‘History’ can be broken into two parts: his story. But what about her story? How did past women contribute to this place we call home, be it Canada, Saskatchewan, or Morse? What role did they play in making society what it is?
What are their stories? The answer is complicated. So much of women’s history has been forgotten or ignored. However, one former Morse resident stands out. Ethel Holderbein grew up on a farm near St. Boswells. When she was old enough, she left home to work for the Royal Canadian Airforce Station in Assiniboia. For a young girl who had lived a mostly secluded life on the farm, this was a big step. She experienced extreme homesickness, but even when her sister returned home after just a month on the base, she stuck it out and eventually found herself enjoying the experience. During the second world war, thousands of Canadian soldiers were sent to the war front to fight for our country. Meanwhile, on the Homefront, many women helped support the war effort in any way they could. For Ethel, at the base from 1942-1945, this meant working in the mess hall where the trainee pilots ate their meals. For other women, it might have meant working as cooks, office staff, or with plane parts that needed cleaning before repairs could be made. On the base, civilian staff, like Ethel, had to follow the same rules as the military staff. They had their own uniforms and were not allowed to leave nor enter the base without showing their pass at the gate. Ethel stayed in a building with about 80 other women, and she spoke about how comfortable and safe they felt living together; “We used to get together and sing in the evening. I used to play the guitar and we’d sing and entertain ourselves with the group that was together at the base.” Ethel accredited her time on the base with her bravery to move to Vancouver after the war ended. “It got us to know more how to mix with other people because on the farm, you only saw your own relatives and the people you went to school with and the church. It was good to know how you could mix with people you didn’t know. It was a good experience.” In Vancouver, Ethel saved up enough money to enroll herself in a hairdressing course. She worked in a beauty salon for some time before returning to Saskatchewan, where she opened her own salon, here in Morse. That’s where she met her husband, Herb, and together, they raised a family. Many women, before and during wartime, learned how to sew. Ethel was no exception. She learned to sew at the age of 12, and after having her children, utilized the skill to make clothing for them. When they were old enough to take an interest in dressing up dolls, she again pulled out the sewing kit to make doll clothes. Ethel had a love for the royal family, especially William and Kate. So, after the royal wedding took place in April 2011, she committed herself to replicate the outfits worn by the wedding entourage for her doll collection. It took a whole year for the bride, groom, and maid of honour outfits to be completed. By the end of the project, she had outfits for 11 dolls: The Queen, Bride, Groom, Maid of Honour, Prince Harry, four bridesmaids, and two pageboys. This collection garnered attention from the Queen herself. Written by her lady-in-waiting on behalf of the Queen, she expressed her pleasure in the project and thanked Ethel for the careful research that went into the recreation of the wedding outfits. Ethel framed the letter, and it remains in the family. In 2016, Ethel spoke of challenging the Guinness World Book of Records, as she believed the doll collection and wedding outfits are likely unique in the world. Ethel recently passed away, but there is no doubt that she is a woman who has made a mark on history. From helping with the war effort to creating a doll set that the Queen herself noticed, Ethel has accomplished things many of us have only dreamed of. She is a great inspiration to many young girls who would like to make a difference. Ethel’s doll collection was graciously loaned to the Morse Museum by her children and will be on display for the public to view in 2023.
0 Comments
|