Pulling Back the Rope

Hay is the foundation of the diet for all grazing animals and consequently harvesting hay is one of the biggest jobs on a farm. In the summer we all see cows and horses eating grass in pastures but this isn’t possible during winter months or times of drought so it was important to put enough hay aside for these times.

Grandpa Maloney had lots of cows at the farm in Bath. Johnny and I used to go down to the barn west of the farmhouse and watch as uncle Frank rounded them up for the evening milking, after which they would stay in the barn until the morning. The next morning they would milk the cows again before sending them out to graze in the pastures.

I think the farm at Bath was primarily a dairy farm although I believe they sold some of the cows for meat and I will talk about all that at another time.

I don’t know much about cultivating hay except that it takes a lot of time and hard work to get a good crop. Grandpa and uncle Frank and uncle Harold were out working in the fields every day during the summer months providing it wasn’t raining. They worked from dawn til dusk only taking time out for dinner at noon and a short nap around 2PM.

They always brought a pail of well water and a cup with them. Summers during the 50’s were really hot

People talk about global warming nowadays like it’s a fact. No offence, but it was much hotter then than it is now, believe me. These days if the weather is hot it’s like, “stay indoors” “don’t work too hard” “go to a shopping mall where there is air conditioning” “drink lots of water” Of course drink lots of water; were not stupid. Everybody is so mollycoddled these days. Oh and this really gets me. Instead of beginning with the real temperature, they always start with the humidex in the summer and the wind chill factor in the winter. Why can't they just give us the proper temperature first before all the other stuff for gosh sakes.

Anyways, one thing I do remember about our visits to the farm in Bath was when it was time to load the hay into the barn. I had the job of what was called “pulling back the rope” .

After the hay was gathered from the field in the large wagon which was pulled by either a tractor or a team of work horses it was brought back to the barn to be stored in the loft. There were no bales of hay in those days: it was all loose.

I don't remember which barn they used to store the hay. There were at least two barns, maybe three on the farm in Bath. I know there was a barn east of the house past the wood shed and a bit north of it but there was also another barn west of the house and down a short fenced in gravel road where they used to milk the cows.

Anyways, if I remember this accurately, large bunches of hay were lifted into the loft by a pulley and claw system until the wagon was empty. One of our uncles or grandpa would stand in the wagon and operate the large mechanical fork device which was able to grab large amounts of hay at a time. Then the pulley which was attached to this device was hooked up to the back of the tractor which would be slowly driven away from the barn, hoisting the bundle of hay up into the loft.

One of our uncles would be in the loft guiding each load as it went up. I remember aunt Mary helping with the hay as well when she was there.

Johnny occasionally had the job of driving the tractor. One of our uncles would call out to Johnny when it was time to stop the tractor. Then whoever was on the wagon pulled the fork release rope and the hay dropped into the loft. At that point, Johnny unhitched the rope and that’s when I did my part which was to pull back the rope to the barn for the next bundle.

Somehow or another the fork fell back into the wagon, ready for another load. I’m not sure how it all happened but this is how I remembered it.

I usually stood at the entrance to the barn a safe distance from the wagon but away from the hot sun.

Johnny was at least 12 before he was allowed to drive the tractor. I am certain that driving a tractor at such a young age would be frowned upon these days but this was in the 50s when kids had a lot more responsibilities than the kids of today.

Johnny loved driving the tractor and I honestly really liked my job of pulling back the rope. I miss those days.

To this day, whenever I see uncle Frank and we talk about our visits to the farm he always
mentions " Maureen pulling back the rope."

Great Grandpa and Great Grandma Brousseau / ancestors and descendants

Part one - Great Grandma and Great Grandpa Brousseau

I remember visiting great-grandpa Brousseau once with mommy and daddy and Johnny and Jimmy and Patty. He lived in Sandy Hill but I don't remember the name of the street

All I remember of great-grandpa was that he was very gentle and kind.

