Ella BREWIN [1072]

  General Notes:

Between 1901 and 1906, before she married, Ella travelled twice to Canada (1901 and 1902) and to several times to Jamaica to visit relatives. Her brother Francis (Frank) married, Amea, the daughter of Hon. Andrew George Blair (Canadian Minister of Railroads & Canals) and his wife Annie Elisabeth (nee Thompson).These are Ella's letters to her mother, and are much more descriptive of Canada and elsewhere than her article below.
Ref: James Holme 2018.

James has published his grandmothers letters from these visits to Nth America see:
<https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=sr_nr_n_0?fst=as%3Aoff&rh=n%3A133140011%2Ck3Aella+brewin&keywords=ella+brewin&ie=UTF8&qid=1516968243&rnid=2941120011>

These are also on on this website see Home Page - Books - My Dearest Mother Canada 1901 or 1902

Julius Jottings June 1901 No 5.
Miss Brewin is at present in Ottawa, on a visit to the Blairs.

Julius Jottings No 6
Jan 1902
THE DEN,
STRAWBERRY HILL,
TWICKENHAM,
August, 1901.
DEAR MR. EDITOR,
It is with great diffidence that I write this letter in answer to your appeal for an account of my visit to Canada. I have been strongly advised by friends on both sides of the water' not to give my own ideas, or impressions of all I have seen, as I should probably raise a storm of criticism and contradiction on the " incorrect and absurd " opinions I had formed. So, as this magazine is read in both Continents I will follow the advice of my betters, and merely tell you a little of what I saw and what I did. I started on April 25th on the Allan Liner " Corinthian," and did not have a particularly good passage out, owing to the fog, hail, rain, and snow storms, which we had for several days, and the thermometer often only 29 degrees on deck. With the exception of our first Sunday (when I was laid low) I was the only one of the seven ladies courageous enough to sit on deck the whole voyage, which took eleven days. The first land we sighted was covered with snow, and until we got some way up the St. Lawrence ; then, as it got warmer, we had our first whiff of the unmistakeable and all pervading scent of Canada, a scent, I think, of timber, pines, and freshness, which excited the returning Canadian more than anything else could have done, making him feel he was really home at last.
I hope foreigners do not smell the smoke and black of London and Liverpool from afar ? We reached Quebec at 9 p.m. on May 5th, and very fine " The Gibraltar of America " looked as we steamed up the river, the many lights showing up 'the rocky cliffs which it seems almost im-possible that Wolfe and his men could have scaled, a landed, and climbed to the Chateau Frontenac, and the Dufferin Terrace, which is on the edge of the cliffs, and saw the moon rise across the water from behind the Lerro heights, illuminating its conspicuous churches and convents. We had a glorious day to continue our journey up the St. Lawrence, which gives you your first idea of the huge size of the country. Imagine going up a river for two whole days in an ocean steamer ! There are numerous little villages all along the banks, the churches with their shining tin roofs and spires, occupying the most prominent spots, and usually a Presbytery or Convent near by.
You can fancy the interest that those of us who were crossing for the first time took in the inhabitants and quaint little houses and vehicles, etc. We were all very sorry when our journey came to an end at Montreal, where Amea and her sister in-law, Mrs. George Blair, met me. After a night at " The Windsor," we went on to Ottawa, and I had my first experience of a Canadian train, which is most luxurious after our English carriages. In the Parlour Car you have a comfortable arm chair, a pillow, and footstool; also you can buy papers, books, fruit, sweets, and even chew-gum, to while away the time. On my arrival at Ottawa, I received from my host and hostess, the Hon. A. G. and Mrs. Blair, the hearty welcome which is ever accorded to, and so much appre-ciated by all English people visiting Canadians, whose kindness and hospitality are proverbial. I have no space to tell you about the Capital of the Dominion of Canada; you must read up for yourself a description of the splendid group of Government buildings, covering an area of four acres, and standing on the top of a wooded hill, rising straight out of the Ottawa river. From the Parliament Hill grounds can be seen the fine Chandiere Falls, where the river, narrowed to 200 feet, falls so feet over big rock ; and then more to the North the Rideau Falls, where the Rideau joins the Ottawa. Near the latter is Rideau Hall, the residence of the Governor General, now Lord Minto. I went there to tea one afternoon and to watch a cricket match. There are a great many saw-mills on these two rivers. Thousands of logs are floated down here, and made into shingles for the roofs of houses, and planks. Most of the roads are planted with trees, there are no fences to divide your front garden from the public path. Every house has outside shutters, generally green, like the Italian, and nearly all have verandahs or large porches, in which you sit to work or read. The children go about in French wicker perambulators in the summer, or small three-wheeled ones, just like English children have for their dolls. There are a great many Chinese washermen, and the mixture of Chinese and English dress with their pigtail, looks very odd as they carry home the washing. The conductors in the railway cars, the waiters at the hotels, and shop messengers, are usually black men, so you see a variety of nationalities. There are electric trams everywhere, and every imaginable convenience in the way of telephones, electric light, and heating apparatus.
