July 5, 1995
25 Years Ago
Rains don’t dampen spirit: The last parade float had just entered the fair grounds when the rains came down in Shawville on Canada Day. But after 20 days of little precipitation, no one seemed to . . .
mind much that the festivities were interrupted for a couple of hours by the downpour.
Despite the weather, organizers are calling this year’s Canada Day a success.
There were nearly 50 entries in the parade, one of the largest in years and crowds of people, many decked in red and white, lined Main Street.
Singing “O Canada” all the way down the parade route, the Shawville Lionettes won as best service club float.
Looking very Canadian in an elaborate red and white costume, Anne Ethier won the best western horse division and Ken Durant, driving a 1928 Ford, won for best antique car.
Sale sets precedent: The first piece has been sold. At the June 26 meeting of Pontiac MRC, the mayors passed a resolution authorizing the sale of 12 acres of the Pontiac Trail to the Municipality of Waltham at a price of $693 per acre.
The section to be sold is the very northwest end of the old railroad right-of-way, situated across Highway 148 from the centre of Waltham.
The MRC which owns 70 kilometres of the old rail line that runs from Wyman to Waltham, is developing the property as a recreational corridor known as the Pontiac Trail.
July 8, 1970
50 Years Ago
Pontiac Lions Club second annual talent competition: At Father May’s hall in Vinton Sunday night, the Pontiac Lions held their second annual talent contest with a good turnout and a good talent on stage.
Don Graveline and his band backed up most of the acts and also performed a number of songs before, between and after the contestants.
Miss Yvette Martin, an accomplished and charming singer with the band, won first prize in the contest, second prize went to a group from Quyon, the Curley Brothers and third place went to another feature singer with the Graveline group, Mr. Rheal Rivet.
Stepdancers were all so good that the judges had to see them a third time to determine winners among the three. The final result was Ghislaine Fleury first, Patricia Hodgins second, and Helen Fleury third with two young Hearty girls also putting in another two fine performances.
The new look at McDowell’s Grove: McDowell’s Grove, at Highway 8 towards the west end of Shawville, has been taken over this year by the Venturers, a Boy Scout affiliated organization of teenaged boys in Shawville. Originally established and maintained by the now dormant Shawville Chamber of Commerce, the Grove was a gift of the McDowell family to the traveling public and to local people who enjoy picnics under the tall pines.
More recently, the Lions Club and the Rotary Club have had a hand at keeping the area in condition and this year the Venturers have taken over.
Inside the gate there are several signs explaining that the park is being kept clean by the Venturers. There is a sign with an official welcome to wayfaring strangers and local people who use this beautiful picnic area.
July 12, 1945
75 Years Ago
Local News: Fire believed to have been started by a passing train on Saturday morning, caused damage in the bush properties of Messrs. Lee A. Hodgins and John D. Brown, north of the railway track at the west end of the village.
A number of young hardwoods were destroyed on the property of Mr. Brown and some large pine trees and young hardwoods were also destroyed on the Hodgins property.
A number of men put up a stubborn fight to keep the fire from spreading until trucks of the Shawville Creamery loaded with water and later the fire-fighting unit of the Quebec Forest Protective Association arrived from Fort Coulonge.
A memorial service in honour of eight boys of the United Church families who gave their lives for liberty in the European war is being held in Shawville United church on Sunday.
As a result of nominations for school commissioners for Shawville and Clarendon school board held Monday morning, an election will be held on Monday next. Mr. R.J. Tracy, retiring commissioner for Shawville was returned by acclamation, but the Clarendon representative, retiring commissioner Mr. Elwood Brownlee was opposed by the nomination of Mr. Norval Wilson of the 5th line.
Among overseas men welcomed to Shawville last week was Cpl. Clinton Divine.
Some unfinished business in the Pacific received attention when, according to Tokyo, British carrier planes bombed Truk Islands, a once-vaunted Jap stronghold. Consisting of many small and heavily fortified islands encircled almost completely by coral reefs, Truk would be difficult and costly to attack by sea, so Allied forces by-passed the island long ago rendering it impotent by seizing surrounding strongholds.
Age is no barrier to gallantry in wartime Merchant Navy service it is proven by Chan For Sui who received the British Empire Medal in his 74th year. This Chinese veteran of Canadian Pacific Steamships, now serving his 53rd year with that company at his own request, is a survivor of the sinking of the Princess Marguerite, one of 12 Canadian Pacific vessels lost through enemy action in this war.
July 1, 1920
100 Years Ago
Missing from our files
July 4, 1895
125 Years Ago
Local News: Bright and balmy dawned the morning of our national holiday which gave encouragement to the committee who were in charge of the demonstration that was to be held in this town. Every necessary preparation had been made for the comfort and enjoyment of those who visited us and no pains were spared to make the day one which would do honour to the occasion.
The morning train brought quite a contingent of visitors from the western part of the county and through the morning hours a steady influx of people from the surrounding country poured into town so that with the addition of those who came by the special train from Aylmer, which arrived about noon, a very representative and fairly large-sized gathering of people had assembled. About one o’clock the crowd wended its way to the exhibition ground where the attractions provided for the day were to be witnessed. The first item was a lacrosse match between the Shawville and Aylmer teams. A heavy shower of rain delayed the carrying out of the remainder of the program for some minutes. As soon as it faired up again, however the events resumed.
The concert held in the exhibition dining hall in the evening was accorded a very liberal patronage, every seat in the building being occupied. Mayor Hobbs fulfilled the duties of chairman in his usual creditable manner and it may here be observed his efforts to maintain order at times somewhat severely taxed his characteristically urbane disposition.
Our local representative, Mr. Gillies, accompanied by Mrs. Gillies, Miss Gillies and Master Gillies sailed from Montreal on Saturday morning last by steamer Vancouver for the old country.
There is every indication that there will be a regular hay famine next fall says the Chatham Banner. At present the crop is very short, owing to the drought. Hay made a very nice start this spring, but the late frost damaged it very much.
The usual placidity which characterizes society was interrupted by a little ripple in the form of a “lawn social” held in the manse grounds on Thursday evening, 27th June. The attendance, owing probably to lack of publicity and the doubtful aspects of the weather was not quite as large as on similar occasions in the past but the event was nevertheless one of the most pleasant of the kind ever held in Bristol.
A young woman named H.A. Botting, residing at 756 Fulham Rd., London, England, writes to the mayor of Ottawa for a husband, as she sees no prospect of getting one in England.
