A. A. Brooke

Arthur Adair Brooke was born in Rome, the son of an artist. At the age of two, he moved with his family to Switzerland where he was educated. He stayed there until he was sixteen.
Arthur was the eldest of a family of seven. His father found it difficult to establish his sons. Arthur, therefore, followed the course common to many hundreds of English youths of the time and was sent to Canada to learn to farm. After a six-month sojourn with an aunt in England, he arrived in Canada at the age of sixteen. The date was March 1890. On April 4 of that same year, he arrived at the Barnsley Farm Home at Barnsley, Manitoba, having been placed in the care of Mr. Joseph Merrie, the foreman.
Arthur was taught to farm, and in a short while went to work on the farm of Ernest Judd whose farm he bought in 1893. He started on his own in 1894 on a nearby quarter section.
Arthur was the eldest of a family of seven. His father found it difficult to establish his sons. Arthur, therefore, followed the course common to many hundreds of English youths of the time and was sent to Canada to learn to farm. After a six-month sojourn with an aunt in England, he arrived in Canada at the age of sixteen. The date was March 1890. On April 4 of that same year, he arrived at the Barnsley Farm Home at Barnsley, Manitoba, having been placed in the care of Mr. Joseph Merrie, the foreman.
Arthur was taught to farm, and in a short while went to work on the farm of Ernest Judd whose farm he bought in 1893. He started on his own in 1894 on a nearby quarter section.

On November 16, 1898, Arthur Brooke married Annie Florence Ruth, daughter of Abner R. Ruth of Carman, Manitoba. The wedding took place in her parents' home with the Rev. Mr. T. Marshall officiating. (One year later, Arthur's brother, Charles, married Annie's sister, Bertha.)
In January 1901, Arthur Brooke left Manitoba for Olds, Alberta, with a carload of settlers' effects. His wife and family joined him later. They homesteaded in the Didsbury area.
In 1907 they moved to Salmon Arm, B.C. where they were pioneers. Arthur was always active in the development of his community. While at Salmon Arm, he was a leading figure in establishing the Salmon Arm Creamery. He was president of the Dairyman's Co-op for twelve years. He was a member of the Municipal Council and active in his church.
In January 1901, Arthur Brooke left Manitoba for Olds, Alberta, with a carload of settlers' effects. His wife and family joined him later. They homesteaded in the Didsbury area.
In 1907 they moved to Salmon Arm, B.C. where they were pioneers. Arthur was always active in the development of his community. While at Salmon Arm, he was a leading figure in establishing the Salmon Arm Creamery. He was president of the Dairyman's Co-op for twelve years. He was a member of the Municipal Council and active in his church.
Arthur A. Brooke was an accomplished artist. During the years he was at Barnsley, he depicted the main task of each day in his sketch book. In his later years, he used these sketches as the basis for his water colour paintings of pioneer life. There are twenty-four of these water colour paintings, which he did around his eightieth year, in the Dufferin Historical Society Museum. He presented them to the Society two months before he died, thereby leaving a great gift to the people in the community that was his first Canadian home. For each of the paintings, he wrote his own comment which reveals his gratitude and respect for human life, nature, beauty and sustenance. Although he painted in other mediums, he was most skilled as a water colourist. He has sketched and painted wherever he lived. His paintings are owned and treasured by many throughout Canada and the U.S.A.
Annie Brooke (nee Ruth) died in Cloverdale, B.C. in 1958. Arthur Brooke reveals his aching loneliness in his letters. He went to live with his son, Harold, at Lytton, B.C. He died there on January 13, 1959 at the age of eighty-four.
The children of Arthur and Annie were: Harold, Ralph, Ernest and Ruth. At the time of his death, five of Arthur's brothers were living in Canada and one sister in Oregon. Harold Brooke cut the ribbon on the occasion of the opening of the present Dufferin Historical Society Museum in 1967.
Source: History of the The Rural Municipality of Dufferin 1880-1980, compiled and edited by June M. Watson with the assistance of the History Book Committee; Published by: Carman, Man.; Council of the Rural Municipality of Dufferin, c 1982 ISN: 0886330025 (Page: 353-354 – Arthur A. Brooke, Page: 814 – Pictures of Arthur A. Brooke and Annie Brooke, nee Ruth.) Submitted by The R.M. of Dufferin History Committee compiled from family resources, Dr. Barnardo Registry records, The Dufferin Historical Society and contemporary newspaper items.
Administrative History
Arthur Adair Brooke (1874-1959) was born in Rome, Italy. He was raised and educated in both Switzerland and England. At 16 years of age, he moved to Canada and took up residence in Carmen, Manitoba, where he began to farm in 1894. He later moved to Didsbury, Alberta, where he homesteaded.
Mr. A.A. Brooke moved to Salmon Arm in 1907 and acquired property in the Salmon River Valley region. He farmed this area until his retirement in 1944. An active member of the community, Mr. Brooke lead the development of the Salmon Arm Creamery and he was president of the Dairymen's Co-operative Organization for 12 years. Arthur Brooke served as a member of the municipal council when the Ward System was still in effect.
