Memories of Mount Royal Post Office
Mount Royal Post Office or simply known as The Post Office in Mount Royal Village was opened in 1902 and served it’s purpose until 1920. Initially, it was situated in the general store belonging to Mr. L.P. Brault, at the old City Quarry which was named in honour of Lord Strathcona (Sir Donald A. Smith) who, at the time, owned all the property on which the quarry stood. When the quarry was moved to its present site at Little Stony Mountain (also known as Mount Royal Village), the Post Office was moved to the house of J.J. Taylor who becomes the postmaster, on Section 28-11-2E, one half mile north of Little Mountain School.
The huge salary of $34.00 a year was remuneration for being in charge of this establishment. That sum was used to purchase stamps for the convenience of the people who patronized the Post Office.
In 1906, being postmaster was considered to be a privilege and a sign of prestige; an honour granted by the sitting member as a favour for assistance given to him in gaining his seat. The post office was part of one’s home but was not considered a privilege by busy housewives. Three times as week, someone (usually my little mother) had to take the mail bags in to the general post office in Winnipeg, Manitoba, remain there until pick-up time and bring the main back to Mount Royal where it was sorted. There were no stated hours for convenience of receiving people, usually after his day’s work was all finished (around 9 or 10), or on Sunday. Sometimes it was on a rainy day when work could not be carried on.
It was neither pleasure nor treat to the women folk to have the post office in their homes, as many a mud-tracked floor had to be scrubbed several times a day. Memories of the old post office are not always cherished ones; many people especially irate farmers, expecting important mail, would accuse the postmaster of holding up when it did not arrive. Later they would find out that the sender still carried said mail in his pocket, having forgotten to post it.
During the years of the First World War aliens, who were employed on the railroad, had to come to the post office to have their identification cards signed. When twenty or more arrived at one time, the locality of the old mongrel dog probably prevented many disasters, as he guarded our home firmly against would-be intruders.
The Mount Royal post office remained in the same site from 1906 to 1918, when rural delivery became the order of the day. In those times, the mail must go through- rain, snowstorms, or whatever else the weather man had to offer, must not impede delivery and strikes were unheard of.
