Distinguished citizen and Barr born in Richmond,
Surrey, England on January 26th, 1883. He served as an apprentice to the
firm of Spencer Turner Ltd. of London, England, in the drapery business, before
arriving in Canada with the famed Barr Colony in 1903.
As has been recorded in the
"Times" newspaper, the 20-year old homesteaded and participated in the
rugged lifestyle of the day. Later, he became a clerk in W. L. Cameron's
store. He later opened his own business, owning and operating his
well-known Messum's ladies ready-to-wear and dry goods business. His
eldest son, John joined him in the firm in 1944. Messum's store, on 50th
Avenue where the entrance to the Co-op Mall is now located, was a vital part of
the community for many years. As well as ladieswear and dry goods. Mrs.
Miller's Millinery occupied a front corner, and a beauty parlor was in another
area. This created one stop shopping for the women of the community.
Mr. Messum was a firm believer in
supporting the community. He contributed in many
ways. He was a School Board Member for 33 years, 29 of which were served
as Chairman. Mr. Messum was Chairman of the Retail section of the Board of Trade
for many years. He was Director of the Arena and Exhibition boards.
He held a keen interest in preserving the early history of the Barr Colonists
and instrumental in raising funds for the Bishop Lloyd and City of Lloydminster
scholarships. He was the first and permanent secretary of the Lloydminster
Barr Colonists and Old Timers Association. Mr. Messum spearheaded a drive
for funds to erect a permanent log cabin on the exhibition grounds. It
would house the many photo and exhibits typifying the life of the pioneer in the
district.
In other community projects, he was
a member of the Century Club, a group of businessmen who joined forces to become
a fund to establish a Legion Memorial Hall. He was a charter member of the
Greenwood School District. He was a member of the Lloydminster Boy Scout
Association for a number of years.
In his 83rd year, Mr. Messurn died October 19, 1966 at the Royal Alexandra Hospital, Edmonton. Mr. Messum was predeceased by a son Stan, in the RCAF in 1945, and by his wife in September1961. He is survived by his sons, Jack, and Alex