Susan Plumridge, nee Wilson, oral history interview conducted by Warren Sommer on 21 May 2003.

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Object Description

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Object Name

Oral History

,

Recording

Object ID

SR-201

Title

Susan Plumridge, nee Wilson, oral history interview conducted by Warren Sommer on 21 May 2003.

Extent

2 audio cassettes.

Date

21 May 2003.

Description

SR-201.1: Tracks 1 - 4 discuss the Wilson family. The Wilson ranch, Burnside Ranch, and home are described.
Tracks 5 - 6 discuss neighbours to the Wilson farm, including the Harrison, Rook, and Berry families. Langley Prairie Elementary school is mentioned.
Track 7 discusses farm cores and the fair at Milner.
Track 8 discusses the Rook family.
Track 9 discusses the Swain family. The Boden family, the Ferguson farm, and the Blacklock (?) family are mentioned.
Track 10 discusses the Harrison family. The Berry family is also mentioned.
Track 11 describes swimming and picnics along the Nicomekl River.
Track 12 discusses the Depression.
Tracks 13 - 14 discuss Langley Prairie School and teachers.
Track 15 discusses businesses in Langley Prairie, including a number of local families.
Track 16 describes Plumridge's work in greenhouses. Queen Elizabeth is mentioned.
Tracks 17 - 22 discuss businesses in Langley. Grocers and butchers are named. Alf Marr's garage is mentioned. The Bonn family's hotel and Plewes' drugstore are discussed. A jeweller is mentioned. E. J. Cox and the Langley Advance are discussed.
Track 23 describes Mr. Wilson's real estate and insurance company.
Tracks 24 - 25 discuss high school. Mr. Mansor is mentioned. Local recreational activities are described. Local travel is discussed, including bicycles, the Patullo Bridge, and the interurban.
Track 26 discusses religious life in Langley. The Anglican Church and Young People's Group are discussed.
Track 27 describes Plumridge's work as a secretary for her father, in greenhouses, and in her husband's sandwich shop. University is also discussed.
Track 28 mentions local liquor stores.
Track 29 starts to discuss the old Langley theatre before cutting off.

SR-201.2: Track 1 introduces the interview.
Track 2 discusses the Langley Theatre and other entertainment venues in Langley.
Track 3 discusses World War II and Mr. Plumridge's service. The Langley reaction to war is described.
Track 4 discusses the Plumridge family.
Track 5 describes Plumridge's involvement with the Langley Centennial Museum.
Track 6 concludes the interview.

People/Subject

Cox, Ernest John (E. J.)

Ernest John Cox was born on May 2, 1890. He was the first Editor of the Langley Advance newspaper. Ernest died on June 24, 1974.
Term Source: HPC Record (HPC-365/1134)

Langley Advance (newspaper)

The paper was originally entitled the Langley Advance, and was first published July 23, 1931.The paper was started by Ernest J. Cox, who had moved to BC from North Battleford, Saskatchewan to take a half interest in the Abbotsford News along with Gerald Heller. At the same time, the Langley Board of Trade had been negotiating with Heller to start a paper in Langley: Cox took up the task. A few months after the Advance was founded, Cox and Heller went their separate ways, and Cox retained the Langley paper and Heller kept the Abbotsford paper. Cox ran the paper with the help of his wife and two teenaged children. After the war, son Fred Cox returned to the paper along with George Johnson (an RAF instructor) who had married daughter, Kathleen Cox. In 1947 Jim Schatz joined the paper. In 1949 The Langley Advance Publishing Co. Ltd. was formed with principals E.J. and Fred Cox, Johnson, and Schatz. E.J. Cox went into semi-retirement in 1958, and Fred Cox sold his interests in the paper, but took controlling interest of the commercial printing portion of the business. Schatz served as publisher and editor, and was well known in the BC newspaper industry. In 1981 Bob Groeneveld became editor, and remains editor today (2005).
Term Source: Paper Trails: a history of British Columbia and Yukon Community Newspapers, 1999 (by George Allan Afflek).

Langley Centennial Museum

The Museum is located within a designated Heritage Conservation Area in the village of Fort Langley, Township of Langley. Community collecting began in the 1920's with a Native Sons of BC exhibit located in the last remaining Hudson's Bay Company fur trade era structure (circa 1840). A decision by the Canadian Parks Services to actively interpret Fort Langley prompted the provincial and municipal governments to cooperate in the construction of a new museum adjacent to the National Historic Site.

The Township-owned museum opened July 1, 1958 and housed a majority of the Native Sons collection. It was operated by volunteers until 1974 when it was selected by the Federal government as a site for one of 22 National Exhibition Centres across Canada. The physical plant doubled in size, its mandate was extended to include art, history and science traveling exhibitions and the first staff person was hired. Federal NEC operating funding was eliminated in 1994 but the museum has continued to respond to that expanded mandate. In 1991, the Museum became the core facility of the Community and Heritage Services Department, Planning, Development and Stewardship Division, Township of Langley.
Term Source: BCAUL

Plumridge, Susan (nee Wilson)

Susan Wilson was born in 1919, at Vancouver General Hospital. Her mother came from Ottawa, and her father, Edwin James Wilson, was originally from Aberdeen, Scotland. On 21 September, 1940, Sue married William Plumridge. They lived in Ottawa, Montreal, and Cornwall because of her husband's military duty, until resettling in Langley after the war. The Plumridges had two daughters and a son. Sue was a docent at the Langley Centennial Museum for many years.

Plumridge, Wilfred (Bill)

Wilfred (Bill) Plumridge was born in the 1910s to Walter Ernest Plumridge and Emma, nee Hovde (or Hobbe?). He married Susan Wilson. Susan Plumridge was a longtime Langley Centennial Museum docent.

World War, 1939-1945

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