| Number 30 | December 1, 2003 |
REMEMBRANCE SERVICES at BEAUMONT HAMEL and VIMY RIDGE, FRANCE
By PETER MURDOCH AND JANICE MACPHERSON MURDOCH (1.6A.4,6.1,1.1,)
On the weekend of November 8th and 9th, we had the honour of representing the Canadian Forces at Remembrance services at Beaumont Hamel and Vimy Ridge, France.
It was a cool, damp day at Beaumont Hamel, where we gathered to pay tribute to the 1st Newfoundland Regiment. On the morning of July 1st, 1916, more than 700 members of the Regiment were killed, wounded or declared missing during the futile attack on the German front line. Afterwards, the Divisional Commander wrote of the Regiment's efforts: “It was a magnificent display of trained and disciplined valour, and its assault failed of success because dead men can advance no further.”
At Vimy, thousands of Canadians were involved in the battle to take back the Ridge, a 14km long escarpment overlooking the Douai plain. 
Tunnels were dug in order to cover the movement of troops and ammunition up to the front line. On April 9th, 1917, the carefully planned ground assault marched forward and the Ridge was taken from the Germans, much of it on the first day of battle. In four days, 3,600 Canadians died and 5,000 were wounded, but the victory at Vimy Ridge proved to be a significant turning point in The Great War that ended the following year. The monuments from the two sites are shown here.
During the two days, we also had the opportunity to visit Commonwealth, French and German war cemeteries. It was a humbling experience to stand on the ground where so many sacrificed their lives.
TRAGIC SINKING RECALLED
By Ivan Munn (1.4.2.2,2.2.)
The victims of a wartime accident in Halifax Harbour in 1943 were remembered in a ceremony at the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic on November 13th. Forrest Beaton (1.4.2.2,5,) and 18 others died in the accident when a Norwegian freighter ran over the small harbour tug, Erg, on July 6, 1943. The tug was ferrying Halifax shipyard workers making repairs to a ship in Bedford Basin when it was struck from behind and sank with the loss of 19 lives. Only five men survived the collision.
The story of the tragic accident is told in a new exhibit at the Museum. The opening was marked with the 
sounding of the Erg's whistle, recovered after the sinking but not heard in 60 years. As the nephew of Forrest Beaton, I was invited to blow the horn as reporters and photographers from newspapers, radio and television crowded around. After that they lined up to ask details of the sinking.
Aunt Sibyl had told me of the agony of watching the recovery effort after the accident. The Beaton home was located in north end Halifax overlooking Bedford Basin. For two weeks the family watched as the navy tried to raise the sunken vessel. When they succeeded, Uncle Forrest's body was among those recovered, but some were never found. He was taken home to Peters Road, P.E.I., and buried in the community where he grew up.
The Erg had a tragic history. Built in 1915, it was first sunk in the Halifax Explosion in 1917. Ten years later it was raised and put back into service as a workboat for the Shipyard. After it was raised in 1943, it was declared unsalvageable and deliberately sunk again in the Basin. It was located again a few years ago. Divers will place a plaque on the wreck next spring declaring it an historic site, and asking that it not be disturbed.
An inquiry held after the sinking in 1943 found the Norwegian freighter at fault for failing to keep an adequate lookout.
LINEUP MISTAKE
Confusion over the lineup for the all-star games between the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and the Russia Selects led to disappointment for fans in eastern Prince Edward Island. Danny Stewart of Murray Harbour was listed on the roster circulated by The Canadian Press, and he seemed a logical choice. Danny, (1.4.6.5,1.2A,2.1.) with 13 goals and 22 assists in 27 games, ranks third in points on the Rimouski team and is tied for 10th place among the top scorers in the QMJHL.
The first game was played in Halifax on November 20. The Canadian team lost a close 3-2 match despite outshooting the Russians by a wide margin. The Russians managed the win despite being outshot 53 to 20.
The QMJHL all-stars redeemed themselves in a game played in Rimouski on Nov. 24th. They led all the way and defeated the Russians by a score of 6 to 3.
The trouble was that Danny wasn't named to the team. "Everyone from the eastern end of the Island thought I was in so they were pretty happy about that and were probably going to try and get over to Halifax to watch that game," he told the Halifax Daily News. "My parents were calling me wondering what was going on . . . But I guess it was a mistake."
INSPIRATIONAL MUSIC
For their first venture into the recording field, Beth Harris Havill and Ron Harris picked a selection of gospel music. Their CD, which just came out in mid-November, is entitled “Chosen” after the opening number on the record. Beth and Ron are the youngest children of Louis and Zettie Beck Harris (1.4.6.5,) of Murray Harbour and have been singing together for over half a century.
Beth picked the music and settled on 15 “contemporary and traditional hymns." She also provided the accompaniment on the Omnichord, an instrument developed about 20 years ago by the Suzuki Company.
Beth said they felt that the time was right for a CD now. She said that when they perform at ceilidhs and church concerts on the Island people often ask if they have any CDs. So this is for the people who have expressed an interest and for friends and relatives who want a permanent record of their work. The CDs are priced at $12 and are available from Beth, or
Ron.
