In This Issue:President's Report-------------------------------------------------------------------------------1

Annual General Meeting and Associated Special Meeting, 31 st May ---------  2

Coming Events----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2

Dreamland, A History of Canadian Films    -----------------------------------------------  3

Some Richmond Soldier-Settlers  ---------------------------------------------------------- 3

Costumes for the 1 50th Anniversary of the Rideau Canal------------------------- 5

Excursion to Cornwall ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6

The IODE Laurentian Chapter, 1 906 - 201 3  ---------------------------------------------  7

Ode to Laurentian IODE  ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 8

Ottawa Regional Heritage Fair - Tues., 23rd April--------------------------------  ---  - 8

President’s ReportByGeorge Neville

Remember to visit the Canadian

Museum of Civilization on Tuesday,

23rd April (9:30 am – 2:30 pm) to view

a maximum of 160 student exhibits on

Canadian history at the annual

OTTAWA REGIONAL HERITAGE

FAIR. The youthful exhibitors (Grades

7-9) will be delighted to chat with you

and explain their projects in either

French or English. The formal

ceremonies with presentation of prizes

usually begin by 1 :30 pm.

As a result of a decision taken by the

HSO Board of Directors at its May

2012 meeting, the Historical Society of

Ottawa, as official sponsor of the

Ottawa Regional Heritage Fair for the

3rd year running, will be presenting its

$200 award, as part of The City of

Ottawa Cup in recognition of the “best

exhibit on Ottawa”, as the Sir Richard

William Scott Award. As Dave

Mullington, HSO Director and author

of an HSO history in preparation for

printing, has summarized, “Scott was a

key figure in Ottawa municipal,

provincial and federal politics for more

than 50 years and was the author of the

city’s successful essay to Queen

Victoria promoting Ottawa as the

national capital. As mayor in 1852, he

also calmed tensions between the Irish

Catholic and Orange communities and

did much for the city later as both a

federal and provincial minister”. The

idea for this proposal arose from

Edward Bebee, HSO Director and

Chair of Publications, in the course of

his editorial work in preparing Book 3

of the Jachan Commemorative Series

of Recollections by Lilian Scott

Desbarats (Bytown Pamphlet No. 81 )

who was struck by her comment on

page 21 that “there is no monument to

the memory of the man [her father]

who won for our city the great

privilege of being the Capital of

Canada”. In 1909, Richard W. Scott

was created a knight bachelor.

While the HSO is not in a financial

position to erect monuments, perhaps

for its longer-term planning it could

seek to fund a plaque to R.W. Scott’s

memory for mounting near Sapper’s

Bridge where as Mayor in 1852 at the

age of 27 years, he rose above partisan

religious and cultural sentiments to

lead an Orange Parade from that bridge

down through Lower Town (see p. 7 of

Book 3).

Chance Revelation: A Pioneer Store

in Upper Canada – %ever published!

During questions and discussion

following Kurt Johnson’s presentation

to the February HSO meeting, mention

was made that Marion Scott of the

Goulbourn Historical Society had

found the components in the City

Archives for the above named book

listed as HSO publication #2 on the

back cover of Lett’s Bytown, where

also are listed HSO publication #3

(Recollections of Old Bytown) and

HSO publication #1 (Sights and

Surveys). Your President noted in

The Historical Society of

Ottawa �ewsISS% 1207-1838 Issue %o. 140 April 2013

discussion that no copy of publication

#2 could be found in the HSO Library

or in the Society’s remaining inventory

of publications. At that moment,

Dorene Hirsch made a startling

revelation! She said at the time it was

the intention to publish material from

(Richmond merchant) George Lyon’s

first account book, but the Society

never got around to doing it. Marion

later informed this writer that the

account book runs 175 pages of widely

spaced entries. Edwin Welch had

prepared a 17-page introduction plus a

glossary of contents. Marion is

extracting portions for posting to her

blog <Richmondhistory.ca> for social

history purposes for which she

prepares overview commentaries.

