Radio Supper Dish

This Historic Recipe, Radio Supper Dish by Mrs. Ray Gregory, comes to us from “Cook Book” – C.E.E. Hospital Guild – 1953.

Margaret Annabell Scott was born on September 27 1902 in Enniskillen Township to John, the son of Noble and Mary (Walsh) Scott, and Margaret Frances (McRitchie) Scott, the daughter of George and Prudence (Bushel) McRitchie.

Margaret’s father John had been married twice. His first wife was Charlotte (Wolsey) Scott (abt 1851 – 1889), the daughter of Thomas and Mary Ann (Hagon) Wolsey.

John had seven children with his first wife Charlotte:

• Thomas Noble Scott- 1874 – 1885
• William Albert Scott – 1876 – 1894
• John Francis (Frank) Scott – 1878 – 1944
• James Andrew Scott – 1880 – 1909
• Mary Clarisa Scott – 1882 – 1882
• Ida Mable Scott – 1886 – 1886
• Arthur Edgar Scott – 1889 - 1889

He then went on to marry Margaret Frances (McRitchie) Scott and they had four children together:

• Gladys May Scott – 1893 – 1896
• Edna Grace Scott – 1898 – 1900
• Edith Prudentia Scott Howes – 1901 – 1985
• Margaret Annabel Scott (Gregory) Smith

Margaret’s father John was an oil driller and later became an Inspector of Oil and Gas Wells for the Ontario Department of Mines; a job he performed for twenty-seven years before retiring when he was about 91 years of age – just two years before his death.

Margaret had worked in Detroit as a stenographer, the furthest from home she had ever traveled. In 1919 her boyfriend Albert “Ray” Gregory, who also worked as a oil driller, came to her and told her he had an opportunity to drill for oil in Trinidad but he wouldn’t take the job unless Margaret was willing to marry him and go to Trinidad with him.

Margaret agreed but was skeptical that her parents would approve. She told Ray it would be best to approach her father for permission when her mother was not at home and to her surprise he agreed.

Ray, the son of George and Mary (Ross) Gregory, and Margaret were married on April 6 1921 and they received their passports and the ship tickets all in the span of one week.

They began their 15-day journey to Trinidad. Margaret became seasick and was not impressed by the behavior of the men on the ship gambling and playing cards. She was not used to this sort of thing and she wished she were home. Ray was earning $375/month (which would be equivalent to $6,082.92 CAD in 2024) which in 1919 was a great deal of money.

On June 2 1922, while in Trinidad, their first child Marion Unah Gregory was born. She went on to marry George William Gardiner and passed away on February 20 2000. They moved from Trinidad to Venezuela. In both places they were well taken care of and had servants, housing and transport provided. (to learn more about Margaret’s time as the wife of an international driller be sure to read “Hard Oiler” by Gary May). They then returned home to Petrolia, settled into a large brick home at 441 Greenfield St. and had two more children. The house still stands today with the wrought iron fence.

Their second born, Marcia Annabel Gregory, was born on December 17 1935. She first married Ernest L. Blamer in First Baptist Church, Petrolia in 1959. Her second marriage was to Duncan Smith. She moved to Winchester, UK in 1971 and passed away there on January 30 2019.

Their youngest child was Paul George Gregory who was born on August 9 1939. He married Sheila Ann Clements in 1961 and then married a second time to Shirley (Case) Thuss. Paul passed away in 1999.

Margaret’s first husband, Albert “Ray” Gregory, passed away in 1970 and was laid to rest in Hillsdale Cemetery in Petrolia.

Margaret was an active member of the community and an active member of First Baptist Church which she attended most of her life. She was also an active member of both the Margaret Stokes Chapter of the I.O.D.E. as well as the C.E.E. Hospital Auxiliary.

Margaret spent her winters in Florida and it was here that she met her second husband Ray Smith. Ray was born in Braxton County, West Virgina, USA. Prior to meeting Margaret, he was a resident of Warsaw, Illinois. Ray was a widower he had lost his first wife, Chloreva, in 1973. He and his first wife had three children together.

Margaret and Ray Smith both passed away in 2001; Ray on August 16th and Margaret on November 24th. Margaret was laid to rest beside her first husband, Ray Gregory, in Hillsdale Cemetery, Petrolia.

Instructions

Use a large skillet. Melt Crisco and add onions and pepper. Cook until onions are yellow. Add steak and brown it. Cut up the mushrooms and add. Also the tomatoes to which a little sugar has been added. Add the spaghetti. Put in a casserole and put grated cheese or bacon strips on top.