Jim Rycroft was born in Spirit River in 1924 to Robert and Helen Rycroft. He was one of eleven children. He joined the army in 1944 and served with the Calgary Highlanders in Belgium, France and Holland. After the war he used his service gratuity to take a barbering course in Edmonton. He married Edith Spry in 1948. They had seven children.
Jim and Edith lived in Sexsmith when they were first married. Jim had been to Beaverlodge with the Sexsmith Fire Department to help fight the big downtown fire in 1948. He met Jim Walker, who along with his brother Art, owned the Pool Hall. Walker thought it would be a good idea for Jim to set up a barber chair in there. Jim took the opportunity and moved Edith and baby son, Ken, to Beaverlodge.
There was another barber, Henry Lyslo, with a shop next door to the Pool Hall. Some time later Henry walked into the Pool Hall and said “There’s not enough business in this town for both of us. One of us will have to move.” To which Jim replied, “It’ll have to be you! I’m broke, I can’t!”
Jim eventually bought the Barber Shop and Pool Hall. People still reminisce about skipping high school classes to hang out at the Pool Hall.
Jim was a member of the Beaverlodge Fire Department for 27 years. He was notorious for leaving people with half a haircut when he took off to fight fire.
The Pool Hall was torn down in the mid 70’s and Jim sold the pool tables. The Barber Shop’s trim was painted red and he continued with the barber shop for a while until he sold both properties to the CIBC. He set up shop in the basement at home and continued to cut hair into the early 2000s. Jim passed away in 2015.
