An Interview With Mable Wixon
From the Golden Star – August 10, 1977
By Staff Writer Dianne Ryan
Mrs. Mabel Wixon (nee Dawson) had a bicycle she used to ride her bike all over Golden and everywhere she could. Sometimes when the wagons would deliver the wood, they would leave mill ends lying around on the road that had dropped off and Mrs. Wixon would take an unexpected ride over the handlebars to hard ground below.
This fantastic woman was born in 1880 at Oxford, England. A quick calculation will tell you that she is now 97 years old. Her bicycle, incidentally, is on display at the Golden Museum she has had it since 1897 and brought it to Canada with her in 1912 when she came here to get married.
Mrs. Wixon was educated in England and spent most of her early years attending to her ailing grandparents. She worked with a physician named Sir John Tweedy of London, England, where she assisted him in the community. She says she was so happy to get away from the strife and hardships of living in England at that time and that Canada seemed trouble free in comparison.
The hosts in which Mrs. Wixon and her daughter, Ruth, presently live, 814 – 9th St. in the house originally built for Golden’s first doctor. It was Mrs. Wixon’s gift from her husband, Arthur George, when they were married June 1st, 1912. Mr. Wixon passed away in the year 1947.
Mrs. Wixon, who I couldn’t help thinking was more than three times my age, had been involved in many charitable organizations over the years in Golden. Wherever there was a need, she helped fill it. At one time she helped organize, and eventually took over, the Sunshine Club. It was a club formed by people who wanted to help others who were on relief. At that time being on welfare was just barely existing and any additional clothing, et cetera, they could get was welcomed. Now that times are better says Mrs. Wixon, people don’t need help anymore.
One of her favorite projects over the years was to teach the Chinese brides to speak English. Through signs and gestures and a lot of practice she managed to teach many young brides enough English to get by.
Some of the stories Mrs. Wixon told me, related a great deal by her very patient and loving daughter Ruth, were about her early years in Golden. It sounded like fun to me. It’s easy to see that people made their own fun in those days. One story, my favorite, has to do with the Buckham brothers, Jack and George. Apparently they were the town characters. They owned a drugstore, now the vacant half of Sadler’s hardware. The Buckhams were known to take a nip of the strong spirits now and again and sometimes they’d stir up some harmless fun. While one morning bright and early a crowd gathered around the Buckham drugstore window. Upon investigating, Mrs. Wixon saw a man laid out on the platform inside the window, hands folded reverently across his chest clutching a big lily. You can imagine the interest it drew. And imagine the poor fellow’s reaction upon wakening from a sound drunken sleep to find he was on display!
Mrs Wixon just loves to talk and to have visitors she likes to knit but is not able to do very much now as the years are beginning to take their toll she still makes cookies and she picks currents and she loves to read. She has perfect eyesight!
When you have been in the presence of a 97 year old woman like Mrs. Wixon for a while it’s like spending a day at the library. I loved every minute of my visit with her and I was sad I couldn’t stay longer