Dust to Gold

The autobiography of

 

Olive O. Lockhart

(20 August 1900 – 13 May 1992)

 

 

 

 

“Love can transform dust to Gold.”

J. G. Whittier


For some years, a friend has been urging me to write an account of my life in Saskatchewan where I arrived with my family as a young girl, subsequently marrying a farmer, and living in that province for forty years.  Conditions were very different there then, and today’s young people would have a hard time visualizing how people could survive, and even be content and happy, in those circumstances.  Since I am the last member of my immediate family (footnote 1) to remain on this earth, and as most of my friends in my age group are also gone to their reward, some record of those early days should be left.  I have hesitated for long, hardly knowing where to begin, and how much to tell. But as tomorrow, August the 20th, marks the 78th anniversary of my birth, it is high time to make a start.

 

Such as it is, and however poorly written, this is the autobiography of

 

Victoria B.C.

Olive O. Lockhart

August 19th, 1978

Nee Moores

 

 

“So long Thy power hath blest me – sure it still

Will lead me on

O’er moor and fen, o’er crag and torrent, till

The night be gone”.

J. H. Newman

 

Transcribed onto computer by Bernard J Harris (her great-nephew), February 2002.

The original had English spelling with the exception of an occasional Americanism (e.g. flavor, neighbor), but for consistency English spelling has been adopted in the transcription. For the moment, most of the photos are omitted – perhaps they will be added again at a later date.

 

Please follow the links below:-


Chapter One  Arrival in Canada


Chapter Two   The First Year


Chapter Three   Neighbours

 

Chapter Four   Christian Activities


Chapter Five    Early Years and Education


Chapter Six   Social Activities


Chapter Seven   Mother as Doctor and Nurse

 

Chapter Eight   First World War

 

Chapter Nine   End of War

 

Chapter Ten   Beauty, Birds, Beasts, and little lost Boys

 

Chapter Eleven   Married Life on a Farm


Chapter Twelve  The Years bring Changes

 

Epilogue   March 1980

 

Olive Octavia Lockhart passed away on May 13th 1992, in sheltered accommodation in Victoria BC. She was 91. Her resting place is the Royal Oak Burial Park, Victoria.

 

Transcription to computer copyright © 2002 by Bernard J Harris

 

See also – an incomplete index of her poetry.

 

Transcriber’s footnotes:

1. The family of Thomas Walter Moores and Lillian Birch Garland – see autobiography of T W Moores.