Norman Gould Family
Norman Gould came to Alberta about 1915 to work at the homestead of his friend Myer Potter. Norman had, at the age of 11, been the last of his family to emigrate from Poland to the United States.
The Potter family, including son Myer and one-year-old Ida, had reached America in 1900. Following the death of his father, Myer decided, about 1915, to take advantage of the Canadian government’s offer of free farm land to homesteaders.
Myer Potter soon gave up on farming and moved to Calgary, where he opened a dairy product store. Norman came to the city as well, and learned the meat-cutting trade. In 1917 he married Ida. In 1919, her younger sister, Molly Potter, married Sam Kline.
Norman and Ida Gould were active in Jewish communal life from the beginning. Norman Gould served as President of the B’nai B’rith lodge and was Chairman of a BB Western Canadian council conference in 1938. He devoted much energy to the development of the House of Israel community building, and was an ardent Talmud Torah and Zionism supporter.
He was a popular and eloquent speaker (in both Yiddish and English) at community events, and frequently made fund-raising appeals at high Holy day services.
Ida’s main concern was her family, but she was active in Hadassah and served as a Chapter President for one year in the 1920’s.
The family income came from Norman Gould’s butcher shop in the City Hall Market on 7th Avenue and 2nd Street E. He was one of a number of Jewish merchants, including the Sheftels and the Barons, who operated market stalls in the busy centre.
Ida and Norman Gould had three children: Marcel, Alfred (Alfie) and Dodie. All three moved to California.
Norman Gould retired from the retail meat business about 1960. Ida passed away in 1970 at age 71. Norman died in 1978 at 85.