I went to the Proroguing of Parliament, which was most interesting, and attended with much of the ceremony of the Opening, described in a former issue of Julius Jottings. I had two delightful river excursions with Mr. Blair, one day going through the Rideau Lakes to Jones' Falls, near Kingston ; and another, starting not far from Montreal, we went up the Soulanges Canal, and St. Lawrence River (also towards Lake Ontario), passing on the way the Long Sault rapids, down which the King, then Prince of Wales, was taken by Indians in war paint and feathers. It is grievous not to have space to describe some of the beauties of the country through which we went, but, perhaps, it is as well, as it defies description, and I could give you very little idea of its size and grandeaur. Mr. Blair was leaving for England the first week in June. Mrs. Blair, Amea, and I, with several other friends, went to Boston to see him off. We stopped at Montreal on the way, where I " did " the city, which is the largest and chief commercial centre of Canada. I went for a lovely drive with Mr. Blair, to the top, of the Mont Royale (from which the city derives its name), a Park of over 460 acres, where you get a magnificent view 900 feet above, the sea. We returned through the grounds of the McGill University, with its many educational buildings. We travelled in Mr. Blair's private car, " The Ottawa," which is most comfortable, and homelike. It was attached to the end of the ordinary train, so that Mrs. Blair and I could sit out on the platform at the rear to look at the very interesting country through which we passed. They most kindly let me sleep in one of the sitting rooms, where, being propped up by numerous pillows, quite near the windows, I could see as much of the scenery as possible, and it certainly would have been sad to have missed what I might never have the chance of seeing again. If anything particularly beautiful was being passed, Mrs. Blair would come and tell me, in case I had accidentally fallen asleep at the wrong moment, for which I was duly grateful. We arrived in Boston with the first heat wave, which was unfortunate. From a tourist's point of view, I cannot say I liked Boston at all, or ever wish to go to an American town again. The paths are very crowded with a pushing, rushing, twangy set of people, who all seem to be shopping in their enormous stores, which have all the things piled on the counters like an inferior Whiteley's at sale times. Servers who do not trouble to do anything, or care whether you buy or not,
and awful lifts, which drop from one storey to another at a rate which makes you feel as if you have been for a week at sea in a fearful storm !
Of course, you are filled with wonder and admiration at all their modern ideas and inventions, the beautiful hotels, and well-kept parks, and I am told the society there has a great reputation for intellect and refinement; I am extremely indebted to Mr. Blair for having given me the treat of going there; but we were all pleased to get back to our car again, and feel ourselves gradually getting cool once more on the way to Niagara. You probably know the Falls from pictures and panoramas, as well as I do, but you cannot in the least realise their size or grandeur until you go below them on the little steamboat, " The Maid of the Mist," and then enveloped in mackintosh, helmets, and ulsters, the spray streaming down your face, and with the roar of the water too great for you to hear, or to speak, you begin to have some idea of the magnificence of a river which continuously pours over falls 158 and 167 feet 15 million cubic feet of water per minute ! I think the part we most enjoyed was the wonderfully engineered drive in an electric car along the gorge formed by the action of the rushing water. You first go along the Canadian side high on the cliffs above, past the whirlpool, the rapids, and Gen. Brocks' monument on the Queenston Heights, then back on the American side, level with the water, passing quite close to the madly rushing, boiling rapids, which toss their spray high like ocean waves, and in which Captain Webb lost his life trying to swim them nearly 20 years ago. We dined at a charming hotel (though the waiters were all niggers), and had frogs' saddles for one of our many courses. The next day we spent in Toronto, the second city of Canada, on the shore of Lake Ontario. We drove about nearly the whole day. It has lovely drives through a ravine, and past the many golf links. We visited the embryo Zoo, and saw amongst other animals a beautiful family of little Bruins, a most fascinating monkey with a looking glass, and " an English pheasant," the like of which I have never seen, and I think would decidedly astonish the other members of his tribe on this side of the water. Amea and I left Ottawa on June 10th to stay with her married sister, Mrs. Fitz-Randolph, at Fredericton, N.B., a journey of 20½ hours. We had to wait a short time at Montreal, where Sir Wilfred and Lady Laurier most kindly asked us to dine with them at the hotel, which was very pleasant. How I wish I had the whole Julius Jottings to give some descriptions of New Brunswick, but I must try to be brief.
