Claude Britiff Tidd (1886 – 1949)
Claude Tidd was born in England in 1886. He received a teaching certificate in 1908 and immigrated to Canada in 1910. He joined the Royal North-West Mounted Police in 1914 and was sent north after a year in Regina. He was posted to many communities in Yukon and northern British Columbia over his years with the Force.1)
In 1915, Tidd was stationed in Dawson where he was known to play the saxophone.2) In May 1917, he relieved Corporal Dempster at Rampart House and was stationed there for two years.3) The Anglican Church was glad to have their organ player return to Dawson in 1919.4) In July 1921, Tidd replaced Sergeant Harper at the Atlin detachment just before the detachment closed.5)
In September 1922, Tidd arrived at Ross River in a canoe. He relieved officer Chappie Chapman who was returning to Whitehorse.6) John Dickson was Tidd’s Special Constable at Ross River.7) The Money family met the Tidd’s at Ross River in 1928, and they were still there when Money travelled back through two years later.8) In March 1929, the Corporal Tidd and his wife arrived in Whitehorse on their way outside on a two month leave. They mushed by dog team 310 miles from the Ross River RCMP post and were surprised when a plane flew over them when they reached the Yukon River valley. They were not aware that planes were operating in the Yukon.9)
Claude Tidd served in the Force for twenty-one years and retired in September 1935.10) After retirement, Tidd returned to Mayo and worked for a year at Treadwell Yukon’s Mayo office.11) He took jobs at Forty Mile, Twelve Mile, and the Rock Creek intake on the Klondike River.12) At some point during the Second World War he was working security in Vancouver.13) In 1945/46, he was the Northern Commercial Co. storekeeper in Old Crow. The Tidds left the Yukon in 1947 and moved to be near Claude’s family in Dersingham, England. 14)
Claude Tidd was a prolific photographer and his photographs, and Mary’s letters, are held at the Yukon Archives. T (Yukon Archives, “Claude and Mary Tidd fonds, Biographical Sketch.) In the 1990s, photographer and artist Robin Armour curated a selection of Tidd’s photos in an exhibit called A Portrait of the Yukon.15)