http://www.jstor.org/pss/25093530
- Mike Dowson
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Thanks for this - I'm sure that John will have something to add to this. I believe that this book is available for viewing at the Central library in toronto. The descendent of one of the Oakley's contacted John. He put her in touch with me - and I met her and her nephew. We visited the green trunk. Lovely lady. But we've since lost touch. She wanted copies of the indenture papers that John has, because it showed her great grandfather's signature. I also believe that there is a letter from the author of this book asking mom for permission to use dad's writings to write the book. I'd love to have a copy or at least to read it all. I did not know that Grandpa Dowson worked in Sault St. Marie - That might be one of the reasons that our dad became interested in northern Ontario. Perhaps he heard all about the wonders of the north from his father. Thank you for this and I'll try and track down the rest of the book.
ReplyDelete- Mary Dowson
Hi Mary
ReplyDeleteBelow is the info on the article.
Ah Ha! - one up on you Mary. Dad had told me that Grandpa Dowson had worked on the construction of the locks in the Sault and I actually visited them to have a look at the stone work.
Maybe Dad was pissed at you so didn't tell you --- just kidding Mary.
Thanks for the photo - good information.
- Richard Dowson
- The Life of a Toronto Artisan: Thomas William Dowson, Stone Cutter
- G. S. Kealey
- Bulletin of the Committee on Canadian Labour History / Bulletin du Comité sur l'Histoire Ouvrière Canadienne, No. 1 (Spring, 1976), pp. 10-14
(article consists of 5 pages)
Published by: Canadian Committee on Labour History Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/25093530
Yes I knew that grandpa Dowson worked on the locks at the Sault. When I was with Tommy Danton we played in a club is Sault St Marie that overlooked the canal. It was on a street that ran along in front of the canal. I mentioned this to Dad once that we were in Sault St. Maria Michigan and he told me that grandpa had read an ad for stone masons in the Sault paying top dollar and keep, so he went for the money and to save and purchase a house. I don’t know if he was married at that time but he was up there for a long time and every cent he made was free and clear since his expenses were paid by the company. Maybe you could find out on the net when the canal was built. By the way it was while I was playing in Sault St Marie Michigan when Mary was asked by the finance company where was I, but we kept moving ahead on the repo guy.
ReplyDelete- John Dowson
Hi John
ReplyDeleteStaying ahead of the Repo Guy was what everyone learned in Willowdale. When Al Hepburn was working on the ranch with me the Repo guys came out and took away his 56 Robin's Egg Blue Cadillac. He hadn't paid on it since leaving Ontario. Not sure if I told you but he got the downpayment by breaking into Moe Panzer's on Bathurst - think the limit has run out on that by now.
And they took my little Volkswagen in Dawson Creek
Ah Willowdale - and the Finance Company. Al told me he didn't care if they took his stuff - said they would always loan money to a fool like him if he put enough down. Still seems to be the way.
- Richard Dowson
Yes it was a baby blue 1956 Cadillac coupe Deville convertible with Ontario license plates. I got it from a Arnie Dirksen, he was country singer from Winnipeg and we knew him from Toronto. He was playing in Calumet City Illinois and was offered a recording contract by Bobby Lord in Nashville and he couldn't take the car with him because it was a Canadian car. He said you can have it for $100 and take over payments of $100 a month. Done and he gave me the papers and when I got to Toronto the finance company wouldn't let me take over the car payments, and when they did they increased the payments to $150 a month. I couldn't pay that so I just kept paying $100 and sent it to the finance company. This was in August 1959. We were on the road to Quebec city, Montreal, Sault st Marie Mich. Chicago and back to Toronto, then back to Indiana, Chicago and we landed in Houghton Lake Michigan for a two month summer gig. The guy finally found me and he knocked on the door of our cabin in August 1960 and said he came for the Caddy. We invited him in gave him a drink and he stayed the night as it was late. He said he'd been trailing us for three months and he always got into the towns after we left. He said this was the best repo he ever had. We all knew he was coming for the car as mum was forwarding letters to Gen Delivery in the US. But it was a great car, when I got to Toronto with the Caddy in August 1959 one of the girls I was dating broke into tears when she saw the Caddy, convertible she said the girls are all going to jump at the chance to ride in that.
ReplyDeleteI searched the internet for Arnie Dirksen last year and I found him in San fernando valley in California, and I called him on the phone. He's still playing gigs at senior residences, and he got religion and preaches every Sunday. What a story I should write this up some day. John PS Mary worked for the finance company and the manager kept asking her where I was.
- John Dowson
Hi John
ReplyDeleteGreat story
I do recall that having a car repossessed was a right of passage for anyone from Willowdale. It was sort of a gentile Bar Mitzvah.
As you will recall the Sheriff in Whitehorse came and took Michael Powell's little Volkswagen away. He even sat in on a couple of hands of Hearts that we were playing.
Same deal - the repos was pleasant. When they took Al Hepburn's car we were living on the ranch north of Gem Alberta. Really nice guys - thugs but nice. We all got drunk to celebrate and they stayed over in the bunkhouse to sober-up and wait our a bad rain storm. With the rain the roads became impassable. I'd pulled them out of the ditch once and they didn't want to take another chance. And they didn't want to miss a piss-up.
- Richard Dowson