Pipes, Guitar, and Flute, Oh My!

With the warmer weather upon us (finally!), it's time to venture out and experience another season of festivals, events, and games in Ontario. Many of these gatherings are a great opportunity to experience and learn more about the Scottish traditions which remain vital to many communities. What can be more Scottish than bagpipes?

Thursday, April 23, 2015 starting at 7:00pm

McDougall Cottage, Cambridge

Tel: 519-624-8250

89 Grande Ave S.

N1S 2L7

New performer. Join multi-talented musician Mark Fletcher for a fabulous evening of traditional Scottish fiddle music and song. Mark performs small pipes, mandola, guitar, flute, whistles and Highland pipes. He is joined by fellow performer Drew Skuce (bodhran) for a fantastic evening of Scottish tunes. Music spanning 4 centuries, from both the Scottish Borders and the Highlands will be featured; some linked to history and historical figures and some just for the fun of the music. www.markfletcher.ca.

Admission by cash donation.

Cover Girl

A few weeks ago I found out that I made the cover of the 2015 Black Creek Pioneer Village Guidebook, and I'll be honest, I was quite excited. It's fun to think that my smiley profile and berlin work might help encourage people to learn more about history in Ontario. (Berlin work is a style of needlepoint which incorporated the bright new colours of yarn being developed from aniline dyes. Stitching into canvas meant that the pieces were also more durable and could be shown off by the lady who stitched them. The pattern and colours I was using came from a pattern created in 1852, and was for the top of an ottoman - we turned it into a cushion instead for the gift shop.)

I'm (not so secretly) proud of my hair that day.

Visiting an historical village is an excellent way to gain knowledge and understanding of a previous era, or, of another culture. You are allowed the opportunity to walk through buildings decorated and filled with consumer goods/tools/furnishings/foods etc. and talk with interpreters on the importance of those items, and how they were used. You often get to see interpreters and skilled tradespeople at work. Blacksmiths, printers, tinsmiths, and millers are eager to show you how things were done in a particular period. Not only that, you also get to see what the women were up to: baking, running households, spinning wool, doing needlework, or overseeing the Inn. These examples of course come from Black Creek, which represents an 1860s rural village, but variations can be applied to other sites.

What I think visitors have to be aware of before they visit any historical village, is how it came into being, when, and what the interpretive method/goals of the institution are. To use Black Creek as an example, I'll answer these questions and demonstrate their importance.

The 1860s "village" is an assemblage of buildings relocated there from throughout Southern Ontario. Their movement to the site just north of Toronto was spurred on by the rise (and excitement) of historical awareness and funding during Canada's Centennial (1967), as well as an availability of undevelopable land (Hurricane Hazel did not hesitate to show in 1954 that the area was in a massive floodplain). Classic nostalgia for a pre-war era informed the village's creators and their inclusion, placement, and interpretation of buildings. The Victorians are, after all, the originators of the nuclear family, and the cementers of gender-roles. Black Creek Pioneer Village is lucky to have so many original buildings - other sites that interpret older periods of history must rely on reconstructions. No rural village would be complete without the farm, and Black Creek's farm buildings are the only ones that are original to the site (ie. never been moved). That being said, farms were generally hundreds of acres large, and wouldn't have had so many neighbours, so close. Here's a map of the village to give you a better idea.

The finished product: A 22" square pillow that sold in the
Black Creek Pioneer Village gift shop, 2012.

Knowing these things brings out a more critical eye in the visitor. Black Creek isn't so much of a village as it is an (amazing!) outdoor museum with a collection of historic buildings and artefacts. The interpreters and their demonstrations help to create a story which often ends up nostalgizing the lives of those from the past - which is ok for a family outing on a Sunday afternoon so long as you realize there's more to the story.

Thinking of my time as a costumed interpreter reminds me of the many and varied interactions I've had with visitors. My favourite visitor of all time was an American gentleman who asked "what Confederation was all about anyway". My historic heart leapt. For the next 20 minutes we chatted about the formation of Canada in the kitchen of a house built before Confederation was even an idea. One of my proudest accomplishments was finishing this piece of berlin work in under three months using only daylight or oil lamps for light. The awkward always follows the good, however, so I would be remiss if I didn't include the following: Remember that interpreters and historic site staff are not automatons, or props, or seals. They go home at the end of the day, have feelings, get hot wearing seven layers of clothing in July, and want to teach rather than simply entertain. They are people. Best of all, they're well educated people (who are often volunteers) that are there for you! They want to answer your questions, teach you something new, dispel myths, and inspire you to learn more. As you venture out this spring/summer to historic villages and sites in your area, or beyond, remember to acknowledge the interpreters that bring that site to life. If you ask nicely, they might even pose for your own photos.

