Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Wingham Advance-Times, 1972-07-06, Page 16*high In isk. 1 'e#', tfrsday, Jul 6, 1972 Several i 4 ed reSidents 0.04 many visitors in town for the Brussels Centennial weekend celebrations assembled. at the Brussels Public library. Friday evening when an histoJric plaque was unveiled in ceremonies in- volving local, provincial and federal representatives. Chairman for the affair was William 'H. King, suitably attired in old-fashioned formal suit and complete with black beard. He called upon Reeve J. L. McCut- cheon of Brussels who made a brief address of welcome to the citizens and visitors, including many former residents and their families. Brief addresses were also given by Reeve Charles Thomas of the Township of Grey , Robert McKinley, M.P. Huron; Murray Gaunt, MPP, Huron -Bruce; Reeve William Elston of the Township of Morris. Leslie R. Gray, representing the Archeological and Historic sites Board of Ontario also spoke v reek �r Wifnc c briefly, discussing the wide range plan of the department which is especially busy this year with centennials in many Western On- tario communities which were founded, as was Brussels, shortly after Confederation and the birthday of Canada. The detailed history of the vil- lage of Brussels, formerly known as Ainleyville and previous to that Dingle, was, read to the gathering by Mrs. Hazel Mathe- son. For the actual unveiling, the chairman called upon the oldest citizen. Walter S. Scott. who drew aside the veil from the plaque, which reads as follows: "The Founding of .Brussels --1n 1854 William Air1ley purchased two hundred acres of land here on the Middle Branch of the Mait- land River. The following year he laid out a village plot which he named Ainleyville. A post office named Dingle was opened in 1856. The community flourished and by 1863 contained a sawmill, a grist- mill, blacksmith shops, a woollen mill and several other small in- dustries. In anticipation of the rapid growth that the expected construction of the Wellington. Grey and Bruce Railway would bring, Ainleyville, with a popula- tion of 780, was incorporated as a village and renamed Brussels on December 24, 1872. Within a � de- cade the population had in- creased to about 1,800". In a special program prepared for the unveiling ceremonies the officials of the Village of Brus- sels are listed: 'Reeve, J. L. Mc- Cutcheon; councillors, H. J. Ten - Pas, I. G. Campbell, R. W. Ken- nedy, J. A. McTaggart, Clerk Wm. H. King; utility man, David Hastings. The Public Utilities Commission is listed as consist- ing of J. L. McCutcheon, chair- man, C. L. Workman and J. C. Kreuter, commissioners, with William H. King as manager and secretary:treasurer. 1•listorical Background' The village of Brussels strad- REEVE McCUTCHEON officially opened the Centennial celebration at Victoria Park Saturday afternoon. With -him on the platform, in the front row, from the right, are Walter Scott, Brussels' oldest resident, and John Ainlay, great-grandson of Brussels' founder. dies the boundary between the townships of Morris and Grey, which were surveyed in 1848 and in 1852 respectively. Lands in Morris were first offered for sale on Jely N..1852, and those in Grey on August 27, 1854. It is almost certain. however, that many pur- chasers had occupied the land as squatters before these dates. . In the vicinity of Brussels, lands on both sides of the town- ship line were purchased almost immediately 'upon being .adver- tised. Among the earliest settlers were William Kingston, William McLeod, Thomas Halliday, Alex= ander Stewart and William Henry Ainley Confidence in the area's poten- tial was high. apparently be- cause of the water -power facili- ties • afforded by the. Middle Branch of the Maitland River. In 1855 William Ainley laid out•a vil- lage plot which he named Ainley - ville. On April 1, 1856, he sold his property, including the village site, to John Nicholas Knecfi,tal, a local merchant and land specula- tor. Later that year a post office named- Dingle was opened with William Grant as postmaster. During the next few years several small businesses were established, no less than five churches were built and an addi- tion was made to the village plot by Thomas Halliday. Despite the water -power poten- tial of the river, mills were slow to develop, partly, it seems, be- cause the mill rights, were con - 'trolled by entrepreneurs who lived in other centres. John and Francis Fishleigh and Thomas Babb (all merchants *at Mitchell in Perth County,) and Donald Mc- Innis ' (a Hamilton merchant) controlled the mill property and flooding rights at various times, but none seems to have erected a Drumhead service attractshundreds Under brilliant sunshine, color- ful and impressive remembrance services were held by combined Royal Canadian Legion br4nches of the district at Brussels Sunday afternoon. More than 200 Legion- naires, headedby a massed pipe band, held a brief service at the cenotaph and proceeded to Vic- toria Park where `a public drum- head service was held. At the cenotaph next to Brus- sels Branch Legion Hall on the main street, wreaths were placed by Zone C-1 