatchewan River north of Saskatoon, in what was to become the Canadian province of Saskatchewan in 1905. In 1907, at sixteen, she joined them. Her diary reflects not only her own experiences and perceptions but also the opening of the Canadian West in the early years of the Twentieth Century.

Mary Saunders’ diary does not end in 1915. With a hiatus from the end of this transcription to some time after her marriage, she continued writing her diary until she died at nearly a hundred and two years of age.

About the Format and Footnotes

The diary has been transcribed faithfully with the following exceptions:

Spelling errors have been corrected in order that the reader may not trip over errors and lose the thread of the content. Where names of people and places have been unclear, reference to the Borden history book , has been of great help, however some will inevitably remain in error.

At several points conflicts with respect to day, month and day of the week arise. Those that could be resolved were corrected. Those unresolved are noted thus: (sic).

Where a term or phrase could not be resolved clearly, a question mark, thus (?) is given.

Footnotes:

The diary is divided into chapters by year, with exceptions where entries for a year are very few. Footnotes are given at the end of the section for each month of the diary.

Some of the footnotes identify the people who are closely connected to the Saunders, McCheane, Hinde and Wake families. For clarification on the identification of the neighbors, the map of the Great Bend Municipality and those who homesteaded on each quarter section in the end-papers of the Borden History, Our Treasured Heritage, (Borden History Book Committee, 1980) may be helpful. In addition there are many references to these neighbours in the body of the Borden History, in the section providing individual family histories.

Other footnotes attempt to explain terms and activities which may not be familiar to the descendants of the people written about in the early years of the last century. Some of these come from the memory of the editor, Roberta Rivett, and her sister, Mary Crane. Help was also received from Ruth Bergman, Frank Saunders, Lester Chamness and Rachel Chamness. Other footnotes come from books, dictionaries, encyclopedias and the Internet.

To clarify relationships, appendices containing the family trees of the Saunders, McCheane, Hinde and Wake families are included. It should be noted that with the marriages among the descendants of the four founding families, there is duplication in the printouts of descendants of each.

The practices of the Society of Friends or Quakers as reflected in this diary are here and there amplified from the memories of Mary Crane and Roberta Rivett, who as children of Quaker parents and born in the 1930’s, were birthright Quakers.

Reference is made from time to time to the writings of Joseph Edward (Bob) Hinde, in his book As I Remember It, privately published in 2003.

CHAPTER ONE MAY to DECEMBER 1903

MAY 1903

FIFTH MONTH

Diary of Jemima Mary Saunders

Started 19^th of 5^th Month, 1903

5^th month, 19^th, 3^rd day

In the morning for a bit of fun I blackleaded¹ my boots, and Henry Whittaker² made me blacken them over again. We went to school in the morning as usual and came out at recess time. Edie Hinde,³ Katie Croft, Ruth King, Maggy Land , May Croft and myself were all at Hilda Scanlon’s house and we had a great deal of fun. And nearly all the boys played football, with Walter Croft’s football. We have a new scholar, he came lately. We went into school again after recess time as usual, came out at twelve and Edie and me went and laid our table. Then we had our dinner. After dinner the boys played football. Edie is the top girl. Then comes Leonard her brother. Then Susy, then Eddy, he is my brother. Then Lizzie,⁴ Susy’s sister. Next comes Mary Ann then Val then comes myself, next Henry Wake, Henry Taylor then comes Hilda Scanlon. That is all in the big schoolroom. Then in the small schoolroom comes first of all Maggie. Mary Ann’s sister Winnie. Then Walter, then Ruth then Grant, then Kitty, Walter’s sister, then comes John.

Then we had school again as usual and came out at three o’clock for sewing. Amy Sturge⁵ was away at Bournbrook for she had a sister there who was not very well so Susy was our teacher and she let us have a ten minute recess. We came out again at four o’clock . We played about and Maisie invited Walter, Katie and May to tea. After tea we had a game of Lurkey. After a bit the bed bell rang so we all had to go to bed. Amy Sturge came back from Bournbrook.

5^th month, 20^th, 4^th day

Amy Sturge was here. Amy Sturge came to our bedroom and told us that Edie had to go home to Bournbrook by the ten o’clock train that morning. Amy Sturge, Leonard⁶ and I went down to the station with her. By the time we got back it was not worth while going into Meeting⁷ so we went home and I laid the table for dinner. We were all invited up to the Sturges to stay all the afternoon and to have tea. We played Croquet, I Spy, Football and a good many other games. After tea we played some games and then went home to bed.

5^th month, 21^st, 5^th day.

