About Margaret Cecilia Mumford (1922-1998)

Margaret Cecilia (Mumford) Smith 1969

Margaret Cecilia Mumford was born on November 4, 1922 in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Her christening was on December 27, 1922 and her confirmation was on May 27, 1934 at St. Mary’s Cathedral. She was one of five children of Ernest H. Mumford (1886-1957) and Margaret Cecilia Naylor (1886-1965) who were married in Halifax on March 2, 1908. Ernest and Margaret were both 21 years old when they wed. Their marriage lasted 49 years, during which time they had five children (Margaret “Peggy” Louise, Ernest Patrick, Bernard Joseph, George and the youngest child, Margaret Cecilia).

Margaret married Russell Cannon Smith (1920-1995) during a major snowstorm on December 28, 1944 in Halifax, Nova Scotia. They needed special dispensation to marry because she was marrying a soldier during war time. Russell was 24 and Margaret was 22. Their marriage lasted 50 years. They had five children: one boy (the oldest child) and four girls (one died when she was only nine years old).

The Canada Voting Records for 1945 show that Margaret was living with her older sister, Peggy Louise who was also married to a soldier. At that time, there was a severe housing shortage. The population of Halifax nearly doubled during the war as service personnel poured into the port city by the tens of thousands. Many of the military resented the overcrowding and strained facilities. Bad feelings, combined with the poor preparations by military and local authorities for VE Day, turned spontaneous celebrations into riots and rampage on May 7-8, 1945 (see Halifax VE Day Riots newspaper reports and the short film VE Day Riot 1945). The reports stated that 564 businesses suffered damage and 207 shops were looted. Three rioters died. A federal inquiry later blamed the navy for poor discipline of its personnel and the navy’s top officer on the east coast was fired.

Being an “army wife” Margaret and the family moved to Victoria, British Columbia, then back to Halifax, on to Ottawa, Ontario and then Oakville, Ontario where they stayed. When Russell retired from the army in October 1965, they bought their “dream house” with a large back yard in Oakville. To help pay the bills, Margaret went to work doing various jobs, including office cleaning. For a number of years, she also worked in the freeze-dried food preparation business, which she seemed to enjoy. The freeze-dried process was first developed in WWII as a means of preserving blood serum.

Russell Smith and Margaret (Mumford) Smith in retirement 1980s

Margaret and her husband had similar passions, such as eating steak and potatoes, smoking cigarettes and drinking beer. Russell was a long-time member of the Royal Canadian Legion so, after all the children had moved away, they spent many hours at the Legion enjoying the company of their army friends and associates. In her later years, she suffered a severe brain aneurysm but, after several years of rehabilitation, she recovered. Margaret Cecilia Mumford died on April 12, 1998, aged 75, in Oakville, Ontario and is buried next to her husband at Trafalgar Lawn Cemetery, Oakville.

About Russell Cannon Smith (1920-1995)

Russell Cannon Smith was born in Halifax on March 18, 1920. He was the first child of Ernest Milburn Smith (1894-1948) and Bridget Bessie Cannon (1891-1982) who were married on January 15, 1919 in Glasgow, Scotland. Ernest was 24 and Bessie was 27. Their marriage lasted 29 years. They had three more children, all girls - Eunice (Una), Doris and Jean.

Ernest enlisted for service in the Canadian Over-Seas Expeditionary Force (1915-1919) and fought in the trenches in World War 1. Perhaps this set an example for young Russell because,  as soon as he was old enough to enlist, he joined the Royal Canadian Army. He earned the nickname “Boom Boom” Smith when he became an Artillery Instructor and rose through the ranks. Due to a disability in both feet, he did not serve in World War 2.

Russell Cannon Smith age 19, circa 1939

Russell Cannon Smith age 24, circa 1944

Promotions generally meant moving to new army bases, so the family moved to Victoria, British Columbia, then back to Halifax, on to Ottawa, Ontario and then Oakville, Ontario where he stayed. Russell did not enjoy the politics of senior level rank, so he settled for the position of  Staff Sergeant. For his long and distinguished service, he received the Canadian Forces Decoration Medal in 1956.

Canadian Forces Decoration Medal

 

Russell married Margaret Cecilia Mumford (1922-1998) during a major snowstorm on December 28, 1944 in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Russell was 24 and Margaret was 22. Their marriage lasted 50 years. They had five children: one boy (the oldest child) and four girls (one died in 1961 when she was only nine years old).

Russell retired from the army in October 1965 and began receiving his service pension and a disability pension for hearing impairment. After a somewhat lengthy period of adjustment, he settled into civilian life by taking a job as shipper and receiver for a local company. He continued to indulge in his passion for marksmanship, taking part in ongoing rifle competitions. At one point, he qualified for the finals and went to a world competition in South Africa. He was an expert at fine-tuning rifles and even made his own bullets to improve the accuracy of his shooting. For a while, he taught marksmanship at a local private boys academy.

Russell Cannon Smith in retirement 1980s

 Russell had other passions, like eating steak and potatoes, smoking cigarettes and drinking beer. He was a long-time member of the Royal Canadian Legion. After all the children had moved away, he spent many hours at the Legion with his wife enjoying the company of his army associates. Russell Cannon Smith  died on August 10, 1995, aged 75, in Oakville, Ontario and is buried next to his wife at Trafalgar Lawn Cemetery.