Gordon Belsher of Guernsey Cove Parlour Productions recorded and produced the CD and Blair Sweeney of Charlottetown handled the design and layout.
EASY LISTENING
There's no end to the musical talent in the Beck family and a new CD out this year underlines this point. Sterling Hume (1.7.2,1,3,2.) of Beach Point decided to make the record last spring and turned to Bruce MacKinnon of Milltown Cross to produce it. It's called Sterling Hume and Friends and he describes it as “old-fashioned country music." He's backed up on the CD by Evy Lou and Leith McCarron of St. Mary's Road.
Sterling was a fisherman all his life, but enjoys entertaining at local events. He performs regularly at ceilidhs and benefit concerts around eastern Prince Edward Island. The CD contains 18 songs including “I forgot to Remember to Forget” “It is no Secret” and “If Teardrops Were Pennies.” It sells for $20 and is available at Butler's Clover Farm, Shady Rest, and Riverview Manor in Montague, and Morrell Bakery in Morrell and from Sterling himself.
VITAL STATISTICS
WEDDING
Peter Hooley, (1.4.3B.6,3,3.2.) son of Paulette and David Hooley, and Melissa Forgeron, daughter of Eleanor and John Forgeron, were married on August 23, 2003. The wedding service at the Kirk of St. James in Charlottetown was conducted by the Reverend Geoff Ross. Best men were Brian Hooley, Neil MacMillan, Rory Beck, and Nick MacLean. Jessica Forgeron was the Maid of Honour and Krista Eisan, Emily Adams, and Natalie Horne were bridesmaids. A reception and dance followed at the Brackley North Winds.
ANNIVERSARY
Vivian (White) (1.12,2.2.2,) and Austin Graham of Charlottetown celebrated their diamond-wedding anniversary on November 3, 2003, marking 60 years of marriage. The occasion was announced by a notice in The Guardian from their descendants. It offered love and best wishes from their 5 daughters, 11 grandchildren, and three great grandchildren.
DEATHS
CARVER: Cecelia Mae (White) Carver (1.12,2.2.3,) of Hazelbrook, P.E.I., died at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Charlottetown on Wednesday, October 8, 2003. She was 79 years old.
She is survived by her husband, Gordon R. Carver, and five children: Horace (Lucile) of Charlottetown; Lowell of Houston, Texas; Ian (Velma) of Turner Valley, Alberta; Wendell (Simone) of Fairmont, British Columbia, and Robert (Nicole) of Moncton, New Brunswick, and 12 grandchildren. She is also survived by sisters Ruby MacKay, Vivian (Austin) Graham, Leeta (Ralph) Whitrow, and one brother, Murray (Shirley) White. The funeral service was held in the Belvedere Funeral Home Chapel in Charlottetown with interment in Cross Roads Christian Church Cemetery.
JACKSON: Shirley (Lavers) Jackson of Peters Road died October 23, 2003, in the Kings County Memorial Hospital in Montague.
She was 67 and the wife of Preston Jackson (1.4.3B.6,4.) and the mother of Valorie (Francis) McGee of St. Mary's Road; Wilma (Wayne) Dunning of Toronto; Hazel (Robert) Fraser of Cape Breton, and Floyd (Heather) of Peters Road. Other survivors include grandchildren Michael, Angela, and Paul McGee, and Carolyn and Greg Fraser.
The funeral service was held at the Church of Christ in Montague with interment in the Murray River Cemetery.
MACKENZIE: John Alvin MacKenzie of Beach Point died in hospital at Montague on October 17, 2003. He was 81 and a veteran of the Second World War.
He is survived by his wife, Ada Mae (Jordan) (1.4.9,10.1,) and children George (Sylvia) of Beach Point, Peggy (Bob) Smith of Montague, and Lorne (Lorraine) of Beach Point. Other survivors include grandchildren Maria and Samuel MacKenzie, Robby (Candy) and Jeff Smith, Sheri (Andy) Wight, Chad (Kellee), Chris (Jolene) and Jennifer and Jordan MacKenzie, as well as seven great grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.
The funeral service was held from the chapel of Ferguson's Funeral Home in Montague with interment in the Beach Point Cemetery.
BIOGRAPHY
Albert MacNeill (1.4.9,9,) was born at Beach Point, P.E.I., July 17, 1906, the youngest of Lauchlin MacNeill and Eliza Penny's nine children. He attended school at Beach Point, but left at about the age of 11 to go fishing with his brother, Angus. They fished lobsters in the spring, and then later in the year would go up to Borden to fish oysters.
Albert married Julia Jordan from Cape Bear and they built their home on a lot right beside the Beach Point Wharf. They had three children: Ada, Edith and a son, Roy, who died as an infant.
Edith said her father bought his first boat and went fishing on his own just after his first child, Ada, was born. Nelson Bell (1.4.2.1,3.) of White Sands built the boat for him, and it was a "V stern" model that Nel designed himself. Albert named his boat "Ada Margaret" after his daughter, who in turn was named for her grandmother, Ada Margaret (Beck) Jordan. Ada said the boat was smaller than the boats the fishermen use today and she said they kept the same boat much longer than the fishermen do now.