. . . . . cont'd on page 4

NewPolicies

Members may be interested inreading 3 new policies whichyour Board has approved andlisted under "About Us" -"Policies" on the HSO website(hsottawa.ncf.ca). They areessentially a formalisation ofour current practises forPublications, Privacy, andRules of Order for Motions,Debate and Voting.

Coming EventsFriday, April 26

Monthly MeetingSpeaker: Terry West“The Controversial Mac-PapMemorial on Green Island,Ottawa (Spanish Civil War -Canadian Contribution)”Routhier Community Centre*1 :00 p.m.

Friday, May 31Annual General & SpecialMeeting, 1 :00 p.m.Routhier Community Centre*

A note regarding Membership renewals ­ For regular members ofThe Historical Society of Ottawa, your renewal date is shown on youraddress label on this newsletter. Please check it and see that you areup­to­date. If not, a renewal form is available for you to photocopy onthe last page of this newsletter, or just send us a cheque that showsyour current address and phone number.

The Historical Society of Ottawa was founded in 1898 (as the Women's Canadian Historical Society ofOttawa).

Its objective is to increase public knowledge of the history ofOttawa by its publications, meetings, tours, outreach

and participation in local heritage events and also by its co-operation with the Bytown Museum, a store of

artifacts reflecting Ottawa's history from Bytown days and into the present century. Its headquarters is in the

Bytown Museum, Lt.-Col. By's Commissariat Building, constructed of stone in 1827 and located at 1 Canal Lane

by the Rideau Canal between the Château Laurier and Parliament Hill.

Page 2 HSO �ewsletter April 2013

The Historical Society ofOttawaPatron: His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston, C.C., C.M.M., C.O.M., C.D.

Governor General of Canada

Board Of Directors

President: George Neville george.neville@ncf.ca 61 3-729-0579

Secretary: Don Baxter hsottawa@storm.ca 61 3-745-3430

Treasurer: Anne Carruthers edithballer@hotmail.com 61 3-828-0538

Awards: Alan McLay (Penultimate Past President) 61 3-730-2264

Ed Bebee edbebee@sympatico.ca 61 3-741 -7838

Bryan Cook bryan.cook@rogers.com 61 3-824-8458

Mary Edwards medwards9@sympatico.ca 61 3-824-5490

Jean L'Espérance jlesper@rogers.com 61 3-421 -7699

Dave Mullington dmullington@rogers.com 61 3-829-8430

Don Ross donross@magma.ca 61 3-592-2539

Barbara Whitfield pthosteo@rogers.com 61 3-722-2209

CommitteesArchives Brigitte Pollock (brex@rogers.com)

Awards Alan McLay

Library Jean L'Espérance

Membership Chair Don Ross

Nominations Alan McLay, Don Ross, Barbara Whitfield

Newsletter Arthur Beaubien (arthurbeaubien@gmail.com)

Publications Ed Bebee (edbebee@sympatico.ca)

Telephone Barbara Whitfield, Pat Richardson

Tours Coordinator George Neville

Web Liason Dave Mullington

Webmaster John Reeder (john.reeder2@sympatico.ca)

All general correspondence should be addressed to:

The Secretary; The Historical Society of Ottawa

P.O. Box 523, Station “B”

Ottawa, ON K1P 5P6

HSO Email: hsottawa@storm.ca HSO Web Site: hsottawa.ncf.ca

*Parking at the Routhier Community Centre - from Cumberland Ave. , between St. Patrick St. and Guigues Ave.

31st May 2013 – AGM of the HSO

and a separately constituted meeting

to review, discuss & approve revised

“Purposes & Objects” of the HSO:

• To serve to increase public knowledge

of the history of Ottawa and its region

through publications, meetings, tours,

awards, sponsored research and

maintenance of a Reference Library held

in the Archives of the City ofOttawa;

• To facilitate the archival preservation

of historical material related to Ottawa

and its region;

• To preserve the memory of Lieutenant-

Colonel John By, founder of Bytown

and Chief Architect and Royal Engineer

for the construction of the Rideau Canal

system;

• To support and encourage heritage

conservation;

• To cooperate with other historical and

heritage groups with similar aims.

