Isobel Murphy | thebravestcanadian

Annual Children`s Parade was a popular part of July 1st Celebrations in Nelson, B.C. in early 1900s

March 27, 2020

By Sam McBride

My paternal grandmother Winnifred Mae Foote (1889-1960) enjoyed photography as a hobby in her hometown of Nelson, British Columbia from the early 1900s until the last years of her life. As the eldest in a family of five daughters (and no sons), she liked to take photographs of her four younger sisters as they grew up, and they would in turn take photos of her.

The annual Children`s Parade that was part of the July 1^st Dominion Day celebrations was prominently featured in her 1908 scrapbook that survives today as part of the Foote-McBride family history files.

The close-knit Foote sisters and their mother Edith James Foote left Perth, Ontario for Nelson in the summer of 1900 to join father Jim Foote (1861-1921) who had arrived the year before to start a job as blacksmith at the Silver King Mine. After two years living in a rented house in the remote Silver King Townsite outside of Nelson, the girls were thrilled in 1902 to move into the vibrant city of Nelson when Jim got a job as carpenter with the City of Nelson construction department.

Glad top Lil left Win Isobel middle and Marion

Foote sisters, from left: Lillian, Isobel, Marion, Gladys and Winnie. Family photo, c. 1904.

Win`s sisters included Lillian Maude Foote (1891-1962), Gladys Edith Foote (1894-1965), Isobel Bessie Foote (1897-1988) and Marion Louise Foote (1902-1923). Win`s album features numerous photos of her sisters, herself and friends, usually related to a fun community event such as the Dominion Day celebrations or church picnic.

For Nelson children, their time to shine and be the focus of attention was the annual Children`s Parade down Baker Street that was one of the first events in the annual two-day holiday celebrations marking Canada`s birthday. Here are photos from the album from 1906 and 1908 of the Children`s Parade, as well as a clipping from the Nelson Daily News of July 2, 1908 describing the first day of parades and associated July 1^st events. Also included here are a couple of newspaper ads of other special events, as well as the daily report of who was staying at local hotels during the celebrations.

1906 Children`s Parade, Winnie Foote photo

Two photos in Foote album of the 1908 Children`s Parade

Another Win Foote photograph of the 1908 Children`s parade, identified as such but not included in the album. Print quality is better, likely because it was not exposed to viewing as much as the album has been over more than a century. Family photo.

Ad describes on of the 1908 holiday events.

Nelson Daily News reported a long list of visitors staying a local hotels during the Dominion Day celebrations. NDN July 2, 1908.

This photo in family files is not identified, but it is very likely taken in the civic field with the Gyro Bluffs in the background. The young ladies have ribbons from winning something, which may well have been during the Dominion Day sports events. My cousin (once removed) Blake Allan told me he thought the girl in the centre of the front row was his aunt Isobel Foote Murphy. I am not certain about that, but there must have been either a family member or a good friend in the group for Win to paste it into her scrapbook. Family photo.

Eddie and Isobel Murphy were a pioneer couple across the lake from Nelson, British Columbia from 1920s to 1950

February 21, 2020

by Sam McBride

I never knew my great-uncle Arthur Edward “Eddie” Murphy (1894-1950) as he died a year before I was born, but I feel a connection to him because my parents gave me my middle name of Edward in his honour. His wife Isobel Bessie Murphy (1897-1988) was a younger sister of my grandmother Winnifred Mae McBride (1889-1960).

Eddie played and excelled at just about every team sport going on in Nelson, including hockey, baseball and lacrosse. He was perhaps best known as an expert rower who led Nelson team to victory in regattas in Kootenay Lake, the Okanagan, Vancouver and Portland. He and his brother Howard were prominent in Nelson with their Murphy Brothers Painting and Decorating business, which continued a business started in the 1890s by their father William James Murphy. Isobel had a key role in the operation as interior decoration consultant.

leigh and ken mcbride at bottom left and friends in picnic by lake (1)

Gathering of family and friends in 1925 at Murphy beach across the lake from where the Prestige Inn in Nelson is located today. Eddie Murphy is the the man on the left, and his wife Isobel is lady second from the right. At bottom left are their nephews Leigh and Ken McBride. Man in dark suit is Wilfrid Laurier Allan, who was secretary-treasurer of the Wood Vallance Hardware Company in the 1930s. Family photo.

I remember Isobel well from growing up in Nelson, where she was a popular member of extended family. She was a smart businesswoman who was renowned as an interior decorator with extensive knowledge of paint, colours, wallpaper, antiques, rugs, carpet and other aspects of home furnishing and decoration. By the early 1970s she had largely retired, but still ran the Murphy Signs business in Nelson which included a variety of signs and billboards. She was in top form until suffering a stroke in late 1974 that resulted in substantial dementia. The last 13 years of her life were in the Mount St. Francis long-term care home in Nelson.

Another photo of the group of family and friends in 1925 near the Murphy beach, looking back towards the city of Nelson. Family photo.

Isobel was one of four Foote sisters who arrived in Nelson in July 1900 with their mother Edith James Foote. They joined their father John James “Jim” Foote who had arrived in Nelson in 1899 to start a job as blacksmith at the Silver King Mine. The family lived in a rented cabin on Silver King townsite for two years until moving to Nelson when Jim began working in construction for the City of Nelson. Their home by Hall Mines Road and Cottonwood Creek was rented from former Nelson alderman Thomas Slader.

The story of the lives of Eddie and Isobel Murphy are told well in their obituaries below. The Eddie Murphy obit, likely written by his widow Isobel, was in the Nelson Daily News in March 1950. The submission for Isobel’s obituary was written by her nephew Judge Blake Allan. Eddie and Isobel never had children of their own, and were almost like second parents for the children of her sisters Winnie and Lillian.