Yes, everyone living here has learned to respect the mighty Skeena River - she completely rules the lives of the people along her banks and lets nothing get in her way. And during the 1936 flood, Terrace at this time was left isolated.

Now looking back with some memories with Freda Diesing -

Freda's family, The Lamblys at the time were living on Haugland Avenue by the Braun's Island Slough. They were one of the families somewhat affected by the 1936 flood. But first we will go back just a little with Freda Diesing.
Frank and Flossie Johnson and Freda in 1927

Freda is the daughter of Flossie Lambly. Flossie, at the age of 17, married a Swede by the name of Frank Johnson. They had two children. A boy, (Frank) who had poor health all his life; he died when he was only 16. Their daughter Freda was born on June 2, 1925. But, sadly, this marriage only lasted four years. Flossie became a widow at the age of 21. Later, at an exhibition dance in Prince Rupert, Flossie met Geoff Lambly, who at the time was driving taxi. They were married on June 4, 1929.

Then on December 13, 1930, their daughter Roberta was born in Prince Rupert. In 1934 the family moved to Terrace to live, as Geoff figured that the family would be healthier living away from all the rain in Prince Rupert. So they came to Terrace to live.

They built a house on what is now Haugland Avenue on ten acres of land they bought from Mr. McIntosh.

When the Lamblys first came from Prince Rupert they brought with them a model T Ford for which they paid $35.00. Also some chickens and a Cletrac (tractor) which he paid $25.00 for. All this was loaded onto a flat car on the train for Terrace.

Geoff Lambly on Cletrac tractor.

Then they were faced with the great task of setting up a home on the land, which was totally covered in nothing but trees and brush. They pitched a tent with a wooden frame on their neighbour's (the de Kergommeauxs) property to live in at first. Then they proceed to build half a house, the other half was put up the next year.

One must remember, that these were the depression years. It was important that a garden be established, but not right away. First the land had to be cleared.  Geoff went fishing, and the fish that were caught were traded for essential garden produce. Also Geoff worked for Carl Pohle part time, and for his pay he took home lumber for building the house.

In 1935, they had finished the house, bought a cow and had pigs to add to the farm animals, and had already cleared enough land to grow hay. Of course as time went on, they had established a good garden. With picking wild berries in the woods for canning, they had lots to eat.

                                                                                                                                                                                                       Geoff also worked for Henry Frank on his farm. And by this time they had become good neighbours with the Dolls. When they first moved in Mrs. Doll came over from Braun's Island with horse and buggy asking for a three gallon crock. She returned several hours later with the crock filled to the brim with fresh home made butter.

By the spring of 1936, they had chickens, one cow and a calf. Already they had plowed the land to the slough. In the flat had planted strawberries, also their vegetable garden was already in.

Up until now the weather had been quite hot, as it was about the middle of May, and the water in the Skeena was rising.                                                                                                    Geoff and Hand Plow

That evening, the last week in May, there was a big storm, with lots of thunder and lightening hitting Thornhill Mountain. It was still very warm when they went to bed that evening.
Frank (Sonny) Johnson, Mr. Holly, Geoff Lambly and Tony or Hector Cote
 
 

Geoff had gone over to help the people loading their animals on Braun's Island, because at this time, everyone on the Island had to leave because of the high water rising very quickly. Everything on Braun's Island became flooded. Mr. Braun had a cow that just had a calf, so he refused to leave. Freda said at their house, things yet didn't look too bad, so that evening they all went to bed upstairs. Then just at day light they discovered that their basement was starting to flood. So they quickly started packing up their things, ready to leave. They loaded the chickens onto the wagon. Freda and Roberta remember having to walk and lead the cow and calf out to safety as already by this time they were walking knee deep in water. After they had walked far enough away from the flooding they tied their cow to a nearby tree. They parked the wagon with the chickens in a gravel pit along side the road. As they were walking away they had stopped to look back at all the water flooding under the Braun's Island bridge. They saw lots of debris floating by, and the water was running by very swiftly, so they knew that they left at the right time.

At this time the Lamblys were invited to stay at Fred and Cassie Hall's place down at the end of Eby Street where things were not affected by the flood.

Freda and Roberta shared rooms with Frances and Marie Hall. The girls all had a good time together. Freda remembers that before they left their home, the girls had to clean up and change their clothing. She remembers that they were dressed in dresses made by their grandmother, made of bleached flour sacks with beautiful embroidery work on them. While they were at the Halls, on June 2, 1936, Freda had a birthday and she remembers that her parents bought her her very first bought dress, and what a thrill that was for her!

After a couple of weeks, they all went back to their homes and started the big job of cleaning up from the big flood. They lost some of the strawberry plants, and the other vegetables were somewhat mixed up that year, because of the flooding, The soil stayed damp all summer, and with the hot weather, they ended up having a pretty good garden after all. When Geoff and Jack Bunty were helping out with the people on Braun's Island, Geoff's truck had been stranded on Braun's Island because of the high water, so later Harvey Doll pulled the truck home with his horse, as everyone then was out helping each other.

Freda remembers a Chinese farmer at Braun's Island - his name was Chow Jack. He lived there alone as his family was still in China. But by the next year he left Braun's Island, because he was afraid of the flooding again. He moved to Prince Rupert and went to work in a restaurant there.

The Lambly's remember Chow Jack as being a very good neighbour. He would come over to help with their garden, and they remembered that he first introduced them to Chinese vegetables and many times he would cook them Chinese food, and they remember how delicious it was. The girls used to look forward to him coming over as he sometimes would bring them gifts from China. They always thought how nice he was.

Also by the next summer, a few of the others left Braun's Island like Mr. and Mrs. Akroyd. They were an older couple. Also Ralph Heppel who was a bachelor. They left to move to town. The Coopers had land there as well. They bought Chow Jack's property when he left. During the time they lived here, Geoff had worked for Public Works. He even built his own road. He made the road with little assistance from machinery. The Lambly Road was later swallowed up by Haugland Avenue. Later a street in the Horseshoe area of Terrace was named to honour Geoff Lambly.

Freda and Roberta at the property in 1999

The Lambly's later sold their land to Charlie Dumont and at this time they started the Corner Snack Bar.
 

Geoff was busy running boats for Columbia Cellulose. In fact he brought in the first tow boat up the Skeena for Columbia Cellulose. During the 1950's Geoff served on council for three years. He also served on the school board during the war years. This was the time of the Kalum School and Geoff was also a Volunteer fireman with Emil Haugland and Fire Chief Curley Casey in the 1950's. He also had been very involved with the Rod and Gun Club.

Flossie was also very busy in the community. She fought for Skeenaview Lodge to stay open and she was always ready to give a helping hand to anyone who needed help.

The Lambly's were very proud of their daughter Freda Diesing. She is a very well known artist. Freda has been nominated for a National Aboriginal Achievement Award 2002. Click here to view the NAAF website.