George & Mary early years.

 The family of George and Mary Pott lived in the Woodmore district for most of their lives.



circa: 1915

George and Mary are seen here with Ann (Fletcher) Pott, widow to Francis Pott (brother to Thomas Sr. Pott). Previously  mentioned that Mary had come to Canada to stay with Ann as her caregiver after the death of Ann's husband Francis Pott.





Circa: Summer 1916

     John Pott (brother to George) was born at Winshill-on Burton and came to Canada with his parents in 1892. He married Edith Post in 1906. In 1929, they moved from Greenridge, Manitoba with their family of six boys and two girls to the Shell Lake area of Saskatchewan. Infant twin boys and a boy of 2.5 years died before they left Manitoba, their first stop was Debden, as there was no station in Shell Lake at the time. Later they moved into Camp Lake School District where the family attended School.

Another daughter was born in 1930, Gertie. In 1932 they moved onto their homestead two miles northeast of the Village of Shell Lake and so the family attended Shell Lake School, which was called Restal at that time. Edith was a great gardener and grew beautiful flowers. She also carded and spun wool and later knit it into socks, mitts and sweaters for her family. John was a farmer all his life. When he moved to SW 24-50-8W 3 there was no land under cultivation. He and his sons cleared the land with hands and horses and then later broke the sod for framing. John always helped with the garden and it was always a big one. There were raspberries, crab apple trees, red currents and sand cherries as wild fruit to be picked and preserved.  

They milked cows and sold butter and eggs to help stretch the scarce dollars. John never owned a tractor; He did his farming with horses. His horses were fat and well cared for. He had a beautiful team- one black and they’re other gray-white. They  were a flashy team and knew how to trot. John and his family went everywhere behind those horses. In later years, perhaps 1944-45 they bought a second hand car, which they used for a while. John made several trips back to Manitoba. John, Edith and Gertie spent the winter of 1945-46 visiting family still in Manitoba.

John passed away in 1965 and Edith lived by herself for a short time. As that became too difficult for her, she moved to Saskatoon and stayed with her son John and his wife. As her health got worse, she had to be moved to the Del haven Lodge where she passed away in 1976. John and Edith are both buried in the Shell Lake Cemetery.



Photo taken outside the Woodmore home of George and Mary Pott.





Circa: Fall of 1946