My Grandmother and Godfather

This is a picture of Nanny Thompson and Uncle Tom, my dad’s younger brother. He was also my godfather and always remembered my birthday. Uncle Tom had a similar nature to his mother and my dad. He was a large man, quiet, gentle and kind. He always had a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. As was common in those days, like my father, he lived at home with his mother until he married Beatrice Madden. I think their wedding was the first that I ever attended. They had no children. Uncle Tom worked for Canadian Pacific Railways in the rail yards.

Nanny Thompson, Aunt Bella and Me

This is a picture of Nanny Thompson, Aunt Bella and me. Although this is a black and white photo, I remember the bottle green colored snowsuit. Aunt Bella was my father’s youngest sister. She was married to Gerard Senecal, a French Canadian, who was a commercial artist. I have posted two of his watercolor paintings at the right. Aunt Bella and Uncle Gerard occasionally brought me with them for picnics on Mount Royal where Uncle Gerard liked to paint. They had a son named John who died shortly after birth. Aunt Bella was a doting aunt and an entertaining pianist who played by ear.

Me at Three

I don't remember having this picture taken but it does bring back a number of other memories. It was probably taken when I was about three years of age (1946) by my father's nephew, Thomas Logan, who was an amateur photographer. I am dressed in blue, my mother's favorite colour and mine as well. I am also wearing sturdy leather toddler shoes. My mother always insisted that my brother and I wear good quality shoes to protect our feet regardless of the cost. When I look at this little girl, she appears to be happy and confident. She has obviously been posed for the photograph. I remember Aunt Bella, my father's sister, telling me that when asked to, I would readily pose for the camera.

My Paternal Grandmother

This is my paternal grandmother, Edith Thompson (nee Schmidt). Nanny Thompson, as my brother, Henry and I called her, was born in Stockholm Sweden and immigrated to Canada with her family when she was twelve years old. In Canada, they changed their name to Smith.

She married Edward Thompson and had six children, three boys (My father, Harry and my uncles Sam and Tom) and three daughters (Lena, Dolly and Bella). My grandfather died before I was born so I have no memory of him. I was told that he worked for the post office.

Nanny Thompson lived on 15th Ave in Rosemont and we lived on 14th Ave. It was easy to visit her by crossing the back lane and I did so frequently.

Nanny was a gentle, devout, quiet and loving woman. She was a wonderful cook. I still remember the appetizing smells which filled her home when we arrived for Sunday dinners.

She was a very important person in my life and I missed her very much after she died when I was about ten years old. I still have fond memories of her.

My Maternal Grandparents

These are pictures of my maternal grandparents, Frances Anne (nee King) and Louis Martin. They came to Montreal from St. John, New Brunswick and lived in a large flat at the top of the stairs that you can see in the top picture. Across the street was a large park and playground where my cousins and I played whenever we visited.

They had eight children, four sons (Frank, Lou, Jim and Tom), four daughters (my mother, Anne, and my aunts, Theresa, Mary and Gerry) and twenty-seven grandchildren. Uncles Frank and Tom who moved to Ontario had nine children each. I have very vague memories of my grandfather because he died on August 23, 1946 when I was just over three years old.

My brother, Henry and I called our grandmother, Nanny Martin. She was a terrific cook. After her daughter, Mary married, she gave up her large flat in Outremont for smaller quarters and occasionally moved in with various children during periodic bouts of ill health. I really didn’t get to know her very well but I remember that she loved to play cards and taught her grandchildren how to play Canasta. She died at age sixty-seven on Christmas Day, 1957 when I was thirteen.