Sources
The Canadian Encyclopedia Online, "Confederation"
Black Creek Pioneer Village, Homepage

Further Reading
American Needlepoint Guild 2000, "Berlin Work"

Address to a Haggis

In honour of Robert Burns Day on Sunday January 25, 2015, here is Burns' "Address to a Haggis":

Fair fa' your honest, sonsie face, 

Great chieftain o' the pudding-race! 

Aboon them a' yet tak your place, 

Painch, tripe, or thairm: 

Weel are ye wordy o'a grace 

As lang's my arm. 

The groaning trencher there ye fill, 

Your hurdies like a distant hill, 

Your pin was help to mend a mill 

In time o'need, 

While thro' your pores the dews distil 

Like amber bead. 

His knife see rustic Labour dight, 

An' cut you up wi' ready sleight, 

Trenching your gushing entrails bright, 

Like ony ditch; 

And then, O what a glorious sight, 

Warm-reekin', rich! 

Then, horn for horn, they stretch an' strive: 

Deil tak the hindmost! on they drive, 

Till a' their weel-swall'd kytes belyve 

Are bent like drums; 

Then auld Guidman, maist like to rive, 

Bethankit! hums. 

Is there that owre his French ragout 

Or olio that wad staw a sow, 

Or fricassee wad make her spew 

Wi' perfect sconner, 

Looks down wi' sneering, scornfu' view 

On sic a dinner? 

Poor devil! see him owre his trash, 

As feckles as wither'd rash, 

His spindle shank, a guid whip-lash; 

His nieve a nit; 

Thro' blody flood or field to dash, 

O how unfit! 

But mark the Rustic, haggis-fed, 

The trembling earth resounds his tread. 

Clap in his walie nieve a blade, 

He'll mak it whissle; 

An' legs an' arms, an' hands will sned, 

Like taps o' trissle. 

Ye Pow'rs, wha mak mankind your care, 

And dish them out their bill o' fare, 

Auld Scotland wants nae skinking ware 

That jaups in luggies; 

But, if ye wish her gratefu' prayer 

Gie her a haggis!

Sources

Burns Country 2015, "Complete Works"

Scotland 2015, "Burns Night"

Further Reading

Robert Burns Birthplace Museum 2015, "Discover Burns"

Visit Scotland 2015, "Who was Robert Burns?"

Library of Congress 2015, "Robert Burns Day: Haggis, Anyone?"

Visit Scotland 2015, "Hold your own Burns Supper ebook" (Free ebook!)

BBC 2015, "Robert Burns - Burns Night"

A Castle Kilbride Christmas

Sometimes the holidays can bring throngs of tourists and visitors to museums and galleries. Sometimes people would rather stay home and relax, or go shopping for Boxing Day specials. Luckily for me the days immediately following Christmas were quiet ones for Castle Kilbride, and I could take my time and explore each highly decorated room at my leisure. Ahh Victorian Ontario.

Castle Kilbride was built in Baden in 1877 by Scottish immigrant and successful industrialist, James Livingston. The Italianate home was named after his birthplace of East Kilbride, just south of Glasgow. Livingston was best known for his empire in flax seed, which allowed him and two further generations of his family to live in Castle Kilbride in the lap of luxury.

"A tour through Castle Kilbride is a journey into the lavish Victorian Era. Castle Kilbride dominates the landscape with its clean Italianate design, towering Belvedere, rich and extravagant furnishings and most importantly, interior artistry the likes of which are unmatched in a private residence in all of Canada." (Castle Kilbride) 

Had I been able to take photos, I'm sure they would have turned out similarly to this example from a professional photographer. Unfortunately, due to the delicate nature of the items on display, and the many hand-painted elements of each space, photography is not permitted.

Castle Kilbride is one of those places that's right in your own backyard, one of those places that everyone's heard of, one of those places that few have been. It can be easier (and more exotic) to travel out of town to "see the sights", but we mustn't forget about the sights close to home. Be a tourist in your hometown! You'll be amazed at what you find. If you do live in Southern Ontario (or even if you don't), I would recommend a stop at Castle Kilbride. The people in Baden are friendly, and happy to show off the jewel of the township.

