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HomeMy WebLinkAboutGoderich Signal Star, 2017-01-25, Page 7Wednesday, January 26, 2017 • Signal Star 7 Histor Captain Babb and the Ocean -House hen it was demolished in 1927, the Ocean House was the last hotel on the Goder- ich waterfront. It was a well- known landmark, famous not just as a holiday resort or sailor's tavern but for its leg- endary owner, Captain Wil- liam Babb, an ex -Royal Naval seaman whose heroic Life- saving deeds were recog- nized by the U. S. Government. The Ocean House's date of construction is unknown. It was located on the corner of Harbour and Beach streets in what was known as Lower Town. Shipbuilding, fisheries, gra- naries, flour mills, salt warehouses, lumber yards and the daily arrival and departure of steamboats and schooners made Lower Town a thriving hub of marine commercial activity in the nineteenth century. The Ocean House pre- dated 1881 when the 'Huron Signal' reported that "Wm. Craig, Ocean House" had been granted a liquor license. By May 1883, Babb appears to have been the Ocean House's proprie- tor. The 'Huron Signal' complimented the Babb's for their "culinary skill" at an Oddfellow's dinner held at the Ocean House. ` Babb, at 48, when he took over the Ocean House, had already led a full Life of adventure. He was born in England on Feb. 17, 1840, and joined the Royal Navy as a boy. Babb served in Her Majesty's ships along the British coast, the Medi- terranean, and the Dardenelles before coming to Canada in 1866 aboard the g.unboat 'Cherub' which was stationed in Goderich to protect the port from the Fenian threat. In 1868, the 'Cherub' left Goderich for Mexico and the West Indies. Babb was discharged from the navy in 1870 and returned to Can- ada. Babb married Avis Reid on Dec. 14, 1870, at St. George's church according to historian Eleanor Smith. Their marriage produced six children. According to his obituary, Babb was as a Huron History David Yates gunnery instructor aboard the Dominion Gunboat 'Prince Alfred' in 1870 dur- ing the Northwest Rebel- lion. Residing in Goderich, the 1881 census lists Babb's occupation as 'miller: After taking over the Ocean House's proprietor- ship, Babb was appointed captain of the Goderich Life Saving Station in November 1885. Babb's appointment came not a moment too soon. About 4:00 a.m., on Dec. 9, 1885, Babb heard the clanging of a ship's bell out on the lake. The bell Babb heard above a raging storm was that of the distressed schooner, 'A. C. Maxwell.' "Notwithstanding the almost hopeless prospect of reaching the craft and the imminent danger which confronted the undertaking," Captain Babb, according to the official Report of the U.S. Life Saving Service, "quickly mustered a crew of volunteers" and "fore- warned each man of the great peril he was about to face." 'Undaunted' the vol- unteers "with unflinching heroism," set out "on their errand of mercy." Despite 'the terrible struggle against the wind, wave, and drift -ice, Captain Babb's crew hauled on oars in search of the vessel. The 'Maxwell' had run aground several hundred feet off of Black's Point south of Goderich. With complete disregard for their personal safety, the lifeboat crew "steadfastly kept to their oars until the rescue was accomplished." The official report stated that "unques- tionably every soul would have perished had it not been for the supreme and gallant efforts of the life boat men" who rescued the 'Maxwell's six men and one woman. CAFT ELL KN: ilk MRG. - )ttL h. 't �'rt f.�v ft• _✓k'V`kY Captain William Babb with Life Saving Medal. Captain Babb and his lifeboat crew were rewarded for their mari- time gallantry by the U.S. government at a ceremony in the Goderich Townhall on Feb. 11, 1888. U. S. Con- sul, R. Chilton, awarded Captain Babb the Congres- sional Gold Life -Saving Medal. The other lifeboat crewmen received Silver Life -Saving Medals. The 'New York Times' even cov- ered the event. Babb was involved with many dramatic maritime rescues. In 1889, he told Faith Fenton of the 'Toronto Empire' that his lifeboat crew had saved 21 lives. On one occasion, in 1896, when a baby fell into the harbour, Babb in a 'sci- entific manner' revived the child earning "great praise for his successful efforts." Babb's Ocean House was a tourist draw by 1889. The 'Goderich Illustrated Sig- nal -Star' praised its "fine view of the harbour" and Huron's "invigorating and health giving breezes." The Ocean House was the first hotel known to advertise the mineral spring's 'medicinal properties.' Travellers were informed that Babb kept "a large fleet of rowboats" near the dock and attended to his guests "with a courtesy and care that gives courage to the most timid handler of the oars." The nuisance of boys swimming nude was becoming a problem. In a letter to council, Babb asked the town to do some- thing about the problem because "it cannot be expected that ladies are going to take advantage of our bathing facilities if this is allowed to be carried on." In 1893, a bathhouse was erected on the beach under Babb's care. The following year, Babb fixed up the bathhouse, which .the 'Signal' called "the finest of its kind along THE OCEAN HOUSE, _HARBOR ST. Huron County Museum Ocean House c. 1897 from "A Souvenir of Goderich." the coast of Lake Huron." Babb raised a blue flag over the bathhouse roof to sig- nal to bathers when the lake temperature was suit- able for swimming. Bathing 'costumes' were rented for 25 cents. In a promotional booklet, 'A Souvenir of Goderich' (1897), the recently reno- vated Ocean House was advertised as the picture "of cleanliness and comfort." Tourists were advised that they "could not do better than" the Ocean House." Despite the hotel's 'splen- did' lake scenes and "the best of treatment at the hands 'of the proprietor," inside and out for the 1906 season. Improvements included a quarter cut oak bar and a refrigeration sys- tem where "thepipes lead- ing to the beer taps" passed "through a chamber con- taining a supply of ice" was worthy of mention in the 'Signal.' In 1908, although the Ocean House advertised itself as "well -stocked with the choicest wines, liquors and cigars", the opening of the CPR did not help the Ocean House's business. In 1912, Babb and other local tavern keepers were charged with selling liquor illegally. Babb claimed that the booklet acknowledged _, in his 28 years in the hotel that the Ocean House wasbusiness he had never been 'cheaper' accommodation. charged with an offence. In 1900, the Ocean The charge was dismissed House was threatened but it is noteworthy that he with foreclosure. The 'Sig- never denied selling illegal nal' advertised the prop- liquor. erty as "a first-class two- In August 1914, Captain story, frame hotel." The Babb announced that with notice listed the 65x35 prohibition, the Ocean foot hotel as having a bar- House would close. The room, dining room, sitting Babb's continued to live in room and 23 other rooms the Ocean House where plus a 'lavatory.' The on Jan. 11, 1917, Captain Ocean House never went William Babb died of to auction but Babb's large family were greatly involved in the hotel's upkeep with one daughter listed as 'Table Girl' and another as 'Kitchen Girl' dementia. His well - attended funeral was held at the hotel. By 1924, the Ocean House was a dere- lict building. A suggestion to turn it into a dance in the 1901 census. pavilion was never acted In April 1906, the Cana- upon. In April 1927, the dian Pacific Railway forted Ocean House was demol- the Ocean House to be ished to make way for moved closer to the lake. Shell Oil tanks. The Ocean Part of the bathhouse was - House was no more but also moved. Thousands of the dream of spending dollars were spent in reno- summers at a Goderich vating the Ocean House waterfront resort lives on.