"History isn’t a myth-making discipline, it’s a myth-busting discipline ..."

Sir Richard Evans FBA

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Black Family

The Black family settled in Whonnock in 1910. John Stuart Black (sitting centre) had retired from the HBCo. His wife Kate (Catherine Augusta Cormack) to the left with sons Charles (at the rear) and Farris (front). Next to Charles is daughter Helen and the younger daughter Jean is sitting on the right. The gentleman behind her (the photographer) has not yet been identified. (Photo courtesy Shirley Ryan, Helen's daughter)
Kate was a founding member of the Ladies Club that built the old community hall (the Ladies Hall) in Whonnock. She was very active in the community and the United Church. Both Helen and Jean were employed at the Whonnock post office at some time. The Black family suffered a serious financial setback by the collapse of Dominion Trust just before the First World War but kept their land and home in Whonnock. Charles served overseas in that war. John Stuart Black is buried at the Whonnock Cemetery. After his death in 1932 the family moved away from Whonnock.