“Loyalist Trails” 2005-32 September 22, 2005
In this issue:
– UELAC’s Trustee Gets Press
– Membership Drive
– Officials unveil unique new addition to United Empire Loyalist monument
– A Special Speaker for Kingston
– Youth re-enact 1812 Battles
– Queenston Heights Battlefield Walking Tour – Saturday, October 1
– “Powderhorn to Plow” exhibit, Mississauga
– Quebec Heritage News
– Queries
+ Request from China for student assistance
Articles
In the Hamilton Conference section of the September issue of The United Church Observer, there is a picture of costumed Marilyn Branch dressed as a pioneer and the accompanying comments:
Palmerston United Church U.C.W. welcomed Marilyn Branch of Burlington to their May general meeting. History came alive as she spoke about the hardships endured by early pioneers and her own background as a United Empire Loyalist. Removing her coat, she displayed an old fashioned garment used as a nightie or slip and then continued to add layers of clothes worn by women of that period. Marilyn also read from the book Sarah’s Diary written by her mother, Doris E. Wilson U.E.
…submitted by Fred Hayward UE, chair of Education and Outreach
UELAC this year has had a major focus on membership. Branches receive a financial award of $100 when they achieve a membership level of 110% of their 2004 membership. Col. John Butler Branch recently achieved that level. We congratulate them, and the other branches who have made the same achievement. Col. John Butler branch has informed us that they have put the award towards expenses they are incurring in their branch project, Early Settlers Along the Niagara River Parkway. This is one of many excellent projects underway across the country.
…Shirley Dargatz, Chair, Membership
Officials unveil unique new addition to United Empire Loyalist monument
On Saturday September 17, as part of the Doors Open Belleville program, Belleville area officials unveiled a unique addition to the refinished United Empire Loyalist monument now relocated to the northwest corner of Dundas and Front streets. Four new granite pillars were dedicated, each etched to recognize a part of Belleville’s Loyalist history.
Present to unveil her plaque was centenarian Gwendolyn Lazier. Lazier was only 19 when she rode from Belleville to Washington, D.C. to extend an invitation to the thirteenth president of the United States of America to attend a week long celebration in Belleville in June of 1924, the 140th anniversary of the arrival of the Loyalists in the Bay of Quinte. The etching commemorating her journey shows her handing the invitation to President Calvin Coolidge.
Lazier’s earlier trip coincided with one made by Corp. W.A. Dempsey who walked from Belleville to extend an invitation to Toronto’s mayor to attend the celebration. Relatives of Dempsey were also at the ceremony.
Bay of Quinte Branch President Brian Tackaberry UE and June Dafoe UE brought greetings to those gathered. In addition the Bay of Quinte members donated a flag pole that will fly the Loyalist Flag in the U.E.L. Monument parkette.
…Credits to W. Brice McVicar, Brandt Zatterberg
A Special Speaker for Kingston
Kingston Branch has secured a very special speaker for its September 24 meeting at St. Paul’s Anglican Church. Earlier this year, Miss Kelly Bennett, a Queen’s University student was awarded the Bernice Wood Flett Scholarship in Loyalist Studies. In the summer of 2004, Kelly worked on the new 2005 “Heritage Minutes” featured on the “The National” and this year worked on Historica’s “Today in Canadian History” web calendar. The luncheon begins at 11:30. There is a small fee for those who have not been contacted to bring the sandwiches and desserts. For further details contact Barbara Bonner, President.
Imagine 1823 combatants on the grassy plains surrounding Fort George moving in military formations to re-enact the battles of the War of 1812. This past weekend, members of the Boy Scout Organization from Belleville to Stratford as well as New York State to Michigan pitched tents on the Commons by Butler’s Barracks in Niagara-on-the-Lake as part of the 22nd annual programme called Scout Brigade of Fort George. Much of the Saturday morning was taken up with touring the Fort, practicing drill and battle manoeuvres and watching lifestyle demonstrations. After lunch, dressed in their battle regalia, the “soldiers” paraded down the main street past the “Lord Mayor”. This year, in recognition of the special reunion and 50th anniversary of the 1955 World Jamboree held at NOTL, the parade was lead by the Preston Scout House Alumni Band.
After a brief “pillage and plundering” break in town, the two opposing sides met on the field of battle. Initially parents and observers meekly stood at the edge but soon gathered metres from the action. This was no time to sit in camp chairs as the regiments and artillery frequently made surprise moves, forcing the spectators to run for cover. In less than an hour, the battle was over. A second opportunity to “capture the flag” was planned for Sunday, closer to the Fort.
