The Goderich Signal-Star, 1978-08-10, Page 17t
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Newsmen in Edmonton and environs
are a rather distraught lot these days.
Things were proceeding on schedule.
The Royal family was in Edmonton,
the Queen, Prince Philip, Andrew and
Edward, and the PM flew in for a little
disco'with Diane Jones-Konihowski and
a chat with our amiable monarch. And
apparently there was a bit of sports in
the offing as well. Some gymnastics,
swimming, track and field and that
sort of thing.
Newsmen at the Commonwealth
„,l -V,1 ;.,.yP7..,r... utak.. full advantage of the
situation too.
There was not a single issue of our
favorite dailies that did not carry a
series of pictures in -each daily edition
of the royal family and the Prime
U�'• Minister.
There were pictures of the Queen
watching events, Prince Philip wat-
The. John Stewart house (above) overlooking Benmiller was'built in two
sections, the south was believed to date from about 1860. The picture was
taken a century later. The modernized house (below) is the residence of
K.H. Hoernig, a teacher.
No back route
for Stewart cow
BY W.E. ELLIOTT
James Stewart, third son of
Charles and Jane (MacDonald)
Stewart, came to Canada at the age
of 21, married Anna Matheson in
1866 and purchased a house on the
hill in Saltford in 1867.
In 1896 they removed to Goderich
where James had built a house at
Elgin Avenue and South Street..,
James Ure Stewart, their only
surviving child, was 14.
'The family had owned a oow in
Saltford and now domiciled her in
Goderich, but she continued to
pasture on the river flats, which
involved some planning for young
Ure, living -so far from the grazing
area. Eighty-two years later, at 96
years of age, the Rev. - J. Ure
Stewart of Weaford recounts this
tale of a cow:
"We brought up our Durham
cow, which we always pastured on
the Maitland flats. A large gate
opened to it. At Gbderich, I took the
cow in the morning before school,
by way of all the back streets,
to pasture at the flats, and after
school went for her. I did this for
two weeks; then I asked John
Henderson a cousin in Saltford to
open the big gates to the flats and
let out the cow. Every night she
came home alone, and I took her
down in the morning. A few times
she came aroung The Square and
down South Street to her -stable, yet
I had never taken her around The
Square. This is a fact, almost
unbelieveable."
Bossy had to make two left turns
on The Square, no signs at -that
time forbidding it. .. .
eking the Queen watching events, the
Prime Minister watching Prince Philip
as he watches the, Queen applaud a
competitors performance.
Therewere pictures of Prince
Andrew watching events. There were
pictures of the family as they lined up
to eat in the athletes cafgeria. Perhaps
there was some earlier doubt ex-
pressed about the royal family
requiring nourishment to survive. But
yes, if we can believe the daily glossies,
the family does eat.
There were pictures of the family .._..
getting on planes, getting off planes,
smiling, laughing, yawning, looking
bored, tired. You name it and the
picture was probably to be found in a
newspaper somewhere.
But the royal family up and left
Sunday and after the final pictures of
thr monrrch. with a gloved hand ex-
erich
tended in a parting gesture, appeared
in th,e papers, newsmen were left with, a
serious void.
What could they send back to their
editors on a daily , basis that could
appease the readers appetite for dull
pictures? Oh, there was still the
gymnastics, weightlifting and swim-
ming competing for gold medals, but
would it have the same appeal?
The situation got so desperate for
newsmen near the end of the Queen's
visit that their work took on an air of
desperation. In press headquarters, a
bar somewhere in downtown
Edmonton, realizing the immediacy of
their problem, English newsmen began
fabricating stories about the Queen.
You know, stuff that has a great effect
on the lives of readers.
What does�a Queen do after a
relatively boring_ afternoon of games
•
• watching?. Does she go back to the
royal suite, slip out of the regal dress
and dial room service for a pint of
brew? Does she hustle up some wieners
and -beans for a family snack or find the
time to wash out a simple frock for the
following day's activities?