Report ofJanuaryMeeting:

Ron Elmer – Dreamland, A

History of Canadian Films

Reported by George Neville

The scheduled presentation by Prof.

Chad Gaffield for 25th January was

precluded by a later selection of that

date for his daughter’s wedding. On

relatively short notice, longtime HSO

member, Ronald F. Elmer kindly

consented to bring his projection gear

and show one of his digitized ‘salvaged

films’ , "Dreamland”, an 85-minute

account of the struggles to develop a

Canadian film industry that eventually

led to the formation of the National

Film Board ofCanada.

This fascinating documentary covers

the history of early Canadian movies

from 1895 to 1939 and the attempts to

establish a viable film entrepreneurship

and industry in Canada against the

established, controlling American

interests and networks dominated by

Hollywood syndicates. One of the

earliest ventures occurred here in

Ottawa with the opening on 21 st July

1896 of a 1 ,000-seat pavilion in

Westend Park [later named Victoria

Park in Hintonburg] by the local

Holland brothers, [Andrew and

George] , acting as agents for the

Thomas Edison Vitascope, a prototype

April 2013 HSO �ewsletter Page 3

film projection. The program featured

Belsaz, the Magician [John C. Green]

as the attraction, but it was the short

film. ‘The Kiss’ , a first ever of its kind

of tender, passionate embraces that

captivated and titillated audiences and

made it the ‘hit’ of the show!

"Dreamland" records attempts by

various photographers to chronicle

Canadian events, e.g., the first hockey

game ever filmed occurring in

Montreal in 1902, and the Prince of

Wales visit to Québec in 1903. The

Canadian Pacific Railway Co. was so

taken with the medium that it

sponsored a series of films promoting

awareness of Canadian winter activities

(initially scenes of snow, etc. were to

be precluded, but the photographer

showed winter events to be such fun

that CPR later endorsed them), the

logging industry, and buffalo

stampedes. Another local

entrepreneur, Ernie Shipman, born in

Hull, QC, convinced one of his 5

wives, Nell Shipman, living in B.C., to

be the lead actress in ‘Back to God’s

Country’ (or also pitched as ‘Nude is

not Rude’) [filmed in a Gatineau

stream]. It was a smashing success

returning 300% on its investment.

Later in discussions with Rev. Charles

W. Gordon who wrote under the nom

de plume of Ralph Connor, Ernie

produced some 6 films, one of which

was ‘The Man from Glengarry’ . For

some of his films he used scenes

filmed in Lansdowne Park as well as

ballroom scenes filmed in the Chateau

Laurier Hotel. Unfortunately, Ernie

Shipman fell on hard times, and

nothing more was ever heard of him.

There is a lot of interesting history

packed into this documentary,

available from the Society for

$5.00/DVD at our monthly meetings

courtesy of Ron Elmer who has

donated this and other titles* with

proceeds going to the HSO Research

and Development Fund. Incidentally, it

would appear that the film title,

"Dreamland", was taken from the

name of Dreamland Theatre, [a 300-

seat auditorium opened in 1912] for

motion pictures in Edmonton, Alta.,

with admission for 10 cents.

*Salvaging Memories from Oblivion:

1 . Britannia Beach 1900

2. Steam Day Calabogie

3. Dick Hickey – Blacksmith

4. Lanark Fire 1959

Quebec Beavers – a 1950s film

�WMP/RCMP 100 Years (1895 –

1995)

Ron Elmer introducing the Dreamland film.Photo courtesy ofGeorge �eville.

FebruaryMonthly Meeting -

Some Richmond Soldier-

Settlers - Kurt Johnson

Reported by Don Baxter

On Feb. 22nd, Kurt Johnson took us

back to the 1812-14 war era and

introduced us to some of the soldiers

who had arrived on our shores to fight

for "King and Country" but who stayed

on afterward and whose descendants

are with us in eastern Ontario to-day.

