Compiled by Bonnie Chevrier
Dec. 1, 1993
25 Years Ago
McMillan honoured for heroism: A former Beechgrove resident received an emotional tribute last week for an extraordinary feat of bravery he performed last summer.
On Nov. 23 the Quyon community presented 40 year old Dwight McMillan with a plaque for saving Scott Smith (13) and Lonnie Collier (16) from drowning during last year’s Pontiac Pride Jamboree in Quyon.
On the last day of the 1993 jamboree, Scott and Lonnie were swimming with friends at the beach next to the grounds where the Quyon River runs into the Ottawa. The two boys got caught in an undertow and were being carried out into deep water. Mr. McMillan heard their cries for help and quickly pulled Scott from he water and went after Lonnie. An experienced scuba diver, Mr. McMillan reached the older boy quickly and got him to relax in the water but the two of them were still being helplessly pulled downstream.
A nearby boater heard their cries and pulled alongside, allowing the two desperate swimmers to climb to safety. The boater later disappeared and was never identified. Scott’s two uncles, Melvin and Rodney Coyle both drowned in an incident at the same spot in 1968.
Lions Club brings back memories for CJOH television personality: Brian Smith’s first memory of the Lions Club dates back to 1955, the year of the Richard Riots in Montreal.
Smith, a former professional hockey player who is now a sportscaster with CJOH television in Ottawa, recounted this memory for about 75 people at the 44th Charter Night of the Shawville Lions Club.
Smith’s father was a member of the Lions Club in 1955, the year Maurice (Rocket) Richard was suspended for the season for fighting.
“People play, not to go to the NHL but for comraderie and character development,” Smith said. He also spoke of the importance of service clubs which play an integral role in promoting community hockey.
Dec. 12, 1968
50 Years Ago
Shawville Santa Claus Parade exceeded all expectations: Hilton Mine, Dale’s Furniture, Pentecostal Sunday School and Pontiac Community Hospital win trophies: In Shawville on Saturday were thousands of people lined up on Main St. and clustered at the fair grounds. Thirty four horses and riders escorted entries in a bright and varied parade to the delight of the children and the amazement of their elders.
At the fair grounds, the Lions let the public into the community centre afterwards for a visit to Santa Claus who handed out candy provided by the Lions and the United Steel Workers Union Local 5656.
It was a big day for handouts with Hosmer Turner dressed in top hat and tails giving out buckets full of candy to the children on Main Street and the Hilton Mine handing out candy along the parade route from its model pelletizer which manufactured hard candy instead of iron pellets.
Trophies for those entries judged best were awarded at the end of the parade with he Pontiac Community Hospital receiving the Hilton Mines Perpetual Trophy for their comical emergency room float drawn by Hospital Superintendent Mrs. Marks driving a tractor.
First prize for industrial floats went to the Hilton Mines entry with he Pontiac Rural Telephone coming in second with their old fashioned switchboard.
Keith Horner honoured by Hockey Club: Keith Horner, coach of the Pontiacs for the past decade, was honoured at a small gathering Saturday night. Present were members of the Pontiacs and their wives as well as friends of Mr. Horner’s. Royce Richardson spoke on behalf of all when he commented on the contribution of Keith to the Shawville Pontiacs and to the community.
Keith is somewhat of a permanent fixture around the rink whenever there is hockey of any short, type or description. He was present with a set of luggage from the players and personnel as a small token of appreciation for all he has done.
Dec. 9, 1943
75 Years Ago
Local news: Unusually good weather favoured the Anglican Bazaar on Friday of last week and the hall was packed to capacity.
There was a ready market for the work displayed by the Senior and Junior Guilds and more than three hundred people were served at the war-time supper. A new feature of the bazaar was the woodwork prepared by some of the men of the congregation. Another novelty was the interesting display of baby pictures of local residents. Fifteen photographs were shown and visitors were given the chance of guessing who was represented. Almost 500 people were packed into the hall to see the three-set comedy “Saved by the Belle”. Of the twelve characters, six were making their first appearance on the Shawville stage, some of them acting for the first time. They proved to be a real “find” and with the others gave a highly entertaining performance with considerable talent.
London publicly reports that a large area in southwestern England is to be evacuated by Dec. 20 to provide an invasion training ground for American troops. General Devers, the American commander, announces that the manouevres are necessary to develop “the master plan that will set in motion what may be the greatest military operation of all time.” Thus the pattern, glimpsed through the Moscow communique and the subsequent speeches of Mr. Stalin and Mr. Churchill, begins to grow a little clearer. It was in May that the Prime Minister said that while opinion differed as to whether “air power by itself” could “bring about the collapse of Germany,” the “experiment is well worth trying.”
Dec. 12, 1918
100 Years Ago
Local news: Mr. R.C. Woodley received the glad intelligence from the Record Office last Tuesday that his son Clifton, who had been a prisoner in Germany since June 1916 had arrived safe in England. When Clifton reaches home, as we expect he will before long, he will be able to give some first hand information as the treatment accorded prisoners of war during those long weary months he spent in the land of the Hun.
The return of Pte. Guy Hodgins from England on Tuesday evening last, was made the occasion for a large assemblage of citizens at the station to welcome the young solder. Guy went overseas with the 77th Battalion of Ottawa accompanied by his younger brother Lee, who met his death on the field of battle in 1917. Guy was wounded in action and returned to England where he was held on account of his youth.
Preparations for opening the rink in town were commenced last week, the weather being favourable for ice-making, which is quite a task at the beginning of the season without the aid of waterworks.
Bristol Corners is to have a much larger and better open-air rink this winter than anything heretofore attempted in that line and the lovers of hockey in that rising burg will doubtless see to it that they will have a team on deck to compete with other towns.
At the Yarm Methodist Church on Dec. 19, the Yarm Sunday School will celebrate its Fiftieth Anniversary. Several speakers will be in attendance and a freewill offering will be taken up in aid of the suffering children of Belgium.
Nov. 30, 1893
125 Years Ago
Local News: Mr. R. Anderson, the electrician who has the contract for equipping the telephone line in this county, succeeded in establishing the central office here on Thursday night last, having to perform a considerable portion of the work by the aid of a lantern. On Friday morning, he took his staff of men to Quyon and placed the necessary switchboards for the service there in the store of Messrs. O’Meara and Hodgins, besides putting up several phones. Quyon will probably have one dozen subscribers to the system which from present indications, gives promise of working very satisfactorily on the whole.
Mr. H.H. Elliott wound up his cheese business for the season on Tuesday. The value of the product for the year was in the neighbourhood of $2,400.
Sir John Thompson has been created an Imperial Privy Councillor by the Queen in recognition of his services as arbitrator in the Behring sea matter. This gives Sir John the title of Right Honourable. For his services in connection with the same question, Mr. Christopher Robinson, Q.C., of Toronto has been knighted.
