Scope and Content
Correspondence from 1922 onwards from Mary Pack to Lily and Nora Grimmer, mainly describing life in Canada:-
1922: Two letters. First dated July 19th, written aboard the Canadian Pacific liner "Empress of Scotland" en route from Southampton-Cherbourg to Quebec, describing the voyage, the ship, the passengers, seeing icebergs etc. The second letter, dated August 31st, talks about new life in Canada, but mainly about being at teacher training college in Vancouver. There are descriptions of the scenery, the buildings, inhabitants and immigrants, their smallholding, forest fires, animals like bears and hummingbirds. She sends birthday greetings to Lily Grimmer and talks about exams, studies (esp. Latin and French), drawing, handwriting practice and the weather.
1923: Two 21-page letters. First started January 26th, last entry April 14th. Discusses such items as homesickness, reminiscences of Ampthill/Bedfordshire people and places, church services, the sounds (and lack of in Canada) church bells, the postal services, the scenery, nature and weather (wintry, much snow) in Canada, studying and college life, Pack family members, sports in Canada.
Second letter started July 15th, last entry October 18th. Mary has passed her teacher training year and graduated from college. She is writing from home in Langley Prairies, British Columbia where the family have set up home and has been appointed teacher at Belmont Public School on a salary of $5 per month. She also discusses her brother Harry and sister Jessie, their pets and animals on their smallholding, joining the choir, summer camping, horse riding to work, her work at the school and her pupils, dances, Harvest Thanksgiving and amateur dramatics.
Plus there are two newspaper cuttings from The Daily Province from Vancouver: 1) of the local mountain view 2) of the camping trip undertaken by the Pack family boys.
1924: Five letters and one postcard. First letter started on May 18th and finished on July 4th covers May Day celebrations, the May Queen competition, photography, life at the school, other Canadians, exams, playing the piano, fundraising, creating a school garden, visiting White Rock on holiday, picnics, sailors and British warships, and animals on the family smallholding.
Second letter also dated July 4th, marked confidential and not to be shown to anyone other than Lily Grimmer, describes a proposal of marriage which Mary has declined. Also discusses the Richardsons and Leslie Smith of Ampthill.
The postcard is dated August 4th, franked in Blain, Washington, USA where the Packs are on holiday. The picture is of the Peace Arch in Blain which is on the border of the USA and Canada. The postcard is published by Pacific Novelty Co. of San Francisco and Los Angeles, serial no. 5185 and has a 2USc stamp.
The third letter is dated August 28th and discusses: the telephone service, British Columbia summers, rabbits, a change of schools to Fort Langley, public holidays, family updates, camping, swimming, diving, rowing, canoeing and sends birthday greetings.
The fourth letter is also dated August 28th and is another private letter to Lily giving an update on proposal situation and contained some photographs of the Pack family [photographs not retained].
The last letter of 1924 contains Christmas greetings, having her hair bobbed, life at Fort Langley and the Hudson Bay Company, salmon fishing on the Fraser River, music lessons, dancing and family updates.
1925: One letter dated December 5th, includes Christmas greetings, family updates, a change of schools to home town of Langley Prairies, Jessie starting nursing training, Joan at teacher training college, tennis, choir, Sunday school, summer school and Mary's 21st birthday celebrations.
1926: One letter dated December 1st, covering Christmas greetings, family updates, Joan qualifying as a teacher and working 500 miles away, Harry getting married, hunting, measles at the school, becoming President of the Teachers' Association, the church fair, body weight and church services.
1927: One postcard and one letter. The postcard is dated March 20th and shows a picture of Marine Drive, North Shore, Vancouver. It is published by Gowen Sutton Co. Ltd, franked March 21st in Langley Prairies and has 2 x 1c Canadian stamps. It's content is general family updates.
The letter is dated November 29th and contains Christmas greetings, family news: Jessie working at a private nursing home, talk of skating, curling, snow-shoeing and skiing. The envelope has been retained because it contains a hand-decorated handkerchief as a Christmas gift for Lily which Mary had made in art classes.
1928: Three letters, first one dated August 19th containing news of summer school at the university in Vancouver.
Second letter started on October 11th sending birthday greetings and finished on November 13th describing Mary's latest work move to a school in Burnaby, New Westminster where she has to board.
The third letter dated November 25th sending Christmas greetings and talks about the theatre, church confirmation and shooting.
1929: One letter dated November 17th sending Christmas greetings and describing the family move to Vancouver itself, Joan moving to teaching nearer home, Jessie working as an agency nurse and getting engaged, friends in Ampthill, George going to technical school, Roger dating, and reminiscing on Mr Searle's operettas.