(My transcript of the back of the postcard - with capital letters and periods added.)
Miss M H Walls Varna Ontario
Pipestone Jan 13/1912
Dear sister
I have been too busy to write of late. Will write soon. Am going back to Reston Monday. Miss Hales is not able to work yet. She was down hear last week. Vick is in Winnipeg attending M.(?) School. Received parcel at xmas. Fit ok. Thought trim(?) nice. Thanks for same. Love to all. From Ella
Finding a copy of the postcard above on the Martin Berman Postcard Collection on the Past Forward website was a treat! Although I don't know of any direct connection to the Boultons, who knows? Two years later Elsie Bushby would arrive in Reston herself and communicated with her family back home with postcards and letters just like Ella.
The 1911 Canadian census taken 5 months later in June of that year, both Ella and Mary along with other Walls family can be found living in Reston. Their details are listed on the page after Elsie's brother Arthur and his wife Lou and their 5 children. Ellen, 35 years old is listed as a dressmaker at a general store and her sister Mary H. is 30 years old and a tailor. Both live with their brother Victor who is 26 years old and a plumber at a hardware store. Also in the home is Victor's wife Hannah Katherine (26) and 2 young children - Harold and Myrtle.
Further research finds Victor Walls enlisted in WW1 in 1916 as #922173 as a bugler and was discharged in 1919 at the rank of Sergeant. His military file indicates he didn't see active duty as he suffered from varicose veins that were inflamed from marching in training. Buglers held an important role just the same in each battalion to call the troops for to rise and sleep, for meals as well as giving directions in battle.
In the 1921 and 1926 censuses, the family of 4 live in Pipestone and Victor is a Tinsmith. Miss Myrtle Walls from Pipestone was the teacher at Scarth from 1931- 33 according to the Manitoba Historical Website here. The is as far as I have traced the family. Any further information is welcome at ssimms@escape.ca
Reston Fair began and the grandstand was built in 1908 according to the first Trails Along the Pipestone. I am glad this postcard survives online to help us imagine these early days.
