Illustrated
Chronicle
of Three
Generations

John G.
Fletcher
Early Years
(1911-2002)
Chatper 1:
Early Years
1911 to 1917

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Preface:
Inspirations and Background

To understand the context of John Fordon Fletcher III within a family of Celts, Scots, Highlanders, and Fletchers, it is recommended to first read chapters one and two of this family history: click here to go to Chapters One and Two of Fletcher Family History and chapters three through ten, which focus on the life of John's father, James. The materials which follow, extend this early history and branch off to focus on the events directly related to John Fletcher, starting with his birth in 1911.

Throughout this chronicle, the reader may find it useful to refer to the following:

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Chapter(s):	Title:	Period:
One	Fletchers as Celts, Scots, and Highlanders	BCE 6000 to 1800
Two	From the Highlands to Canadian Homestead	1800 to 1900

Chapter(s):	Title:	Period:

Three to Ten	James Fletcher III (my grandfather)	1878 to 1972

Chapter(s):	Title:	Period:

Eleven	John Fletcher: Early Years	1911 to 1917
Twelve	School and Adolescence	1917 to 1929
Thirteen	Depression Years	1930 to 1939
Fourteen	War Years	1939 to 1945
Fifteen	Higher Education at U of T	1945 to 1949
Sixteen	Teaching	1949 to 1965
Seventeen	Librarianship and Golf	1965 to 1973
Eighteen	Retirement and Senior Golf	1973 to 1985
Nineteen	Senior Golf and Songsheet Collecting	1985 to 1995
Twenty	The Nineteenth Hole and Cruciverbalism	1995 to 2002

Chapter(s):	Title:	Period:

Twenty-one to Fortynine	The Life of David Fletcher	born 1955

Chapters Eleven
Through Twenty:

John Gordon
Fletcher III
(1911 - 2002)

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Chapter Eleven:
John Fletcher:
Early Years
(1911 to 1917)

John's formation as a young English-speaking Canadian man, leaving his Celtic and Highland Scot roots.

11.1 Fletchers' Early Years on Clearview Farm (1901 - 1917)
11.2 Social and Political Context (1911 to 1917)
11.3 John Fletcher III born: 29 March, 1911, Tilbury, Ont.
11.4 Early Childhood
11.5 The Big California Trip

11.6 Times on the Farm

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Chapter Twelve:
School and Adolescence
(1917 - 1929)

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12.3 Uncle William Off to Fight the Bolsheviks (1918 - 1920)

12.4

12.5 The Winnipeg General Strike (June 1919)

12.6 A New House for the Farm 1919

12.7 Roaring 20s -Music of the Late

12.7 Fall 1929: the Great Crash and Catastrophe

12.8 Fletchers Move Back to the Farm

12.9 Canadian Politics, Late 1920s Early 1930s

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Chapter Thirteen:
Depression Years
(1930 to 1939)

13.1 To Detroit to Find Work (as Family Returns to Farm)

13.2 Speakeasies and Music

13.2 Paper Routes (as Father Losses Farm) 1936

13.3 Esther Mackness

13.4 The Rise of Fascism in Europe and the Mac-Paps

12.5 Golf

12.6 The Calm Before the Storm

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Chapter Fourteen:
War Years
(1939 to 1945)

14.1 RCAF Training, Winnipeg

14.2 Death of Grandparents (1942 - 1943)

14.3 Off to War: Halifax to Bahamas

14.4 U-Boat Search and Destroy Missions

14.5 Blair Lang and Lasting Friendships

14.6 Marriage to Esther Mackness 30 Dec. 1943

14.7 Victory, Honourable Discharge, and Return Home

14.8 The Forest St. Home, Tilbury (1945)

14.9 The Move to Toronto (1945)

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Chapter Fifteen:
Higher Education at U of T
(1945 to 1949)

15.1 Dentistry 1945

15.2 Birth of First Son: Ronald 22 Dec. 1945

15.3 Bachelor of Arts 1947

15.4 Gerard St. Apartment

15.5 Master of Arts 1949

15.6 Birth of Second Son: Bernard 10 July, 1949

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Chapter Sixteen:
Teaching
(1949 to 1965)