Fredericton is on the banks of the St. John river, where it is about three times the width of the Thames at London Bridge. It has a beautiful Cathedral, built from a model of Snettisham Church, Norfolk, which I visited with your parents seven years ago on our way to Sandringham. Mrs. J. H. Ewing lived here for the first two years of her married life, and loved the place dearly. Mr. Thomson, of St. John, N.B., with Mrs. Thomson, and their two daughters, who had just returned with Miss Blair from London and Paris, came to Fredericton on their delightful yacht, " The Scionda " (which Mr. Thomson has put at the disposal of the Duke and Duchess of York during their visit), and took us back with them to Rothesay, where we were going to pay a visit to Amea's brother and his wife in their little country house. I must not linger over the pleasure and beauties of the two days' cruise there. Mr. Thomson was very kind about stopping at especially picturesque places. We went in the launch up a lovely little river (wider than the Thames) called the Oromoeto, and visited a small Indian encampment of about 10 huts. The proverbial dog was outside each door, and the two rooms, with their mud floors, contained little but a stove in the one, and a bed in the other. In one but where I bought a little fancy basket, I noticed several familiar Scripture prints on the walls, " St. Paul at Corinth," etc. In another but I saw in one small room, a little dark sleeping baby being swung by a young woman to and fro, in a small canvas hammock, slung across one of the corners, and in another corner crouched four other little ones, with their mother, and an older woman, making baskets in the centre. About three miles before reaching St. John, we came into the Grand Bay, which is five miles across, and turned off to the left (N.E.), up the Kennebecasis Bay, the estuary of the beautiful Kennebectisis River, from one to four miles wide, with many islands, the finest, opposite Rothesay, having cliffs at least 160 feet high. Rothesay is a village, chiefly composed of the summer resi-dences of the people of St. John, which is about nine miles off. I went several times into the city, the most interesting feature being the Reversible Falls. At low tide the river falls about 15 feet into the harbour, but the strong impetuous Bay of Fundy tide, which here rises about 25 feet, counterbalances this fall at high water, and entirely " reverses " it, causing a fall in the opposite direction !
Mr. Thomson, who is Commodore of the Royal Kennebecasis Yacht Club, took us for several delightful trips in the " Scionda," both by sun and moonlight. From Rothesay, I went with Mrs. Blair and four of her family by the Inter-Colonial Railway to Murray Bay. Owing to a railway accident, we had to wait for six hours during the night at Moncton, N.B., which was most fortunate for me, as it involved travelling through the beautiful Metapediac Valley by day, instead of night. Miss Blair and I sat on the rear platform, got black with coal and dust, but thoroughly enjoyed the glorious views. For 60 miles the Metapedia River flows by the line, sometimes on one side, some-times the other. 'The Valley is enclosed by wooded hills, 500 to 1000 feet high. There are many rapids, and excellent trout and salmon fishing. We passed near the shooting lodge, where Princess Louise used to stay as the guest of Lord Mount Stephen. Another advantage was that we had to go on to Quebec for the night, so I had a second glimpse (though again after dark) of this most interesting and historic town. We went on board the steamer early the next morning (July 6th) for Murray Bay, which is 80 miles from Quebec, further down the St. Lawrence, on the north shore. Alas rain and mist came on almost directly; and though on deck, wrapped in rugs, we saw nothing until reaching Point a Pie, where we landed and drove two miles towards the head of the Bay to the wooden hotel\emdash Lorne House. This hotel, with 12 or 14 log huts in the grounds, was erected since last April by Monsieur Chamard, a well known and most entertaining proprietor, very big, very French, with black, curly hair. When Lord Minto and his family spent a day at Murray Bay; we asked him to come and sign his name in the visitors' book, and His Excellency afterwards said he would not have missed seeing Chamard for anything. The hotel was about 50 steps from the road on the side of a hill, Mrs. Blair's but was 80 steps higher still, so we had the advantage of a magnificent view across the Bay and down the St. Lawrence; also a splendid position for observing all the doings of the inhabitants of other huts, and good exercise for our muscles to and from our meals in the hotel. All the servants, drivers, and shop people, etc., spoke a French patois, potatt for pomme de terre, lac for milk, etc. In all private country houses they have gauze wire doors and windows to keep out the insects. We did not have these at Murray Bay; the curious and varied assortment that assembled at night after the lamps were