HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1977-06-30, Page 39BY LARRY MOHRING
On Friday, as part of the
Sesquicentennial of Goderich,
the celebrations for Canada
Day in this town will include a
soap box derby, bed races,
the commencement of
aquatic events, the presen-
tation of dramatic plays, and
dancing in the evening.
Entertefinment was of a
somewhat different nature
109 years ago when Huron
county's capital and the
neighbouring areas greeted
the first anniversary of the
attainment of Confederation.
In 1868, • the town's
population was something
Less than 3800, but was sub-
stantlal`f9 increased as ex-
cursionists arrived from
various vicinities to par-
ticipate in Dominion Day
events. Some ' 1300 people
from the Brantford area and
21 oints'west had 'crowded into'
railway cars, necessitating
two runs up from Clinton in'
the morning.
The Silver Spray, a
steamer which was owned by
the' local merchant J.V.
Detlor''and had been making
regular runs between
Goderich and Southampton
since May, also brought a
'large number' of people.from
-the northern ports,
Finally, there were the
farmers, their wives and
children who, according to
the Huron Signal,, 'flocked in
from the surrounding
ceuntry', with the estimated
number of yisitors--being-set'
at from 3 - 4,000 by that
journal.
Because of the `intolerable
heat' of the day, many of
those 'sought relief' at the
lake and as a further in-
ducement, the steamers
Silver Spray and Clinton
provided a total of five lake
GODERicn Si+Crl+lA-STAIL, THrAspoiY, J'u,
eiccursions during the course
of the day: ,r
Other amusements were
offered, including a cricket
match between the Goderich
. and Seaforth clubs, with the
locals being 'badly worsted'.
Youths -occupied them -
sieves by -'putting the stone'
and running races, while in
the downtown area an athlete
'performed some astonishing
feats' as he walked a rope
extended from Parsons'
buildings to Crabb's three-
story block, but many
onlookers were disappointed,
declared the Signal, "as. he
ERT
INA
IN1
rese
Ch
ICS
Mr, and Mrs. W.E. Collins
-photo by Philips
we at Ripley
w pom-pom mums and small white mums
red the Knox Presbyterian Church on Saturday,
8for the wedding efoWilliam Ernest Collins and
IAnn Kotyk.
double ring ceremony took place at 6 p, m. and was
cted by Rev. G. Lockhart Royal.
bride is the daughter of Mrs. Marjorie Kotykof
ich and the _groom _id the son of Mrs. Elizabeth
and the late Stanley Collins of Clinton.
organist was Mr. Dotterer who played selections
to the ceremony. The soloist, Mr. Grant Ellison,
of the bride, sang, "The Wedding Song," and The
Song, For There Is Love.
bride was given in marriage by her mother. She
white gown of polyester jersey with attached
Pleated ruffles and re -embroidered lace around
eck and cuffs. She wore a' matching headpiece
daisy -trimmed, finger-tip veil. She carried a
ebouquet of miniature yellow roses, white mums,
breath.
of honor was Ilona Murch of Goderich. She wore a
yellow, empire waisted" gown with V-neck and
ishop sleeves, ties at the back and she wore a co-
ving flop hat, She carried a nosegay of white,
and yellow tinted baby's breath.
esmaids were Debbie Bowden of Dungannon, Mrs.
MacLean of Port Albert, Ann Marie Eisler of
Diane Collins, sister of the groom from Clinton,
erryKotyk, sister of the bride.
rgowns were identical to the maid of honor's gown
el shades of pink, blue, mauve, green and peach
ively. They all carried nosegays of white mums
tedbaby's breath to match dress.
ergirl was Marie Porter, cousin of the bride, from
ch. She wore a yellow floor -length dress and
nosegays to match. Ringbearer was Timmy
nephew of the groom, from Londesboro.
msman was Nick Hodgins of Clinton. Ushers were
sler of Goderich, Brian MacLean of Port Albert,
Snobelen of Ripley, George Barwick of Goderich
orge Collins, brother of the groom from Clinton.
owing the wedding, a reception was held at Salt -
alley Hall. The bride's mother greeted guests in a
with multicoloured flowers floor -length dress,
ion pleated from a high waist. She wore pink
groom's mother wore a shocking pink floor -length
with a short jacket scalloped around bottom and
s. She wore shite roses.
travelling, the bride changed to a pale green
itwith matching green and orange top.
r to the wedding, the bride was honoured at
rs held by Mrs. Barwick, grandmother of the
Sherry Kotyk, sister and Debbie Bowden for
ors and friends in Goderich; Mrs. Dianne
an and Ilona Murch for friends in Goderich; Mrs.
