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WHAT’S INSIDE
c For a final time, we
reprint a number of
articles prepared
originally for Snapd
Pickering. In this issue,
we focus on recreational
opportunities in Pickering.
c To continue the
theme of leisure
time in Pickering
we have compiled items
gathered from the Whitby
Chronicle and the Pickering
News relating to fishing,
boating, and some other
activities the township
provided for relaxation in the
nineteenth and early twentieth
centuries.
c Charles Fothergill,
one-time resident of
Pickering, was honoured by
the Mississauga First Nations
with a finely-worked
porcupine-quill belt for his
services to their chief.
c The Royal Barber Shop
has been around since
the early 1960s. The
present barbers, Ross
and Nunzio, have
followed their fathers
in the business. That
business has recently been
subject to drastic
challenges—first fire, then
Covid-19. But they are not
only surviving, but thriving.
PATHMASTERPICKERING TOWNSHIP HISTORICAL SOCIETY
WINTER EDITION VOLUME 27 NUMBERS 1 & 2
by John W. Sabean
THE FISHING LURES
OF CLARENCE
ROBERT CHRISTIAN
Snapd, #38 (May 2016).
A few years ago I saw an
item for sale on Ebay that
immediately attracted
my attention. The item
was a fishing lure said to
have been manufactured
in Whitevale, Pickering
Township, by one Clarence
Robert Christian. I thought,
“There has to be a story
there somewhere.” And,
indeed, there was.
Mr. Christian lived his
entire life in Whitevale
(1903-1984). In his day
Pickering was considered
a prime location for
fishermen, who plied the
waters of Frenchmans Bay,
the Rouge River, Duffin’s
Creek, and the ponds of
Glen Major in Uxbridge
just north of Pickering—
although this last was the
haunt of a private club.
Gainfully employed as a
creamery operator and bus
driver, Christian was also
the owner of Bob’s Baits.
For over 30 years from the
1940s to the mid-1970s,
with his wife Helen Groves,
Clarence Robert (Bob)
Christian designed and
manufactured metal lures
in his factory—a two-storey
garage—in the Hamlet of
Whitevale.
Among the lures he
created, for some of which
he took out patents in
Canada and the United
States, were the two that
are pictured here—the
Canadian G Jet and the
Slipweed Spinner. These,
and other lures such as
the Swamp Worm, Bob’s
Retriever, and Bob’s Rock-
N-Roll were sold locally in
Canadian Tire stores and
Canadian Fishing Tackle
and Sports. By way of a
catalogue he was able to
market his lures right across
North America. Bob’s
parents, George and Mary
Christian, who also lived
in Whitevale were often
employed to help with sales.
In order to test his
products, Bob didn’t have
very far to travel since his
house was very close to a
As in the past four issues of Pathmaster, we continue to reprint articles
written originally for Snapd Pickering. This issue has to do with some of the ways
Pickering provided for recreation.
Leisure Time
Canadian G Jet lure.Ph
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branch of Duffin’s
Creek, which flows
through the very
centre of Whitevale.
And just to the
north of the hamlet
the creek had been
dammed up to supply
the motive power for
Whitevale’s several
mills. The millpond
thereby created by
the dam was well
stocked with fish.
I purchased the lure
advertised on Ebay for the
Pickering Township Historical
Society and began my research.
Eventually I was to purchase
three more Bob’s Baits lures. In
the meanwhile, I found quite
a bit of information about
Christian’s business via the
internet and in talking with
Whitevale residents and with
collectors of fishing lures. Bob
Christian, in his small factory
in Whitevale, created a quality
product that was sought by
fishermen in both Canada and
the United States, made himself
a successful entrepreneur, and
competed successfully with
much larger manufacturers.
Other sources:
Pathmaster, 16:3&4
(Winter 2015), 22-24
SUMMER CAMPS IN
PICKERING AND AJAX
Snapd, #40 (July 2016).
Over the years there have
been a number of summer
camps in Pickering and Ajax.
The two described here were
situated along the banks
of Duffin’s Creek north of
Pickering Village.
At present we do not know
the exact location of Camp
Ozanam, a summer camp
organized by the Society of
Saint Vincent de Paul, but
believe it was situated on a
bank of Duffin’s Creek, near
Elizabeth Street south of
Rossland Road. The Society of
Saint Vincent de Paul operated
a camp in Pickering as early
as 1911, but Camp Ozanam
was a later creation originally
founded in 1923, and located
on the shores of Lake Huron in
Port Sanilac, Michigan. Camp
Ozanam in Pickering was
an offshoot of the Michigan
camp. From the pages of the
Pickering News we know that
it existed in Pickering at least
by 1928, but when it was first
established, or how long it
lasted, we do not at present
know. The name was derived
from Frédéric Ozanam (1813-
1853), the founder of the
society in 1833. Ozanam
was a French scholar—
professor of commercial law
at Lyon in 1839, and later
professor of foreign literature
at the Sorbonne.
The accompanying
post card of Camp Ozanam
shows a number of buildings
that suggest it was a fairly
large camp.
Camp Yungvelt, located
upstream, just north of
Rossland Road, was associated
with the Toronto Workmen’s
Circle Organization, a group
devoted to the promotion of
social and economic justice,
Jewish culture, and the Yiddish
language. The camp was
originally located in Richmond
Hill, but was relocated to the
east bank of Duffin’s Creek in
Pickering Township in 1926.
At the beginning the camp
housed two large tents and a
lean-to shack that served as a
combined kitchen and dining
room. Later a new kitchen and
dining room was erected that
could accommodate up to 300
children. A recreation hall was
also built that could seat close
to 1 000 attending concerts
and lectures and could be
used on rainy days as an
indoor play area.
Children from ages six to
twelve were housed in cabins
that could accommodate up
to 20 campers. Older boys
and girls were housed in tents,
which could accommodate
up to five each. A separate
cabin with six beds served as a
hospital. After almost forty-five
years of continuous operation,
the camp was closed and sold
in 1971.
Other sources:
Pathmaster, 9:1&2 (Winter/
Spring 2009), 14—Camp
Ozanam; 18:1&2 (Fall
2015), 11-12—Workmen’s
Circle Colony and Camp
Yungvelt; 19:1&2 (Summer
2016), 1-5—Paulynn Park.
DEPRESSION-ERA
CAMPING IN PICKERING
Snapd, #41 (August 2016).
For over half a century before
the coming of the Second
World War Pickering Township
was the site of several cottage
communities. Vacationers came
by train and later, increasingly
by automobile, for a day, a
week, or the whole summer
to enjoy a holiday in the
country away from the busy
life of the city.
Anne Anderson, Peg Rice,
and Gladys McCurdy were
perhaps a bit unusual in that
they came vacationing to the
Hamlet of Dunbarton not from
Toronto, but from Oshawa,
did not set up camp in a park,
but in the middle of a cow
pasture (see accompanying
photograph), and were not
accompanied by the rest of their
family members. The year was
1933; the depression was
well underway, but while
earning a living may have been
tough in those years, life went
on and simple pleasures could
make life bearable.
In 1933, Peg Rice was 23
years old and worked for
George Robertshaw in his
book and stationery store on
Simcoe Street South in Oshawa.
Her friend, Anne Anderson
was 18 and had just finished
high school. They had met at
Oshawa’s First Baptist Church
where both were members.
Gladys McCurdy was from
Port Hope, but lived in Oshawa
while she worked
at General Motors and attended
FBC as well.
In the summer of 1933, Peg’s
brother Don was working as a
hired hand on a chicken farm
owned by a Mr. Dixon in the
west end of Pickering
Township, on the east side of
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Post card proof of Camp Ozonum.
Slipweed
Spinner lure.