He might have been ill the day we visited him because he was downstairs resting on the couch in the parlor which was on the right-hand side upon entering the house. It seemed like a large house with stairs on the left-hand side I believe but that`s about all I can remember.

Most of the knowledge I have of great-grandpa Brousseau was what mommy told me. And I never knew great-grandma because she died of tuberculosis when she was very young. I know great grandpa Brousseau eventually married again and had more children and but I don't know that much else.

I wish I knew more about mommy and daddy when they were growing up and their parents and grandparents too. I should have asked more questions.

Mommy told me that at one time when her grandfather Brousseau was younger he owned a dairy farm in Montreal and that it was located in what is now known as Lafontaine Park. I think mommy told me it was off of St. Catherine Street.

One thing I know for sure is that great-grandpa was a very kind and generous man. In fact, he began every day by distributing milk from his dairy farm to people in need for free before his regular deliveries.

Great Grandpa Cesaire Brousseau and Great Grandma Therese Blouin were married at St Louis de France Montreal in 1892 and had three children, Emile, ( grandpa ) aunt Bertha and  before Great Grandma's death of Tuberculosis at the age of 24 

Mommy also told me that when great-grandma Therese was very ill, great-grandpa asked Brother Andre whom he knew quite well, to come to their home and pray for her. Grandpa Brousseau was just a little kid at the time and when he recounted the story to mommy, he said that everybody in the household was excited because the "good brother" as they called Brother Andre was going to be a house guest.

Unfortunately, my great-grandma didn't recover. When Brother Andre arrived at the house he knew right away before he prayed over her that she wasn't going to survive. Great Grandma Therese was just 24 when she died of tuberculosis. 

I find it interesting that both granny and grandpa Brousseau shared a connection to Brother Andre.

I don't know what happened after that. Did Great-Grandpa remarry in Montreal? When did he move to Ottawa? He lived in Ottawa for a long time and like I said I remember visiting him when I was very little. I know he lived in Sandy Hill with his new wife and the children

Mommy also told me that great-grandpa was a very devout Catholic and attended mass almost every weekday at Paroisse Sacre Coeur in Sandy Hill in Ottawa and sang in the choir on Sundays. He loved God, he loved his very large family and he loved to sing. Can't go wrong there!

While searching on the internet for information on the Brousseau family tree, I found the links below, much of which were compiled by my cousin Denise Charlebois. Thanks, Denise; awesome work!

Below are a few charts from Denise Charlebois awesome research 

Below the charts are links for a comprehensive detailed summary of the family tree. 

The links below were from this website 
https://mesancetres.ca/en/

click here for the family tree of grandpa Brousseau

Émile Brousseau 1896–1985 – webtrees (mesancetres.ca)

Click here for family tree of grandma Brousseau

Majorie Hedwidge Guillet 1898–1993 – webtrees (mesancetres.ca)

click here for ancestors of granny and grandpa Brousseau

Émile Brousseau + Majorie Hedwidge Guillet – webtrees (mesancetres.ca) 

Click here for the Ancestors of great grandpa and Great Grandma Brousseau Brousseau

Césaire Brousseau + Thérèse Blouin – webtrees (mesancetres.ca)

Click here for information on our great great grandmother Marie Bessette who was a cousin of Saint Brother Andre of Montreal 

Marie “Bessette” Bissette – – webtrees (mesancetres.ca)

Part Two - Granny and Grandpa Brousseau 

A Few Photos

The three pictures below were taken at a mass in honour of granny and grandpa at Aunt Adie and Uncle Bob's in their backyard at 10 Crescent Drive in Lakeview Terrace. 1983 I think it was the celebration of their 50th Anniversary. Aunt Audrey Guillet knew some young seminarians and she asked them to lead the music. They were members of the Community of Priests founded by Fr. Bob Bedard  They are now called the Companions of the Cross

  

