| Name |
Edgar Clement Gittens [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6] |
| Birth |
30 Jan 1918 |
Saint Michael, Barbados  [3, 4, 6] |
| Baptism |
17 Feb 1918 |
Saint Michael, Barbados [4] |
| Gender |
Male |
| Residence |
17 Feb 1918 |
Saint Michael, Barbados [4] |
|
| Education |
1934 |
Barbados [6, 7] |
- Harrison College leaving schol at age 16, Educational Background
Completed Grade XI, in Barbados, West Indies.
|
| EMPL |
1934 |
Barbados [8] |
- spare parts clerk and then as car salesman at Charles Charles McEnearney an automobile garage
|
| EMPL |
Abt 1937 |
Barbados [8] |
- bank clerk and cashier at Barkleys bank for 5 years, in both Barbados and St. Lucia, starting
|
| EMPL |
Abt 1942 |
Trinidad and Tobago [8] |
- advertising clerk at the Trinadad Guardian for about 6 months starting in
|
| Travel |
3 Sep 1942 [9] |
|
| EMPL |
1943 |
Trinidad and Tobago [8] |
- transportation coordinator at Panamerican Airlines for about 1 1/5 years,from
|
| EMPL |
Feb 1944 |
United States [8] |
- seaman with Sealing Jarvis Ltd., ED was employed as a seaman for about 6 months, immediately prior to his enlistment in the Canadaian Army,
|
| Arrival |
2 Aug 1944 |
New York City, New York, United States [10] |
| Residence |
19 Aug 1944 |
Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada [11] |
|
| Military Service |
20 Aug 1944 [12] |
- for 20 months in Canada. Trained in R.C.E. (Royal Canadian Engineers) Employed as a general duty soldier and truck driver for 14 months. Remainder of service was in RCASE (water transportation Section) as a seaman. Qualified truck driver Class III.
|
| Physical Description |
30 Aug 1944 |
Halifax, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada |
- a tall, striking looking man (5'-11 3/4", 163 lbs, medium complexion, brown eyes and brown hair) with a confident, self-possessed manner.
|
| Military Award |
8 May 1946 [13] |
- Canadain Volunteer Service Medal
|
| Military Discharge |
8 May 1946 |
Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada [14, 15] |
- Canadian Army, No. 6 District Depot
|
| Soc Sec Num |
Abt 1950 [16] |
- 202-493-169, A copy of Ed's Social Insurance Number card was in found in his effects after his dealth.
|
| CITN |
6 Jun 1958 |
Montreal, , Québec, Canada [17, 18] |
|
| Military Award |
22 Jan 1960 [19] |
|
| Residence |
Abt Mar 1967 |
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada [20] |
- My father, Edgar Clement Gittens, worked for Robert Simpson's in Montreal from September 25 1946, and then for Simpson Sears, more commonly known as Sears, in Burnaby, British Columbia until his retirement on January 31, 1972. A career which spanned 30 years and 4 months.
He worked in the floor covering department of Robert Simpson's in Montreal, as an estimator and salesman. He was finding it more and more difficult to effectively sell floor coverings in Montreal during this era, as his French speaking skills were not very refined. In the spring of 1967, the year of EXPO in Montreal, the family moved to Vancouver, BC. That is all of the family except me who decided to stay in Montreal. I stayed in Montreal until 1970 and then rejoined the family in Vancouver.
The family drove to Vancouver pulling a travel trailer, a picture of the trailer is attached. The thought being was that they could live in the trailer for a short period until they could get relocated. By all accounts the plan worked well. Before they left Montreal my father actually painted the side stripes on the trailer burgundy to match the car colour. Somewhere I have a picture of the car and trailer connected but I can yet find it.
The move to Vancouver was kind of bold as my father was not assured a job at Sears in Vancouver. He was told that he would receive a preference if there was a vacancy but that he would not be able to "transfer" between to two organizations. As luck turned out it was not too long before he was awarded a position in the Burnaby Sears store, again as a salesman but this time selling roofing and fencing. He worked in the Burnaby store until his retirement in 1972.
