Northern Hardware's 68 year employee Hilliard Clare was born in Big Valley, Alberta 87 years ago in the year of 1929. Hilliard was a mere 18 months old when his father, a CN Railway employee in Calgary, took a transfer with the railway company that landed him and his family here in Prince George. They lived on CN property in the Cache that was exclusive to CN Rail employees. Hilliard, his older brother Walter (deceased) and two sisters Betty (deceased) and Marion all attended King George V Elementary School and Baron Byng High School. He finished his education at Prince George Secondary School.
You could always find Hilliard working at the Northern Hardware after school and on the weekends. He said, "My dream was to go on to school and attain a law degree. There was no money for continued education at that time so I just went to work full time at the Northern Hardware store. I drove the delivery truck and repaired bicycles. In January 1947 Thomson Ogg, my predecessor, invited me to work in the office along with him. I figured that I would try it for awhile. I was sure that I would not care for office work but 68 years later I am still there. I enjoy my job and all the people that I work with. "
Hilliard is a 58 year member of the Elks Lodge and a 56 year member of the Masonic Lodge; he volunteers his time as the building manager of the Masonic Lodge. He served as an alderman for the City of Prince George for 10 years from 1960 to 1969. He ran against Harold Moffat for mayor and came in short of 176 votes to take the seat.
Hilliard Clare was the youngest president of the Junior Chamber of Commerce in BC and he took on a unique and special project during his presidency. An appeal came out of England through a press release to Canada for bear skins hides. The hides were needed to make the hats for the Grenadier Guards. The bear skin hats were worn as a part of their ceremonial military uniform. Upon seeing the press release, Hilliard went to work gathering up bear skins and shipped 75 hides off to England. He has fond memories of it all and especially the thank you notes and the acknowledgements received from England.
Hilliard reflected back and told me about the time he applied for his first driver's license. He had already passed his written test and was all set to take the road test. He arrived at the police station in the government building - kiddy corner from the Northern Hardware - in his 1929 Buick. He said, "Norm DeWitt was the Staff Sargent at the time and his daughter was my age so he knew me quite well. He took the paper work and just signed it. My road test was his signature. I knew I was on my honour and I honoured that at all costs and I never disappointed him."
Here is a great story about the Prince George Sports Club that was started by some of the local sports enthusiasts of the day. Hilliard explained, "Our club held an annual fundraiser to raise money to sponsor the kids in softball and basketball. We sold lottery tickets for a chance to win money for the closest guess as to when the ice finally came off of Six Mile Lake. We distributed the lottery tickets all around the area to be sold for the big event. A friend of mine from Smithers sold the tickets and sent the money and the ticket stubs to me in the mail. At that point in time the mail was sorted in the mail cars and an astute mail sorter spotted my suspicious looking package and opened it. He turned the illegal mail delivery of lottery tickets evidence in to the Postmaster, Ernie Burden and I was called in for a conversation about it.
"My mail privileges and those of my parents were suspended for nearly eight months. My parents had a post office box and I received all my mail in their post office box so we all had our privileges suspended. I was embarrassed for my parents more so than for myself. The rule was that for the next eight months the post master would open all the mail and inspect it before it was personally handed over to us."
Hilliard had four children; Sheldon who is an instructor at the College of New Caledonia, Karen (Joe) Crump who is the Clinical Educator in the emergency department at the University Hospital of Northern British Columbia, Kevin who is a helicopter engineer and Bryan who is a crane operator. He is the proud grand father of three grand children.
Throughout our conversation I could clearly see that Hilliard is so very fond of Prince George. He laughed and said, "I saw many changes in Prince George over the years. I saw us go from dirt roads, to boards on the sidewalks. Later on I saw us go to pavement on the roads and now we have gone to potholes. I grew up with people of all nationalities and various backgrounds. I have established many good and long lasting friendships and I am thankful for that. The people in Prince George are friendly and helpful and it is indeed a great place to live."
Hilliard is one of the many longtime staff members of Northern Hardware, a landmark cornerstone of Prince George. He was a former partner of the company and he has always played a prominent and active role in the operation. He started with the company while he was still in high school and he still holds the position of the secretary treasurer. Today, and in this column, Hilliard would like to announce that after 71 years of service with Northern Hardware he is going to retire. By the end of August, 2016 he will be officially retired.
Congratulations Hilliard, I applaud you for 71 years of service to the same company - Northern Hardware - a non-big box company operating in our city for more than three generations, a company that has earned a reputation of 97 years of continuous and exceptionally great customer service. Both you and Northern Hardware have made a remarkable contribution to the City of Prince George and you are both one of the keepsakes of our City.
Congratulations Hilliard on a well-deserved retirement. Farewell, and as Harold Moffat used to say about his store, "If we don't have it, you don't need it!"
