Local Journalism Initiative
Radha Agarwal, Local Journalism Initiative The Northern View
The evening was a joyful mix of piano melodies, delicious treats, carolling, and heartfelt conversations.
Charlotte Rowse turned 100 years old this year and proudly continued the tradition of hosting the women’s sherry party in its 74th year.
The event originated in 1950 when Mary Tasman started it. After she left the city in 1952, Rowse took over and hosted the event for 71 years at her home in Prince Rupert. For the first time this year, she held it at Acropolis Manor, her new residence.
“It brings the women together, especially people who are new to the community. And that’s what Rupert’s all about, it’s the people.”
Hilary Cassady
Rowse skied, swam, and boated well into her 90s and still occasionally entertains locals with her popular piano melodies. Her neighbours, friends, and family call her the “Potluck Queen of Prince Rupert.”
Hilary Cassady, Rowse’s daughter, views this as a great opportunity for adult women of all ages to come together and celebrate.
“One of the things I want to keep going as my mom’s daughter, is to keep the sherry party going, because I think it brings the women together, especially people who are new to the community. And that’s what Rupert’s all about, it’s the people. And I also think it’s just a great network for women because we don’t always have those opportunities,” said Cassady.
Some years, Rowse hosted upward of 100 women at her place.
“She’s very, very social, and she always has people over at her house,” said Cassady. “She just was really good with networking with people and making sure people felt welcome to the community. She also used to welcome the cruise ships and direct them to my brother’s coffee shop.”
She also made sure the town was beautified before cruise ship passengers stopped by.
Rowse was born in and has lived all her 100 years in Rupert, and she has always embodied civic pride. Whenever unhappy with the city, she actively wrote letters to the municipal government.
“It’s like Rupert’s history.”
Teresa Mackereth
During her sherry party, she joyfully played the piano on popular tunes such as “Jingle Bells” and “Deck the Halls” as the attendees sang along.
She was a member of the Rotary Choir and pianist at Annunciation Church for 30 years. Until she was 96-years-old, she frequently visited her son’s shop, Cowpuccino’s, to play the piano.
Rowse would ask her granddaughters, Sarah and Jade, to make cut-out invitations from old Christmas cards and deliver them around the neighbourhood for her sherry party.
“Her place was always decorated like in a magazine,” said Terry Rudderham, Rowse’s niece by marriage.
“It’s like Rupert’s history,” is how Teresa Mackereth, a long-time attendee of the party, describes the event.
Another guest, Mercedes de la Nuez, noted that Rowse’s parties consistently showcase fantastic food and used to offer stunning views when she held them at her house. She would decorate the gatherings with beautiful themes, such as a golden Christmas, marking the start of the holiday season and helping everyone get into the festive spirit.
“You’d get to see all the ladies you don’t usually see,” she added.
Nuez remembers Rowse’s elegantly decorated home would be so packed with people, it would be a “standing room only” affair.
Of Spanish heritage herself, she said most people in the party gradually arrived as immigrants for various reasons, such as fishing including those from Sweden, Portugal, Spain and other countries. This occasion served as a warm embrace from the community.
“I think everybody is too caught up in the internet online, and streaming and TV, that people don’t get together like they used to.”
Judy Fraser
“Everyone’s a lot more open to newcomers because we’ve all been there ourselves,” said Nuez.
“It’s like an after-dinner drink… It just makes for a nice tradition,” she added.
“Her husband and her [Charlotte] had more parties in December than I have in a year. They have a block a party, a neighbourhood party, her sherry party. They had a party with the Rupert skiers. Her husband had a Scotch party. And that was all in December,” said attendee and friend Judy Fraser.
Fraser finds these parties to be essential for the community.
“I think everybody is too caught up in the internet online, and streaming and TV, that people don’t get together like they used to. And this, as you can see… it’s a continuing friendship, and it’s the heart of the city,” she said.