No one really knows for sure. But
given the opportunity, newsmen would
probably have pictures of same on the
front page of our favorite dailies. There
were also stories from the west that
Prime Minister T-rudeau wore a
wrinkled suit to an official function. It's
understandable. With Margaret off
pursuing a movie career, the PM has
probably fallen behind in the weekly
ironing.
But the good stuff is over for now and
there will likely be the odd picture of an
athlete in the papers.
GNAL
STAR
131 YE AR -32
THURSDAY, AUGUST 10, 1978
SECOND SECTION
Berrypick brings up Stewart
BY W.E. ELLIOTT roads to run them on, but children in the following
July 1-,--1.8-6-7, the -first-...Ha-zl-i-tyt,.----g-i.ve.n_._- fair` year After a short time
Dominion Day. John weather, would not need with relatives, Charles
Stewart's strawberry to sell to anyone except located in Concession 4,
pickers had to stay with pickers using their own Goderich township, at the
pening.. e-rbp --transport. _- ._- -end of-- Polley's -Road;
while most of Benmiller's After more than a the bush; probably on
population took off with century, this factor of Edward land.
horse. and buggy to the
big celebration in
Goderich.
The Huron Signal had
announced that "John
Stewart will sell nearly
100 bushels of
strawberries., with which
he suppljes wholesale
buyers at such a cheap
rate as to render
profitable importation
from the States im-
possible."
• Mr. Stewart paid
pickers one cent a quart;
he received eight cents
from the stores and their
customers paid 10. If the
Signal's "100 bushels"
may worked out to 3200
quarts, the grower netted
only $224. '
Of course, strawberries
were not the only crop.
Also, the dollar was
important. John Elliott,
then aged 15, worked for
Stewart in 1870 at $4 a
month, presumably with
board.
July 1, 1978, the 111th
anniversary of Dominion
(Canada) Day. John
Hazlitt's Benmiller Acres
swarmed with a con-
stantly changing throng,
throughout the ten-hour
day, picking theirown
berries for 80 cents a kilo,
or approximately 45 cents
a quart. They came from
Goderich, Wingham,
Kincardine, Listowel,
Lucknow and the area
. between.
Whereas John Stewart
cut prices to compete
with U.S. berries, John
Hazlitt is little concerned
about imports. John
Stewart' could not have
benefitted from the pick -
your own plan, because
there were no cars, nor
foreign competition.
remains. The London
Free Press reported on
June 27 that strawberry
growers in the Waterford
area were unableto sell
to the chain stores, which
had c-aliforni-T berries in
stock.
It quoted one grower
as stating that he was
plowing under 15 acres of
berries.
In the 1860s, lacking
motor transport or
modern refrigeration,
U.S. growers could force
down domestic prices;
now, . with modern
facilities, cheap labor,
and even cheaper
chemicals than available
to Ontario growers, a
similar situation exists.
Surplus Ontario
strawberries could also
be washed, hulled and
frozen, but few growers.
have the facilities.
JOHN STEWART
And now to the story of
John Stewart from
Banffshire, Scotland, his
parents, three brothers
and three sisters, his
eight sons and six
daughters, and con-
nections by marriage
with many well-known
families of Colborne and
Goderich townships:
Kernighan, Bogie,
Middleton, Buchanan,
Matheson, Feagen,
Andrews, M.c..Lean,
Girvin; and many more.
The parents, Charles
and Jane
(MacDonald)Stewart,
had seven children, all
born in Scotland. John
and William came to
Canada in 1856, the
parents and remaining
The Huron Gazetteer of
1853-4 shows Charles
Stewart resident on Lot
103, Maitland Concession,
which was the Edward
farm. Charles was not
only a farmer, but a
shoemaker. Some of the
tools he used remain in
possession of the Rev. J.
Ure_Stewar t, of_ Seaforth,
-a grandson.
After some time on the
Con. IV place, the
Charles- Stewarts
removed to Saltford,
their seven children
having by that time their
own -homes. Their house
there was across the road
and north of their son
James' property on the
west side of Saltford hill.
Henderson) lived in the
so.uth_..end....Wh.en _the
Maitland River broke up
in spring the ice would
come up into their
garden.
Here Charles carried
on his shoe business while
Jane made use of her
spinning wheel and
carding machine to make
clothing for the family.