16.1 Central Commerce 1949 - 1951

16.2 Harbord C.I. 1951 - 19

16.3 Malvern C.I. 195_ - 1973

16.4 Esther Fletcher

16.4 Parents' Fiftyth Wedding Anniversary 1955

16.5 Birth of Third Son: David 14 March, 1955

16.6 Move to 51 Beaufort Road 1955

16.7 Politics and Culture 1945 - 1975

16.8 Parents' Sixtyth Wedding Anniversary 1965

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Chapter Seventeen:
Librarianship and Golf
(1965 to 1973)

17.1 Society and Politics in the 1960s

17.2 Golf: Membership at S.G. and C.C.

17.3 Son Ron and His Golf (1958 - 1963)

17.4 Son Bern and His Golf (1962 - 1967)

17.5 Running the Malvern Library

17.5 Researching Local History

17.6 Esther Fletcher 1965 1973

17.7 Senior Golf Tournaments and Related Trips 1: Halifax (1967)

17.8 Senior Golf Tournaments and Related Trips 2: Saskatoon (1968)

17.9 Son David and His Golf (1966 - 1973)

17.10 Coaching the Malvern Golf Team

17.11 Parents: Move to Thamesview and Passing On

17.12 Other Fletchers in the 1960s and 1970s

17.13 Construction of the "Golf Pit" in 51 Beaufort Rd Basement (1972)

17.14 Senior Golf Tournaments and Related Trips 3: Victoria (1972)

17.15 Senior Golf Tournaments and Related Trips 4: Montreal (1973)

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Chapter Eighteen:
Retirement and Senior Golf
(1973 to 1985)

18.1 Retirement: 30 June 1973
18.2 Society and Culture in 1970s and 1980s
18.3 Life on Beaufort Road
18.4 Golf at Scarborough G. and C.C.
18.5 More Seniors Golf Tournaments
18.6 Esther Fletcher (Mom, 1973 - 1985)
18.7 Ron Fletcher
18.8 Bern Fletcher
19.9 David Fletcher (me)

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Chapter Nineteen:
Senior Golf and
Songsheet Collecting
(1985 to 1995)

19.1 Society and Politics 1980s and 1990s

19.2 Songsheet Collecting

19.3 10,000 sheets by 1982

19.4 14,000 sheets by 1984

19.5

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Chapter Twenty:
The Nineteenth Hole
and Cruciverbalism
(1995 to 2002)

20.1 The Last Years

20.2 Cruciverbalism: Creating Crossword Puzzles

20.3 Mom's Illness

20.4 Dad's Fall and Bedridden, January 2002

20.5 Leisure World, March 2002

20.6 Caregivers

20.7 Last Summer, 2002

20.8 Last Autumn, 2002

20.9 Last Days of Illness, Dec. 2002

20.10 Christmas Eve, 2002

20.11 Obit, Funeral, Burial

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Chapter Eleven:
Early Years on
Clearview Farm
(1911 to 1917)

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11.1 Early Years on Clearview Farm
(1911 - 1917)

Jim Fletcher's Clearview Farm was one of many Fletcher farms in the area near Tilbury in South-Western Ontario. Jim had married Ada Cullingham back in September of 1905. Their wedding photo is shown at right. By 1911, they were a prosperous farm family.

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11.2 Social and Political Context
(1911 to 1917)

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11.3 John Fletcher III
born: 29 March, 1911,
Tilbury, Ontario

My father was born in Tilbury East, on the family farm, on 29 March, 1911. He was Christened Gordon John Fletcher. But to have the same name as his grandfather, he always prefered "John". In fact, in later life, he so prefered John that he wanted to make sure that this was the name that went on his university diplomas. And so in 1947 he formally reversed his two names to become John Gordon.

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11.4 Early Childhood

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Fletchers at play.
Baseball was the most important sport in the early part of the century. Click to enlarge this photo.

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11.5 The Big California Trip

Although John barely remembered it, he and baby brother Arch were taken, by their parents, Jim and Ada, in the Fall of 1915 on a great trip to California. In October, 1915, they took a train to the Pacific. They visited the Pacific Fair (the Panama Pacific International Exposition) in San Francisco.

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11.6 Times on the Farm

John remembers the day in 19__ when father Jim brought home a new Ford tractor.

Soon after the tractor, arrived something else new. A new baby sister, named Marjorie.

