The Lighthouse Archives

Once again, it was Show and Tell time for January.

Dave Cook was first up. His presentation was a dud! Really. Dave brought in a dummy bomb that had been used by the British Commonwealth Air Training Program to train bombers and pilots during World War II. Planes flew out from Malton airport and set course for Lakeview where trainees attempted to hit a target off shore. Observers on the Rifle Ranges triangulated each attempt and radioed the result to the pilot. Long-time MSHS member Lorne Joyce was hired to collect the dummy bombs after WWII. He kept one as a memento. Although the bomb was only a dummy, it had to weigh the same as the live bombs so that training could be accurate. After the war the government wanted to retrieve the metal in the bombs. On his best day, Lorne and his crew mates collected 1,500 dummies off of Kingston in one shift.

After his presentation, Dave introduced his guest for the evening. Terry Butt (above) was a councilor for the short-lived Town of Port Credit, and told many great stories of his years with the Town, and also about attempts by himself and others to try to remain an independent town after Bill 138 proposed that Port Credit, Streetsville and the Town of Mississauga be amalgamated into one larger city. Once amalgamation became inevitable in 1972, the Town of Port Credit emptied the treasury on new amenities for the town (new sidewalks, a new fire truck. etc.) so that the money wouldn’t be spend elsewhere in the new city, after amalgamation.

On a similar topic Val Garland brought in a hand-carved wooden box with the emblem of the Town of Port Credit (a wreath of maple leaves wrapped around the lighthouse) on the lid. The box was given to her by a friend, and she has no idea who carved the intricate lid. No one else in the audience had seen one like it before. It looks like it’s one-of-kind.

Richard Collins found an old Ontario Department of Education high school history textbook. The last page talks about the bright, peaceful future ahead for the great nation of Canada. Just two months after the textbook was published, World War I began.

After the presentations, everyone spent time looking through an Eaton’s catalogue from 1927; admiring the ladies’ fashions of the time, and the price of men’s suits; staring at $24.95. Thank you to Jenny Dale for bringing in the catalogue.

Past MSHS president, and renown local historian and story-teller Alan Skeoch talked about his adventurous younger days working for a mining company that sent him into the wilderness of northern Quebec, northern Ontario and Yukon.

A theme ran through his stories, about the culture shock he experienced as a young man and about how he came to understand how people in different places in Canada think and live differently.

Alan’s experiences seemed at times to be an exhausting life of cold, insects and the loss of friends and coworkers, but Alan also reminded those in attendance that these are experiences he will remember fondly.

Matthew discussed the history of escaped, and freed, slaves from the United States who settled in historic Mississauga, and about the challenges that he and summer research students for Heritage Mississauga had in trying to find information on black settlers in Mississauga. There are very few records about them, and Matthew was able to find just one photo of a family of an escaped slave, James Ross, who was known to have owned a substantial farm in the Dixie area up to the early 1900s.

Heritage Mississauga invited the members of MSHS and their guests to have a rare glimpse into the past, using modern technology.

A volunteer group, Canadigm, used laser scanning and 3-D printing technology to capture, in precise detail, dozens of carvings made by young soldiers of the Canadian Expeditionary Forces in the caves near Vimy Ridge, a century ago.

Heritage Mississauga was proud to host Canadigm's Souterrain Impression Project in Mississauga. (At left is Zenon Andrusyshyn, of Canadigm.) Our city was the only stop in the Greater Toronto Area to see this exhibit, and was the first place where the entire collection of impressions could be seen in one place.

Three guests spoke about Clarkson of the past, present and future at our July meeting.

First up was Richard Collins who talked about the village, from the days of the early Loyalists.

Sue Shanly (left) talked about the opportunities and problems that lie ahead for the village.

Last up was new Museums manager, Stuart Keeler who talked about the future of Clarkson's oldest community place; the Bradley Musuem.

MSHS member Gord Hatten walked us through his sports exbibit at the historic Anchorage; aslo on the Bradley Museum property..

Our annual Show and Tell evenings seem to get bigger and better every year.

Val Garland, who never throws anything out, showed members the yellow and black metal bicycle license plate that was tied to the back seat of her bike, back in 1948.

