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Photograph depicts Christmas in Steveston, showing group outside in a sleigh. File number 1978 23 12.
Photo courtesy Richmond Archives
Photograph depicts a Christmas season view of the exterior front entrance to the Richmond Municipal Offices, showing original curving awning at entrance and three digit street number 691. File number 1988 18 58.
Photo courtesy Richmond Archives
Archives treasure trove of memories past
Published 10:39 PST, Thu December 24, 2020
Last Updated: 4:57 PST, Thu December 24, 2020
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The following is part of the Richmond United Church collection in the City of Richmond Archives, used with permission.
Mr. Ackroyd, who lived with his family on No. 3 Road one block south of Lansdowne Road, was an electrician by trade and raised a colony of honey bees as a hobby.
During the church Christmas party of plays and recitations at the Richmond United Church on River Road at Cambie, and after the Christmas party was over, there was suddenly a loud ringing of sleigh bells at the front door, and there was Mr. Ackroyd, dressed as Santa Claus with a huge sack of gifts on his back. (He) was then paraded up front to the stage, where he would pass out the gifts, donated by church mothers, to the young girls and boys of the congregation.
After the excitement of opening the gifts was over, Santa Claus would ask a young boy to volunteer to come up on the stage and swallow a teaspoon of castor oil as a symbol of preparation for the huge Christmas dinners in the coming days. With some hesitation and a look of foreboding on his face, the young boy would swallow the distasteful spoon full of castor oil, and the church congregation would be filled with laughter as the young boy’s face would change to smiles, as Santa Claus handed him the bottle of liquid honey.
Happy memories, Roy Phillips
(Formerly from Patterson Road at Bridgeport, Richmond—1918)
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