Love Story - John Bragg and Julia Gamble

She was a lovely lass from the beautiful village of Castlereagh in Colchester County, Nova Scotia and he, a handsome son of a lumber merchant from Collingwood Corner in Cumberland County.  She was Julia West Gamble and he, John Thomas Bragg.

Julia West Gamble (left) and sister , Ruth.

Julia was the daughter of  John William Gamble and Flora Ann Campbell of Castlereagh and in 1904 she went to work as a cook at the Bass River Fossil Flour Company which had a plant near her home.  

Fossil Flour Plant - Castlereagh

Fossil Flour is another name for diatomaceous earth which was used in those days to make coverings for steam pipes and boilers.  It was also used as a polishing powder and in the manufacture of dynamite.  About 50 men worked at the plant, processing the flour to its finished condition before it was shipped by pole railway to the wharf at Bass River for shipment.

John Bragg  - Fossil  Flour
Plant - Castlereagh

One of these men was John Bragg who had returned from an adventure in what is now Alberta where, at the age of 16, travelled and homesteaded with his brother, Warren.  He returned to Nova Scotia in his early 20s and eventually ended up in Castlereagh.  Here, he became friends with John William Gamble, another man on the crew and soon became acquainted with the Gamble daughters, Julia and Hattie.

Julia Gamble (standing left in the door of the
boarding house) at the Fossil Flour Plant,
John William Gamble (left sitting on step), John
Thomas Bragg (next to him).

The story is told that one evening after dinner, John and Julia went up the mountain to pick blueberries and when they returned, announced that they were getting married!



John then moved back to Alberta, where he got a job as foreman of the Cold Storage Ranch near Rockyford and Julia followed by train a short time later.  It must have been a wonderful adventure for a girl from a tiny mountain village in Nova Scotia to make the trip but when she arrived at the nearest train station, Gleichen, found herself on her own since John, his brother and some friends were celebrating the coming nuptials at the local bar.

Bragg home - Rockyford, Alberta

Somehow they got that sorted; raised four wonderful boys, including my dad, Rusty and made a good life for themselves ranching at Rockyford.  Julia was known for her great cooking skills and they were both very active in local community happenings.  


John died, suddenly in 1943, after nearly 40 years of marriage and Julia followed him six years later.  My Dad always said she died of a broken heart.

Julia and John - Wedding Photo