The Fleming family in Kilmarnock, 1907 (John driving, Wallace, mother Marion, May & sister Mary)

This is the first in a three-part series remembering John Fleming who served as a driver and mechanic in the First World War. Part 1 focuses on his early life and his fascination with automobiles, including his collection of annotated photographs from the earliest days of motoring.

John Fleming was born in Glasgow on May 21, 1888 to John Thomson Fleming and Marion Stewart. The family was living at 11 New City Road in 1897 when John’s father died tragically of meningitis at just 38. At some point after 1901 Marion and her four children moved to Kilmarnock where John became an apprentice with the Dunlop Motor Company.

The first of two galleries includes photos taken between 1906 and 1908 in Kilmarnock. The captions feature John’s handwritten notes from the back of each photo.

1907 Twin Cyl Rex. I did 60 miles per hour on this in a mile with stop watches timing me

I was offered 2/10 per week to drive this car all over Europe on a tour by the owners but my boss advised me to continue and finish my apprenticeship

1904 or 6 Minerva 4 cyl. I was on this job 6 weeks owing to regular driver being sick. I was an apprentice with Dunlop Motor Co. at the time.

This is a 1906 Clemont Talbot Car (Ed. notice the early licence plate)

On May 29, 1909 John, his mother Marion, sisters Margaret and Mary, and Wallace (possibly a cousin) departed Glasgow aboard the S.S. Cassandra bound for Montreal. They settled in Saskatchewan, primarily in Rouleau, 40 miles southwest of Regina.

Maggie Fleming with Roy and Edith

In 1911 John was lodging at a home on Rouleau’s Main Street and described himself as an Engineer working at a garage, likely the Excelsior Garage referred to in two of the photos below. In December 1912 John married Maggie Dalrymple Goldie in Moose Jaw and began raising his family in Rouleau. His son Roy was born in 1914 and a daughter Edith followed in August 1915.

The second gallery features John’s photos from his early days in Rouleau and includes the first car he ever owned, an Orient Buckboard. It also includes a series of three photos taken in June 1915 when a group of six motorists made the journey from Keota, Iowa to Rouleau:

“There were 6 cars we all stayed together for a week and helped each other through mud holes. I was 17 days on the road and it rained 14 of them. I lost 9 lbs in weight on the trip”

In December 1915 John enlisted with the Canadian Army Service Corps in Winnipeg. Part two will feature a letter and photos from his time in France in 1916 and 1917.

First car I ever owned, it’s an Orient Buckboard. Picture taken in Rouleau in 1910

1912 Mitchell 4 cyl. I had agency for these. Cost $2300 new.

J. E. Walls on horse, Charlie Bowen steering car. 1913 Sports Day at Rouleau.

Car is a 1912 or 1913 Reo. J.F. driving, E Charles, Mrs Charles, my mother, my wife. Roleau Sports Day 1913

See quote in main text

June 1915. J.F. 5th from right.

That small car in the rear was a 1915 490 Chev, 1st I ever seen.

1915 Cadillac 7 Pass Touring cost $5800. On way home from Keota Iowa to Rouleau June 1915.

John Fleming poses next to his 1915 Cadillac