Marjorie Poole - Consumed

Marjorie Poole c. 1919

I have often thought how horrible the feeling must be in losing a child; not miscarriage or still-birth although painful in their own right, but having a beautiful person in your life - 2, 4, 6 yrs and beyond. What feeling could be worse than outliving your child?

My grandfather had two older siblings who had died of diphtheria but the family seemed to survive other maladies of the time. Pop, who had become the eldest, moved onto life at sea finally settling down in Forteau, Labrador in 1918. His younger siblings included four sisters and one brother who was the youngest. His "little sister", Marjorie, was a real joy; a beautiful young woman full of life.

Back on the island of Newfoundland as was happening in Labrador and around the globe, tuberculosis was gripping communities. This disease had been documented in the province for centuries and while the rest of the world seemed to be comabtting it successfully by the 1920's, the same was not true for Newfoundland. Several reasons have been cited for this but the largest contributing factor was the lack of information and medical help to the rural communities.

It was December 1920 and consumption, the latter stage of TB, had taken hold of young Marjorie now 20 years old. Her death must have been one of true suffering as the certificate states not only did she die of consumption but as a result of the disease, it had infected her bowels. What a terrible death indeed; to waste away.

As a teen when I visited, my grandfather would sometimes quietly retreat to his room sobbing. My grandmother explained that I reminded him of Marjorie and it made him sad thinking of that time so long ago. For him I brought back the memories of what he had lost. She never faded; his heart still ached.

Marjorie and sister Annie Poole