It is a subject he has been devoting

himself to, especially since he retired

from a 43-year journalism career which

included being the Letters Editor at the

Ottawa Citizen from 2001 to 2010.

What he has discovered makes a

fascinating story indeed.

He is very much involved now with

the Goulbourn Historical Society and

Museum and many of his research

subjects came from one of the British

Regiments brought over for the War -

the 100th (or His Royal Highness the

Prince Regent's County of Dublin)

Regiment of Foot - whose members

came mainly from the Munster area of

Ireland, hence our use of that name

locally. Most of those stayed in

Canada after the War and took up

farmland that they were given,

especially in the Richmond and

4 Short

Films

on 1

DVD

Page 4 HSO �ewsletter April 2013

Goulbourn Township area. Soldiers

were given 200, 400 or 800 acres of

free land, depending on their rank.

The first individual we heard about

was Private John Crozier, who was one

of the very few survivors of the �ais

shipwreck over a reef off Port aux

Basques (Nfld.) coming over to Canada

in 1805. Crozier's war ended when he

was captured in the Battle of Chippewa

in 1814, but survived to become a

farmer after the War on a land grant

near Stittsville on Mansfield Rd. at

Huntley Rd.

We heard about Robert Green, Sr.,

and his wife, Sarah, who agonized over

the future for their 5 boys and 1 girl as

his health deteriorated from decades of

service in various British regiments

including the 100th His 3 younger

sons, Robert Jr. , James, and Thomas

joined the Regiment at ages 15, 1 3 and

1 1 , respectively! Kurt showed us a

facsimile shilling of the time, and told

us the history of the tradition of "taking

the King's shilling", which they would

have done. After the war, Robert, Jr. ,

was buried in St. John’s Anglican

cemetery at the age of 70 years in 1860

(tombstone data) which would make

him 18 at enlistment, not 1 5, so that he

could attend to his younger brothers.

All 3 brothers took up land grants after

the War in Goulbourn Twp. nearby

present day Munster.

Maria Hill, married to Sgt.-Major

Andrew Hill, was an army nurse, the

heroine of the book, Daughter of the

Regiment. She presented herself as a

man to be allowed to participate until

1 814 when run over by an ammunition

wagon and her guise was discovered as

care was directed to her wound. She

survived the War, opened a tavern in

Richmond, was portrayed on a float in

an 1867 parade through the town, and

is buried in Beechwood Cemetery.

The next individual we heard about

was Andrew Spearman, made famous

in the book, Flames Across the Border,

by Pierre Berton. Kurt took us on the

night raid on Fort Niagara in New

York State on 13th December 1813

where 344 US prisoners were taken

back to York with 29 cannons, 7,000

muskets and ammunition and even

6,000 pairs of (British) shoes and

clothing. After 400 villagers were

forced out into the winter night by the

burning of Newark by the retreating

American army, British forces

including some of the 100th retaliated

by laying waste to Lewiston, Buffalo,

and Black Rock on the American side.

We heard about Private Hugh Wilson

who was at the attack on Sackett's

Harbour, across Lake Ontario from

Kingston where he was shot in the leg.

Recovered from his wound, he

participated in the capture of Fort

Niagara on 19 December 1813, but

later was captured by the Americans

and imprisoned for 7 months; then on

2nd August 1 814, he was “marched

from Pittsfield (Mass.) to Canada”.

After the War he was given land on the

5th Line (or Copeland Rd.) of

Goulbourn Twp. near the present

village of Munster. He is buried in the

pioneer Shillington cemetery along the

5th Line of Goulbourn whose stones

can be seen today, located right beside

his farm.

