Alternate names

Cecil Reid Cowboy Hat

Description

wide brimmed hat with large stiff crown, deep pinch, rounded brim, multi-coloured featherm silver Canada leaf pin

History of Use

Harvel “Cecil” Reid was born November 26, 1923 the eldest son of Violet and Raymond Reid, and the first of five children. Cecil attended Hillandale School, which was situated on two acres of Ray Reid’s property. (Donated by Ray) Cecil earned enough money for his first bicycle by starting fires at the school. When he reached high school, he caught the mail truck into Val Marie and attended the Convent for grades 10 and 11. At that time he left school to help on the farm, as his father was not well. Looking after the cattle, driving the tractor to seed and summerfallow, and haying on the “flat” became all too familiar. He was happiest when he could saddle his horse and head for the lease to check on the cows and calves. There were no horse trailers so he could leave early, his lunch in a Cornflakes box, and spend the day in the hills. Once a year he would ride ‘over the hills’ to Wes Orr’s where he would visit Cecil, his cousin of the same age, not to mention all of the six or seven sisters at that house. Hockey in the winter and ball in the summer were his interests. Cecil did not serve in the armed forces. In fact by then he was managing the farm alone. On December 30, 1946, Cecil and Rena were married and there were four sons born to that union. At first their home was in the same yard as Cecil’s parents. In 1952, a house was moved to the plot of irrigated land that Cecil had acquired. Because the acreage was also on the Frenchman River, it made a good place to winter stock. All of his life Cecil’s joy was his Hereford cattle. His life and interest revolved around the welfare of his herd. He became known as an excellent herdsman, a great horseman, a good friend to his legions of neighbours, and a person who supported community projects. Cecil passed away January 8, 1999 at the age of 75. He is loved and missed by all his family.

Materials

felt