HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1976-06-24, Page 48•
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Ca:tholie church once Meth�dist
In the early days, many people
walked miles through the bush to
.attend religious services held at
intervals in various homes.
Later. services were held in the
log school house overlooking the
Bayfield River (THE HUT -
Home of Lucy Woods Duht.)
' The Honourable Colin Cam-
pbell of Sarnia' made the offer of
tree sites for church buildings in
Bayfield and a further offer of
$100 tobward the expenses of
building the first church. In 1856
the Methodists took him up on it
and built on a lot on Ann St.. the
opening services being conducted
by Rev. Thos. Cosford, then
President of the Goderich
District. Rev. John Burie was the
first minister.
The first trustees representing
the church were: Messrs James.
Switzer. Thos. Welch, Isaac
Erratt.George Erwin, John
Wallis. James Wallis. For a
number of years a Mission in
charge of Goderich, this
congregation became a part of
the Bayfield Circuit, which later
included Bethel and Cates ap-
pointments: At various times
other appointments included
were Varna, Goshen, Brucefield,
,Drysdale, Lakeview, Town Line
Class, Sauble River Class. and
Sharon,
The movement for a new
church building commenced
during the pastorate of Rev. J.A.
Snell (1903-4) whose . wife
organized a Ladies' Aid Society
and both devoted much time to
the work.
In the spring of 1906. under the
leadership of Rev. T. A. Stead-
man. definite official action was
taken and the contracts were let
for a brick church on the corner
of Louisa and Colina Streets. The
last service was held in the old
Ann Street Church on Sunday.
April 15. and the work of
demolishing the old'building and
erecting the new commenced.
Services were held in the Town
Hall while the building was going
on Contractors were: cement
work -James Spackman: brick-
work and- plastering -Chas.
Shoemaker; carpenter work -J.
Kalbfleisch: seating -Valley City
Seating Co., Dundas.
The cornerstones were laid
with a appropriate ceremony on
Monday . July 2nd. 1906 — one by
Mr. James Wallis of Goderich
Township an honoured member
for over 50 years. and the other
by Mr. Lancelot Clarke of Stanley.
Township (another :neither of
long standing). '
This church served the very
active congregation until the
United Church catine into being in
1925 and the members joined with
the Presbyterians in worship in
their brick church on the Square.
Miss Rose Kennedy purchased
the building and in 1930 donated it
to the R.C. Diocese of London. So
it continues to be a place of
worship during the summer
months.
USED BY CATHOLICS
BY REV. MSGR. W.
BOURDEAU
The Church of • the English
'Martyrs. Bayfield, serves as a
summer chapel for worshiping
Roman Catholics who reside here
or ' come from- far and near to
enjoy the beauty and the rest-
fulness of this locality as regular
cottagers, tourists. or visitors.
Constructed in 1906 for the
Methodist congregation of
Bayfield and surroundings. it
became' a surplus church when
the United Church was officially
established. Miss Rose Kennedy.
an aunt to Justice Maurice King.
(both now dead) purchased it and
donated it on July 13. 1930 to the
R. C. Diocese of London in
memory of her late brother the
Honourable William Costello
Kennedy. A bronze plaque
commemorating this event is
displayed in the building.
Ever since the above date. this
chapel has been open for divine
worship summer weekends. This
has been made possible by the
support both financial and
religious of its floating
parishioners. Amongst the first
ones recorded. besides the names
Kennedy and King. are such
others as Stott. Bart. Darcy.
Monkhouse, Tillmann and Shea.
This list.. of course. in the past 45
years. has swollen beyond the
possibility of including everyone.
Without forgetting the regular
citizens of the region who form
part of the congregations of the
neighboring parishes. it might be
well to risk mentioning some of
the families who, from
elsewhere. have been . attending
Mass here as cottagers for many
years like the Bauers, the
Beechies. the Cooks. the
Denomys. the Duggans, the
Duncans, the Hessions, the
Jessups. the Scott -Coffins and the
imediate relatives of all these.
Florence Miller
Jean Grey
Muriel Lockhart
Mary Divok
17 VICTORIA ST., CLINTON
Authorized Whine-Elna Dealer
Your one -s1 p shop for all
your sealing mels.
The mother church of this
chapel is St. Peter's. St. Joseph.
Ontario. As a consequence, the
succeeding Pastors of that parish
have been in charge except from
1939 to 1945' when Father Joseph
Cook (Warren. Cook's brother)
took over and helped to make the
undertaking a financial and
spiritual success.
Since 1946 (except for a lapse of
eight years) the present in-
eumbent has carried on first as
Pastor of St. Peter's Parish and
now as a retiree. Under his
guidance the chapel was
remodelled to respond to the
demands of the new liturgy. He
saw the congregation increase to
a point where the chapel, now
seating 150, is filled to capacity at
each of the two weekend services
with a group responsive and
fervent collectively and in-
dividually.
May it continue to be so for the
glory of God. the welfare of
Bayfield and the good of its
inhabitants no matter of what
religious persuasion they may be.
BITS AND PIECES ABOUT THE
METHODIST CHURCH
February 9. 1905 -Lillian King is
all right again after her costume
caught fire at the Methodist
Christmas entertainment.
Dec.
Christmas
1886.-There was a
surprise at the Methodist par-
sonage when.. Mr. Gee was the
recipient of 80 bushell's of oats.
About 9 p.m. when the occupants
were thinking of retiring, friends
from the Bethel appointment
arrived.
June 9. 1893.-A phonograph
concert was held in the Methodist
church.
Four marriages were recorded
in the register of the Wesleyan
Methodist Church in 1858. (this
would be just after the church
was built) : Joseph Mills and
Flower Ann Boles: Edward
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This church, which is now the Church of the English Martyrs
(Roman Catholic) used to be the Methodist Church of Bayfield.
(photo by Milvena Erickson)
Holton and Ann McLeod; James
Johnson and Jane Nicholson;
Peter Geiger and Mary Ann
Wiloson. In 1859 the marriages
recorded were : ' James Thom-
pson and Isabella McLeod;
Samuel Blair and Elizabeth
Splan; Edward Talbot and
Isabella Brawn. In 1860 the
returns for six marriag were
made by Rev. Thos. Robson. The
next entry in the register reads.
"1861. No returns to make -poor
business.''
December 12. 1883 '""
A gentleman of our village who mud and over a dreary lonesome
drives a span of black beauties road.
visited Clinton early last week.
His daughter accompanied him. A few miles out of town. quite
About 4 p.m. he started for home - likely tired out. she found rest for
and left the young lady behind. the night at the house of an
She did not get through with her acquaintance. Report says the
shopping for about an hour after father forgot his daughter but it is
he left and then took her parcels a rather peculiar case of absent
and started to walk home through mindedness.
Congratulations Bayfield as you start your
10 1 st
We invite yea all to come and visit our
year
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We ere still in our
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and you may not have seen us before --- so look us overt
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+ ASP FOOD STORES
+ORMANDY JEWELLERY
+ TORONTO DOMINION BANK
f + SANDY'S FASHIONS
V.
+ FURNiTURE WORLD
+ KNIT -WIT WOOL SHOP
+ PET & HOBBY CENTRE
+ CAMEO HAIR STYLING
+ THE MET DEPT. STORE
+ THE CHILDREN'S SIOPPE
+ G & S DISCOUNT
+ FARM CREDIT CORP.
Climate Controlled Malt
Free and easy parkin® for over 700 cars
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