pattern envelope
Report a Mistake- Date Made Circa 1935
- Event --
- Affiliation --
- Artist / Maker / Manufacturer Simplicity Pattern Co. Incorporated
- Object Number 986.17.13 a
- Place of Origin Continent - North America, Country - United States of America, Municipality - New York
- Place of Use Continent - North America, Country - Canada, Province / Territory - British Columbia, Municipality - New Westminster
- Category Communication artifacts
- Sub-category Documentary artifact
- Department History
- Museum CMH
- Earliest 1930/01/01
- Latest 1940/12/31
- Brand Name / Model Simplicity
- Inscription (on front/sur le devant) Price 5c/Simplicity Pattern 1505 Size 34/You are always in style when you dress with Simplicity/NRA
- Materials Paper
- Measurements Length 22.2 cm, Width 15.0 cm
- Caption Family History of Edna Anderson
- Additional Information The following are notes taken by Barbara Riley from a taped interview: Edna was born in New Westminster B.C. in 1918. Her father had various jobs including a blacksmiths' in Fraser Mill's when she was born. He later clerked in stores. Edna was an only child. Her mother, Annabella, did not work outside their home except during the Depression when she did housework. When she was 2 years old Edna and her family moved to Ewen Ave. in the Queensborough area. The house was very small, only two rooms, one was a kitchen/living room, the other a bedroom. Conditions were very primitive; no running water, her mother had to carry in water from a standpipe in the front yard. No sink, they used basins and pots for washing. Gradually the house was expanded and modernized. Originally there wasn't any electricity; coal oil lamps provided lighting. Edna's mother worried about the danger of fire with a small child so electricity was shortly introduced. Her father did the wiring. Heating was provided with a coal and wood range. There was a reservoir on the side of the stove which was kept full of warm water. A typical daily routine for her mother would include making breakfast and father's lunch, tidying, making beds and dishes. Edna describes her as a homey woman who took pains to make things attractive and comfortable. They had a double city lot so they had room for a large garden and grew all their own vegetables: potatoes, carrots, beets, turnips, kale. Perishable foods were canned. They kept chickens for eggs and eating, some of their neighbours had cows. Lulu Island was still semi-rural so there were no restrictions. Any surplus food was shared with their neighbours. Everyone enjoyed working in the garden; father had been a farm boy, mother grew up in Dundee, Scotland where she was a jute weaver, a typical factory girl. Edna's responsibility was the evening watering of the garden, 6 pm to 8 pm every night. Edna's mother trained her from an early age to manage a household, including housework, clothes care, baking, sewing, etc. When her mother baked or sewed Edna had her own scraps of dough or cloth to work with. Laundry was a major undertaking; carry water from standpipe - heat water on stove - boil some of the clothes - lift clothes from boiler to large kettle to put them in a tub for scrubbing on a board - another container for rinsing - finally putting them through a hand wringer. She always blued the clothes with "Rickett's" bluing. It was a matter of pride for a housewife to put out a sparkling clean wash. Clothes were always hung outside except for rainy weather when they were hung in a large porch or above the stove in the kitchen. Clothes for ironing would be folded while still damp. Mother used sad irons and continued to do so occasionally even after acquiring an electric iron. Mother looked after day to day small expenses, but consulted father on major items. They never purchased anything on credit, this was considered unethical. Weekly shopping trips to town on Friday were social occasions as well as a necessary task. Meat was difficult to keep so only small amounts were bought at a time. Mother kept meat in a "safe," a small cupboard with screening on both sides. This was kept outside on the porch or some other cool shaded area where there was a breeze. Eventually an ice box was acquired before getting a fridge. Edna's mother canned various types of food, including fish which was purchased from local fishermen. They also bought baby chickens and raised them just until they would fit in quart jars. The hot water bath method was used in this process, this involved boiling the chickens in their jars in a water and salt solution, when cooled the liquid would gel. Edna's education only went as far as Grade 9. Because of the Depression she did not go to high school. This was not uncommon for that time. She was 14 when she left school and spent her time picking berries in the summer and doing a little housework. As her mother's health began to fail she took on more responsibilities at home. Her domestic science courses started in Grade 6 with sewing and food nutrition. Her first sewing projects included weaving a small mat, to learn the structure of fabric; a place mat, using basic sewing stitches; a pot holder; a huckabuck towel and their apron/uniform which they wore while cooking. Most of the sewing machines were electric but there were a couple of treadles. Edna found it difficult to switch from one to the other. The kitchen classroom was completely furnished and stocked with all utensils. Edna was introduced to several new types including a gas plate, which she did not feel comfortable using. Instruction in making rice, blancmange, cookies, desserts, cakes and home canning were included. Edna found this to be an extremely useful course. Other areas of instruction included the care of a house, bedding, correct order of washing dishes (glassware, silverware, China, pots and pans; soaked utensils like egg beaters in cold water so you didn't cook the egg and make it hard to remove.) They were required to launder their uniforms every week and bring their own cooking and sewing utensils. Edna doesn't remember that this was a problem for any of the students. It was assumed that they would each have their own homes, but specific roles were not discussed, you followed the pattern of your parents. Edna lived with her parents until her marriage in 1948. Housing was scarce after the war so they made a suite in her parents home. As Edna's parents grew older she and her husband were able to assist them. Her mother died in 1960 and her father in 1964. Edna did not work after her marriage; she had worked as a cashier in a grocery store. She describes their suite as cozy and attractive and that they had more advantages than her parents when thy first started out (e.g. an iron, toaster, fridge, waffle iron) Edna feels that the skills she acquired in the domestic science course have served her well all through her life. She still sews and makes a lot of her own clothing and enjoys many hobbies as well.