‘23 is young and the world waits’

I have unearthed a crate of my letters sent from Canada to my parents. 

Mum hoarded them all in the garage! They are a blow by blow account of my adventures. I was a prolific letter writer it seems. I have letters, field diaries, photographs, pocket diaries and copies of fieldwork in Igloolik for 1968 and 1969.

Here are extracts from my 1968 visit to Igloolik as part of the International Biological Programme researching for my Geography Masters Degree at McGill. I'm going to blog the 1968 letters to match the 2014 dates as the summer unfolds. Here is everything from accepting the post to 24th May 1968...

‘23 is young and the world waits’

Ottawa, September 1966 - Roof of my apartment 

 Draft letter, Ottawa Feb 12^th 1968

Dear Dr Foote

            Thank you for your letter of Feb 10th mentioning the possibility of work in Igloolik for this summer. I am very interested in this, but would like to know about the work in greater detail. I imagine the best course is for me to visit you in Montreal to discuss it.

I hope to be in Montreal this weekend, in which case I could visit the Dept. on Monday, if that would be convenient for you.

            I will be seeing Dr. Peter Grant this weekend. It would be easiest for you to contact him if you can to let me know when I can see you on this Mon.

Yours sincerely  etc.

Ottawa April 23^rd 1968 10 PM

Dear Parents

            I have 2 main items of news. 1/ is that I have been accepted for the job in Igloolik! I'll be chief investigator of social & cultural-economic studies. It will be rather good I think as this year is purely reconnaissance & we will mostly just get to know people & get a good idea of how they live + any side issues we can think of to study. There are 2 boys & 2 girls. I'm 2nd in command & Peter's student is camp leader. The girl is my assistant & camp cook. We have 2 sleeping tents & a large living tent with table, chairs, book shelves etc & cooker. We will live in a house until camp is set up. Don Foote will come up for a week to get us going. The party leaves on May 24 & returns Aug 31. We're getting fishing permits & hope to spend a lot of time lazing around with a rod.

Love from Jenny x

Montreal Sat May 10.

Man what an exhilarating day! Dear Mum & Dad today I drove to Montreal & had a meeting with the field party from 11 AM to 7.30 P.M.! It is so exciting & everything is falling into place. Don Foote is in charge & he's so full of enthusiasm it's really catching. Richard Bradley is to be camp leader after Don leaves after 2 weeks. Then Carol is cook & assistant & Hiram Beaubier is in charge of technological surveys. Richard is Peter's student & is studying seals & hunting. I'm looking after social & economic things & hope to specialize in the diffusion of innovation - i.e. who buys modern rifles, boat engines etc - are they the most influential families etc.

There is to be a Press Conference this week & we'll get a full page spread in the Montreal Star. Also the C.B.C. are doing a documentary on us - in the office at the airport & at the camp! All very exciting. If we get enough good data we'll issue separate reports this autumn & maybe get them published.

In Ottawa we played office squash in our empty office on Fri. I refereed while Russ & Gordon played, using hands as racquets & a ping pong ball & masking tape as a net! Well, have just given a brief autobiography for the Press ho ho "Kentish Maid Goes North" all my love Jenny x

Ottawa May 17th

            I have already earnt my salary for the summer this week. I’ve been running between 3 buildings. At the Dept. of Northern Development I’ve met a large number of cynical bastards who really tried to take the wind out of my sails. I was so upset by one man I had to visit I didn’t dare to go back to see him but ran back to hide behind Russ & telephone him from my own office. He must have realized he’d upset me as he was v nice & when I did go & see him again he spent an hour explaining the Welfare system in Igloolik & then apologized for his original reception.

I met Don Foote’s arch enemy with trembling fear. He gave me a lot of super information including notes on all Igloolik families eg “X is the biggest bum around” or “ he is a useless bugger” neatly written on each man’s individual record. One man has “not a good Eskimo, he got lost with X between Hall Beach & Igloolik (about 20 miles!) & is a smart Alick” Well, Miss Vestey won’t have him as a guide that’s for sure. Hope you are O.K. without Mum. All my love & Jimpy. Jenny xxx

May 23, 8.30

Dear Mum, as I write this I am sitting in a train, dying to pee, but waiting for said train to leave the station! Haven’t got a pen so excuse pencil/ Well guess what, the train started, & as soon as I got in the w.c. it stopped in another part of the station & I had to sit there till it went.