Altona Road. He was earning
$1.00 per week plus room and
board. Peg and Anne decided to
spend their two-week holiday
camping in a pasture on the
farm where Don worked. They
hoped to make some money
picking berries for the local
farmers. They were joined part
of the time by Gladys, who
apparently could only
get away on weekends.
The campout lasted from
Saturday, 8 July, to
Sunday, 23 July.
I first met Peg, then Peggy
Fowler, and Anne, then Ann
Rice (she had married Peggy’s
brother), in the 1970s when I
too, was a member of Oshawa’s
First Baptist Church, but
was unaware for many more
years—by which time I had
moved to Pickering—that
they had camped in Pickering
in the 1930s and that they
kept a diary of their holiday
experiences. I obtained a copy
of the diary—each of the
women contributing part of the
narrative—and published it in
the year 2000, in Pathmaster,
the newsletter of the Pickering
Township Historical Society.
Once they got over the
devastation created by a cow
who broke into their food
supply while they were away
attending church, and wrecked
havoc on their clothes and
camping gear, they settled down
to have a mostly enjoyable two
week’s partly-working holiday.
Total income for the three
women: $3.74.
Other sources:
Pathmaster, 3:3&4 (Spring/
Summer 2000), 17-24.
THE COTTAGE
COMMUNITIES OF
PICKERING TOWNSHIP
Snapd, #39 (June 2016).
At the end of the nineteenth
century and beginning of
the twentieth century several
cottage communities or resorts
were established in Pickering
Township. There were five in
all: Rosebank near the mouth
of the Rouge River, Fairport
Beach (originally Dunbarton
Shores) and Fairport Village on
either side of the Frenchmans
Bay, Squires Beach / Simcoe
Point in the Duffin’s Creek
area, and Pickering Beach at the
eastern extremity of Pickering
Township. The earliest to
appear was Rosebank, which
derived its name from the name
of William Cowan, Jr.’s farm on
the east side of the Rouge River.
It began to attract Torontonian
vacationers in the 1880s.
The resort at Rosebank was
centred on the Rosebank House
(pictured here), originally
operated by the Cowan family
and could house up to 100
people. In addition, other
families built cottages and
some merely erected tents for
the summer. So popular was
Rosebank as a summer resort
that it eventually had its own
train station and was served
by seven passenger trains
as well as Picnic Specials. It
also had its own post office
from 1916. According to an
advertisement in the local
newspaper in 1911, the
Pavilion that served the resort
was the site of a summer’s-end
entertainment with singing,
shadowgraphs, stereopticon
views, and “Concluding with
a Pyrotechenic Panorama of
Prodigious Proportions.”
The Village of Fairport, once
the port for Frenchmans Bay,
converted to a summer resort
just after the beginning of the
20th century. Glen Avis Park,
near the foot of Liverpool
Road, was especially attractive
to local citizens for many years,
while Fairport Beach on the
west side of the bay attracted
cottagers from places like
Toronto and Rochester.
Cottages also sprung up
along Squires Beach, while
another hotel was created
to the east at Simcoe Point.
Simcoe House was built in
1912 by John Henry Greenlaw,
a relative of the Peak family
considered to be the first family
to settle in Pickering Township.
Greenlaw died shortly after and
the resort and lands
were sold. However, the resort
continued to prosper right up
to World War II.
The last of the resorts to
be established was Pickering
Beach. In the 1920s James
Tuckett had a vision to create
the ideal summer resort. He
had a site plan drawn up
and hired a real estate agent
to promote it. It became the
vacation destination for a
number of upscale Toronto
families such as the Corbets,
Eatons, and Loblaws.
Entertainment in the 1930s was
provided by Freddie Breakwell
and his 6-piece orchestra, and
in 1940 the Marquee Dance
Pavilion opened for dances and
church services on weekends.
All of the hotels have
disappeared, but many of the
cottages still exist at each of the
resort sites, now converted to
year-round homes.
Other sources:
Pathmaster, 1:3
(Spring 1998), 25.
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Campsite in a farmer’s pasture with visitor Elda Pearce.
Rosebank Hotel.
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Compiled from local newspapers by John W. Sabean
Fishing and Leisure Time Texts
FISHING IN PICKERING
TOWNSHIP IN 1864
Whitby Chronicle, 8
December 1864, p. 2.
To the Editor of the Whitby
Chronicle
Sir,
There are few in this
neighborhood aware of the
abundance which the water,
as well as the land, yields
to those who cultivate it—
however simple the means
with which they do so. Were
we favored, as many other
parts of the Province are, with
large rivers—there might be
large guesses offered as to the
proceeds of piscatorial effort.
But who would expect much
from the use of the rod alone
in the small creeks in this
neighborhood? Yet during the
past season, there have been
taken from this source, by a
single rod, the astonishing
number of 2485 trout, many of
these were splendid specimens
of their kind, being 11 and 12
inches long. But allow only 2
ozs on the weight of each trout,
we have over 300 lbs, weight
captured in one season by one
individual. We know not what
success may have attended the
labours of other skillful fishers
in this neighborhood, but if it
be anything like the above, it
will show how rich a field those
fond of trout fishing, have
even in the least favourable
localities. It might be thought,
that such success as that we
have mentioned would soon
exhaust our small streams,
but instead of this, experience
teaches that each year increases
in productiveness, and that
it will be long indeed
before the disciples of
Walton be deprived of this
healthful, though somewhat
solitary sport.
Yours truly
An Old Angler
Claremont, 29 Nov. 1864
PROPAGATION OF
SALMON
Whitby Chronicle, 2
November 1871, p. 2
The Inspector of Fisheries,
Mr. [J.W.] Kerr, paid an official
visit to Duffins’ and Lynde’s
creeks and the Rouge river,
and reports that these waters
abound with salmon, the effects
of the present stringent and
necessary law in reference to
the killing of fish out of season,
&c. On the 23rd ult., Mr.
[Samuel] Wilmot, the proprietor
of the salmon breeding
establishment at Newcastle,
took out eight fine salmon
from Duffins’ creek, and after
removing the ova from the fish
returned them into their native
element, and took the ova into
his establishment for hatching
purposes. The day following
he took out eight more for the
same purpose. Upon the theory
that one-half of the ova should
come to maturity, he will have
over 160,000 salmon, and by
their increasing year after
year our lakes, rivers and creeks
will soon again swarm with
salmon as in the primitive days.
SALMON IN DUFFINS’
CREEK
Whitby Chronicle, 5
December 1872, p. 2
Mr. J.W. Kerr, Inspector of
Fisheries, reports the salmon to
be very numerous in Duffin’s
Creek this fall, where they come
into spawn. Several fish seen
there would average 15 and
16 pounds each, and a few as
high as 20 pounds each, while
fish under 15 pounds were very
numerous. The Creek, during
the spawning season last fall,
was under the care of Messrs.
Hartrick and Ferguson.
YOUNG SALMON IN
DUFFIN’S CREEK
Whitby Chronicle,
11 June 1874
On Monday of last week,
Mr. Samuel Wilmot planted
10,000 young salmon at
Duffin’s Creek, which were
hatched at the Newcastle
establishment. During the past
season almost half a million
of fish have been hatched out
at the same place and are now
being scattered in the streams
throughout the country.
Whitby Chronicle,
31 August 1871, p. 2.
Pickering News,
24 May 1889, p. 8.
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DUFFIN’S CREEK
Pickering News,
18 August 1882, p. 2
Timelines, #7 (Fall 2004)
This name is familiar to
people in most parts of
the country, but that the
insignificant creek—as most
people believe it to be—is a
splendid river, is known to
but few. We had the pleasure,
through the kindness of Mr.
Maver, of a trip down this
river to the lake, and we
were agreeably disappointed
in finding such a beautiful
stream of water. There are two
branches—the east and west—
that unite in the now splendid
village, known as Pickering.