Collins and Miss Hazel Collins for groom's
s in Brucefield; Mrs. Andy Flannagan and Mrs.
Eisler for bride's relatives in Dublin.
wing the wedding rehearsal, the groom's mother
fined the wedding party at Clinton.
and Mrs. Bill Collins are residing at RR 1, Ripley.
Steven Love and Raymond Bedard check over their sward Saturday. Steven won best overall arrangement and
winning arrangements in the Gpderich Green Thumb an- Raymond took first prize for the best arrangement in the
nual Flower Show held at St. George's Anglican Church under 10 years of age category. (staff photo)
JUBILEE 3
SATURDAY,. JULY 9
Parade Route
Slams on Highway 8 (Huron Road) to Elgin
Avenue,. to stoplights, down Kingston Street
1.0TheSquare, around
eerThe Square to South
to
S1rreet, down eeT, west (right)uth Sn-Blaket 5lStreet to ocks Blake
Mc-
uleaid Street, to Agricultural Park.
THIS NEWSPAPER
Invites all readers
age 21 and under
�,.�!!� to enter
THE GREAT
Vive le Canada!
ONTARIO -QUEBEC
ESSA • Y CONTEST
Tell us in 400 words or less
"WHY THERE IS ROOM FOR
QUEBEC IN MY CANADA"
Deadline for entries, midnight, July 15,. 1977
Best entry from among our readers will be submitted to
Ontario Weekly Newspapers Association, to compete
with essays submitted by weekly newspaper readers
, across Ontario.
GRAND PRIZE is an expense -paid
WEEKEND Ilii QIJEBEC CITY
for the winner and his or her family
IVE LE C4WADA!
I.i
•S�
1{l
did dot fall and break his
neck."
The divergent ways of
celebrating the holiday by
other residents and visitors
mirrored the temperance
issue, a pressing • concern
throughout the nineteenth
century.
It -is worthy of note that
during the 1860's andbeyond,
the evils of the 'demon
alcohol' were propounded by
journals like the Signal. When
statistics from the local jail
for the period 1850-69 were
later published, for example,
they indicated that
drunkertness was the offence
of fully 25 percent of the
prisoners. And in 1868, one
could find the Godertbh Lodge
of Good Templars and a
branch of the British
American Order of Good
Templars in town, with a
Temperance lecture given
each month.
On that July afternoon of
1868, the Good Templars of
Goderich and Seaforth jointly
engaged in a picnic, where
the younger boys and girls
reportedly 'imbibed moun-
tains of strawberries and ice- •'
creams' while washing that
down with 'oceans of
lemonade and ginger beer'.
Hundreds of others 'of a
different persuasion,
however, "warmed up by
drinking ale, whiskey and
other kinds of 'sustenance',
and the Signal noted that in
the evening an altercation
occurred, among a ISM
number 'of them,' which was
'greatly to the advantageof
the town constables' who had
their hands fult „frown that
point onward. .
By 8:00 p.m., .most, of the
visitors had departed for
home,, but. they all .`hadb
pleased'. "Those .who. wanted
a little "fun with the Wye"
had their head$. punched
satisfactorily, lovelrs "billed
and cooed",. those -tired of the
business and commerce of
life sat and enjoyed the
delightful scenery, and so
on," noted the Signal, and it
asserted that both the hotel-
keepers and the vendors of
'soft -drinks' "would be glad
to have frequent repetitions
of such a day."
Dominion Day 1868 had
been "a much 'livelier
time" than could have been
expected, the Signal had
stated, a sentiment which
could also be extended to that
of 1977. Happy, Birthday
Goderich, and indeed all of
Canada!
Editor's Note: Larry
Hohring, a former Goderich
resident, now resides in
Ottawa. Mr. Mohring holds a
Masters degree in Canadian
History.
Don't miss the giant B»ef Bar-
becue and Dance sponsored by
the Huron County International
Plowing Match Committee at
Clinton Community Centre July
14.
Vive le Canada!
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