The Beaumont Family's Journey in the 20th-Century Canada by Sruthy Balasingam

1914 - 1918

sruthybalasingam — 2025-06-06 16:53:17 UTC

1919 - 1938

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1939 - 1949

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Family Introduction (1914)

sruthybalasingam — 2025-06-09 09:54:39 UTC

The Beaumonts, a British Canadian family living in Toronto when World War I began. Arthur, the father, works at a bank and helps collect money for war bonds. Margaret, the mother, takes care of their home and contributes to the war by knitting socks for soldiers. Their oldest son James, is 18 and training to join the army, which he has been romanticizing about. Second born, Eleanor is 16 and volunteers at a hospital, but she opposes the war. Last born, Thomas is only 7 and helps by collecting scrap metal for tanks. Dinner has become a place to argue as Arthur is patriotic, while Eleanor believes the war is not a good idea. They all worry when James leaves for France.

Citations

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Great Depression Hardships (1932)

sruthybalasingam — 2025-06-10 02:41:08 UTC

The stock market crash occurred in 1929, which made life after that difficult. Arthur happened to lose his bank job due to people not being able to pay their loans. James' furniture shop closed as nobody had the luxury to buy furniture. Thomas, who is now 20, shovels snow for pennies. To survive, the family eats cabbage soup every day and lines up for free bread. Eleanor forms and organizes "Hunger Marches" demanding help from the government. Margaret gives her knitted scarves in exchange for some eggs from neighbors. James gets vegetables by helping Mohawk friends fix furniture.

WWII Home Front Efforts (1942)

sruthybalasingam — 2025-06-10 11:40:53 UTC

When World War II began, everyone contributed to the war effort. Thomas became a medic to help wounded soldiers. Eleanor started working in a factory to build bomber planes and led protests for equal pay for women. Arthur works late at a bank handling war money. Margaret teaches neighbors how to grow "Victory Gardens" for some extra food. James trains Indigenous lumberjacks for military construction work, using skills taught by his friend Elijah.

WWI & Indigenous Soldiers (1916)

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James gets enlisted and fights in muddy trenches in France with the Canadian army. He forms a good fellowship with Elijah, who is a Mohawk soldier from Six Nations. Most of the survival tips James uses were taught by Elijah. They are so close that when the poison gas attacked their trench, Elijah gave James his gas mask and saved his life. At night, they share each other's stories. For instance, Elijah talks about his children back home, and James talks about his little brother Thomas. They both promise to visit each other's families after the war.

Home Front Challenges (1917)

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During the war, life in Toronto became very difficult. Food is limited, so Margaret cooks with turnips instead of potatoes and repairs old clothes. Eleanor works at a hospital helping wounded soldiers who have nightmares about the war. Also, she joins protests against conscription (forced army service) and gets called a traitor. Thomas wins a medal from his teacher by collecting scrap metal after school. The family sends some food to Elijah's family on the reserve. The letter sent by James makes the family worry as he describes rats and bombs in the trenches.

Komagata Maru Incident (1914)

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In 1914, Canada turned away a ship called Komagata Maru carrying Indian immigrants to Vancouver only to be denied entry due to discriminatory Canadian immigration policies. Eleanor thinks this is unfair and racist. So, she joins a protest in Toronto holding a sign saying "Let Them In!" Arthur worries immigrants will take jobs from returning soldiers. At dinner, they argue about whether Canada should help people from other countries. Years later, James sends Elijah a newspaper article about the incident. They both agree it was wrong to treat people this way.

Person’s Case for Women’s Rights (1929)

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It is 1929, and 31-year-old Eleanor fights for women to be recognized as persons under Canadian law. She protests outside courthouses holding a sign asking, "Are Women Persons?" She writes letters to newspapers demanding equal pay and voting rights. When women won the court case in 1929, Eleanor celebrated but still insists more work is needed. She began helping Indigenous women who face double the discrimination. Arthur thinks she should stop protesting, but James supports her and helps by building podiums for her rallies.

On-to-Ottawa Trek Protests (1935)

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Thousands of unemployed men ride trains to Ottawa demanding jobs. Eleanor joins the others, showing her support for them. She then gets arrested during a sit-in at Union Station while holding a "Jobs Not Jail!" sign. Thomas hops on a train heading west to find farm work. James donates carpentry tools to the protesters. The police use force to stop the protests, which makes Eleanor angrier about the unfairness.