The east branch rises at Glen
Major, in the Township of
Uxbridge, and the west branch
has its rise near Stouffville in
the Townships of Markham
and Whitchurch.
The river is spring water, but
takes in several small streams
in its course, until it reaches
this village, when it settles
into a fine, broad and deep
river, and flows for about
four miles to the lake, in a
very crooked and winding
manner. We counted no fewer
than 49 bends and turns from
the Maver boat house to the
mouth of the river. It runs at
about 60 feet wide all the way
from there down, and keeps its
symmetrical proportions almost
as evenly as a cut canal. Its
beauty is enchanting in a great
degree from its scenery; there
are no straggling banks, but
a fine margin of long waving
grass. In some parts the well-
cultivated fields give additional
beauty to the scene, as they jut
out occasionally, close to the
water’s edge. Along the banks
may be found any amount of
Wild Grapes, Virginia Creeper,
and various kinds of flowers
and wild fruits, which all go to
make the trip down its placid
waters, the most enchanting.
The river is about 15 feet
deep, nearly all the distance
down, and in the lower part
it is supposed to be about 20
ft deep. A more beautiful spot
for a summer resort cannot
be selected along the north
shore of the lake and it is a
wonder to us that it has not
been utilized for this purpose
before now. A small steamboat
can ply on it for nearly four
miles, and there is not a snag
or impediment that cannot be
removed in a few hours. The
fishing in the river is excellent,
and we enjoyed the sport to
the full. Mr. Maver has a
splendid boat that cost him
about $60 and he enjoys life
on this splendid stream. He
has a pair of patent “common
sense” oars that work his
boat with his face to the bow,
enabling him to steer her to a
nicety around the angles and
acute turns in the river. He is
a painstaking fisherman, and
bagged a number of excellent
silver bass, perch, pike, and a
splendid shad weighing four
pounds, which latter he landed
with a small perch hook, to his
and our delight.
Mr. John Gordon, who
accompanied us is a splendid
sailor, and understands the
river so well that he sailed
the boat up nearly the
whole distance. People at a
distance have no idea of the
beauties of our village and
neighborhood, and especially
are—as we were—ignorant of
the enchanting and bewitching
river that courses through
our rapidly improving village.
Its water-power is utilized by
two of as fine grist mills as
can be found in the country,
viz., the Spink and Hoover
mills. Pleasure seekers, and
Sportsmen, or persons in search
of health cannot do better than
call and see our village and
spend a week or two in our
midst. The[y] will undoubtedly
come again.
A DELIGHTFUL TRIP
Pickering News
22 August 1884, p. 3
Timelines, 7 (Fall 2004)
A merry and pleasant pic-
nic party was that which met
on board Mr. W.W. Sparks’
steam yacht “Scintilla,” on
Monday last, bound for
Victoria Park. The party
included Messrs. Louis
O’Leary (chief stewart), John
and Alex. Cuthbert, W.G.
Ham, D. O’Connor, Thos.
Henderson, John Bunting,
R, Haney, R. Worfolk, and
L.S. Ackerman, of Pickering;
R. Secker and Thos. Moody,
of Liverpool Market; Geo.
Parker, L. Grant and John
McIntosh, of Dunbarton,
with Captain Sparks and
wheelsman. After seeing
that the locker was well
stored with provisions, the
harbor was left at about 11
o’clock. A delightful sail of
less than three hours over
the smooth lake brought
the party to Victoria Park,
where large crowds from
Toronto were met, Monday
being the civic holiday in that
city. Strolling through the
shady groves, chatting with
acquaintances, etc., filled
up the time, and the return
journey was commenced at
twenty minutes after five, and
the harbor again reached at
8 o’clock, everyone being
delighted with the day’s
outing. As the piers were
reached, a hearty vote of
thanks was tendered Captain
Sparks for his generosity in
placing his trim little yacht
at the disposal of the party,
to which he made a suitable
response.
The “Scintilla” was built
throughout by Mr. Sparks
last winter. She is 17 ft. 6 in.
long, width of beam, 7 ft. 8
in., depth of hold, 3 ft. 10 in.,
and will carry thirty people.
Her engine is 3 and boiler 4
horse-power; screw, 26 in, in
diameter. With 50 or 60 lbs.
Steam she will run six miles
an hour nicely.
To Mr. O’Leary the party
Pickering News,
14 June 1901, p. 5.
Pickering News,
19 May 1901, p. 1.
Pickering News,
18 July 1902, p. 1.
6
is also indebted for courtesies
extended, he having been
chiefly instrumental in getting
up the excursion.
SCINTILLA CRUISE
Pickering News, 29 August
1884, p. 3
On Tuesday last, twelve
or fourteen of the young
people of the village and
vicinity spent a very pleasant
day pic-nicing. They left
Frenchman’s Bay on the
fine steam yacht, “Scintilla,”
commanded by the affable
and obliging captain, Mr. W.
Sparks. The lake was rough
enough to give it an agreeable
roll, and in a short time we
were steaming up the Rouge
River. It is a picturesque place,
and vies well with our own
noble stream in beauty. It was
laughable when the whistle
was blown to see a fine herd
of cattle running over the
flats, scampering pell-mell
through the bushes and up
the hillside, wondering what
lake monster was coming
up the quiet river disturbing
their peace. After taking in
the scenery, the table was
spread and we feasted on the
good things. In the afternoon
we went for a fine sail up
the lake and arrived home in
good time, well pleased with
the day’s outing.—Com.
CAMPING NEAR
DUNBARTON
Pickering News, 31 July 1885
Mr. Brown, contractor, of
Toronto, with his family and
friends, are camping on the
beautiful grounds of William
Cowan, Esq., at the mouth
of the Rouge River, near this
Pickering News,
17 July n1903, p. 8.
Pickering News,
11 September 1903, p. 1
A SAIL ON THE BAY
Pickering News 18 July 1884, p. 2Timelines, #7 (Fall 2004)(Composed after a pleasant sail on Frenchman’s Bay,
and after testing the speed of Mr. Sparks’ new steam yacht.)
We swiftly go, thro’ waves that glow,With sunbeams on them dancing;With scarce a frown the sun looks down,His darts around us glancing.
All crowned with foam, the billows come,The deep blue sky o’er arching,Each crested wave like warrior brave,Away to battle marching.
The waters glint, with varying tint,I watch their bright commotion,And long for life of fearless strifeWith mighty waves of ocean.
Away, away, my fancies strayTo islands green and floral,To summer time, and summer climeBeyond the reefs of coral.
O far off strand of fairy land,Where strange bright birds are singing,The billows roll, as fleet my soulIts fancy flight is winging.
O land of thought, what gems are wroughtIn gay fantastic weaving!Its realms are fair, devoid of careAll grief and trouble leaving.
I wake from dreams, the lightning gleams—My fancy isle forgetting;On, on, good boat, at anchor float,Or we shall get a wetting.
Brave boat you glide, safe thro’ the tide,And tho’ no sail is swelling,Away you start, a beating heart,Your outward course propelling.
I would proclaim aloud your name:“Scintilla,” staunch and hearty.How well you bore us from the shore,A merry laughing party.
Long may you reign, the bright blue main,And free from all disaster;Good luck and health, the seaman’s wealth,
The lot of thy brave master.--Adalena WestneyPickering, July 2nd.
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Drying fishing nets.
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place—perhaps one of the
prettiest places on the shore
of Lake Ontario.
On Tuesday evening last,
by invitation, a few friends
proceeded to visit the camp,
where they were met and
right royally entertained by
the host and hostess.
The grounds were
illuminated with Chinese
lanterns and by a huge
bonfire in the centre, giving
it the appearance we should
say of the camp of our brave
volunteers in the North-west,
only under more favorable
circumstances.
