The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink AboutGoderich Signal Star, 2011-07-27, Page 11rich Sill -Star • Wednesday, July 27, 2011 clians are normally an orderly, people not easily given over to tial displays. Yet, there have ties when outbursts of national have broken through Canada's rive. In Goderich, there has -wen anything that compares r bedlam of the Ladysmith iiier War had been the major ory for six months. The day-to- vements of Canada's soldiers layed by telegraph to an eager 1."he letters of Goderich's own Austin Chisholm serving with al Canadian Regiment were in both local newspapers. News to of the besieged British garri- l.adysmith and Mafeking were with intense anticipation. v after 8 a.m. on March 1, 1900, .grapher at the G.T.R. station the message 'Ladysmith is By 9 a. m., after the news had tithenticated,' Station Agent held an 'impromptu loyalist where neighbours who heard Kriam 41ann Limos t'Uz in Style to. your. event With no worries! Chad Mann 519-357-3015 www kruzinmannlimos.com PLAY ALL DAY the loud cheering thought a holiday had been proclaimed. The town's factory whistles began 'shrieking' for at least a quarter of an hour. `Ihe fire bell rang all morning fol- lowed by the ringing of the bells at the courthouse, and every church in town. Acting -Mayor Dudley Holmes said 'the boys' could ring the town hall bell as long as they liked. It rang all day. The. Bank of Commerce hoisted a giant flag atop of the building. Bank employees took to the streets handing out flags to passersby. Bareheaded, the County courthouse staffgathered on the steps and sang 'God Save the Queen.' The'excellent baritone' of Sheriff Allan and the 'sweet tenor' of Surrogate Clerk Lane were 'most inspiring' and 'reverberated' around the building causing the icicles to come crashing down from the eaves. By 9:15 a.m. events moved swiftly at a momentum: of their own. Mr. F Jordan, Chair of the Collegiate Board of Trus- tees, burst into the school with the news of the victory. Principal Strang assem- bled the student body whem they were harangued with patriotic speeches and sang national- ist songs. Chair Jordan declared it a school holiday. The public and separate schools were also dismissed for the day thereby unleashing hundreds of excited school children into the streets. Everyone headed towards the Square to see what was happening. Some boys added to the already deaf- ening racket of bells by forming a penny whistle and tin pan band. Although the music was 'not up to the Godfrey stand- ard,' they were heartily cheered by the growing crowds of curious onlookers: 'The Huron Signal' (March 8, 1900 reported that it was as if 'Bedlam had been let loose' in Goderich. The scene was 'indescribable' as "everybody had a flag who could get one -big flags, little flags, onion Jacks, ensigns. Anything that had the red, white and blue colours was pressed into service. Men, women and children had flags in their button- holes, on their hats, in their hands. Flags flew from horses' harness, rigs were decorated and even dogs were gaily decked." Flag bedecked rigs raced around town shouting the news. The ‘Goderich Star' called it a 'Day of Jubilation: Others might have called it a near riot. Overly enthusiastic boys tipped over sidewalk carts. One 'bummer' made what were interpreted as unpatriotic remarks and was threatened with a 'Buller hit. At 9:20 a.m. reports of gunfire echoed around the Square as the Goderich Rifle Club, 'Off Hand Rifle Clubs' and any- one, it seems, who had a firearm dis- charged hundreds of rounds into the air. Rougvie's Hardware store alone 'freely supplied 500 rounds of ammunition: Ammunition at other stores was soon exhausted as men took to the streets fir- ing wildly. The explosions of 'flyingd rockets' (fireworks) only added to the din. The noise from the rifle fire, bells, tin whistles and shouting drowned out the 'well known airs' of piper E.R. Watson Engineer Walter Brough detonated five dynamite charges in celebration on the harbour ice but the blasts could not be heard above the noise uptown Mr. Jordan, at the head a mob of hun- dred citizens, besieged Acting Mayor Holmes demanding that Thursday, March 1 be declared a_'half-holiday. In an unprecedented act, Mayor Holmes proclaimed a 'public half -holiday' and authorized a 'military procession'- to W/Ca rt Any Day Anytime coupon Expires Aug. 31. 