It started as a teenage friendship, developed into a full blown love affair then circumstances split the couple
between two countries. They reluctantly parted but never stopped thinking about
each other. This is the story of Ann Hubbard from Upchurch and George Frid from
Lower Rainham whose love affair captivated local people and hit the pages of The
Sunday Express in 1924.
The story began during the 1860s when the
couple first met. Ann later described how they met.
‘George
had a sister, who, before I met him was already my friend. She took me to her
home and I met George. We became child friends. We met at play, at day school
and at Sunday school. Jolly years sped on during which George and I wandered
together about the district, along the footpaths, down the lanes joining the
two villages until we were finally recognised as sweethearts.’
George got a job in the Otterham brickfield
when he left school but because he was ambitious and wanted to improve his life
he decided to immigrate to Canada. Because he loved Ann and had courted her for
three years he wanted to marry her and take her to Canada but Ann’s parents
objected and so she reluctantly had to stay at home.
Ann and George’s mother were against him
going to Canada but he said that he would return home after one year. Ann
explained:
‘Before
he left home we pledged our troth. I promised to join him if he was unable to
come back, as soon as he could make the home ready. But my parents were against
the plan. They resolutely declined to approve the great adventure.’
When it was time for George to leave for
Canada in 1870 Ann accompanied him to Chatham railway station.
‘Never
shall I forget our last farewell at Chatham. The heart of youth is always
filled with hope and I did not think the parting would be for long as we bid
each other a tender goodbye. Letters followed punctually on his arrival in
Canada and he gave me enthusiastic accounts of the pretty little town of
Hamilton where he decided to settle. He told me of the beautiful scenery of
lake and mountain, and stressed the point that he had alighted in the garden of
Ontario. As he was striving so hard to make progress he was unable to return as
he had planned and sent for me to go out to him. Of course, I was longing to join
him, so that we might face the world together in a wonderful new country.
My
mother was a strong minded woman and she stated if I tried to go to Canada she
would follow and bring me back. And as I was only eighteen I was made to
realise that the laws would enable her to fulfil her threat so I delayed and
delayed hoping that the months to come would find some solution to our problem.
George’s
father died soon after his departure and his mother, with a family of boys,
left to join him, but my mother now insisted that he should return to England
and marry me in my old home. At this time this was impossible. Money was still
scarce and hard to earn so we just hoped on. Time moved more slowly. The days
seemed to grow longer. Several springs came and fled, and I was still listening
daily for the click of the gate as the postman came up the path to bring me
news of my far away lover.
For
ten years our letters crossed the great ocean that divided us and each letter
seemed to make me feel the distance was growing greater…’
George worked as a brick-maker in Hamilton
for about seven years before going into business as a brick manufacturer. He
eventually decided that Ann was never going to join him so he met and married a
girl from Montreal. Ann explained the situation.
‘…
Then one horrible day the message came that, since I could not go to him, he
had met someone in Canada and that he had decided to marry and make a good name
for himself………It was terrible to have all my girlish hopes blighted, but I
appreciated his position and wrote him sending my very best wishes and prayers
for his happiness and explained there was no good reason why he should remain
single, as I was bound by filial duty to remain with my parents. Then came a
great silence. All correspondence ceased between us until I heard no more of
him until this summer (1924).’
After years of marriage George’s Canadian
wife died in 1922 making him a widower. By this time George had retired. He
made a visit to Rainham and made inquiries about Ann but he could not find her.
In July 1924 he made a second trip and stayed at the Jubilee Temperance Hotel
(later The Railway pub) in Station Road. While staying there he discovered that
Ann was still alive, single and living in Rainham aged 70 and both of her
parents were dead. She had never married and still loved George. He decided to
visit her. Ann described what happened:
‘Early
in July he arrived, and once more my heart thrilled to the click of the garden
gate. A silver haired man with tanned features and the clear eyes that I
remembered so well greeted me as in the old days, and I knew that my love
burned brighter and stronger than ever. We chatted over old times and tender
memories were revived that showed he had not forgotten. He learned too, that my
love had remained through the years, unchanging and true. He confessed that he
had always kept my picture, and laughingly told how the children used to call
to their mother as they looked through the old family album. ‘Come and look at
dad’s old sweetheart.’
George then popped the question and asked
Ann to marry him and to return to Canada with him. Ann described what happened:
‘Then
the great question came. I realised that my life of constancy and love was
going to receive its reward and I answered as my heart had dictated as a
girl-54 years ago.
The
news spread. Friends expressed their kindly interest and inquired whether Mr
Frid was an old beau of mine. Only those who had known me in my girlhood knew
anything about my early love, as I had always jealously guarded my secret from
the outside world. So my life’s hidden romance came as a great surprise to many
when they heard that I had been led to the altar, and with my bridegroom how so
kept our troth of years ago.’
The happy couple got married at
Sittingbourne Congregational Church and then went to Margate by car for their
honeymoon. Ann summed up her feelings before embarking for Canada:
‘And
after all I am going to Canada. I am looking forward to embarking soon for my
new home. I have no regrets in leaving the old place. To me Hamilton is not
new; it represents the dreams of my youth. I know I am going to find it vastly
different from the time when Mr Frid first went out as it has grown to a
population of 120,000. Of course, I shall not have the happiness of helping him
make his life, but at least I am going to enjoy with him his success. I feel
that a true and noble man is the greatest blessing which can be bestowed on any
woman and to win such a man has been worth waiting for…I have waited 54 years
for the man of my choice. Fifty four years is a long time but it is over. I am
happy now and that is all I care about.’
On September 27th 1924 the
couple left Southampton for Canada on the liner ‘Empress of France’ and they
were seen off by several friends. Their long affair had embodied great
happiness and deep sadness but it all ended happily as the couple lived out the
remainder of their lives together in a new land.
About David
David Wood was born and raised in Upchurch and is able to write from personal experience about many people and aspects of the village and of changes that have taken place over the years making ‘Memories of Upchurch’ a very readable book and a detailed historical study of the village. David's book ‘Memories of Upchurch’ is available direct from David at: david3702001@yahoo.co.uk or from us here at Upchurch Matters. Price £12 + £3.50 postage and packing.
David Wood