An excellent musical
programme was proceeded
with, while Miss North, of
New York City, ably presided
at the organ. Miss Griffin, of
Syracuse, N.Y., also gave a
recitation with good effect,
while Master Brown did his
part with his magic lantern.
Refreshments with ice
cream were provided. A
hearty vote of thanks
was then tendered to the
entertainers, when the visitors
departed, having spent a very
pleasant evening.
DUFFIN’S CREEK
IN JULY 1889
Pickering News 19 July 1889
Timelines, 1 (Fall 2002).
CAMPING OUT
Dear Sir:
The lively Pickering News
has just arrived and I find
reference made therein to city
folks camping at the mouth
of your “curly creek.” Well I
had a hand in the projection
and conduct of one of those
camping parties and am
therefore in a position to
speak of its vicissitudes. This
is no romance, but a love
story in one chapter.
Arriving from Toronto
on Saturday last by the
extra double speed, flying
express mixed, which broke
the record by spanning the
great distance between the
metropolis and this rural
paradise, in 2 hr. 30 min.
12 1/2 sec., and the would-be
tenters started to tent, i.e.,
carry out traps to the boat
which was to transport us to
the creek’s mouth. But, alas
we all err at times, and the
man who shipped our tent
erred and having no tent
on hand we said goodbye
camp until Monday.
However, we put in a good
time in this really delightful
district among the equally
delightful residents.
Monday arrived and with
it our tent and joyously
we freighted our boat and
proceeded slowly north
and south, east and west
etc. down your creek to our
destination. Once there up
went our tent and we tented
in good style, catching your
fat perch and hungry pike to
fill our hungry mouths. The
sun might be said to have
caught us. However, it would
be hard to put in a better
time than we did till nightfall,
when we built a fire and
proceeded to rest. Other folks
than us however took the
liberty of directing our camp
arrangements.
We had scarcely placed
our weary heads upon the
welcome pillow, when about
ten thousand members of the
Duffins Creek Combination
Band struck up a martial
air, and in order that the
harmony might be more
distinctly heard by the
audience, took up positions
on various parts of our
bodies. To respectable
citizens this seemed rather
familiar, but when these
same performers perforated
our hides and draining
nourishment from our veins
deposited in lieu thereof
some refined poison, our
patience was exhausted and
we showed fight. Muscle
brawn and courage are
useless however against the
Duffin’s Creek Minstrels,
alias Pickering skeeters, and
step by step we were driven
from our position until at last
weary, sore and wounded,
retreat was ordered to the lake,
where a mile out from shore
we watched for storms and
daylight.
Next day we had an elegant
time and to be honest for real
Scintilla.
PT
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S
Pickering News, 4 August 1911.
8
pleasure, the neighborhood
of Duffin is simply superb.
Towards evening we shifted our
tent to higher ground, fixed
skeeter bars, closed the tent
and at sunset retired with the
assurance that the skeeters
were outwitted. Alas we were
mistaken, for presently the
band struck up and,
“On right, on left, above, below
Sprang up at once the lurking foe.”
The fight was of short
duration and with the wretches
following us we once more
retreated to the cool waters
of the lake. Next day owing
to loss of sleep and wounds
sustained in battle with the
puny foe, we decided to quit
and in the evening one of your
genial Pickering ladies might
have been seen dressing swollen
heads, bunged up eyes and
lacerated and swollen hands.
We forgive freely though
and intend remaining a short
time in this pleasant section,
but save us from Pickering
mosquitoes, and dear Mr.
Editor, in future issues when
telling city folks of the
pleasures of camping at the
mouth of Duffin’s Creek, please
say whether the minstrels are
in full blast or whether they
are taking their vacation, or
whether the membership is
limited. If either of the latter we
will readily come to enjoy your
scenery and genial hospitality
(and some of those strawberries
of which
you Mr. Editor seem so flush).
Good-bye for the present. You
will only know me as the
Decamper.
FISHING
REGULATIONS, 1889
Pickering News,
23 August 1889
The following new fishing
regulations have been adopted:
“The waters of Lyon’s [sic] creek
township of Pickering, county
of Ontario, and the waters of
Barber’s creek, township of
Darlington, county of Durham,
are set apart for the natural and
artificial propagation of salmon.
The waters of the stream called
Duffin’s creek, township of
Pickering, and the waters of
the stream called river Rouge,
in the township of Pickering,
Scarboro and Markham, are set
apart for natural and artificial
propagation of fish.” These
are most excellent regulations
if properly followed up. There
requires to be some “artificial
propagation” of fish practiced
here right away—then some
strict protection.
ROSEBANK
IN AUGUST 1889
Pickering News
30 August 1889
Timelines, 1 (Fall 2002)
Sir:
When we left Toronto on
Friday night in the steam yacht
Daverish for Rosebank, Port
Union, we were a jolly party.
We steamed over the bay and
out through the Eastern Gap
in gallant style, but our spirits
were somewhat dampened
when we struck some heavy
seas outside and had taking it
all through a wet run to the
grove. Our party was rather
a mixed one. We had with us
the conventional dude who
seemed to find no enjoyment at
all in being splashed by regular
intervals, the hale and hearty
grandmamma who assiduously
sought the welfare of the
babies, the drummer who had
been all over the world and
could not be drowned in such
a pond, and the gushing young
school girl who thought the
excitement “just delightful”
and smiled graciously the while.
For myself I considered the
seas quite heavy enough and
glanced disconsolately at my
wet garments as I stepped (not
reluctantly) upon terra firma,
grasped the hospitable hand of
farmer Cowan, the proprietor
of the grove, and was hustled
up to his house to get a change
of clothing and a good square
meal. Any amount of exertion
or trouble in getting there is
amply repaid by the beauty
of the surroundings, the kind
and hospitable reception of the
people and the healthy ruddy
breezes that blow into you and
through you from the lake and
seemed to reach spasmodically
for your stomach and cause
it to convince you that the
English theory is correct: “The
stomach is King.”
After a good night’s rest, we
(the men part) rose early and
hied us away to the Rouge river
where we were led to suppose
there were fish, deployed
ourselves along its banks in
sections and advanced to
the fray, or I might perhaps
more properly say “flay”, as
some of the boys made the
cast as if they were using a
black snake whip. There is
something fascinating about
fishing. Something entrancing
about the bob of the float and
something peculiar, desperately
peculiar, about the influence the
disappearance of said cork will
exert upon the average mortal.
If a small fish only knew what
excitement it caused in the
midst of a crowd like ours it
would feel that its life had not
been in vain.
For myself I find the rod
heavy and the sport tame and
enjoy myself more thoroughly
in watching the flocks of
blackbirds and sparrows
partaking of their morning
meal. From among the rice
bed ducks, kingfishers, cranes,
and birds of different sizes and
plumage pass us and stretch
their necks as if to enquire why
we are there, while now and
then a train of cars swoops
Pickering News, 17 July 1914.
PT
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Simcoe Hotel.
9
over the railroad bridge which
spans the river at its mouth
and adds a picturesqueness to
the scene. At nine o’clock we
return to breakfast. Rosebank
is a charming spot.
To row up the river as we did
that evening by moonlight is
one of the most beautiful trips
that can be imagined. Trailing
north-west from the lake at the
foot of the grove, the Rouge
winds serpentine fashion
through one of the prettiest
dells in this part of Canada. To
your right and left immense
fields of rice sway gracefully in
the breeze, affording a home
and food for birds of every
possible kind and color, and
extending back to the green
sward where the shading
is taken up by foliage most
beautiful, pines, willows and
maples vying with one another
in their efforts to render more
politable [palatable?] to the
eye the surroundings. Winding
and twisting, in some spots the
willows almost touching you as
you pass under them, you glide
along from bend to bend, into
a labyrinth of pond lilies, out of
them again and on and on until
you are completely drawn away
from yourself and can only
gaze and muse and wonder and
think how marvelous that in
nature everything is so superbly
correct that not a leaf or thorn
of all this aggregation of beauty
could have been spared.
