THE CULROSS QUILT

A CANADIAN WORLD WAR I QUILT

Version 6.00

15 February 2025

David March © 2019

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SIR ROBERT & LADY BORDEN

Robert Laird Borden was born on 26 June 1854 in Grand Pré, Kings, Nova Scotia, Canada to Andrew Borden (1816-1881) and Eunice Jane Laird (1825-1881). Robert had three siblings, John William (1856-1937), Julia Rebecca (1858-1940) and Henry Clifford (1870-1943) and two half siblings, Thomas Andrew (1842-1887) and Sophia Amelia (1884-1921).

Robert grew up on the family farm in Grand Pré and qualified at first as a teacher. He became articled to a Halifax law firm and was admitted to the Nova Scotia bar in 1878. In the 1881 census, Robert was a lawyer lodging with a widow, Margaret Cochran in Kentville, Kings, Nova Scotia.

Robert married Laura Bond on 25 September 1889 in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Laura was born on 26 November 1861 in Halifax, Nova Scotia to Thomas H Bond (1813-1876) and Catherine Atkinson (1820-1876). Laura had seven siblings, Berkley B (1842-1891), Emma (b 1847), Clara (b 1849), Margaret (b 1851), George (b 1853), Annie (b 1857) and Frederick W (1858-1870).

Thomas Bond was a hardware merchant in Halifax.

Laura was only fifteen when both her parents died. She lived with her
elder brother George until her marriage.

Robert practised as a barrister until elected to Parliament in 1896. He was Prime Minister of Canada 1911-1920 and was knighted in 1915.

Laura was a supporter the women’s suffragette movement in Canada and an officer in various charitable organisations. Laura was active in the Red Cross during WWI and this may explain how she and her husband appear as names on the quilt. The following extract is taken from a newspaper article:

She was an active worker in the Red Cross association during the 1914-18 war and in the Women's Guild of All Saints' Anglican Church here [Edmonton]. It had been Lady Borden's custom for some years to hold an annual garden party for the guild on Sir Robert's birthday

Lady Borden always maintained an interest in the families of the veterans of the first Great War and in several individual cases she provided clothing and education for children of ex-soldiers.

From the Edmonton Journal, 7 Sep 1940

Robert and Laura had no children. Robert died on 10 June 1937 in
Ottawa and Laura died on 7 September 1940 also in Ottawa.    

The family tree can be found on Ancestry under the title Culross Borden Tree.


From McAlpine’s Halifax City Directory 1873

ID0001 ID0001 SE A1 SE A1

Sir Robert & Lady Borden
1919
From Canada.com