Hendrik, Hendrika van't Veld

Mom & Dad Story

In 1953 our uncle, his wife and three children were going to Canada to start a new life under the Farm Workers Immigration program. His parents, our Oma and Opa wanted to follow their son but keep their family together so their youngest son and family came to Canada also. The youngest son was our father. His family included our mother and the eldest daughter. Our mother was the second youngest of 14 children, her brave words when asked about leaving her family, “I never cried and I never looked back”. Our grandparents left a 2 1/2-acre farm in the Netherlands, they wanted to have more land to farm.

Because of their age our grandparents could not be sponsored by any agency in Holland/Canada so our uncle sponsored them. Our father had worked as a milk delivery man but with farm experience he signed up for the farm hand program for immigrants coming to Canada. We left Rotterdam, Holland March 24, 1953 arriving at Pier 21 Halifax on April 1, 1953. We travelled on the S.S. Waterman, the women and children together in small staterooms and the men in separate staterooms. The food was ordinary Dutch staple diet but our father wasn’t a happy traveller on the Atlantic Ocean. By day 2 he was seasick and this condition lasted until he set foot on solid ground in Halifax. Trying to put his socks on one morning as a wave tilted the vessel had him landing on the floor under the sink.

Arriving at Pier 21 meant a day and a half stay in the hotel at the pier. One young couple needed our mothers help with a young child as the child’s mother and father had to go to hospital due to health concerns. Already she was helping others. From Halifax we traveled by train to a farm in East Royalty, PEI. Berths were not part of the train accommodations, hard straight backed seats were the norm. In those days the train travelled on the Abegweit Ferry to cross the Northumberland Strait. Our father worked in PEI for 1 year, this placement was not stellar as the farmer was unfortunately one of those who abused his workers. In 1954 we moved to Economy, Nova Scotia to work on another farm, this one owned by a Dutch settler. This arrangement was not for the long term due to financial constraints. Our Opa and Oma stayed in Economy over the winter. In the fall our father was placed at another farm, this one owned by Carmen and Viola Forbes in Old Barns Nova Scotia. This farm placement was so much more than what we had experienced in PEI. The Forbes family treated us like family and we would have stayed there but for the desire to purchase a farm of our own.

In 1955 our grandparents and parents bought a farm through the Land Settlement Board in Earltown, Nova Scotia and stayed on that farm until 1974. There wasn’t any electricity or telephone service, so we were back to the “good old days”. Oil lamps, outdoor toilet facilities, travel was by foot or horse.

Someone with a car was hired to take us anyplace further than the village store or church. We were a blended family as our grandparents lived with us until their passing. In 1970 our father went to work for JB Construction to supplement income from the farm. He sold the farm in 1974 as his sons and daughters were not interested in farming. Our parents moved to Pictou County and our father worked in construction until 1977 when he and his sons started Van Veld Construction. He was a successful business man and one of his sons still owns this business. Our mother supported everything our father did to care for his family. She raised seven children and fostered other children. She will tell you that the farm in Earltown was a great place to raise a family. A skilled homemaker she made do with little but we never lacked for anything. She was skilled at cooking, preserving, baking, sewing and was a meticulous housekeeper and still maintains all of those skills today. There wasn’t anything she couldn’t do and raised her children to believe they could achieve anything they wanted to accomplish.

Along with the seven children, there are now 13 grandchildren, 14 great grandchildren They have much pride in their family, their children did very well in this new country. They were or are: Finance Director Ret., Superintendent RCMP Ret., Private Business owners (4), and Banking Officer. Step grandchildren and step great grandchildren have become part of the family. Our father semi-retired from business in August 24, 1990, but continued to work for his eldest son until he was 64.

Our parents are now aged 86 and 85 respectively they live on their own in their home in Pictou Co. Surrounded by family they keep a vegetable garden, maintain wonderful flower beds, travel short distances, attend church, and enjoy family visits.

Our family wants to thank Canada for all that we have received from this wonderful country and hope that we have and will continue to give back.