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Percy Atwood Lumsden was born on April 24, 1921 at what we now call "The Old Farm" in Cook's Cove, Guysborough County. He was the youngest of three children, and the only son.

Percy was named after his Uncle Percy, who had been killed in World War I. Another son had been born previously, named John Percy Lumsden, but was stillborn - the umbilical cord was wrapped around his neck. He is buried at the "Old Farm", behind where the barn used to be located.

Percy had two older sisters. Mildred, and Ruth . They were children of Homer Atwood and Gertrude Mabel (Scott) Lumsden, who had been married on April 30th, 1913, in Boston, Massachusetts, by Rev. E. Ellsworth Shumaker, Pastor of Shawmut Church. More about Homer and Gertrude Lumsden. More about the Lumsden family from Canso.

Homer and Gertrude, with their small daughter, Mildred, moved back to Nova Scotia and purchased the "Old Farm". It was near Gertrude's parents, Moses and Matilda Scott, who lived in a huge house near the junction of the "shore road", and the old road. Moses Scott was the first lighthouse keeper in Guysborough. More about the Scott Family         Percy's toy monkey
	Percy, age 2, with "Sheppie"               Another picture of Percy, age 2              Percy with Shep

In the early 1920's, Gertie's brother, Joe Scott, died. His wife, Alma (MacKenzie) had predeceased him. They had a total of 11 children, but several died as infants. The older children were old enough to be on their own. The younger children were "farmed out" to homes in the Guysborough County area.

Homer and Gertie took in two of them - Alvin and Jennie Gertrude. Alvin (Allie) Scott was drowned near the Guysborough lighthouse. Jennie spent the rest of her childhood growing up with the Lumsden family in Cook's Cove. More about Jennie (Jean)

Left to right - Jennie, unknown, Mildred, Ruth

When Percy   was four years old, the family moved from "The Old Farm" to a new home, also in Cook's Cove - the Percy Peart property that they bought from Lottie Grant, Percy Peart's widow, who had remarried. This new property was in Gertrude Lumsden's name alone, and the reason was simple - Gertie wanted to vote and only property owners could vote. They purchased the land, which consisted of thirty acres, some cleared for pasture, some for farming, and also Percy Peart's fishing boat, nets and other fishing equipment.

The house was built into the hillside, and consisted of three levels. On the lowest level was the kitchen, the cellar area, and what was referred to as the "rough room".

Another picture showing Jean, Ruth and Percy by front steps

Stairs   ran from the outside to the center of the middle floor. On this level there was the parlor, the dining room, a bedroom, a hall and another small room off the hall. There also was a porch built on the back of the house. The third floor contained two bedrooms. The house was a typical "Cape Cod" style house in its shape, but inconveniently laid out, with a huge central chimney and narrow circular staircase.

The property was entirely fenced - along the front running parallel to the road, with a gate that opened to allow vehicles to enter, and a smaller gate for foot traffic. More fencing ran behind the house, to keep the cows in the field and away from the house. Fences ran on either side of the property between adjoining neighbours, and more fences at the back of the field to separate it from the back pasture, which was also fully fenced. Another picture of the house - in winter. Across the road was a large barn and other outbuildings, including a woodhouse, fish shed and workshop. The barn had an attached chicken coop. Gertrude Lumsden, Percy's mother, had an amazing green thumb. She planted an apple and cherry orchard, as well as a lilac hedge that ran the entire width of the property facing the road. The trees that she planted along the southern edge of the property are huge today. Gertie was also a wonderful cook and exceptional housekeeper. She went through the house, room by room, on a daily basis, cleaning - sweeping and dusting. Her cooking and baking were legendary - she used the best, freshest ingredients. As a teenager, Percy used to devour 3/4 of an apple pie (which were baked by the half dozen or more at a time) along with a quart of milk before going to bed at night.