One of the more senior people who

made a name for himself in the local

area was Col. George Thew Burke. He

had already fought in Europe and

returned there after 1 814 to serve with

the Duke of Wellington at Waterloo in

June 1815. Later, back in eastern

Canada, he was requested to be

Superintendent of the Richmond

Military Settlement in 1818. He died

at 78 years in Bytown in 1854, a

distinguished colonel of the First

Carleton Militia, school trustee, a

Justice of the Peace, the first MPP for

Carleton Co. in the Legislative

Assembly ofUpper Canada from 1824-

1828, and first Registrar of Carleton

Co. Buried near his wife, Lydia, in St.

Philips R.C. cemetery, Richmond, who

died in 1825 after bearing 9 children,

Burke’s obituary was published in the

Ottawa Citizen.

Altogether - a fascinating trip

through the history of that period and

of our local area.

In introducing Kurt Johnson, George

Neville reminded us of the autumn

2009 HSO bus tour to the Rideau

Military settlements of Richmond,

Perth, and Lanark that included a visit

to St. John’s Anglican Church in

Richmond and the nearby Anglican

cemetery where Capt. George Lyon is

interred in a sarcophagus near the

crypt.

Kurt Johnson expounding on the 100th Regiment of

Foot soldier-settlers at the Richmond military

settlement. Photo courtesy ofDon Baxter.

Initial clearing of the Richmond site, directed by

Col. George T. Burke (with plan in hand) addressing

Sgt. -Major Andrew Hill. Sketch by unknown artist

(wrongly attributed to C.W. Jefferys) - identification

would be much appreciated by Kurt Johnson.

Costumes for the 150th

Anniversary of the Rideau

Canal

By Olive M. Porter

Preface: Further to the news item in

the HSO �ewsletter of April, 2012,

Olive Porter, now living at Trowbridge,

Wiltshire, U.K. was requested to

respond with her recollections of the

costume sewing group at the Bytown

Museum. In responding with the article

below on 6th October 2012, Olive

wrote as an aside that she is “quite open

to correction on any detail except the

pleasure that [she] got from the

experience”.

In 1980, my husband and I moved to

Ottawa from England. He had been

given a job offer that was too good to

refuse. We knew a little of Canada as

we had spent three years in Nova

Scotia, (also a work related move), but

very little of the capital.

We were very happy with our move,

and loved the city, but I was soon

looking for something to do with my

spare time. I heard an appeal by the

Historical Society, possibly on local

radio, for volunteers to act as guides at

the Bytown Museum. At that time, the

museum was run by the Historical

Society under the guidance of a

professional curator. We had visited

the museum and enjoyed the story of

the building of the Rideau Canal and

also the story of Ottawa’s growth from

a rather rundown and disorderly

settlement to the great city it became

and I thought that it might be an

interesting way to spend a few hours a

week.

I seem to remember a crash course on

the city’s history from the curator and

then being assigned to the Thursday

morning shift under the guidance of a

more informed member of the Society.

It was great fun (in a non-riotous way),

and it was a pleasure to meet and greet

visitors and to try to answer their

HSO �ewsletter Page 5April 2013

questions without appearing too foolish

but, most of all, to get to know my

fellow volunteers who became my very

good friends.

Soon after I had joined, the subject of

the celebration of the150th anniversary

of the opening of the Rideau Canal

came up, and it was suggested that we

volunteers should dress in the costume

of the period. This was easier said than

done. Of course there were portraits of

people of that time but these were

usually of grand people dressed in their

very best and these were rather outside

our remit. We had some beautiful

wedding dresses, ball gowns and

christening robes in the Museum’s

collection, and we had access to books

on historical costumes from which we

were able to get some idea of the kind

of fashions that would have been

around at that time, but then we needed

to find out what materials would have

been available to the average woman in

Canada at that time. For this we

resorted to old quilts. Upper Canada

Village has a wonderful collection of

dated quilts and were most helpful

when we visited them with our

enquiries and, of course, we were

inspired by their lovely costumes.

