Dad was 7 when his father Thomas was killed by accident on the family farm at Elkdale, Manitoba. His dad was setting his gun down from the hay rack and it went off and shot him in the head. The following picture, I believe, was taken the day of the funeral circa June 1920. That would be Bill, the little guy in the front. Lil is the young girl at the right front. On the left is Herb with Jim {with hat on} standing in front of him. The man behind Bill, with his hand on this shoulder is probably their Uncle Bob, Robert Robertson, half brother to Thomas Gray Sr. Right behind him to the left is Thomas Gray Jr. The rest are unknown.
Dad was 15 when his Mother died in 1926.
Over the years his older brothers taught him many good life skills, such as horseback riding, hunting, trapping, fishing and how to make home brew.
Not sure who taught him to dance, but that was something he certainly excelled at. He loved to dance. I think there were many local dances around Elkdale while he was growing up.
He probably left home at a pretty early age and Mom tells that he worked in and around Brandon as a farm labourer for a while. He also had a restaurant in downtown Brandon called the Dew Drop Inn. Dad was the cook and his brother Herb was the food tester and cashier. I don’t think that lasted too long.
His Mom being from Ireland, he learned a few Irish sayings. He always told us we had “kissed the Blarney Stone”. A polite way of saying he didn’t quite believe us. When we were crying, he said we were howling like a “Banishee”. Captital punishment at home was kept in the kitchen drawer and Dad called it a “shillallee” spelled shillalagh. Hardly ever used!!
Below is Lil, Will and Lu, with baby.......they all look pretty young! I think the baby is Aunt Lil's first born, Garry Hine.
Below is Lil, Will and Lu, with baby.......they all look pretty young! I think the baby is Aunt Lil's first born, Garry Hine.
