Albert Speed goes to World War II - March 1942

My Grandfather, Albert Henry Speed, enlisted in the Canadian Army on November 11, 1941 at the Hotel Vancouver at the young age of 38. Certainly not the prime age to go off to war. He left his wife and 8 year old son for over three years to serve in the war. He did his basic training in Vernon British Columbia from January 13, 1942 to March 16, 1942.  Albert left Vernon for Dundurn Saskatchewan to complete his training with the Royal Canadian Engineers. He was in Dundurn from March 18, 1942 to April 23, 1942. After this training he was given the rank of "Sapper" and ready to go overseas.  He was given orders to go overseas and was transferred to No. 6 District Depot in Halifax Nova Scotia. In Halifax, Albert was granted sick leave because of a tooth problem so he returned to Vancouver for some rest before returning to Halifax. Once in Halifax he was given his orders to go to England. On June 14, 1942 Albert left Halifax for Britain arriving in Gourock, Scotland June 25, 1942. For two years Albert worked in a Canadian Army Hospital as a Steam Engineer in England until 1944 when he followed his company, the Royal Canadian Engineers 33rd Field Company to France, Belgium, Holland and Germany. His main job with the engineers was to build bailey bridges. He returned from Europe in September 1945.

Standing at attention in downtown Vernon

Albert and friends in front of the train to Dundurn Saskatchewan

On the Train

Newspaper Article from a Rotherham Yorkshire newspaper

 

The Polar Bear Grotto at Stanley Park Zoo

In 1962, Polar Bears arrived at the Stanley Park Zoo thanks to the Hudson's Bay Company. Nootka, Jubilee11, Princess Rupert and Prince Rupert. The polar bear attraction was hugely popular for a time. With the current situation of protests against whales and other animals in captivity, it's hard to imagine that it was ever acceptable for the zoo to have 4 polar bears in captivity. I used to love to go to the zoo and look at the huge polar bears. I had seen a few black bears in the wild but this was my only experience seeing polar bears. It was fun to watch them stalk around their den or play in the pool. I often thought what would happen if someone fell in to the pit. The bears often seemed quite docile but I'm sure they would be interested if someone fell into their environment. As times changed, the polar bear grotto finally closed down. In fact the zoo closed down in 1997. Now, the old part of the zoo is completely abandoned. It looks like it should be a movie location for a horror movie.

Plaque Commemorating the Polar Bears at Stanley Park Zoo, 1962

Stanley Park Polar Bears 1960s

Abandoned Polar Bear Grotto at Stanley Park 2014

Abandoned Polar Bear Grotto at Stanley Park 2014

The above picture gives you a good idea of the depth of the grotto.

Abandoned Polar Bear Grotto at Stanley Park 2014

Abandoned Polar Bear Grotto at Stanley Park 2014

Abandoned Polar Bear Grotto at Stanley Park 2014

 Previous Bears at the Stanley Park Zoo

In the 1920s to 1930s there used to be a black bear at the zoo.The picture below was taken in the early 1930s. It must have been a sad existence for this bear. At least the polar bear habitat was drastically better in condition compared to where this poor black bear lived.

Black Bear at the Stanley Park Zoo in the early 1930s

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Soccer from Rotherham to Vancouver

My Grandfather Albert Speed came to Canada in August of 1928 from England on a Government Emigration Scheme to work on a farm in Saskatchewan. Being a former Steel Mill worker, Albert had no experience working on a farm so I can't even imagine what the experience must have been like for him. After the harvest, instead of returning home, he went west to Vancouver to see what opportunities existed. England was going through some very difficult social and economic problems during this time period so going to Vancouver seemed like a good opportunity. Fortunately for Albert, he had an uncle and aunt living in Vancouver which made it much easier for him to start a new life and get established. Part of getting established was to find a job and get on a soccer team. Within 3 months of his arrival in Canada, Albert found a job with Woodward's Department Store as a steam engineer and was signed by Hudson's Bay Department Store as a non-employee to play in the Wednesday League. Woodward's didn't have a team in the Wednesday league in 1928 but he played with them the following season. Albert played his first game with the Hudson's Bay against Couver Rangers on November 7, 1928. The Bay won 3-1 and Albert scored a goal, probably his first in Canada. He was also mentioned in the game report in the Vancouver Province.