A group of us decided to meet

regularly at the Museum to work on the

production of the costumes. All of us

had some home dressmaking

experience, as most women of our age

did, and we dragged out old patterns

which we adapted to an approximation

of what would have been worn, by the

average woman, on the streets of

Ottawa on any good summer day. It

was very good fun, and I think that we

made a very reasonable job of it.

(It may interest people to know that

in our examination of some of the

vintage dresses in the Museum attic we

found that not every seam was perfectly

sewn nor every hem perfectly even and

some of the alterations were appallingly

rough. So much for ‘ the good old

days’when all work was without fault).

We did consider making a uniform

for a ‘Colonel By’ . Of course we had

his portrait in the Museum to guide us,

and the War Museum in England was

very helpful. We searched the fabric

shops in Ottawa for suitable materials

but, in the end, we decided that the fine

tailoring required was beyond our

capabilities and beyond our collective

purse. In the course of our enquiries,

we did discover that it would have been

possible to acquire a suitable uniform

hat for him from a supplier in the

States, but it would have cost us $300

plus packing and postage. Way beyond

our means.

The clothing of the workers on the

canal was much more difficult to

research. I saw many good sketches by

the Royal Engineers, in the National

Archives, of work being done on the

canal, but the men doing the actual

digging were just vague figures in the

background and work clothes were not

important enough to be treasured by

families. In most cases they would

have been little more than rags before

they were discarded. Once again Upper

Canada Village became our source of

information as they had good

reproductions of the clothes worn by

agricultural workers of that time which

would have been very similar to those

of the canal workers. We did make a

few examples to be worn by some of

the enactors at the time of the

celebrations, but they weren’t half as

much fun as making our rather pretty

dresses.

As you can see, from the above, this

project opened a whole new world to

me and my interest in historical

costumes has continued to this day – as

any glimpse into my attic would make

evident. I gained so much from my

association with the Historical Society

of Ottawa and I earnestly hope that it

continues not only to explore and

record the history of Ottawa, but also to

offer friendship and warmth of interest

to all its members.

Page 6 HSO �ewsletter April 2013

Some Reflections on Olive

Porter’s Contributions

By Dorene Hirsch

What a pleasure to read news of Olive

Porter, reviving memories of the

“sewing group” and the costume-

making done for the 150th Anniversary

of the completion of the Rideau Canal

in 1982. An article published in the

April, 2012 HSO �ewsletter recorded

as much as I could remember of our

costume-making get-togethers. Olive

was really an inspiration to all of us

with her enthusiasm and expertise.

After the festivities of the 150th

Anniversary celebrations, the sewing

group continued to meet and work

together. We accepted the challenge of

making items for sale in the Museum

Boutique, thus raising good revenue

each year. Olive continued to guide us

as we produced cushion covers, with

an appliquéd trillium design, and

matching potholders, very popular with

tourists. We made miniature “Colonel

By” dolls dressed in the Royal

Engineer’s uniform. We made and

raffled a double-bed quilt with pillow

shams. Most popular of all were "Mrs.

Tiggywinkles" pincushions, Margaret

Reeder’s specialty. The pincushion

base was a tightly stuffed fabric-

covered ball, and the head was a

prickly teasel, with a granny cap. They

were reminiscent of the Mrs. Tiggy

Winkles character in the Beatrix Potter

stories, hence the name. Margaret

must have made hundreds of these

pincushions –none of us could match

her expertise.

The quality of the items made was

established by using a “juried” rule of

items accepted for sale.

Along with the craft items in the

Boutique, one of the Museum

volunteers, Theresa “Tess” Foley, who

had an eye for antiques and

collectibles, established a “Collectibles

Corner” in the Boutique. She was

given a small budget, and haunted yard

sales and antique auctions, and

persuaded HSO members to donate

items for sale. The whole Boutique

project managed to contribute as much

as $1 ,500 annually to the Museum,

until failing eyesight and arthritic

fingers forced the members to give up

providing hand-made merchandise to

the Boutique. We had a lot of fun and

many long-lasting friendships while we

volunteered our talents at the museum .

