Family life

Getting on with famly members had its challenges then, just as it does today. 

The sister I'd never met

In the 1950s and 60s, teen pregnancies were a shameful secret. Many young women gave birth in secret and gave away their babies, and it could be decades before the secret emerged.

Jeff, Oakville

Ceiling hole attack

A vent in the ceiling could be used for attacking an older sister.

Jenny, Burk's Falls

Beating up the boys

As a big sister, Heather had a zero tolerance policy for anyone who tried to bully her brother.

Heather, Oakville

Smoking at home

Smoking was ubiquitous in the 1960s and 70s, and seemed elegant to many kids.

Monica, Oakville

A celebrity dad

Many Canadians dreamed of making it big in the US. Frank was the child of a Canadian who had done just that, and grew up amid the glitz of showbiz. For him, the dream was a quiet life back in Canada.

Frank, Oakville