David Randle, Camp Chief and Brigade Commanding Officer, feels that “the programme has been quite successful and thinks it fulfills the mandate to encourage an understanding of the history and heritage of Upper Canada, from both a “British” and American” perspective…Baden-Powell’s insistence of “learning by doing” is really proved at ‘our’ event.” He is particularly pleased with the considerable assistance from Parks Canada and their staff as well as the sponsorship of the Greater Toronto Council of Scouts Canada.
For further details, click here.
…Fred Hayward
Queenston Heights Battlefield Walking Tour – Saturday, October 1
The Battle of Queenston Heights took place on Tuesday, 13 October 1812. The action, which lasted from dawn until dusk, proved to be a defining moment for everyone involved. From that day forward, Queenston Heights would forever be a benchmark in their lives. The Americans reported the outcome as a setback that needed to be retrieved as quickly as
possible. British opinion was that of one more victory in a long line of military successes.
For many the day of 13 October 1812 would remain one of great significance. Now nearly 200 years later, there have been many media venues in which the importance of the days events is shared. Films, books and a stupendous national monument have been dedicated to preserving this moment of Canadian, British and American history.
Robert Malcomson is a leading expert on the War of 1812. His written works have received great accolades from reviewers and readers alike. He has authored four books and several monographs. His articles have appeared in journals and popular magazines and newspapers in Canada, the United States and Britain.
Mr. Malcomson’s most recent work A Very Brilliant Affair: The Battle of Queenston Heights, 1812 gives a new look at the battle and events on the memorable date of 13 October 1812. Eager to share the information and stories that he has researched and collected, Mr. Malcomson is now conducting an in-depth walking tour of the Queenston Heights Battlefield.v
These tours are held three times a year (spring, summer and fall) in partnership with the Friends of Fort George. The next and final tour for the 2005 season is being held on Saturday, October 1 at 1 pm.
This tour will include locations in the village of Queenston, at the riverside, the lower monuments, the Redan Battery, the Heights and Brock’s Monument. Participants will be educated in the ways of war in 1812 and entertained with the flow of stories about Canadians and Americans for whom war was a reality on the shores of the mighty Niagara River.
To participate in the observance of this decisive event in Canadian history, meet at the base of Brock’s Monument at 1:00 pm on Saturday, October 1, 2005. Advance tickets ($15) may be purchased at the Friends of Fort George Gift Shop at Fort George or by phoning 905-468-6621. These tours sell-out, so call now for your tickets.
This special tour is sponsored by The Friends of Fort George. Funds raised will help with the student summer employment programs at both Fort George and Brock’s Monument.
…Gloria Oakes, Hamilton Branch
“Powderhorn to Plow” exhibit, Mississauga
The Windsor Wood Carving Museum of Ontario has on permanent display a bas relief of the general. I enjoyed seeing this piece of sculpture. The artist dealt much more kindly with Brock than the profile we usually see. It is carved from a light color wood. It is not for sale at this time, but possibly might be in the future. Maybe a benevolent soul would purchase it for Brock University or some similar institution?
…Joyce Stevens UE, Butler Branch
The July-August issue of the Quebec Heritage News, published by the Quebec Anglophone Heritage Network (QAHN), included the Publisher’s Message which featured Bev Loomis’ fight to save the Gilbert Hyatt name on the local highway. QAHN has been developing procedures to make a difference in the preservation of heritage. Rob MacLeod, President, says “In any event, QAHN’s Heritage at Risk procedure marks a major improvement in the services the network provides. Instead of me saying ‘I’ll see what I can do’, you will find an office full of helpful information regarding legalities and precedents and a committee ready to go to bat for your cause. I like to see us being useful! And if you really don;t know who Gilbert Hyatt was – well, you’d better get busy!”
Keep on fightin’ Bev – it is great to see the pockets of support!
Queries
Request from China for student assistance
I have received a request for assistance from Julia Hou, Chongqing, China. As a graduate student, she has been studying Canadian history for two years and has chosen as her thesis “Loyalist influence on the Political Culture of Canadian Maritime Provinces.” She writes “my understanding of Loyalists’ resettlement, reform and innovations in their new home, is adequate for starting this paper. But my understanding of Loyalists’ ideology is skin-shallow. My perception of Loyalists is partial, incompetent and even biased. I’m especially puzzled about Loyalist’s legacy, the far-reaching impact upon the current status quo in the maritime provinces.”
I can always refer her to our UELAC bibliography produced by Lieutenant Col. W. Smy, but Julia continues to write “What makes existing difficulty even greater, is that none of the original books on this subject [are available], here in China. We can’t even get access to the Journal of Canadian Studies. We students really need help.”
If you have any suggestions for me to investigate, please let me know.
…Fred H. Hayward, UE, Chairman, Education/Outreach Committee {fhhayward AT idirect DOT com}