Some background to the situation in Canada at the time Oliver came back to visit England in 1930. If he'd been employed in farming these factors may have played a part::
- a severe drought in 1929 which was catastrophic for people living in the western part of Canada. The main resources of the prairies were crops, and wheat in particular. The economy there was dependent on these crops. The drought made it extremely difficult for farms to bring in a good harvest. For this reason, many farms failed and it became very hard for Western Canadians to make a living.
- the Great Depression. Apparently a large number of unemployed immigrants were deported from Canada
But at least Oliver had managed to save £150;- a tidy sum for an 18 year old at that time.
Viv