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ALBERT BRUCE DOUGLAS Born September 2, 1912 Albert was Briercrest, Saskatchewan's first baby.
His parents operated the hardware store
in Briercrest.
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of Briercrest where Albert's 4 brothers were born. 
The 1923 picture above shows Will & Clara with Elmer, Jack, Don & Albert. The fifth son Murray was born in 1927. |
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Albert attended Spicer School in Briercrest. In 1927 he graduated from
high school. In that year he drove an open Model T Ford to Peace River,
Alberta. He homesteaded there for two years.
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| In 1930 Ab returned to Saskatchewan to take over Shaw's Ranch, his grandfather's McTaggart area farm, with brothers Don and Jack. Farming in the 'dirty thirties' was not easy. Ab would go lumber jacking in the winter to earn extrea money. The story goes that he came back with more than he earned lumberjacking by cutting hair for the other workers. |
| Apparently the Douglas boys had lots of parties. They would make a
big batch of ice cream for the party. The story goes that, on at least
one occassion, they were short of cream, so they went to their neighbour
Will MacDonald's place and milked his cows. Will couldn't figure out why
his cows gave so little milk that evening. Will later became Albert's father
in law.
Some of the attendees were Tommy Davis, Ray Phillips, Mel Rainey, Herb Partridge, Reynold (Rheinold) Mantay, Rheinold Martin, Alfreda Pyers, Albertina Martin, Frances Gawley. |
| In October 1940 Ab married 'the girl next door', Christina
MacDonald who was raised on a farm 1/2 mile south. They met on the
corner when Albert was fencing and Chrissie was on her way home from Actonvale
School.
The wedding picture below shows Chrissie's sister Alice, Maid of Honour and Albert's friend Herb Partridge, Best Man.  |
| Shaw's Ranch became the family farm where Ab and Chrissie raised four sons. They enjoyed twenty-seven happy years there. In 1968 they built a house in Weyburn and turned the farm over to oldest son Ross. |
| While farming Ab served on the Weyburn School Unit Board for 11 years starting in 1945. He was on the Saskatchewan School Trustees Association from 1951 to 1967. He served as President of the Canadian School Trustees Association for 2 years. |
| Ab was appointed to the Municipal Advisory Commission to evaluate conversion of Saskatchewan to the County system. He also served on the Saskatchewan Education Council and the Weyburn Regional Education Committee. |
| Ab was an avid sports fan. He listened to early radio broadcasts of Major League Baseball games, especially World Series games when harvesting would allow. He coached Minor Hockey and served as President of the Weyburn Minor Hockey League for a number of years. |
| Ab was a Mason and a Shriner and also served as an Elder in Weyburn's
Knox Presbyterian Church. He was also involved with local 4H Clubs.
Albert also enjoyed playing the violin that he bought during a trip to visit his grandparents Albert & Edith Shaw in Victoria BC in the late 30s. The instrument often came out during get togethers with neighbours Roy & June Tincher, Pete & Ruth McFadden, Walter & Grace Martin, Phil & Geneva Mass, Ray & Anne Phillips, Don & Elva Turner. Roy played the piano and the music would flow.  |
Ab ran successfully in the 1968 Federal Election as the Liberal candidate
in the Assiniboia riding.
He spent most of his time during the last three years of his life in Ottawa. He worked hard as a back bencher in the Trudeau government representing his constituents. He chaired the Saskatchewan Liberal Caucus in the House of Commons. He also served on Standing Committees on Agriculture and Transportation.  A highlight was hosting Prime Minister Pierre Elliot Trudeau and Wheat Board Minister Otto Lang at a picnic on the farm with family, friends and neighbours.  |
Below is the only picture of Albert as an MP in his office in the Parliament
Buildings in Ottawa. He was hospitalized in Regina several days after this
picture was taken with a bout of the mysterious blood disorder that struck
him several times in the previous few years. He died quite suddenly and
unexpectedly in hospital a few days later on March 6, 1971.
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On August 1, 1984 the new dam that was constructed across the Souris
River southeast of Weyburn, Saskatchewan was dedicated in his name.
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