Edgar Clement Gittens

1918 - 1987  (69 years)

• Name	Edgar Clement Gittens  [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
  Birth	30 Jan 1918	Saint Michael, Barbados   [3, 4, 5]
  Baptism	17 Feb 1918	Saint Michael, Barbados   [4]
  Gender	Male
  Residence	17 Feb 1918	Saint Michael, Barbados   [4]
  	The Garrison
  Education	1934	Barbados   [5, 6]
  	Harrison College leaving schol at age 16, Educational Background Completed Grade XI, in Barbados, West Indies.
  EMPL	1934	Barbados   [7]
  	spare parts clerk and then as car salesman at Charles Charles McEnearney an automobile garage
  EMPL	Abt 1937	Barbados   [7]
  	bank clerk and cashier at Barkleys bank for 5 years, in both Barbados and St. Lucia, starting
  EMPL	Abt 1942	Trinidad and Tobago   [7]
  	advertising clerk at the Trinadad Guardian for about 6 months starting in
  Travel	3 Sep 1942  [8]
  	in St Lucia
  EMPL	1943	Trinidad and Tobago   [7]
  	transportation coordinator at Panamerican Airlines for about 1 1/5 years,from
  EMPL	Feb 1944	United States   [7]
  	seaman with Sealing Jarvis Ltd., ED was employed as a seaman for about 6 months, immediately prior to his enlistment in the Canadian Army,
  Arrival	2 Aug 1944	New York City, New York, United States   [9, 10]
  Arrival	9 Aug 1944	McAdam, New Brunswick   [11]
  Residence	19 Aug 1944	Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada   [12]
  	115 - Coburg Road
  Military Service	20 Aug 1944  [1]
  	for 20 months in Canada. Trained in R.C.E. (Royal Canadian Engineers) Employed as a general duty soldier and truck driver for 14 months. Remainder of service was in RCASE (water transportation Section) as a seaman. Qualified truck driver Class III.
  Physical Description	30 Aug 1944	Halifax, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
  	a tall, striking looking man (5'-11 3/4", 163 lbs, medium complexion, brown eyes and brown hair) with a confident, self-possessed manner.
  Military Award	8 May 1946  [13]
  	Canadain Volunteer Service Medal
  Military Discharge	8 May 1946	Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada   [14, 15]
  	Canadian Army, No. 6 District Depot
  Soc Sec Num	Abt 1950  [16]
  	202-493-169, A copy of Ed's Social Insurance Number card was in found in his effects after his dealth.
  CITN	6 Jun 1958	Montreal, , Québec, Canada   [17, 18]
  	Certificate of Canadian
  Military Award	22 Jan 1960  [19]
  	War Medal 1939-1945
  Residence	Abt Mar 1967	Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada   [20]
  	My father, Edgar Clement Gittens, worked for Robert Simpson's in Montreal from September 25 1946, and then for Simpson Sears, more commonly known as Sears, in Burnaby, British Columbia until his retirement on January 31, 1972. A career which spanned 25 years and 4 months. He worked in the floor covering department of Robert Simpson's in Montreal, as an estimator and salesman. He was finding it more and more difficult to effectively sell floor coverings in Montreal during this era, as his French speaking skills were not very refined. In the spring of 1967, the year of EXPO in Montreal, the family moved to Vancouver, BC. That is all of the family except me who decided to stay in Montreal. I stayed in Montreal until 1970 and then rejoined the family in Vancouver. The family drove to Vancouver pulling a travel trailer, a picture of the trailer is attached. The thought being was that they could live in the trailer for a short period until they could get relocated. By all accounts the plan worked well. Before they left Montreal my father actually painted the side stripes on the trailer burgundy to match the car colour. Somewhere I have a picture of the car and trailer connected but I can yet find it. The move to Vancouver was kind of bold as my father was not assured a job at Sears in Vancouver. He was told that he would receive a preference if there was a vacancy but that he would not be able to "transfer" between to two organizations. As luck turned out it was not too long before he was awarded a position in the Burnaby Sears store, again as a salesman but this time selling roofing and fencing. He worked in the Burnaby store until his retirement in 1972. My father was very fortunate in that he was able to carry his pension benefits from Robert Simpson's to Sears where he retired on a pension of $11,000 per year.
  Residence	Abt 1968	Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada   [20, 21]
  	6506 East Broadway, My parents lived at this house until my father retired in 1977 when they moved to Nanoose Bay on Vancouver Island.
