Biography of Walter John Waddelow

This biography was prepared over the summer of 1997 by George Faulder and Carol Evans. Details for this story are from earlier conversations with Walter, as well as new items obtained from him only recently. The inspiration to prepare this biography came about following:

Walter's Birthday Celebration
18^th July 1997

Walter John Waddelow was born at Scotton, Lincolnshire, England on July 18^TH 1897. Walter had an older brother Alfred William and a younger sister Emma May. Descendants of his brother and sister came to Victoria to help make Walter's 100th birthday celebration a truly memorable event.

Life in England

Walter enjoyed a happy childhood. He states that although they were poor, his mother had been a cook prior to marriage and their family had the best meals of all his friends. As far back as he could remember he had a love for wheeling and dealing, an inclination that his parents didn't entirely support. Walter believed that if you got something and improved on it, the article should be worth more, and not merely given away.

Walter related that he and his brother saw Haley's comet as boys. That would have been in May 1910, when he was 12 years old. Walter and his mother attended the local Church of England, while his father was Methodist. Upon leaving school at about twelve years he left home to work as a farm labourer (as was his father). When he was 18 years old (1915) he joined the army and served with the Lincolnshire Regiment in Ireland in 1916 in connection with the Easter rebellion. After Ireland he served in France for a short time, where he was injured and gassed, and invalided back to England.

A New Life in Canada

On returning to civilian life he was unhappy with the opportunities available in England, to realise his dream of owning his own land he cast his eye to Canada. A friend had gone to the Province of Saskatchewan in Canada, and Walter headed there. The destination at least where he got off the train, was Govan, Saskatchewan, a small prairie town 60 miles north of Regina, the Provincial Capital.

Walter told the Railway Station Agent at Govan that he was looking for work. The agent suggested he should go to the local Cafe and inquire if any hands were needed. Fortune surely shone brightly on Walter that day, and he was immediately hired by Peter Hill, a local farmer. He worked willingly for Peter and was considered as a valued family member. While working on this farm he learned about farming and Canadian ways. Walter considered his experience with the Hill family to be one of the high points in his life. Peter Hill was a 'fiddler' and performed at square dances. Walter learned to "call" dances, although he never learned to square dance.

Walter stayed with the Hill's for three years and then went to Calgary, Alberta, a City in the south central part of the Province. This would be about 1924. In Calgary he found a job as a deliveryman for a laundry.

A Wife and a Daughter

While working as a deliveryman in Calgary he met Mary Vagg, a widow living with her relatives. Mary had a little girl named Isabelle. Walter and Mary were married, and he now had a wife and a daughter. Isabelle was born in County Ayr, Ireland on February 8,1922. Little Isabelle was to become known as Isa all her life.

A Start on a Railway Career

Mary's brother worked for the Canadian Pacific Railway, (CPR). Walter was attracted to this work and got a job as a brakeman, (guard), with the CPR. He would have started this railway job in the later 1920s when he was near 30 years old.

Although Walter had a long railway career it wasn't without some rough spots. Soon after he started the brakeman job the depression bit and he didn't have enough seniority to hold full time work. The railway offered to keep him employed on an 'as needed' basis thereby maintained his seniority position. Walter made the best of the situation and at the same time had started to realise his dream of owning land.

Sod Busting Days

As a means of augmenting his income and to make a start at owning land. Walter took out a homestead near Bluffton, Alberta; a small town located about 40 miles north and a little west of the City of Red Deer. Homesteads were grants of 160 acres of un-improved land made available at very low cost. The homesteader was obliged to clear trees and break a specified area of land. and erect a basic dwelling to qualify for title to the land.

The land division system in Western Canada saw land set out in divisions called "sections", (A section is a square piece of land, one mile on a side, having an area of 640 acres). One quarter of a section was one half mile on a side with an area of 160 acres, and this comprised the basic homestead farm unit. Taking out such homesteads was the choice of many immigrants coming to Canada in those times.