lit, coming between the logs of the house, as well as through the windows, was very interesting ; perhaps, it was as well that distance prevented us from hearing too clearly the words of welcome addressed to some peculiarly large specimen when it dropped upon the face of a slumbering inmate. I had one introduction of which I was very glad, but which I do not wish to repeat. One evening, when playing Ping Pong with the garden door open, there was such an awful smell we all fled from the room (except poor Mrs. Blair, who had rheumatism and could not move); we could not imagine what it was, and were not able to go back to the room for about ten minutes. On our return Mrs. Blair said that it was a skunk. Probably, whilst passing, it had been frightened by our noisy play, and emitted the awful odour which is its only protection against its enemies, and is perceptible nearly a mile away.
There was a grand display of the Northern Lights one evening. On July 14th, four of us went for a trip up the wonderful Saguenay River, about 50 miles farther down the St. Lawrence. It is one of the coldest rivers in East Canada, so we were all well provided with capes, shawls, and rugs; consequently, it was the hottest trip the Captain had ever known. The Saguenay is very like a Norwegian Fiord, the great rugged cliffs going sheer down into the water, which is black, from its great depth, 600 feet deeper than the St. Lawrence at their con-fluence. When I was sitting on deck watching the last faint streaks of the brilliant sunset, which was lighting up the sombre masses of rock, an American tourist to whom I had spoken in the afternoon, seated himself beside me, and with the usual awful twang, said " And how do you compare the English and Canadian cooking? I find the French too greasy for my taste." Imagine the poetry of his thoughts !
We sat on deck until after midnight, and were up before three to see Chicoutimi\emdash deep water, the farthest point of our journey, where there is a large lumber trade. We went on shore at Ha Ha Bay, where we had to wait for the tide for two hours. It was too hot to go for a walk, so Amea and I went to see the R.C. Church, the only place open at 5 a.m., where it was fairly cool. We realised the height of the cliffs more on our return journey. Guarding the entrance to one cove into which we went are two " capes," one 1,500, the other 1,700 feet high, and on the top of the latter there is a lake with good salmon fishing ! At another spot, 1,000 feet above the black water there is a huge Gothic arch at the entrance of a cave, " in which as yet the foot of man has never trod " the guide books told us. Don't you wonder when they see those words that thousands of Americans don't rush to the spot with an electric shute, or a penny-in-the-slot cliff-climber ! We stopped at Tadousac, at the mouth of the Saguenay, the oldest continuously occupied European settlement in Canada, and visited the quaint little Jesuit Chapel, containing some interesting relics, and the bell of the original chapel, which has been used for nearly three centuries. At Riviere du Loup, our next stopping point, on the south shore of the St. Lawrence, I said " Good-bye " to my companions, with many regrets, and feeling very lonely without Amea, from whom I had not been absent for a single night for exactly ten weeks.
After dinner with some Ottawa friends, I started off at 9 p.m. for a 15 hours' journey to Rothesay, which I was delighted to see once more. There I stayed with Mr. and Mrs. Thomson, in their country house, just on the banks of the Kennebecasis, with a most lovely view down this beautiful river. There, I spent a most delightful ten days in perfect weather, yachting, sailing, conoeing, bathing, picnicing, and driving, and I must frankly own that I was very sorry when at Rimouski, on July 2 8th, I went on board the " Tunisian," with the mails for England. I had a fair passage home, fog for 48 hours, but no icebergs, to my sorrow and the Captain's joy, and the last three days, a really very heavy roll, which did not tend to cheer the drooping spirits of those who had left Canada with heavy hearts. If ever you get an opportunity of goirig there, I advise you to seize it. You will receive more kindness and attention from perfect strangers than you can possibly imagine in England. I can promise that you will enjoy it thoroughly, and will come home with a keen desire to go back again to see your friends, and more of that wonderful country, the size and grandeur of which is so fascinating to English people.
They will be exceedingly glad to have more good emigrants, people who will work. There is plenty for them, and good wages. They had a magnificent corn crop this year, but not enough hands to reap it. As I said in the beginning, I must not comment on the people, or different customs, and anyhow, I am afraid you will be very weary of what is not, I fear, an interesting letter ; but I should need a large volume to tell you the amusing little experiences by the way, and shall have to give them without the descriptive matter after my next visit to Canada, which I hope will be before the Julius Jottings is entirely monopolised by a younger generation.
With apologies for my lengthiness, and wishing you every success during your Editorship,
I remain,
Your affectionate cousin,
ELLA BREWIN.

