By Wendy Elliott
Back in November of 2008 in one of the many columns Glen Hancock wrote for this newspaper, he surveyed the colourful characters of his hometown during the 1920s and '30s. Suspecting he was viewed as one today, Hancock noted, "I don't mind being a character, but if I am, I hope I'm a nice one."
Wolfville has lost not only a nice character, but also a much-admired home son. At almost 92, Hancock was felled Dec. 4 after a series of strokes.
Born in 1919, Hancock was molded by the Great Depression and the community he grew up in. His first memoir, My Real Name is Charley, details trying circumstances.
When he was 10 years old, his mother left home. She disappeared to “the Boston States” and never returned. Left behind were five sons, the youngest less than a year old.
“I don't remember her saying goodbye,” Hancock recalled many years later. In retrospect, he said, "I am grateful for the interest shown in me and my siblings by caring members of the community."
Hancock’s father ran a livery stable. It burned with a couple of cars inside not long after the family lost its mother. They moved several times. During those hard times the kids were often hungry. The boys wore shirts made from flour sacks and gleaned coal from the railway tracks to keep warm.
Then the family home burned and the boys were split up for the winter. Come spring, they all moved into a renovated hen house, where they stayed for more than a year until they could afford to upgrade.
Hancock was never bitter about his youth. He observed how everyone was impacted by the Depression. He described a neighbour setting out routinely every morning, despite the fact he no longer had a job.
Hancock didn’t particularly like school, but he had a keen sense of intellectual curiosity. His experience as a Wolfville Scout, he acknowledged, helped him to develop. On graduating from high school, he became the first recipient of the Wolfville Rotary Club’s university scholarship.
Hancock’s career as a newsman, public relations advisor and lecturer in journalism was exemplary. He received an honourary degree from the University of Kings College for his efforts in founding its School of Journalism.
During his long retirement Glen wrote four books, taught creative writing, travelled widely and contributed to the Wolfville Historical Society. The Old Boys Club, a group of men who had attended school together in Wolfville, was another important outlet that illustrated his deep community connections.
