Alfred Poole (1910 to 1988) was born at Kemnay, Manitoba and Edith Alma (Gauld) was born in Dutton, Ontario. Alf spent his younger years near Kemnay and Edith came West with her parents and they settled at Alexander, Manitoba. The Pooles were married in 1937 and raised three children — Edith, James and Marilyn. Alf and Edith worked in harmony to promote agricultural and rural community concerns.
Mr. Poole was interested in many activities. For instance, he allowed “Homehill Farm” to be used as a demonstration plot for continuous cropping. Friendly competition in sports and in the show ring ranked high on his list of priorities. Alf participated as a contestant and as a judge for many plowing matches. He showed a variety of animals at local fairs. Belgium horses were one of his interests and on one occasion he won the Grand Champion Mare Class at the Brandon Fair. He kept and showed registered Hereford cattle and with his registered Yorkshire swine he won the Champion and the Reserve Champion Sow. His Suffolk sheep won the Supreme Champion Market Lamb Class. At the Toronto Royal, Alf won many awards including Grand Champion Market Steer and in the Yorkshire Boar Class, he won the Reserve Championship in 1958, 1959 and 1960 plus the “Pen of Three Market Hogs” Class.
Edith, too, was very active in Sunday School, 4-H, the Red Cross and also helped with the farm operations. For over 25 years she exhibited and judged flowers, handiwork and baking at fairs throughout western Manitoba. She was accepted as an expert because of her knowledge in these matters. Mrs. Poole became a charter member of the Kemnay Women’s Institute and while serving as the president of the Southwest District of the W.I. in 1968-69, she attended the Associated Country Women of the World at Lansing, Michigan. In 1970-71, she was the provincial president of the Manitoba Women’s Institute and in that capacity, she addressed a group of 1,100 women who were attending the Associated Country Women of the World Conference in Oslo, Norway. Her speech about “Peace” was the statement of purpose of the International Peace Gardens. She was also noted as a host of international celebrities
When they retired from farming, Alf continued to be a fair volunteer, an ardent curler, a church supporter and a barbershop singer. Edith, too, continued to volunteer her time at fairs, in the church, in the curling club and in the Women’s Institute. Their impact upon the lives of thousands in the western communities has been extraordinary.