You look just like your mother

The topic for the next edition of the Carnival of Genealogy is: What traits run in your family? Which of them did you inherit? Do you have your mother's blue eyes? Your grandfather's stubbornness? Your aunt's skill with knitting needles? Is there a talent for music in your family? Or do you come from a long line of teachers? Have you ever looked at an old photo and recognized your nose on another family member's face? Tell us all about your family traits

Well, I have a resemblance to my mother so I have been told but then I have heard also I look like my father. My curly hair and my blue eyes come from her (although her eyes were bluer than mine). My brother and his eldest son take after my mother's paternal side. My nephew David, before he started to cut his hair extremely short, looked very much like my mother's brother who took after his paternal side of the family. My sister looks more like my father's side of the family.

When my maternal grandparents were married on 11 May 1909, a photograph was taken of the family who attended.

Without looking at the names, you can tell which family the men belong to. The Johnston men have "extremely high foreheads", with just a fringe of hair at the back. Some of my male first cousins definitely have taken after their grandmother's side of the family.

Now one of the traits in the Iles family is the love of music, in particular brass band music. I do not know if this goes back beyond my grandfather. In Genealogists' Parade, I wrote about my grandfather and his part in the brass bands in Owen Sound. Although, I never learned to play a brass instrument, I love to hear brass bands play marches. Many of my uncles and my cousins have played brass instruments. My brother learned to play the trombone and his boys learned an instrument in elementary school. At Iles family reunions, the favourite part for me was when the family band would play. On several occasions, the band played for the public at Sauble Beach.

Genealogist's Parade

Bill West at West in New England gave a challenge in his posting 49 Genealogy Uses for a Flutaphone
on Parade,

It’s the Genealogist’s Parade and you have a float in it. It can be on anything or anyone in your family tree or it can reflect your heritage. It can be serious or humorous.

I don't think my relatives would be on a float; they would be marching with Grandpa as Bandmaster and he'd be playing the cornet.

Why would he be bandmaster?

William began playing cornet as a boy of 14 in England and he likely learned it in a Salvation Army Band in , South Heath, Birmingham, England. 

When he came to Canada, he reorganized the Salvation Army Band in Owen Sound. He was its leader for over 20 years. In the 6 August 1988 and 3 February 1990 issues of the War Cry (a Salvation Army newspaper), Lieutenant-Colonel Herbert Wood ( R ) shared his memories of William Iles as the band leader in 1914.

In World War I, William enlisted with the 76 battalion and went overseas in March 1916. He was a bandsman and a stretcher bearer. He arrived home on 24 April 1919. When he returned home at the train station, he was met by his friends and relatives and the Salvation Army Band. In 1924, he took over leadership of the Canadian Legion Band. The band was later taken over by the municipality and it became the Owen Sound City Band. He led it for many years and was later deputy bandmaster. He played until he was 76 years old.

Now who else would be in this band? Through the magic of time and space, I would not limit the band members to those of his generation. Of course, his brothers Emmanuel and Harold would be marching along playing their trombones. His six sons along with his nephews. grand-nephews, grandchildren and great-grandchildren along with a few in-laws who would be playing their chosen instrument -- a partial list would include, Wilf on sousaphone, Cliff on alto horns, Don on drums, Dave on mellaphone, Bob on alto saxophone, Bob and Merv and Harold on baritone saxophones, Greg, Don, Ray and Ken on trumpets, Heather on cornet, Dennis and Clarence on euphoniums, Frank and Jack on trombones, Corrine on flute, Christine on clarinet, with Ann on E flat alto horn.

Grandpa is on the right. Photograph of the City Band at the Victory Parade in 1945.