Sewing and Quilting

Lorraine has been knitting and sewing for most of her life, and has more recently taken up quilting. Here is a picture of Lorraine with a "sunrise" quilt she made in 2010.

Here is another photo of Lorraine with her granddaughter Abby, teaching her how to sew.

Trap Shooting

Bill has been an active trap shooter since the 1970s, and has won a number of provincial and national championships over the years. (Recently, he has been the BC provincial doubles champion.) This photo of him shooting was taken in 2007 in Tuscon, Arizona.

Bill also carves and finishes custom-made wood for shotguns. This photo is taken from a newspaper article about his woodworking in Truro in 1983.

McNeilly family reunion, May 2000

Here are some photos, courtesy of Deanna McNeilly, from a reunion held at April Point in May, 2000. Pictured in the first photo are many of Bill's cousins, along with his sisters Deanna and Jeannette, his sister-in-law Gail, their aunt Ruth Ryerse, and Bill and Lorraine and their daughter Maureen.

In this photo, you can see all five siblings: Bill, Deanna, Lanny, Jeannette and Kyle McNeilly.

Cutting the Cake

Here are Bill and Lorraine cutting their wedding cake, on July 29th, 1961.

(Lanny McNeilly, brother of the groom, can just be seen in the lower left.)

Family Pets

Over the years, Lorraine and Bill have nurtured many cats and dogs. Here is a photo of Brian and Maureen with our Labrador retriever Taffy, and a snapshot of Bill and Lorraine's cats (as kittens) Bert and Ernie.

Nova Scotia

Lorraine grew up in beautiful and historic Nova Scotia and lived, for a time, near Yarmouth. Anyone with roots in Nova Scotia should visit Archway, a website developed and maintained by Nova Scotia's Council of Archives, which helps researchers identify pertinent historical records held in archives across the province.  For example, you can search the Archway photographic database by keyword (like Yarmouth) to view historic images.

Bill McNeilly's patent

Bill McNeilly was a Professional Engineer for over forty years, during which he had numerous accomplishments, and instances of personal satisfaction and received many accolades for his work.  Near the end of his career, one of his designs received a patent.  Below are some images from the patent:

Click here for the patent information and drawings for the vehicle accessory power arrangement that he helped develop during his time at Navistar in Fort Wayne, Indiana (Warning:  this is a very big file).

Photo of the Bride and Groom

Here is a newspaper photo of Bill and Lorraine -- it seems to have been taken as they emerge from the church door, just married. (Please click on the image to enlarge.)

Newspaper Announcements of the Wedding

Jessie Collins, the mother of the bride, wrote several announcements about the wedding, which she sent to newspapers in Nova Scotia, including the Yarmouth Light and the Yarmouth Herald . (Images can be enlarged, for reading, by clicking on them.)

From the Yarmouth Light, August 17, 1961

From the Yarmouth Herald, August 23, 1961

The Wedding Party, 29 July 1961

In this photo of the wedding party (from left to right) are Wayne Fyvie, Lanny McNeilly, Bill Adolf, the groom, the bride, Dawna Streeter, Joan Collins, Barbara Collins. (You can click on the photo to enlarge it.)

Parents of the Bride and Groom

This is a favourite photo, taken at the wedding, of Bill and Lorraine's parents. Left to right are William C. McNeilly, Lorrayne (Ryerse) McNeilly, Jessie (Hines) Collins and Eric Dotson Collins. (You can click on the image to enlarge.)

Wedding Announcement and Invitation

Here are images of the announcement and of the invitation for Bill and Lorraine's wedding in July, 1961. (You can click on any of the images to enlarge.)

London, Ontario

Here are some photos of the house on Pinetree Drive in London, Ontario, where Bill, Lorraine and family lived from 1981-1998. It seems to have been painted red, more recently. During the McNeilly years, it was brown.Our cat Rusty enjoyed prowling the wooded yards in this neighbourhood.

Riverside Public School was at the end of Pinetree Drive.  It was where Maureen attended elementary school.

 Brian and Maureen attended Oakridge Secondary School during their high school years.

Bill, Lorraine and family attended Riverside United Church, where Bill sang tenor in the choir.

Truro, Nova Scotia -- Updated photos of the house there

Here are some more recent photos of the house on College Road, just outside Truro, Nova Scotia, where Lorraine, Bill and family lived in the 1970s. These were taken in the spring-summer a year or two ago, by Google Maps streetview. The concrete steps and walkway that you can see under the living room window were poured by Bill around 1974.

Rotary Park -- Pictures of the Location

For those of you who have never been to beautiful Qualicum Beach, here are some pictures of the Rotary Park location, where the anniversary party is taking place on Friday, July 29th!

 Images courtesy of Bill and Lorraine McNeilly.

Living in Chatham, Ontario, 1961-1970

Bill and Lorraine lived for most of the 1960s in this house, their first house as a married couple, on Lincoln Road in Chatham, Ontario. This was also the first house for Kevin and Brian. (Maureen was born a few months after the family moved to Winnipeg, Manitoba.) Kevin has been told that his first best friend, Ricky Palasti, lived next door.

This photo was captured from Google Maps street view.

1966 Oldsmobile Delta 88

For many years, Lorraine drove a turquoise, two-door Oldsmobile Delta 88: a fine car. Here's a nice image of a very similar car (it's a 1967 model, not quite the same colour), thanks to the internet.

Image courtesy of Collector Car Ads photostream.

Visiting Toronto

During a number of summer vacations, Bill, Lorraine and family would drive for many hours to visit family in the vicinity of Toronto, Ontario. We often stayed with Lorraine's mother, Jessie Collins, in her two-bedroom, sixteenth-floor (!) apartment in Don Mills. (Photo shown not actual size.)