Commander Ted El- liott of Brussels and Brussels Branch President Pete Cardiff. A minute of silent tribute to the war dead was marked by the lowering of the massed colors and the sounding of "Last Post" and "Reveille" as the. Legionnaires stood at the salute. • Colorful Parade With Cleave Cloms'of Seaforth as parade marshall, Willis Hall of Wingham in charge Of color part- ies and Jim Kennedy of Kingston as drum major, the parade moved off to Victoria Park to the stirring music of the massed pipers, about .60 strong. With Zone Commander Ted El- liott 'as .general chairman, the service was held in, the spolrts area of the parr The parade per- sonnel occupied the infield in hollow square formation, while the public occupied the bleach- ers. Several hundreds of citizens and visitors took part in the serv- ice. Acting as chaplain for the event was Rev. "J. Province of Streets- ville, assisted by , Rev. Eric Le - Drew, pastor of Brussels United church. . Many Take Part+ Officials taking part in the par- ade as well as the service were Robert McKinley, MP, Huron; Murray. Gaunt, MPP, Huron - Perth; Dominion chairman of the Legion, Chester Merriam of Tara; Bill Wilson, Zone C-4 com- mand , `Sottffd-; Fred Telk- er, putt' district commander, Han ver; Rollie Russell, district commander, .Galt: President Pete Cardiff, Brussels branch; Bill Adamson, immediate past president; Harold Chambers, deputy zone commander, .Goder- ich:. Herman 'Young, district citi- zenship committee, Kincardine; Al Nicholson, past district Com- mander, Egmondville; Reeve Jack McCutcheort" of Brussels; Reeve Bill Elston of Morris and Reeve Charles Thdmas of Grey 4ToWnship. • THE TENPAS FAMILYof Brussels had an entry in Saturday's parade. The children were in tradition.al_Dutch costume. (Staff Photo) sirsoi.ttwwasu AufAilitta �-t u • 1101,0 $0 i�nair Mill, This achievement was left to William Vanstone, a miller from Egmondville, who built a sawmill and a grist-tnill soon after his arrival at Ainleyville in 1859. It was not until 1862, how- ever, that he purchased the prop- erty on which these buildings were erected from Donald McIn- nis and Thomas Babb. Richard Vanstone, miller, in Egmond- ville, was a partner in the firm until 1863 when he sold his share to James" Vanstone of Ainleyville. During the 1860's Ainleyville flourished. The Vanstone's Flour and Grist Mill was expanded to thr& run of stone, capable of• dressing 75 barrels of flour daily, besides gristing". Their sawmill Rri employed 10 men and cut one million feet of lumber annually. Other industries established ing this period were woollen mills, tanneries, a pumpfactory and a small farm implement factory. The population in 1869 was about 500. The major event of a next de- cade was the openi in 1874 of the Wellington, Grey and Bruce Company's line from Palmerston to Kincardine. In anticipation of the growth and prosperity that would result from its construc- tion. the village was incorporated on December 24, 1872. At the same time, its name was changed from Ainleyville to Brussels. The high expectations of the villagers were not disappointed. The population increased from 780 at the .time of incorporation to 1,800 in 1 1. Besides the expan- sion of established firths, a wide range of new industries develop- ed, notably a foundry and a furni- ture factory. In 1879 J. D. Ronald established the Brussels Steam Fire Engine and Agricultural Works. Since that period of rapid growth, the village has declined to its present population of about 850. Most of its manufacturing in- dustries have disappeared, but it remains an important distribut- ing centre for the prosperous agricultural region in which it is located. WALTER 5. SCOTT, oldest resident .of Brussels, was given the honor of unveiling the • plaque in front of the public library there Friday evening. The plaque was erected by the Archeological and Historic Sites Board of Ontario and -briefly outlines the history of the village., (Staff Photo) rL 1 r" ai► a ? - � k gtr14" e a no v..rna. BRUSSELS GIRL'GUIDES won a`first prize intheir.float category. They are shown here in various period costumes of the Girl Guide movement. (Sta`ff''Photo) BRUSSELS PUBLIC SCHOOL held an open house Saturday morning. The school proved to be a popular spot for resi- dents and former residents to hold an impromptu reunion. (Staff Photo) . LISTOWEL FIREMEN had a good time Saturday swerving from side to side in the par- ade squirting the crowd with water .from their antique fire truck. (Staff Photo) • r MORRIS TOWNSHIP entered this handsome four -horse team in the parade. (Staff Photo) I�II��IAtI AINL.AY L'AilE AIIV.AYVILLE thV1 (BMS IN NO 1LC+E IN MR. AND MRS. JOHN AINLAYof Evanston, Illinois were the parade marshals. Mr. Ain lay is the great-grandson of the founder of Brussels, William Ainlay. (Staff'Photo) TOM LOWRYof New Liskeard, formerly of Brussels, buys a commemorative plate of the Brussels Public and Con- tinuation School from Mrs. Amy Speir,,left, and Miss Lucas of the Majestic Women's, Institute at the public school open house. (Staff Photo) BRUSSELS REEVE Jack L. McCutcheon drove a 1930's era car (Staff Photo) the parade Saturday. 1 a