Sources
Castle Kilbride 2015, "History in the Making"
Waterloo Region Generations 2015, "James Livingston, MP"

Further Reading
Trust for Architectural Easements 2015, "Glossary of Architectural Terms"
Ontario Tourism Website

Hogmanay - A Scottish New Year Celebration

Hull Daily Mail – Tuesday 30 December 1930

Hogmanay is more than just a wildly fun all-night New Years' Eve street party in Edinburgh; it's a long-standing (and apparently somewhat mysterious) tradition that goes back centuries.

Celebrations today may include fire-dancers, fireworks, the consumption of copious amounts of alcohol, live music in the streets, dancing, parades and more. Edinburgh's Hogmanay celebration is the largest in Scotland, and attracts visitors from around the world.

First Footing is a New Years tradition that begins at midnight and continues into the early morning. This custom involves being (or welcoming) the first person through the threshold of your home for the New Year. This 'first footer' would bring any number of symbolic gifts to the homeowner, each of which would bring a different sort of luck for the year ahead: Salt (for flavour), coal (for warmth), shortbread (for food), or whisky (good cheer). If you are short, blonde, and a female, it is recommended that you not attempt to beat anyone through a Scot's doorway at midnight - you're bad luck. A tall, dark, and handsome man is who's really desired, as it would indicate that that family inside would have a financially prosperous year. The Greeks have a similar tradition.

The Illustrated London News
December 30, 1882
"The First Foot: A Scottish Custom on New Years' Eve"

In preparation for Hogmanay in Upper Canada, Scottish settlers would thoroughly clean their homes, finish any mending that needed to be done, change bedding, do any polishing, pay off any debts and return any items that had been borrowed over the past year - in other words, they would put their lives, homes, and businesses in order for the New Year.

Sources
Hogmanay.net 2014, "Hogmanay FAQs"
Edinburgh's Hogmanay 2014/2015 Website

Further Reading
Wikipedia 2014 "Hogmanay" for an overview of some popular traditions/customs.
Ava Laboy Capo's 2013 Traditions/Superstitions From Around the World!: To Bring in the New Year!

I'd like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a very happy and healthy New Year! Here comes 2015!

Huron County Museum

Central School, constructed in 1856

A few weeks ago I happily seized upon an opportunity to visit the Huron County Museum and Historic Gaol in Goderich, Ontario. This was my first visit to the museum, though once inside I felt right at home. The permanent exhibits focus on development - development of the Huron Tract from forests to farms to thriving modern communities; development of agricultural technology and methods over the past two hundred-plus years; and the development of the people from settlers to soldiers, and from farmers to Victorian and Edwardian fashionistas.

1913 Steam Locomotive

The settlement of Goderich is a product of the Canada Company (at that time headed by John Galt), and it's Warden of the Woods and Forests, William "Tiger" Dunlop. Founded in 1827, and linked by a "muddy sleigh track" to Guelph by the following year, it became a popular destination for early British settlers. By its incorporation date in 1850, it had amassed a population of about 800 people. Today, the town of Goderich is home to 7,500.

The Huron County Museum is located near the radial core of Goderich, and is housed within a former schoolhouse (c.1856) and a large, modern addition (c.1989). The layout of the museum is such that it keeps you guessing what might be around the next corner. As I zigzagged through each space, I was constantly surprised and delighted at what I found. Particular exhibits of interest were the replica settlers' cabin (displaying the conditions in which early settlers lived), and of course the Huron County Main Street (for a little 19th century window shopping).

Two-Headed Calf

Finding Goderich and the museum is easy. When I give friends directions I always like to say that if you've driven into Lake Huron, you've gone too far. The museum itself has incredibly friendly staff, and the low admission includes your own audio guide. On your way out you can visit their gift shop and take home some very unique items - like the two-headed calf toy pictured here (they have a taxidermy specimen in the reception area that has become popular with adults and children alike). I would recommend the Huron County Museum to anyone, at any time of year. In the summer you can head out to the beach after your visit, or in the winter you can enjoy a snowy drive and Christmas shopping in the "prettiest town in Canada".

