Maurice Sprake was raised in the Cut Knife area where his parents had a store and meat market. Iris Jackson was raised in the Milden area. They were married in 1937 and moved to Cut Knife where their two daughters, Evelyn and Pat, were born.
In 1940 they moved to Strathroy, Ont. where Maurice owned and operated a meat market. They lived there until 1944 when they moved to North Battleford. From 1944 to 1947 Maurice was employed with the War Time Price and Trade Board, working out of North Battleford and covering the North Battleford and Meadow Lake area.
In 1947 Maurice and Iris Sprake purchased a small ornament plant at about 1652 - 102nd Street from Bob Caldwell. They wanted to enlarge the factory and approached City Hall to purchase land. It as decided that because there would be dryers involved, the only land they could have would be on the outskirts of the city and that being 1371 and 1381 鈥� 109the Street.
A large plant was built which featured a large production area along the back alley. Two large dryer rooms and painting rooms in the front and later two 鈥渇locking鈥� stalls were added. In the front was a reception area and office with a door leading into the work area behind. No water lines served this area, large cisterns were installed in the production area and water was trucked in once or twice a week. This new plant was called Sprake's Wholesale or as we affectionately called it 鈥淭he Shop.鈥�
A small two-bedroom house was moved onto the front of the property and the Sprakes lived there for five years when their home was relocated to the 1100 block of 109th Street.
They started out with 20-25 ornament types and over the next two years increased to more than 50. The ornaments were made of plaster of Paris (a white powdery slightly hydrated calcium sulfate, made by calcining gypsum and used chiefly for casts and moulds in the form of a quick- setting paste with water). The mixture was poured into heavy rubber molds and these were placed in the dryer. When hardened they were gently removed from the moulds and then went back into the dryer to cure.
The first two years the ornaments were mostly painted but after investigating a new method called 鈥渇locking鈥� (this is a velvet-type finish where glue is applied and then velvet blown on with a spray gun) was put into use. During the sanding and flocking procedure, masks were worn.
Maurice the salesman travelled Saskatchewan, Alberta, Manitoba and British Columbia selling the ornaments produced by the family plant. He drove a large suburban type vehicle that carried samples of their merchandise. They also had a catalogue from which orders could be placed.
Iris was half owner and plant manager. She ran the day-to-day operations of the plant. She was very artistic and would often be seen in the production area, overseeing design and colour. She was also office manager, payroll clerk, bookkeeper, personnel manager and made sure all orders were filled and billing sent out. A position not normally held by women in the 1950s.
There were 20 staff. Ed Lafonde, a Second World War veteran, was hired as plant foreman. He had lost a leg in the war, but got around very well. A few of the employees were Frieda Chambers, Bessie Winslow, Mrs. Stern, Dorothy Pruden, and Dale Fitzsimmonds, who worked after school and on weekends. Many of the employees were women from around the area. The plant was a fun place to work and many became lifelong friends of the family.
One of the employees, Frieda Chambers, called Maurice the 鈥淲ild Goose鈥� and my sister Pat and I would sing 鈥淢y heart goes where the wild goose goes 鈥� to him. I鈥檓 not sure if he appreciated us or not, but he always gave us a smile.
Production was ongoing and shelves were always well stocked. When orders were received production went into high gear and what wasn't in stock was produced. When the order was ready, then came the wrapping. Large bales of white paper were purchased from the local newspaper and also old newspapers. The ornaments were first wrapped and taped in the white paper and then in the newspaper. My sister Pat and I were recruited to help and were paid 25 cents an hour. We thought we were rich and had spending money. The orders were filled and mostly shipped by trains.
Much of the plant's business came from tourist areas such as Banff, Jasper, small general stores and novelty shops. The bull ornaments were given as trophies to the district 4-H clubs. The 4-H members were thrilled to receive these bull ornaments. I wonder if there are any out there in various ranch homes.
There was some walk-in business where people would purchase something different to give as a birthday, shower or wedding present. The ornaments were well made and sturdy.
Most of the ornaments made were animals 鈥� cats, dogs, wolves, bear and deer. Some larger ones were drilled and made into lamps. Later a different type of ornament was made featuring African dancers. These were wall hangers.
These lines sold well. I still have two sets of the wall-type African dancers and also a sit down version. I have kept them over the years and treasure them all.
In 1956 Asian produced ornaments and novelties started flooding the market and over the next few years they seriously undercut the Plants' business. When it first started the Asian product was inferior, but as they improved it was impossible to match their prices. An example of this if one of our ornaments sold for $10 the Asians sold theirs for $3.
In 1959 the Sprake's Wholesale plant was forced to close as it was impossible to keep cutting prices and meet payroll and production costs.
I would like to make comment on our growing up years from 1947 to 1958. When we first moved to 109th Street and the plant was built, we were on the outskirts of the city. To the west was the city of North Battleford and east was prairie right up to the airport. It was like living in the city and the country. Every spring a slough would start where the high school is now and angle east and then south ending up where VLA is today. The 1300 block of 109th Street had only one other house and that was 1301.
In the 1200 block of 109th Street there were two riding stables 鈥� Ben Ramsay鈥檚 and George Weir鈥檚. This delighted my sister Pat as she enjoyed riding and in fact won a few trophies.
Life was simpler back then. In the winter Dad would rent a hay wagon and horses and all the neighborhood kids would ride for hours. It鈥檚 funny we never seemed to get cold. In the summer, as Dad was a fisherman, we would go to the bridge just before Aquadeo Beach or down to the springs along the Battle River. As kids we bicycled everywhere and there was no such thing as being afraid to go anywhere in the city.
One of our favorite outings was to pack a picnic lunch and bike down to the North Saskatchewan River (by the old bridges). This lasted until our parents found out we had been paddling in the river.
North Battleford was a great city with parks and in particular the park behind the United Church and also Coronation Park which was below St. Thomas College (now Don Ross Centre).
As we grew older and got our driver's licence we were given the shop car to drive when it wasn't being used at the shop. This vehicle was what the kids today would call a 鈥� beater.鈥� We didn't care as it sure beat walking. I still remember this car being loaded with girls. We always had to take our springer spaniel dog, Ginger, and he got to sit in the front seat beside the driver. Dad used to laugh and say he didn't know who was driver, the dog or one of us.
Maurice Sprake died in 1969 at the age of 60. Iris Sprake died in 2005 at the age of 90. Evelyn ( Sprake) Griffiths ( Harry Griffiths deceased in 1997 ) resides in the city since 1944. Pat (Sprake) Eisenbarth (Ron) resides in Edmonton, Alta.
An appeal is being put out to anyone who might have a copy of the catalogue from Sprake鈥檚 Wholesale that could be borrowed and later returned. Please contact the City of North Battleford Historic Archives at 306-445-1786.
