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George and Kate Belchamber in Woodside Road,Chiddingfold sometime in the 1930`s

Ethel Elizabeth May Belchamber was born 29th January,1894 and registered on the 8th March that year in Kirdford.

Ethel Elizabeth May Belchamber aged 21 spinster (A Housemaid) and Samuel Cowlishaw aged 42 batchelor (A Gentlemens Valet) were married on the 9th August in the Wesleyan Methodist Church,Colwyn Bay,Conway.Robert Sims Armsby performed the ceremony and the witness`s were Thomas and Mary Grindley.Ethel address at the time of the wedding was Bryn-y-glyn,Nanty-glyn road,Colwyn Bay and Samuel was living at Bella Vista,Park Road,Colwyn Bay.

Ethel,Ivy and Robert Belchamber

 
Claude Leroy Steeves and Ivy Alice Belchamber were married on the 9th of January, 1918 in St.Marys Church; Chiddingfold.Roy was a Canadian soldier who was barracked in Aldershot while serving in the First World War.
Family legend says that Roy used to stop and talk to Ivy’s father George, where he met her, he liked Ivy but didn’t know how to get to ask her out so next day he faked a puncture, so he could take it to Ivy’s blacksmith father George to fix, George took Roy home to mend it and, that was his way of meeting Ivy again, and getting up the nerve to ask her out. The Belchamber family was living in Brook, Surrey at that time.
Roy and Ivy left England in 1919 aboard a troop ship bound for Canada. After letting the troops on board first, it was time for the families, when it was Ivy’s turn she was asked if she was Ivy or Gladys Steeves,her heart most probably sank had Roy two wives, but  luckily no, there were two Steeves families on board. They landed in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and boarded a train to Nokomis, Saskatchewan where Roy’s parents and siblings lived. The Steeves family originally came from New Brunswick, they moved to Nokomis before the First World War and farmed there until Roy’s father died in 1935 his mother stayed on until she died in 1943. Roy had seven brothers and five sisters who all fanned out to British Columbia and further south to Carnduff, Saskatchewan and the USA.Before WW1 Roy worked around Watrous,Calgary and south west Alberta where he was logging, he also started a homestead in Oyen,Alberta before he sign up for the army in Calgary.Roy`s parents Henry James(1850-1935) and Alice Lillian(nee Curry)(1859-1943) are both buried in the cemetery in Nokomis
In 1920 Roy and Ivy moved onto their farm 11 miles south of Young, Saskatchewan.For the first year they lived in a granary. They started the farm with the soldier’s grant of land it was virgin prairie where only Indians and Buffalo had lived before. Roy and Ivy had three children Douglas Roy born August 30th ,1918 in London,England,Hazel Ann born January 19th,1923 and George Keith born July 2nd,1926 both the latter born on the homestead in Young. By the end of 1923 Ivy’s brother Ronald had immigrated to Canada, stayed with them and helped out around the farm, helping to construct the farm buildings, along with Roy, friends and hired help. Ron also helps build the local school at Mornimont, where Doug, Hazel and Keith attended. Families in the district boarded the teachers to cut down on the cost of wages, several stayed with Roy and Ivy over the years.
When Roy and Ivy moved onto the farm they took a team of horses. They grew Wheat, Oats, Barley and Flax.
During the harvest they used a threshing machine; it took a crew to run a threshing rig so farmers in the district helped each other out. Later there were threshing crews who went from farm to farm. Threshing crews were a big chore to the farmer’s wives, as they had to feed them three big meals a day, no sandwiches for lunch but three big meals. Crews were up to ten or more men plus a team of at least twelve horses all for the farmer to feed and look after. It was all horsepower until Roy got his first tractor an Oliver 90 in the late 1930`s.It was still horsepower even then, except there used the tractor to power the threshing machine, horses were still used to cut and haul. Roy and Ivy purchased their first combine harvester and Massey Harris in 1945, which cut down the manpower needed to r harvest. In 1920 Roy and Ivy had one quarter which increased to nine quarters altogether.
They used coal oil for lamps and wood and coal for heat and cooking. Later they used gas lamps much like the ones we use for camping now in that you pump up pressure for the lamp to burn. Wood and coal was used in the old house until Doug and Keith sold the farm. They used batteries for light after the 2nd war that was charged by a wind mill. It was a 6 volt system. In the 50s Doug got a motor generator to charge the batteries and then in the late 50s they got power put in. Telephones were around before the war but were local farm systems that ran on the barb wire fence between farms. It wasn't until the late 50s that they had a real telephone system.
Mornimont School was the center of the community it was used like a pubic hall. Christmas Concerts and New Year dances were held there, as were dances at Valentines and Easter. Church services were also held at Mornimont School which ended with a ball game between other schools. The last day of June every year there was a school picnic. The 1st July was always spent in one of the bigger towns Watrous, Young or Davidson where there were celebrations, ball games, and horse racing games, foot races and tug of wars.
In October 1928 Ivy, Hazel and Keith left from Young by train (Canadian Pacific) for Montreal to board a ship(SS Minnedosa) bound for England.Ivy`s brother Ron joined them a few miles down the track in Renown. It took 4/5 days to reach Montreal and a farther 7/8 days to reach Liverpool. They took a cab from Liverpool to Chiddingfold; Surrey. When the cab arrived at the house (Burcot) the driver called out the name Belchamber, to that Kate Belchamber Ivy’s Mother retorted “we don’t want any hawkers around here” Ivy replied “well don’t you want to see us mum?” Hazel who was five then, has great memories of meeting all her English grand parents, aunts, uncles and cousins, especially her uncle Jim and Dennis who she remembers gave her sweets, she really enjoyed the French cream candied mice and rides on their bicycles. Grandfather George also gave her a taste of his home made Parsnip wine. That first night in England she remembers Ivy, Keith and herself all slept in the same bed which was so cold and damp they thought they would freeze. One time Jim Belchamber was taking Hazel and Keith to the sweet shop, when some local children took after them, Ivy had dressed them both in overalls, which was common dress in Canada at that time, Hazel remembers Uncle Jim holding them close and telling the local children to”bugger off”. Jim would also play the mouth organ and Hazel would stand on his shoes and dance around the room. It was a great time and sadly it had to end, Ivy, Hazel and Keith returned to Canada in the April of 1929 aboard SS Montcalm.