I presume most people who
have visited the Rouge have
heard of “Black’s Castle.” At
a sharp bend in the river we
were brought into full view
of “Castle Black” standing
out against the sky in the pale
light of the moon and it seemed
well worth a visit. I would
recommend any one visiting
the locality to row up to this
medieval spot. When we had
returned to camp at the grove,
we found an immense bonfire
blazing up and seated round it
goodly number of those who
had not gone with us and who
hailed us with a shout, invited
us to join in the singing and
merrymaking and right royally
did we accept the invitation
joining heartily into the pulling
of taffy which an industrious
small boy had been brewing
for some time and what with
story telling, singing and
general excitement succeeded
in destroying several happy
happy hours.
When, on Monday morning,
the steam yacht whistled her
signal for us to prepare to
depart, it fell upon our ears
with a dull sickening thud,
reminding us that we
must tear ourselves away
from Rosebank where our
hearts had been light and our
spirits gay for a day or two at
least and steam back to the
rush and bustle and wear
and tear of our hum drum
existence in the city.
C.S.F.
ANNUAL CATALOGUE
OF RESORTS
Pickering News,
27 June 1890, p. 8
The Grand Trunk’s annual
catalogue of resorts and
sportsman’s guide there refers
to Pickering: Hotels, Gordon
House and Western Hotel, $1
per day; livery, single rig, $2
per day; double, $3.50 or $4.
Fishing, Frenchman’s Bay, 2
miles, also Duffin’s Creek; pike,
catfish, black bass, sunfish and
perch; best months, August
and September for trolling;
baits, regular trolling hooks,
also worms. Guides, $1.50
per day, boats $1.50 per day.
Not much hunting, some wild
ducks, spring and fall—country
wooded, dry and hilly. No
mention is made of trout fishing,
although the little streams are
stocked with brook trout.
PIKE SHOOTING
Pickering News,
24 April 1891, p. 8.
We have to thank John M.
Palmer for a couple of palatable
pike taken from Frenchman’s
Bay by the aid of a shot gun. He
secured some eight beauties on
Thursday, one of which
raised the ten pound weight
on the scales. Pike shooting
furnishes plenty of sport for our
residents these fine days.
ROSEBANK RAILWAY
STATION
Pickering News,
5 June 1896, p. 8.
Reduced fares from Pickering
to Rosebank on the 12th inst.
Return tickets for adults 20c,
and children 10 cents. Train
leaves here about
9:14 a.m.,
and returning
will leave
Rosebank
about 6 p.m.,
giving plenty of
time at the grove.
ROSEBANK PICNIC
Pickering News, 1896
As usual the weather was all
that could be desired on Friday
for the annual school picnic
at “Rosebank”, the pleasant
camping ground on the farm
of Wm. Cowan, jr. Early in the
day vehicles loaded with people
and supplied with eatables
commenced to arrive, and
before noon the grounds were
full of animation of various
characters. The trains from
Pickering brought hundreds
of adults as well as children,
all bent upon having one good
day of sport.
The steam yachts
materialized this year, and the
two were kept busy all day
long running short excursions
on the lake, a large number
of row boats were also in
constant demand. The lake
was calm and just in splendid
shape for such outings. This
part of the sport was enjoyed
perhaps more than any other.
Claremont band was present
and greatly assisted in making
the gathering a cheerful one.
One thing must be said of this
band, and that is the members
are by no means afraid of
exhausting their musical supply.
The games and athletic
sports were conducted in the
large field west of the grove.
Football appeared to create
more than usual interest on
Friday, particularly the school
games, and although Whitevale
boys won it, the general feeling
is that they had no right to the
ball and medals. This team
won it from No. 2 school,
when the latter objected on the
ground that the team was not
composed of boys who had
attended school in 1896. On
Pickering News, 5 June 1925.
Postal cancellation.
PT
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10
investigation it was proven
that both teams had broken
the rules, and Whitevale was
declared by the committee to
own the prizes. Now this was
a peculiar way to do it. If the
Whitevale and No. 2 school
teams were not properly
constructed, than neither had
a right to the prizes, and both
should have been ruled out,
and allowed the contest to be
between those who had acted
fairly. But this football is a
hard matter to regulate, and
if teachers will permit of their
pupils doing things that are
crooked, we cannot expect
anything but trouble.
The new bicycle track
constructed by Mr. Cowan
is a very fair one indeed, and
the race thereon created
considerable interest, the only
drawback being the small
number of entries. There were a
number of refreshment booths
and all were kept busy most of
the day.
Although there was an
immense crowd present, we
have been informed that the
receipts were some $30 less
than last year a fact that can be
partly accounted for when we
remember that Scarborough’s
centennial takes place this week.
It is somewhat difficult to get a
correct list of the prize-winners,
but the following is as correct
a schedule as we were able to
obtain:--Racing, Girls under
6 years, 1st M. Leeman, 2nd
Flora Wilson, 3rd Flora Kerr; 6
to 8 years—Dolly Keeler, Alma
Carpenter, Darkey Huntley; 10
to 12 years—Mabel Carpenter,
Luella McCausland, Meeta
Cowie; 12 to 14 years—
Beatrice Hagerman, Emila
Dale, Minnie Jarvis; 14 to
16 years—Lottie Hoge, Eva
Hilts, Lydia Walton; 16 to 18
years—Ella Keeler, Maggie
Teefley, May Stevenson. Boys
under 6 years—Frank Yates,
Norman Smith, Ernest Walton;
6 to 8 years—Albert Ham, W.
Dossett, A. White; 8 to 10
years—Tom Connors, Walt
Hollinger, G. Graeme; 10 to 12
years—H. Bennett, M. Murphy,
F. Johnson; 12 to 14—L.
Connor, W. Keeler, W. Sparks;
14 to 16 years—C. Robinson,
F. Mathes, N. Morton; 16
to 18 years—Hatrick; Harry
Wood, W. Balsdon; 3 legged
race—Stewart-Cochrane, Irish-
Robinson, Barnes-Beare; Open
race, 100 yds.—Cochrane,
Crew, Stewart; teachers
race—Geo. P. Richardson,
T. Armstrong; Trustee’s
race—Barnes, Beare, Bradley;
Fat Man’s race—Cuttrell,
McCausland, McCarthy;
Lazy man’s race—2nd Geo. P.
Richardson, 3rd Armstrong;
Football, jr. school—Green
River; Sr. School—Whitevale;
Open—Highland Creek.
Decorated wagon—Brock Road
(six horses).
GLEN MAJOR
Pickering News,
2 July 1897, p. 1.
Alexander Dowswell and
wife are here [Claremont] this
week with his brother. William,
Alex and Charlie Macnab went
fishing to Glen Major the other
day and had splendid luck,
catching some twenty-five fine
speckled beauties.
OSHAWA VISITORS
Pickering News,
31 May 1901, p. 8
Messrs Fairbanks of the
Oshawa Vindicator, H. Nowak,
R. McK. Inglis, and A. Kemp
of the Pedlar works Oshawa
spent the 24th fishing in
Pickering and neighbourhood.
Considerable rivalry existed
among the different members
of the party as to who would
secure the largest number of
fish. Mr. Kemp having the most
money came off victorious
having secured two. We
understand they have entered
into a contract with a party
at Frenchman’s Bay to supply
them with fish in their future
fishing expeditions, the same
to be delivered in Pickering
Village. While here they gave
the “News” a pleasant call,
which we hope will be repeated
at an early date.
