Walter Harrison Callow (1894 - 1958)

Born 23 Jan 1894 in Parrsboro, Cumberland, Nova Scotia, Canada

Husband of Florence E (Dunkerton) Callow — married 10 Nov 1915 in Advocate Harbour, Cumberland, Nova Scotia, Canada

Died 7 Jan 1958 at age 63 in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada

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Biography

Walter Callow is Notable.

Walter Callow participated in Canadian History.

Walter Callow, a veteran severely injured in a training exercise during World War I, invented the accessibility (Wheelchair) bus for veterans.

Walter was born on January 23, 1894 in Parrsboro, Nova Scotia. His parents were John P. Callow, an American, and Annie S Smythe, a Canadian. ^[1] In 1901, he was living with his family in Cumberland County, Nova Scotia. ^[2] While growing up he learned to be a mechanic. ^[3] In 1911, he was living with his parents,one brother and one sister. ^[4] On November 10, 1915, he married Florence E Dunkerton. ^[5][6]

In 1917, while a member of the Royal Flying Corps in Camp Mohawk, Ontario, Walter crashed during a test flight. He ended up with a severe spinal injury and a heart condition. He was in the hospital for about a year. ^[7] He started a lumber business in Advocate, Nova Scotia while enduring many trips to the hospital. In 1931, Walter became bedridden but he continued work as a real estate agent. By 1937, Walter became a permanent resident of Camp Hill Hospital in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Two years later he was blind and quadriplegic and eventually had both legs amputated. ^[8]

While at the Hospital, he established a board of directors and hired two secretaries. He established the Callow Cigarette Fund to send cigarettes to soldiers serving overseas during World War II. Canadians serving overseas received over three million cigarettes in his name. After the War, in 1947, he turned his cigarette fund into a wheelchair coach service for disabled veterans returning from war. He started in Pubnico, Nova Scotia, by having two custom-made buses built. Eventually, General Motors and Ford continued the building of the wheelchair buses. His company was called "Callow Veterans' and Invalids' Welfare League” and was situated in Halifax. Walter was unable to speak, so used a special device that was slipped over his head with a tiny earphone and a mouthpiece. He was unable to hold anything in his bent hands and arms. Constantly in pain, he lay on his back, his head a little lower than his body.^[9]

Walter passed away in 1958 at Camp Hill Hospital. ^[10] His funeral was conducted in Halifax with full military honours. The only time that Walter had the opportunity to ride on his bus was when his body was returned to Advocate, Nova Scotia to be buried. On August 10, 2001, there was an unveiling of the Walter Callow Memorial Plaque at the Advocate cemetery.^[11]

The Walter Harris Callow Foundation was established in Walter's honor. Its mission is to carry on the work that Walter began. Learn more about the Foundation here.

Sources

1. ↑ https://archives.novascotia.ca/images/vital-statistics/births/1904/1904-71401729a.jpg Birth Registration: Year: 1904 number: 71401729
2. ↑ "Canada Census, 1901," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KHKL-BRV : 23 February 2021), Walter Callow in household of John Callow, Cumberland, Nova Scotia, Canada; citing p. 11, Library and Archives of Canada, Ottawa.
3. ↑ http://www.waltercallow.ca/waltercallowstory.pdf
4. ↑ "Recensement du Canada de 1911," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QV9R-W5D3 : 16 March 2018), Walter Callow in entry for John Callow, 1911; citing Census, Cumberland Sub-Districts 1-45, Nova Scotia, Canada, Library and Archives of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario; FHL microfilm 2,417,683.
5. ↑ https://archives.novascotia.ca/vital-statistics/marriage/?ID=150037 Registration: Year: 1915 number: 37789
6. ↑ "Nova Scotia Marriages, 1907-1932," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVBK-ZF4V : 3 March 2021), Walter Harrison Callow and Florence E Dunkerton, 10 Nov 1915; citing Advocate Harbour, Cumberland, Nova Scotia, Canada, p. , Nova Scotia Archives, Halifax, Nova Scotia
7. ↑ http://www.waltercallow.ca/waltercallowstory.pdf
8. ↑ https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_Harris_Callow
9. ↑ http://www.waltercallow.ca/waltercallowstory.pdf
10. ↑ https://archives.novascotia.ca/vital-statistics/death/?ID=409431 Death Registration: Year: 1958 number: 1026
11. ↑ Find A Grave: Memorial #154466239

See Also

• https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2194&dat=19500823&id=vbsvAAAAIBAJ&sjid=fNwFAAAAIBAJ&pg=887,1549248
• https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1946&dat=19530226&id=s8AtAAAAIBAJ&sjid=lZkFAAAAIBAJ&pg=2718,4438981
• https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1946&dat=19550322&id=SoItAAAAIBAJ&sjid=X5kFAAAAIBAJ&pg=7237,3281933
• Find A Grave: Memorial #154466239
• Find A Grave: Memorial #154466407