Ray Jackson After the War

After Ray was invalided home in July 1919, he went to work for his brother Ernie Jackson at his Grey-Dort and Ford Agency in Teeswater, Ontario. He operated this business until 1922 when he left in January 1923 to take a Business Administration course at Shaw's Business School in Toronto. In 1923 he was hired by G. A. Secord, owner and operator of Danforth Dollar Taxi and in 1924 he joined the DriveYourself division of the Deluxe Cab Company who were Hertz licensees.

Hertz Drivurself
Danforth Ave.
Toronto

In April 1926 Ray married (Agnes) Norma Skilling his long-time fiancee from Teeswater. They had two children David (my husband) and Rosemary.

Ray Jackson left
Hertz
c. 1930

Ray Jackson
Hertz
1929

In 1931 Ray's boss, G.A. Secord purchased the Hertz franchise from General Motors and Ray stayed with the company and became Executive Vice-president of Hertz Drive Yourself Stations of Ontario Limited and Hertz Truck Lease of Ontario Limited.

He retired in December 1962 from Hertz, the largest car and rental operation in Canada and the largest Hertz Licensees in the world.

Ray never lost his interest in farming and in 1951 purchased a small farm in Richmond Hill and later a large farm  in Holt, Ontario where he raised Aberdeen Angus cattle. He was interested in golf and fishing and active in the United Church of Canada. He also volunteered his time with several business organizations and The Optimist Club which was founded in Canada by his brother-in-law, William M. Skilling. Ray lived by the Optimist Creed:

Ray Jackson died in Newmarket, Ontario in 1984 at the age of 87.

Soldiers' Civil Re-Establishment February 20, 1920 Shelburne, Ontario

Ray has requested a transfer from The Shelburne Garage back to Teeswater due to ill health in the family. His boss describes him as "honest and industrious".

Receipt for a Car and Ford Standardized Labour Charges Manual August 8, 1919

Ray bought a car as soon as he got home. He saves the Ford Standardized Labour Charges Manual. Perhaps he used it when working at Ernie's garage in Teeswater.

Ray with his 1916 Ford

Ray Jackson is back!

Soldiers' Civil Re-Establishment April 26, 1920

Ray finally receives a Vocational Pay cheque.

Soldiers' Civil Re-Establishment Undated letter 1920

An undated letter from the Department of Soldiers' Civil Re-Establishment re: procedures.

Soldiers' Civil Re-Establishment March 19, 1920

Ray runs into delays with the Department of Soldiers' Civil Re-Establishment.

Soldiers' Civil Re-Establishment and Returned Soldiers' Insurance February 12, 1920

Ray receives another letter instructing him to report to his brother Ernie's garage in Teeswater. He also seems to have sent in the application for Returned Soldiers' Insurance offered by the Canadian government.

Soldiers' Civil Re-Establishment February 9, 1920

In 1918-1919, 350,000 men return to Canada and start looking for work. Ray is among the last to return. The Canadian government provides some money for Soldiers' Civil Re-Establishment and Ray seems to have started his vocational retraining. He now wishes to work for his older brother,  Ernie Jackson, at the Gray-Dort Garage in Teeswater, Ontario.

The War Is Over and Ray Is Home. Now What?

The  war is over and Ray is home. During the time he was away he wrote to his girlfriend from Teeswater, Norma Skilling, and carried her photograph in his breast pocket. Unfortunately none of these letters survived, except a small scrap of paper with a few Valentine's Day verses sent to him by Norma.

Norma Skilling
c. 1916

Letters pertaining to Ray's re-establishment into civilian life will be posted as well as a short biography of what happened to him after the war. 

July 3, 1919 No. 5 Canadian General Hospital, Liverpool, England

Ray writes to his mother from No. 5 Canadian General Hospital, Liverpool, England. He expects to take the next hospital ship, The Essequibo, to Portland, Maine.

The Essequibo

May 1, 1919 Woodcote Park, Epsom

Ray writes to his older brother Bert about hopes for the future when he returns. "Ab" refers to his paternal uncle Albert Jackson.

April 28, 1919 Woodcote Park, Epsom

Ray is hopeful he will be home soon.

April 4, 1919 Woodcote Park, Epsom

Still frustrated by the delays, Ray writes his mother about how he is filling his time.