Vancouver Province - November 8, 1928

Before coming to Canada, Albert played on a variety of teams in Rotherham from the junior level to semi-professional. In 1921, his team, Bryan's Nibs, won the Rotherham and District Football Competition Boys League. Some tough looking men in the photo of Albert's team.

Bryan's Nibs - Junior Football Club 1920-1921
Rotherham, Yorkshire, England
Albert Speed, front row second from right

Winners medal - 1920-21 Rotherham & District FC Boys League

Albert played 4 seasons in the Vancouver Wednesday League. The Wednesday League was in existence for almost 30 years consisting of mainly company teams.  It was a unique league because a team couldn't field more than two non-employees for a game. This rule caused a lot of issues and protests over the years. It was a very competitive league with a large local following. The local newspapers covered the Wednesday League with extensive match reports and news. Albert played inside left forward. In those days it was common to play the W-M formation of 2 wingers, 1 striker, 2 inside forwards, 2 halfbacks, 3 defenders and a keeper. Games were very offensive. Judging from many newspaper articles I read, games were very physical. Physical contact with the keeper was common. Shouldering the keeper over the goal line while in possession of the ball often resulted in a legitimate goal. Imagine a keeper jumping in the air catching the ball only to be driven into the net by a forward. It doesn't seem fair. Apparently some forwards carried dirt in their pockets to throw dirt in the keeper's face when trying to catch the ball. I don't think this would be deemed fair play by FIFA! Although Albert was only 5 feet 2 inches tall he scored a lot of headers. In the 1931-32 season, Woodward's didn't do well in the league but did much better in the Spalding Cup competition. Unfortunately they lost in the final against Hudson's Bay. In three seasons Albert scored over 30 goals.

Albert Speed - Woodward's FC 1932

Albert posing in his Woodward's strip in front of his house. I'm impressed by the shape of the boots and laces. They don't look very comfortable.

Game Report for Spalding Cup Semi-Final, April 20, 1932
Woodward's FC versus B.C. Electric FC

Albert was part of the all start team that played Woodfibre FC in Woodfibre on April 24, 1932. In this picture, the team is wearing Spencer's Department Store FC strip. According to the following report is was an exciting game with lots of goals.

Vancouver Sun - Wednesday League all star team game against Woodfibre FC on April 24, 1932

 

Second Beach Pool - Stanley Park

I loved swimming at Second Beach Pool when I was a kid. The water was quite warm compared to Lumberman's Arch Pool. It was so much fun splashing around, going down the slide and running down the bank and diving in. From today's perspective, running down the bank and diving in would probably not be permitted. The views from the pool are spectacular. You can see across English Bay to Kits and the other beaches on the west side of Vancouver. I remember on one occasion there was a guy with very long hair holding a sign promoting Wreck Beach. Today, Wreck Beach requires no promotion at all. It's famous across Canada.

Second Beach Pool - 1971 - looking toward Kits

Second Beach Pool - 1971 looking towards Point Grey

                                                     Video of Second Beach Pool in 1971
                      (Please note that this video is only visible using Firefox or Internet Explorer.)

It was so much fun running down the bank of the pool and diving in as you will see in this video. I'm sure some kids tired themselves out completely  running down the bank into the pool constantly. I know I did. Maybe that was a good thing for parents to have their kids tired out! When I looked at this video for the first time in many years my first two impressions were how much fun everyone is having and how hard it must have been for the Life Guards to watch all the goings on.

Second Beach Pool -2013

The new pool may look very different than the old one but it's still very popular with families.

