The following is a short life history I had prepared for my Aunt Hilda's 100th birthday in January of 2010. Attached also is a short postscript by my brother David when Hilda passed away on September 7 of 2015 (in her 106th year). A version of this document was printed for the visitation and several have asked for copies. I am sharing this here for the many who loved Hilda and want to know a little more about her life story.
For photos from Hilda's long life adventure follow this link. For the brief notes prepared for her 90th birthday follow this link. Finally, here's a link to her obituary.
Hilda Margaret
Puddicombe – 100 yrs.
--- Some
notes on the occasion of Hilda’s 100th birthday (January 2010).
I’ve been given the unenviable task of trying to summarize Hilda’s
life. My inside track, apart from knowing her all my life (but many can
say that), is I have a copy of a diary 1930-1999. I would like to get my hands
on her scrap book ....
Hilda was born January 18, 1910 to Alberta (Carney) and Richard Quinton
on the family farm in Euphrasia township east of Walter’s Falls. Hilda was the
fifth of six children – Beatrice (1894), Emerson (1900), Melba (1905), Olive
(1907), Hilda (1910) and lastly Maurice (1914).
Context - Edward VII
was on the throne, George V (1910-1932) became king on May 6.
World War I in 1914 brought a baby brother. Maurice recalls that, as a
child, -- “She picked on me something fierce. When Mother talked to Father he
said Hilda would stop as soon as I got big enough to fight back”. The fighting
did stop and they have been close through all the years. But Hilda has been
close to all her family and their children. Although she has no children of her
own, family is a source of strength – strength both given and received.
In 1916 Hilda started school at U.S.S. No.1 Holland & Euphrasia.
Pictures from that time show Hilda and her older sisters in simple matching
dresses made by their mother. Their mom must have been an exceptional woman --
she was a midwife in the community and nursed the entire family through the swine
flu epidemic of 1918 – compare with the H1N1 epidemic this year. Everyone
was sick in bed with only their mom to tend them. Fortunately their home had hot
and cold running water. That was a clever gravity fed installation by
Richard Quinton who had cleared the land and built the home.
In 1926, at 16 years, Hilda was visiting her older sister Melba in
Haysville (in 1925 Melba married Lance Vivian, an Anglican minister – there’s a
story there about Richard Quinton’s “fondness” for the clergy) and there she
met Reginald Thomas Puddicombe (Uncle Reg). She must have made an impression on
this older bachelor (he would have been 33 at the time) for this date marks
what must be one of the longest courtships in family history. Rivalled only
perhaps by that of Beier and Olive.
In 1929, at 19 years, Hilda studied at the Owen Sound Business College
and became a book keeper. She was, and remains, an independent person out
to make her own way in the world. For some context:
On October 18, that
same year, the British Privy Council declared, on appeal by Mackenzie King and
the “Famous Five”, that “women are persons”. The Privy Council
decision also said “that the exclusion of women from all public offices is a
relic of days more barbarous than ours. And to those who would ask why the word
“persons” should not include females, the obvious answer is, why should it
not?”
During the 1930’s, in the years of the “Great Depression”, Hilda applied
her trade in Woodstock - first at Smith’s then later at Agnew Surpass Shoes. In
1931 Hilda had surgery for appendicitis. This was well before the days of
penicillin, antibiotics, ultra sound, and our nationalized health care. The
surgery cost $150 which she paid back at $2/week (that takes a year and a
half). If she had waited a while, until 1966, it would have been covered.
Hilda’s mother passed away in 1933 at about the time hydro electricity first
arrived in Walter’s Falls. Hilda recalls the first time she heard a radio – a
magical moment.