Although horsepower was for the farm, Roy and Ivy purchased their first car in the early 1920`s, nobody can remember the make, it was a tourer with curtains instead of windows, but on its first trip out, as Roy approached a gate Roy forgot he wasn’t driving horses, he pulled back on the steering wheel and yelled whoa, whoa and drove right through it. They later got a new Chevrolet in 1928.Cars could only be driven during the spring and summer as the roads were not kept open during winter. Hazel can remember when in 1947 it snowed so bad, she had to stay on the farm she could not get into Watrous until April the following year.
Ivy made a trip back to England in 1964,both her parents had died by then but there were all her brothers and sisters to visit which she did, she stay with most of us for while, us included in Chiddingfold.Ivy died in 1973,Roy had died ten years earlier in 1963.
Doug. And Keith never married they farmed at Young until they retired in 1973.Hazel married and has a son, who now lives in British Columbia. Keith passed away in 2001; Doug and Hazel still live in and around the Young, Saskatchewan area.

 
Frederick George Basil Belchamber was born May 21st 1897 the High Street, Petworth the birth was registered July 3rd in the Petworth Southern district of Sussex. He married Dorothy Radley aged 21 a spinster on February 15th 1922 at the Registry Office Guildford. Basil aged 24 ,was listed as a motor mechanic living at Oakleigh, Woodside Road, Chiddingfold, Kate Belchamber his mother and William Huntingfold were witness. Arthur James Langrish registrar preformed the ceremony. Basil died in the Royal Surrey County Hospital, Guildford on the 18th of July 1981 of Bronchopneumonia and renal failure. His daughter Barbara was informant.

Sgt.George Frederick Basil Belchamber R.F.C    WW1        Can anyone recognised the Bi-plane

 

Robert Leonard Powell Belchamber born 1900 on the 24th of March a whit sunday at Burningfold,Dunsfold,Surrey the birth was registred on the 4th of May.Robert married Ivy Rabson at the Registry Office in Ticehurst,East Sussex and Kent.The ceremony was preformed by Harry J Sancto on the 28th of February,1928. Robert and Ivy`s witness` were Mildred Rabson and Jesse Thomas Edwards,their abode was 15 Osmers Hill,Wadhurst,Sussex.Robert a batchelor was a 27 year old timber carter and Ivy a laundry maid aged 23 and a spinster,there was no father or fathers occupation listed for her.Robert died in Pembury Hospital on the 3rd Fenruary 1964 of a cardiac arrest,his informant was his son Frederick Charles.Robert was 64 years of age and a timber yardman his address at time of death was 33 Warren Ridge,Frant,Sussex.

 

Arthur Dennis Belchamber was born on the 24th September, 1901 in 1926 here married Esther Ellen Jenner at the Guildford Registry Office he was a 25 year old batchelor and a general labourer and Esther a 16 year old housemaid and spinster.Arthur was living at Oakleigh,Woodside Road,Chiddingfold and Esther at Hollist Cottage,Chiddingfold.Their witness`s were Clara Jenner and Annie Louise Humphrey.George Belchamber,Arthur`s father was  listed as a Engineer and Esther`s father Reuben Charles Jenner as listed as a Carter.Arthur Dennis died on the 11th October,1933 with his mother Kate by his bedside,the death was registered on the 12th and burial took place on the 14th at St.Marys Chiddingfold.His occupation was listed as a domectic gardener.