History buff and avid horse lover and owner Sandra Hendrickson brought in photos of a restored coach and five. (She couldn’t fit the real coach an five horses into the library.) The row coach dates to 1893 and was used in Toronto to pick up actors at the train station to take them to the theatres.

A History of Local Lacrosse
Charlie Hare gave the members a fascinating visual history of lacrosse in south Mississauga. He brought it three generations of lacrosse sticks. The first one, used by his grandson, is made in China, of plastic, aluminum and nylon. The next stick Charlie showed us was the one he used in the late 1950s – a St. Regis stick made of wood, leather and gut. The third, and oldest stick was one used by Charlie’s father, Harold. It had a larger net used for playing ‘field lacrosse’. (The other two were smaller ‘box lacrosse’ sticks.)

Next up was the evolution of lacrosse balls. The earliest were Canadian-made Viceroy balls. Later ones, made in China, didn’t bounce as well, significantly changing the way Canadians played lacrosse. Some were bright orange balls intended for use in televising lacrosse games.

Next Charlie showed members a program and a ticket-half from one of the Mann Cup championship games played at Port Credit’s new arena in 1960. The Port Credit Sailors won the championship, and with it the pure gold cup, that year. Extra seats had to be added for the over 1,000 fans who attended the playoff games. Charlie’s cousin, Jack Hare was the timekeeper for these games. Charlie also talked about goalie “Porky” Russell from Long Branch, and forward Sandy Milne of Park Street in Port Credit, who were two of this area’s best players.

Lots More !
Matthew Wilkinson brought two items belonging to Thompson’s Company of the 2nd York Regiment reenactment group. First was a new flag designed by the company to honour the original company, which didn’t have its own colours. The new flag is based on the design of an historic flag of the York 3rd Regiment. The Thompson’s Company flag features the insignia for Trafalgar Township (a white oak) and for Toronto Township (scales of justice), the emblem of Upper Canada, and the Union Jack in the traditional canton position

Matthew also brought a replica “Brown Bess”, which represents the standard musket used by Upper Canada’s militia forces during the War of 1812. This particular musket was fired for the first time at Chippawa for the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Chippawa.

While other members made their presentations, Jenny Dale passed around a 1927 Eaton’s catalogue for people to glance through. Men’s suits could be purchased for $14 !

Continuing her task of going through her family’s collection of historic items, our social convenor Liz McQuaig brought in a delicate locket with a small portrait which Liz was able to identify, through other photos, as her great aunt Agnes, from Chatham, New Brunswick.

Next was Marg Barnstaple who also brought in some family heirlooms, including a large framed portrait of her ancestors, Charles and Ellen Terry, who were prominent members of the community in Clarkson. Marg also showed a picture of Marg Naish and her brother, Jim. Marg Naish was the long-time treasurer for MSHS.
       
Eric Gibson brought in a small, brass box with elaborate embossing on the lid. This box was one of a large number of 1914 “Christmas presents” to the soldiers of the British empire from Princess Mary; the eldest daughter of King George V. Originally the boxes contained tobacco for the soldiers, but because not all soldiers smoked, other similar boxes contained candy and chocolates, or writing paper and stamps.

Johnathan Giggs brought in a tall, bright yellow banner (possibly hung from the rafters at the arena) made for the Township of Toronto to honour Canada’s centennial. The year 1967 was Toronto Township’s last year. In 1968, it became the Town of Mississauga.

Richard Collins finished off the evening by showing off some of the books that were part of Lorne Joyce’s collection. In the summer of 2014, Betty invited Richard and Jayme Gaspar to drop by and take some of Lorne’s books for our MSHS collection. Naturally Lorne’s bookshelf contained rows of books on marine history, but Richard brought in some items of special interest to Port Credit including several council minutes, a Texaco annual report, and a list that Lorne had compiled of all Port Credit teachers from 1919 to the 1950s.

Award-winning local architect Michael Spaziani and two-time Juno award nominee, musician Johnny Max gave members personal journeys, in sight and sound of Mississauga's past, and dreams for Mississauga's future.

Through musings and music, Michael and Johnny offered up their unique perspective on the changes Mississauga has undergone in the past four decades.

We also reprised our popular November trivia game which, this year, focused on the city’s recent past. In keeping with the celebratory mood we had displays, goodies, lots of friends, and raffle prizes.