Elegy* to James Sutton Elliott

Here lies Ell iott, James Sutton,

Lover of beer with his mutton.

Finding mistakes by army "clarks";

Hoarding land of Nicholas Sparks;

Tolls on canal, rent on a lot,

Squeezing with aid of lawyer Scott.

Dall ied a while with lady fair.

What of your spouse? A censure bear.

Back to England on half pay;

Made up with Mrs. , a happier day.

Weedon struggles - books in a mess,

Solace sought with comely actress.

The jig went up! With cash and girl

Fled State-side to give it a whirl .

Queen annoyed, sent you to jai l .

Lost the money; gal turned tai l .

Died of fever in New York town.

Story lost of man of renown,

His epitaph now I set down:

Seeking hot lamb, not cold mutton,

Here lies Elliott, James Sutton.

An elegy by Ed Bebee in the style

of Wil l iam Pittman Lett, 1 81 9-1 892,

Poet and first City Clerk of Ottawa .

Ed's accomplice in poetic crime

was Bryan Cook (Feb. 201 3).

*Composed for Bytown Pamphlet

#85 mailed with this Newsletter.

Photo

courtesy

of John

Reeder

Excursion to CornwallThursday, 23 May 2013

Via Willamsburg, #2 Hwy

& Long Sault Parkway,

Wood House Museum,

Glen Walter, Stonehouse

Point, Salem Church

$50.00, Tour & Museums

Meals on Your Own

8:30 AM, St. Richard’s

9:00 AM, St. Thomas’

Reservations to President

613-729-0579 or e-mail

<george.neville@ncf.ca>

The Coronation

Gates to the

Royal Ottawa

Sanatorium

donated by the

Laurention

Chapter IODE

to commemorate

the coronation

of King George

VI, 1937. Photo:

Royal Ottawa

Hospital, from

"The Story of

the Royal Ottawa

Hospital, 1985".

HSO �ewsletter Page 7

Report ofMarch Meeting:

Valerie Blais – The IODE

Laurention Chapter, 1906

–2013

Reported byMargaret Back

The Historical Society welcomed Valerie

Blais, president of the Laurentian Chapter

of the IODE, as speaker on Friday March

22. Valerie was introduced by George

Neville, and we learned of her career as a

registered nurse, teaching at several

hospitals in Ontario, and at Algonquin

College. She also holds a Master’s degree

in Education, and it soon became clear that

education in all its aspects was a top

priority for her.

Valerie began by asking who knows

what the IODE is? (Ans. Imperial Order

Daughters of the Empire). Fortunately she

found many were knowledgeable, but

although we knew the organization existed

we were about to learn much more about

the contributions made in many aspects of

our lives by the IODE. Valerie then

described some of the history of the

organization. It began in the Boer War

where bitter fighting prevailed and much

suffering occurred among the soldiers.

The founder, Margaret Polson Murray,

was inspired to alleviate such sufferings

and so the idea of an organization of

women dedicated to such a goal was born.

In 1900 Margaret Polson became the

National Secretary and proceeded to draw

up a constitution. An official badge was

designed with seven points representing

the seven colonies (Australia, British West

Indies, Canada, India, Newfoundland,

New Zealand, and South Africa). The

objectives of the organization were as

follows:

1 . Education

2. Care for dependents of soldiers

3. Relief of poverty

4. Support for the Arts

5. Charitable donations

In Canada the IODE was organized into

Chapters and these were associated with

different levels of governance:

(a) Primary Chapters

(b) Municipal Chapters

(c) Provincial Chapters

(d) National Chapter

The mission statement wascondensed to three more general goals:(a) Education(b) Community service(c) Citizenship

