Sam McBride: Winifred Foote`s Scrapbook of Nelson and District Photos 1906-1908

by Sam McBride

My maternal grandmother, Winifred ``Win`` May Foote was born in Perth, Ontario in 1889 and came to Nelson, B.C. in 1900. She married Roland Leigh McBride in 1914, lived for many years at 708 Hoover Street, and died in Nelson in 1960.

Her father Jim Foote had arrived in Nelson in 1899 to work as a blacksmith with the Silver King Mine. He arranged for his wife Wilhelmina ``Edith`` James and their four daughters to join him the following year. He later served as Nelson`s superintendent of works until his death in 1922.

Edith James` greatgrandparents arrived in Lanark County in Ontario from Ireland around 1815 from Wexford in Ireland.

Jim Foote was born in Ogdensburg, New York and came to Perth as a young man. His father John Foot served as a private with the Union Army in the Civil War and suffered wounds that caused him significant pain the rest of his life.

Win Foote`s sisters included Gladys Edith Foote (1893-1966), who married Colin Moir and settled in Medicine Hat; Lilian Maud Foote (1891-1962), who married Wilfred Allan and they lived in Staveley, Alberta and then Nelson with sons Blake, Jim and Alex`; Isobel Bessie Foote (1897-1988), who married Eddie Murphy and lived in Nelson across the lake; and Marion L. Foote (1902-1923), who died as a young lady.

Of the sisters, only Lil and Win had children. Win had two sons, Leigh Morgan McBride born in 1917 and Kenneth Gilbert McBride born in 1920. At school in Nelson, Leigh won prizes for history and literature, and Ken was an outstanding athlete, excelling in many sports, particularly golf, billiards, badminton and basketball.. Both served as officers with the Seaforth Highlander regiment of the Canadian army in the Allied invasions of Sicily and mainland Italy, including the heavy fighting at Cassino and Ortona. Leigh, a major, was wounded in Sicily in August 1943 and then again in May 1944, when he suffered shrapnel wounds, lost an eye and was taken prisoner by the Germans. He returned to Canada in January 1945 in a prisoner exchange. Ken died in action near Rimini in September 1944.

Win`s husband R.L. McBride (1881-1959) was born in London, Ontario and came to Rossland in 1900 to work with his uncle George McBride, who had a hardware store. After a couple of years with Byers Hardware in Sandon, R.L. McBride settled in Nelson and began a long career with the Wood Vallance Company, rising to President. He was a founding board member of the Nelson Golf Course in 1922. HIs wife Win and their two sons were also extremely keen golfers.

Actually, Winifred Foote was the second wife of R.L. McBride. On Sept. 6, 1911 he married Eva Hume, daughter of J. Fred (founder of the Hume Hotel) and Lydia Hume. (Note: Eva was Lydia`s niece, and was adopted as a young girl by the Humes after her parents died). Eva, who was a close friend of Win Foote, died due to childbirth complications in November 23, 1912. The baby Marjory also died the same day. The story in the family is that Eva, knowing she was dying, encouraged Win to get together with her husband when he was a widower. On Dec. 21, 1914, in a much smaller ceremony than the first marriage, Win and R.L. married. Today, you can see the gravestone of Eva and Baby Marjory right next to the memorial stone for R.L. and Win McBride in the Nelson Cemetery at the top of Stanley Street.

The following scans are from Win`s album with photos dated between 1906 and 1908. A couple of the loose photos taken a decade later are noted in the captions. The photos become much larger and easier to view if you click the mouse indicator on them.

If any viewer can provide further identification to the photos, please me know, either through the blog or contacting me at sammcbridebc(AT)gmail.com

centre bottom photo is signed by Win; right is her mother Edith.

win (right) and mother Edith and dog

girl in heart shape is sister Gladys; centre photo at right is sister Lil

``Kootenay`` sternwheeler at right

right side of previous scan

Cottonwood Falls and Nelson scenes

top left is Win; top right is mother Edith; below her Gladys. Their home was close to Cottonwood Falls.

Win at bottom left (left) and with umbrella top right

based on other photos in book, this is around 1907. Looks like classic view from Gyro Park

Win at top left; sister Lil is in left circle

win at top left and top right

middle of top left photo is her father Jim Foote, beside wife Edith. Kaslo Fair Day 1907

Bonnington Falls at right

Win is in left photo (right) and with umbrella in canoe.

Win is in right photo, at right. Note the hats.

some great photos of children of the era

better scan of left side of page

centre is Win with couple who may be her aunt and uncle. Note similar box camera.

sister Lil is in left photo and right photo.

Win at right in centre photo and at bottom left and bottom right photos

Win in middle of top photo and on steps in top right photo

Top photo has Win fifth at the table from the right. Behind her is Roy Sharp. In bottom right photo, Roland Leigh McBride is third from the right. These pics were loose in the album and could have been from a later time.

The bottom pic of a children`s parade in Nelson on July 1, 1908 relates to others in the album. The centre photo of Nasookin with smoke and Pulpit Rock in background was launched in 1913 so much have been added to album as loose print later. Also, the rowing race shown in top photo is closer to 1920.