Dick McMurray only spent five years in Kimberley in the mid 1920's, when the town was just beginning to expand. But they were memorable years.
Born in Preston, England, and educated in London, he joined the Royal Navy and, when he was discharged in 1921, he ended up in Camp Lister, near Creston. England still referred to Canada as a "Colony".
In 1923, he came to Kimberley and obtained work on the Bull gang at the Tunnel. His next job was delivery man for the Mark Creek Store, when Ernie Marsden was manager and Malcolm McKay was the only other employee.
It was in 1925 that the Company decided to enlarge the building and make it a department store. Mel O'Brien was the engineer in charge of the job. Dick went to work in the men's wear, until the fall of 1926. Tom Slingsley was in charge of this department and it was he that brought Wilf Mason from Wynndel to work with him in Kimberley.
Dick decided he would like a change of job, so approached Mr. Banks and got a job at the Concentrator where he worked up to spare operator. By 1928 he again decided on a change and got work as a shift boss in a concentrator in Montana.
While he lived in Kimberley he met his future wife, Sadie James. Her father was Ike James from Bow Island. He was working with Nick Michaely when the Company was shoring up and widening the main tunnel, also sealing the roof. Sadie was the niece of P. D. Murphy.
Since Dick has left Kimberley, he went to Flin Flon for awhile then spent ten years farming, but crops were poor. He served in the Canadian Navy until 1945. He owned and operated a hard-ware store in Bow Island for twelve years. He retired in 1967 and lives in Calgary. He often comes back to Kimberley to visit. His wife Sadie, says the town is so changed it is hard to believe it is the same place!