Sources
Huron County Museum and Historic Gaol Online
Hilary Stead 2002, Guelph: A People's Heritage 1827-2002
You can get a head-start by taking a look at the museum's floor plan, here.
Huron County Museum Blog, 2014

Further Reading
Ontario's West Coast 2010, "Huron History"
Immigrants to Canada, "Letters Collected by the Canada Company, to Encourage Emigration 1842" Many of these letters reference the road between Guelph and Goderich; its condition, construction, and uses.

Ugh, Women Settlers

The following in an excerpt from Anna Brownell Jameson's Winter Studies and Summer Rambles in Canada. First published in 1838, Jameson's travel diary takes readers on a journey through a pre-rebellion Upper Canada. Making stops in Toronto, Niagara, St. Catherine's, London, and up Lake Huron to Manitoulin Island, Jameson writes about her thoughts and interactions with the people and places making up the colony.

"He said he should be quite happy here, were it not for his wife, who fretted and pined continually after her 'home.'
'But,' said I, 'surely wherever you are, is her home, and she ought to be happy where she sees you getting on better, and enjoying more of comfort and independence than you could have hoped to obtain in the old country.'
'Well, yes,' said he, hesitatingly; 'and I can't say but that my wife is a good woman: I've no particular fault to find with her; and it's very natural she should mope, for she has no friend or acquaintance, you see, and she doesn't take to the people, and the ways here; and at home she had her mother and sister to talk to; they lived with us, you see. Then, I'm out all day long, looking after my business, and she feels quite lonely like, and she's crying when I come back - and I'm sure I don't know what to do!'
The case of this poor fellow with his discontented wife is no unfrequent occurrence in Canada; and among the better class of settlers the matter is worse still, the suffering more acute, and of graver consequences.
I have not often in my life met with contented and cheerful-minded women, but I never met with so many repining and discontented women as in Canada. I never met with one woman recently settled here, who considered herself happy in her new home and country: I had heard of one, and doubtless there are others, but they are the exceptions to the general rule. Those born here, or brought here early by their parents and relations, seemed to me very happy, and many of them had adopted a sort of pride in their new country, which I liked very much. There was always a great desire to visit England, and some little airs of self-complacency and superiority in those that had been there, though for a few months only; but all, without a single exception, returned with pleasure, unable to forego the early habitual influences of their native land.
...

Anna Brownell Jameson
calotype 1843-1848 by David Octavius Hill

I have observed that really accomplished women, accustomed to what is called the best society, have more resources here, and manage better, than some women who have no pretensions of any kind, and whose claims to social distnction could not have been great any where, but whom I found lamenting over themselves as if they had been so many exiled princesses"

I found this passage interesting for a couple of reasons. First, Jameson doesn't seem to understand the irony of her opinions. She herself was in an unhappy marriage that only after a few years ended in separation... a separation which allowed her to happily return to England. She critiques any lady who pines for home and family left behind, yet does the same herself in her diaries. She even goes so far as to say that being of the better classes makes the remembrance of home harder, presumably because they have more friends, family members, and luxuries to miss. I also like this passage as it reminds me of countless other (borderline humourous) accounts from this period of women critiquing women. We have always been our own harshest critics, but in the 19th century it really was made into an art form.

Anna had made her journey to the Canadas at the request of her husband, Robert Simpson Jameson, who had recently been appointed chief justice of Upper Canada and who had settled in Toronto. Unhappy in love and life, she travelled the southern portion of the province before returning to England the next year, in 1837.

Sources
Anna Brownell Jameson's 1838, Winter Studies and Summer Rambles in Canada.

The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair

The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair in Toronto is for me one of the most anticipated events of the year. While I'm not personally involved in any of the competitions, I can certainly appreciate good husbandry and perfect grooming when I see it. I can also appreciate any opportunity to get up close and personal with so many sheep and goats that I can't keep count.


Feeding the goats is definitely a
highlight for me each year

The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair was given its Royal designation by King George V in 1920, and since 1922 it has been attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. Over 300,000 people visited last year alone. The fair is home to a number of Agriculture Competitions, Horse Shows, and opportunities for people to learn about local agriculture through exhibitors, activities, and presentations. There are also a number of vendors selling everything from locally made cheeses and skeins of hand spun alpaca yarns to leather goods and gourmet honey. Many of the vendors come to the Royal each year, and I've made a habit of calling on my favourites each time I visit. My perennial favourites include The Upper Canada Cheese Company, Bouchard's Poutinery, and Tandy Leather.



