Sunday habits in Edmonton, in the 1920s and 1930s, by Anne Yuill

Sundays during the 1920’s and 30’s were much quieter than the current years. A large part of Edmonton’s citizens went to church. My family attended Westminster Presbyterian Church which was located just across from the new Queen’s Avenue School on 106 Avenue. Dressed in our “Sunday best” clothes, we went to both morning and evening services. My first recollection of being in church was when my father stood me up on the church pew while the hymns were being sung. Of course, all I could see were the hats and coats of the people in front. At that time and for many years afterwards, women and girls always wore hats in church. I did love to sing … so sung about what I could see …. red hats, green hats etc. Once I realized there were words to songs, I started to sing what I heard. Holy, holy, holy was the hymn they used to start the service. The second line “god in three persons” sounded like “god in cremerces” to me and that was what I sang as a child.


The afternoons seemed a bit boring to me as we were not allowed to do anything but read or go out for walks if it was nice. Embroidery or games of cards were not to be indulged in. I liked when my Dad took us for a walk. Usually we would go along 100th Avenue where there were large fancy houses behind equally fancy fences and I always wanted to know what was behind them. Having a sweet tooth, he always bought us a treat like an ice cream cone. Cones, chocolate bars and pop all cost 5 cents each in those days.


Sometimes in the summer, we took the streetcar out to Borden Park where there was a very small zoo. Often there would be a band playing in the bandstand and we could listen to the music. After the music mother would spread out our lunch on a blanket as I don’t remember there being picnic tables back then. Being the smallest, I would be placed in the middle of the blanket with a banana to eat so that I was under close supervision.


One Sunday, which really stands out in my memory is May 2, 1926 when Westminster Presbyterian and Grace Methodist Church (located on 96 Street and 106 Avenue) joined together. The inaugural service was very impressive. The Presbyterian congregation was lined up in single file along the west side of the church and the Methodist congregation to the east side. Each person taking the hand of one from the opposite church and going up the steps of the church together into the sanctuary to become known as the new Central United congregation. In 1955, on the last Sunday of April the congregation moved to a brand new building erected at 110th Avenue and 112th Street closer to the area where most of the residents resided.


One Sunday at least, mother’s strict rules got sidelined. A movie of the Scottish hero Rob Roy was playing at the Rialto Theatre. Some of our highland dancing class had been asked to put on a comedy play as well as dance at the intermission. It only ran for six evenings but we were required to do a dress rehearsal on the Sunday prior to the opening. Mother was horrified at out dancing on a Sunday. However, Dad in his Scottish wisdom won out. After all we were each getting five dollars for the week’s performance. That was the beginning of my sister Flo’s bank account and mine. Our allowance in those early days, was 25 cents per week out of which we were expected to pay Sunday school and weekday church group offerings leaving us 10 cents spending money.


The church and its’ activities were the focal point around which our week was planned. When I was in my teens I was kept very busy with its’ activities … choir, CGIT (Canadian Girls In Training), young people’s society, pot luck suppers, plays etc.
I was there so often my mother once remarked that perhaps I should sleep there.