A Coal Miner’s Daughter
Mom grew up in Glace Bay, Cape Breton. Her father, William Russell, had moved from Newfoundland to Glace Bay at the age of 12 to go to work in the coal mines. This he did, except for two interruptions to serve in the two world wars, up until he developed miner’s lung. Mom was a coal miner’s daughter. Her father married Susan Budge, from Neil’s Harbour. Susan was related to Billy Budge who wrote the book Memoirs of a Lightkeeper's Son: Life on St. Paul Island. When Mom’s mother passed away, when Mom was 12, her family fell apart and she was brought up in a foster home, a very positive environment on a farm. She did not see her father for many years. This story does have an upbeat ending however. When Mom was in her 30s, she was reconciled with her father who came to visit a few times. He was very friendly and good to the kids (me and my brother). We learned about some of the stories of his fighting with the 42nd Highlanders during the First World War. He died a couple of years later of miner’s lung. Mom never had a harsh word to say about her father. It was not her way.
Posted by Brian Sears
Sunday March 8, 2020 at 11:49 am