2009 ad for The Royal (One of my favourites)

I will admit that with all the wonderful exhibits and vendors, I still make a bee-line to the petting zoo. I love visiting the goats and sheep and getting to interact with them. For a couple dollars you can buy a cup of food for them to nibble out of your hand. Some of the larger goats can get a bit pushy, but they're hungry too, and I try to make sure to spread the wealth. The petting zoo area is also home of some gorgeous rare breed show birds, such as Cayuga Ducks, African Geese, and Sebastopol Geese.

Admission can be a bit high for some ($24 per adult), but there is a way around it. It isn't advertised on their website, but if you visit the Royal after 4:00pm, admission is 2-for-1. Most of the competitions and horse riding events happen during the day, so you will miss out on those, but you will also miss out on the 18,000+ school children that visit each year (they're usually back on their busses by 3:00pm).

This year the Royal runs from November 7-16, so check it out!

Sources
The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair 2014 Website

Further Reading
Farmers Feed Cities 2014 Website
Ontario Beekeeper's Association 2014 Website

John Galt and the Elgin Marbles

This is an example of one of those times when I've very audibly (and embarrassingly) shouted "NO way!" while doing research. This is also an example which proves just how small and interconnected our world really is. It's the story of how many of the Elgin Marbles came incredibly close to being known to us today as the Galt Marbles.

Portion of the east side of the Parthenon pediment,
on display at the British Museum

John Galt was doing what any 19th century man of his means would do when under the weather, or otherwise evading creditors or looking for distraction; tour the continent. He left London in 1809, and by 1811 had found himself in Italy and in Greece. The Mediterranean was a popular place at the time, especially for Romantic poets and writers eager for inspiration from the "East". Lord Byron, one of Galt's contemporaries and sometimes travel companion, was also in Greece at this time. It is Galt's connection to Byron that introduces him to the world of opportunistic art sales.

In his book Byron and Scotland: Radical or Dandy, Angus Calder describes Byron's friendship with Signore Luseri, an Italian Agent and artist-in-residence in Athens for Lord Elgin. Luseri had been working with Elgin for almost a decade in Greece on the documentation and eventual removal of the Parthenon sculptures to Britain. Despite Byron's protests that such removals of ancient artefacts were tantamount to rape,  he continued his friendship with Luseri.


It is during the second shipment of the marble statues out of Athens that John Galt becomes involved to the point where his morals are set firmly aside.  He learns from Luseri that Elgin is having financial issues, and may be unable to pay the freight (the cost of the ship, etc.) when it arrives in Malta. The ship would then of course confiscate its cargo in lieu of payment, and deal with the sculptures as the captain sees fit. Galt is not the only one to hear of this desperate news, however, for the French as also keen to add to their collection.

Monsieur Favelle, the French Consul in Athens, had been instructed to remove any and all possible works of antiquity from Greece and supply them to the Musee Napoleon (the Louvre) for permanent and glorious display. Upon hearing of Elgin's money woes, Favelle sees a chance to seize the shipload and claim the pieces for the Emperor. Galt decides (aboard the very ship that the marbles are travelling on) that he will pay the freight, save the day for Britain, and make a tidy sum for himself once he sells the cargo to eager and illustrious buyers in London.

John Galt, from his Autobiography in 1833

The plan could have worked wonderfully. The British Museum could now be in possession of the Galt Marbles, as well as the Elgin Marbles. Galt could have been an even wealthier man - would he have spent those funds creating more settlements in Upper Canada? Luseri, however, was a man of business and persuasion. He managed to alleviate the debts of Elgin in Malta and retain possession of the Greek artefacts; eventually sending them all the way to Britain. Galt was admittedly conflicted by this outcome. While he was saddened by the loss of fortune and fame that the sculptures would bring him back home, he was also steadfast in his agreement with Byron that the works were taken wrongfully in the first place.

Sources
The British Museum 2014, "What are the 'Elgin Marbles'?"
John Galt's 1833, The Autobiography of John Galt
Angus Calder's 1989, Byron and Scotland: Radical or Dandy?
Ozlem Caykent's 2010, "John Galt's Travels"

Further Reading
Encyclopaedia Britannica 2014, "Thomas Bruce, 7th Earl of Elgin"
Biography.com 2014, "Lord Byron Biography"
Metropolitan Museum of Art 2014, "Romanticism"

Model Railway and Local History

This past weekend I visited the St. Jacobs and Aberfoyle Model Railway in St. Jacobs, Ontario. The 3,000 square foot display focuses on Southern Ontario in the 1950s, and includes various urban and rural scenes (during the day and night).

