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We're Closed for the Season
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You can still Book Private tours by contacting our Manager, Allan Goddard.
Phone: (780) 696-2551 Mobile: (780) 898 - 1155 Email: bretonmuse@yahoo.com |
Come and Explore the Past!
The Breton Brothers Adventures in Canada: Part 3
by Allan Goddard
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I left off the second installment about the Breton’s after their return from serving in WW1. Basil Breton moved to Vancouver Island to manage a hotel. Douglas, Laurence and Billie Breton joined forces in operating the Telfordville store, post office and cream station. Billie and Laurence ran the store, with Laurence being the chief cream tester. Billie would continue to operate the store for the next 20 years. Douglas looked after the post office, bookkeeping and hauling freight from Leduc. Also, Douglas was becoming involved in local politics, lobbying for the extension of the railroad through the area.
In 1922, the Alberta Government announced the Lacombe & North Western Railway would be extended from Rimbey to Hoadley. Lobbying continued through the UFA Local 1053, with Douglas acting as spokesperson: meetings were held, petitions circulated and delegations to Provincial ministers arranged, but with little success from 1922-1924. A break came in February 1925 when it was announced the railway would be extended 22 miles north from Hoadley, establishing a new rail terminal, and a yet to be named hamlet. It would be December 1926 before the line was put into service. The new hamlet was named “Breton” in appreciation of the work carried out by Douglas Breton. In June 1926, Douglas Breton was elected as MLA for the Leduc constituency. While the extension of the railway to Breton was gratifying to Douglas, there was still work to be done to link the railway to Leduc. Douglas could now press for the extension of the railway from within the government. |
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Once the location of the new terminal and hamlet was determined, businesses started to establish. One of the first was the Laurence Breton family, who moved from Telfordville in April 1926 to open a grocery store. For the next ten years Laurence would operate the Red and White grocery store. The Depression of the 1930’s took a toll on many businesses, and in 1936 Laurence sold the grocery store. Laurence and family would leave Breton moving to Campbell River, BC, where he was employed in a department store. Laurence passed away in 1965 at the age of 80.
In 1927 Douglas again tried to get the railway extended without success. It is interesting to note that the UFA Government of Alberta was in serious financial trouble at the time … sound a little bit familiar. However, in 1928 the government announced they had accepted the offer from the CPR to purchase the Lacombe & North Western, and by 1932 the railway reached Leduc.
Douglas would run for re-election in 1930, but lost his seat to Liberal Arthur Mitchell. He returned to Telfordville to farm, and as secretary - treasurer for the MD of Pioneer. In 1934 the decision was made to return to England, where he took up farming again. During WWII Douglas served as a training officer with the Royal Air Force and after the war worked for Army Records, as well as farming. Douglas Breton passed away in 1953 at the age 70. His daughter wrote of his death … “He died in 1953 with so much of his heart and dreams still in the Canadian west”.
While Douglas Breton would not return to Canada his name does live on in the name of our Village.
In 1927 Douglas again tried to get the railway extended without success. It is interesting to note that the UFA Government of Alberta was in serious financial trouble at the time … sound a little bit familiar. However, in 1928 the government announced they had accepted the offer from the CPR to purchase the Lacombe & North Western, and by 1932 the railway reached Leduc.
Douglas would run for re-election in 1930, but lost his seat to Liberal Arthur Mitchell. He returned to Telfordville to farm, and as secretary - treasurer for the MD of Pioneer. In 1934 the decision was made to return to England, where he took up farming again. During WWII Douglas served as a training officer with the Royal Air Force and after the war worked for Army Records, as well as farming. Douglas Breton passed away in 1953 at the age 70. His daughter wrote of his death … “He died in 1953 with so much of his heart and dreams still in the Canadian west”.
While Douglas Breton would not return to Canada his name does live on in the name of our Village.
Looking for some Autumn Reading Material? Check out our Gift Shop for Books about Local and Black History!!
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Donations
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Artifact Donation Have an item that you are considering donating to the museum? We are looking for items that help tell Breton's story in some way. Of particular interest are items that have a strong backstory - perhaps they were from a business in town, or were used for many years by a local family. When you bring your items in, here is the general process that we go through before any item is accepted into the collection: 1. We work with you to fill out a temporary receipt form documenting the item and any information you have about it. 2. The Collections Management Committee meets and makes a decision regarding whether to accept items into the permanent collection, the education programming collection, or to return them to the original donors. 3. If we decide to accept the item to the collection, you will be contacted to come and sign a Certificate of Gift transferring ownership of the artifact to the Breton Museum. If the item is declined, we will contact you to return the item. Items may be declined for a variety of reasons - relevance to the museum's mandate, duplication of an artifact already in the collection, condition, or ability for the museum to care for it. While we cannot accept everything that is offered to us, we value the opportunity to consider your donation of artifacts in assisting the Breton Museum in fulfilling its collections mandate. |
Monetary Donations The Breton and District Historical Society is a Registered Charitable Organization and can issue tax receipts. At present, we accept donations in the form of cash or cheque!! We appreciate your support! 
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Hours of Operation
11:00am- 5:00pm Monday to Friday Admission by donation. |
Contact Us
Phone: (780) 696- 2551 Email: bretonmuse@gmail.com |
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Address: 4711-51 Street Breton, AB T0C 0P0
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Website Created by Phoebe Amendt 2019 |
