The Trinder Family
as told by grandson John
Four generations of Trinders have lived in Kimberley. It all started when Ed McLellan of Kimberley and Frank Dumas of Ainsworth went overseas during the First World War. Ed married Nell and Frank married Rose, both sisters of John Trinder from southern England. They came to Canada as war brides.
It was through them that John Trinder Sr. came to Ainsworth in 1923,followed by his son, Alfred, in 1925. He brought with him his eight year old son, John. Alfred came to Kimberley and got work at the Mine. He lived in the bunkhouse at the Townsite while his son John stayed with his Uncle Ed and Aunt Nell McLellan, and attended school. In 1926Alfred's wife and two daughters, Ethel and Gladys, joined him.
John has many memories of growing up in Kimberley, such as walking up the valley to the Stemwinder Mine and watching Ed Houle drive the horse that hauled the ore cars to the landing for dumping, with the kids riding the horse, back. He can recall walking through Upper Blarchmont when there were only a few scattered houses among the trees. He took part in boxing and basketball at the McDougall Hall, when Herb Stanton was in charge.
One of John's first experiences at school was when he was chosen to participate in a school concert. He and Charlie McGowan, with Mabel Barragon and Marie Chatson, were to do a French Minuet, in full costume of satin britches, one pair being blue and one pink. Neither boy wanted to wear the pink pair. First one back from lunch would get his choice. John raced all the way up to Townsite and back after bolting a sandwich, only to find Charlie hadn't bothered to go home to Chapman Camp at all, no way was he going to wear pink britches, so John had to.
John's first job was delivering bread for Wallace's Bakery for $1.00 per day. Occasional- ly, he would get an extra 50¢ if he got up at four a.m. and drove Mr. Wallace's racing pigeons to Cranbrook or Moyie and even Yahk, releasing them, then get back to work by eight a.m.
Bob MacLeod was manager of the Mark Creek store when John started work delivering for him and unloading box cars of supplies for a slightly higher wage. If you had a job at all, the Company would not hire you, so in order to get working for them, he had to quit for awhile. He loved the outdoors and would often camp with little more than a blanket, a loaf of bread and a couple of cans of beans. With no work in sight, he and Otto Skribe walked up past St. Marys Lake to Huggards camp. They had barely set up camp and gone to bed when a truck pulled in to tell him if he got to work in the morning he would have a job with the Company for one day. That one day has/stretched into 42 years to date.
John recalls singing in the Anglican Church Choir as a boy, with Bill Richards and Bud Hart. He has been an active member of the Rod and Gun Club for years. He and his son, Wayne, have received twenty-one game trophies from 1955 to 1968. Wayne has been hunting since he was ten years old, and shot his first deer when he was twelve years. He earned his first trophy at fifteen.
Before Wasa Lake became a summer resort and a spot for permanent residents, the Trinders spent many summer holidays camped by the lake in a tent.
John and Phil Haverstock have been on the Premier Lake Parks Board for seventeen years. He can remember when Storm Maartman and Murray Hellieson were on the first Board. Both of these gentlemen have passed away.
He recalls the Wild Game Banquets during which cougar, bear and beaver were served, along with elk, moose, deer, mountain goat and sheep. In the early 1950's the Rod and Gun Club in Kimberley had over eight hundred members.
John married Phyllis Smith, youngest daughter of Syd Smith, in 1940. They have one son Wayne, who married Linda Nicholson and they have two daughters, Terri and Cori, now attending school. John's sister, Gladys, married Joe Desjardins of Cranbrook and Ethel married Bill Bailey of Kimberley.
For many years John was active in Mine Rescue and First Aid, helping arrange the yearly competitions and taking part as well. His hobbies are hunting, fishing and photography.