The detail in each of the hand-made elements of this model is astounding, and I spent a great deal of time examining each building (in many cases there were little people going about their "lives" inside). The most endearing features of the exhibit, however, are the many nods to local life, geography, and architecture. Ah nostalgia!

A Mennonite barn raising is in progress next to a small farm and sawmill, while a man and a cat watch from the farmhouse porch. At a small campsite a tent has been pitched and a bear spies on a family as they sit around a small campfire. The Niagara Escarpment is an integral feature of the display, and the cliffs and foliage act as the perfect canvas for the scenes below.

In the more urban sections of the model railway, I was drawn immediately to a building that many in Galt (Cambridge) would recognize: The Galt Post Office.



"Built between 1884 and 1887, the Former Galt Post Office served an important function as the home of the post office, customs, and other government services. This post office was one of the many buildings erected during the course of a program of government construction in small communities and towns across Canada under the direction of Thomas Fuller, Chief Architect of the Department of Public Works from 1881 to 1896. The high standard of design imposed by Fuller is evident in the former Galt Post Office. Typical of his designs, the building features an round-arched entrance portico, symmetrical twin façades and a clock tower, in this case uniquely adapted to be visible from both the street and the Grand River. The steeply pitched mansard roof, as well as the use of contrasting colours and textures and the accomplished stonework, come together to create a striking blend of the Gothic, Second Empire and Romanesque styles." (HP)

Of course I could not cap off this trip to the Model Railway without a stop in Galt for dinner right across from the old post office - this time in full scale.

I would absolutely recommend that everyone who has the opportunity to visit the Model Railway should do so. Admission is $8 for adults, and the volunteer staff are amazing. When you're done exploring you can head out and spend the rest of the day in St. Jacobs, making sure of course to stop at A Touch of Scotland for some mushy peas, tartans, and other Scottish treats.

Sources

St. Jacobs and Aberfoyle Model Railway Website, 2014

Cambridge Times 2013, "A little Cambridge moves down the track, stops in St. Jacobs"

(HP) Canada's Historic Places, 2014 "Former Galt Post Office National Historic Site of Canada"

Further Reading
Canadian Encyclopedia Online, 2013 "Thomas Fuller"
Your Heritage Waterloo Region, 2014 "Old Galt Post Office" Search Results for some great images

Embro Highland Games 2014

This Canada Day (July 1st) I very happily made a drive out into rural Ontario for the 77th Embro Highland Games. Located within Zorra Township (close to Woodstock, Ontario), Embro is a small village set amongst rolling green fields of corn and pasture. By chance I happened to hear about the Games on the radio, and decided to visit.

There were a number of events taking place throughout the day: tug-of-war, caber toss, hammer throw, stone throw, pipe band competitions, and highland dance competitions. I also watched a sheep herding demonstration and was able to peruse the vendors' stalls. It was great to hear the pipe music and see so many people in kilts celebrating the culture.

There were really only two things that I found to be a bit disappointing about the Games: There was no haggis, and not enough vendors. I am a big fan of haggis - I love it. I was hoping that this would be a great opportunity to eat some and take some home with me for later. I settled for a steak and haggis pie that was mostly steak (and still delicious). As for vendors, I was hoping to see more in way of traditional crafts, or products from traditional Scottish livestock.

The cover charge is a bit steep at $15 for this small (but long-running) event, but it was a fun day out in the sun in bucolic Southern Ontario, and I'd recommend it for next year.

Sources

Embro Highland Games Website

You can buy some pretty decent haggis from The Healthy Butcher in Toronto and in Kitchener.

McDougall Cottage

Last month I had the opportunity to visit McDougall Cottage - a small but lovely historic home located along the shore of the Grand River at Grand Avenue South and Cedar Street.

