seven had come to this estate as a groom's helper, to work
with the horses that were raised to be shipped to the great
new land of Canada. According to the laws of Scotland,
this little boy should have been in school but he was cheap
labour and the owner of the estate had no intention of
educating him. However, a kindly old groom grew to love
this willing little boy as his own. He taught him his "letters"
and to “cypher”. Gradually he learned to read from the
Scriptures with the light from a single candle set on his
wood box that contained all of his pitifully few
possessions. Robert's carefully formed script as well as his
philosophy of life was patterned from this man, who
became family and friend.

In the year 1897, at the age of fifteen he came to
Canada on a ship carrying horses from this Dumfrieshire
estate to the pioneers at Carberry, Manitoba. He knew not
a soul in this strange new land and had only a few
farthings in his pocket. We have no record of the number
of ocean crossings he made, but according to research
there were several. Always the destination seemed to be
Carberry and the reason became evident when he married
a Carberry maiden, Eliza Ardron, second daughter of John
Ardron and Annie Barge in 1905. The treasured box
travelled with them as they moved from farms in Rapid
City, Basswood and finally in 1919 to Cardale to the east
half of 35-14-21, where the box can still be found. Our
mother was a quiet wonderfully loving and caring parent,
who devoted her entire life to her family. She was an
ingenious little homemaker and a kind and helpful
neighbor. There were five children born to Rob and Eliza
(fondly known in these parts as Ida).

Blanshard History Book Volume II traces their lives prior
to the year 1970. Time has brought changes and a family
link has been broken.

ALVIN - the eldest, is now alone on the family farm after
the sudden passing of his wife, Alice in January 1983.
Alice rests in Marney Cemetery beside her infant son,
Allan Alvin. Alvin enioys good health and continues to
actively farm.

LEONARD - passed away in 1968. Alvin and Len farmed
together from the time of our father’s passing in 1937 until
Len's death.

EMILY - and her husband, Malcolm, who was a

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