Second Beach Pool -2013

The Volkswagen Invasion of Vancouver in 1968

New Volkswagen automobiles on the CPR Pier in 1968

It's hard to imagine that cars used to be transported on much smaller freighters compared to the "Super Car Carriers" of today. I wonder if any of these cars are still on the road. I know many people who have great stories about personal experiences with Volkswagens.My father took this picture in 1968. The CPR Pier is now the location of the new Vancouver Trade and Convention Centre.

Vancouver Trade and Convention Centre - January 2013

Dad Has All The Fun

Dad has all the fun!

The good old days when playing outside was the norm. This picture is a good example of  life in Vancouver  in the1960s. My Dad is having a lot of fun, maybe too much fun testing the go-cart while the Speed kids and friends chase after him. When I showed this picture to my Dad, he recalled that the go-cart didn't have breaks so fortunately for him the hill wasn't too steep as you will see in the next picture. Notice no helmets! This picture was taken in front of our old house on Fleming Street between East 37th and East 39th avenue. I remember riding a bike for the first time on this same sidewalk. I pedaled a few revolutions before steering into some bushes just down the sidewalk to the left.

Northbound view of Fleming Street

Victory Square - Through the years!

Victory Square looking south 1920s

This photo of the Cenotaph in Victory Square is from my Grandmother's album. I'm not sure of the exact date but most likely it was taken in the period from the late 1920s to the early 1930s. The view is from the northwest corner of West Hastings and Cambie Street in front of the Dominion Building. On the south side of Victory Square the Central School is visible at the top of the hill. The Cenotaph was officially unveiled in 1924 by Mayor William Reid Owen and was built in honour of the Vancouver soldiers who died in France during the First World War. Judging from this picture, the benches around the Cenotaph looked like a popular location to read the newspaper or to just relax. Unfortunately over time, Victory Square became a very common area for drugs and alcohol.

Victory Square looking south 2014

A view of Victory Square and the Cenotaph from the northwest corner of West Hastings and Cambie Street in front of the Dominion Building in January 2014. Many of the buildings around Victory Square haven't changed since the 1930s with the exception of the General School which was demolished and replaced by the Vancouver Community College. What did change was the gradual shift in importance of this area. The Victory Square area of Vancouver used to be the financial and legal centre of Vancouver but that changed after the move of the Court House to West Georgia Street. Over the years this area became a little more run down and forgotten except every year on November 11th.

Burrard Street Through The Years

Burrard Street - North Bound view 1970

My father took this impressive picture of Burrard Street north bound at Nelson Street. What really stands out to me is the total dominance of The Hotel Vancouver in this picture. It looks so close to Nelson Street. Near the top of the hotel you can see the "Hotel Vancouver" sign that spans the width of the hotel. I totally forgot about this sign until I zoomed in on the picture. The Hotel Vancouver is certainly one of Vancouver's most famous landmarks. Sadly though over time it's not as visible in the sky line as it was in 1970. I remember in the movie "Russian Roulette", filmed in and around Vancouver in 1975, there is a scene where a man falls to his death from the roof of the hotel with a huge crowd of onlookers below waiting for the arrival of the Russian Premier. George Segal starred in this political thriller as a corporal with the RCMP.

Just south of the hotel is the old central branch of the Vancouver Public Library. On the right side of the picture at the corner of  Burrard and Nelson is the BC Hydro Building. It is now an apartment building. The first few notes of "O Canada" used to blast out from horns on top of the building every weekday at noon but since it was converted into an apartment building the horns were moved to Canada Place. Other buildings visible in this picture include the YMCA on the left hand side. 

Burrard Street - North Bound View 2014

A lot has changed in 44 years since the previous picture was taken. The Hotel Vancouver is barely visible. In fact you have to look very closely to even see it. It went from a dominant building to almost invisible. The old central branch of the Vancouver Public Library is long gone having been replaced by a new building which includes CTV and Victoria Secrets.  The cars are certainly totally different. There definitely weren't bike lanes 44 years ago.