Favourite Picture

 

I absolutely love this picture of my great grandfather Albert Henry Woodman. Every time I look at it, I am drawn to his face, and it makes me smile. He strikes me as kind and thoughtful in this picture. And I can see that he has fair eyes and hair. He’s quite handsome really. I have fair hair and my parents did not, so I like to think that is something he gave to me.

Albert was born in England on August 1, 1886. Just before his 22^nd birthday, he, and his pregnant wife Ethel, left England bound for Canada. They arrived in Montreal, Quebec on August 5, 1908. Their first daughter, whom they named Ethel, was born in Canada in December of that year. My grandpa, Robert, came along six years later and another daughter, Daisy, a year after that.

I’m guessing this picture was taken while he was in Buffalo, New York around 1912. The photo is embossed with the name Altenburg and address of 35 Genesee St., Buffalo. And I have recently discovered that Albert signed a Declaration of Intention in the state of New York Supreme Court. He indicates in it that his last residence was in Farnham, Quebec, Canada and that he arrived in Buffalo on May 1, 1912.  The document is signed by the court in August 1912.

This now creates another puzzle for my parking lot to research – why was he there? Did his wife and daughter go with him? Was he trying to find work and they remained in Canada waiting? I can say that he didn’t stay there permanently. My grandfather and his younger sister were born in 1914 and 1915 respectively in Hastings County, Ontario, Canada.

Albert never got to know me. He passed away the year before I was born at his home in Flinton, Ontario. But thanks to a gift from a cousin, I now have this picture so I can feel a bit closer to him as I learn about his life.