HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1976-06-24, Page 40Ir.n:�f,'. aV
as start of first fair
By Mrs.followin McEwenthe Society ecided that the catering to banquets etc. As the
F. history was Directors' hors should be fed "Crystal Palace" was no longer
(The $ hay on Fair Day at the society's needed in that location. it was
taken from a talk ch givenfin i9u to expense. moved to south el the grounds
the Bayfield Branch i the Huron In 1913. a resolution vas passed � and is being used for a cattle
County Historical S.trciety-) to ban all automobiles, refresh- shed.
18561is officially e recognized as ment booths and gatrtblin&games The local school was invited to
Mrs.e birthday of the Bayfield Fair. from the grounds on Show day. participate in the Fair in 1938.
LeRoy Path of Bayfield The old Trinity Church shed Soon the schools from Bayfield.
possesses a and a addressed m was purchased in 1921 and moved Goderich Township and Stanley
her great-grandfather. William to the grounds for a poultry Township exhibited crafts.
shelter. That year the race track collections of leaves and weeds,
was enlarged until two laps compositions, and samples of
constituted a heat instead of handwriting and printing. The
three. "Free for all" trotting pupils also ran foot races and
races caused a great deal of sack races. That year they
excitement and firmers corn- Marched in a parade from Clan
peted with keen spirit. Spec- Gregor Square and competed for
tacular spills resulted and oc- a shield. Over the years. the
casionally an injured contestant schools' interest waned,
had to be rushed to the doctor's
ape i ally after
the he small Fair schools Board
office.
The Society felt that more land introduced a Youth section open
was needed and ten lots to the to all the children.
south were purchased from John Financial troubles often
Sturgeon for the sum of $150. the plagued the Bayfield Fair and in
board fence was removed and. a 1888, the balance on hand totalled
wire fence erected. A grand stand 82.91. In 1944 -Abe Fair's future
was built. W. J. Stinson donating seemed doomed but the hard
the timbers. work of the Directors and the
In 1947. the Agricultural support of the community saved
Society was approached by the show. Three years ago. a new
George Castle and two other image for the Fair was devised.
,George
of the Lions' Club in The date %vas changed to Labour
reference to leasing! part of the Day weekend. hoping oattract
tta
Fairgrounds to the'Lions Club.,At summer visitors — previously it
a meeting on April 28th that year had been held in late September
.i copy of the proposed lease was or early October. The Directors
read and discussed. and a labelled the event "An Old Time
Country Fair" Pioneer costumes
were used on show day and there
were old-fashioned contests.
Today's housewives marvel at
the old prize lists — in 1881 a prize
was offered for 50 lbs. of
homemade butter and 50 lbs. of
cheese. 10 yards of carpet. best
homemade gent's suit of clothes.
loaf of homemade bread not less
than 4 pounds, two houseplants.
also two bottles of homemade
Jowett. who lived on the Bayfield
Concession. The letter reads:
Sir:
You are requested to attend a
meeting of. the committee of the
Rayfield Agricultural Society to
be held in Connor's Hotel on
Saturday, the 5th day of July at
one o'clock. for the purpose of
drawing up a prize list and of
appointing a show day. Signed
Walter H. Hossin
Sec'y. ,B.B_A.S.
Mr. Jowett apparently served
as one of the first directors of the
Fair Board. Originally the
Association was known ' as the
Stanley Branch. In 1907 the
Stanley Branch and the Bayfield
Branch .amalgamated -- then it
was known as the Bayfield
Agricultural Society.
In 1581,.horses were divided into
three glasses agricultural.
general purpose and carriage
There was just cine breed of
cattle. "Grade" Livestock was
exhibited in Clan Gregor Square committee of the president. ice
and the inside exhibits' shown in President. and one director,
the Drill Shed. situated near the Russell Grainger. was appointed
ri,er bank. Races were run on to meat the bons Club on all
the dirt road around the Square business. 1.eg,r►! papers were then
In 1886 the Society bought eight drawn u to lease part of the
lots from W m. Woods for 82afl rounds for "0 years.
