124. 1857 Emigrating to Canada: A Memoir

Personal memoirs of 19th century immigrant tradespeople are rare indeed. An English bricklayer, Richard Lester, brought his large family to Ottawa in 1857 and wrote this one about 1900. It is a rich account of their hair-raising journey from England and 50 years of settler life here. Lester was also a prolific poet whose many compositions reveal not only an honest, hardworking and moral man, but a romantic and wise one; see pamphlet #124-A for his poetry (an addendum in the “Document History” section of Bytown Pamphlet no. 124).

Part of the Isabel B. Ward bequest series. Margaret Patenaude spoke about this topic at an Ottawa Branch OGS monthly meeting, wrote up an article in one of their publications, as well as speaking at Mathilda Lester's grave site for Women of Beechwood. A second printing of 20 copies was done in the summer of 2025, requested by Barry King.