In 1931, the same time as the appendix scare, Hilda had a holiday trip
with Reg to Windsor and Detroit, another to Montreal (I am not sure who
chaperoned them). A diary item for Oct 28, 1933 reads simply -- “Reg
asked me to marry him.” Hilda recalls the 1933 proposal -- “I don’t think he
really meant it. I think he was just kidding me.” But apparently he did mean it
for in October of 1938 (some 12 years after their first meeting and 5 years
after the proposal) she was given a diamond engagement ring. Hilda’s dad,
Richard, had joked that he’d sell her for a nickel to anyone who would take her
– Reg paid the nickel and the deal was soon made. On Nov 12, 1938 Hilda and Reg
were married at St Phillip’s Church, Walter’s Falls. If you count their
courtship back to 1926 it’s a very long one at 12 years, even to the
proposal in 1933 that’s 5 years. If you count it from the engagement one month
earlier – it’s a very short one. In any case, it seems to have been a very
good one. Hilda and Reg had many adventures and 37 happy years together at
Fernye Bank in Haysville. Reg, who passed away in 1974 at 81 years of age, is
buried at St. James and fondly remembered.
Some context for the
time -- Edward VIII was king from 20 January 1936 until his abdication on 11 December 1936.
Only months into his reign, Edward caused a constitutional crisis by proposing
marriage to the American divorcée Wallis Simpson. Rather than give up
Mrs. Simpson, Edward chose to abdicate to his younger
brother George VI. Compare with Charles and Camilla today.
After the wedding
their car trip to Toronto was interrupted by fog. Their first night as husband
and wife was spent at the Grand Central Hotel in Orangeville. Hilda recalls
that it was not that grand – “there were no curtains on the windows!” I
can only guess why that interesting fact was recorded. They honeymooned Nov
13-22 with a car trip to Fort Henry, Westport, Lake Placid, Sarasota Springs
and Buffalo. On the first night of their return they were surprised with
a “chivaree” in Haysville when together they moved into Fernye Bank, the
Puddicombe family home.
For those who don’t
know -- a chivaree is a noisy, mock-serenade to newlyweds, followed by a
party. Newlyweds are not properly accepted as a married couple in some North American
communities until they have taken part in their chivaree. I recall only one --
Eva and Gordon.
The location of the
chivaree is usually at the home of the newlyweds. The time of the event is
always well-kept secret from the newly-married couple. The arrival of the group
is usually very noisy, involving beating on pots and pans with wooden spoons,
whistles, horns and fire crackers. The newlyweds are often surprised, but
usually not disappointed or angry with their friends and family. The bride and
groom usually attend the party in what they were wearing at the time (e.g.
pajamas or nightgowns). The entertainment, food and drink are all provided by
the party guests.
Hilda loved Fernye Bank. In 1983 she held a 100th Thanksgiving and
Blessing of the home with 133 people attending. Quite the “house party” – the
guest of honor was the house itself! Many of us have fond memories of Hilda,
Reg and visits to that lovely home – from my childhood I recall an old player
piano and an equally old crank Victrola (and my mom’s admonition not to touch
either). I was fascinated by a moose head mounted on the veranda, enjoyed
lunch in the cozy kitchen, and sometimes formal dining with silver and fine
china. And, of course, having a cup of tea. I rode my bike from London to visit
one summer day. Glenda, Albert and their kids were visiting as well – it
was a pleasant day with family spent in conversation on the lawn in the shade
of the old smoke house. Hilda remained at Fernye Bank until 1992 when, at 82
years, she wisely decided to move on to Nithview.
In those early years Hilda and Reg enjoyed car trips to Quebec and the
Gaspe and, on one trip to North Bay, Sudbury and Manitoulin, saw the Dionne
Quintuplets (cf. the Octomom of January 2009). They must have liked these car
trips for, after the war in 1946, they drove to the West Coast – two months
to cross Canada and then back through the US. I understand that they were one
of the first to ever drive across Canada. The “highways” were pretty bad
back then.
Context - the highway
system was approved by the Trans-Canada Highway Act of 1948, construction
commenced in 1950, officially opened in 1962, and was completed in 1971.
