In the news1956–1957
Hungarian Refugee Crisis Leads to Arrivals
Following the Hungarian Uprising, Canada admitted over 37,000 Hungarian refugees in less than a year, with many arriving on chartered flights in early 1957.
Born Placentia, 28 May 1957
5 facts1 source
Living person. The family sees only the name, dates and photo; everything else stays private unless they choose to share it.
28 May 1957
Born in Placentia
She has lived through 8 decades. Pick one to hear and see what it was like around Placentia.
General history, not a record about the family: each item says where it comes from.
In the news1956–1957
Following the Hungarian Uprising, Canada admitted over 37,000 Hungarian refugees in less than a year, with many arriving on chartered flights in early 1957.
What people wore
Stiffened crinolines for teenage girls
Teenage girls would sometimes use large, ruffled crinolines under their skirts, which required regular soaking in starch to keep them stiff and prickly.
Getting around
Daily train travel on Prince Edward Island
In the mid-20th century, residents in rural Prince Edward Island often relied on the train for daily town trips, such as leaving at 6:30 a.m. and returning at 6:30 p.m.
In North America · 1959The Cuban Revolution. Fidel Castro’s rebels took Havana; Cuba became a communist state ninety miles from the United States.
In the news1951
A devastating polio epidemic struck Canada in 1951, causing widespread fear and leaving many with lasting, crippling health impacts.
Music
Teen Town dances for Canadian youth
In the 1950s, Ladysmith youth attended supervised Teen Town dances held two or three times a month, where local bands played emerging rock and roll music. Admission to these popular events helped bands earn money while keeping local youth entertained.
Daily life
Frequent water and power outages in 1956
In new 1956 suburbs like Sherwood Park, families often faced days without running water or electricity, forcing residents to melt snow for toilets or use buckets of water for drinking and cooking.