A Suitcase of Memories: Eastern Star Banquet 1944

This is the suitcase that was given to my husband last week. It came from his great-aunt Florence Elgie's home after her death.


We removed the items carefully (see below) and started sorting them. There were many school exercise books, dozens of songs written by Florence's father William Elgie, and other miscellaneous items. 



The first one we are featuring is a small booklet for St. Marys Chapter No. 121 Order of the Eastern Star Banquet.


The Banquet was in honour of Sister Sparling D.D.G.M. and was held on Friday October 27, 1944 in Knox Church in St. Mary's. Inside is a list of names of Officers which may be of interest to any descendants.

The name Mrs. Florence Hooper, Warder is Florence Elgie, owner of the suitcase.









Here are the names:

Miss Helen Grieve
Mr. George Muma
Mrs. Irene McTaggart
Mr. Archie Montgomery
Mrs. Annie Stanley 
Miss Hattie Mayler
Miss Roberta Sparling
Mrs. Annie Bragg
Mrs. Lena Muma
Mrs. Aileen Marriott
Mrs. Linda Parsons
Miss Mary Forrest
Mrs. Marjorie Butters
Mrs. Florence Willard
Mrs. Lottie Hall
Mrs. Gertrude Egan
Mrs. Florence Hooper
Mr. Herbert Sparling

A Suitcase of Memories: The Start of a Journey

Last night my husband came home from visiting his parents with a small suitcase. Inside are papers, documents, school notebooks, letters and who knows what else! 

We have not done anything more than open the case. What you see on the left is the top layer.

We had a quick look in the Note Book and it is full of school essays written by Florence Elgie when she was a young girl.

Ann, Luella & Florence Elgie

Florence was the sister of my husband's grandmother. She was born in 1914 in St. Mary's Ontario and lived her entire life there, dying in 1996.  Florence married Wilbert George "Wib" Hooper (1913 - 1993). The Hooper family was fairly well known in St. Mary's as the owners of Hooper's Dairy. 

George and Florence had no children so her papers were passed down to her niece and now to my husband. 

William Elgie 1876-1946

We are excited about seeing what memories this little suitcase holds. We have been told that one of its treasures are original songs written by my husband's great-grandfather William Elgie.