Roger Declercq

Roger Declercq was born in Moorslede, Belgium (West Flanders) in 1931. He left Belgium for Canada on June 13, 1938 at the age of 6 with his parents Achiel and Rachel Declercq and younger sister Rosetta. (June 13th is Achiel and Rosetta's birthdays). They took the ferry from Antwerp to Dover, England. From there they took a train to Liverpool, England where they boarded the ship "Lord Athelon" for their voyage to Canada.

They arrived in Halifax seven days later on June 20th. ( Roger's 7th birthday). Achiel, Rachel, Roger and Rosetta travelled by train to Montreal and then on to Woodstock, Ontario.

The Declercq family settled in the Delhi, Ontario area for a few years. A younger sister, Henrietta, was born in Canada. In 1946 Achiel and Rachel bought a tobacco farm and moved the family to Straffordville, Ontario.

In February 1954, Roger married Jacqueline Deblaire, and moved to Otterville, Ontario. Two years later they bought their own farm in Straffordville. They have 6 children and 14 grandchildren. They are both very active with the Lions and Lioness Club and many other community activities.

Roger and Jacqueline visited Halifax this past summer (2005) and visited Pier 21 and thoroughly enjoyed the tour, the history, and the stories the staff told of some of the people who passed through Pier 21 when they immigrated to Canada.