"Back In Pioneer Times" (Or, Semantics and the Past)

"I'm not a pilgrim! That was centuries ago!"

Jean Piaget explains, in his theory of cognitive development, that children are first able to distinguish the present from the past during the preoperational stage (ages 2-7 years old), and one past from another during the concrete operational stage (ages 7-11 years old). Knowledge of such development and learning theories are crucial for any museum education department, as well as for any adult who thinks that the past is just one amorphous blob and that "it's all the same anyway". Young museum visitors and students are able to discern various periods in time, and can associate with each differently - so help them out by being specific, and getting it right.

Much in the same way that "Upper Canada" and "Canada West" indicate certain geographical areas within specific periods of time, so to do the terms listed below. They are not all interchangeable, and should only really be used where appropriate. Oversimplifying for the sake of time or argument tends to rob historical groups of their accomplishments (for better or worse). It may also serve to confuse or mislead the person or group you're talking to - dangerous territory if you're dealing with students attempting to mentally map out a timeline.

Pioneer: A person who is among the first to explore or settle a new country or area
Settler: A person who settles in an area, typically one with no or few previous inhabitants.
Puritan: A member of a group of English Protestants of the late 16th and 17th centuries who regarded the Reformation of the Church of England under Elizabeth as incomplete and sought to simplify and regulate forms of worship.
Pilgrim: A member of a group of English Puritans fleeing religious persecution who sailed in the Mayflower (etc) and founded the colony of Plymouth, Massachusetts, in 1620.
Voyageur: (especially in Canada) A boatman employed by the fur companies in transporting goods and passengers to and from trading posts.
Colonial: Relating to the period of the British colonies in America before independence (1776).

To add to this, Victorians (1838-1901) for example, are not Puritans, Pilgrims, or Voyageurs, but can be pioneers or settlers depending on the place and the time. In Canada it's easy to visualize settlement as moving westward. Vancouver did not become an incorporated city until 1886 versus many Ontario towns which were founded in the early and mid-19th century, and by extension many Quebec and east coast settlements founded in the 17th and 18th centuries. So despite the 19th century being quite recent, many Victorians were the first to settle and establish many areas in the west.

As a former British colony, and as a member of the Commonwealth, we (Canadians) often denote specific periods of time in our history according to the reigning monarch. The Tudor period runs from 1485-1603; The Georgian period is often considered to span 1714-1830, and the Edwardian period from 1901-1914.

Sources
Simply Psychology 2012, "Jean Piaget"

Further Reading
TheFreeDictionary.com
The Commonwealth 2015, "Member countries"

It Takes a Village

A census is a wonderful tool for looking back at a population at a particular point in time. What were their names? Where did they come from? What did they do to get by? While census data is often bare-bones and provides the most basic facts, it can help us to understand a community and create a framework that can later be filled in by other source material.

In 1851 a census was completed for Galt, which included information on its 2,246 residents: Name, Place of birth; Religion; Occupation; Age; Marriage status; etc. If you've ever wondered what you might do for a living in a small Victorian village, take a look at the graph I've compiled below. Not every census taker had an occupation listed, and I have a sneaking suspicion that there were in fact more farmers... but this information, though incomplete, is eye-opening. You can check out the rest of the census in an easy to read PDF document here.

You do what exactly? Well, a Spinster is an unmarried (and not likely to become married) woman. She might be living and looking after the welfare of older relatives, or living with and looking after the education of nieces and nephews. Coopers are makers and repairers of casks and barrels. A Teamster is someone who drives a team of draft animals and a wagon. You can think of them as the equivalent of transport truck drivers today. Sadlers make, sell and.or repair saddlery. A Mill Wright is someone who builds and maintains mills and their internal machinery. Cordwainers are actually shoemakers who work with cordovan leather. Fleshers flesh hides and skins and tan them in the production of leather. They may also sell meat - in other words, a butcher. Pedlers are travelling salesmen, often going from door to door to trade and sell any number of items. Lime Burners process limestone (by means of baking it in large kilns) into a number of agricultural and home products such as quicklime for home construction, whitewash, and for spreading on fields as a fertilizer. A House Joiner is a type of carpenter that cuts and fits wood without the use of nails, screws, or other metal fasteners. Lastly, a Carriage Trimmer is someone who preps and finishes the lace, linings, and other trimmings for carriage makers.