The Alton Mill Art Centre is located in the historic grist mill built in 1881 by George Allingham on Shaw's Creek, which is a tributary of the Credit River.

The stone mill was purchased by William Algie who converted it into a woolen mill. When Algie died, the mill was purchased by John M. Dods. When Dods closed this mill in 1932 and moved his woolen business to Orangeville, the plant was operated by the Western Rubber Company.

Thus, from 1935 until 1982, Alton was the condom capital of Canada.

Matthew Wilkinson started off this year's Show and Tell by showing his grandfather’s WWI bayonet and leather scabbard. For the 100th anniversary of the Great War, Matthew has been doing extensive research on men from Mississauga who served from 1914 to 1918.

Gord Hatton brought in a large, immaculately-kept Indian land grant from 1885.

Richard Collins showed a Port Credit land deed from 1854 for the property that is now 48 Lake Street.

Elaine Eigl gathered a few class photos from our MSHS collection, plus some class lists that she and member Charlie Hare found while researching names.

Liz McQuaig (above, left) brought in an old bracelet and some family photos that she uncovered during her move.

Peter Duinker brought with him a 1960 yearbook from Queen Elizabeth School. The school held a student contest to name the yearbook, and The Elizabethan won. The winner of the contest was Peter.

Norm Dale showed members a brass tire pump. It's much better as decoration now than for pumping air.

Ray Hatton flipped through a commemorative booklet that was published in 1974, when the City of Mississauga was created.

Eric Gibson impressed members with three coins. The first was a small British coin with a hole punched into one end, apparently to turn it into a bracelet or necklace charm. A second one was flattened and damaged by his wife Marian’s grandfather when he ‘dug it up’ it in the 19th century while ploughing his fields in Wales. Eric finished off his presentation with an English coin from 1601 !!

Alan Skeoch closed off the evening with a tale (artifacts included) of his dog Daisy, who loved to work around the farm by riding a treadmill which powered various odd contrivances Alan has around his farm. A passerby one day accused Alan of animal cruelty despite the fact that Daisy was clearly having a grand time on the treadmill, helping out.

For half a century, one of the main missions of Mississauga South Historical Society has been to let people know that history doesn't have to be boring.

On November 14, 2013, members and guests were invited to a party at historic Clarke Hall in Port Credit to celebrate our society's golden anniversary. Alan Skeoch shared his memories about MSHS. We had a slide show of members, memories and events, and thanked our past presidents (seven of them, at left) We had a fun trivia contest, gave away prizes, and enjoyed a cake made by our past president, Mary Finley.

Mississauga South member of parliament, Stella Ambler, congratulated us on 50 years, and even joined as a new member.

Rob Leverty was our guest speaker for July. He is the executive director of the Ontario Historical Society. Also attending was Elora Vink, who is the affiliate membership coordinator for OHS.

Rob brought along MSHS records to help tell the story of how our society has grown. He talked about MSHS’s contributions to heritage, but also of the important role all historical societies must take to preserve and protect local history.

To close off the evening, OHS presented MSHS with a 50th anniversary plaque.

Thanks also to MSHS member Dave Clark for being our Show and Tell guest for the evening, with a document presented to his grandfather, who was the customs agent in Port Credit in 1910.

Jean Hatton (far left) was our special ‘shower and teller’ for the evening. She opened with a slide show of her years as a staff member at our new venue; the Lorne Park Library. Or should we say the Clarkson-Lorne Park Library. Yes, when Mayor Robert Speck opened the library here in 1968, it served both the Lorne Park and Clarkson communities. Jean had a presentation of her own photos of the library.

Jean told us of the problem she had when the library performed puppet shows for young members. The tallest of the Lorne Park staff, Jean’s head stuck out over the top of the puppet show stage.

Jean’s husband, Ray showed members an original edition of the Winnipeg Free Press he saved of Queen Elizabeth’s coronation in 1952. Ray grew up in Winnipeg and remembers how excited the city, and the country, was over new queen.

Don Shuttleworth brought with him an odd, and heavy, artifact made of iron. It was an iron. A wooden handle attached to the slots on the top of the iron. The iron was made by Taylor and Forbes of Guelph.