1952 saw the 100th anniversaries of Walter’s Falls and
St. James, Haysville. Hilda has strong ties to both. She has been a
faithful Anglican supporting St Phillips, Walter’s Falls (her family church),
St. James, Haysville (Reg’s family church) and St George’s, New Hamburg.
Other notable events
in 1952 include the passing of George VI, the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II,
founding of the Stratford Festival, (and the birth of Reginald Emerson
Quinton).
In 1963 Hilda attended a garden party at Bishop Strachan (their motto is
“Girls can do anything”) for the Archbishops of Canterbury (Ramsey) and York
(Coggen). We wonder if she lobbied for the ordination of women in the
clergy of the Anglican Church (as deacons 1969, as priests 1976). Summer of
1968 saw Tom and Jean married. The first Quinton Thanksgiving reunion
(Hilda’s siblings and their families) was held that fall -- Hilda is a much
loved and essential anchor at Thanksgiving. For the winter of 1975 the diary
shows Hilda in Panama City with Olive and Beier with a return trip via St.
Augustine and Myrtle Beach. Spring of 1976 has Hilda attending Dale’s
graduation from the RCMP in Regina and his wedding to Sheri at St Phillips that
summer. And in those years several trips to England and Europe (she can say
she’s been to Italy – but only just). Hilda travelled quite a bit in those
years.
Hilda loves the theatre and has been a faithful Stratford supporter
since the inception of that company. Many times over the years Ellen has come
for a visit and a play. From her diary we read that Handel’s Messiah in
London (1948) has “500 voices” and rated 5 stars, the Michelangelo Orchestra
from Florence, Italy (1971) is only “very good” and rated 4 stars, she had box
seats at the Royal Albert Hall to see The Mousetrap (1976) on a car tour
of she describes as “Cathedrals of England”, she travelled to Oberammergau,
Austria for The Passion Play (1980). In 1981 it would appear that she
saw everything at Stratford, she napped through Handel’s Messiah
(1982) with Kate and Reg (but then she’d seen it before), in 1998 Natalie
McMaster and Man of La Mancha were both “super” but the Prime of Miss
Jean Brodie was “not good at all” – she complained and received a letter
of apology from Stratford. They still call this long time supporter of
the performing arts but, with age, her theatre days seem to be over.
Hilda isn’t a drinker (tea doesn’t count) but nevertheless seems to be
exceptionally accident prone – there’s a long history of broken hips, knee caps
and legs with long periods hobbling about on crutches. Nevertheless she
marches on. She had fall a year ago that took the wind from her sails but seems
to have recovered again. These days she takes walks for exercise and is
still strong enough, despite all misadventures, to get into and out of cars on
her own to go out for parties to places like the Waterlot. In Hilda’s calendar
a birthday celebration is inked in each year with Sue and Don at the Waterlot.
There’s even a designated table for her. It’s no surprise we’re here today.
We’re here to celebrate with someone we love very much. In 1991 Hilda
was honored as “Citizen of the Year”, in 1992 she received a “Canada 125
Award”, and no doubt there’s a long list of awards and letters for today. She
has been a great support for her family, her church, her community and all the
friends she’s made along the way. To each of us she is someone very special, I
can’t do justice to the honors you might give her so will close, simply, with
Happy birthday Hilda,
you have lived a hundred years. Good on you!
2010/01/17 REQ
Postscript 2015/09/07
It's with
a deep sense of sorrow that I'm writing to advise you that our beloved Aunt
Hilda passed away during the early hours of this morning (Sept 7/2015) while
residing at her residence -- St. Peter's Residence at Chedoke, Hamilton,
Ontario.
Funeral
arrangements are being made with the Mark Jutzi Funeral Home, New Hamburg,
Ontario. An update re funeral details, donation information, etc will be
posted on their website within a day or so at www.markjutzifuneralhomes.ca Aunt Hilda's obituary will
also be posted within several southern Ontario newspapers including the
Kitchener/Waterloo Record and the Hamilton Spectator.
May God's
love continue to be with Aunt Hilda today and hereafter.
David
Quinton
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