Written by Shengchang (Shawn) Gao 2022 Cohort
Last week we went to the Roedde House Museum, where we learned about the past of a Vancouver immigrant family. The museum is a late-Victorian home located at 1415 Barclay Street in Vancouver, Canada. It was the home of Gustav Roedde and his family.
We heard many oral histories in this museum, which gave us a better understanding of the era in which the family lived and a bit of the history of Vancouver. The family accidentally set fire to their Christmas tree in January 1913, causing damage to the house. The house had to be repaired after the fire. However, Gustav’s bindery was more profitable than ever at the time. Gustav’s factory had grown into a three-story structure on Homer Street. He had also constructed a large summer house with guesthouses and a sprung dance floor.
When World War One was declared, Gustav and Matilda vacationed in their native Germany. Upon their return to Vancouver, they encountered severe prejudice from Vancouver residents. Gustav was compelled to employ a Canadian-born floor manager at the bindery for the war after Matilda was expelled from her church congregation. Even so, Gustav and Matilda Roeddes’ sons fought in the war on the Allies side, demonstrating their steadfast devotion to their adopted nation. Fortunately, everyone returned safely.
We visited the girls’ rooms. When the family was large, and the home was small, sharing a room and even a bed was typical. As the family developed, a toddler’s crib might be transferred to an older girl’s bedroom while the most recent infant slept in the parent’s room. What struck me most was the tragedy of Anna. Two girls named Anna once lived in this family. While the first girl, Anna Henrietta, died at the age of four from eating poisoned berries, the second girl, Anna Catherine, was killed at Vancouver General Hospital by a schizophrenic patient who slashed her throat with a razor. She generously volunteered to take another colleague’s shift that night, and the tragedy happened.
It was close to Halloween, so the house was decorated with many exciting and festive elements. It was a novel and meaningful experience to hear oral history artifacts in such an atmospheric environment. This field trip also gave me a better understanding of Vancouver’s history and culture.