Canada
My Dad Reg Kingham wrote this account of his journey to Canada about eighty years ago in his own idiom: he was born in 1895
Saturday 24th July 1926
After a sad event I left home early for the first stage in a great adventure, that is to Canada.
I left accompanied by a fleet of motorcycles – pillion on one, (they the aforesaid being the last I was to see for many a long day) thus we went to the station (Tring). Friend Goode & I were soon at Euston.

Across the city to Waterloo, where the 10 something was steam up for Southampton, so busy with plenty of luggage I entrained for the golden west.

The compartment I chose was peopled by those of a French persuasion who by the way seem to do well in Canada 5,000 alone dwell in the city of Winnipeg.
The boat train soon* drew up to the side of the dock where the CPR Empress of France was all set to receive, *(I say soon because the distance from London to Southampton was nothing to what I braved afterwards.)
We sure had a Royal welcome and the once over at the same time. I said good bye to Goode and had a pound added to all of my 50 dollars.

If you can pay enough, it is not much trouble to get out of this country to my idea.
Out of the train onto the ship no time lost.

3 gangways 1st 2nd 3rd class.

Line up for questions.

How much money have you?

What about leaving your wife.

Whets the idea on your holidays?

I answered was going farming (not then knowing a neck yoke from a wipple tree)

I seemed to please them easily, and the doctor only said ‘off with your hat’, to look at my hair cut, I guess then after the last issue, he put me abroad. Here a kind steward took me in tow to show me my berth, & would do anything for the poor emigrants (at a price).

Four beds to a berth, two on the right occupied by two Cornish boys who were of the Swede bashing line. Some of the other berths (3rd Class) were occupied by English from the south midlands & the south of England, but the majority were German, Austrian, and Scandinavians, Forwards were to be found more Poles & Russians etc

Up on the 2nd and 1st class were mostly Yanks, most of them came on board at Cherbourg.
We pulled out soon after 2.00 PM and passing two or three big liners were soon scudding down Southampton water past the Needles and out into the channel.
We made the big port for Paris at 5.00, just as the White Star liner Athenic was outward bound for New York – 5 days due in.

We did not unload anything to speak of, but took plenty of Mail, and it was just two hours before we departed out into the channel again, and I figure we were well out of same before night fell.

Sunday 25th

The next day when I went up on deck, I found the sea was choppy, different from the day before when it was like a millpond.

It sure got me down, though I tried hard to put it under, you can bet your sweet life I did not do the eating to my liking that day!

I did not like my berth but stuck it out mostly on top.

Monday 26th This day was not so rough, but no appetite, the menu shure looked great,but I had to give it the go by.

This being the program of the dinner:
Cream of Tomato

Poached Cod

Holland Vaise Sauce

Roast Beef

Brown Gravy

Spring Cabbage

Brown Boiled Potatoes

Empress Pudding (The ships own special)

Vanilla ice cream

Coffee
Tuesday 27th
Very rough.No appetite at all ,but saw some sport amongst our Teutonic brethren. We English call it ‘basting the beard’ but when the dames went in for it, it was past a joke.

Wednesday 28th
Still very rough, the roughest day of the outward voyage, we were drawing close to the banks of Newfoundland.

Thursday 29th
I rose a 4:30 and was the first on deck to see if land was in sight, but no luck. There were 20 or 30 icebergs in sight which looked shure great. At about am sighted the bleak shore of Labrador, This is the first day I enjoyed a good dinner.

At 12.00 noon we hove to 2 miles off the fishing port of Rum, where a tug came off with a pilot, also customs officials to take off the mails (the mails are put off here for the Maritime provinces and Newfoundland)

As I write this we are now well up the river St Lawrence, though very bleak and bare at the mouth with even snow being seen on the higher hills it gets better as you go up stream, especially the French towns which show well tilled plots and tin churches both of which remind me of my extensive sojourn in France. (WW1)

Friday 30th
This was my field day! I played Deck Tennis and Quoits and went to the pictures in afternoon (Deluxe etc.) by evening we were reaching our destination Quebec being in site miles up the river which was getting very narrow and pretty and I saw the Abraham heights.

At 9.30 p.m. we dropped anchor, I was on deck till late that night watching the 1st class passengers disembark and watching their luggage shoot down the skid ways to the shore eventually I turned in.

Saturday 31st
After breakfast the 3rd class passengers and steerage went ashore, and were examined by doctors and officials.

When I went before my official he passed me fit, and asked me how much money I had on me ‘£15.00’ I replied.

We then entrained on our first stage to Winnipeg, the heat was intolerable, the first stop was Montreal were we arrived in the late afternoon. This being the largest city in Canada and mostly French. After 2 hours stay during which we had a look round we went on travelling all night passing near Ottawa.

Sunday 1st August 1926
We woke up in the early morning in South western Ontario, this being the beginning of miles and miles of bush country which is all stunted trees, and rocks, and no good for cultivation.
We travelled by CPR. These trains are very convenient, there being cooking stoves where the traveller may cook their own meals, providing their own pots and pans, there is also sleeping accommodation, you have to provide your own blankets.

The majority of travellers have their meals when the train stops at divisional points, for half an hour to change engines.

2nd August
Early on the 2nd we passed the northern shore of Lake Superior and the grain port of Fort William and arrived in Winnipeg Central at 6.30 after a long and tiring journey. It had lasted 3 days and 2 nights.

We then went into the immigration hall where we had a wash and brush up.
I went into the city feeling a stranger in a strange land, and went and looked up a family who had left Tring some years before. They took me round the town in their car and made me very welcome bringing me back to the hall at 10.00.

In the morning I arranged with Farmer Tucker to go to the next farm to him which belonged to his brother in law, the rest of the day I went sightseeing and everything was in a hustle for the harvest was about to set in.

4th August
The next morning…
(Here my fathers detailed account stops, one can only suppose that the hard work on the farms that followed left no time for writing a diary, he did however leave some brief notes and dates of the next few months and the map shown in the background)
Notes:
Engaged by Tucker for farmer Biffin at Munito* (fare 8$)

Started work hay carting & harvesting,potato digging

After 3 months to the day left Biffin for Winnipeg on 5th November staying the night on route at Munito*

6th to 16th November at Winnipeg immigration hall

Left Winnipeg late on 16th for Watson Saskatchewan arriving following noon met Farmer Cole 14 miles ride to farm by sleigh

Worked here 18th November to 20th January at $t.20 mostly feeding stock Left for Watson town on 20th stayed the night there then took the midday to Sakatoon

21st January had 2 nights in Sakatoon then left for Kamloops BC on the 23rd January arriving the following night

Stayed 24th January to 7 February in Kamloops town

Arrived night 7th February at Balth* ranch

I left for Vic*  on evening  of 8th February

Here the record completely stops. items marked * are unidentified locations

The house I was born in was called ‘Kamloops’,He was in Canada from July 1926 until Nov 1927.He worked on the CPR for many of those blank months and went all the way to Vancouver.