Illustrated
Chronicle
of Three
Generations

John G.
Fletcher
Early Years
(1911-2002)
Chatper 1:
Early Years
1911 to 1917

Preface:
Inspirations and Background

Chapters Eleven
Through Twenty:

John Gordon
Fletcher III
(1911 - 2002)

CONTENTS

Chapter Eleven:
John Fletcher:
Early Years
(1911 to 1917)

Chapter Twelve:
School and Adolescence
(1917 - 1929)

Chapter Thirteen:
Depression Years
(1930 to 1939)

Chapter Fourteen:
War Years
(1939 to 1945)

Chapter Fifteen:
Higher Education at U of T
(1945 to 1949)

Chapter Sixteen:
Teaching
(1949 to 1965)

Chapter Seventeen:
Librarianship and Golf
(1965 to 1973)

Chapter Eighteen:
Retirement and Senior Golf
(1973 to 1985)

Chapter Nineteen:
Senior Golf and
Songsheet Collecting
(1985 to 1995)

Chapter Twenty:
The Nineteenth Hole
and Cruciverbalism
(1995 to 2002)

Chapter Eleven:
Early Years on
Clearview Farm
(1911 to 1917)

11.1 Early Years on Clearview Farm
(1911 - 1917)

11.2 Social and Political Context
(1911 to 1917)

11.3 John Fletcher III
born: 29 March, 1911,
Tilbury, Ontario

11.4 Early Childhood

11.5 The Big California Trip

11.6 Times on the Farm

Next chapter
Chapter 12

IllustratedChronicleof ThreeGenerations John G.FletcherEarly Years (1911-2002)Chatper 1:Early Years1911 to 1917

Preface: Inspirations and Background

Chapters Eleven Through Twenty:John Gordon Fletcher III (1911 - 2002)

CONTENTS

Chapter Eleven: John Fletcher: Early Years (1911 to 1917)

Chapter Twelve: School and Adolescence (1917 - 1929)

Chapter Thirteen: Depression Years (1930 to 1939)

Chapter Fourteen: War Years (1939 to 1945)

Chapter Fifteen: Higher Education at U of T (1945 to 1949)

Chapter Sixteen: Teaching (1949 to 1965)

Chapter Seventeen: Librarianship and Golf (1965 to 1973)

Chapter Eighteen: Retirement and Senior Golf (1973 to 1985)

Chapter Nineteen: Senior Golf and Songsheet Collecting (1985 to 1995)

Chapter Twenty: The Nineteenth Hole and Cruciverbalism (1995 to 2002)

Chapter Eleven: Early Years on Clearview Farm (1911 to 1917)

11.1 Early Years on Clearview Farm (1911 - 1917)

11.2 Social and Political Context (1911 to 1917)

11.3 John Fletcher III born: 29 March, 1911, Tilbury, Ontario

11.4 Early Childhood

11.5 The Big California Trip

11.6 Times on the Farm

Next chapter Chapter 12

Illustrated
Chronicle
of Three
Generations

John G.
Fletcher
Early Years
(1911-2002)
Chatper 1:
Early Years
1911 to 1917

Preface:
Inspirations and Background

Chapters Eleven
Through Twenty:

John Gordon
Fletcher III
(1911 - 2002)

Chapter Eleven:
John Fletcher:
Early Years
(1911 to 1917)

Chapter Twelve:
School and Adolescence
(1917 - 1929)

Chapter Thirteen:
Depression Years
(1930 to 1939)

Chapter Fourteen:
War Years
(1939 to 1945)

Chapter Fifteen:
Higher Education at U of T
(1945 to 1949)

Chapter Sixteen:
Teaching
(1949 to 1965)

Chapter Seventeen:
Librarianship and Golf
(1965 to 1973)

Chapter Eighteen:
Retirement and Senior Golf
(1973 to 1985)

Chapter Nineteen:
Senior Golf and
Songsheet Collecting
(1985 to 1995)

Chapter Twenty:
The Nineteenth Hole
and Cruciverbalism
(1995 to 2002)

Chapter Eleven:
Early Years on
Clearview Farm
(1911 to 1917)

11.1 Early Years on Clearview Farm
(1911 - 1917)

11.2 Social and Political Context
(1911 to 1917)

11.3 John Fletcher III
born: 29 March, 1911,
Tilbury, Ontario

Next chapter
Chapter 12