It was much warmer and we did not have a fire in the schoolroom, it was warm and something like 5^th month. We were playing Tick in recess time. Edward Sturge⁸ did not ring the bell until eleven o’clock which is a quarter of an hour later than usual. We went into sewing at three as usual and did our mending. I helped Amy Sturge to make some tonic instead of going in prep. After prep we had a game of I Spy and Lurkey. The bed bell did not ring until twenty minutes past eight.

5^th month, 22^nd, 6^th day.

We played at horses in the morning before school. It was fine and very hot. After tea, had a game of Lurkey. Had sewing all the afternoon and the boys did carpentering. After school in the afternoon I went up to the shop for Amy Sturge and she gave me a halfpenny. I cut out a pair of drawers for myself. Hilda Scanlon went home in the morning.

5^th month, 23^rd, 7^th day.

In the morning we had a game of skipping and jumping. I hemmed round my sampler at least I did part of it. Lizzie Darbyshire also started hers. In the afternoon Henry Tailor, Eddy, Mamie, Maggie and Dorothy King, Edward Sturge and myself all went to Wingfield⁹ to play in Southern Goats’ Meadow and paddle in the river. Mopsy, that is the name of a pony, was in the paddock. Henry and me stayed behind playing with Mopsy. She had no bridle or anything on. She broke away from Henry and when I was not thinking of anything she turned around sharply and threw me flying. Oh! It was nice. Went to bed a bit later than usual. I was very hungry and I would not get to sleep until about one o’clock. Clara Cooper died at about ten minutes to four leaving four children, the eldest, George, ten years old, the next eldest Hilda, seven years, next Edenia, aged two, the youngest Harold only four months old. George Cooper came over to arrange about his wife being buried for it was her wish to be burned at Fritchley. He brought Hilda with him, she slept here, and he went over to Movewood, that is about four miles. He came by the ten o’clock train at night.

5^th month, 24^th, 1^st day.

Went to Meeting in the morning. In the afternoon went on a walk with Margaret Land. It was very hot. Maggie started a diary today. Extra long Meeting in the evening.

5^th month, 25^th, 2^nd day.

We had drill in the morning. I did my sampler from three o’clock until tea time. Had a game of I Spy after tea. Nothing extra happened.

5^th month, 26^th, 3^rd day.

Had school in the morning. In the afternoon at half past two we had a Meeting because Clara Cooper was to be buried. The coffin was brought up in Derbyshires’ cart. When they got to the top of the Blue Bridge they took the coffin out of the cart and carried it into the Meeting house and put it in the cloakroom. We all went to the funeral afterwards. My uncle¹⁰ came to the funeral. I went down to the station with him.

5^th month, 27^th, 4^th day.

Had school in the morning and in the afternoon. Mary Watkins¹¹ invited all us children to a picnic at Wake Bridge. We got some sticks out of the wood and made a fire to boil the kettle on. We had a game of I Spy before tea then we had tea and then we had a game of I Spy after tea. I went with Arthur Williamson to get Florrie the horse. I rode home in the trap. We took back a lot of bluebells and fern roots. When we got back we had to go straight to bed. As we were coming down Fritchley a boy threw a stone at Maggie and hit her on one side of her head.

5^th month, 28^th, 5^th day.

Went in to school in the morning as usual. After tea had a game of Tick. I started learning book keeping in prep.

5^th month, 29^th, 6^th day. ROYAL OAK DAY¹²

Of course everyone was stinging anyone who had not got any oak on them. Henry Whittaker had his breakfast in bed. He had a very bad cold. We did not go to school until three o’clock. Hilda, Maggie, Ruth, Mamie and myself were playing with Edward Sturge’s cart at the bottom of the hill.

5^th month, 30^th, 7^th day.

Hilda’s mother, father and little sister Pattie came by the six o’clock train last night to live here at Fritchley. They are going to live at Lydia Sargent’s¹³ until they can find a cottage. Some of us got tin cans and put a wooden handle on and then lit a fire in the can. I had one. They kept alight a long time. We had our bath in the evening as usual.

5^th month 31^st, 1^st day.

