Page 45 - Lizzie Belle Grant: A Family History

ISSUE : Issue 56

Published by Ronald Caplan on 1991/1/1

Christian act that she never forgot. The Family Herald at that time carried "Anne of Green Gables" as a serial. She had quite a time trying to suppress the giggles while reading it as the old people thought it must be something bad to be so funny. The young miners from Glace Bay spent their summer days off by taking the train to Mira. During the 1909 strike she met Wilson Grant who was visiting his cousin Mrs. John (Katie) MacLean at the next farm. At their first meeting the neigh? bours were gathered together to sort out the lambs and do the shearing. Lizzie Belle was catching the lambs and sorting the rams from the ewes. Wilson asked her as a tease how she could tell the rams from the ewes. A snappy answer came back, "The rams are wet on the bottom." One day Wilson came to the farm unexpect? edly and found her washing clothes on the back step--in her bare feet. She was greatly embarrassed. In later years he told her he thought she had very pretty feet. Sweet words, fondly remembered. The farm proved to be too much of an un? dertaking for the old couple and they moved once more to Truro to live with Aunt Belle's sister Mrs. Arthur Westbury. Liz? zie Belle worked in Stanfield's mills. War was declared and one day a young girl at the mill received word that her boy friend had been injured in the Djardenelles. "Lizzie," she asked, "you know something about the human body. What part of a man is the djardenelles?" So the story goes. She was always full of fun and laughter. (Lizzie Belle) cared for the old couple until they died and then began saving for her plans to go in training at the Victor? ia General in Halifax. She made the uni? forms, washing them and hung them out be? fore going to work. What a moment of horror to come home and find them blown against a freshly painted wall. However the day was saved when she found that the uniforms had been wet when they blew against the paint and they came clean. She entered the V. G. after passing an en- trance exam with no difficulty in spite of ' ROSS RUDDERHAIW '4 ' 562-3455 PLUi/IBiNG • HEATING & ELECTRICAL CONTRACTORS OIL BURNER SALES • AIR CONDITIONING VENTILATING SYSTEMS Replacements in Any Make of Furnace Specializing In Pack-0-IVIatlc Oil Furnace Replacements Sales and Service on Famous Buderus Cast Iron Coal Wood Oil Furnace 539"6200 885 VICTORIA ROAD, SYDNEY her lack of formal schooling. Nurses pay at that time was $8 the first year, $10 the second, and $12 the third. In her second year she developed typhoid fever and after a period of hospitalization was told to go home and rest. Having no home and no mon? ey, this was a very distressing time. Friends were kind but typhoid fever was a deadly contagious disease and the fear was great. However she managed to go back to the hospital to continue but not for long. Wilson Grant, whose mother had recently died, came to Halifax to claim her for his bride and they began their life together in Glace Bay in the family home on Pitt St. Mrs. Christie Maclntyre who lived across the street thought to herself, "Wilson has married a nurse from Halifax. That will be the end of Mrs. Grant's lovely garden." She was pleased to be mistaken. The garden flourished under the care of the new Mrs. Grant. More than one was kept in milk, butter and eggs during the big strike of 1925, thanks to her industry. Children were born, Allister, Christine, Ernie, Annie, and Betty. Philip Westbury, (Lizzie Belle's) cousin, whose parents had both died, came from Truro at the age of 5 to be part of the family. After the 1925 strike, Wilson, having been active in the unions, was sent home day after day with no work. The decision was made with her father's financial help to buy a farm and the Samuel's property on Dominion St. was purchased. Her father, Ernest Allnutt, came and spent his final years with her on the farm. He often said to her, "If you ever get to Ox? ford, England, look up your pedigree. It is recorded there." This was all taken with a grain of salt, but nevertheless on "For all your insurance needs • call us and compare" TENANTS . HOME • LIFE • R.R.S.P. CAR . BOAT BUSINESS BLAINE NEWCOMBE JOHN NEWCOMBE Senior Account Agent SEARS 1028 Kings Road, Sydney River 525 George Street, Sydney Bus.: 539-1122 • Res.: 727-2511 Bus.: 564-6427 • Res.: 562-1230 /lllstate IfouVe in good hands. 45?

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