Fearless Females: Religion

March 10 — What role did religion play in your family? How did your female ancestors practice their faith? If they did not, why didn’t they? Did you have any female ancestors who served their churches in some capacity?

Lucy (Crockett) Davies
in Salvation Army Uniform

Although both the Crockett and Davies had a background with the Salvation Army, my grandparents belonged to the United Church of Canada.  They attended St. Aiden's United Church from the time they arrived in Victoria until they died and my Dad's sister and family still go to that church.


My maternal grandparents also belonged to the United Church and attended Norwood United Church in Edmonton until 1926 when they buried their son, Jimmy.  After the death of his little boy, Grandpa Bellamy went off religion and would not enter a church.  For this reason he did not attend my parents' wedding.  Granny attended church regularly when she was with the Hopkins family in Oliver in her later years.

Regardless of the fact that Mom and Dad met at a church outing and a few years later married at Norwood United, in Edmonton, God had no presence in our home. Sundays were reserved for family activities and usually started with waffles or pancakes cooked by Dad while Mom enjoyed the chance to sleep in.

This routine was interrupted for about one year when I was six years old. I do not remember who was the donor, but in a bundle of used children’s duds was a perfectly good suit which fit my brother, Gordon.

Now that Gord had a suit, it was decided that he should go to church and that I should go along too. The closest United Church to our home was about three miles away but our neighbours regularly attended St. Michael of all Angels, an Anglican church on West Saanich Road.  We attended church with the Macdonald family for a year or so until Gordon outgrew the suit and we were glad to return to our regular Sunday mornings with the family.