Nothing extra happened in the morning excepting that Sophia Gough came in here and left Mopsy outside eating off the bank. She got one wheel up on the bank and the other down in the road, and she nearly tipped the cart over. I got her back and fed her with grass until Sophia Gough came out for her. In the afternoon I went for a walk with Maggie. We went down Blue Bridge and along the cut and up the Hag.¹⁴

^{1. Blackleading was intended for cleaning and blacking the tops of stoves.}

^{2. Henry Whittaker was a teacher at the Quaker Boarding School in Fritchley, Derbyshire, which Mary Saunders and other Quaker children including the Hindes and Wakes attended. Later he taught at the Quaker school at Selly Oak, Bournbrook, Birmingham.}

^{3. Edie Hinde was Edith Mary Hinde, lifelong friend to Mary Saunders. She and Edie married brothers.}

^{4. Lizzie Derbyshire}

^{5. Amy Sturge is sister to Edward Sturge. Amy remained single all her life, and has honorary aunt to many of the children at the school, and honored all her life by the Hinde children.}

^{6. Leonard is Leonard Hinde, oldest boy in the Hinde family, brother to Edie.}

^{7. Meeting is the meeting for worship of the Society of Friends. It was held regularly on First Day (Sunday) morning and evening, and on Fourth Day (Wednesday) morning. Meeting was presided over by elders of the Meeting, and was largely silent, providing worshippers the opportunity to listen for the Still Small Voice. On the last Wednesday of each month was Monthly Meeting, which conducted the business affairs of the Society. Meeting held Sunday evening was usually Reading Meeting, during which works of a spiritual nature were read aloud and discussed.}

^{8 . Edward Sturge was the principal of the Quaker Boarding School at Fritchley. His wife Annie, who cooked for the school, was a daughter of Henry Thomas Wake, the antiquarian of Fritchley.}

^{9. Wingfield was the parish in which lived Henry Thomas Wake and his family.}

^{10. My uncle: Uncle Edmund Hatcher, who had a major role in the raising of the three Saunders girls.}

^{11. Mary Watkins is Millie Watkins, a friend and neighbour of the Fritchley Quaker families and herself a Quaker and lifelong friend of the Quakers who emigrated to Canada.}

^{12. Royal Oak Day - in honor of Charles II who in 1651 hid in a hollow oak tree while trying to escape to France, pursued by Cromwell’s rebels. When he regained the throne he gave a pension to the family on whose property the oak tree stood, and subsequently in some parts of the country Royal Oak, or Oakapple day has been celebrated on his birthday, May 29, by the wearing of oak leaves.}

^{13. Lydia Sargent was a Friend from Fritchley; see Walter Lowndes’ The Quakers of Fritchley, 1986, tom Brown Printers, Belper, Derbyshire.}

^{14. The Hag, still so named, is a steep hill in the village of Fritchley.}

JUNE 1903

SIXTH MONTH

6^th month, 1^st, 2^nd day.

Bank Holiday. Harry Tomes¹ and Joshua Wake² came from Bournbrook on their bicycles and arrived here about 2 o’clock this morning. They both had a puncture one after the other and that was what delayed them so long. We had a holiday all day. Went to Wingfield Manor and had a good bit of fun. Amy Sturge took our photo once we were at the Manor. At about 3 o’clock we left Wingfield Manor and went to Sophia Gough - Mopsy was there and we had her until tea time. She had a side saddle on and all the girls were riding on her at least most of them. We had tea on the lawn. The boys were throwing orange peel about most of the time. After tea we had Mopsy again. I enjoyed myself very very very very much.

6^th month, 2^nd, 3^rd day

Nothing extra happened in the morning. After tea Alice Scanlon asked me if I would come down and play. I asked Edward Sturge if I could go down and play and he said I could until I heard the bell ring. I went and I did not hear it ring. I was not likely to either because Maggie was in the school room and no one was talking and everything was as quiet as could be. And she never heard it ring. Henry Taylor never heard it ring, no more did Eddy or Leonard. In fact I think that it was very few that did. Anyhow they had nearly finished prep when I got in. Henry Whittaker made me sit in the schoolroom for a good while.

6^th month 3^rd, 4^th day.

Had school and went to Meeting as usual; in the afternoon went paddling in the Bounders’ brook. John Bounders chased us out of the lane. We found a very little bird that could not fly. We made a nest of grass and put it in. I very nearly caught a young rabbit. I went up to Darbyshires’ and saw Tomery.

6^th month, 4^th, 5^th day.

Had a game of Skipping, and went paddling after school. We had tea out of doors.

“ In olden times we took a car

Drawn by a horse if going far

And felt that we were blest.

Now the conductor takes the fare

And sticks a broomstick in the air

And Lightning does the rest.

In former days along the street

A glimmering lantern led the feet

When on a midnight stroll.

But now we catch when night is nigh

A piece of lightning from the sky

And stick it on a pole.”

Annie Sturge bought me a pair of canvas shoes. My father paid her for them.

6^th month, 5^th, 6^th day.

