Week 46 - Annie Mary (Nan) Milne Clarke

Nan Milne Clarke ( 1915 - 2004)

Nan Milne and Stewart Clarke' on their wedding day in 1945

Annie Mary Milne was born on July 18, 1915  at Keremous, BC, near Cawston.  Her father Alexander Milne and mother Jeannie Jamieson had immigrated from Scotland in 1905 and 1906 respectively and after farming for a few years in the Wallace area, they sold and moved to BC to work on a ranch.  "Nan" was the younger sister of my Grandma, Frances.

The Milne family can be found on the 1921 Canadian census where she is called "Annie" and is five years old.  Her siblings are Charles (8 years old), Margaret (13), Frances (15), William (18) and Alex (20).  Her parents are 45 and 44 years old.   The census says they are farmers and renting their home on 17-11-26 W1 in the RM of Wallace.  They declare themselves to be Presbyterians.

Nan tells in the Binding Out Districts history book from 1989 that she moved to the Hargrave district with her parents in 1924 where they farmed on NE 14-11-27 and she attended Grade 3 at Hargrave School. She continued there until grade 11 after which she stayed home to help on the farm.  In her words:

I can still remember the path through our pasture I took to walk to school and to the store and post office for mail.  Then when bonspiel time came, with just one sheet of ice, sometimes I walked it two or three times a day.

Nan at back left with Sybil and Gladys O"Neil and her brothers Charlie and Jim Milne in 1933.

Sisters Frances Kinnaird, Nan Milne and their mother Jane Milne in the Milne garden near Hargrave.  Marjorie Kinnaird is in the front.  I love their polka dotted dresses and hats which Marjorie thinks likely came from the Eatons Catalogue.  This photo was taken about 1936.

In 1945 she married Stewart Clarke of Virden and they moved northeast of Virden to NE 25-10-26 until 1949 when they moved to Virden.  In 1952 they moved to NE 14-10-26 in the River Valley District.  They had a family of 2 girls and 2 boys, Morris, Lois, Sandy and Phyllis and eventually 8 grandchildren.  

Nan was very involved with the Lady Forester Lodge in Hargrave, Court Harmony No. 14 and was the first president when they organized in March of 1945. She was also a part of the Maples Society which provided many comforts to the soldiers overseas in WW2.  The name "Maples" came from the district and the elevator siding that was once 3 miles south of Virden.  After the war, they were known as the Maples Young Peoples Society and held bake sales, bazars, teas and dances to raise money for charities and local causes needing support.  She and her family were also involved in the Virden Riding Club, showing in the Virden fair, having overnight trail rides and riding in parades.

 Stewart died in 1985 and Nan passed away in 2004.