Alfred Burnie & Harriett Matt
Alfred and Harriett had 9 children (for a list of the children, see Burnie Family Tree). My father, Maurice, was one of them. Large families were not uncommon (Alfred's father, James, had 10), but there was a very practical reason for this. They not only raised their own labour, but increased the prospect of being cared for in their old age.
This photograph was taken in front of the house, here at the farm, and looks onto the orchard. The apple trees (mostly of the "Duchess" variety) are all gone now, but the maple tree [just over Alfred's left shoulder] is still standing, and looks much as it did in this photo.