Joshua and Harry went home and Lizzie Wake³ came and brought them home with her. Harry is only fifteen months old. We had a natural history meeting tonight, it was down at Lydia Sargent’s, out of doors on the lawn. We enjoyed ourselves very much.

6^th month, 6^th, 7^th day.

Had school in the morning. In the afternoon I took baby out in the mail cart. Hilda and Patsy came too. And so did Mamie. We had a game of House. Harry was my baby and Patsy and Mamie were my children and Hilda was the nurse.

6^th month, 7^th, 1^st Day.

I had to mind Harry and Mamie until Meeting time. I went for a walk with Maggie to Crich and back. Lizzie Wake took Harry to Sunnyside. Went to Meeting in the evening.

6^th month, 8^th, 2^nd day.

I took Baby out in the mail cart, Patsy came and played at Chestnut Bank. Maggie took Baby out in the mail cart instead of sewing.

6^th month, 9^th, 3^rd day.

We began to get things ready for Monthly Meeting. I took Baby out in the morning and in the afternoon. Had a game of I Spy, then the bell rang for bed.

6^th month, 10^th, 4^th day.

Monthly Meeting. In the morning, ironed a tie and some ribbons that I washed the day before. Then I went down to meet my uncle. After Meeting I looked after Baby. Hilda and Patsy came to tea.

6^th month, 11^th, 5^th day.

Had school as usual. Had a game of Lurkey in the morning and after tea had a game of Lurkey.

6^th month, 12^th, 6^th day.

It was fine though it threatened rain. Had school as usual. Had two or three games of Lurkey during the day. After tea had a game of I Spy, and Hide and Seek, and Whippy.

6^th month, 13^th, 7^th day.

Before school had a game at Skipping. Henry Wake Hinde⁴ walked for the first time, Lizzie Wake was with him. In the afternoon the boys went to Belper. Hilda and Patsy, Mamie, Maggie, Grant, Baby and myself had a game at House. Grant was our monkey. Hilda was the nurse. I was the mother and Patsy, Mamie and Maggie and Harry were my children.

6^th month, 14^th, 1^st day.

Eddy and Henry Taylor were throwing slippers at each other. In the afternoon I went a walk with Maggie, up the Dimple and down the Crich,⁵ and when I came back I wrote a letter home.

6^th month, 15^th, 2^nd day.

I had school as usual. In the morning we had a game at Lurkey, and after we had a game at Lurkey and I Spy. We had exam in Algebra in the morning and Reading in the afternoon. It was very wet.

6^th Month, 16^th, 3^rd Day.

Had exam in Arithmetic but did not finish it. We had a holiday in the afternoon. It was fine and sunshining. Annie Sturge hired Fritchley pony to go a drive to Heage. Annie Sturge, Lizzie Wake and Baby, Mamie and I went to Lydia Sargent’s and played in the Scanlons’ room. I drove there and back. Edward Sturge walked there and Annie Sturge walked back with him. I drove Lizzie Wake, Baby and Mamie back. We went to the Shaws and they had a horse that was very poorly. I enjoyed myself very very very much.

6^th month, 17^th, 4^th day.

Went to Meeting in the morning and in the afternoon I went down to Lydia Sargent’s and played with Patsy and Hilda and I went around with Arthur Watkins collecting rummage for a rummage sale. He had Florrie and the trap. After tea it was wet and so I went to Lydia Sargent’s and played up in the Scanlons’ room.

6^th month, 18^th, 5^th day.

There was a rummage sale at three o’clock in the afternoon. It was to enable the village children to have a day at the seaside. It was Mary Watkins’ proposal. There was a gramophone after tea. Annie Sturge brought a bicycle for us to ride. It had broken tires.

6^th month, 19^th, 6^th day.

There was school as usual. We went riding the bicycle most of our spare time. After tea the back tire came off.

6^th month, 20^th, 7^th day.

Fastened the tire on the bicycle. Had school in the morning. Rode the bicycle most of our spare time. The back tire came off again. Put it on again. I was to have gone a ride on the bicycle and Annie Sturge had Mary Wake’s but when I got on ours I hadn’t gone above two yards when the tire came off again. And so I took it back and we had Mary Wake’s all the afternoon. Susy, Lizzie and me were riding all the afternoon.

6^th month, 21^st, 1^st day.

I went a little walk with Edward, Annie and Mamie Sturge.⁶ Maggie had toothache, she did not go to Meeting either in the morning or afternoon. Hilda tumbled off Florrie and sprained her wrist and hurt her head.

6^th month, 22^nd, 2^nd day.