2011 Some c im ltions apply. I. F w �I► - - •••• - .Weekends - Save BIG! ! r w/cart Aper 3pm Sat. Sun & Hol >urnament Packages $5 commence at.2: i 5 that afternoon. Copies of the proclama- tion were printed and distributed through the town, John Platt dug out of the snow and dirt the Crimean War era cannon at Victoria Park. Plan painted 'Ladysmith' on one side and 'Long Tom' (named after. a Boer gun) on the other. It took 10 -men and several hours to mount the ancient cannon onto Platt's dray but he was able to get his 'captured' gun into the military processiotii just in time. Collegiate girls in sleighs led the parade followed by Platt and his 'Long Tom' cannon. The veterans of 1866 wearing their newly awarded Fenian medals came next along with the Collegiate 'Marine Band,' No.. 1 Company of the 33rd Huron Regiment; and Collegiate Cadets. The Juvenile Royal Templars; the Sons of Scotland; local gun dubs and 'citizens in rigs' brought up the rear. Newspapers estimated that the crowds numbered in the thousands by mid-afternoon as the procession made its way around the Square. It halted at the British Extange Hotel where the national anthem was played. Major Jordan (Is this the same guy who dismissed school and wanted a half -holi- day?) stepped in front of the veterans and called for three cheers for the Queen, General Buller, and others before eve- ryone with a rifle fired a 'Royal Salute.' The parade ended at the armoury on Victoria Street where the 33rd fired yet another dozen volleys. A bonfire was lighted on the Square in front of the Jordn Block' but was deemed 'not big enough to suit the boys' and so a larger one was built on the corner of North Street, Before the blaze burned out around midnight, nearby trees and buildings had been scorched. Sporadic rifle fire died down overnight. Never had Goderich spontaneously erupted into such 'wild' ,unrestrained celebrations. The Ladysmith 'jubilation' was completely outof character for the town. Charles Heale, a former resident living in Brooklyn, New York, wrote in the 'Signal' (May 17, 1900) that he was 'surprised' that 'staid old Goderich' could 'give way to such emotions.' Yet, what happened in Goderich was not unique, similar demonstrations occurred in Clinton, Exeter, Wingham, Seaforth and Zurich. When the British relieved the Siege of Mafeking on Friday, May 17, 1900, it was a more subdued affair.. A situation helped by the fact that when Kftiss Ball, the C. P R telegrapher, posted the news at 4:35 p.m., it was near the end of the work- day. The celebration ended with a 'simple but fervent' serv- ice at St. George's Church. The Goderich celebrations that ended both World Wars never approached the wild, unrestrained, reckless abandon of Thursday, March 1. 1900. Perhaps it was a much eeded release after a long .Canadian winter, no doubt the patriotic sentiments were genuine, but nothing completely explains the temporary madness of the Ladysmith 'Jubilation: It was a day never repeated In Goderich's history. .ATRIBUTE TO EXCELLENCE At Famine & Co. Professional Corporation, we are con)mitted to setting a standard for excellence in professional services The history of our success is attributed to the calibre of our people and their ability to work together to build firm financial solutions for our clients Larry White, CGA FAMME & CO. Professional Corporation Chartered Accountants 1436 Bruce Rd 1, ;ordure) Kinloss NOG 2Bo 'ww hlackhorsegolf.c,i 519-395-0009 The partners and staff of Famine & Co Professional Corporation would like to congratulate this outstanding individual on the successful completion of all the requirements in obtaining the Certified General Accountant designation. We applaud your efforts and your continuing commitment to excellence. 125 Ontario Stmt Stratford, Ontano • N5A 3H1 Phone (519) 271-7581 Fax (519) 271.2737 F -mitol osicee tirnnesmico on.= 210 Oxford Street East London, Ontario 46A 1T6 Phone (519) 432-1663 Fax (519) 432.7662 Email bndon•Mimmr ca 199 Eigtn Street East PO Box 1228 St. Marys, Ontano N4X 188 Phone (519) 284-1030 E-mai► rArrnneo ropers coin