The second home of the Godwins

Recently Paul Godwin, son of Eric Godwin seen running on this picture, visited Whonnock to see where his dad made his first steps and where his grandparents, George Godwin and Dorothy Purdon had lived. George Godwin was the author of the book The Eternal Forest despised by the Whonnock residents. Click here to read the Whonnock Notes discussing the book.

The old-timers knew that the Godwins lived on 268th Street where today the Carlsons have their home but not that they later moved to another place in Whonnock. The assessment records tell us that they only paid the taxes on that property on 1913 and 1914 but not before 1916 did they return to England--George to fight in France. Where did they live between 1914 and their departure in 1916? Paul’s visit made me look again at the assessment records and I discovered that they moved to 9352 Spilsbury Street. That is where the house on the photograph stood and where that young Eric was running. Eric and the house are now gone but there is still a Douglas fir growth behind the new house. It certainly was a more convenient place—a larger house and close to the railroad station and an easier walk to the general store and the post office.