Gertrude Mary Bushby (1896 - 1929)

(Thanks for the picture, S.F.)

The youngest surviving child of Patience Wooler and James William Bushby was born Gertrude Mary in New Milton on the southern coast of England on November 4, 1896.  The 1911 England census describes her as an apprentice dressmaker as is her sister Myra, also known as "Queenie".  The emigration of brothers Walter and Arthur in 1906 and death of her mother in 1908 would have been deciding factors in her next chapter.  At the age of 16 in 1913, Gertie left for Canada with her older sister Elsie (Randy's Grandma) and their father James.  Elsie married Thomas Boulton the next year in May and began her life as a farm wife and mother.

The Canadian census in 1916 shows Gertie was living with her brother Arthur and his wife Lou in Reston and working as a typesetter.  Recent research in the Reston Recorder newspaper archives confirm that she worked there for four and a half years according to an excerpt from the paper below. 

Gertie's letters sent to Elsie from Yorkton have recently been rediscovered and she writes about going to church and being asked to sing in the choir, going to dances with men from the forces, and the flu epidemic in October of 1918.  She writes that she hopes to visit her sister Queenie in Seattle in March because she is "just dying for a glimpse of the sea". Her single life must be such a contrast to her sister Elsie as she writes to her "Why on earth don't you go into town more?  You are a mutt."  Gertie talks about her wonderful Christmas supper of fried oysters and sliced tomatoes at the Rose Cafe with a Mr. Miller, "a fellow that I have been chumming up for the past six weeks."
A letter from December of 1925 indicates her address is 317 St Julien in Vancouver.  She writes on American Mining & Milling Company letterhead from that city recommending the Boultons purchase stock in the company after a large find of ore.  
On September 21, 1926 a marriage is recorded for Gertrude and Charles McIntyre (1879-1946) in Vancouver.  He is a widower with a 12 year old son William.  The next year they leave for Mission Beach California and an undated letter says " One thing I don't like about California is the bareness, no trees except where they are planted.  That's what I always liked abut Vancouver, the beautiful trees."
A daughter, June Eleanor, is born in La Jolla, California on January 21, 1929 but tragically, Gertie died a few short days later in February.  According to family correspondence, Elsie offered to take June to raise with her children but Charles kept her and sent Christmas greetings to the Boultons over the years.  Letters with pictures of June and details of her growing up show he wanted the Bushby sisters to remain a part of her life.  

Daughter June continued the tradition of sending cards at Christmas to her Aunt Elsie after her marriage in 1952 to architect William Lort.   I don't suppose they ever met, but were family just the same.  I'm sure Gertie was pleased.

Any further information or pictures of this connection is welcome at ssimms@escape.ca