Reference:  RG 150, Accession 1992-93/166, Box 1959 – 32 .

A printer, married to Gladys G., living at 14 Hillside St., Belleville, ON., in 1913. Member 24^th Kent Regt. and 15^th Regt. Attestation: 31/01/1916 at Belleville, ON. to 156^th Bn. transferred to  247^th Bn and transferred to 254^th Bn.

The following letter appeared in, The Ottawa Genealogist, Vol. 44, No.2 April – June 2011, found by Helen Clark, C-K OGS. As follows:

5 November, 1916.

To Gladys Cookson, Belleville, ON.

From: Jack Cookson, Arnprior, ON.

My Dear Gladys,

Three o’clock this morning found us here in this town, and again we are quartered in an old hotel; this one is not so nice a building as the one in Carleton Place, but it is warm and dry – and that is one important item. It is needless to say that I was very pleased to get your letter immediately on our arrival here, and glad to learn you and the wee man [son Jack 2 years old]are well. So you have the parlor curtains up? I guess they won’t need any inspection – I’m quite sure I will like them when I get home – which I hope will be soon – but I hope I don’t have to pay railway fare from Renfrew – that’s too much. As to the young mans coat: suit yourself as to a ready-made or made to order coat. One made of grey velvet corduroy would be nice – you could have a cape to match. Grey is a colour, as it does not soil quickly. I will have a look aroundtown in the morning to see if I can get a magazine. Wee Jack must be a very sweet little man now – and he wants to write a letter now! It would be a fine letter! Bless his dear heart! I hope he liked his post card.

Well my dear, we had a fine time in Pakenham. We left Almonte by train, arriving at Pakenham at about 10 o’clock. The soldiers on trek march from place to place, but the band travels by train, as we have it plenty hard enough without marching when we are up at night playing concerts. The hall at Pakenham was full and the entertainment consisted of a band concert, moving pictures and dance, which, of course, was concluded at midnight. Then we stayed in the hall until train time – 2 a.m. The people of the village simply excelled all other places in their treatment of the soldiers. The band were given a very nice dinner, and when the soldiers arrived at about four o’clock there was a magnificent banquet awaiting them in the curling rink. The people also furnished breakfast for the soldiers before they left this morning. That’s better than the other places did – and Pakenham is only a village  of about 500 population. One thing I have been impressed by is the lovely natural scenery in the country we have been through. Almonte and Carleton Place were exceptionally pretty towns, the former being the prettiest. The river Mississippi runs through both places, an in Almonte there are a large number of power dams, which breaks the river up and makes it run in several directions. The town is simply a mass of dams, waterfalls and bridges. In Arnprior we have the Madawaska river and this stream empties into the Ottawa river on the north side of the town. I have not been over much of it yet, but what I have seen strikes me favourably. It is a great lumbering town, on account of it’s location on the Ottawa river, and is a little larger than Trenton.

I think this is all for this time. Will write again tomorrow. We play for a mass meeting tonight. I think I will try and find a Sunday School, as I did not get to church this morning. Lots of love to both.

Your loving hubby.

Jack.

Jack had been working for the working for the Belleville newspaper when he married Gladys in 1913. During the Great War he played in the military band that travelled around Ontario. The letter was filed by Lynn Matthison – granddaughter.

 

GOH additional information.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Sources

Blenheim News Tribune (19-04-1916), Blenheim News Tribune (13-09-1916), Blenheim Freedom Library, In Khaki - Blenheim Enlistment Book, Royal Canadian Legion Br. 185 60th Anniversary Book 1930-1990, RG 150, Accession 1992-93/166, Box 1959 – 32

Birthplace

23/03/1887 at Blenheim, ON.

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