Residential School Awareness (1936)

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It is one year after Eleanor was arrested during the On-to-Ottawa Trek protest. She had just discovered that Indigenous children were being taken to residential schools. She meets Mrs. Whitecloud, whose grandchildren were stolen by government agents. James carves wooden turtles for children on reserves to honor his friend Elijah's Mohawk culture. Margaret knits blankets, which she then donates to a nearby First Nation. The family discusses how wrong it is to separate families. Eleanor writes stories about this for her union newspaper.

Diary Entry: James Beaumont May 3, 1917

sruthybalasingam — 2025-06-10 14:06:35 UTC

Dear Diary,

Life in the trenches is horrible. Mud gets up to my boots after every step. They are giant rats that run over us while we sleep. I share a space with Elijah, a Mohawk sniper. He taught me many things to survive. Last week, green gas came. I couldn't breathe. Elijah shoved his mask on me and dragged me to safety. He saved my life.
At night, Elijah whispers Mohawk stories about turtles and brave warriors. He misses his three kids back home. I miss Thomas's laugh and Mom's cooking. Yesterday, a bomb exploded near Bill, Bill Johnson, from our street. I saw pieces of him fly everywhere. I was in shock. Tears were running down my face like a river.
Tomorrow we attack at dawn. My hands won't stop shaking. He gave me a small turtle carving, which is his family symbol. He mentioned that it protects warriors. I'll hold it tight when we climb out. If I die, please give this diary to Eleanor. Tell her I tried to be brave like she taught me.
– James

Diary Entry: Eleanor Beaumont November 25, 1929

sruthybalasingam — 2025-06-10 14:16:47 UTC

Dear Diary,
The Depression is crushing us. Dad happened to lose his job at the bank last month. Now, we eat cabbage soup. I hate the smell. Yesterday, I met Mrs. Whitecloud, who is from Six Nations. The government stole her grandchildren to bring them to a residential school. She showed me their crafts and clothes. She wept, mentioning that these are all she has of them.
I wrote her story for the union newspaper, which Dad didn't like. He yelled, telling me to stop before we all get arrested. James leaned over to me and whispered, "Keep fighting for them." Today, we protested at at a residential School. We held signs saying "STOP STEALING KIDS!" Police dragged me and threw me in a van. Mohawk drummers stood outside the jail singing strength songs. Their drums made my heart brave and have strength.
James is carving wooden turtles for the reserve kids. Elijah taught him before he died. Mom donated a few blankets that she knitted to a First Nation. I won't stop fighting even if I go to jail.
– Eleanor

Japanese Internment Protests (1942)

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In 1942, Canada forced and incarcerated many Japanese Canadians from British Columbia in the name of "national security". The majority were Canadian citizens by birth and were targeted based on their ancestry. They forced Japanese Canadian families into internment camps. Eleanor chains herself to Vancouver train tracks with a "No Camps in Canada!" sign. She mails books and toys to children stuck in camps. Thomas sends money from his medical pay to support her work. James gets reminded of the time when his friend, Elijah, faced racism.

Holocaust Refugee Help (1948)

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In 1948, when Jewish Holocaust survivors came to Canada, Eleanor volunteered at a refugee center. The Beaumonts sponsored Samuel, a tailor who lost his family in the war. Arthur finally admits Eleanor's protests made an impact in Canada. Samuel gets closer to the Beaumont family. He teaches Margaret how to cook Jewish food.

Diary Entry: Thomas Beaumont October 17, 1942

sruthybalasingam — 2025-06-10 14:53:45 UTC

Dear Diary,
Today I entered Bergen-Belsen concentration camp. There were piles of children's shoes that reached my waist. Broken eyeglasses covered the ground like snow. A man grabbed my arm. "They took my babies for experiments," he whispered. I was in shock.
Eleanor sent photos of Japanese internment camps back home. Same barbed wire. Her letter said: "First they came for Indigenous kids..." My hands were shaking as I read it. I mailed her all my medic pay, $28. I said to buy books for the kids at camp.
Tonight I treated a Cree soldier. He showed me scars from residential school beatings. He mentioned that my sister fights for them while bandaging his wound. I was in shame. I remembered Elijah.
When I get home, I'll study law. Change unfair systems. Dad finally admitted that Eleanor's protests mattered. Too late, but maybe I can continue her work.
– Thomas