Alberta (Conquergood) Heddle

Ancestors

Descendants

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Susan Durant [send private message]

Biography

Alberta (Conquergood) Heddle lived in .

Alberta Elaine Conquergood was born at home in Ardath, Saskatchewan, to Minnie and Rob Conquergood, the fifth born child. Alberta was born September 14, 1917, at Sec 6 Tp 31, Rng 9, Ardath, Sk, Ca. (A twin of her brother TomConquergood-1 died at childbirth). Alberta's parents were 44 and 45 when she was born, and her eldest sibling was 20 and her youngest 11 so she felt like a single child sometimes. Alberta helped her parents on the farm and at harvest time she learned to cook for crowds, and she learned to drive as a young teenager, in order to help her Dad deliver oil to customers. Alberta moved to British Columbia in 1938 and she stayed with the Patterson family and worked as a domestic for Dr and Mrs Brummit, and the Emory family.

She met Mac HeddleHeddle-90 and they became married in Sept 14, 1940 at St Andrews by The Lake church in Willow Point Nelson BC. Reverend Graham Graham-20277 performed the marriage.

Alberta was quick to laugh and joke with, and she had a good laugh. Mum was a natural redhead. Mum was a really good dancer. She played the piano (we had a roller piano) she played songs like "The Tennessee Waltz", "Roll out the Barrel", and "The BumbleBee Boogie". Mum knew how to have fun - was sharp at playing cards, hosting big dinners, and golfing and curling. Alberta loved to read! Alberta started smoking - ( she always claimed) at the age of 8. Alberta was a pretty steady smoker all her life, but she wanted to quit all her life too, but wasn't successful. Alberta helped with the Heddle orchard business by packing apples which were transported down to a packing wharf below the Heddle farm on Kootenay Lake, and taken by rail car and barge over to the rail system across the lake for transport all over Canada and to the U. K. The Heddle Farm had no shortage of work to do: Alberta kept busy maintaining a huge farm garden, - which included running the roto-tiller, and planting, weeding, harvesting - Alberta kept the house sparkling clean, baked her own bread, balancing the budget for maintaining the farm, paying for the coal for the house furnace, the gasoline for the tractor and farm machinery, the feed and bedding materials for the cows, horses, pigs, chickens, horses, vet bills, spraying material for the orchard, paint and upkeep for the house and outbuildings, vehicle parts, new shoes and boots for growing girls, and sewing material for she made most of the kids' clothes, also dentist bills, pharmacy bills. She didn't complain a bit about the work...but she often had a sore back). All the while she had four daughters, a husband, and her Mum (Minnie Conquergood)[Tooke-88] living with the family. Alberta also had a Mother-in-law ( Bertha Heddle)Parker-33595 lived next door who needed lots of attention and diplomacy, always included in many meals and day to day activities. Alberta didn't get her drivers' licence until 1962. Alberta got up early in the morning, and she often used that time to do her baking and canning : rows and rows of canning and baking on the kitchen counter. Mum liked to go to church at St-Andrews-by-the Lake Anglican church, and she had a big flower garden and took bouquets to the church before the service, for the altar. Alberta lost her singing voice when in her 20's she had her thyroid removed and her vocal cords were damaged. After that she had a bit of a husky speaking voice and was sad to not have a remarkable singing voice any longer. But, Alberta was a good yodeller ! Mum sold eggs to the neighbours in Willow point, and after she got her licence would deliver the eggs to the neighbours houses. Alberta was a great cook, baker and entertainer. Alberta and Mac were close with the neighbours, and often threw fun- filled, long lasting well fed parties, where they always rolled up the carpet and everyone danced. Alberta visited elder neighbours and she belonged to the Women's Institute and worked hard for them she was the president for one term, and an active member always, raising money for church repairs and community improvements. Alberta and Mac golfed, square danced, and Alberta curled and bowled in women's leagues. Alberta was widowed at 54 years of age, and she travelled to Spain and U. K. and New Zealand and Hawaii with girlfriends.Alberta redesigned the log house that she and Mac started out in, and moved in there, selling the family farm. Alberta played bridge with friends, and was always up for a game of of cards. Alberta took road trips in her Honda to visit her children and her family in Saskatchewan. Alberta developed a real love of golfing. She read many books, loved Coronation Street, kept up letter writing and was always keen for some fun. Four months before her death she went dog sledding in Sun Peaks, BC, and drove around BC visiting her kids and Grandkids. Alberta died in 1998 and is buried in Nelson Memorial Park, Nelson, British Columbia.

Sources

• "Canada, Prairie Provinces Census, 1926," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QPLK-KRG6 : 18 April 2019), Alberta Elaine Conquergood in household of Robert Conquergood, Rosetown, Saskatchewan, Canada; citing Census, Rosetown, Saskatchewan, Canada, Library and Archives of Canada, Ottawa.
• "Find A Grave Index," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QV28-JH2G : 13 December 2015), Alberta Heddle, ; Burial, Nelson, Central Kootenay Regional District, British Columbia, Canada, Nelson Memorial Park; citing record ID 70316061, Find a Grave,

• 1921 Census: Minnie (Tooke) Conquergood & Family in Ardath, Saskatchewan, Canada. She is the daughter of Robert Conquergood and Wilhelmina Tooke.
• "Ardath, Bounty, Conquest Histories 1998", published 1999 by ABC History Committee, Conquest, SK. Alberta is mentioned in Conquergood, R.R. p.260 and Conquergood, Tom & Leila pp.260-2."Canada Census, 1916," database with images, *