In Lloydminster’s great history, there’s been a lot of doubling up. What I mean by that is, Lloyd seems to trend in things of two.
I think back to the town and village of Lloydminster. They each had a council, they each had an agricultural society and they each hosted a fair every year.
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Today, I’m not talking about something that was doubled up by the border. Instead, I’m talking about the two first babies of Lloydminster.
I don’t think there’s anything more quintessentially Lloydminster than its first two babies.
I’ll give you a little context before I give you the history. What I’m talking about today is the birth of the first baby in Lloydminster. In this case, there happens to be two births that could be considered the first.
Where our story starts today is on the trail to Lloydminster all the way back in 1903. Early settlers to Lloydminster had to take the trail from Saskatoon to their eventual destination. The walk was quite long, which led to an interesting situation.
Martha Topott was travelling to what would be her family’s new home in the Northwest Territories. She had been travelling and arrived in a camp with the other women, which apparently was well-timed, her labour pains were beginning.
Topott had been travelling to her new home with her family and friends pregnant. There was no medical aid or equipment. Really all they had was a tent and some blankets they had put out. Aided by women who had given birth themselves and knew what was coming up.
Thanks to the help and perseverance of Topott and all the other women, Richard Topott was born. Not in Lloydminster proper, but on the trail, in what is now Waseca.
While not the first to be born in Lloydminster, Richard Topott was the first born among the Barr Colonists who would soon be in their new settlement.
The first baby to be born in Lloydminster would be a Rendell baby. Alice “Babs” Rendell was born Aug. 27, 1903. Like many of the other mothers, Alice Rendell was expecting. Like many early 1900s stories, mother and daughter had the same name.
Babs was born in the Rendell house, now in Weaver Park. She was born on a bed of ticking filled with fresh hay on the floor. Dr. W. W. Amos delivered the baby. Of note, Babs’ godfather was Rev. George Exton Lloyd.
When you really break it down, Babs was the first baby born in the settlement. They were here and relatively established, being born in the family home. While Richard Topott was born just up the road, or in this case up the trial. Really in the Prairies, you could probably see what was going on from Lloydminster.
What makes Lloydminster unique is its border, although the split wouldn’t happen for some years after the town was settled, there were still plenty of interesting firsts.
I also so vividly remember this story, I was brand-new to Lloydminster, exploring the museum for the first time when I came upon two plaques on the wall. They were very close in position and one of them outlined the Rendell baby being Lloydminster’s first. The other was the Topott’s and their history as the baby born on the trail to Lloydminster.
My mind was made up seeing the plaques, the first babies of Lloydminster was something permanently cemented in my mind.
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