  EMPL	1947-1977  [5, 20, 22]
  	My father, Edgar Clement Gittens, worked for Robert Simpson's in Montreal from September 25 1946, and then for Simpson Sears, more commonly known as Sears, in Burnaby, British Columbia until his retirement on January 31, 1972. A career which spanned 30 years and 4 months. He worked in the floor covering department of Robert Simpson's in Montreal, as an estimator and salesman. He was finding it more and more difficult to effectively sell floor coverings in Montreal during this era, as his French speaking skills were not very refined. In the spring of 1967, the year of EXPO in Montreal, the family moved to Vancouver, BC. That is all of the family except me who decided to stay in Montreal. I stayed in Montreal until 1970 and then rejoined the family in Vancouver. The family drove to Vancouver pulling a travel trailer, a picture of the trailer is attached. The thought being was that they could live in the trailer for a short period until they could get relocated. By all accounts the plan worked well. Before they left Montreal my father actually painted the side stripes on the trailer burgundy to match the car colour. Somewhere I have a picture of the car and trailer connected but I can’t yet find it. The move to Vancouver was kind of bold as my father was not assured a job at Sears in Vancouver. He was told that he would receive a preference if there was a vacancy but that he would not be able to "transfer" between to two organizations. As luck turned out it was not too long before he was awarded a position in the Burnaby Sears store, again as a salesman but this time selling roofing and fencing. He worked in the Burnaby store until his retirement in 1972. My father was very fortunate in that he was able to carry his pension benefits from Robert Simpson's to Sears where he retired on a pension of $11,000 per year.
  		2026-10-15-0002 A photograph from Ed’s retirement at Sears in late summer 1967 shows Ed third from the left. The identities of the other individuals remain unknown.
  		2026-10-15-0003 Picture from Ed’s retirement of Sears in late summer 1967.
  Travel	14 Oct 1980	Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
  	Canadian Passport MA586107
  Travel	9 Dec 1980
  	Barbados Passport 3195849 National status, Citizen of Barbados.
  Burial	Aug 1987	Qualicum Beach, British Columbia, Canada   [23]
  	Qualicum Beach Cemetery
  Death	13 Aug 1987	Victoria, British Columbia, Canada   [2, 5]
  Obituary	6 Sep 1987	Barbados   [24]
  	Barbados Advocate, Obituary - Barbados Advocate, Sunday, 6 Sept 1987 Edgar Clement Gittens The death occurred in Victoria, British Columbia on August 13 of Mr. Edgar Clement Gittens, better known to his family and friends in Barbados as "Bruds". In Canada everyone called him "Ed". The funeral service took place on August 15, in the Chapel of First Memorial Services, Interment Qualicum Beach Cemetery. He was buried next to his wife Audrey, who predeceased him in 1980. Mr. Gittens is survived by his sister Hilda MacIntosh who lives in Penticton, British Columbia, and two sons who are married and also live in British Columbia: Clifford and wife Donna of Langley, and Leslie and wife Cheryl of Powell River. There are five grandchildren; Sara, Michael, Jennifer, Christina and Stephen. Mr. Gittens, who was 69, was born in Barbados. He was the younger son of the late Teddy and Annie Gittens. Annie Gittens was the sister of the late Percy Foster of Barbados and Walter Edgar "Mike" Foster of Guyana. Mr. Gittens was educated at Harrison College and on leaving school joined Charles McEnearney and Co as a car salesman. He then worked for Barclays Bank in Barbados and St Lucia. He also spent a short time with Pan American in Trinidad. He and his brother Ivan (also deceased) left Barbados in the early 40's for Canada, travelling in one of the Lady Boats. As this was during the Second World War, they both decided to join the services. His brother saw active service in Italy and he joined the Canadian Army, but did not go overseas. After the war Mr. Gittens returned to Montreal where he was married. He joined Simpson's Department Store on Sherbrooke Street. He lived in Montreal for many years before moving over to western Canada where he joined Simpson's in Vancouver. Mr. Gittens never lost his love for his country of birth and he returned to Barbados on many occasions over the years to spend vacations. May he rest in peace.
  Person ID	I3	Gittens Direct Line from Reunion
  Last Modified	15 Oct 2026