  Research Notes:

A grave containing twins adjoins that of Maurice & Ella, they were probably lost at birth.

Image courtesy of James Holme 2018

  Other Records

1. Census: England, 2 Apr 1871, Somers Villa Isleworth MDX. Ella is shown at her fathers house aged 1 month born Isleworth

2. Census: England, 3 Apr 1881, 78 Church Rd Richmond SRY. Ella is recorded as a daughter aged 10 scholar born Isleworth MDX

3. Census: England, 5 Apr 1891, 19 Strawberry Hill Rd Twickenham MDX. Ella is recorded as a daughter single aged 20 born Isleworth MDX

4. Census: England, 31 Mar 1901, 19 Strawberry Hill Rd Twickenham MDX. Ella is recorded as a daughter single aged 30 born Isleworth MDX

5. Family Group, Abt 1902, St Paul Minnesota USA.
Ella wrote from North America 1^st October 1902:
"We reached St Paul, Minnesota about 11 & went into the city. Mr Blair took us into several furniture & picture shops, then he left May¹, Audrey^2, Dr MacCarthy³ & me, & we had this awful photo taken. Dr MacCarthy is really rather like Cousin Monty, pleasant face, blue eyes & fair curly hair. The photographer put his hat like that & said "the two in front must sit close together", which upset us & then there was a notice in front of us "Gentlemen, please not spit, others must not" which was very upsetting."

1. May is a daughter of the Hon George Blair.
2. Kathleen Audrey Blair 1881 - 1948
3. Dr MacCarthy seems to be the family physician who is always a member of the party.
Ref. James Holme.

The question is are these the person's in this photo, if so who is who, can you help ?

6. Census: England, 2 Apr 1911, Bishopston Bristol. Ella is recorded as married 1 year aged 40 no children born Isleworth MDX

7. Ella Brewin: Images in later life.

Ella married Rev Maurice Ingram HOLME [1075] [MRIN: 340], son of Rev Robert HOLME [24257] and Elizabeth LYON [24258], on 27 Jun 1909 in Brighton SSX. (Rev Maurice Ingram HOLME [1075] was born on 16 Dec 1878 in Brighton SSX, baptised on 23 Jan 1879 in St Peter Brighton SSX and died on 5 Jul 1944 in Salisbury WIL.)