52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: Week 8 (Family Photo)
Elizabeth Young (nee Slicer) Thomson was born in 1882 in North Berwick, Scotland. She married Thomas Thomson who was also born in North Berwick, Scotland in 1880. Thomas came from a traditional North Berwick fishing family. Elizabeth's father was a Stonemason whose skills were likely in high demand in the seaside fishing village they called home. I haven't yet found the records to figure out if Thomas was a Stonemason when he met Elizabeth or if he was influenced by her father, and became a Stonemason after meeting her.
Regardless of when it happened Thomas was a Stonemason who traveled the world creating artistic and functional stone products. This may have been how they ended up coming to Canada, and settling at 923 5th St NW, Calgary, Alberta in their newly purchased home. I haven't yet found the documents to support what year they initially arrived, but I do know when they arrived for the second time. It was important to Elizabeth to be with her family while having her first child. They rented out their home in Calgary, and set off for North Berwick, Scotland in early 1914.
Their first daughter was born in May of 1914. World War 1 broke out in July. They found themselves unable to go back to Calgary due to the war, and hoped their tennants were looking after their home while they were away. Their second daughter (my grandmother) was born in December 1915. My grandmother told me there was a baby brother who died, but I haven't found any records to indicate if he was born still or died after birth. I have found no evidence, but we remember. No one should be forgotten. Elizabeth and Thomas had no other children. When the war ended the family of 4 set sail on the 1st of October 1920 from Glasgow to Quebec on the Cassandra (I have the ship's manifest). They settled back in their home in Calgary as shown on the 1921 census. Grandma told me her parents were so happy to find their tenants had looked after the house the entire time they were gone.
Thomas was a father & husband before his time. He supported his daughters in their educational endeavors. He supported his wife in all her endeavors. The time was 1932 when women were still expected to be caring for hearth & home, and yet we find my great grandmother in this historic photo.
The Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF) was founded in 1932 in Calgary, Alberta. In 1961 the CCF joined with the Canadian Labour Council (CLC) to become the New Democratic Party (NDP). My great grandmother was there to start what would become the NDP we still know today. Elizabeth Young (nee Slicer) Thomson is in the white hat, second in from the left in the front row. She was a woman I am proud to call my ancestor. She is one of the many strong woman I descend from.
I began my genealogy researching in the hopes of finding my role in my own family story. I discovered that politics runs deep. During the 2014 municipal elections in British Columbia I discovered several of my newly found family members were in politics. In the 2018 elections I discovered these family members were very committed since they successfully ran again. I have several politicians in my family tree, and now know my great grandmother was part of building the New Democratic Party (NDP) which I definitely lean towards.
I had never considered getting involved in politics before I was approached to run in the 2013 British Columbia provincial election. In the end I decided that it wasn't a good fit for the party in question. The only real reason I truly pondered getting involved was ego. I was flattered that anyone would consider me a good candidate to represent their party in an election.
The most important part of being a politician I think is being sure you have no skeletons in your closet.
My personal closet is difficult to close due to things I am not particularly proud of over the years. But none of these are truly big skeletons in the big picture of life. Just stupid choices made at different times during the growing up years.
I have copies of The Vancouver Sun & Province in 1949 regarding my grandfather. The Province newspaper dubbed him 'The Shotgun Bandit' in a bold headline about a taxi robbery and pulling a sawed off shotgun on a 'Plucky Rookie Police Officer'.
Since I have no idea what other skeletons are in my family closets due to having really no idea where I actually come from I feel unsure at the idea of politics.
BUT given that political ambitions seem to run in my family tree maybe I need to think twice before I decide life with books is enough for me.
Skeletons falling out of closets makes for interesting searching!
This is why I search -
Cause ...
You can pick your friends, but you can't pick your family you know!
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