1

East Beach picnic
1927
Pelee Island, Ontario

Credits:
Essex Kent Mennonite Historical Association

2

Four Pelee musicians
1926
Pelee Island, Ontario

Credits:
Essex Kent Mennonite Historical Association

3

Social life on the Island was closely connected to church and family life. During the first years, little socializing took place between the so-called English people and the Mennonites. However, it should be noted that there were good relations between the Mennonites and the English.

4

Women on a November Sunday afternoon at the Jacob Konrad farm
1929
Pelee Island, Ontario

Credits:
Essex Kent Mennonite Historical Association

5

Group of men on the Jacob Konrad farm; an Essex car can be seen on the right
1929
Pelee Island, Ontario

Credits:
Essex Kent Mennonite Historical Association

6

Ben Konrad, Abe Konrad, Jake Gossen & Nick Wiens sitting on a log at the beach on a Sunday afternoon
Circa 1930
Pelee Island, Ontario

Credits:
Essex Kent Mennonite Historical Association

7

Bicycles were the main mode of transportation during the Mennonites' first years on the Island
Circa 1930
Pelee Island, Ontario

Credits:
Essex Kent Mennonite Historical Association

8

Parsons Road double house on a Sunday afternoon
Circa 1930
Pelee Island, Ontario

Credits:
Essex Kent Mennonite Historical Association

9

Robert and Howard Stoltz on their horse behind the garage on the Stoltz Centre Dyke Road farm
Circa 1930
Pelee Island, Ontario

Credits:
Essex Kent Mennonite Historical Association

10

Mealtime (Faspa) on Sunday afternoons often included many families. As a result, the men ate first while the women waited on them, then the women took their turn at the table, and lastly the children were invited to the table to eat the leftovers. This often included a treat called half and half: a half cup of leftover coffee diluted with a half cup of milk. Nothing was wasted. After supper the men discussed politics. During wartime, this would definitely have included the political situation in their former Russian homeland, and elsewhere. During the summer months, the women often took a tour of the hosting family's vegetable garden, which needed to be weeded on Friday or Saturday.

11

A group of young people singing at the Jacob Dick home
1931
Pelee Island, Ontario

Credits:
Essex Kent Mennonite Historical Association

12

Jacob Gossen and cousin Nick Wiens smoking next to Nick's Dodge car
Circa 1930
Pelee Island, Ontario

Credits:
Essex Kent Mennonite Historical Association

13

John Wiebe, Maria Wiebe, Anna Wiebe with guests at the Wiebe home on Henderson Road
1931
Pelee Island, Ontario

Credits:
Essex Kent Mennonite Historical Association

14

Before the Sunday morning worship service began, small groups of men often met to discuss politics and other topics of interest. The women would watch the children and help the woman of the house with the noon meal for everyone which often followed the service.

The work week consisted of six days and Sunday was the only day off. Saturdays were spent cleaning the house and yard, and baking and cooking for Sunday, as baking on Sunday was unheard of. Sunday was spent visiting with, or entertaining friends and relatives.