   Below - 

Grandpa with six of their children

Below

Granny with their 5 girls 

Below

 At their cottage in Burnett I used to love going there. Aunt Adie and uncle Bob also had a cottage in the same area. It was just across the road  and up on a hill. I remember one time going to granny and grandpa's cottage with aunt Carol when she was just a teenager. The beach was a short distance away going East. I remember walking on the railway tracks one time with aunt Carole to go for a swim although I didn't go in the water and just watched aunt Carole as she swam

Granny sitting in the middle of the front row

Visiting Granny and Grandpa Brousseau

As well as my visits to daddy’s parents on the farm, I have equally fond childhood memories of summer visits to mommy’s parents in the house that grandpa Brousseau built and where mommy grew up, at 50 Sweetland Ave., in Sandy Hill. Whereas Johnny and I went together to visit Grandma and Grandpa Maloney, when I visited granny and grandpa Brousseau I usually had them all to myself.

Grandpa came to get me on several occasions for at least a few days and sometimes for as long as a week. He always gave me a big hug and kiss on the cheek. Grandpa had this trick that I knew was coming. He would kiss us kids on the cheek while blowing through his moustache so that it made a whistling sound. I laughed hysterically every time he did this.

Grandpa wasn’t very tall so he used to sit on a cushion when he drove his car. Just a little bit of trivia

Oh how I loved those times. I remember entering the house by way of the back porch located at the right hand side of their narrow driveway.

From the back porch there was another door leading into a very large kitchen. There was an icebox in the porch on the left. In the centre of the kitchen there was a table and behind the table to the left there were narrow winding stairs that led up to the room that became mine for as long as I was there. It was a room straight out of a fairy tale with frilly curtains and bedspread and I loved it! It was so private and cozy. There was a door at the bottom of the stairs and one at the top. As a kid I had the feeling like it was my own little apartment.

There was even a typewriter near the window. I remember trying to type on it although I am not sure if I was allowed to or not.

The porch, kitchen and the magical bedroom all had a distinctive really nice smell that is locked in my memory. Maybe it was the wooden floors or cupboards: I don’t know how to explain it. Sort of like a new car smell but different. Grandpa spent a lot of time in the basement building furniture so that could be part of it.

Anyways, granny always had a big hug for me when I got there and of course milk and cookies at the kitchen table.

I remember taking milk and cookies down to the basement for grandpa too when he was busy building a new piece of furniture. Milk and cookies were always a staple when visiting granny and grandpa: even when we got older.

Sitting on the wooden swing in the backyard with granny and sometimes grandpa and talking about anything and everything, especially mommy when she was growing up, was so exciting. I wish I could remember more of what we talked about. I think grandpa made the swing but I’m not sure.

Aunt Adelaide, granny’s sister lived on Nelson Street which was parallel to Sweetland and just one street west of it. She lived in the house directly behind granny and grandpas’s so if they were both outside at the same time they could have a chat at the back fence, and I think they usually did. I remember going to visit aunt Adelaide with granny once. I think we had to walk around the block to get there: I don’t think there was a gate in the fence.

Aunt Mary who was another one of granny’s sisters lived in granny and grandpa's house but she had her own little apartment. The entrance to her apartment was at the front of the house whereas granny and grandpa’s front entrance was to the right and down the little walkway. I used the back door most of the time and my memory is a bit sketchy when it comes to the front of the house but it seems to me that their front door opened directly into the living room and the first thing you would see was the very large grandfather clock which was about six feet high and stood on the floor on the left hand side against the wall. Beyond the living room was a hall which led to the kitchen. On the right hand side of the hall was the entrance to the basement. It seems to me granny and grandpa’s bedroom was off of the living room to the left. I remember a window above their door, which I guess you see in old houses.

Jimmy tells me that in 1975 he rented an upstairs apartment at 52 Sweetland in the house where uncle Yvon grew up and that aunt Bertha had an apartment there as well at that time. He says that Aunt Bertha was a lot of fun and that they occasionally had a gin and tonic together. A little bit of family trivia

I miss you granny and grandpa and I love you both just like I did when I was little