ELORA – On April 22, 1925, Joseph and Florence Chamberlain arrived in Elora from Chilton Colliery, England with their 11 children in tow.
It was a large enough family to turn heads at the time, and their arrival in Elora made the local newspaper.
One hundred years later, the descendents of Joseph and Florence held a family reunion, to celebrate their storied history and catch up on current stories.
George Chamberlain told the Advertiser about 250 family members attended the reunion on April 26.
“It’s pretty rare that we get together anymore,” he said. “But for the 100th anniversary, a group of us grandkids thought it would be a good idea and the response was overwhelming.”
George researched his family’s history and wrote his take on the events that led his far-off descendents to come to Canada.
Life was tough after the First World War and the Chamberlains worked hard to save enough money for ship passage.
The British government was offering free land to folks who could make the trip and work the fields once they got here.
“The steamship advertisements about Canada made it look like such a magical place, showing beautiful farms, well-kept houses, nice red barns, and fields populated with fat market-ready cattle,” George wrote.
“However, these idyllic images didn’t show the challenges of wild snowstorms, blocked roads, long distances to towns, or farms without modern conveniences.”
The family was warmly received in Elora, which one expects would have made their transition much easier.
Their children went on to have children and the vast majority remained in the area, George said.
Joseph and Florence are said to have written down their hopes and dreams for their family, which motivated them to make the long journey to Canada.
It said: Our dream
1. A place where our children and future grandchildren can pursue meaningful goals, finding success and fulfillment in whatever careers they choose.
2. A nation of boundless opportunities and unbridled freedom, where we can forge our own path without being confined by tradition or limited by local boundaries.
3. A small piece of land, where we can grow crops and raise animals, providing for our needs with a market surplus to support our children’s requirements.
Arriving here would not have filled the dream, but it certainly got them on their way, George said.
And the dream has also been passed down from generation to generation.
