HomeMy WebLinkAboutHomecoming '87, 1987-07-01, Page 3THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, JULY 1, 1987. PAGE A-3.
_Homecoming '87_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Brussels Women’s Institute first set up in 1910
The Women’s Institute in Brus
sels is one of the oldest of the
service organizations.
The first Women’s Institute was
organized Jan. 11, 1910 with Mrs.
John Robb being president. Mrs.
Sam Walker was secretary trea
surer and one of the directors was
Mrs. Wm. Rands.
During the war years much time
was spent sewing, knitting, and
packing boxes for the war effort.
This branch was disbanded in
1920.
In 1939 while Mrs. Harold Speir
was district president, she realized
that the women of her school
section, Grey twp., had no common
meeting place where they could
assemble for education and enter
tainment. On November 16, 1939
she called a meeting at her home,
of the women of the community and
a Women’s Institute was organiz
ed. There were 34 members and it
was called “Majestic” to com
memorate the visit of King George
VI and Queen Elizabeth in 1939.
The meetings were first held in
the members’ homes on the second
Thursday of every month at 2 p.m.
In 1947, owing to increased
attendance, they were held in the
Brussels Public Library. The first
presidentwas Mrs. Doug Heming
way and the first secretary treasur
er, Mrs. Bert Hemingway.
Through the years, the W.I. has
contributed time, gifts and money
to various local and out-side
organizations such as Children’s
Shelter, Manitoba Relief Fund,
Huronview, Cancer and T.B.
clinics, Scholarships and Bursary
funds, music festivals, local fair,
redecoratingtheTown Hall and
library, baby show, layettes, burn
ed out families, boxes to sick and
shut ins.
The Institute has sponsored
Junior Homemakers projects for
many of the girls of the community
to help them become efficient
homemakers. Senior local leaders’
training schools and short courses
have been held to which members
andladiesofthe community are
invited to attend.
Canada’s Centennial year in
1967 was a busy year during which
the W.I. held teas where ladies
were dressed in “old” clothes;
Brussels population 344 in 1871
Continued from page A-2
mill, tanneries, apumpfactory,
and a small farm implement
factory. The population at the 1871
census was 344.
In anticipation of the rapid
growth that the expected construc
tion of the Wellington, Grey and
Bruce Company’s rail line from
Palmerston to Kincardine would
bring, Ainleyville was incorporat
ed as a village and re-named
“Brussels” on December 24,1872.
Within a decade, the population
had increased to about 1,800.
By the time of its incorporation,
thethrivingvillage had added a
foundry, a planing mill, a carding
mill, a furniture factory, a carriage
shop, a flax mill, a corset factory
and five fine hotels, as well as a
antique displays; floats “Pioneer-
Home” which won first prize. The
most important project was the
restoration of the gravestone in the
Brussels cemetery of Wm. Ainley,
the founder of Brussels.
In 1972, Brussels Centennial
year, the W.I. was busy. During
the winter, members designed and
quilted a quilt with over 1,000
Brussels’scitizensnameson it.
Tickets were sold on it as well as on
plates with the “old” school on
them. The Institute had an entry in
the parade and served tea and
coffee at the registration rooms.
sixth church, law offices, medical
and dental offices, two confection
ary shops, hardware, tin and stove
outlets, drug stores, boot and shoe
shops, butchers, bakers and bar
bers.
In 1874, afterthe village was well
established, a station for the
Wellington, Grey and Bruce Rail
road was built on the Morris Twp.
side of the village, with Morris
assuming the debt for its construc
tion of $2,375, which, however,
Brussels soon paid back.
In 1879 J.D. Ronald'established
the Brussels Steam Fire Engine
and Agricultural Works, one of the
region’s most remarkable indu
stries for many years. However,
after the years of rapid growth
following the arrival of the railway,
In November 1979 the Majestic
W.I. celebrated its 40th anniver
sary.
The Institute conducts the Can
adian Cancer Society canvass and
donates to other worthy causes
from the Canadian National Insti
tute for the Blind to projects
sponsored by the Brussels Lions or
Legion. It supports the ladies
women’s division of the Brussels
Fall Fair and sponsors a girl in the
Queen of the Fair competition
each year.
One of the least publicized but
most important projects of the
the population of the village slowly
began to decline, and many of its
manufacturing industries and
shops disappeared, although it
remained an important shopping
and trading centre for the prosper
ous agricultural area in which it is
located.
By June of 1972, when Brussels
celebrated its Centennial with one
of the largest celebrations ever
seen in the region, the population
was listed as 850, and the village
was thought by many to have
entered the sleepy decline which
seems to have been the fate of
many rural villages as populations
shift, urban centres expand, and
travel becomes faster and easier.
However, over the past few
years, Brussels has once again
Women’s Institute is the keeping
of scrap books on area events as
partoftheTweedsmuir History, an
ongoing account of the history of
the community.
The current slate of officers
includes: Peggy Cudmore, past
president; Kathy Bridge, presi
dent; Edna McLellan, first vice-
president; Leona Armstrong, se
cond vice-president; Leona Conn
elly, secretary-treasurer; Marie
McTaggart, District Director;
Kathleen Semple, Edna McLellan,
branch directors and Mrs. Doris
McCall, press relations officer.
entered a truly remarkable period
of growth, making it the most
vigorous village in Huron County,
and a new mood of excitement and
optimism pervades the atmos
phere almost everywhere you go.
In the past year or so, nine new
businesses and light industries
have sprung up within the town
limits, some 21 new families have
taken up residence, the old New
American Hotel will soon re-open,
and new construction has surpass
ed the half-million dollar mark in
the first six months of 1987.
By the next Brussels Homecom
ing, it is quite possible that our
village will again have entered a
period of growth not seen since the
heady days of 1872, 115 birthdays
back.
Welcome To Brussels
1872 - ONTARIO'S PRETTIEST VILLAGE - 1987
THE MUNICIPAL OFFICE 1987
Pictured above [left to right] Hugh Hanly and Donna White.
BRUSSELS P.U.C. 1987
REEVE: Hank Ten Pas
COUNCILLORS: Gord Workman
Malcolm Jacobs
Neil McDonald
Elizabeth Graber
CLERK: Hugh Hanly
"To our residents and to those who
have returned - have the best of
times at our Homecoming
Weekend"
CHAIRMAN: Hank Ten Pas
COMMISSIONERS: Harold Bridge
Henry Exel
MAN.-SEC.TREAS: Hugh Hanly
VILLAGE OF BRUSSELS STAFF:
TOWN FOREMAN: David Hastings
GENERAL UTILITY: John Pipe
ASSISTANT CLERK TREAS: Donna White
1987
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