To promote the links between ecology and economy through watershed management, and to inspire a conservation ethic through education and literature. |
| Memories of Ann Elmore Haig-Brown - Courier Islander |
 |
 |
|
Memories of Ann is a new column intended to celebrate the life and legacy of Ann Elmore Haig-Brown. 2008 marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of both Roderick and Ann Haig-Brown. To celebrate this Centenary year, the Courier Islander, in partnership with the Museum at Campbell River, is publishing a series of personal accounts of Ann Elmore Haig-Brown submitted by members of the community. These articles aim to raise awareness of Ann's contributions to Campbell River, leading up to her birthday on May 3rd, Ann Elmore Haig-Brown Day. The first memory has been submitted by Diana Hudson Kretz of Hudson's Farm. The province of B.C. has issued a proclamation acknowledging that 2008 is The Haig-Brown Centenary. Both Rod and Ann Haig-Brown were born one hundred years ago. Through the newspaper and our museum, we wish to celebrate Ann Elmore Haig-Brown's many and varied contributions to our community.. We felt that our citizens would have an interest in Ann being the wife of a well known conservationist and author. I volunteered to start the memories because the Haig-Browns were family friends. I grew up with their children Valerie, Mary, Alan and Celia. My memories of Ann, and these are from childhood thoughts, are that she was constantly busy. Ann's rule for visiting children while Roddy was writing was there were certain areas not to play and not to distract Rod. Each day Ann was active. She annually planted and weeded and watered a huge vegetable garden that fed the family. She milked and cared for the cow in their barn and field across the road. Ann typed all of Rod's handwritten work which meant she spent hours in the evenings on the typewriter. When I stayed overnight in their daughters bedroom one could hear the ding of the typewriter as it completed each line. There were always people visiting either wanting her advice or Rod's. She made sure that he was not interrupted in his work and would tell them when to return. I remember different women quietly weeding the rose garden and other flower beds that were either side of their huge lawn. I never knew until I was older that these women were given a shelter by Ann and Rod when a serious domestic problem had arisen. In return, to give them something to do the gardening gave privacy and was a good mental escape from personal fear and thoughts. From this history the Ann Elmore House came into being. Ann was amazing in her abilities to cook and bake. She always made birthday cakes for her children and homemade ice-cream in metal ice trays in the refrigerator. I marveled at this because we did not have a refrigerator. Special occasion cakes were baked in a metal lamb form which she decorated beautifully with fluffy icing. She was very well read and had a photographic memory. She read the New Yorker pages in a flash, the speed amazed me as a child. The family had many books and magazines of educational value that were read and then shared with other families. She also helped children with specific learning problems. Her kitchen was a place of learning and I remember having grammar lessons from her. Years later when her family had grown she taught in the library at Carihi. One respected her energy, outspokenness, and her caring for the growth of our then village that had anything to do with people, and the natural environment around us. Valerie's comment years later, "When you think of my mother, plant a tree." |