Valerie mentioned that over the years2007 – 2010 the IODE in Canada hascontributed $1 1 million in support ofthese goals.Valerie then outlined some of the

important contributions made by theNational IODE in support of thesegoals from its founding to the presentday.1 902-1914: Chapters begun in India,British West Indies andNewfoundland. Provided beds for TBpatients. Built hospitals for preventionofTB.WWI: Sent supplies of all sorts tosoldiers.1 920-1939: Dedicated InternationalPeace Garden. Established WarMemorial scholarships.WWII: Raised $12 million forhospitals, aircraft, supplies to troops.Bought Queen Mary’s Carpet,exhibited it across Canada recovering

its expenses; then in 1951 during thevisit of Princess Elizabeth, had it givento the National Gallery ofCanada.1 945-1967: Continued support for allgoals.1 967: Expo celebration involved anIODE day.1974-1978: Lt. Governor of Ontario,Pauline McGibbon, was a member ofIODE.1985: Violet Downey award forchildren’s literature.2000: 100th anniversary. Focus onprevention of child abuse. Continuedsupport for education, services andcitizenship.201 1 : After the Slave Lake fire, sentfunds to refurnish the library.

Valerie then turned to her ownchapter, the Laurentian, andsummarized some of the contributionsmade over the years.1 906: Laurentian Chapter begun byLady Sybil Grey, daughter of theGovernor General. The Lady Greyhospital was built in Ottawa by the

IODE.WWI: Started the Soldier’s Club onSparks St. Established scholarships.WWII: Continued support with manysupplies (22 Chapters in Ottawa duringWW II).1 955: Bought house on MacKay St.for meetings, but sold it in l988.

April 2013

Valerie Blais poses the question, "Who knows what

the IODE is?". Photo courtesy ofGeorge �eville.

Lady Sybil Grey, daughter ofLord Grey, founder of

Laurentian Chapter IODE. Photo - Laurentian

Chapter IODE, c. 1909.

Page 8 HSO �ewsletter

The Historical Society of Ottawa

gratefully acknowledges the financial

support of the City of Ottawa and the

Ministry of Culture of the Government

ofOntario.

Membership Renewal FormThe Historical Society of Ottawa

Date_______________________Renewal/New________________No. Members______________________Name_______________________________________________________________________________Name (for mailing)______________________________________________________________________

□ Address Unchanged(Show Changes Below)Street________________________________________________________________________________Postal Code________Phone (res)________________Phone (work)________________E­mailAddress___________________Interest(Activities?)________________________________________Volunteer?__________________________________

Membership fees PaymentSingle $35/year Membership $____________________________Student $10/year Donation $____________________________Family $50/year Total $____________________________Single Life $350

Charitable receipts for federal income tax purposes will be issued for donations.Please photocopy and complete this form and mail it with a cheque, made payable to The Historical Society of Ottawa, to:

Membership, The Historical Society of Ottawa

P.O. Box 523, Station B.

Ottawa, Ontario

K1P 5P6

April 2013

Lady Grey Hosptial

prior to the building

of the extension and

enclosing the bal-

conies. c. 1910. From

the "Story of the

Royal Ottawa Hospital

1910 - 1985".

LAC photo PA-9075.

1956: 50th anniversary of LaurentionChapter.To the present: Continued support forall three goals through funds raised byhouse-garden parties and guided tours.

Valerie concluded her address with acall for questions and there was eagerresponse from the audience. Georgethanked Valerie for her lively andentertaining approach. We all learnedthere was much more to the IODE thanwe imagined. We were certainlyimpressed with the generosity of thewomen involved in these chapters.

Ode* to Laurention IODE

Do you know of the Order of

Daughters

All loyal to the Empire of

Crown

Though the Empire’s decayed

They're true to their trade

Doing many good works

around Town.

By Bryan Cook, HSO Board Director

*Composed at the March 18th Board

Meeting in a moment of inspiration.

OTTAWA REGIO%ALHERITAGE FAIR

Tuesday, 23rd April 2013

9:00 AM – 2:30 PM at

Canadian Museum of Civilization

Come to view wonderful exhibits

and chat with youthful exhibitors

Today’s youth need our support!