November 26 – Annual Show and Tell Program

November 26 – Show and Tell Christmas Social - Our popular Show and Tell event features artifacts brought in from the private collections of our members.  If you would like to bring an item, contact the Committee to let them know how much time you will need to “Show and Tell.”  Committee members – Gail (egailb@sympatico.ca) or Elizabeth (finnies@sympatico.ca).  You can also bring something for the dessert table for the social portion of the program.

Meetings @ 7:30 p.m. – all held at the St. Catharines Museum at Lock 3, 1932 Welland Canal Parkway, St. Catharines, Ontario.  Doors open at 7:00.  All are welcome.

“Walk-About” of the Historic St. John’s Cemetery

Thursday, September 10 at 6:30 p.m. – Come out for a 70 minute tour of the St. John’s Cemetery in Port Dalhousie (at the corner of Main Street and Cole Farm Boulevard).  Presented in conjunction with the St. John’s Cemetery Board.  Please wear appropriate footwear.  Rain date will be Tuesday, September 15.

Meetings in the Fall 2009

Meetings in the Fall 2009 – 7:30 p.m. – all held at the St. Catharines Museum at Lock 3, 1932 Welland Canal Parkway, St. Catharines, Ontario. Free admission.  Doors open at 7:00. 

September 24 – “Forts and Families in Upper Canada” by Wes Turner, past Society President.  Who lived in the forts in Upper Canada in the early 19th century and what was their life was like.

October 22 – “A Brief Introduction to the History of Passenger Travel on the Great Lakes and Upper St. Lawrence… with some sightings of the River Palace” by Walter Lewis – marine historian and co-recipient of the 2009 Save Ontario Shipwrecks Marine Heritage Award.  From the earliest days of settlement in New France to the opening of the Seaway, in a heavily illustrated, we will explore the experiences of travel through this magnificent waterway.  

November 26 – Show and Tell Christmas Social - The Programme Planning Committee would like to hear about ideas from members for the popular Show and Tell event.  If you would like to bring an item, contact the Committee to let them know how much time you will need to “Show and Tell.”  Committee members – Gail (egailb@sympatico.ca) or Elizabeth (finnies@sympatico.ca).  You can also bring something for the dessert table for the social portion of the programme.   

For further information on Society gatherings, click on “Special Events”. 

* Note: the St. Catharines Museum will generously open its traveling exhibit gallery for viewing a half hour before each meeting at no cost to the Society.

Happy Birthday Mr. Merritt – July 3

The Historical Society will be celebrating William Hamilton Merritt’s birthday on Friday, July 3. The event will take place at 7:00 p.m. at the Merritt statue on St. Paul Street at the east end of the Burgoyne Bridge (opposite of the Cenotaph). It will include a historical walk across the Burgoyne Bridge with some historical facts about it and the area.

All are welcome to attend.

Honour Roll of Members of St. Catharines Sports Hall of Famers

Compiled by Bill Stevens:

1990 – Jack Gatecliff, Walt McCollum, Rudy Pilous, Ashton Morrison, Roy ‘Pung’ Morton, Stan Mikita, Peter Neumann, Leroy Pickard

1991 – Rex Stimers, Lloyd Alguire, Vic Teal, Bill Whitaker, Jack Lowrey, Neil Campbell, Gerry Cheevers, Dennis ‘Duke’ Diggins

1992 – Tom Garriock, Marianne Allen, George ‘Mooner’ Manoogian, Douglas ‘Percy’ Favell Sr., Joseph Thomas James ‘Joe’ Cheevers, Brian Cullen, Warren Dell

1993 – Craig Swayze, George Howard, Bill DeMars, Joe & Rose Engemann, Peter Cameron, Bobby Thorpe

1994 – Walter Marsh, Jim Minards, George ‘Toughy’ Hope, Frank ‘Geezil’ Madsen, Douglas Cove, Christine Jurgenson, Marilyn Bodogh

1995 – Angie Pastore, Doug Favell Jr., Ed Dixon, Frank Martin, Fred Conradi, Joe McCaffery, Douglas J. ‘Ozzie’ Hill, Bill ‘ Whitey’ Frick

1996 – Peter Bicknell, Marty Calder, Steve Oneschuk, Wendy Wiebe, Wilfred Garrett, Alen Kelogg, Tim Rigby, Marg Schram

1997 – Susan Erskine, Edgar L. ‘Ed’ Moir, George Stauffer, Davey Moore, Helen Chyplik, Edward ‘Ted’ Howe, Douglas Court

1998 – Joan Gray-Brunshaw, Harvey Hutcheon, Jack Rountree, Bill Sadler, Ross Wilson, Elmer Vasko, J. Stan Elliott, David Howes, Benny Newman, Armand Difruscio

1999 – Chris Critelli, Marvin Edwards, Carl ‘Gus’ Madsen, Ivan Little, Douglas McNichol, Ronald French, John Newman, Dale House

2000 – WBC Burgoyne, Brian Bellows, Gerry Hinton, Hector Pothier, Mike Martyk, Jim Lamore, Ted Collins, Jerry Fitzgerald

2001 – Harry Edmonstone, Jim McNulty, Gil Boa, Karen Strong, Jim Robertson, Dennis Hull

2002 – James Douglas, Ken Hodgkins, Bob Davis, John Stevens, Harry Argent

2003 – Clint Page, Chester Warchol, David Dore, Bill ‘Lefty’ Allen, Virginia Thompson

2004 – Tom Smelle, Carl Smelle, Donald ‘Nip’ O’Hearn, Craig Woodhouse, Levio ‘Red’ Ferracuti