Port Dover, Ontario

Bill grew up in Port Dover, Ontario. The McNeilly family home was a white farmhouse on Prospect Street. Here is are some pictures of the house, from a recent real estate sale. (It has been renovated, although the kitchen and living room still have the same basic structure as they had. The outside of the house seems remarkably like it was years ago.)

I O D E

Lorraine was for many years a member of IODE Canada. Click here for a page on the history of the IODE.

Organist Graham Steed

(Photo courtesy of Josh Michtom.)

 

Graham Steed was the church organist at 1st Baptist Church in Truro, Nova Scotia, when Bill and Lorraine and family lived there in the 1970s and early 1980s. He and his wife Rita were good friends, and Bill sang tenor in the church choir that Graham directed. Click here for YouTube clip of Graham Steed playing "Evocation III" by the French composer-organist Marcel Dupré, about whose work Mr. Steed was considered an authority.

 

 

Truro, Nova Scotia

In the 1970s we lived in Truro, Nova Scotia. Here are some images of the house, as it looks now. (Or, as it did in a recent winter.)

An image of the vicinity of this house on College Road -- a sunnier version! -- can be found through Google Maps by clicking here.

For historical information on Truro, the "hub" of Nova Scotia, you can visit the Colchester County Archives, here.  You can also visit the Town of Truro's home page.

Scot Trucks

Here are three photos of Scot trucks, taken from 1973-1975. Bill was the general manager of the Scot Trucks manufacturing plant in Debert, Nova Scotia.

These photos are taken from T. Brad Dunkin's website.

Toronto Sick Kids Hospital

Lorraine studied and worked as a nurse at Toronto's famous Hospital for Sick Children.  Click here to view some images of the hospital in the 1950s. Click here for a more complete history of the hospital.

Driving in Ontario in the late 50s and early 60s

Cameron Bevers has created a web site detailing the History of Ontario's King's Highways.  Full of over 6,300 historical and current photos, as well as route maps, signs, and more this site is a treasure trove for anyone who drove in Ontario, as Bill most definitely did!

International Harvester in Action

Here is a picture from the University of Guelph archives of an "unidentified man" riding an International Harvester tractor, somewhere in Ontario in April, 1961. In 1961, Bill worked for International Harvester in Chatham, Ontario. Information on the photo, which may have come from IH marketing and promotional material, can be found on the source website.

Books in 1961

There were lots of great books published during the year 1961, many of which are still read today.
This list from wikipedia is a good place to start looking at books published in 1961. Some of the better known books from that year include Margaret Laurence's The Stone Angel, Ian Fleming's Thunderball, Muriel Spark's The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, Joseph Heller's Catch 22, Madeline l'Engel's A Wrinkle in Time, Roald Dahl's James and the Giant Peach, John Wyndham's The Chrysalids, and J.D. Salinger's Franny & Zooey. Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child is a culinary classic.
The Pulitizer Prize for fiction went to Harper Lee for To Kill a Mockingbird, which had been published the previous year.
The Nobel Prize for Literature went to a Yugoslav (Bosnian) writer named Ivo Andric.
Significant non-fiction works that year included John Howard Griffin's Black Like Me and Memos from Purgatory by science fiction cult author (and soon-to-be Star Trek script-writer) Harlan Ellison.
Information on the (American) National Book Awards can be found here, while Canadian literary awards for 1961 can be viewed here.

Three classic television shows debuted in 1961

During 1961, three classic and highly influential television shows debuted:

•  The Avengers, in the United Kingdom (ITV).  Click here for an overview and clips from BFI's screenonline, a great source for British film and television history.
•  The Dick Van Dyke Show in the United States (CBS).  Click here  to view stills and footage from the original, pilot episode.
•  Reach for the Top in Canada (CBC).  Click here for some clips from CBC's digital archives.

More nostalgic treats can be found when you click here for a quick list of summaries and clips of North American shows broadcast during the 1961 fall season.

Location, Location, Location.

The anniversary celebration is being held at Rotary Park, 2945 Island Highway in Qualicum Beach.  Click here for a map.  This beautiful location is right near the beach.

Music sets the mood

If you're interested in music of the 50s, you know about rock pioneer, Buddy Holly.  At the end of the month, Rave On, a tribute album to Buddy will be released.  Artists like Paul McCartney, Florence and the Machine, My Morning Jacket, Modest Mouse, and She and Him, cover many of Buddy's famous songs, paying reverence to his legacy, as well as giving these iconic tunes a modern twist. 

This is an album all generations can enjoy. If you're interested in getting a preview, click here, as NPR is streaming the entire album.

Bring your good wishes and fondest memories

The invitations have been sent out by mail and we all hope that you can join us on July 29th for  the 50th anniversary celebrations . Rather than presents, please bring your good wishes, best memories, and finest stories.  These are the gifts that Bill and Lorraine will treasure the most. 

Places to Stay in Qualicum Beach

If you're coming to Qualicum Beach from out of town, the Old Dutch Inn is a great place to stay.  It's a non-smoking facility, with reasonable rates, a charming European feel and the following amenities:

• Ocean View Rooms.
• Licensed Restaurant.
• Cocktail Lounge.
Heated Indoor Pool.
• Sauna and Spa.
• Complimentary Wireless.
  High Speed Internet.
• 24 Hour Front Desk Service.

Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad

We're really looking forward to a great get-together on July 29th, and we want to invite everyone -- friends, family, colleagues -- to post their thoughts and memories here.