Canada and the British immigrantWeaver, Emily P. (Emily Poynton)
History
Canada and the British immigrant
Weaver, Emily P. (Emily Poynton)
Canada -- Description and travel; Canada -- Economic conditions
Nevertheless, an immigrant should not make himself unnecessarily funny
in the eyes of others. For example, unless the young Englishman is bound
for the backwoods, it really is not necessary for him to attire himself
in the strange and shaggy garments which the town-bred English tailor
thinks appropriate for “the colonies.” In most towns and settled country
districts he will need much the same kind of clothing as he would use in
such places in England. Often, during the first winter, the Englishman
does not feel the need of much warmer clothing than he was accustomed to
wear at home; but he should have a good heavy overcoat, and, if he is
bound for the West, a fur coat or one lined with sheepskin will be a
great comfort. He should also have a warm cap which he can pull down
over his ears when driving, for the ears are peculiarly liable to get
frost-bitten, and one or two stout pairs of woollen or warmly-lined
leather gloves will be found useful, for here men do not work in the
winter months with uncovered hands, except perhaps west of the Rocky
Mountains. In the case of a family, every member of it, from the father
to the little tots, should be provided with woollen gloves or mittens,
warm caps or hoods, and warm underclothing. All these things, and some
wraps and rugs in addition, may prove very useful on the voyage at any
time of year; and they will usually be needed on the first arrival in
Canada, for most immigrants come in the early spring, when the weather
is still cold.
Ordinarily, the trains are sufficiently heated, but there is often a
good deal of waiting at wharves or stations. There may be a long drive
from the railway to the final destination, and it is best to be well
provided for such contingencies. Soon after the arrival of the spring
immigrant, however, cool, light clothing for the hot months of the
Canadian summer will be required, and it is well for a woman to bring,
if possible, some supply of cotton blouses and dresses. The woven,
porous kind of cotton underclothing is cheap and suitable for the
climate. In their first year, Englishwomen often make the mistake of
overloading themselves and their children with heavy garments. I
remember, on a hot July day, seeing a poor little English year-old baby
swathed in one layer of flannel above another, with the perspiration
running down its face, while its sisters, old enough, I suppose, to
rebel at such treatment, looked comparatively cool and comfortable in
light cotton dresses.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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