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EVELYN REED : 1929 - 1931, 1933 & 1961 ORIGINAL GROUP OF THREE [3] MANUSCRIPT DIARIES HANDWRITTEN BY THE WIFE OF ARDTREA, ONTARIO COUNCILMAN AND FARMER IN ORILLIA TOWNSHIP AND ONE OF ORILLIA PACKET CORRESPONDENTS IN 1960S, DETAILING HER EVERYDAY LIFE AND TIMES

16mo - over 5¾" - 6¾" tall. On offer are 1929-31, 1933, and 1961 manuscript diaries documenting a life of Evelyn Carter Reed (b. 1902) from Orillia Township. Evelyn was a wife of Wilbour T. Reed, a farmer and swine breeder from Ardtrea, who was a member of the Orillia Municipal Council in 1940-60s, and served as a Simcoe County Warden in 1953. The first of the diaries starts in 1929, 7 years after they got married. The family also kept summer cottages that seem to be very popular during the season: "Ag. 1, 1933: Wib and I were kept busy feeding our 13 guests. The men folks went fishing eve. Art went to street dancing at night. This was Fireman's Tournament day. I did a bit more ironing this P.M. ...Aug. 3rd:: We had 17 for dinner and supper.." The diaries give an excellent insight into life of a woman from a well off farmer's family in mid-20th century, and document how life changed from 1930s to 1960s, including shopping and culinary habits, home appliances, and involvement into social life. In 1929 Evelyn was a young wife and mother of two boys, Alex and Ross, busy with housekeeping. Her main activities included cleaning home and summer cottages, cooking for the family and lodgers, washing, sewing and mending clothes, while her husband was mostly busy with cattle, pigs, and crops. She meticulously lists dishes that she cooks, and clothes she makes: "Apr. 14, 1930 Nice but cold. I clarified syrup all day, made yeast, chocolate cake + Johnny cake, cleaned a lot of eggs, washed a few silk things and wrote to mother; June 2: Very warm. I did a big washing and hung it on my new clothes line, also started cleaning cellar and did some mending. Took off storm windows... The men got field ready for potatoes; June 12th A nice day. I preserved pineapple and rhubarb, made cookies and cake, cleaned windows and put screen on kitchen window, got letter from granny. Marcie phoned me. The men sowed turnips. Sept 2 "We took little pigs to market but sold none. I preserved peaches, plums, canned 9 jars tomatoes and made peach jelly. I also made pies and cake. Wib scrubbed kitchen and pantry. We thought we did a big day's work". The family had many visitors, occasionally attended different events, like Ladies Aid meetings, lectures at church, School Board meetings and shows, and Evelyn maintains very active correspondence. In 1960s their lifestyle changed - they travel around more and seem to be more actively involved in social and political life in the county, Wilbour attends hog producers meetings, Simcoe warden elections and banquets, and Church and School Boards meetings, Evelyn is still busy with household chores, but now she spends much time sewing and quilting, and she often mentions writing news for "Packet", an Orillia newspaper, and participating in the Women Institute activities: "Feb. 13th: Nice day. I wrote news for both papers A.M. and pressed some strips of my heavy material for quilt and sewed it all together...Feb 15th. ...Wib went for Barrie to attend The Trustee and Ratepayers meeting. I went to quilting again with Carters...Feb. 20. I spent most of A.M. writing news for papers; Dec. 5: I made cookies A.M., iced my cake, scrubbed pantry on my knees, mopped kitchen and generally put things in order for W.I. [Women Institute] meeting. When 12 ladies came, had meeting and program with game contests and fun till midnight when I served lunch." The diaries contain multiple names of local residents and lodgers, local events, a list of births, deaths and marriages, many details of everyday life, including meals she made for the family and guests, and lists of The first of the notebooks is missing a cover, and the first page has a few tears and water stains. The paper has yellowed and ink and pen are faded at some pages. In the 1961 diary the cover and first leaves are detached.. Illustr.: /. Manuscript. Book Condition: Fair

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