Flag raising on Canada Day

Another foggy morning greeted the 27 people attending the Canada flag raising at Swallowtail. Guests were Claire Foster and constable Mitch King of the RCMP. Claire's husband Richard (Dick) is Thomas Foster's great nephew. Mr. Foster's wife was badly burned lighting the light at Swallowtail in 1936 and died the next day.

Elodie and Thomas Foster

After talking with Claire Foster today, I drove to the cemetery where both Elodie and Thomas Foster, lightkeepers at Swallowtail, are buried (on Hill Road) and easily found their grave markers alongside the road with other Fosters including Thomas' brother.

Elodie was 44 when she died because of the accident lighting the lantern at Swallowtail. Thomas lived exactly twice that time, dying when he was 88. He did remarry after Elodie's death.

The last lightkeeper at Swallowtail, Grimmer Ingersoll, is also buried in the same cemetery.