Letter, Maggie Wilson to Barry and Stewart Jones, 15 November 1941
Description
- Creators
- Wilson, Maggie, Author
- Jones, Barry; Jones, Stewart, Recipient
- Media Type
- Image
- Text
- Item Type
- Correspondence
- Description
- A single page letter (front and back) from Maggie Wilson to her grandsons Barry and Stewart Jones. In it, she hopes that the boys had a very happy Christmas along with all the friends who have been kind to them. She writes that they miss both of them but know that they are well cared for and can have the kind of food which helps to build strong bodies for they are to be: “the men of the future + we want you to be the men of strong bodies + characters so that when this war is over all nations can dwell to-gether in peace.” She mentions that she and their Grandfather have bought them a gift for Christmas and birthdays and that it will be something to look forward to when they come home.
The letter was provided by E. Ann McRae. - Notes
- The Pate-Jones Collection consists of some photographs of the family members and a large group of letters. The majority of the letters are written by Margaret nee Wilson, and some by her husband Howard Jones, to their sons Barry and Stewart Jones, or to Mr. and Mrs. Pate. From 1940 to 1945 during the Second World War, Barry and Stewart lived with Margaret’s second cousin Andrew Wilson Pate and his wife Mary Herron nee McClure at the Brantwood Farm. The original farm was founded by Andrew’s father James Pate, and was situated on the south side of Powerline Road and Gretzky Parkway, which at that time, was considered part of the County of Brant.
The correspondences cover from detail Margaret Jones’ dilemma in settling her boys with virtual strangers, her return trip to England to rejoin the war effort there, news of farm life in England, the concern that England might lose the war, and the anguish of both families when Andrew Pate died in 1944, leaving his teenage son to run Brantwood Farms. These letters are therefore a fascinating way to conceptualize how the war affected daily life in Canada locally, and in England.
In recent decades, the original Brantwood Farm that was situated on the south side of Powerline Road was sold by the Pate family for development. The farms are now located on the north side of Powerline Road, and consist of several farms belonging to several Pate families, mostly within the County of Brant, remaining a thriving local establishment to this day. - Date of Original
- November 15, 1941
- Subject(s)
- Personal Name(s)
- Wilson, Maggie ; Jones, Barry ; Jones, Stewart
- Local identifier
- 2017AM001.025
- Collection
- E. Ann McRae Personal Collection
- Language of Item
- English
- Geographic Coverage
-
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Ontario, Canada
Latitude: 43.1334 Longitude: -80.26636 -
England, United Kingdom
Latitude: 52.62628 Longitude: -2.20771
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- Copyright Statement
- Copyright status unknown. Responsibility for determining the copyright status and any use rests exclusively with the user.
- Recommended Citation
- Letter, Maggie Wilson to Barry and Stewart Jones, 15 November 1941. E. Ann McRae Personal Collection, Item No. 2017AM001.025
- Terms of Use
- The information and images provided are for personal research only and are not to be used for commercial purposes. Use of this information should include the credit "provided by Ann McRae"
- Contact
- County of Brant Public LibraryEmail:digitalhistory@brant.ca
Website:
Agency street/mail address:County of Brant Public Library (Paris Branch)
12 William Street
Paris, ON
N3L 1K7 | @brantlibrary
