March 7, 2003:

Hi Al,
 
I am also researching my father's side of the family and I have found some 
very interesting history. Could you take a quick look at the picture I am 
attaching? I am told that this is a picture of the Governor General's Foot Guards 
that my Grandfather, Alphonse Heyendal was a member of. He was recruited from 
Belgium to play in this band. He played the base fiddle, I still have this base 
fiddle. The year must have been approx. 1890-1896. I have searched the internet 
for more info on this band and have found little for this time period. The statue, 
as you probably know is on Parliament Hill.


 
Also, I have a letter signed personally from Prime Minister R. B. Bennett to my 
father thanking him for a sketch that was done of himself by my father Henri 
Heyendal. The year was 1931. It has the Government seal on it. I would love to 
see the sketch!
 
My father worked with Jean Dallaire in Hull, apparently they were best friends. 
I am told that their are personal letters between my father and Dallaire archived 
at the Museum of Civilization. Are you familiar with Jean Dallaire? One of Jean's 
earlier Portraits, The Man from Hull, displayed from time to time in the Ottawa Art 
Gallery is of my father. We also have another portrait by Dallaire of my Dad.
 
If any of this is of interest to you please let me know. I am finding this amazing 
as I never knew anything about my father's early life until I cleaned out our 
basement last October. Dad is 92 and I only wish I had started this research 
much earlier. 
 
Thank you again
 
Anne-Marie Ibell (new e-mail address December 19, 2003)
 June 18, 2004:
Hi there,

I was just doing a little research on Le Hullois (the Man From Hull) by
Jean Dallaire and fell upon your web page
and would like more info if you have it available.

I know that you said that it was a portrait of your father. However, a
family friend, Jean Dallaire's niece, recently dug up a book of
Dallaire's work and looked at that portrait. She is still in contact
with my mother and showed her the book and drew her attention to this
piece. My mother later showed the picure to my sister and myself. We
all thought that it looked a lot like my grand-father, Omer Dicaire
(your father may have known him or his brothers Adélard Dicaire & Jean
Dicaire). Jean Dallaire grew up at 57 Vaudreuil, my grand-father at 59
Vaudreuil. My grand-father was 5 years older than Dallaire.

The print we have access to is very small and the only info that I have
is that Dallaire painted the piece after having met a local friend on
the street. I'll be sure to visit the national Gallery this Summer to
get more info & hopefully see the original or at least a larger copy of
the art.

Do you have any more info on the piece or a copy of it that is more
than just a thumbnail? This piece has really caught my attention.

Sincerely,
Fred Daly