Catherine Jane Farndale

Catherine Jane Farndale

Catherine Jane Farndale was born at Tranmire on 16 June 1884. She was named after her mother. She was their fifth child and second daughter. She joined her elder brothers and sister at the little school at Charltons, but unlike the rest she (and her younger brother James) were the only two to go on to a private school at Guisborough. She would finish there in about 1900. There is little doubt that her elder brothers were at this time talking about Canada. She would have seen Martin and then George go in 1905 and 1906. When her younger brother, James, decided to join her brothers in 1911, Kate (as she was always known) decided to go too. Her mother had just died and her younger sisters were now able to look after her father and younger brothers.

When she arrived to look after Martin and George, she met the Kinsey family of Cheshire, already friends of her brothers. Then, on 28 June 1817, she married William Henry Kinsey at Stettler. They homesteaded 16 miles north west of Three Hills and extended an existing prairie shack. They had three children, George, Dorothy and Alfred. Kate is always remembered as very strict. She would not tolerate smoking or drinking alcohol. She was deeply religious and set high standards of behaviour for her own family. There are many stories of going out to the barn for a drink or a smoke! When her husband died, Kate moved to a house at Three Hills, where she was close to her family. George married and moved onto his parents' farm. Alfred took an adjoining farm and Dorothy moved to Red Deer.

Kate died on 9 September 1966, aged 82 years, at Three Hills. She is buried not far from her brother, Martin, in Trochu graveyard.