Christmas 1955 at The Home

by Monica Hammond

The Ladies’ Committee kept notes of everything that was going on at The Home. Things were especially busy around Christmas.

In 1955, the Shrine Band gave a Christmas concert at The Home. They brought a toy and a candy for each child. The B.C. Telephone Co. gave gifts for the tree, and the Junior Chamber of Commerce decorated The Home. Col. Matthews from the Gordon Head Camp made sure that each child had a stocking full of gifts.

All of the children would go visit Santa – “Mr. Mercer will take the tiny ones in his car, and Gwen & Bessie will take the 4 yr. olds on the bus”. What an adventure for them!

1955 was a busy year for Christmas parties at The Home – the Salvation Army, Government House, the Shrine Club and the Junior Chamber of Commerce each held a Christmas party for the children, all in the same week.

The generosity and kindness of the community in and around Victoria continues to bless The Cridge Centre for the Family to this day. We are so grateful to be a part of such a caring community.

This piece is based on the work of Vernon Storey, Terry Worobetz and Henry Kennedy in their book The Home: Orphans’ Home to Family Centre: 1873 to 1998. Copies of the book are available for purchase at The Cridge Centre for the Family.