Winter Olympics start on Friday. You can see it at ctvolympics.ca
I was employed by the Cheshire Health Authority as a Senior Registrar in Ophthalmology, to serve at Chester Royal Infirmary, as well as Heswall and Clatterbridge in the late 60s.. The consultant I was working under was a delightful heavy set man and a typical Englishman, a man called Mr. W. D. Hopkins. The Registrar under me was a Mr. Khan. My duties included medical and surgical aspects that affected eyes in the people of the region. It was hard work. Tuesday afternoons was my time off. To make ends meet, on those afternoons I would drive to Bangor in North Wales, and do refractions for people who needed glasses. It was done upstairs, while the shop downstairs filled in the prescription that were given by me (they were also the owners of the building. They provided the space and instruments gratis to get the business.. Despite all this hard work, and my wife als working full time, we barely made ends meet. It was with this background that I went in search for a better paying job, as well as a bigger and maybe a better country.
I purchased a ticket which was to fly me to New York, take a Greyhound bus to Toronto, And take the train, C.P.Rail, that was to take me across the prairies, stopping at City of Calgary. From there I was to fly to Britain. It was in the month of October, 1970.
The bus left New York for Canada. The taxis were yellow generally dilapidated structures, but nevertheless, one of them took me to the Bus station. My experiences in New York will be recounted elsewhere. The Bus departed on time. The miles of open highways was impressive. But the bus seemed to go so slow, and this was America where everything is supposed to be fast paced. I was wrong! There was gas rationing. (To this day I do not know why they call it gas, when it is not gas.) anyway, late at night we stopped at the city of Detroit. Soon afterwords we were to cross the border and go into the vast country of Canada.
I had the afternoon to kill in New York. I met an Australian gentleman. I think his name was John. John and I went for a walk. The first culture shock was the sign beside the traffic light- 'WALK' and DON'T WALK' and you felt like saying yes sir, as you smartly went across (or didn't, as the case maybe!). Where there were no lights, there was a problem. Having come from Britain, where people drive on the left, and the same in Australia, we tended to look right before crossing the road. This could easily lead to a disaster. I must say quite often I snatched John back, as he had not yet learnt the machinations of driving in the Staes.
There was a mighty big Canadian Flag waving gently in the wind. Below it, there was a big sign that was lit, and said- 'WELCOME TO CANADA', and also in French 'BIENVENUE AU CANADA'. When you see that flag, and the mighty but gentle country beyond that is saying 'Welcome' with open arms, like a mother welcoming her long lost son, and you know you have arrived home. There is no hesitation. You are sold. There and then you make a decision to leave the old country, and wish that your family will see and and agree to live in this country, the most beautiful in the world!!.
In New York, I called the booking agents, which I was supposed to do. They said confirmation of return has to be three weeks! In other word, it was too late! I was broke as I had to buy a new ticket for my return. Otherwise being stranded was a possibility.
I stayed a few days at a house where the lady of the house and my wife were childhood friends. She used to live in Mombasa, but during school holidays she used to fly to Dar-es-salam, where Ila, her friend lived along with her husband. Ila and Chandoo Jadav make a charming couple. Ila met me at the bus station. We had some time to kill, so I asked her to pose for me here and there, exuding the prowess in my art of photography. Only to realise the next day that the camera was empty and it had no film in it!
We took the train to Agincourt where the charming couple lived.
They made excellent hosts. I was even more lucky, as they moved near us in much later years to Calgary where he worked for Parks Canada for many years. Red Deer is only 100kms or so from the big city.
Living in their house was interesting. Having my daily shower, or using the toilet, I could never find the lock! I never knew that it was built in in the handle! I had hair raising moments but no real disasters.
Next day we went for a ride in his car. It started raining heavily, but you would think that the drivers on the highway did not rrealize it, as they all just went full speed ahead, seeing no need to slow down. Now that was the America I liked! I saw many cars leave the roed.
In the afternoon I was walking around, when I saw Hermant Building, the building that housed 'Imperial Optical Company'. Mr. Hopkins had asked me to see them if possible, as the company was throughout Canada. Well, I presented myself. As soon as I informed the telephonist that I was a Doctor, she stood up. That is the kind of recognition one likes. I was told to come back in the afternoon at 4 O'Clock. No problem. I saw a Mr. Sandoz, and a Mr. Drake. These people were just great. They answered my questions truthfully and honestly. They said that schooling for children in Canada was excellent. On enquiring about my possessions like refrigerator, and other electronic houshold items- they told me not to bring it but just dump it in the sea as there were better items available in Canada and much cheaper. Not only that, but a Mr. Oxenbury was flying in fairly soon and I can ask him any questions that I wished. Well, the man was amazing. He told me to to Red Deer, where they needed an ophthalmologist badly. Apparently they had lists of all the places that needed sevicing for the future. When I told him that I had a ticket to go by train to Calgary, he was pleased. He said that he would see personally that his son in law, Ron Ingenthron would pick me up and do whatever was necessary so I would come to Canada.
I also had am interview with a Dr. Derek Bowerman in Oshawa, a town nearby. (Oshawa is where the GM plant is). He had his wife working with him, and the situation did not seem satisfactory.
Next day I boarded the train that would take me to Calgary in the afternoon. It was a three day journey. By evening I asked someone as to where we were. 'Ontario' I was told. Later at night, I had the same question, and of course, the answer was the same. On rising in the morning, I had the same question again. The answer was the same. You wondered how big 'Ontario' was. It makes you shake your head, as, if you had taken the same train in Britain, it would have gone around the country several times!
It was a beautiful train, with glass domes in certain sections, where you could see the countryside as music added to the view. The dome was upstairs and provided an unhindered view.Night came, and the train made a stop at Regina. Beautiful statue of what looked like Adonis carrying a wheat sheaf. I had an interview there, but seeing the flat prairie, my heart said 'no', and the feet refused to go on the platform.
Eventually Calgary arrived. Ron Ingenthron was at the station to collect me. He was the son-in-law of Cecil. He took me to Calgary Inn, where I stayed cpurtsey of the company. I stayed about a couple of days, but unlike Britain, it is not inclusive of bed and breakfast. Without realizing the company was only paying for the stay, I was presented with a bill that made me work up a sweat and the eyes pop out.
Ron got his car ready, and we drove me to Edmonton. On the way we stopped at Red Deer, where my office could be, that is on the second floor of the Royal Bank building which was being constructed and was nearly done. In Edmonton, we went to the College of Surgeons, and they registered me immediately. The whole thing was remarkably efficient. We drove back to Calgary. There was only one draeback- Ron worried about is car all the time. Apparently the cooling system in the car was not good, so he would stop now and then, lift up the hood and carry out an inspection. It was an American sprawling car, probably a Chrysler.