As well, he had a healthy involvement in church matters and was a member of the Baptist congregation. Mr. Brooke had a strong interest in cows; in particular,in Holstein cattle. He was a long-standing member of the Holstein-Friesian Association of Canada.
Mr. Brooke was also an accomplished artist; his work in water colours depicting farm and homesteading scenes became well known across Eastern Canada and United States.
Mr. Brooke was married to Annie Florence Brooke (Ruth). Together, they had three sons: Harold Arthur, Ralph Edward, and Ernest Cuthbert, and one daughter: Ruth Adair. At the time of his death, he was survived by all of his children, 12 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren, five brothers: Charles, Hugh, Stephen, Robin, and Percy, and one sister.
Scope/Content: The fonds consists of material from Ruth Brooke's educational correspondence courses, personal correspondence, flyers and brochures, one photograph, tuberculosis testing records for cows, herd milk and butterfat production records, Holstein-Friesian Association of Canada records, blank forms, and newspaper clippings both related and unrelated to Salmon Arm.
Control number: SAM-3352
Header: 02458cbc--22002171a-4501
Status codes: 011130i19131943 eng
Title: Brooke family fonds
Dates: 1913-1943
Physical desc.: 5.5 cm of textual records
Title source: Title based on the contents of the fonds.
Repository: Salmon Arm Museum
Provenance: Brooke (family)
Names: Brooke, Arthur Adair, 1874-1959; Brooke, Ruth; Brooke (family)
Source: http://aabc.bc.ca/access/aabc/archbc/display/SAM-3352
Annie Brooke (nee Ruth) died in Cloverdale, B.C. in 1958. Arthur Brooke reveals his aching loneliness in his letters. He went to live with his son, Harold, at Lytton, B.C. He died there on January 13, 1959 at the age of eighty-four.
The children of Arthur and Annie were: Harold, Ralph, Ernest and Ruth. At the time of his death, five of Arthur's brothers were living in Canada and one sister in Oregon. Harold Brooke cut the ribbon on the occasion of the opening of the present Dufferin Historical Society Museum in 1967.
Source: History of the The Rural Municipality of Dufferin 1880-1980, compiled and edited by June M. Watson with the assistance of the History Book Committee; Published by: Carman, Man.; Council of the Rural Municipality of Dufferin, c 1982 ISN: 0886330025 (Page: 353-354 – Arthur A. Brooke, Page: 814 – Pictures of Arthur A. Brooke and Annie Brooke, nee Ruth.) Submitted by The R.M. of Dufferin History Committee compiled from family resources, Dr. Barnardo Registry records, The Dufferin Historical Society and contemporary newspaper items.
Administrative History
Arthur Adair Brooke (1874-1959) was born in Rome, Italy. He was raised and educated in both Switzerland and England. At 16 years of age, he moved to Canada and took up residence in Carmen, Manitoba, where he began to farm in 1894. He later moved to Didsbury, Alberta, where he homesteaded.
Mr. A.A. Brooke moved to Salmon Arm in 1907 and acquired property in the Salmon River Valley region. He farmed this area until his retirement in 1944. An active member of the community, Mr. Brooke lead the development of the Salmon Arm Creamery and he was president of the Dairymen's Co-operative Organization for 12 years. Arthur Brooke served as a member of the municipal council when the Ward System was still in effect.
As well, he had a healthy involvement in church matters and was a member of the Baptist congregation. Mr. Brooke had a strong interest in cows; in particular,in Holstein cattle. He was a long-standing member of the Holstein-Friesian Association of Canada.
Mr. Brooke was also an accomplished artist; his work in water colours depicting farm and homesteading scenes became well known across Eastern Canada and United States.
Mr. Brooke was married to Annie Florence Brooke (Ruth). Together, they had three sons: Harold Arthur, Ralph Edward, and Ernest Cuthbert, and one daughter: Ruth Adair. At the time of his death, he was survived by all of his children, 12 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren, five brothers: Charles, Hugh, Stephen, Robin, and Percy, and one sister.
Scope/Content: The fonds consists of material from Ruth Brooke's educational correspondence courses, personal correspondence, flyers and brochures, one photograph, tuberculosis testing records for cows, herd milk and butterfat production records, Holstein-Friesian Association of Canada records, blank forms, and newspaper clippings both related and unrelated to Salmon Arm.
Control number: SAM-3352
Header: 02458cbc--22002171a-4501
Status codes: 011130i19131943 eng
Title: Brooke family fonds
Dates: 1913-1943
Physical desc.: 5.5 cm of textual records
Title source: Title based on the contents of the fonds.
Repository: Salmon Arm Museum
Provenance: Brooke (family)
Names: Brooke, Arthur Adair, 1874-1959; Brooke, Ruth; Brooke (family)
Source: http://aabc.bc.ca/access/aabc/archbc/display/SAM-3352