 

Hugh Gordon Belchamber was born October 25th 1903 at Burningfold,Dunsfold,Surrey.The birth was registered at Hambledon on the 4th of December that year.Gordon Hugh Belchamber as he called himself now age 26 and a batchelor was married to Lydia Alice Davis a spinster age 18 on the 17th February 1930 at the registry office Guildford in the district of Hambledon.Gordon was a gardener living in Burcot,Woodside Road,Chiddingfold and Lydia no occupation listed was living in No.1 St.Peters Road,Old Woking.Gordon and Lydia`s witness` were Ernest Alfred and Ada Lucy Deadman.Hugh Gordon died on the 6th March 1979 at number 20 Queens Mead,Chiddingfold.Gordons wife Lydia was informant and he was listed as a retired Pumping station engineer.

 

James O`Brien Belchamber born  in 1906 on the 14th March at Mapletree Cottage,Dunsfold,the birth was registered on the 12th April that year.James married Dorothy Annie Lawrence at Northchapel parish church on the 11th October 1930,James was age 24 and Dorothy was 21, the witness` were Arthur Dennis Belchamber and William George Lawrence the father of Dorothy.James was listed as a labourer from Chiddingfold and Dorothy from Northchapel no occupation listed.James died on the 28th November,1980 and was cremated at the Guildford Crematorium.

James O`Brien Belchamber 

Ronald Silas Belchamber was born in Maple Tree Cottage,Dunsfold on the 22nd of March 1908 and registered on the 1st of May.

Ron went to Canada at the age of 16 in 1923, for a while he stayed with Roy and Ivy Steeves on their farm in Young, Saskatchewan, helping out around the farm constructing farm buildings etc, he also help build the local school in Mornimont.Ron also worked for different farmers in the district before farming on his own just south of sister Ivy.

Ron and his cousin Hazel were close like brother and sister, Hazel remembers one time Ron was having trouble backing the horse and wagon up to the granary, Hazel learned a new word that day, she thought it such a different word that she was going the tell it at school. When Hazel told her mum Ivy, the word she got a spanking and Ron got hell for using such a word.

Ron and Sister Ivy went back to England in Oct. 1928 and stayed until April 1929.

 Ron met his first wife Ellen when he was in Young; her parents farmed about two miles northeast of Roy and Ivy. Her name was Goodin the Goodins were a very musical family they played Violin and Banjo, Ellen played the piano and Ron played Guitar and sang as well. The Goodin band played at local dances etc.in the area. After they married Ellen refused to live on Rons farm, so they lived with the Goodin family in Snowden.They left young in 1939 with a wagon and two horses called Topsy and Fanny, Elmer Lindgren went with them, they camped along the way. Elmer later took the train back home to Young. Ron worked for a while for the Conservation and Drainage clearing the Carrot River. Ron and Ellen married in 1936 and had a son Dale born Sept 11,1940,they  stayed at the farm until WW2,sadly they broke up after the war and Ron moved to Pontrilas,Sask.They divorced in 1949,as a side note Ron’s lawyer was John Diefenbaker later to become Prime Minster of Canada in 1957.
Ron and Elizabeth (Living) were married on the 28th of Oct 1950; they had three children George born Nov. 29th 1951, Wendy born Nov. 17th 1952 and James born Oct.6th 1955.
Until he died in 1976 Ron worked the farm in Pontrilas, growing cereal etc.

Ronald and Elmer leaving for Snowden 1935

Kitty Faith Belchamber born 1911 on the 7th of July at Mapletree Cottage,Dunsfold.Kitty married Ronald Herbert Smith a 25 year old prison officer of 8 Ellington St.,Bansbury on the 23rd of October 1937 at St.Marys Church,Chiddingfold,Surrey.Kit had no occupation listed but her address was Burcot,Chiddingfold the family home.Their witness`s were E.J.Munday and C.W.Brooks the rector Charles Baldwin preform the ceremony.They started their married life living in Wandsworth,finally settling in Maidstone,Kent.Kitty Faith died on the 8th Oct,1993 aged 82 and Ronald on the 24th October the same year aged 81.

 

Roy Belchamber was born on 15th of April 1917,the birth was registered on the 25th of May. Sadly Roy died later that year on the 24th of November in Woodside Road,Chiddingfold where he was born 7 months ago.Broncol Peumonia was the cause of death.