Robert Woodey was born in Devonshire, England. He came out to the United States and married a girl in Michigan. They had two daughters, Rosalia and Myrtle while they lived there during the mid 1890's.

At the turn of the century, Robert migrated to Rossland, B.C. with several members of both families. It was here in 1902 that a son, Robert Jr. (Bob), was born.

About this time Robert went to Spokane and started a livery stable. His wife and family joined him in 1904. The livery business did not work out and he succeeded in going broke.

In 1909, Robert came to Kimberley and got work at the Top Mine. His two daughters were married and remained in Spokane when his wife and son Bob joined him in 1912. He became a shift boss and later a foreman at the Top Mine.

Bob remembers one of his teachers was Miss Jessie Kennedy, that later married Bill Lindsay. Some of the families that lived near by were the McEacherns, Houles, Wilsons, Gambles, Myrenes, Millers, Flemings and Caires. Bob joined the British Army in 1918 at age sixteen and returned to Kimberley in 1919, just in time for the O.B.U. strike.