GHS - March 2017
March 2017 #90
As we begin the spring (almost, anyway) issue of the newsletter, the question arises: shall we explain the photo above or leave the readers in suspense? To continue requires a bit of background and a few more photos. In January, we received an email from Don Jones, Burlington: “I have a cello (perhaps a church bass) built by David Marr in Glanford, May 1862 and a violin with case built in Glanford by Colin Marr in December/January 1893. Neither are in playable condition at the present time, but are otherwise well
preserved. Both builders are buried in White Church Cemetery. I wonder if you would be interested in them being donated to your archives? Please let me know and I can bring them over for you to look at on a Thursday or Friday.” Don and his wife arrived as promised, bringing the instruments and 23 photos of them. The cello is the oldest of the two and is about 3½ feet tall. There is an inscription inside, done before the cello was put together, authenticating and dating the instrument.
The violin case, pictured above, is made from a basswood log, cut length-wise and hollowed out by hand. The Marr family lived in the southeast part of Glanford since arriving from the US in the 1830's. We have no space to display the items so they’ve gone back to Burlington but we’re open to suggestions to have them come back to Glanford
Here’s an article from The Haldimand News from January, 2017. “YORK-The York, Grand River Historical Society is surrendering its charter after 35 years and donating
its remaining funds to various historical groups,from Haldimand’s three museums to the Walpole Antique Farm Machinery Association. Co-chairs Mary and Ken Martindale ran the
organization for 10 years and said finding people to help them wasn't an easy task. “I’m sorry that it's going,” said Ken. "We met a lot of good people ...
We had pretty good turnouts, but Mary and I got the point where we had enough of getting it all together. We had support from people, but nobody would take the office.”
During this time two books were published: York,Grand River, Early History and Directory by John Quinsey and Stones Along The Grand,coordinated and edited by Bill Haartman and Jean Farquharson. These books will be digitized and made accessible online.The remaining funds are being donated to the following museums:Haldimand County Museum and Archives,
Edinburgh Square Heritage and Cultural Centre,Wilson MacDonald Memorial School House, No. 6 RCAF Dunnville and Walpole Antique Farm Machinery; and also the Grand Erie Educational
Archives, Dunnville District Heritage Archives, Port Maitland Historical Association for Lock 27 Maintenance and Canfield Black History signage.”
On a brighter note, we had an enquiry in January from Oklahoma City requesting more information about the Maggie story. The lady wanted to know if there was a booklet available and the cost. We’ve been in touch for the last few weeks and the end result was a booklet and record going to her and another package to a friend in Devon, UK. Here, in part, is one of her replies:“Hi Art,My package arrived today, Feb. 1, only 5 days after you mailed it! My 70th birthday is tomorrow, so thisis an early surprise for me!! Both the book and the record arrived in perfect condition, and I read the book right away, crying the whole time. I believe I'm obsessed by the story! It is so beautiful, and when I listen to versions on YouTube I have the same tearful reaction every time. The book and art are very nicely done. Can't wait to listen to Nattress's presentation of the song. It will
probably take me a few days before I'll get to listen to it, but I'm sure it will be counted among my treasures! ..... Again, thank you so very much for your sharing this
wonderful story with me and with my British friend. Your Oklahoma friend,Kaye”
And from Devon, England:“Hello Art,I’ve just received your wonderful booklet by George P. Rickard, along with the 45, and I want to thank you so much for your kindness.
I’ve loved that song for many years and knew a little bit about it, but thanks to you I now have a lot more information. Next time I play it on the radio programme, I will be mentioning the Glanbrook Heritage Society and giving the audience your contact details. The programme is called “Memory Lane” and is on Sundays, starting at 4pm UK time, on Bay FM,which is a community radio station, that is to say entirely run by unpaid volunteers (even the manager,) and is run as a not-for-profit organisation. If anybody is interested, you can hear “Memory Lane” by going to www.bayfm.co.uk and click ‘Listen Live’ if that is what you want, or ‘Listen Again’ then on “Memory Lane” then on the date that you want if you’d like to listen at your leisure. Thank you again,Take care,Nick Muir.”
Please note the changes in our monthly meetings as listed at the end of the letter. We’ve had to reschedule Monday nights at St Paul’s to Tuesday nights due to the influx of year-long groups coming from the soon-to-be-closed Mount Hope United church. There is a possibility of meeting regularly at the municipal service centre in the evenings. There
has been a change in the security procedures in the building that may allow this use. This will be an item for discussion at our annual meeting in three weeks time.
Digitization of the vital statistics from the Hamilton Spectator is progressing. We now have almost 20 years available on our website with more slowly being added. The files are searchable for names and not just of the deceased. Any word can be searched for, so who knows what will pop up? Please use the website frequently; other people across the continent do!
A quick update on the headstones photograph project. The Society has submitted over 18,000 photos, closing in on 50,000 names, from 80 different cemeteries in four counties.
The next regular meeting of the Society will be Tuesday, March 21, 6:00 PM, St Paul’s Glanford Anglican church, 2869 Upper James Street, Mount Hope. Annual pot luck supper and
business meeting.
April’s meeting, usually on the third Monday, is up for discussion. That particular day is Easter Monday. Again, time and place for future meetings should be discussed as noted above.
From Samuel Coleridge, 1830: “In politics, what begins in fear usually ends in folly.”