  
  

  Father	Edwin "Teddy" Johnson Gittens,   b. 15 Mar 1887, Manhattan, New York, New York, United States d. 1 Oct 1921, District of Castries, State of Saint Lucia (Age 34 years)
  Mother	Annie "Sis" Eileen Foster,   b. 14 Oct 1885, Barbados d. Abt 1949, Trinidad and Tobago (Age 63 years)
  Marriage	5 Jul 1913	Saint Michael, Barbados   [25]
  Family ID	F16	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Audrey Lillian Crittenden,   b. 12 Jan 1917, Montreal, Quebec, Canada d. 4 Aug 1980, Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada (Age 63 years)
  Marriage	25 Jan 1947	Montreal, Quebec, Canada   [26]
  		IMG_1450 Published in a Montreal Newpaper, not known which one.
  Children	+ 1. Clifford Charles Gittens + 2. Leslie Edgar Gittens
  Photos	2 Photos
  	travel_trailer This is the trailer that my parents and brother used to move to Vancouver, BC Abt Mar 1967
  	pension_data_Ed_Gittens This document provided me with my Father's work history at Robert Simpson's and Simpson Sears. Jan 1977
  Family ID	F2	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	19 Sep 2013

  
  

• Photos	48 Photos
  	Edgar "Bruds" Clement Gittens This is the photograph used in Edgar's 1942 passport issued by the Colony of St. Lucia.
  	L-R: Edgar "Bruds" Gittens, Jessica Foster, Ivan Gittens Picture from Paul Foster
  	L-R: Granny Foster, Hilda Gitens, Annie (Foster) Gittens peeping through between Hild's bonnett and Edgar Clement Gittens right ear, Ivan Gittens looking over Egar's head Per paul Foster
  	L-R: Ivan Gittens, Hilda Gittens, Anne 'Sis' (Foster) Gittens, Edgar Gittens, Paul Foster standing in front. L-R: Ivan Gittens, Hilda Gittens, Anne 'Sis' (Foster) Gittens, Paul Foster standing in front.
  	L-R: Ivan Gittens, Hilda Gittens, Edgar Gittens I found the attached print (good quality) of Ivan, Hilda and Bruds outside the family home 'Boylston'. Paul Foster
  	L-R Paul Foster, Audrey Lillian (Crittenden) Gittens, Edgar Clement Gittens, Ivan Clement Gittens L-R Paul Foster, Audrey Lillian (Crittenden) Gittens, Edgar Clement Gittens, Ivan Clement Gittens while we were in Montreal. [Paul Foster e-mail]
  	Hilda Gittens and Edgar Clement Gittens
  	Edgar Gittens At house on 6506 East Broadway in Burnaby, BC
  	Sara Gittens, Edgar Gittens (Grandpa), Mike Gittens (At least one living or private individual is linked to this item - Details withheld.)
  	Audrey (Crittenden) Gittens and Edgar Gittens
  	Edgar Clement Gittens
  	Edgar Gittens, Audrey (Crittenden) Gittens, Isabel (Gittens) Drake The child is likely Beverly Drake the eldest daughter of Isabel Drake and her husband Robert. (At least one living or private individual is linked to this item - Details withheld.)
  	Ed and Audrey Gittens and Isabel (Gittens) Drake The child is likely Beverly Drake eldest daughter of Isabel and Richard Drake. (At least one living or private individual is linked to this item - Details withheld.)
  	Edgar Gittens and Cliff Gittens (At least one living or private individual is linked to this item - Details withheld.)
  	L-R Percy Foster, Kitty Foster, Ed "Bruds" Gittens Cliff: I was going through one of my Crane Hotel albums over the weekend and found these two pictures you might like to have. Bruds is pictured at the Crane Hotel with my parents. My parents ran the Crane Hotel for about ten years in the 1950/1960s. In the other picture your Mum is pictured with Linda, Maurice's wife. They are sitting on a bench in the Crane Hotel grounds. C: 1950s. Paul
  	Uncle Dick's Family - Taken likely in Bedford, Quebec L-R: Standing Elizabeth (Walcott) Gittens, George Walcott Elizabeth's brother, Isabel (Gittens) Drake, Bob Drake, its either Aunt Lizzie or Aunt Mabel visiting from Barbados, Bertram Gittens, L-R: Front standing Beverly Drake, Pamala Drake, sitting on Audrey (Crittenden) Gittens, Clifford Gittens on his fathers lap, Edgar Gittens. Bev (Drake) Polling and Pam (Drake) Thompson assisted with identification of people. (At least one living or private individual is linked to this item - Details withheld.)
  	Clifford Bertram Gittens, Edwin Bertram Gittens, Edgar Gittens, Clifford Gittens (At least one living or private individual is linked to this item - Details withheld.)
  	Edgar Clement Gittens
  	Standing L-R: Annie (Foster) Gittens, Ed "Bruds" Gittens, H.Reid Front Row L-R: Paul Foster, Mary "Jess" Foster By the way I wish to thank you very much for the picture you sent a few days ago - the one with the picture caption "Bruds, mother. H.Reid, Paul and Jess". The picture is taken outside our house "The Markham" in Hastings. I have always wanted to have a picture of the 'fence' dividing our house from the house next door. It's more like 'patchwork' than a fence. And more so because you have provided the name of the gentleman "H. Reid" whose name I could not recall and I have at least two or three pictures of him from my mother's photo album. His 'claim to fame' is that - I am pretty sure he was the first overseas guest at our parents guest house. Because of the hard times we were going through during the depression, my father's salary could not support house rent, a wife and three children and soon to need funds to send Jess and me to secondary school. This was just around the time that we moved to the Markham in 1930. The owner of the house agreed to extend it, added three additional rooms, two at the back and one to complete our apartment downstairs. A side verandah on the leeward side of the house was also added and this served as a dining room for the guests and our dining room was downstairs. We lived downstairs and the guest house was upstairs with five bedrooms. Mr. Reid reminded