An annual tradition on its own, Alan Skeoch brought in an artifact as a stepping stone to one of his trademarks tales of youth. He carried a rifle with him while working as a prospector in Alaska in the 1950s. The company that Alan worked for was in search of iron, but all Alan and fellow crew found was copper. A mine here is only now being planned for exploitation. Alan fears that the new mine will be so deep that it will alter the water table in Alaska and destroy the rivers where salmon spawn. By the way, the rifle was used in case Alan came across a Kodiak bear looking for salmon for dinner.

John Wilson found some historic photos near where he lives today that were taken in 1935. Were it not for the caption under the photos, you’d never know they were of busy Lakeshore Road West at Maple Avenue in Port Credit. The concrete road was barely two lanes. There were no buildings except for a B-A gas station which eventually evolved into the recently-closed Briarwood car dealership.

Norm Dale stood at the front of the room and invited members to blow into an odd trumpet-like device. No one could get a sound from it, except his wife Jenny who had practiced earlier. It was a foghorn used to warn ships of hazards in foul weather.

Dave Cook brought with him a very familiar item that wasn’t very old, but one which shows us just how much technology has changed in our own lifetimes. It was a standard 1960s Northern Telecom telephone. He found it at a flea market and uses it as the phone in his house. Just one problem. Dave can use it to call out, but after dialling the regular nine digits, the old rotary phone cannot dial extensions! You need touch-tone for that.

Who knew that our neighbouring township to the east contributed so much to the War of 1812? Back when Etobicoke wasn't part of Toronto, and Toronto wasn't called Toronto, farm families from Mimico to Rexdale supplied men, shelter and food for Canada's war against the United States.

Denise Harris, president of the Etobicoke Historical Society, shared with the members of MSHS the tale of how the people of Etobicoke change the war and how the war changed Etobicoke.

Denise's detailed presentation on the War of 1812 even included stories of the Willcoxes, Silverthorns and other notable families in Mississauga's history.

We had overwhelming response to our first ever July meeting. It was standing room only at the back of Lorne Park library's meeting room. People braved the intense summer evening heat to hear author and historian Zig Misiak.

Zig took us on a virtual tour of the sites and the battlefields of the War of 1812 where aboriginal soldiers fought alongside British soldiers and militiamen. The presentation was also a virtual tour of his soon-to-be released book, 1812: Pictorial Trails, Highlighting First Nations.

Using detailed maps, and historic and present-day photos, Richard Feltoe lead a group of 50 members and visitors on a battlesite to battlesite tour of the War of 1812 from York to Buffalo, as seen through the eyes of the men who served with the Volunteer Battalion of Incorporated Miltia.

Along the way we learned about many of the war's lesser-known heros. Richard's new book, Redcaoted Ploughboys  (which was available at the meeting) offers details on many soldiers and officers of this militia whose contribution to Canada's victory have never been detailed before.

Richard also brought along a display of reproduction uniforms.

Jane Venner is lucky enough to work at the Peel Heritage Complex - a collection of historic buildings in downtown Brampton which house a vast collection of paintings, documents, and artifacts from across Peel. Part of Jane's presentation included a look at the Region of Peel's impressive collection as well as progress on the restoration and enlargement of the complex.

Our members were asked to help Jane expand the ever-growing Passages website by bringing in a keepsake or two so that Jane could take pictures of them. Of course, there has to be a story to go with each artifact.

Always one to have something interesting to show, and something just as interesting to tell, Charlie Hare started off the second half of the evening by bringing in a battered old chair that once belonged to the Western Hotel. The long-vanished hotel was at the southeast corner of Stavebank Road and the railway tracks in Port Credit. The chair belonged to Charlie's ancestor, Thomas Grafton. Charlie also brought in a portrait of Thomas.

Bruce Hammond hadn't planned to present at tonight's event, but stood up to tell about being one of the last tenants at this Port Credit hotel before it was torn down in the 1950s.

Margaret Barnstaple brought in a locket that belonged to her ancestors in Clarkson - the well-known and respected Terry family.

Pauline Duinker managed to stump the crowd with a tiny, colourful egg-shaped device that opens up to reveal tiny rolls of thread and some needles, capped off with a thimble.

Jean Hatton presented an odd iron contraption with gears. It was a late 19th century batter mixer.

