HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2015-02-12, Page 6PAGE 6. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2015.
Museum’s bearskin coat traced to Cranbrook church
What a story
Rev. William Arman Williams, left, pictured with his wife Annie on their 50th
wedding anniversary in 1962, served the pastoral charge in Ethel and
Cranbrook, which included Cranbrook’s Knox Presbyterian Church, right,
pictured in 1900, from 1927 to 1939. During that time, the congregation purchased
him a bearskin coat that has since been on a journey just as interesting as those
of the members of the Williams family. (Garry Williams and The Municipality of Huron East photos)
A story of history, traced by local
churches and a warm, uniquely
Canadian coat, had its humble
beginnings in the Brussels,
Cranbrook and Ethel communities.
“From the early 19th through to
the mid-20th century in Canada,
there was a gift [other perhaps than a
purse of money] that revealed the
high esteem in which a congregation
regarded its minister. A bearskin
coat was one that cost the
congregation a considerable
expense,” reads an entry of Museum
Musings, a writing of the National
Presbyterian Museum, located on
Broadview Avenue in Toronto.
The article goes on to explain that
the national museum collection’s
first-ever bearskin coat, a black bear
coat, came by way of Rev. William
Arman Williams who, between 1927
and 1939, had been called to serve
the pastoral charge that comprised
the two Knox Presbyterian Churches
in Cranbrook (congregation
established in 1855, church built in
1865) and Ethel (church built in
1927).
The coat was manufactured by
Montreal’s James Coristine & Co.
Limited, a company founded in 1869
by James Coristine. The company
sold a variety of fur products over
the years, but found its greatest
success with beaver fur top hats
around the turn of the 20th century.
The Williams family’s journey
began in 1880, when Williams was
born in Wales. He graduated in
Wales’ Presbyterian Bala College,
was ordained in 1913 and served as
a minister in Wales before moving to
the United States in 1921, serving in
Bangor, Pennsylvania from 1921 to
1926.
After serving briefly in Oxford,
Iowa, Williams moved to Ontario
and began his service in Huron
County.
The coat, described as a “prized
possession of the pastorate” was
then passed on through several
generations after first being gifted to
Williams by congregations in
Cranbrook and Ethel.
The generous gift was given not
just out of admiration, said the
Williams family, but out of
necessity.
“The pastoral charge realized that
its new Welsh minister would need
to keep warm on his pastoral duties,
so they took a collection and
presented him with a new bearskin
coat,” reads the description given by
the Williams family when the coat
was donated to the Toronto museum.
“He wore it while driving horse and
cutter in the snow belt of Huron
County when roads were impassable
for travel by car.”
In 1939, after serving in
Cranbrook and Ethel for over a
decade, Williams moved on to serve
the pastoral change of Valetta,
Ontario and New St. Andrew’s in
Dover Township.
Williams passed away in 1967, but
not before the coat was passed to his
son, Ivor, who had spent some time
growing up in Huron County.
In an interview with The Citizen,
from his home in London, Ivor, now
in his 90s, says he remembers those
cold, horse-drawn trips around
Under Section 7 (2), (6), (7) & (8)
of The Building Code Act 1992
S.O. 1992 Chapter 23 as amended
A Public Meeting will be held
MONDAY, MARCH 2, 2015 AT 7:00 P.M.
in the Township of North Huron Council Chambers
274 Josephine Street, Wingham, Ont.
To review and consider changes to
SCHEDULE “A” OF BY-LAW NO. 19 - 2006
BEING A BY-LAW TO REGULATE THE PERMIT CLASSES
AND FEES,
MAINTENANCE AND PROPERTY SERVICE FEES AND
ZONING BY-LAW INSPECTION FEES
IN THE TOWNSHIP OF NORTH HURON
Further information can be obtained by contacting
Tim Lewis, Chief Building Official
At 519-357-3550 ext.41
NOTICE
OF PUBLIC
MEETING
Branch’s general meeting set
Continued from page 2
and helper Deb Cann in Jean’s
absence. There were six tables of
players hoping to be the big winners.
Winners were: first, Shirley Hopper
and Helen Dobson, 75; second,
Glenn and Jean Bridge, 68; third,
Joann MacDonald and Dorothy
Carter; 63; low, Catherine
McDonald and John Brown, 39; lone
hands, Ruth and Marie, three.
We wavered between going or
cancelling the Sunday night dance
and decided to go. Unfortunately,
that was the wrong decision. There
were only 26 people who arrived to
enjoy the music of the Country
Ways. It was the first time the band
has played at the Branch in many
years. Thanks to Mary, Jo-Ann,
Mabel and Deb who filled in for
Linda Bird on short notice. That
darn flu is catching many this week.
Comrades Cecil Moore and Eric
Ross participated in Zone 8-ball
pool in Exeter last week. They had a
good day winning a couple of games
and finishing sixth for the day. They
will not advance to District play.
A reminder to all that the general
meeting is on Feb. 24 and the Notice
of Motion concerning Branch
bylaws will be presented for
acceptance by the body of the
Branch members.
The funeral luncheon for Betty
Gowing was held at the Branch on
Monday afternoon. Helpers for the
Branch included Jo-Ann McDonald,
Mary Bradshaw, Deb Cann, Don
Chesher, Brenda Linton and Sandra
Josling.
Community centres
concern councillors
Continued from page 1
and there needs to be a very serious
review of Huron East’s level of
service, because with costs
increasing and funding decreasing,
there is no way the municipality will
be able to maintain its current level
of service forever.
He said that it’s unlikely, on paper,
that Huron East could support three
community centres, which cater to
fewer users all the time. However, he
said he didn’t want to be the person
to make that case and he suspected
that councillors didn’t have the
“backbone” to defend these tough
decisions to ratepayers.
He said that the three communities
of Brussels, Seaforth and Vanastra
have historically been home to
community centres, but that tough
decisions were going to have to be
made in the future. If one of the
community centres, for instance,
needed $1 million in upgrades this
year, he said, would council be
prepared to support that?
With discussion largely focusing
on community centres, Councillor
Larry McGrath spoke up, saying that
while community centres may be
one of the financial problems
municipalities are facing, they’re not
the problem.
Michiels said she hopes that the
first draft of the budget will
be presented to council at the
April 7 council meeting, while she
hopes the final draft of the budget
will be presented and considered by
council at the May 5 meeting,
barring any delays.
Township of North Huron
Council & Committee
Meeting Schedule
Regular Council Meeting 7:00 p.m.
Location: North Huron Council Chambers
Date: Tuesday, February 17, 2015
Monday, March 2, 2015
Monday, March 16, 2015
Tuesday, April 7, 2015
Monday, April 20, 2015
North Huron Police Services Board Meetings
Location: Police Station Board Room at 7:00 p.m.
Dates: February 17 (start time 5:30 p.m.),
March 17 and April 21, 2015
Joint Council Meeting — Townships of
Morris-Turnberry and North Huron Councils —
Industrial Land Strategy
Location: Hot Stove Lounge at Complex
Date: Thursday, March 5, 2015 at 7:00 p.m.
By Shawn Loughlin
The Citizen
Continued on page 7