Childhood
May 26, 2020
Father, George William Barnes was born February 21, 1900 in Muskoka Co., Ontario. He came to Alberta in the spring of 1906, first living near Gull Lake and later in the Nebraska District near Tees. In 1918 he got a job in Edmonton with the C.P.R. in their shops on the south side. He met Sarah Begley born is Scotland on December 04, 1892. They were married in St. Anthony's Cathedral in Edmonton on November 29, 1922. Their 2 oldest children were born in Edmonton. when George was laid off about 1925 they moved to the Clive and Morningville districts where he farmed, blacksmithed and was an auctioneer. This was for many years until on night their house caught fire. They were unhurt but lost all their belongings in the fire. In 1931 they moved north and took out a homestead near Grassland, Alberta, not far from George's folks.
Sarah suffered with Postpartum depression with all her childbirths, She had 6 babies in 10 years. She lost her 2 year old son Andrew by accidental poisoning on the farm and became very depressed. These years in the dirty thirties were hard on Sarah and George; they were not unlike many of these times barely getting by. After these tragic 10 years, around 1933 Sarah became institutionalized and lived the next 48 years in hospitals and died in Rosehaven, Camrose on December 4, 1981.
Around 1936 George made the decision to leave Grasslands. he gathered up his four oldest children from the convents where they had spent the last 3 years and moved to Grindrod, BC. His youngest child, Florence remained with his parents in Canoe, BC. George sold farm equipment and stayed in Grindrod for 3 years. It was there he met his second wife, Rose Bilyk. Rose had 2 children from her previous marriage, George 5 children and together they had Ronald and Kathleen; making a family of 11.
In 1940 George returned to Alberta to join the Canadian Army(29th Edmonton Reg.) and went to London, England December that year. Suffering from an elbow injury, asthma and stomach ulcers he was invalided home in 1942. While George was away Rose looked after the children and when he returned home they moved to Dawson Creek and 5 years later to McLennan where they lived until 1966. In 1966 they moved to Abbortsford, BC where George died January 19, 1974. Rose died in January 1982. They are both buried in Haney, BC.
This story is taken from the Barnes Family Album ccompiled by Phyllis Alcorn
Around 1936 George made the decision to leave Grasslands. he gathered up his four oldest children from the convents where they had spent the last 3 years and moved to Grindrod, BC. His youngest child, Florence remained with his parents in Canoe, BC. George sold farm equipment and stayed in Grindrod for 3 years. It was there he met his second wife, Rose Bilyk. Rose had 2 children from her previous marriage, George 5 children and together they had Ronald and Kathleen; making a family of 11.
In 1940 George returned to Alberta to join the Canadian Army(29th Edmonton Reg.) and went to London, England December that year. Suffering from an elbow injury, asthma and stomach ulcers he was invalided home in 1942. While George was away Rose looked after the children and when he returned home they moved to Dawson Creek and 5 years later to McLennan where they lived until 1966. In 1966 they moved to Abbortsford, BC where George died January 19, 1974. Rose died in January 1982. They are both buried in Haney, BC.
This story is taken from the Barnes Family Album ccompiled by Phyllis Alcorn