We were riding the bike round the gravel. Received a letter from home.

6^th month, 23^rd, 3^rd day.

Spent the afternoon and had tea at Amy Sturge’s. Maggie, Ruth and I earned a supper and we had it tonight.

6^th month, 24^th, 4^th day.

All went for a school treat to the black rocks at Workworth. Went by train, had tea out of doors. Enjoyed ourselves very much.

6^th month, 25^th, 5^th day.

We are all packing up to go home. All very busy. It is Eddy’s birthday.⁷ He is 14.

6^th month, 26^th, 6^th day.

Came home by the 10:16 train. Uncle, Eliza and Lucy⁸ were at Birmingham Station to meet us. We got home about half past twelve. After dinner we went to the hay field. My cat had some kittens, three. I had tea in the hay field. Finished the small field.

6^th month, 27^th, 7^th day.

After breakfast we went to the hay field. I worked until dinner. After dinner, put saddle on pony and I rode on it. I got on the rick then and had tea. After tea, put the hay in cocks.

6^th month, 28^th, 1^st day.

I put the brown pony in the float⁹ to take Grannie¹⁰ to Meeting. I was on the roof most of the afternoon. Took Grannie to Meeting in the evening. I went milking.

6^th month, 29^th, 2^nd day.

I was at the haymaking field all day.

6^th month, 30^th, 3^rd day.

We were carrying the raking.

1. Harry Tomes is probably brother to Alfred Tomes, who later married Joshua Wake’s sister Lydia.

2. Joshua Wake is the oldest son of Hugh Wake, brother to Annie who married Edward Sturge, and grandson of Henry Thomas Wake. See also the Wake Family Tree, Appendix III.

3. Lizzie Wake is the oldest daughter of Henry Thomas Wake.

4. Henry Wake Hinde is the “Baby” referred to earlier; he is the son of Joseph and Martha Wake Hinde. Martha is sister to Annie and Hugh. See also the Hinde Family Tree, Appendix IV.

5. Dimple and Critch are lanes in Fritchley.

6. Mamie Sturge is Mary Sturge, daughter of Edward and Annie.

7. Eddy is Edmund Saunders, Mary’s older brother.

8. Eliza and Lucy are Mary’s younger sisters. Uncle is Edmund Hatcher, brother to their mother Hannah.

9. Float - a wagon.

10. Grannie is Mary’s maternal grandmother, Jemima Hunt Hatcher, who raised the children of Nathan Saunders when his wife died fourteen months after the birth of their youngest child Lucy. Grannie’s only and unmarried son Edmund lived with her.

JULY 1903

SEVENTH MONTH

7^th month, 1^st, 4^th day.

The brown pony was gone to the hayfield so I had to take Grannie to Meeting with the creamie.

7^th month, 2^nd, 5^th day.

Went to the hay field just after dinner, stayed there until milking time. I was riding on the pony.

7^th month, 3^rd, 6^th day.

Packed up our things.

7^th month, 4^th, 7^th day.

Went down to Somerset.¹ They didn’t come to meet us so we had to carry all our luggage from the station.

7^th month, 5^th, 1^st day.

Had Meeting in the morning. Uncle² read to us in the evening.

7^th month, 6^th, 2^nd day.

Played with Annie and Jemima.

7^th month, 7^th, 3^rd day.

Played about all day. Eddy went to the hayfield.

7^th month, 8^th, 4^th day.

Went to Cary in the four-wheel.

7^th month, 9^th, 5^th day.

Had Meeting in the parlor.

7^th month, 10^th, 6^th day.

Played with Eliza, Lucy, Jemima and Annie.

7^th month, 11^th, 7^th day.

Made some cakes.

7^th month, 12^th, 1^st day.

Had Meeting in the morning and evening.

7^th month,13^th, 2^nd day

Lucy had a dog bite her. She went to the doctor straight away. I went to be fitted for two dresses.

7^th month, 14^th, 3^rd day.

Played about. Put a swing up.

7^th month, 15^th, 4^th day.

Uncle William and Lucy went to Cary.

7^th month, 16^th 5^th day.

Went to Uncle Tom’s to tea.

7^th month, 17^th, 6^th day.

Auntie Polly was packing up our things.

7^th month, 18^th 7^th day.

Came home. Lorna Roberts was passing through Birmingham when we got there.

7^th month, 19^th 1^st day.

I drove Grannie to Meeting in the morning and evening.

7^th month, 20^th, 2^nd day.

Looked after shop most of the day.

7^th month, 21^st, 3^rd day.

Did lots of things. Drove Barnacle’s horse to Cotteridge.