The show building. sometimes g oA edlarge arena -was rs. soon erected
dubbed "The Crystal Palace bythe Lions and is used by the
was hunt and a high board fence Agricultural Society for exhibits
erected. B. A. Higgins was ap" on Fair Day. During the summer
pointed "to see that no one gut it is used foil roller skating and in
were exhibited. A prize' was of-
fered for a fine pair of boots and
was won by Mr. Whiddon.
1956 marked the lOOth an-
niversary of the Bayfield Fair.
The Ontario Government
Agricultural Department
presented the Society with two
stone pillars. the stone work done
byour local stone mason. George •
Weston. which were erected at
the entrance to the Agricultural
Park.
Each pillar bore a plaque. one
citing the Society's one hundred
years of service. the other
honouring the pioneers of the
community. That year. Mr. F. A.
Lashley officially opened the
Fair. The centennial parade
contained historical floats.
decorated cars and bicycles.
horsedrawn vehicles. antique
cars. and school children attired
in pioneer costumes. That night a
concert featured home talent and
included a play depicting the
early days of the Fair. Miss Lucy
Woods wrote the production. The
largest family attending the
over the fence on Fair Day the winter for hockey and ice wine — no pies or cakes. Special
In 1904 the Ball Club leased timee skating. An artificial ice machine prizes were offered over the
grounds. Shortly after thatdrhas been installed Recently an years. Mr. Charles Myers offered
t
close
fence the Crystal
are and burned addition has been added to this, 83 for the best fat baby under one
after to Crystal Palace rr so • arena, tncliiding rest rooms. year! Homemade yarn and
after that the Society carried auditorium and facilities for cornhusk doormats. also harness
..,c�rNnt•�
At a m�+�•tina that vear
celebration received a sub-
scription to the "Family
Herald", a popular weekly.
periodical at that time.
1074 has been a banner year for
the Bayfield Fair with a record
attendance. All inside classes
were well-filled and exhibits were
of fine quality. The pet section
was very popular and the sports
section under the able direction
of Brigadier Clift created a great
deal of interest. So the change of
date and image of the Fair have
certainly paid off.
Records show that one of the
early presidents was George
Castle Sr., followed down the
years by: John Tough, John
McNaughton, Wm. Townsend. R.
E. Snowden. D. H. McNaughton,
3. W. Reid. John McClure. Carl
Diehl, William Sparks. Bert
Dunn. Alfred Warner: Carl
Houston. Harold Penhale, Fraser
Sterling. Alvin Rau. Edward
Grigg, Orville McClinchey, Grant
Sterling, Everett Mcilwain, Ted
Dunn, Thos. Penhale.
•'The Hut" home of Lucy Diehl was Bayfield' first the Historical
in the
old log part of the house. A plaque put upby
Society is hidden by the large mac bush.
1 20th Bayfield
Old Tyme
Country Fair
September 3rd & 4th, 1976
FRI. SEPT. 3rd
BINGO & OUTDOOR EXHIBITS
PARADE? SAT. SEPT. affi -- 12:30 p.m.
Elmer Hohl, World Champion Horseshoe Pitcher, returns by
popular request.
Pirie Mitchell with Peaches will M.C. the fun dog show.
Baby Show ,,,,registration 2:45 p.m. - judging 3:00 p.m.
Horse and Pony Events.
Bicycle Races.
Centennial Tree PlantingCeremony by the Bayfield-Ausabie Con-
servation Authority.
Plus — tug-of-war, horseshoe pitching, log sawing, nail.driving, etc.
4-H CLUB DISPLAYS - FINE ARTS
HISTORICAL EXHIBITS - CRAFT$
VINTAGE MACHINERY - LADIES'WORK
DOMESTIC SCIENCE -
FLOWERS - FRUITS - VEGETABLES
LIVESTOCK and POULTRY
SAT. SEPT. 4th
SQUARE DANCE
$5.00 PER COUPLE
BAYFIELD AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY
Tom Penhale, President, Ph. S45-2476
For information contact
or Audrey Grahan'i, Secretary -Treasurer, Ph. -2621