Sources
Waterloo Region 1851 Census, Transcribed by the Ontario Genealogical Society in 2001.

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

Don't Try This at Home

William Dunlop, portrait by James Bowman, 1834
Royal Ontario Museum

Many people today are of the opinion that the Victorians (or anyone living in the 19th century) were a stodgy and serious group of people concerned only with discipline, morality, and wearing too many layers of clothing. This is not true (at least not entirely). Bawdy jokes, hoaxes, cartoons, and pranks were incredibly popular - especially amongst those with a little more time on their hands...

The man pictured here once stood inside a shop in Goderich, and asked a group of newly arrived settlers to each hand him some nails from a nearby barrel. If you were one of these settlers you might think this was some sort of symbolic gesture - nails for building a new home in a new land, etc. So you line up and reach into the barrel, as these settlers did, only to discover that this gentleman, William Dunlop, a respected doctor, 1812 war veteran, journalist, and Warden of  Woods and Forests for the Canada Company, has teamed up with a friend to place a porcupine inside. Surprise!

This is pranking, 19th century style, and this wasn't the first or last time that Mr. Dunlop took part in a little schadenfreude. He once caused a fellow Canada Company official to be thrown from his horse in the woods after he, and the same accomplice from the porcupine incident, spooked it by howling like wolves. (Said official later recuperated with the dedicated care and attention of Mr. Dunlop and his liquor cabinet).

Porcupines are found all across
Canada, and are generally not con-
sidered to be, by any means, cuddly.

Sources
Royal Ontario Museum 2014, Images
Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online 2014, "Dunlop, William"
Huron County Museum 2014, "Gairbraid"

Further Reading
History Today 2014, "Victorian Jokes: The best in 19th-century humour"
Today I Found Out 2014, "The Greatest Practical Joke of the 19th Century: The Berners Street Hoax"
If you'd really like to get into the subject of Victorian honour, you can always take a course at the University of Edinburgh, "We Are [Not] Amused: Victorian Comic Literature"

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.

Debating Societies

As a means of self-improvement for gentlemen, and as an “inner and outer polish” for young men preparing for their entrance into respectable society, a number of debating societies were created in Galt in the mid-nineteenth century. (Holman, 123) Such types of intellectual clubs were popular throughout the Victorian period, as it allowed men to practice and hone their speaking skills, as well as network with respected members of their community. 


Above: Homer Watson's Collecting the Hay
Below: Royal Exchange Square, Glasgow

In his Reminiscences, James Young describes one such debating society, established in 1834, which would meet at the home of Mr. John Reid on cold winter evenings to discuss the most relevant topics of the day. (Young, 70) The questions raised and discussed at these meetings covered all manner of subjects from politics to religion, from gender issues to education, and from science to the arts. Many are so timeless (and so philosophical) that they can still be debated at great length today.

Five of the questions regularly put towards the abovementioned group include:

• Which is the most benefit to mankind, Agriculture or Commerce?
• Whether is the profane man or the hypocrite most injury to society?
• Which is the most destructive element, fire or water?
• Whether does wood or iron most benefit mankind?
• Would a ship made of iron sink or swim?

Other subjects were a bit more controversial by today's standards: "Whether or Not Woman is Mentally Inferior to Man". To perhaps add to the controversy, the decisions of the various debating clubs were printed in local newspapers. In December 1860, the Reformer published the Galt Literary and Debating Society decision that woman was in fact inferior to man. (Holman, 123)

I encourage you, next time you're with a group of friends or colleagues, to bring up a few of these questions and see what happens. (If you're really keen you can attempt to debate these issues from a Victorian male, or female, point of view.)

Sources
Andrew Holman's 2000, Sense of Their Duty: Middle-Class Formation in Victorian Ontario Towns
James Young's 1880, Reminiscences of the early history of Galt...

Further Reading

Andrew Holman (ed.) 2013, More of a Man: Diaries of a Scottish Craftsman in Mid-Nineteenth Century North America
City of Cambridge Archives Online