Mary and Isa would have been involved with the early homestead scene, and this would be a primitive existence for the family. In any event, Walter and Mary made a go of it and prospered. Isa would have had many experiences on the farm, one of which was to act as the veterinarian for her pet cat.

Walter liked to relate stories. and he tells of a remarkable coincidence involving a neighbour. It seems that he got to know a German fellow across the common fence and they swapped stories. It turned out that they had faced each other across the trenches in France and were delighted that they could now be friends in the new land.

The homestead scene for Walter's family would have lasted into the late 1930s at which time railway business picked up and Walter was called for full time work. He sold the much-improved farm and moved to Edmonton.

Big City Life and Full Time Railway Work

Walter lived in both Edmonton and Calgary during his railway days, always owning a house wherever he lived.

Walter took his railway work seriously, but at the same time he found it rewarding and enjoyable. He doesn't need much encouragement to start talking about this important part of his life. He much enjoyed cooking in the caboose, where he prepared quite "superior" meals for the crewmembers. The train crew (three men) lived and worked in the caboose while on the road. Cabooses were fitted with beds and a simple kitchen arrangement with a combination heating and cook stove. Walter knows that his biscuits were the best ever made. In the early part of his career he had only a few minutes to make biscuits and according to Walter. They were the best he ever made. Later, when he had more time to cook they were inferior things.

After a number of years service, Walter was promoted to conductor. It is understood that he was a conductor for only a few years. when he accidentally pulled his shoulder, This injury resulted in a disability that prevented him from continuing to work as a conductor. For the balance of his career he worked as a trainman (the brakeman on passenger trains), primarily on regular passenger trains, and later on "Bud' cars (sprinters). This wasn't all bad for Walter because he liked people and related well to passengers. He retired from the railway in 1962 at age 65.

Isa Grows Up

At the time the family moved from the farm to Edmonton, Isa would have been a teenager. After completing schooling she got a job as a clerk at the CPR yard office in south Edmonton. She married Bert Wynn Feb. 16, 1946 and they lived at various locations in the West Coast, as Bert followed his naval career. Bert retired and they moved to White Rock on the southern mainland British Columbia coast.

Tragically, Bert died suddenly Auq.18, 1988, at 67 years. Isa continued to live at White Rock. but largely lost interest in life after Bert died. Isa died at White Rock on May 8, 1995, following a lengthy illness. Bert and Isa had no children.

Retirement on Vancouver Island

Soon after Walter's retirement he and Mary moved to Esquimalt, B.C. on Vancouver Island, where Bert and Isa were living at that time, and bought a house. Esquimalt is adjacent to the City of Victoria on the south end of the island. Retirement brought an entirely new and actively, involved life for Walter.

He took up an interest in coin collecting, and generally buying and selling almost anything. He became what he had always wanted to be - an auctioneer. Because of chest weakness from his war gas experience. his voice couldn't hold out for the long calls required of a pro auctioneer. but he did ok on a part-time basis. Right up to the last few years he maintained his Interest in merchandising and turning a profit. Isa said "he was born with dollar signs in his eyes.'

Walter smoked a pipe for a good many years, but following a coughing bout put the pipe away for good.

He operated the passenger elevator In the Douglas Hotel in Victoria for a time. One day in the hotel a woman inquired if he was Walter Waddelow. She replied that she was Mary Hill from Govan, Sask. and recognised him from his "pouchy" cheeks - after over 40 years.

Walter was a congenial person and enjoyed contacts with people. He was snappy In conversation, a great story teller who knows lots of 'one liners', referring to himself as a "first liner".

He took up golf in Victoria and is proud of his hole-in-one accomplishment. He never was a long hitter, but he had a great putt. His son-in-law Bert cautioned other players to "watch out for Walter, he'll chip and putt you to death."

Mary died in 1977, after over 50 years of marriage, and Walter moved to a condominium in the Shelburne area of Victoria.