Charles was a devout
Roman Catholic, Jane a
The parents' house was faithful worshipper at
divided, 'and" -their-',Knox Presbyterian
daughter Jessie (Mrs. church, Goderich; to
which she always walked,
even in her advancing
years, refusing a ride.
Charles died April 28,
18.$2, aged.ne.arly.71. Jane
died on February 24, 1899,
when she was almost 88.
IN MANY STATES
Their descendants
within a century of the
Stewarts' arrival from
Scotland were to be found
in Michigan, New York,
Iowa, Ohio, California,
Kansas, Wisconsin and
'Turn to page 6A •
4 m
Last planting
Joseph Stewart was 83 when he set out strawberry plants for the last time in
the Spring.,of 1959, west of the Benmiller greenhouses. He had operated the
nursery business along .with his father, John, and for many years by him-
self. He died June 12, 1960.
How many times have you been
watching a sporting event on television
and heard an announcer say the
audience could well be watching a
youngster at the start of a promising
career or that a young athlete has been
very calm and cool despite a great deal
of attention from the news media.
The line usually gets used wl'en some
unknown breaks into major league
sports at one of the sport's most
prestigious events. Steve Cauthen, a
mere child, riding in the triple crown
after just one season of racing. Mark
Fidrych playing his own game despite
being the darling of baseball fans from
coast to coast.'
I suppose the comments are valid but
the other night I happened to see some
weightlifting from the Commonwealth..
Gaines and one of the athletes fit the
budding star role to a tee.
I wasn't paying a lot of attention to
the competition and near as I can recall
the guy's name is Wilson, he is 22 years
old and he is from some obscure nation
like Fiji.
The story goes like this. Wilson was
on the beach one day when some well
dressed men approached him and
asked him to join some other hefty
individuals gathered on the shore. The
men. were apparently trying to fill a
vacancy on the country's weightlifting
team going to the Games in Edmonton.
They were looking for guys that
physically resembled a weightlifter
and were a little stronger than the
average man.
Tryouts Were held right there on the
beach. Each man was asked to' lift a
rather obese person that was but-
tonholed for the on the spot selection.
Wilson easily lifted the weight and was
selected to go to Edmonton. He was
given one week's training, and flown
with the country's team to Edmonton.
Does Wilson mind all this:' Not at all
he probably always wanted to see
Edmonton and if all he has to do is pick
up a heavy bar what does he care.
Wilson's first lift just happened to be
televised. -He followed an Australian
lifter that psyched himself up by
muttering to himself as he strutted
about the stage. Dashing his hands into
the chalk he approached the bar,
carefully gets his grip, screams loudly
as he heaves the weight over his head
and then goes into a victory dance
when successful.
Wilson walks on the stage awkwardly
staring at the huge tote board flashing'
results and standings. He blinks at the
television lights, stares at the huge
audience and looks to his coach for
direction as he approaches the bar. His
coach nods to the weights telling Wilson
that is what he is to pick up and Wilson
grabs it and picks it up holding it aloft'
despite hearing the buzzer indicating
he had held it long enough to count. His
coach points to the floor telling Wilson
to drop the weight and he does, spin-
ning on his heels and heading off the
stage.
Undaunted the Australian returns to
lift a heavier bar. The added weight
mustneed more psyching and his
routine is very entertaining,. He makes
the lift and slow motion replays
coupled with colour analysis, tells the
audience how technique makes the lift
possible, while old Wilson is relying on
brute strength, which will undoubtedly
fail him.
But no one told Wilson he shouldn't be,
able to lift that much weight. They also
didn't tell him there was a proper way
to do. it. Old Wilson just walks back on
stage, grabs the bar and completes the
lift.
When the cameras went off to cover
another event old Wilson and that crazy
Australian were heading for a Games'
record. I -never did hear how old Wilson
did. If he kept lifting the weight as he
was told lifters from around the world
will probably be adopting the Wilson
technique to compete in the Olympic
games in 1980.
Wilson is roy kind of. star. But no one
told Wilson he was a star:'
jerf
ddon
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