Val Garland showed off a painting she made of Trinity Anglican Church, which she donated to MSHS. Who knew Val had such talent?!

Last, and definitely not least was Alan Skeoch (photo above), who brought two items to Show and Tell.  First was a fossil that he found while working in an abandoned mine in northern Ontario. The second item was a diary he kept in 1961. In it he wrote of one July day when he took his wife, Marjorie out for boat ride to Navy Island. What Alan was too embarrassed to write at the time was that Navy Island is barely a kilometre upstream of Niagara Falls and that the boat he and Marjorie were in stalled, leaving them drifting rapidly to the crest of the falls.

We didn't head too far from home this year, but we packed a lot into this year's field trip. Sixteen members and guests took in the historical character of our own neighbourhood by visiting the Bradley Museum in Clarkson, Soverign House in Bronte and the Erchless Estate in Oakville.

Thanks also to the staff at the Coach and Four in Bronte for some delicious pub fare.

We also had a surprise visit from the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum's Lancaster bomber which flew over the Sovereign House and passed us again at Erchless, on its way home.

An educational, entertaining, eventful, and (mostly) sunny, day.

Matthew Wilkinson got things started by showing some rare and mysterious photos of Port Credit from the Marg Naish Collection. These included a Forest Avenue School class photo and a picture of a Port Credit marching band from an unknown date. Matthew also brought in a 1932 image of the newly-built Port Credit post office, showing the west wall that can no longer be seen.

Richard Collins brought in some railroad maps and a TTC timetable from 1951 when the Toronto Transportation Commission (not yet called a "transit" commission) operated Mississauga’s first transit buses. Many of the members recall catching "the red bus" into the city.

Margaret Barnstaple (near left) brought in a number of heirlooms (or is that Hare-looms) from the Hare and Terry families, including newspaper articles, an ink well, a cream bottle and a locket which she wore to the meeting. The Hares were a notable stonehooking family in Port Credit, although Harold U. Hare was Clarkson’s postmaster from 1920 to 1925. The Terrys were a respected Clarkson family. Two Terry family homes still stand in Clarkson.

Judy Hare Feeley (far left, in above photo) presented Show and Tell items from 1946. These included various birth records. Sixty years ago, mother and child could remain in the hospital up to two weeks. Judy’s parents were charged $34 for the two-week’s stay. That may not sound like a lot of money, but it was more than her father paid in rent. As proof, Judy showed members a receipt for $22 from her father’s landlord, Adrian Naish for one month’s rent. Judy also brought in bookends that were given to her father in 1946 for his WWII service. He received "overseas pay" for serving in Newfoundland, which wasn’t yet part of Canada.

Ray and Jean Hatton showed off some colourful World War I era postcards. Most of them were paper postcards but some also had textile designs on the front of the card.

New member (but long-time Port Credit resident) Gord Hatten brought in dozens of original paper labels from St. Lawrence Starch packaging. These full-colour labels were printed in Toronto but were applied to the boxes and cans at the Port Credit factory. The earliest labels date to 1897. The latest were from the 1940s, just before St. Lawrence began applying labels directly onto the cardboard boxes, tin cans and the first plastic jugs.

Another life-long Mississauga resident, Arthur Kennedy brought in class pictures of his old school, SS #8 in Burnhamthorpe. Most of the photos are taken outside in front of the school but (probably due to bad weather) the 1938 class pictures were taken inside, giving us a rare look at the interior of the long-vanished school.

It was standing room only at the Cawthra Community Centre for our November meeting. Of course, our guest speaker had a lot to do with that. Alan Skeoch talked about the trials and tribulations of the Bren rifle and of the women who made them at Lakeview’s Small Arms Plant.

This was supposed to be Alan’s night, but he turned over much of the meeting to guests in the audience who worked at the plant during WWII; a woman on the assembly line and a man in the cafeteria.

Alan also put Ward 1 councilor-elect Jim Tovey on the spot, getting him up to the lectern to talk about future plans for the one remaining small arms building.

There were plenty of wings and wheels to see during MSHS's annual field trip, from Model A's and Jaguars to gliders and bombers, but naturally the biggest draw for our group was the Arrow. It really felt like we were stepping back in time. Many of our members thought we'd never again see this marvel from Mississauga's past, even if it was in replica form.

