“Looking up the rellies”, as my mother likes to say, tells the story of my ancestors – of the Bapties who are my mother’s folk; the Coopers who are her mother’s folk; and of the Churches, who are my father’s folk. 

Here, I tell the story of how these brave Scots, English and Irish emigrated to Canada in the 19th and early 20th centuries. It tells the story of where they settled in Ontario and in Alberta and how they forged a life for their families. And it tells the story of their ancestors in the “old country” – of who they were and how they lived.

This site is part tribute – a place to honor those who came before: part indulgence – what better stories are there to tell? And part legacy – my gift to my children and grandchildren.