My father was very fortunate in that he was able to carry his pension benefits from Robert Simpson's to Sears where he retired on a pension of $11,000 per year.
|
| Residence |
Abt 1968 |
Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada [20, 21] |
- 6506 East Broadway, My parents lived at this house until my father retired in 1977 when they moved to Nanoose Bay on Vancouver Island.
|
| EMPL |
1947-1977 [6, 20, 22] |
- My father, Edgar Clement Gittens, worked for Robert Simpson's in Montreal from September 25 1946, and then for Simpson Sears, more commonly known as Sears, in Burnaby, British Columbia until his retirement on January 31, 1972. A career which spanned 30 years and 4 months.
He worked in the floor covering department of Robert Simpson's in Montreal, as an estimator and salesman. He was finding it more and more difficult to effectively sell floor coverings in Montreal during this era, as his French speaking skills were not very refined.
In the spring of 1967, the year of EXPO in Montreal, the family moved to Vancouver, BC. That is all of the family except me who decided to stay in Montreal. I stayed in Montreal until 1970 and then rejoined the family in Vancouver.
The family drove to Vancouver pulling a travel trailer, a picture of the trailer is attached. The thought being was that they could live in the trailer for a short period until they could get relocated. By all accounts the plan worked well. Before they left Montreal my father actually painted the side stripes on the trailer burgundy to match the car colour. Somewhere I have a picture of the car and trailer connected but I can yet find it.
The move to Vancouver was kind of bold as my father was not assured a job at Sears in Vancouver. He was told that he would receive a preference if there was a vacancy but that he would not be able to "transfer" between to two organizations. As luck turned out it was not too long before he was awarded a position in the Burnaby Sears store, again as a salesman but this time selling roofing and fencing. He worked in the Burnaby store until his retirement in 1972.
My father was very fortunate in that he was able to carry his pension benefits from Robert Simpson's to Sears where he retired on a pension of $11,000 per year.
|
| Travel |
14 Oct 1980 |
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada |
- Canadian Passport MA586107
|
| Travel |
9 Dec 1980 |
- Barbados Passport 3195849 National status, Citizen of Barbados.
|
| Burial |
Aug 1987 |
Qualicum Beach, British Columbia, Canada [23, 24] |
- Qualicum Beach Cemetery
Qulaicum Beach, British Columbia Canada, Qualicum Beach Cemetery, Qulaicum Beach, British Columbia, Canada
|
| Death |
13 Aug 1987 |
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada [2, 6] |
| Obituary |
6 Sep 1987 |
Barbados [25] |
- Barbados Advocate, Obituary - Barbados Advocate, Sunday, 6 Sept 1987 Edgar Clement Gittens
The death occurred in Victoria, British Columbia on August 13 of Mr. Edgar Clement Gittens, better known to his family and friends in Barbados as "Bruds". In Canada everyone called him "Ed". The funeral service took place on August 15, in the Chapel of First Memorial Services, Interment Qualicum Beach Cemetery. He was buried next to his wife Audrey, who predeceased him in 1980. Mr. Gittens is survived by his sister Hilda MacIntosh who lives in Penticton, British Columbia, and two sons who are married and also live in British Columbia: Clifford and wife Donna of Langley, and Leslie and wife Cheryl of Powell River. There are five grandchildren; Sara, Michael, Jennifer, Christina and Stephen. Mr. Gittens, who was 69, was born in Barbados. He was the younger son of the late Teddy and Annie Gittens. Annie Gittens was the sister of the late Percy Foster of Barbados and Walter Edgar "Mike" Foster of Guyana. Mr. Gittens was educated at Harrison College and on leaving school joined Charles McEnearney and Co as a car salesman. He then worked for Barclays Bank in Barbados and St Lucia. He also spent a short time with Pan American in Trinidad. He and his brother Ivan (also deceased) left Barbados in the early 40's for Canada, travelling in one of the Lady Boats. As this was during the Second World War, they both decided to join the services. His brother saw active service in Italy and he joined the Canadian Army, but did not go overseas. After the war Mr. Gittens returned to Montreal where he was married. He joined Simpson's Department Store on Sherbrooke Street. He lived in Montreal for many years before moving over to western Canada where he joined Simpson's in Vancouver. Mr. Gittens never lost his love for his country of birth and he returned to Barbados on many occasions over the years to spend vacations. May he rest in peace.
|
| _FSFTID |
L8W3-3JG |
| Person ID |
I3 |
Gittens Direct Line from REunion |
| Last Modified |
30 Jun 2022 |
1918 - 1987 (69 years)
Photos