2005 – Bob Luey, Jimmy Joy, Terry O’Malley, Doug Robinson, Al McDonough

2006 – No inductees

2007 – Peter Berge, Gloria Campbell, Dean McBride, Rob Stoddart, Hap Walters

2008 – Ken Croft, Norm Defelice, Bob Gear, John Mouradian, Neil Stevens

2009 – Bruce Erskine, Marianne Groat, Robert ‘Buff’ McCready, George ‘Clickey’ Taylor, Mark Walters

33rd Annual Oille Fountain Potting Ceremony – May 23

The 33rd annual Oille Fountain Potting Ceremony will take place on Saturday, May 23 at 11:00 a.m. at the corner of King and James Streets in St. Catharines.  This event commemorates the contribution to the well being of the citizens of St. Catharines through donation of the City’s first public drinking fountain in 1878 by Dr. Lucius Oille – the second mayor of the city and first chairman of the waterworks.  This gift marks the establishment of the city’s waterworks system in 1875-1876.  Descendants of the Oille family are invited to participate along with City representatives.

There will be a small ceremony followed by the planting of a geranium on the top of the fountain. 

All are cordially welcome to come and take part in this tradition.

Meet the 2009 / 2010 Board of Directors

Historical Society Board of Directors 2009-2010

President – John Burtniak
Past President – Bill Stevens
Vice President – Paul Lewis
Secretary – Elizabeth Finnie
Treasurer – Chris Loat
Director – Membership – Mary Leighton
Director – Publicity – David Sharron 
Director – Director – Joe Muskat  
Director – John Calvert 
Director – Gail Benjafield

Treasures from the Vault – St. Catharines Museum – April 2009

This month, the St. Catharines Museum made a collection of glass plate negatives available for viewing to the Society.

These images come from the Bertha Shickluna Collection.  The box of negatives were found in a basement when the Shickluna’s were cleaning up.  The box and photos were not in very good shape.  They were offered to the Museum with the message, “if you do not want it, throw it out.” Fortunately, the Museum immediately recognized the importance of the images and decided to keep the collection.  The photos were sent to the Canadian Conservation Institute in Ottawa.  The CCI stabilized the images, cleaned the glass and made working prints of the photos.  

The bulk of the collection features the Port Dalhousie area around the turn of the 20th century. The collection shows buildings, people and a lifestyle that truly takes you back in time.  This has become one of the more important photo collections at the St. Catharines Museum.

 

Sample image: A sloop and grain elevator in Port Dalhousie, Ontario.  Bertha Shickluna Collection, 1982.223.74, neg. N4848.

Meeting Recap: Snapshots of the Home Front – Niagara in 1939 to 1941

Using images from the St. Catharines Standard Collection from the St. Catharines Museum, Graham Phair took the Society back to the Niagara area during the early years of World War II.  When Hitler invaded Poland and Great Britain declared war, Canada was quick to support their British allies.  The people of Niagara were equally ready to put their best efforts forward.

One of the major centres of activity was Camp Niagara in Niagara-on-the-Lake where local units trained as well as those from Hamilton and the far west of Canada.  Even professional hockey players such as Turk Broda and Syl Apps spent time in Camp Niagara.  Soldiers practiced such skills as machine gun firing, gas mask use, bayonets, semaphore, rifling and more.  The 2nd/10th Dragoons had to march from St. Catharines to Niagara-on-the Lake to conduct their artillery training.  The St. Catharines Flying Club and similar clubs across Canada, under the direction of Murton Seymour, agreed to start to train pilots for the war.

The First Battalion of the Lincoln and Welland Regiment was fully active at the outbreak of the war.  Both young and old enlisted at the outbreak of the war.  The uniforms and equipment of the Canadian military were still largely based on those from the First World War.  Servicemen had some perks around the cities and towns.  For example, they were allowed free entry into the local YMCA’s as an opportunity for recreation. 

The City of St. Catharines, itself, witnessed a change in its manufacturing sector.  Many of the factories were retooled to make the implements of war.  The Collegiate even changed its programs to focus on factory work.  The Decew Power Station was expanded to provide more energy.  Women began to find jobs in the absence of men.  And wartime houses sprang up all over the city.  One St. Catharine company was indirectly present for a major capture of a Nazi figure.  When Rudolph Hess crash-landed in Scotland, the man who captured him, David McLean, held him at bay with a two-pronged pitchfork made at the Welland Vale Company in St. Catharines.

Everyone did his or her part to support the war.  Individuals collected scrap metal to be recycled for the war effort.  People also rationed their food, gas and other amenities – all as a part of doing their part.  Local companies such as McKinnons made raising money for the war a competition.  Neighbourhoods, schools, social clubs, churches, and ethnic groups all came together to hold dances, parades and other events to raise money for the war.  The Red Cross was a major recipient of these goodwill efforts. 

If there was one thing to take away from the April meeting, it was the fact that all of the Niagara area either directly or indirectly did their part to support the Canadian military during the Second World War.  A fact that we should all be proud and thankful for.

Graham Phair’s book, Snapshots of the Homefront: 1939 – 1941, is available at the St. Catharines Museum.  He is currently working a second book on World War II.  Keep an eye out for it.  

April Meeting – New Topic – On The Homefront

On April 23, Graham Phair will give the Society a glimpse at how the people of Niagara managed during World War II.  Phair is the author of the recent book Snapshots of the Homefront: 1939 – 1941.  The book is filled with photographs from the St. Catharines Standard collection.  The meeting promises to be a wealth of information and imagery.  We hope that you can make it out.

Time / Place: Thursday, 23 April 2009, 7:30 P.M., Burgoyne Room of the St. Catharines Museum at Lock 3 (the Welland Canals Centre), 1932 Welland Canals Parkway (formerly Government Road). Wheelchair accessible. Free admission.  All interested persons welcome.

The Museum’s exhibit gallery will be open for viewing a half hour before the meeting.