CARP
Pickering News,
31 May 1901, p. 8
Several persons have reported
catching a new species of
fish in this vicinity, namely
carp, some of which weighed
eight and ten pounds. They
resemble whitefish very
much in appearance and
flavour, some say superior
to the whitefish in the latter
respect. We understand the
United States government
have been depositing spawn in
the American side of the lake,
and this is said to be the first
appearance on the Canadian
borders of the lake.
BASS AND PERCH
Pickering News,
1 August 1902, p. 1.
Angling in the harbor is
excellent these days, several
large hauls of bass and perch
are reported.
PIKE
Pickering News,
22 August 1902, p. 1.
The pike season has
commenced and several large
hauls are reported.
HERRING
Pickering News,
26 September 1902.
The local fishermen report
herring as becoming scarce;
their hauls of late being
somewhat diminutive.
SUCKER FISH
Pickering News,
27 March 1903, p. 3.
Sucker-fishing has already
begun. Last week several of our
residents succeeded in catching
a number, and on Monday
morning a gang from Uxbridge
were here by daylight. They
managed to take away with
them about 100.
LARGE HAULS
OF SHAD
Pickering News,
22 May 1903, p. 5.
Some of our sporting men are
making large hauls of shad these
days. They report this fish are
being more numerous this year
than they have ever been before.
PT
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Advertisement.
11
FISHING AT FAIRPORT
Pickering News, 11
September 1903, p. 1.
Fishing out on the lake has
been rather slack for some time.
Both our fishermen, Messrs.
Sparks and Avis have laid up
their nets for the present.
Quite a number from
the city spent Labor Day
here, fishing being the great
attraction.
FISHING ACCIDENT
Pickering News,
17 July 1903, p. 8.
On Tuesday forenoon
Thomas Mansfield jr., and
Thos. Sowerby left Fairport
harbor to examine their fishing
nets which were about four
miles out in the lake. Mr.
Strickland, who lives about two
miles from the bay happened to
be looking out on the lake with
his telescope when he noticed
the boat upset. He hurried to
the bay to give the alarm when
a boat immediately set out for
the rescue. When they reached
the young men, Mr. Sowerby
was much exhausted, and the
assistance came to them just
in time. They were taken back
none the worse of their bath.
They reported that a squall
had struck them causing the
accident. Later Mr. Avis’s steam
yacht went out and brought
back the fishing-boat.
SHAD
Pickering News,
7 August 1903, p. 8.
One of our most enthusiastic
fishermen W.T. Hartrick caught
a shad one day last week which
weighed six pounds. This is
one of the largest of this species
ever caught in this locality.
ST. VINCENT
DE PAUL CAMP
Pickering News,
25 August 1911, p. 8.
The final crowd of boys
arrived Tuesday at the camp
conducted under the auspices
of the St. Vincent de Paul
Society, Toronto. After a
successful season enjoyed
by almost one hundred boys,
the season will come to a
close next week.
FRESH AIR FUND
AT ROSEBANK
Pickering News,
25 July 1913, p. 4.
Thursday last was one of
the most delightful days spent
this season at this popular
summer resort. On that day
about 300 boys and girls were
enabled, through the Toronto
Star’s Fresh Air Fund, to flee
from the heat and suffocating
atmosphere of their homes
in the city, and spend a day
here breathing in the pure
and health-giving air fresh
from Lake Ontario. Elaborate
preparations had been made
by the cottagers to give the
youngsters the day of their lives,
and every arrangement was
carried out without a flaw. On
their arrival they were met by
the cottagers headed by R.M.
Yeoman, and were conducted
to the pavilion when each was
handed a bag of individual
lunch and each had all the
milk he or she could drink, and
all the ice cream they could
devour. All had a trip out in the
lake in a large launch which
had been chartered for the
occasion. A good program of
sports had also been provided,
which was greatly enjoyed by
all both old and young. Much
credit is due to the cottagers
for the interest they took in
the affair, and particularly
to Messrs. Yeoman, Cowan,
Arnold and Sing, who spared
no efforts to give pleasure
of a healthful character to the
boys and girls.
CAMP OZANAM
Pickering News,
19 July 1929, p. 4
The first party of children
at “Camp Ozanam” returned
to Toronto on the 12th. These
children, who represent some
six nationalities, came to camp
on July 1st. Although much of
the weather was unfavorable
for outdoor sports, the teachers
in charge saw that the time
was fully occupied, and the
marked improvement in the
appearance of the little visitors
fully repaid the time and effort
devoted to their care. A few of
the more delicate will be kept
PT
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Programme.
PT
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Pickering Beach, 1938.
Pickering News, 3 July 1931.
Pickering Beach, 1938.
Pickering Beach, 1938.
PT
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PT
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Glen Avis Park, 1938.
1212
for a second period. Misses
Mead and Neville of St. David’s
School, and Miss Henderson of
St. Joseph’s parish returned to
the city with their charges.
During the week the
children treated the staff to
a concert which for pep and
flavor left nothing to be desired.
A paper chase on Wednesday
afternoon left the youngsters
breathless with excitement
and interest. Field day and
distribution of prizes occupied
the time on Thursday, and
clean up on Friday was not
the least interesting of their
work. Miss E. Morrison, R.N.,
is again giving her services to
the little ones, and Mr. and
Mrs. V. Middleton who reign
over the destinies of the kitchen
are an ideal couple in this
department. The St. Vincent de
Paul Society of Toronto, who
finance this most worthy work
are to be congratulated on the
extensive improvements made
to their property this year,
and the good they are doing
among their little proteges is
bound to bear a rich harvest in
health and happiness for the
future. On Friday next from
3 to 5 p.m. standard time, the
staff will be glad to have any
of the residents of Pickering
who may care to do so, visit
“Camp Ozanam” to see the
work carried on at this active
summer centre.
CAMP OZANAM
Pickering News,
17 July 1931, p. 8.
Pathmaster, 9:1&2 (Winter/
Spring 2009), 14
The News had the very
pleasing experience one evening
recently of visiting Ozanam
Camp, just north of the village
sponsored by St. Vincent-de-
Paul’s Parish in Toronto, and
supported by them assisted by
Social Welfare Organizations
and other funds, including
the Daily Star Fresh Air Fund.
We were received by Miss
Redman, who introduced her
able staff of assistants, and
conducted us through the camp,
which consists of a number of
frame buildings built around
the three sides of a square
which represents the campus
and playground. There were
the Dormitory, of about 115
cots, the Dining Hall, Little
Theatre and Chapel, the
staff’s quarters, etc. We were
very much impressed by the
orderly manner in which these
very young girls numbering
at that time 112, presented
their cots and dormitory space,
all of which called to mind
the war-time requirements
of the convalescent men in
the hospitals. The girls are
responsible for the dining room
and at the time of our visit,
the table had been prepared
for breakfast the following
morning and suggested extreme
care and neatness. The whole
camp scheme fairly talked
discipline and order, while at
the same time we could not but
observe the devotion by the
staff to the girls, and in return
the utmost respect shown by
those girls for Miss Redman.
Following the tour, we
were presented with a short,
impromptu program on the
campus, by the youngsters,
of choral numbers, solos,
recitations and dances, and
here we would like to observe
the culture that was evidenced
in these presentations.
This was our first visit to a
fresh air camp, and we were
certainly impressed, and
convinced that there are big
hearts and kindly souls, who
still have the interest for and
love of the welfare of these
children of the congested city
areas, and who by their time
and funds are, each summer,
giving these children a twelve-
day healthy holiday in the
shade of elms and tall grass by
our rural lakes and streams.
Miss Redman and her staff
are to be commended for the
manner in which the camp is
conducted and also for the
unusual patience and kindness
given to this romping, boisterous,
happy group of kiddies. We
wish to thank them for their
altogether surprising but
appreciative reception and tour.