When he was fishing on his own, Edith said he would fish lobsters in the spring and then go handlining for hake later in the season. She added that at first Albert sold his catch to McGee's of Pictou, but later sold to the Fishermen's Union which became the Beach Point Fishermen's Co-op.
Edith said she never heard of her father being caught in any bad storms at sea, but she said a trip to the dentist may have saved his life on one occasion. On August 10, 1940, Albert stayed ashore to drive seven-year-old Edith to the dentist in Montague. They stopped at Silas Hugh's store in Murray Harbour on the way home to get an ice cream cone. They were there when word arrived that Vern Jordan and Jack White had drowned that morning when caught in a bad storm on the fishing grounds. Edith said, "We just dropped everything and headed for home right away. We felt really fortunate because the boat that went down was the same design as Dad's and only for the trip to the dentist he would have been out fishing in the very same area."
Albert loved to tell stories, and Edith said he had a wonderful sense of humour. She said when he was with a group of people he'd have them all laughing at the stories he was telling.
In his spare time, Albert liked to whittle and eventually found a use for his hobby. There was a need for wooden plugs or pegs to keep live lobsters from killing each other. The plugs were inserted in the claws, keeping them from opening and harming each other. Albert supplied many of these to the fishing industry. The plugs eventually were replaced by rubber bands that are still in use today.
Albert retired from fishing in his late 60s and died in 1982 at the age of 76.
MONTAGUE MUSEUM VERY BUSY
The Garden of the Gulf Museum in Montague had its best year ever with attendance reaching almost 3,000 this summer. Donna Collings, the curator, described 2003 as "a wonderful year." There were visitors from all parts of the globe, including Asia, Africa, Australia, Europe, and South America. "It's surprising for a little museum," she said in an interview with The Eastern Graphic.
Saturday, July 12th was one of the busiest days in the history of the museum as about 100 people attending the Brudenell Pioneers 200th anniversary crowded in to see the museum's exhibit on the settlers. A genealogy research section is proving very popular with visitors who drop in to look for information on their ancestors. The section includes some of the Beck family books and a copy of the CD of The Beck Archives.
"We get people coming to the Island researching their roots that have never done genealogy and we can help them," Donna said.
Amy Beck (1.4.3B.7.2.2.4,) spent the summer at the museum as a guide, and she was kept busy greeting visitors and showing them around. There were more school groups than ever this year, starting in the spring and extending into the fall. The museum also offered a very successful children's program for four weeks in the summer.
It was the third year for the Museum Madness program that gives children a tour of the museum, and makes it more interesting by adding some mystery and crafts as well. Museum officials say they will certainly be considering that program again next year.
Donna said that Amy and the other guides also clipped and sorted donated photocopies of scrapbooks for the museum's surname binders, used as a research tool by people seeking information on Island families.
WHO ARE THEY?
By Anne Brooks (1.4.2.3.7,2.)
Those of us who venture into family history will probably agree that unidentified photographs are one of the most frustrating parts of this effort. I have had the pleasure of having access to Lauretta (Machon) Brooks' collection of diaries, photos, and documents which spanned many years of her life.
Lauretta was the daughter of John T. Machon and his second wife, Mary Ann Moore. In 1906 she married David Brooks and lived her whole life in Murray Harbour. Athough she kept meticulous records, three albums exist of almost completely unidentified photos, leaving me to assume they were sent to her, and represent family who no longer lived on PEI.
It seems many of the Machons emigrated to Boston, Mass., Providence, R.I., and beyond. Some of these portraits are of the children, and grandchildren, of John T. Machon and his first wife, Elizabeth Roberts, while others might be of his nephews and nieces, who also left the Island. There are Brooks, Brehauts, and others among them.
If you are interested in looking at these photos, with a mind to hopefully identifying one of them, please go to http://brooks46.funtigo.com and click on “Remember Me”. I will be leaving them posted for quite some time and will update any that are “discovered”. Thanks very much. Anne Brooks anbrooks@nbnet.nb.ca
MONTAGUE ELECTION
There's another Beck on Montague Town Council. Rick Beck (1.11.8.3.4.1.) ran in this fall's election and won the vacant seat on the south side of Town while John MacFarlane won on the north side. They fill the seats left vacant by Jock Beck and Hugh Robbins. This was Rick's first venture into municipal politics, and he received 229 votes.
FAMILY BOOKS FOR CHRISTMAS
At a loss for gift ideas for one of your Beck relatives? Copies of The Vere Beck Family Listings, and The Vere Beck Family
Biographies, are still available.
A book would make a great Christmas gift for one of your hard-to-buy-for Beck relatives. It's something they'll turn to often to check on family members.
American orders should go to Jim Beck, and Canadian orders can be sent to me, Ivan Munn.
The price includes shipping and is $25 each with Americans paying in US funds and Canadians in Canadian funds. The CDs have all been sold, and are no longer available.
A MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR!
The Vere Beck Family Home Page
We're always looking for news of Beck family members. If you know of any significant events drop me a line with the information. imunn@accesswave.ca
imunn@accesswave.ca