me of a movie star who was popular when ' talking pictures' came to Barbados about the early 40s. His name was Ruggles so I have always referred to Mr. Reid as Mr. Ruggles. He was a Canadian from either Montreal or Halifax, I think probably Monreal. Every winter in the 30s he would arrive on one of the "Lady Boats" of blessed memory and take up residence at the Markham and he would stay until mid-April and return on one of the Lady Boats. Every day he would enjoy early morning coffee and toast in his room, then breakfast at about 7 or 7.30; lunch at noon; afternoon tea at 4pm - with toast and cake or similar and finally dinner at 7. I tell you he and all of o ur guests - ate WELL. I wish I could find out what rate they paid. It would have been a pittance, but it made all the difference to our way of life and my father's health. He was a 'worrier' and would get bouts of depression. But when the guest house got going he had no further problems and enjoyed very good health throughout his life. So now I know Mr. Ruggles' real name. I am so grateful to you as I wanted to use his name in the story I am writing and one of the pictures I have of him. The one you sent would be great. He became one of the family.
  	Paul Foster's second birthday party 27th May 1927: Paul's second birthday was celebrated with a party at Boylston. Your Dad is in the centre row, third from right (tie askew) ! Ivan is at right in the same row. I am in the back row with my mother holding me in her left arm. She has a big smile and I have my head turned towards her. In the same row on the right, Aunt 'Toosie' is holding Jessica who is wearing a bonnet. Picture was taken on the lawn in front of Boylston. I have no memory of the afternoon.
  	6506 East Broadway, Burnaby, BC
  	L-R: Edgar Gittens, Clifford Gitens (At least one living or private individual is linked to this item - Details withheld.)
  	Edgar Gittens: Top row 4th from the left No. 22 Platoon No. 2 Coy A5 C.E.T.E. Petawawa, Ontario, Canada
  	L-R Audrey Lillian (Crittenden), Michael Foster, Edgar Clement Gittens, Leslie Edgar Gittens, Clifford Charles Gittens Arriving at a Coney Island - Bruds and Audrey took us. I think you know everyone in the picture except my son Michael who is between your parents holding their hands. It was only when i 'blew the print up' that I noticed that my wife Brenda in white spotted dress and dark glasses is behind you Leslie and your Dad and on his right, the lady in dark glasses is Brenda's mother. [ Paul Foster e-mail] (At least one living or private individual is linked to this item - Details withheld.)
  	L-R: Hilda (gittens) Wood, Annie (Foster) Gittens, Edgar Gittens this is my mother Hilda, your dad, and my grandmother Annie Gittens, ages not known
  	L-R: Back row Hilda Gittens, Edgar Gittens, front row Jessica Foster, Paul Foster My mother Hilda, your father, Jessica & Paul Ages not known Ann E.
  	Edgar Gittens St. Lucia Passport
  	Edgar Clement Gittens age 21 Family photos in an album that my brother Les has.
  	Edgar and Audrey Gittens Family photos in an album that my brother Les has.
  	Family pictures0063
  	Audrey (Crittenden) and Ed Gittens Audrey (Crittenden) and Ed Gittens circa 1947
  	Ruth Preston, Ed Gittens My father with his friend Ruth Preston. Ruth was a lovely lady who cared for my father during the last few years of his life.
  	329 Vancouver Street This is where my father lived in Victoria, from about 1982 until his death in 1987. 329 Vancouver Street
  	Ed Gittens, Audrey Gittens, Les Gittens Picture at Les's wedding (At least one living or private individual is linked to this item - Details withheld.)
  	Birth Certificate
  	Marriage Certificate ScanSnap Manager #S1300i
  	2014_01_25_07_00_300001
  	20241126_002
  	Scan20535 I found the attached print (good quality) of (l-r) Ivan, Hilda and Bruds outside the family home 'Boylston'. email was dated Feb 1 2009 Ai estimates agges as about 1926, with Ivan around ten, Ed around eight, and Hilda around six.
  	IMG_1544 Audrey and Ed in 1949. Photo source Les, from Mom's old album
  	2026-10-16-0007 Ed Gittens date and location unknown.
  	2026-10-16-0004 L-R: Audrey, Cliff, Ed. Picture taken about 1950. location unknown
  	2026-10-16-0003 Ed and Audrey Gittens on the left playing cards Nancy and Paul Johnson on the right side, Donna’s parents.
  	2026-10-16-0002 This is a family camping trip in the late 1950’s. location unknown. Ed Gittens is standing by the tent.
  	2026-10-16-0001 Ed Gittens, picture taken in Beacon Hill Park, Victoria. Date unknown
  	2026-10-11-0002 L-R: Richie, Tommie’s sister, Stan, Audrey, Sam, and Bertha. Picture taken at Farnham Camp, July 1943. In July 1943, Farnham Camp in Quebec served a dual purpose for the Canadian Army as both a recently vacated Prisoner of War (POW) facility undergoing a training transition and an active primary infantry training hub. Picture Source is from a photo album of my mother’s that Les gave to me when we were writing the family History Book.
  	2026-10-13-0003 This picture was taken in the back yard of the Coughtry Street house in the very early 1950’s. L-R: Ed Gittens, unknown, unknown, Sam McBeth, unknown, Audrey Gittens, Charles Crittenden (my Grandfather).
  	2026-10-11-0003 Stan, Audrey, Tommie. Taken at Farnman Camp Quebes in July 1943. In July 1943, Farnham Camp in Quebec served a dual purpose for the Canadian Army as both a recently vacated Prisoner of War (POW) facility undergoing a training transition and an active primary infantry training hub. Picture Source is from a photo album of my mother’s that Les gave to me when we were writing the family History Book.