We also attended a slide show of the early days of flight in Canada. The staff and volunteers of the Canadian Air and Space Museum put on a great show.

Thanks to Jayme Gaspar for making the arrangements for a splendid field trip.

Matthew Wilkinson got the festivities going for our annual Show and Tell meeting, with the tale of how he discovered a picture of the home of Wilkinson family descendents from Lincolnshire. He's still attempting to uncover the name of his great grandmother, who is listed in all the family photos only as "Grandma" Wilkinson.

While on the topic of ancestral homes, Bruce Hammond brought in a small photo of his descendents' home in Erindale with some grand tales to go along with it. Bruce's great grandfather's brick house still stands.

Margaret Barnstaple brought with her a large porcelain doll and some of the intricate doll's dresses.

Jayme Gaspar reminded members that this year is the 50th anniversary of Heritage Mississauga and, for the occasion, she brought in a photograph of early volunteer, Mrs. Walker Archer in her pioneer costume, standing in front of the Bradley House on opening day in June 1967. Heritage Mississauga traces its lineage back to the Township of Toronto Historical Society, which was formed by reeve Mary Fix and other concerned citizens in 1960 to restore Lewis Bradley's 130 year old home into a museum. After half a century, HM continues to promote Mississauga's rich history. MSHS descends from the community auxiliary group founded by Isobel Johnston, to raise funds for TTHS.

As proof of just how rich our city's history is, perennial Show and Tell showstopper, Lorne Joyce (photo above) brought in a large (and heavy) collection of iron tools which Port Credit families once used to "harvest" ice from of the frozen Credit River in the days when homes had "ice boxes" instead of refrigerators.

A packed house for what was to be our last meeting at the Port Credit library, after almost 35 years. The room is being truncated as part of the library's rebuilding.

Retired fire chief, Gordon Bentley related the story of the heroic efforts of his crew during the Mississauga train derailment, which took place 30 years ago this week. While showing a slide of the hulk of a tank car in the open field beside the tracks, Gordon noted that if you had to have a crisis in the city, this was the place to have it. No houses nearby, and open fields to the north.

Thank you to Gay Peppin, Liz McQuaig, Paula Wubbenhorst, Fiona Ryder and Matthew Wilkinson of the Heritage Four Speaker Series and to member Helen Shuttleworth for donating newspapers to MSHS of the historic event.

The Kajama is a 50-metre, three-masted gaff-rigged schooner which can seat up to 225 people. Launched as the Wilfried in Rendsburg, Germany in 1930, the Kajama traded under sail for nearly 70 years. She was a familiar ship in ports from northwest Spain, through western Europe, and as far north as Norway and Russia.

In 1999, Kajama was delivered transatlantic by Great Lakes Schooner Company and restored to her original profile. The Great Lakes Schooner Company's fleet also includes the Challenge, the Obsession III and the former and famed Toronto Island paddle-wheel ferry, the Trillum.

Show and Tell is always a big hit and this year’s was as productive as it was enjoyable with the highlight being a show of slides from the Marg Naish Collection. Many of Marg’s historic photographs are unidentified, and long-time members had an enjoyable stroll down memory lane identifying the people and places.

Eleanor Cousins brought in a collections of newspaper articles, Chatelaine magazines and an Eaton's catalogue from 1973. How many of you out there remember Eaton's, and how many remember ordering from the catalogue?

Ray Hatton (left) brought a collection of odd (or so he thought) kitchen items from many generations back. Most of the women in the audience recognized the cake batter mixer and had to explain to Ray (and the men in the room - they didn't cook in those days) how the device worked. The mixer was made in 1896.

Long time member, Alan Skeoch brought in his grandfather's carving knife, but he had an aboriginal theme to the rest of his presentation. He also had members consider the significance of the very room where tonight's Show and Tell took place. It is the Peter Jones Room. Jones was a chief of the Credit Mississauga and a founder of the Methodist church that eventually became today's First United Church. Alan has recently published a book on the history of land claims in Canada, entitled Your Home on Native Land.

Among the aborignal collection on display tonight was an object that appeared to be just a long, brown stone (or something left behind by a prehistoric dog) but which turned out to be a "worry stone" from Slave Lake in Northwest Territories. In acneint times, people with too many troubles on their mind would calm their nerves by rubbing their thumb over a smooth rock.

