In the ninth grade at Medway High School in Arva, Ontario, Canada, we were assigned to interview someone who had lived through the Second World War (1939-1945) so that we might gain some insight into the lives of people at that time. I chose my mother, Mary Elizabeth (Patrick) Culbert (1917-1989). My father, Milward Taylor "Mel" Culbert of Lucan, Ontario died in 1958, at the young age of 38.
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| My parents, Mel Culbert (1920-1958) and Mary Patrick (1917-1989) strolling through Victoria Park in London, Ontario, a couple of years before they married. This photo was taken in 1939, the year that the Second World War broke out. |
Mary Elizabeth Patrick (age 23) married Milward Taylor "Mel" Culbert (age 21) on 26 September 1941. Mel began serving with Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) in 1941 although I'm not sure of the month. I do know that he had already enlisted when he married.
The following interview was conducted by me, Mary Jane Culbert, age 14, sometime during the school year between September, 1971 and June, 1972. Questions are in bold print followed by my mother's answers.
Q. Where were you living in 1939?
A. London, Ontario.
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| Mary
Patrick (centre) with her older brother George Patrick (left) and her
future husband, Mel Culbert (right). This photo was taken in front of the home that Mary shared with her parents George Edward Patrick and Mabel Lenora (Kerslake) Patrick at 543 King Street East in
London, Ontario. This beautiful house was later demolished and is
now a parking lot. Mary's father died on 14 January 1938, and I think this photo was taken after that time, either later in 1938 or in 1939. |
Q. What was your occupation in 1939, when the war broke out?
A. Secretary at an insurance company.
Q. What kind of schools did you go to?
A. After secondary school, business college.
Q. Did you have a car?
A. No.
Q. What did you use for transportation?
A. City buses.
Q. What did you do for amusement?
A. Tennis, swimming, skating, dancing, movies, and house parties.
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Q. What were clothes like?
A. Skirts were mid-calf length. Mens' shoes were brogues-style. Women wore hats more often than they do in the present day. Men wore blazers or suits for imporant occasions. Men wore sports shirts in summer. Fedora hats were worn by men.
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| Mary Elizabeth (Patrick) Culbert at Poplar Farm c1941. It should be noted that she was a gifted dressmaker and created beautiful clothing for herself and her family. |
Q. What did you do for the war effort?
A. My husband was in the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF).
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| Mel Culbert of Lucan, Ontario served as a Sergeant with the RCAF from 1941-1945. He trained as a radar technician and wireless air gunner. He retrained as a draftsman because of health problems, and he transferred from the training base at Trenton to a base on Avenue Road in Toronto. |
Q. What articles were rationed?
A. Sugar, soap, meat. It was difficult to get eggs and butter. We were fortunate to have relatives on a farm who would send us a crate of beautiful, large eggs once a month.
Every person had a ration book. Stamps were exchanged for rationed goods such as sugar and meat. People would give up sugar in their tea and coffee so that the housewife could have more sugar for baking purposes. Good meat was difficult to obtain. Much of it was fat and poor quality. An ingenious cook used many kinds of sauces to add flavour and interest if eggs were difficult to get.
Q. What were prices like?
A. A good pair of ladies shoes cost $15.00. A loaf of bread cost fifteen cents. A quart of milk cost 32 cents.
Q. How did the war effect your life economically?
A. We lived on starvation allowances. Our sick baby [Terry Culbert] demanded medical attention which took most of the money.
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Mel's Air Force allowance was not very great at first because he was an unlisted man. After a couple of years we could afford to rent a home in Toronto, where he was stationed. We didn't go hungry but we had to be sensible with the money we spent. My husband's clothing was provided by the Air Force and our recreation budget didn't amount to much. Many of our friends were on the same financial plain so we didn't notice any great hardships. Our first baby [Terry] was ill the first few years of his life. Special medication and hospitalization took every cent available until the Air Force provided an extra allowance to cover these.
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Q. How did the war effect your life socially?
A. We moved a great deal and had to make new friends. We moved from London to Toronto. The Air Force provided many dances, movies, and plays. Even though it was war time, we had quite an exciting and varied social life. Our friends were away from home like we were. Although friendships were sometimes brief, it was interesting to meet so many different personalities. The combined Services were responsible for dances, sports, and parties. The Royal Alexandra Theatre presented excellent plays and we attended many of the shows during our four years in Toronto.
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| RCAF house party, 1940s. Mary (Patrick) Culbert standing at back far right near piano. |
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| Click on this photo to enlarge it. RCAF house party, 1940s. Closeup in next photo, below. |
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END OF INTERVIEW.
Following her husband Mel's death in 1958, Mary had a one-year old daughter to support (me) as well as a teenage son and daughter. She sold Culbert's Dry Goods in Lucan, a store that Mel and Mary owned and operated together. Later, she went to Althouse College (now part of the Faculty of Education at Western University) and she became a secondary school teacher.
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| Milward Taylor "Mel" Culbert, RCAF Sergeant. |
Milward Taylor "Mel" Culbert's Family Tree:
Ancestors:
John Culbert & Mary Ward (great-grandparents)
Richard Culbert & Jane Eleanor Fairhall (grandparents)
Myron Manford Culbert & Effie Pearl Taylor (parents)
Descendants (Children):
Terrence Patrick "Terry" Culbert
Dana Elizabeth (Culbert) Garrett
Mary Jane Culbert (creator of the Culbert Family History blog)
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