It is 100 years since Madge Stevens was born - Pt 10

Studio Portrait - hand coloured (or for Nth America Colored). If you click to enlarge the photo you'll see Charlie and Madge have been given blue eyes.




teenage Audrey
















Audrey and her Airman Ian





















23 Sep 1944, Audrey marries Ian Anderson Bamber at United Church, Sth. Calgary, Alberta. This was a double wedding with her Aunt, Elizabeth (Bette) Humphrey to Australian airman Denis Harkin
At an early evening ceremony in South Calgary United Church September 23, Elizabeth Freda Humphrey, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. F. Humphrey of Vancouver, and her niece Audrey Roberta Patterson, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. C. R. Patterson of Calgary, became brides at a double wedding which was performed by Rev. Melvin Dobson.
Miss Humphrey exchanged nuptial vows with P/O Denis John Harkin, R.A.A.F., son of F/L and Mrs. D. J. Harkin of South Australia, and Miss Patterson was married to Sgt-Pilot Ian Anderson Bamber, R.N.Z.A.F., son of Mr. and Mrs. D. Bamber of New Zealand.
William Maynard gave Miss Humphrey in marriage and Miss Patterson was given in marriage by her father.


16 Oct 1945, with her new husband Ian, having gone on to serve with the Fleet Air Arm in Scotland, Audrey sails for her new life in New Zealand on the Empire Haig.
This is a recording of Audrey in 1998 with her memories of that journey out to N.Z.
Audrey recorded at 75 Sunnyvale Road, with a background of cicadas in the bush outside the windows.
The Empire Haig was a 9,912 GRT cargo liner which was built by Lithgows Ltd, Port Glasgow. Launched on 6 October 1944 and completed in December 1944. Sold in 1946 to Lamport & Holt Ltd and renamed Dryden. More details from this Wikipedia link


The Empire ships were a series of ships in the service of the British Government. Their names were all prefixed with "Empire". Mostly they were used during World War II by the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT), who owned the ships but contracted out their management to various shipping lines. They were acquired from a number of sources. Many were built for the MoWT, others obtained from the USA, still others were captured or seized from enemy powers.