  
  

• Sources

  [S126] Edgar Clement Gittens, military service. [S502] Edgar Clement Gittens, death certificate Not numbered (1987), Edgar Clement Gittens. [S503] Barbados, Vital Statistics Registration , Edgar Clement Gittens. [S504] St. Patrick's Church, photocopy privately held by Cliff Gittens , Edgar Clement Gittens, baptism record, baptism of Edgar Clement Gittens. [S493] copy privately held by Cliff Gittens, Edgar Clement Gittens. [S507] Government of Canada, Library and Archives Canada., "Military Service Record.", Education. [S508] Government of Canada, Library and Archives Canada., "Military Service Record.". [S509] Colony of Saint Lucia, British Passport issued by the Colony of Saint Lucia, (Passport dated 3 September 1942, number 10403 to Edgar Clement Gittens). [S510] Ancestry.com, New York Passenger Lists, 1820-1957, (Name: The Generations Network, Inc.; Location: Provo, UT, USA; Date:2006;). [S980] FamilySearch, "New York, New York Passenger and Crew Lists, 1909, 1925-1957," database with images,. [S188] . [S126] Edgar Clement Gittens, Residence of Edgar Clement Gittens. [S511] Green Box, (Name: May 8, 1946, Canadian Army;), Medal is filed in the Green box. [S243] Green Box, (Name: May 8, 1946, Canadian Army;). [S512] Government of Canada, Library and Archives Canada., "Military Service Record.". [S516] Personal knowledge of Clifford C Gittens, [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE]\., A copy of Ed's Social Insurance Number card was in found in his effects after his dealth. [S517] Canada., "Department of Citizenship and Immigration.", Certificate of Canadian Citizenship, Edgar Clement Gittens. [S519] Edgar Clement Gittens. [S521] Government of Canada, Library and Archives Canada., "Military Service Record.", War Medal. [S513] Personal knowledge of Clifford C Gittens, [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE]\. [S523] Edgar Clement Gittens. [S515] Edgar Clement Gittens. [S506] Edgar Clement Gittens. [S525] Barbados. Saint Michael.,   Barbados Advocate. [S300] Edwin J. Gittens to Annie E. Foster, Certificate #10. [S3526] Province of Quebec. Register of Civil Status, photocopy held privately by Cliff Gittens, Edgar Clement Gittens and Audrey Lillian Crittenden, marriage certificate D091579184-01, registration number 2194704101858 (1947), Gittens-Crittenden.