"McDougall Cottage, ca.1858 granite and limestone labourer's dwelling, is located in downtown Cambridge in the historic factory district. Home for more than a century to two families of hardworking Scots, the McDougalls and the Bairds, this charming traditional cottage with its equally charming pocket-sized gardens, boasts the most spectacular hand-painted friezes (patterns along the top of walls or buildings) and trompe l'oeil ceilings (three dimensional illusions) that Ontario has to offer.
The Cottage serves as an interpretation centre, showcasing its unique interior landscape and presenting mini-exhibits on monthly themes." (Region of Waterloo)

During my visit I was able to see a temporary exhibit on quilting with a Scottish theme, as well as the beautiful friezes described in the quote above. There's a massive kitchen with a conservatory overlooking the gardens to the back of the house. There are apparently monthly teas held in this space which I'd love to attend. The staff are incredibly friendly and easy to talk to - a highly recommended little stop in Cambridge (right across from the Southworks Antique Market!). For more information on the cottage, its hours and calendar of events, see the links below.



Sources
Region of Waterloo, 2010 "McDougall Cottage"
Region of Waterloo, 2014 "Happenings at McDougall Cottage"
McDougall Cottage's Facebook Page
Cambridge Now, 2014 "McDougall Cottage"

Lions, Monkeys, and Cholera in Galt

Every so often I come across a story or an historical event that just seems so bizarre, or so unbelievable, that I can’t believe that I haven’t heard of it already – such is the excitement of research. This is the story of how a travelling menagerie did or didn't bring cholera to Galt in 1834.

One of the showmen arrived in the village a couple days ahead of the menagerie, and claiming to feel ill was seen by a local doctor and determined to be suffering from “Asiatic cholera”. (Young, 99) Dr. Miller had had some experience with the disease in Montreal in 1832, and was concerned that it had spread further into the Canadas. Authorities in the village were loath to cancel the upcoming event despite the showman’s illness as the promise of increased revenue and heightened community stature was just too sweet to pass up.

1830 Advertisement for a similar attraction (minus the cholera) from Illinois, United States.

The exhibition took place as planned on Monday July 28, 1834. Despite the reportedly malodourous conditions of the animals and their cages, crowds were drawn from across Dumfries Township, as well as from “Waterloo, Beverly, Woolwich, [and] Blenheim”. (Young, 98) Once arrived, visitors became privy to the gossip regarding the ill showman. One attendee mentions in a letter bound for Hamilton that such talk was “hushed down lest it might injure the Show, or hurt the stir of the tavern”. (Young, 101)

On Tuesday, the exhibition, as well as village life seemed to go on as usual; however, by Wednesday it was clear that something was terribly wrong. The doctor was reportedly much busier than usual, and by sundown five persons were dead and many more were complaining of symptoms. On Thursday the village effectively shut down – businesses were closed, and people remained in their homes, save for the 33 who were now buried. Occurrences of the cholera pandemic began to subside by the end of the week, and survivors were giving the rest of the community further hope that the pestilence had passed. (Young, 101-102)

In 1834, the village of Galt had approximately 200 residents – nearly 1/5 of which fell victim to the disease. (WREM) Modern claims that the village was nearly depopulated as a result of the outbreak seem a little exaggerated (Kohn, 58), especially considering that the population not only bounced back but grew to 1000 people only six years later (Campey, 139).

This story certainly deserves, and needs, more research. How is a disease that is spread through contaminated food or drinking water brought to a small village by a single showman? What was the fate of that showman? Was it simply co-incidence that cholera hit just as the menagerie was arriving, and that a contaminated water source is really to blame? A year later (1835) it was released that there were cholera-related deaths as close as 12 miles southwest of the village, four days prior to the showman’s arrival (Stimson, 12). I will note as well that in 1835, it was believed that the pestilence was spread through the foul and hot airs circulating within the enclosed menagerie tent, and was made worse by the stench of the animals on display.

Sources

James Young's 1880, Reminisces of the Early History of Galt and the Settlement of Dumfries in the Province of Ontario.

Waterloo Region Emergency Management (WREM), 2011, "History Book"

George C. Kohn’s 2008, Encyclopedia of Plague and Pestilence: From Ancient Times to the Present.

Lucille H. Campey’s 2005, The Scottish Pioneers of Upper Canada, 1784-1855: Glengarry and Beyond.

Elam Stimson’s 1835, The Cholera Beacon: Being a Treatise on the Epidemic Cholera: As it Appeared in Upper Canada 1832-4.

Further Reading

Marian A. Patterson’s 1958, “The Cholera Epidemic of 1832 in York, Upper Canada”