Tidball, Albert Edward “Bert” or “A.E.”

Albert “Bert” Tidball was born May 30, 1903 in Sunnyslope, Alberta. He was the son of W.E. Tidball and Minallie (Smith) Tidball. He married Laura Margaret (Black) Tidball. He died on February 5, 1981 in White Rock, BC.

The A.E. Tidball family came from Bowden, Alberta, in April 1939 when he bought the Princeton Meat Market and the Princeton Cash Store, previously the business of Matheson Brothers of Coalmont. He named his new business “Princeton Market” (1939). He hired extra staff (Jack Ward of Coalmont) in June 1939.   

A.E. Tidball was, at one time, a teacher and scout master and he was disappointed that there was not a Scout troop in his new community. He soon formed a group in Princeton and became the scoutmaster to the newly-formed (but not first) Princeton boy scout troop in July 1939. The Princeton Boy Scout Association was formed and the scout group became known as the “1st Princeton Boy Scout Troop (1939).”

Both Bert and Laura Tidball tried “aquaplaning,” considered a “a new form of sport” on Dry Lake as part of the Elks, Ski Club, Legion, and Game Association outing at Dry Lake in late August 1939.

Tidball took an active part in the community in the five years the family lived in Princeton. Not only was he the new scoutmaster but he also was a member of the United Church As One Who Serves (A.O.T.S.) Club (1940), member of the Princeton Gun Club and competitor in trap shooting (1940); member of the Princeton Board of Trade, committee for the Fall Fair (1940);  served on light and power rates committee (1940); chairman of the Princeton Pro-Rec centre (1940); member of the Princeton Curling Club (1941); member of the Princeton Softball League (1942). 

During the war, he supported the local war effort by donating to the Red Cross in 1940 ($8.00); serving as a member of the committee for War Services Fund local drive (1941); served as the evacuation warden of District 2 as a member of the Advisory Committee of the Princeton Civilian Protection Committee (1942). 

He enlisted at Calgary, Alberta in 1942 and served two years in the military as a the regimental quartermaster sergeant at the 31^st (Alta) Reconnaissance Regiment at Sarcee, Alberta. He was medically discharged in 1944. Returning to Princeton, he served on the executive of the Princeton Legion (1944).

In November 1944, the Similkameen Star reported that the Tidball house had been purchased by Anglican church to be used as a vicarage. His store was purchased by Lombard and Colwell later that same month (November 1944).

The Tidball’s moved to Penticton in July 1945. A few days later, his cold storage plant in Penticton burned down.