Former County of Peel librarian, Marian Gardiner brought in a booklet that she belives to be the only annual report of the Peel Library. The library was only one year old when each of the townships formed its own library board in 1957.

Margaret Barnstaple brought in a plate, cup and saucer made in Germany in the 1880s. These belonged to her grandfather, Harold U. Hare who was the postmaster in Clarkson from 1920 to 1925.

Keeping with tradition, Paul Smith brought in junk. Usually he's succesful in stumping the members and visitors with his curious, old items, but this year our clever congregation identified his potato ricer and egg beater. Paul also brought with him a book on the history of Home Hardware which included a 1910 ad for the egg beater. The beater featured a special splash guard so that the egg would stay in the the bowl and not splash all over the beater (the person and the device).

Ron's presentation, in sight and sound, was on the history, lore and architecture of Canada’s railway stations.

Ron's book revisits the times when railways were the country's economic lifeline, and the station the social centre. CNR and CPR hired leading architects to design grand stations. Even small town stations and wayside shelters displayed an artistic flare and elegance.

Paul Smith thanked our guest speaker and played a recording from the Flanders and Swann radio show about the lost railway stations of Great Britain.

Marian (left) and Eric Gibson presented stories and photographs recounting their journey to a new life in Canada in 1964 and their years living in Quebec.

Their PowerPoint presentation included photos of their trip across the Atlantic, their early years in Montreal and the many trips they made around Quebec and northern U.S. during the years before they moved to Mississauga.

During their travels in the Gaspé peninsula, Marian and Eric stayed at the home of a friend who is a cousin of Hazel McCallion.

Lorne Joyce opened the Show and Tell by opening a cardboard box labeled, "Betty - Junk, Lorne - Jewels" which included a rope with a weighted-end, called a "monkey fist" used to direct a rope when tossed from ship to shore. Due to safety concerns, the use of these is restricted now on the Great Lakes. Lorne remembers using monkey fists on the Soo Canal, which he noted was busier during WWII than the combined tonnage of the next four largest canals (Suez, Panama, Kiel and Manchester).

To show off his other items, Lorne donned a dusting cap belonging to Mrs. Bob Corey and two handyman’s aprons from Port Credit Lumber and Thomson Lumber.

Lorne also showed Mrs. Corey’s passport, issued in 1942 when even Canadians required one to enter the US. Her husband was a fisherman, noted for sailing alone. Residents called him "Boxer Bob", not for his fighting abilities but for the style of underwear he wore. Other items in Lorne's "jewel box" included:

– spats
– photos taken from magazines and "framed" with tape by unemployed veterans, for money
– a collection of WWI-era epaulettes
– a Life magazine from the week after the beginning of WWII
– a cheque from the Sterling Bank made out to Margaret Naish for the sum of 0 dollars and 25 cents.
– keys to a cabin on the S.S. Cayuga – a passenger ship which traveled to Port Dalhousie.
– a combination watch/compass.

Helen Shuttleworth (above) showed members and guest some of the curious items in her collection of old clothes making tools.

Mary Finley unearthed a silver spoon in her back yard and after some research, discovered that it belonged to a Mrs. Langstaff who once delivered milk in the area where Mary now lives, in Clarkson. Mrs. Langstaff remembers delivering milk to author Mazo de la Roche’s cottage in the summer.

Paul Smith asked members to identify two items made of iron. Many members recognized the first item (with a bar, about a foot long at one end, and a hook at the other) as a weighing scale. The other item had members stumped. It was a ring of about three inches diameter with a beveled point at one end.

His final item was a book with the curious title, Vegetable Plots Against Hitler. It was a manual issued during WWII to help residents in the UK grow vegetable gardens on their property to help reduce food shortages, feed soldiers, and "Bring Naziism to its Knees".

Eric Gibson explained the purpose of an elegant brass "pit lamp" used by miners in the Welsh collieries. This one belonged to his father who helped build and repair the narrow gauge tracks used to wheel coal from the mines. The lamp still works, although Eric observed how dim the light was and imagined how difficult it must have been for the workers to see. Each lamp has a number and had to be returned at the end of the shift. A missing lamp indicated a missing miner.

