Russell Post Office, 1909

Russell Post Office, Pelly Avenue, 1936
This Post Office was burnt down December 9th, 1936. This building was originally the main half of the second school in Russell.

THE RUSSELL POST OFFICE - Banner Country History 1967

The Post Office from 1900 to 1909 was situated at the back of Smellie Brothers store, until the new store was built. It was a square flat-roofed leanto. Charlie Thom, Smellie's bookeeper, jovially served the public at the wicket.

In 1913 P. H. Nelson succeeded Mr. Smellie after seventeen year's service. His first office was in the Ledingham block, about where Bob McMurray's office now is. In 1911 he bought the main part of the old school building, moved it to the corner of Pelly Avenue and Westbourne St, and converted it into a post office with a suite above, in which Mr. and Mrs. Nelson lived with their three daughters, Gwen, Enid and Cecilia. This building was destroyed by fire.

That was a night! Effie Thom who lived within a block of the fire, was in bed. Her four children were sleeping peacefully. From her window she could see the fiery orange red in the sky. "The end of the world has come," she thought. She climbed back into bed consoling herself that she hadn't done anything wrong. In a minute or two, her neighhour Mrs. C. J. Maher, roused her by shouting that the post office was ablaze.

In 1937 the new government post office building was opened on Main Street with P. H. Nelson as postmaster. Mr. Nelson, besides being Mayor of the town during some of the depression years, was elected to serve as president of the postmaster's association at a convention in Brandon. After Mr. Nelson's death, Mrs. Nelson held the position until 1943, when H. R. Dicketts, an assistant for three years, took charge.

Henry Dicketts and Mrs. Dicketts after ten years of Service in the post office and as untiring workers with the Legion and Anglican Church, resigned to retire in Victoria B.C. They have two daughters, Winnifred and Frances ( Todd ) .

Thomas Smart was then chosen postmaster and still does an efficient job. He has as his reliable and obliging assistants - Miss Beth Naylor, Miss Gwen Bennett and Ted Yankoski, all of Russell. (1967)

Name	Date of Appointment	Date of Vacancy
William Denmark	1880-11-01	1885-04-03
John Brown	1885-07-01	1886-09-27
John G. Boulton	1887-01-01	1892-06-14
John Brown	1892-10-01	1897-05-01
A.G. P. Smellie	1897-08.01	1913-08-22
Percy H. Nelson	1913-09-17	1842-10-02
Mrs. Jean Violet Nelson	1942-10-03	Acting
Henry Richard Dicketts	1944-10-06	1957-10-31
Mrs. G. Mary Bennett	1957-11-01	Acting
Thomas Edward O. Smart	1958-01-28	Acting
Thomas Edward O. Smart	1959-02-01	1987-01-28
Agnes Klimack	1987-01-28	Acting
Ronald MacGranachan	1987-04-03	1995-03-31
James Roszell	1995-04-01	Present

NEW - History being collected. If you live or have ever lived in the Russell area please click here.