Did You Know?
Many interesting people live in the greater Salmon Arm area. One gentleman that has made Sorrento his home for the last 15 years is Mr. Hubert Butcher, a retired rector.
Hubert was born in Nairobi, Kenya to Missionary parents. While Hubert's parents continued their missionary work in Kenya, Hubert lived in North and South Kent and London, England, with different aunts and uncles. He attended several private boarding schools, specifically for the children of Missionaries. Hubert states that the best thing about living in a boarding school was the great friendships that he developed.
During different Easter vacations, Hubert attended sailing camps. When Hubert was in primary, elementary and high school, he attended schools in Ramsgate, Kent and Northamptonshire, England. During the war, the boarding schools needed to rent different sites and stately homes, for the safety of the children. Many of these homes had prized paintings done by artists such as Van Dyke, on their walls. The schools moved often.
April 1, 1943 was not an April Fool's Day Hubert will forget. He was required to report to the barracks in Canterbury, England. Hubert had been conscripted into the Second World War! He sailed, in a made over luxury ocean liner, to India for officer's training. The luxury liner had been taken apart and remade into an army transport vessel. Thanks to Hubert's private schooling, he was lucky enough to travel to India in the Sergeants' deck.
After Hubert finished his training, he had the choice of joining the British or Indian armies. He chose the Fourth Gurkha Regiment because he wanted to find adventure. Now Hubert could make the most of his life and see the world at His Majesty's expense!
Well, Hubert was given the opportunity to see the world. He was put in command of an army canteen in Comilla, Bangladesh. Later, he was sent to Burma to oversee the Second Burma Regiment. Their duty was to police Myitkyina, Burma, to make sure the Chinese didn't come back to North Burma.
Hubert had been in three armies in three years. Yes, he was seeing the world.
In July 1946, Hubert was discharged. The British government thanked British soldiers by paying for their university education. First, Hubert read modern and oriental languages at Cambridge University. Later, Hubert attended Oxford University to study Theology.
Hubert's goal was to live and work as a Christian in Nepal. At that time, it was illegal to be a Christian in Nepal. Hubert thought God's calling for him
was to convert Nepalese to Christianity. Instead, Hubert ended up working in India, where he met and married Eva, a fellow language school student. Hubert and Eva lived in several northern Indian locations where they started boys' camps, including one camp in a former tomb that resembled the Taj Mahal.
As Eva needed major surgery and Hubert's parents lived in England, Hubert and Eva returned to England where Hubert was ordained a deacon and later a priest, in the Anglican church. Hubert served as a rector in several English churches. He was asked to serve at one church in Bradford Yorkshire, England, which had a congregation of 70 Pakistan immigrants. Hubert knew their language.
During their English stay, Hubert's parents died. Eva and Hubert had also adopted two baby girls and given birth to their own son.
In 1963, the Butcher family came to Canada to be close to Eva's parents. Hubert was appointed to a parish in Fort Vermilion, Alberta. This area was a hard place for women to live due to the loneliness, rough life and bitter cold. One bright event though, was when they adopted a M?tis boy.
In 1967, Eva, Hubert and the children moved to North Vancouver to live with Eva's mother. Hubert worked at U.B.C. and Simon Fraser.
Hubert later served as a rector at parishes in Cloverdale, BC and Beaverlodge, Alberta. While living in Cloverdale, Eva and Hubert took in a foster child, who later took Hubert's name.
When asked why Hubert and Eva chose Sorrento to retire in, Hubert states that they love the Sorrento scenery, mountains, lake, ambience and friendly atmosphere. Several of their friends come to attend events at the Sorrento Centre.
These days, Hubert is main cook, nurse and bottle washer at his home. His favourite activity is singing with the O.A.P.O. Glee Club. The Glee Club will be performing at the O.A.P.O. hall on May 8, 2004 for your listening enjoyment.
Like many retired people, Hubert states that his faith, wife and family are what make him happiest.
We wish you many happy singing times, Hubert.
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