Some of you probably remember me telling you my Grandfather Culbert had died after a two-week illness in May 1922. His death left my pregnant grandmother with four young children — two girls and two boys — and a large farm to tend to.
If it wasn’t for William (Billy) Brooks, I am sure it would have been much harder to carry on.
Billy was there for her and, along with his wife, Mary (McLean), helped her through the spring days of planting and harvesting hay.
After Dad was born Oct. 24, 1922, he grew up knowing Billy and Mary as Uncle Billy and Aunt Mary.
When Dad and Mom were married and had us children, I remember fondly of going to Bond Head to see Uncle Billy and Aunt Mary.
Billy’s forefather, Jonathan Brooks, and his wife, Eliza Young, and two children came to Canada from Ireland in the early 1830s. They settled on Lot 22, Concession 6 of Tecumseth Township, renting the land from the Anglican Church that was farther west up the hill. In 1845, they purchased the land for 65 Irish pounds. In Canadian dollars, that would be $121.55.
They had four more children born in Canada. Their son, John James, inherited Lot 21, Concession 6. The other children were Maria, George Samuel, Muriel, Rachel and Elizabeth.
George Samuel lived all of his 90 years on the home farm. He married Lydia Stone and they had nine children. Hardship and sorrow came to them when three of the children died in one week of black throat diphtheria. Maurice and William (Billy) Edgar stayed on to help their father. After their father died, Maurice and Billy took over the farm. Maurice died in 1929.
By this time, Billy had married Mary McLean, of Bond Head. Her family home was just west of the Reynolds home on the south side of Highway 88.
Now, Mary could be quirky and it was known that during threshing time, or whenever it suited her, she would take to her bed and the neighbour women would come to Billy’s aid by going to the farm and cooking for the threshers. Mary had lost all her teeth, but that never stopped her from eating a steak, corn on cob or an apple.
When she was in good form, she was a delight to all.
A cousin, John Grey, helped Billy and Mary on the farm doing chores. Billy and Mary sold the farm in 1955. They moved to a little house on the north side of Highway 88 in Bond Head — 4313 Hwy. 88 — close to where Mary was raised.
Retirement was good and Billy doted on Mary. In the evening they would sit on the front porch. Billy would head up to Orr’s General Store and buy a brick of ice cream, cut the brick in two and bring it out to the porch with two spoons and they would each consume the ice cream.
They loved having guests come calling. As children, we were excited to go see Uncle Billy and Aunt Mary. Billy would offer us candy and he would give us a can and say, “Go ahead. Open the can and get your treat,” waiting in anticipation as one of us would unscrew the lid and pry it open only to have a spring-filled cloth jump out and scare us, while they both laughed. Each time we went, one of us would get a chance to open the lid, knowing it would happen but always getting a surprise and a scream from the one opening the lid. I think all Bond Head boys and girls had a chance to open that can.
Billy and Mary had a cat called Chummy. In the evening before heading to bed, Billy would go out on the porch and call for the cat until it appeared. Billy would take the cat and put it in the shed for the night.
Anyone in the area always knew when Billy and Mary were at a function or an auction because they drove a 1930s-era car. I tried to find out, before I wrote this column, exactly what year and make the car was. I remember at our farm auction in 1965, Billy bought two 45-gallon barrels and had them strapped to the front fenders and he’d head back to Bond Head.
Billy and Mary were considered the historians of the day. When they decided they would sell the house and move to Beeton Manor, there was an auction of their belongings. My dad happened to say there was a cupboard that belonged to his grandfather and was passed down in the family until my grandmother died.
The farm was sold and, in February 1930, the Culbert auction took place at the farm. Billy bought what we now call a flat to the wall kitchen cabinet for $7. Forty-two years later, I bought it back into our family for $170. By that time, it was painted inside and out and the glass on the upper doors was wallpapered over so the contents were not seen.
It is now stripped and graces my dining room. A cherry and pine piece holds my Grandmother Culbert’s good dishes.
Billy died in 1974 at 87 and Mary died in 1981 at 89. Both are interred in Bond Head United Church Cemetery.
