-Godfrey James Smith-

As told by himself

I was born the second child of Annie and Albert Smith on May 6, 1903 at Clent Worcester, England. An older brother Albert Edward was born on June 18, 1901 but died that Nov, so I never knew him. I went to school in Clent until I was 13 years old. My father worked for a former Tom Morris at Clent. I used to work when I went to school too and after school and on Sat at a gentleman’s house cleaning boats, chopping wood, cleaning silverware, scrubbing the porch for 24 pennies a week. I had my breakfast there on the way to school, but ate it in the sink, as I wasn’t allowed even into the servant’s quarters.

Then my folks moved to Hill Top Farm in Fairfield, where we did our own farming and I helped at home. Dad took sick and we moved to the Little Royal Farm. I went to work for Ed Fawcett, a dairyman and we had a lot of milking to do. Here I got a pound a week wages and an ounce of tobacco as I smoked a pipe.

After several operations my father died on July 2, 1920 from cancer. It was then mother’s sister and her husband; Fanny and Douglas Wotton wrote and wanted us to come to Canada. So we had a sale and my mother, my sister – Mary – born on June 9, 1906, and myself came to Canada in March of 1921. We came to Kelso, Saskatchewan, a trip by boat and immigrant train. I worked for Uncle Douglas for $1.00 a day and we had to have a written agreement. In 1922 and 1923 I worked for Dring Bros. In 1924 I rented Douglas’s farm, but after a year he wanted it back, so I rented the Gerald Chapman farm in Brookside in 1926. Mary had got married to Jack Wotton in June 1925. In fall of 1927, mother and I went back to England and stayed with relatives and came back to Canada in March 1928. Jim Bradshaw a young man of acquaintance and Jimmy Butterworth stayed at the farm. Jim Bradshaw left when I got back, but Jimmy stayed on. In 1926 I had bought a Model T Ford for $50.00 but in 1929 I got a new 1928 Ford Model A Roadster.

In 1930, a new teacher, Anna Fisher came to Brookside school and we became interested in one another. On October 12, 1932 we were married in Wadena. We made many trips to Wadena in the Roadster, but when our family began to come, I traded it in at Manor for a Ford Model A car with a large trunk on the back and much more room. The baby carriage rode in the trunk on our trips to Wadena then.

I bought my first tractor – a 10:20 on lugs from Mr. Sundstrom at Kennedy in 1943 as farming had always been by horses and also a 4ft. oneway.

In 1947 we had to leave Brookside and find a new home – which we did at Kennedy that fall, so I traded the tractor away and got one on rubber. The little Massey tractor and still have it now in 1980. We moved to Kennedy on May 1st, 1948. Nearer to town and school. There was a lot of fixing to do to the farm. Now with a family of 2 sons, and 2 daughters, the house was small, so a piece was added to that in 1951. Grandpa Fisher came and helped with our buildings. The barn leaned badly so was straightened and lean to’s put on south and north sides. The gardens had many weeds but finally got it cleaned up. We milked cows, had pigs and poultry and just a team for winter traveling. The roads got built up finally and we used the wheels the year round. Got a dodge car, then a truck and have continued to get trucks. We got a camper later when the family were gone and used it on our travels.

Went back to England in 1967 alone but in 1972 and 1976 we both went back and enjoyed these very much.

In 1971 on August 1, I went into Regina GeneralHospital for an operation for enteritis or Crone’s disease. I had had several sick spells, but now they were over. On Dec. 8, 1976 I had a slight stroke that affected my right arm and voice, but recovered in 9 hours. Have had to take pills ever since but my health has been very good.

We have no livestock or poultry now. I have had help with farming from the Debenham bros. but last year Duane came home to rent the farm. I did do a bit of work to help out.

(1982)…Duane has been doing the farming this spring and I didn’t feel so good. On Nov. 6, 1981 I had a memory lapse and cannot drive the truck anymore. Had 2 brain scans in Regina and blood is less in one lobe of the brain – take Dilantin pills but have had some bad back spells. Dr. finally x-rayed and discovered a cancerous prostate gland.

Plans were being carried out to have the Clan meet here at our farm and also for a celebration for our 50th wedding anniversary on the weekend of the 17th and 18th of July. It all went off so nicely with a tea in the hall on Sunday. In the weeks that followed, we had a lot of visitors. After a month of severe pains in my back, I got into hospital in Regina (Aug. 5) – Plains Hospital – and had my gland operation on August 27. I got a clot in my leg. It was removed but left a numb right foot. On Sept. 13, I lost my testicles as a check on cancer but got home on Sept. 24. Took a bit of time to strengthen up but with a lot of best wishes from callers, I made it about with the use of a cane, though my legs were swollen. We decided we must move to town to be handier for winter travel so began plans. On October 15 our larger furniture went into No. 9 of the low rental suites and finally we came in to stay on October 20. It is nice and comfy and homey. Had a nice Xmas time with Duane’s at the farm and we drove to the farm often when we felt like it. The winter has been a good one. We enjoy playing cribbage in 2’s, 3’s or 4’s. I enjoy going to the Friendship Club on Wed. and am able to walk to church.

During January, we saw and got better acquainted with Dori when she came to live at the farm. On Jan 21, 1983, when I went to Regina for Dr.’s appointment, we picked up Shirley when she came from BC to spend last week of January with us.

On Feb. 11, I took a sort of sick spell and was taken to Dr. in Wawota for overnight. Into PlainsHospital in Regina on Feb. 12, by Joyce and Mum.

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At 2 o’clock in the night, Godfrey Smith had a bad stroke. Went into a sleep, though he could speak till about Tuesday, his blood conditions made for too many problems. The Dr.’s and nurses kept him comfortable, but he weakened each day. Mum spent Tue. and Wed. beside him. His left side was paralyzed. At 6 o’clock in the morning on Feb. 17, he died. The funeral was in Kennedy on the 21st. He was alive for 100 hours after taking the stroke but never opened his eyes again. Everyone was good – 250 cards received, visits, food, memoriums to the church and the Heart Fund, but it has been lonesome here without him. The mornings seem to be the worst.

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