A Second Marriage

In 1981 Walter met Ruby Faulder whose husband Fergus, also a railwayman, had died in 1979. Following a whirlwind courtship, Walter and Ruby were married on August 15.1981. They lived in, and bought. and sold three condominiums over a number of years. They were quite active in the earlier years of marriage; traveling to Europe, Hawaii, Reno USA and to visit Ruby's family around Canada. Ruby has a large extended family, living mainly in Western Canada.

When living on Lampson Street, Walter was struck by a vehicle and badly bruised, but over time recovered nicely and hasn't suffered any permanent effects. A number of similar experiences over the years have shown Walter to be a very resilient man.

The Lampson condo worked out well until 1994, when the couple realised that looking after themselves had become too much. Walter and Ruby, who were 97 and 89 years respectively, moved into a retirement residence (The Victorian). At the Victorian they have a spacious, one-bedroom suite, and the convenience of a fine common dining room. The couple enjoys the Victorian and it has been good for them.

When it is considered that Walter and Ruby were each married for over 50 years to their first spouses and has now been married for 16 years, this is remarkable in itself. Ruby's daughters, Carol Evans and Sandra Vance live in Victoria and are able to support the couple as needed. Her son George and his wife Kay live in Edmonton, Alberta.

100 Years and On!

The One Hundredth Birthday

Walter looked forward to his hundredth year and had a grand birthday celebration in Victoria on July 18^th .1997, with both Walter and Ruby partaking actively in all events. The Celebration started with a noon dinner at the Victorian. which the family guests attended. A birthday party with a cake was also held at the Victorian in mid afternoon, attended by Victorian residents and family guests. Later in the afternoon the celebration continued at the Evans home. Everyone thought the couple would be played out by that time and would want to rest. Lo and Behold to everyone's surprise, a phone call from Ruby and they shortly arrived at the Evans home by taxi. ready to join the party in progress.

Walter was very proud to have received 100th birthday greetings from the Queen, the Governor General of Canada, and the Prime Minister. The Victoria daily newspaper had an article and photograph of Walter in the following day's edition. Walter exclaimed that he has had a "Wonderful Life".

Twenty people came from near and far to wish him well, including a very welcome party of six relatives from England representing the Waddelow family. The English visitors were two of Walter's nieces Ethel and Dora (sisters) and Ethel's husband Claud, and their daughter Valerie-Parsons, (from Spain), and Walter's nephew Cecil French and his wife Mildred. The balance of the guests were Ruby's friends and relatives.

The Future!

Walter's next challenge is to see the year 2000, at which time he can claim that his life spanned three centuries.

Walter is in good physical health. He gets around the residence nicely by himself with the help of his wheeled walker. He can walk fairly well on his own but can speed around with the walker. He sight is impaired, but can see and think adequately to play a sharp game of cards. His hearing has only recently deteriorated. He dresses and grooms himself, and eats heartily in the Victorian's dining room.

He can no longer attend his beloved Anglican Church, but each Wednesday morning finds him with Ruby in the residence chapel for an Anglican service.

Walter Waddelow, a former conductor, with his birthday balloons'

100 year old reflects on a wonderful life

By Patrick Murphy - Times Colonist staff.

Walter Waddelow has picked up a few tips in the 100 years he has trod the Earth: Keep your head down in the trenches; quit smoking; drink in moderation; and have a wonderful wife. "I've had a wonderful life, "Waddelow said as he celebrated his 100^th birthday Friday at the Victorian, in Saanich. "I'll just keep on as long as my wife doesn't kick me out and I don't think she will now. Ruby is the grandest lady there is." He married Ruby 16 years ago after the death of his first wife Mary. The couple now lives together in the retirement home. "I have had two wives and they were both wonderful ladies" he said.

Waddelow was born in England, and at 17 he served in France in the First World War and then set out for Canada and a Saskatchewan farm, where he worked until he got on the CPR. He was a trainman and conductor until his retirement in 1962 and then came to Victoria with Mary. Waddelow smoked for many years, but one day on the trains he started coughing until he vomited. That day he gave away his pipe, cigars and tobacco and never touched them again.