            I drove to Ottawa this A.M., visited everyone & did some vital errands for the expedition. Then I took my car to 1359 where I was greeted by all 3 boys & made to stay for a meal & to watch Star Trek (the equivalent of Dr Who) then Jim took me to the station & waved goodbye with both arms, standing on the dash-board shouting merry things. Really living there was the best thing that has happened to me for a long time! Jim is a fantastic character.

            Now the boy in the seat in front is playing guitar, composing the original Railroad Blues, I think.

            Well tomorrow is the day. Everything is pretty well under control now. I’m going to sleep tomorrow morning. We take off at 11P.M. & arrive at 9.30 AM after a stop at Frobisher Bay on Baffin Island.

            Had dinner with the field party yesterday & all senses of humour passed my inspection. They seem a good bunch, though all look so young (me too)

            Have bought some sexy red pyjamas (boys) all warm, with elasticated cuffs.

Looking forward to eating caribou stroganoff & seal risotto flambé.

Really quite tired, so will have a nap.

            Friday The boy in the seat in front with a guitar turned out to be a Separatist & was saying very unpleasant things about the English to his friend, so I tried to look as French as I could.

            Well, I slept in till 10.30 when Rosemary called. (they are at St. Hilaire) It is a perfect day – sunny & about 65̊. A group of men I know are stuck in Frobisher so I may see them there at 5AM tomorrow! As I’ve said before I know more people who are in the Arctic than in the south. Ho ho, the phone had just rung & I’m called to a T.V. press conference at 2 P.M. which rather means all is chaos, so will say bye bye All my love Jenny xxxxxxx           

May 24 1968

Dearest Mum,

Here I am up at the airport about to leap aboard my little ‘plane to Hall Beach. Have met a girl who is going there to marry the local Mounty so we’re going to the wedding! Feeling so smart in my winter clothes as it’s v. warm here. We were on the T.V. tonight! after our press conference. Love Jenny xxx

May 24  Field Diary

Dep. Montreal. 11.PM. Nordair

Hiram in nosewarmer and bobble hat. Met Thea Brown, who is going to Igloolik from Frederickton New Brunswick to marry RCMP Constable Waterhouse. Took off in a cloud of red smoke & vibrated off the ground. One passenger appeared to be opening the door just after take-off. Mechanic overheard whispering to stewardess - "tell the Captain to rev. her up real good or she'll never leave the ground." (we're carrying Doug Hodson's Energy Mines & Resources Geological Survey helicopter) 1/2 the cabin is full of baggage behind a curtain. Stewardess spilled hot coffee over the only man wearing a suit, so he travelled with a bare chest smothered in burn ointment.

            Rattled north into the dawn. Light by 2.30 AM. Flew over Chimo, Hudson St.

6.30 landed at Frobisher Bay and looked around. 8? Pictures of Otter 'plane and hydro survey ship, and airport area. Ravens.

7.40 took off for Hall Beach.

10.30 Arr. Hall Beach. Thick, low cloud cover, snowing. Waited outside and watched E.M.R. helicopter unloaded from our 'plane. Involved 2 forklift trucks & everybody in the area came to watch, including pale Yanks from DEW line, obviously spend all their time indoors.

Sat out till about 12 noon (local time now) when loaded personal gear onto Bombardier snow mobile [pic]. Met Jim Haining. Took us to eat in H.B. settlement in Esk. house. Thea & fiancée set off on skidoo with full regalia of parka, wind pants, sealskin boots, gloves etc. - sped off into the snow. We followed w. Eskimo driver and mate after meal. Very bone-shaking and later no oxygen in cabin because of fags and gas fumes. Got stuck twice on sea ice & had to shovel out of deep snow. Saw Igloolik as a cold mirage over the sea ice. Arrived Igloolik at 4.50 (left 1.05) & all the kids came to watch. Nice looking village - clean & neat. Our house is unpleasantly luxurious & dead suburban.

          Dr Depener in residence & command + photographer Frank Wagner. V. formal meal cooked by Carol & me despite lack of sleep since Thurs?

Met Wynne, school head.

Bed at 1.20 AM. Light.