Marian Gibson displayed 10 of her favourite books – all of them used frequently for reference when she writes, and most of them obtained inexpensively at library book sales.

Bill Lawrence showed a photo of himself as a child, along with his grandmother, in a Model T. He and member, Ray Hatton *who owns antique cars) discussed the routine of getting a "Tin Lizzie" to start.

Todd Doupe presented a photo album and photos taken of people fishing and canoeing in Algonquin Park. Todd’s wife, Iowna, inherited these photos from her grandfather, Daniel Silver – who was a guide in the 1930s and may have known painter Tom Thompson, who also worked as a guide in Algonquin Park at the time.

Ray Hatton showed members a collection of Christmas cards from 1915 to 1922 that were given to department store staff by the Eaton family. Jean Hatton’s mother was given these cards when she worked at the company’s main store in Winnipeg. Jean noted that the Eatons were very generous back then. They also gave Jean’s mother a gift of china when she married.

Val Garland talked about her sister, Doreen (who died just before her eighth birthday) and showed members some of the dresses that her sister wore – items which Val donated to Heritage Mississauga.

Matthew Wilkinson had a PowerPoint presentation on Heritage Mississauga’s ongoing project to compile records, artifacts and first-hand accounts relating to Mississauga during wartime.

Tonight’s presentation focused on World War II. Matthew’s topics included gas and food rationing, the effects of war on local farmers, stories about German POWs in Mississauga, local blackouts, internment of Japanese Canadians in Mississauga, and the manufacture of war materiel and supplies in Malton and Lakeview.

Some of the MSHS members who remember life in Mississauga from 1939 to 1945 added to Matthew’s discussion by relating their own memories.

MSHS welcomed guest speaker, Professor Thomas McIlwraith (far left). With the help of assistant, Pierre Desrochers, Professor McIlwraith discussed the building of Ontario's early railroads.

Iron had to be replaced as often as every two to three years where trains traveled at high speed. Accidents resulted when rails weren't replaced regularly.

There were over 1,500 miles of iron track in Ontario when the railways turned to steel, leaving behind an enormous amount of scrap iron – equivalent, in McIlwraith's and Desrochers' estimation – to three Titanics worth of iron.

Long-time member, Todd Doupe talked about his experiences with the Royal Canadian Navy and showed members the headphones and "Morse key" that he used while on escort service on the Atlantic, 66 years ago. Todd also told a story about the arrival of a dignitary who was to make a speech, to which Todd was required to attend. The speaker turned out to be none-other than Winston Churchill.

Guest, Margaret Wright-Wrixon showed a painting of an unidentified house, built probably in the 1940s or ’50s. Members could not identify the house. She also requested information about the artist, Pat Crumb-Osler, but none of the members present had heard of her.

Paul Smith collected some old junk for the amusement of the members, including old electrical "knob and tube" wiring, an iron log splitter and a device made of wood and iron that members could not identify.
 

Val Garland presented some old dolls to MHF. Val and her sister played with the dolls as children in the 1930s.

Bill Lawrence brought in a Walker and Miles Atlas of Peel County from 1877.

Eric Gibson had a framed collection of pre-Confederation stamps (including two each from Newfoundland, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick) and a reproduction of a ‘Province of Canada’ stamp designed by Sir Sanford Fleming. He also brought in a magnifying glass and asked members to take a close look at the Fleming stamp at the end of the meeting, to see something unusual (a smiling face on the sun in the background).

Pauline Duinker (photo above) told members an interesting story about a doll, now 60 years old, that she was given while serving as a nurse on the Island of Amoy (presently called Xiamen) near the coast of China. Dolls like these were made by war orphans living on the island during Japanese occupation.

Marian Gibson brought in a hardcover 1947 edition of Mazo de la Roche’s Jalna novel. She also showed members a hand-made box with detailed quill work that she had acquired in 1987 while on Manitoulin Island.

Coincidentially, Margaret Barnstaple also brought in a quill box. Margaret's round quill box was the older of the two and is Hare family heirloom.

Eleanor Cousins read excerpts from two books. One was a school textbook entitled Canada’s Coeur de Lion. The other was a seamanship manual from 1938, published by the British Admiralty.