Monday 25 July 2016

Who Will Bring Home the Gold?



In less than two weeks the Olympics will open in Rio de Janiero, Brazil.  There are some sports I like to watch in both the summer and winter olympics, while I wish I was athletic enough to try them.

In days gone by one had to wait for scores and winners to be published in the newspapers. Now not only can we watch the olympics live on TV, we can follow our favourite athletes on the Rio website or on the mobile app.

Following are some interesting Olympic links I found.


Relevant Links

The evolution of the Olympic games 1829 BC to 1914 AD

List of Olympic Games host cities

Olympic Games Programme, St Louis 1904

The Olympic Games at Athens, 1906

The Olympic Games of 1908 in London

Olympic Games Stockholm, 1912


Olympic Games Antwerp, Belgium 1924

Report of the 1956 Olympics in Melbourne, AU (pdf)


Olympic Games website - (results for every olympic games year and athletes)





Sunday 24 July 2016

Serendipity Sunday - Who Screams for Ice Cream?





While doing my family search I came across this... a perfect thing for hot summer days!



When Dad was driving the family anywhere on a hot summer day and we saw an ice cream store coming up, we kids would all sing...
♫ I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream ♫
... hoping Dad would stop and get us each a cone.  Sometimes it worked, sometimes not.


On special occasions, my Mom would make waffles on the griddle and with a slice from a brick of Neopolitan Ice Cream, make ice cream sandwiches.

When my girls were at camp they made ice cream using 2 different size coffee cans and rock salt.

What are your favourite ice cream memories?



Relevant Links

Ice Cream Trade Journal



Thirty-six Years an Ice Cream Maker, 1907




Tuesday 5 July 2016

The Cigar Box - Introdution


Original post date: 11 May 2016


My sister was looking after my parents in their last years and now they have both gone to join our ancestors. Going through their things recently my sister came across a cigar box containing a few things my Dad kept from his WWII days. Being the family historian and record keeper, she gave the box to me.

Property of Lieutenant Thomas Ray Edward "Bud" Seale.
Enlisted:  Royal Canadian Engineers 9 Jun 1941
Transferred:  RCASC 1st Bridge Company, then 85th Bridge
Transferred:  15th Field Reg't, Royal Canadian Artillery

The cigar box is cardboard, hinged, a little scruffy and about 5½" x 8" x 2½"... not very big. The stamp on the box reads:
Canada - Number 239 - 50 Cigars Issue of 1960.



The box contains an assortment of things that meant something to my Dad.





There are lots of images for WWI stuff on the internet, not so much from WWII so I thought others may find this helpful. I will go through all these items and over a few days post what I think may be of interest, under the label "Cigar Box".

There are also a few WWII items I had previously found among my father's things that I may include in this section. 






Monday 4 July 2016

Cigar Box - Service Medals, Badges and Ribbons



Contents of The Cigar Box - most from 1943-1945
Property of Lieutenant Thomas Ray Edward "Bud" Seale.
Enlisted:  Royal Canadian Engineers Sept 1940
Transferred:  RCASC 1st Bridge Company, then 85th Bridge 9 Jun 1941
Transferred:  15th Field Reg't, Royal Canadian Artillery




Bud was awarded these medals for his service in World War II... the ribbons are frayed and wrinkled and the medals are tarnished, but a steam iron and a little spit & polish will bring these medals back to life. Most soldiers serving oversea got these medals. Some were also awarded to those who volunteered but were rejected for medical reasons, or those that volunteered but deemed better served at home.




... they are left to right..





The Canadian Volunteer Service Medal came in a little box with a note of thank you for his service.





Bud also received the General Service Badge





The reverse with badge number and the raised legend PENALTY FOR MISUSE 500 DOLLARS OR SIX MONTHS IMPRISONMENT. Sterling S



Reverse of card...



The men also received a booklet titled "Information Regarding Mounting and Wearing of Decorations, Campaign Stars and Medals".


Friday 1 July 2016

Cigar Box - Homeward Bound, Empress of Scotland



Contents of The Cigar Box - most from 1943-1945
Property of Lieutenant Thomas Ray Edward "Bud" Seale.
Enlisted:  Royal Canadian Engineers Sept 1940
Transferred:  RCASC 1st Bridge Company, then 85th Bridge 9 Jun 1941
Transferred:  15th Field Reg't, Royal Canadian Artillery






 Empress of Scotland



Menu: 26 Nov 1945

Writing on back of menu
Empress of Scotland
Liverpool Nov 22/45
Halifax Nov 28/45


Menu: 27 Nov 1945




Crossing the Atlantic on the Empress of Scotland
For this photo Bud wrote:
"I do not know in this picture whether I am looking back on what was, the past four years, or looking ahead, at the rest of my life!"







Other Newspapers reporting about the homecoming on the Empress of Scotland

Montreal Gazette, Nov 10, 1945, page 1 - previous sail

Ottawa Citizen, Nov 24, 1945, page 31

Ottawa Citizen, Nov 24, 1945, page 34

Toronto Daily Star, Nov 28, 1945, page 2

Montreal Gazette Nov 29, 1945, page 13 (with photo)






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