PT
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Frenchmans Bay cabins, 1948.
PT
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Post Card
PT
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Post Card
Ice fishing on Frenchmans Bay.
Ice fishing on Frenchmans Bay.
PT
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PT
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Porcupine
quill belt.
Charles Fothergill, who
lived in Pickering Township
for several years during the
1830s, and whom you have
encountered often in the pages
of Pathmaster, had a close and
intimate relationship with the
Mississaugas of Rice Lake. He
compiled a dictionary of the
Mississauga language, and once
defended a young member of
the tribe in a court case. As an
indication of his association with
the tribe he was given an Indian
name by them.
Well before moving to
Pickering, Fothergill first settled
on his arrival from Yorkshire,
in Port Hope in 1817. But soon
after making his home there he
also acquired land on the north
shore of Rice Lake, not far
from the Mississauga
reservation a little to the east.
On this land, Fothergill built
a log house, where he was to
spend much time.
About two years later, on
the 13th of September 1819,
Fothergill was surprised to learn
that Captain Mohawk, a chief
of the Mississaugas, while out
in a canoe with his wife, but
very much under the influence
of alcohol, attempted to commit
suicide. Upon hearing of the
incident, Fothergill immediately
took charge of the chief and
brought him to his cabin and
there saw to his recovery over
the succeeding weeks.
This is how Fothergill himself
recorded the story:
“A Chief in a fit of temporary
madness occasioned by a long
course of drunkenness shot
himself with his fowling piece
whilst in a canoe with his squaw
not far from my house on the
Rice Lake. As soon as I heard
of the accident I went to his
camp to see how he was. From
the length of his gun and the
smallness & motion of his
canoe, he did not quite effect
his purpose, although a frightful
wound was inflicted. The whole
charge of the piece which was
large duck shot together with
the wadding having entirely
perforated with a large hole in
his right shoulder tearing away
a large fragment of the collar
bone at its junction with the
arm – part of the cup of the
shoulder and a large quantity of
the flesh besides scorching all
the adjacent parts in a shocking
manner. In order that I might
give him a better attendance
I had him removed to the
immediate neighbourhood of
my own residence where his
wig-wam was erected and where
he remained for 6 weeks. As
this man was very loth to die
after his furor was passed both
himself and his Indian friends
and connexions, which were very
numerous, used every means in
their power in addition to my
exertions to preserve his life,
and amongst those means divers
ceremonies and incantations,
songs and prayers were used. I
had therefore a good opportunity
of observing them.”1
The incident gave Fothergill
the opportunity to observe
many tribal rituals and learn
about many of the Mississauga
beliefs with regard to religious
and healing practices. His
narrative continues:
“All the talismans and
household gods of his family
were hung over his head, most
of which were the stuffed skins
of birds, amongst which the
minute falcon and the martin
were conspicuous, but in the
centre immediately over his
head hung a cluster of parts
of various birds, something
like a falcon’s lure – some of
which were said to have been
brought from a vast distance
to the westward and were of
great rarity & value & virtue –
this cluster had very much the
appearance of the lure used
by falconers to reclaim their
hawks – the only part I could
identify in this group was part
of the skin of the head and
neck of the Great Northern
Diver and a small species of
sand martin, very like, tho’
not exactly the same with the
British Sand Martin. This bird
was whole in the group and
much dried – all the rest were
fragments, the whole hung
from a thread or string, and
during the patient’s address
to the Sun (which was partly
sung & partly recited in a most
tremendous voice and violent
gesticulation with one hand)
he held this group by the string
and swung it like the motion
of a pendulum of a clock
backwards and forwards before
his face without cessation until
the prayer or address was
ended when he carefully hung
it up again in its place – on my
enquiry as to the reason of all
this he informed me that the
little martin which I saw in the
centre of the group was the
messenger which carried his
talk to the Great Spirit, and
that it was swung before his
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by John W. Sabean
Log House on Rice Lake.
Charles Fothergill and the Mississauga’s of Rice Lake
face
during his
speech in order that he might
not lose any part of what he
had to say. I lament that my
knowledge of the language
is as yet too imperfect to
catch the whole thread of a
regular oration which is highly
figurative and even sublime.”2
Upon his recovery, Captain
Mohawk, in an elaborate
ceremony, presented Fothergill
with a quillwork belt. Fothergill
describes the ceremony:
“On his right hand and
on his left sat a chief both
commiserating friends, and
the moment the patient had
finished his oration, the Chief
on his right began his song in
a loud and sonorous voice and
after him the other chief on
his left. During this ceremony
& before it began a sacrifice
of fruits & vegetables, but
principally boiled Maize and
rice, was prepared & laid
in pails in a row before the
patient. A dish of tobacco was
also conspicuous – nothing
indeed of consequence is done
among the Indians without
tobacco. Between the sacrifice
of fruits & vegetables & the
patient all his best apparel,
trinkets and arms were
disposed in order. The squaws
sat at a little distance together
on the left hand grave, silent
and attentive to what was
passing but had no hand in
it except cooking the corn
and rice. After the religious
ceremonies were over the
several Indian families present
feasted on the sacrifice.
I ought to mention that at the
first commencement of these
ceremonies, a pole of bass-
wood about 12 feet long was
cut and peeled in the wood, and
after being painted red, black,
& white, in alternate rings,
with a small white pennant
and a plug of tobacco tied
at the top, was erected on a
small eminence near my house
in front of their camp, by the
young men of the tribe and
very solemn injunctions were
given to my men not to meddle
with it nor by any means to
pull it down until the perfect
recovery of the sick chief, for if
it was touched or removed by
a white man the whole charm
would be destroyed. The staff,
somewhat resembling the staff
of Aesculapius remained in
status quo for some weeks, but
unluckily having been absent
when my boat builder one
Griffiths a little Welshman
(whose thirst for whisky and
tobacco was nearly insatiable)
was in want of tobacco, the
temptation proved too strong
for him and he climbed up and
carried off the plug of tobacco
that was placed on the top as
an offering to the Sun. This feat
nearly cost him his life for one
of the exasperated Indians was
on the point of shooting him
when a squaw knocked the gun
out of the Indian’s hand just
as he had presented the piece.
These Indians are very attentive
to each other, tho more
especially towards their chief
when sick, wounded, or in great
distress. All the time this man
was laid up which was several
months, two young Indians
were continually employed in
hunting for him and in bringing
him in game & fish which
they did in abundance and he
wanted for nothing.”3
In the miscellaneous
documents that Fothergill left
behind three times he makes
reference to the incident. The
first is that quoted above from
volume 20 of the Fothergill
collection at the Fisher Library.
In another manuscript, while
describing a bird species—the
Rice Lake Rail4—Fothergill
adds: “A young Indian brought
12 of these birds to Capt[ai]
n Mohawk whilst under my
care for the cure of his wound
after having shot himself on the
13th of September.”5 The other
reference is made in the caption
of a painting he did of his log
cabin on the Rice Lake. The
caption reads: “Log House on
the Rice Lake. / Where we, C.F.
& J.H. dined, 12 mo. 10.19 –
Here I got some Rice grown in
the Lake, & Capn. Mohawk’s
belt. The view of Rice Lake is
taken from this house.”6
I first learned of this belt
about four years ago from
Bill Allen, who, at the time
was researching the life of
Fothergill’s granddaughter,
Florence Helena McGillivray,
an accomplished artist,
but, being a woman, much
overshadowed by the Group
of Seven and many other
male artists.7 Bill knew the
McGillivray family well and
from them heard about the
belt and its donation to the
Royal Ontario Museum many
years ago, and like the family
members themselves wondered
whatever happened to the belt.
