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Steam train
1920
Bedford, Nova Scotia, Canada

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Strange as it seems life in Bedford in those days really revolved around the trains. The first train come through at 7:20 in the morning, the suburban, and the first lot of workers would go to Halifax on that, the school children and others would take the train from Sydney which came through at 8:20, then the DAR from Kentville came a little later and at 11:20 the CNR (from Truro). Women, for instance, who wanted to do shopping in Halifax would take the time of their choice. We school children and others got home on the 1:20 from Halifax, the DAR came back at 3:00, then the workers would be on the 5:20, or the suburban which left at 6:20. The Sydney train came back out in the middle of the evening. In the evening people used to gather at the station to watch the trains come in, just stand around to see what was going on, who got off etc. and talk to their friends. When the train arrived the mail bag would be thrown off. Miss Storey, the postmistress, would sort the mail, people would pick up their own and go off home. Another day was over. If the train happened to be late Miss Storey would wait so people could get their mail.

179

Train Repaires
1920
Bedford, Nova Scotia, Canada

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Repair crew replacing drive wheel. In the background of this photo is the old Catholic Church. The flat bed repair car is on a third rail that is still there today, but now grown over. This accident occured opposite where the United Church is.

181

Engine that broke down
1916
Bedford, Nova Scotia, Canada

182

Charles Frederick Emmerson, son of the photographer,standing on track in front of steam engine. Charles stated he heard that the engine had lost one of its drive wheels, went and got his father who took these photos. Apparently the train lost the wheel on its way through Bedford.

183

Renovations
1920
Bedford, Nova Scotia, Canada

184

We were at Bloomfield School when the Armistice was announced. I don't remember much about that day. I know we went in to school and I slightly remember walking in somekind of a parade of the school children, but my father found me somewhereand brought me home. I know George rang the Presbyterian bell in Bedford to announce the glad news.

After the War my Uncle came back from Overseas so the MacGowan family went back to Saint John and my father remarried.

He decided to put an addition on the house so he built two extra bedrooms upstairs and a sleeping porch. That was very important because when my sister was in Grade 9 it was discovered that she had a touch of TB so she spent several months in the San in Kentville, then the next four years living in the sunporch. As she got older regular tests showed that all traces of the disease had disappeared and she lived a good long life, married a Doctor, and brought up 5 children. She died in 1990.

185

Robb family
1934
Bedford, Nova Scotia, Canada

186

As time went on we had two younger sisters arrive. I was 15 when Allison was born and 19 when Margie arrived. I always remember the day in 1925 when she was born. I had been to a funeral of a very well known Bedford friend, Lina MacKenzie, in the afternoon, then gone in to a class party in Halifax at the home of one of the members of our class. While there I got a phone call saying I was needed home and that the Doctor would pick me up. We got home in time for Dr. Rice to officiate at Margie's birth. Both girls were born at home. So that was my day, classes in the morning, a funeral, a party and a birth all on one day, and it was Friday, March 13th.

187

Colmonell in winter
1920
Bedford, Nova Scotia, Canada

188

As time went on my father decided to have the front of the property landscaped. He had paths made, the flower gardens put in and a summer house built. He called the property Colmonell from the village in Ayrshire, Scotland where my grandmother was born.

189

Colmonell in winter
1920
Bedford, Nova Scotia, Canada

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Times were changing. We were growing up, some of us left for College, the face of the village was changing, the Coston House had been demolished and a service station and cabins stood there. The road had been hard surfaced and there was gradually a great deal more traffic. My father sold most of the lots in Isleview and a little community grew across the tracks. He sold the two lots at the back of the property where houses are now at the top of the hill. People kept moving in to Bedford and all of a sudden we didn't know everybody any more.