The belt is described by the
Royal Ontario Museum as:
“Belt with quillwork. Fine
deerskin, backed with red
stroud, faced with quillwork
and stuffed at both ends with
paper birch strips. Design
consists of 15 squares, each
made up of white, red, white
and dark brown concentric
squares, the whole enclosed in
a triple border. Small amount
of beadwork at both ends, and
a tassel of skin with beads and
dyed moosehair.”8
For a couple of years, I tried
to find it by asking everyone
I knew who had a connection
with the ROM if they had any
idea where it might be. No
one seemed to know. Finally,
I happened to mention the
problem to Katherine Lochnan,
who was a trustee at the ROM
and knew exactly who to
ask. It turned out that the belt
resided with the Indigenous Art
& Culture Collection, and far
from being hidden away had
many times over the years been
on display to the public. In
fact, it had only recently been
part of an exhibition in 2017
at the ROM in a show entitled
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Detail of porcupine quill belt.
Detail of porcupine quill belt.
Charles F. McGillivray
wearing the belt when captain of
Whitby’s football team, c1880.
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If you like sterile you’ll like
the new look of the Royal Barber
Shop. But, if you prefer homey
and friendly, you’ll mourn the
atmospheric loss in the remake
of the shop after a fire in the
plaza closed the business for 13
months and required a complete
renovation of the space. On the
23rd of June 2019, a Sunday, a
fire in a near-by restaurant closed
down most of the business in the
Liverpool South Plaza on Krosno
Boulevard at Liverpool Road. The
barber shop suffered only smoke
and water damage, but recovery
for all the shops was slow, and in
the meantime Covid-19 emerged
to set them back even further. But
as of 24 July 2020, they are again
open for business.
The barber shop dates back
to the early 1960s—as it turned
out at an auspicious time and
a favourable place as the Bay
Ridges Subdivision, the first major
subdivision to be built after the
Second World War, was just being
built. John (Giovanni) Spataro and
his partner, John Civello, began the
business in a shop at the rear of the
Big M, across Liverpool Road from
its present location. John Spataro’s
brother Frank joined the partners
when the business warranted a
third hand. A haircut at that time
cost about 75 cents.
About 1967, John Civello left
the business and Charlie Xibilia
took his place. When the plaza
across the street, then known as
the Royal Bank Plaza, because
it was anchored by a Royal
Bank, was built in 1968, Xibilia
convinced Spataro to move across
the street where there was more
parking space. And that’s where
the business became the Royal
Barber Shop.
Spataro received his training
as a barber in his native country
of Italy. He moved to Venezuela
for a number of years where he
and brother Frank continued
their trade. He then returned
to Italy, got married, and then
immigrated to Canada making
his home in Scarborough. Xibilia,
who came from the same village
in Italy, worked in a barber shop
in Toronto at Coxwell and Girard
before joining the Pickering
business. He moved to Pickering
Village where he raised his young
family.
Charlie’s son, Nunzio joined
the business in 1995; and when
Charlie retired in 2003, Spataro’s
son Ross came over from working
with his uncle Frank in Markham.
Nunzio and Ross have known
each other from when they were
quite young, and they now run
the business together, with the
occasional help of part-timers (at
least before the fire interfered with
the business). Dominic Girolamo
was a regular on Saturdays for
many years, and Vince Grego also
served for a time.
Over the years the barbers
have seen a number of changes,
especially in hair styles. In the
1970s, long hair was in vogue. This
had a profound effect on barbering
as men came to the shop less often,
and business slowed to a crawl.
But John and Charlie toughed it
out until business picked up again
in the 1980s. Nunzio recalls an era
in the 1990s when the undercut
was popular, and later the buzz cut.
The barber shop, located at 721
Krosno Blvd., has been in the area
for so long now—nearly 60 years—
that Nunzio and Ross now serve
four generations of customers.
And, they are loyal customers.
When the shop was closed because
of the fire, people in the
community held a fund-raising
barbecue to support the business.
As the business recovers from the
effects of the fire and the pandemic,
Nunzio and Ross are doing what
they can to restore the relaxed,
friendly atmosphere that used to
prevail. Already the fish are
back on the walls.
The Pickering Township
Historical Society is grateful to
the Nunzio and Ross, for selling
copies of the society’s book
Time Present and Time Past: A
Pictorial History of Pickering.
The Royal Barbershop has sold
several hundred copies of the
book over the years, more than
any other institution apart from
the society itself.
by John W. Sabean, Becky George,
and Alarna McKie Before the fire After the fire
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Frank Spataro
Frank & John at work
Nunzio, John Sabean, Ross
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John Civello and John Spataro
outside the original barber shop.
The Big M, c1968, with barber
shop pole barely seen at far right.
Frank Spataro and John Spataro
inside the original barber shop.
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16
The directors of the
Pickering Township Historical Society
thank the Binns family
for a generous donation that will support
the society’s publications.
The directors of the
Pickering Township Historical Society
thank Elexicon Energy and
City of Pickering for their generous support.
Board of Directors:
Honourary Presidents: Lilian M. Gauslin
Tom Mohr
Past President John Sabean
President: Becky George
Vice President: Alarna McKie
Recording & Corresponding Secretary: Carol Sabean
Membership Secretary: John Earley
Treasurer: Elizabeth Evans
Editor: John Sabean
Design: John Cormier
Hands On Art & Design
Pathmaster is the newsletter of
the Pickering Township Historical
Society and is issued occasionally. Address
correspondence to PTHS, c/o 928 Reytan
Blvd., Pickering, Ontario, L1W 1Y7.
E-mail: johnsabean88@gmail.com.
For general enquiries address
correspondence to PTHS, P.O. Box 66053,
Town Centre, Pickering, ON, LIV 6P7.
Website: pickeringhistorical.ca.
“Anishinaabeg: Art & Power”.
Back in 1977-78, it was on
display first at the ROM and
then at the McCord Museum
in Montreal. And in 1984-
85, the McMichael Canadian
Collection borrowed it for one
of their shows, and it went from
there to the McCord Museum
again and then to the National
Museum of Man in Ottawa.
I contacted Arni Brownstone,
the curator at the ROM
responsible for the ethnological
collections from the Americas,
and arranged for members
of the McGillivray family to,
at last, reconnect with their
ancestor’s artifact.
The belt had been originally
given as a permanent loan to
the ROM in 1945 by George
A. McGillivray, Fothergill’s
grandson. Through some
mixup the loan was entered
incorrectly as coming from
James L. Baillie, Jr., a ROM
staff member. But this was
corrected in 1971 and reentered
as a permanent loan from the
Honourable Mr. Justice George
A. McGillivray.
In more recent years, the
ROM has sought to reconnect
with the McGillivray family so
that they could change the status
of the belt from permanent loan
to outright accession.
NOTES:
1 Thomas Fisher Rare Book
Library (TFRBL), MS Coll. 140,
Charles Fothergill Papers, Vol.
20, pp. 93-94.
2 Ibid., pp. 94-95.
3 Ibid., pp. 95, 349-348.
4 Sora Porzana Carolina.
5 TFRBL, 140, vol. 25, p. 302.
6 Log House on the Rice Lake, now
at the Royal Ontario Museum
(dated 10 Dec. 1819), Accession
No. 956.74.2. J.H. would
be John Halbert, a friend of
Fothergill’s whom he frequently
encountered on Rice Lake, and
who is occasionally cited in his
manuscripts.
7 W. C. Allen. “She is One of the
Best” A Researcher’s Notes on the
Life and Times of Canadian Artist
Florence McGillivray (2019).
8 The belt is approximately 81 x
7.6 cm (32 x 3 in).
Donald McGillivray, Mary McGillivray, and Arni Brownstone
viewing the belt at the ROM, 2 October 2019.
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