Coyle was hoping for an increase of about 500 fairgoers from last year’s 4,600 but early estimates indicate the crowd may have been under the 4,000 mark.

In addition to non-cooperative weather, the midway was less than what Quyon fairgoers are used to. Because the midway company that was booked went bankrupt in May, a last minute replacement had to be found.

“The programming was the best we’ve had in years,” Graham says. The horse shows and entertainment were top quality and other events which are still relatively new to the fair, such as the mud run and the Pontiac Gladiators are improving each year, he says.

Curlers swing their clubs: About 50 curlers traded their brooms for clubs during Shawville Curling Club’s third annual gold tournament in Norway Bay June 22.

Dave Draper and Gary Harris finished the course with the lowest score in the two-ball best-ball tournament.

Al Russell and Susan Smith won among the mixed teams.

Gerald Bean was closest-to-the-hole for the men and Connie Stone took the honours for the women.

The longest drives were hit by Paula Hodgins and John Carmichael. Money raised during the tournament will go towards last winter’s renovations of the club.

July 7,1971

50 Years Ago

Pontiac Picnic at Bryson riverfront: Beautiful weather and good entertainment combined to make the Pontiac Fish and Game Protective Assoc. annual picnic held on Sunday at the Bryson Riverfront a complete success.

The day officially began with a parade by the Renfrew Highland Pipe band under the direction of Pipe Major McMillan followed by address by Tom Lefebvre, the federal member for Pontiac and Jean Guy Lariviere, the Provincial member for Pontiac.

Musical entertainment on he grounds was provided by Pierre Maisonneuvve and Lloyd Eady and his group from Renfrew who also played for the competitors in the talent show.

New group aims to protect Green Lake: In an effort to keep Green Lake green and the surrounding area fit for many glorious vacations to come, a committee of cottage owners has been set up with Clarence Kilgour as its first president. Kamp Donaldson and Ray Sheppard are vice presidents.

As for many years in the past, Jack Argue has opened his private property and beach at Green Lake for the use of local children who wish to take swimming lessons under the auspices of the Shawville Lions Club. Brian Walsh of the Pontiac High School physical education department has been engaged as a swimming instructor for the summer and is this week organizing classes in various degrees of proficiency.

The newly formed Green Lake Association will endeavour to cut down the willful destruction of property at Green Lake which has taken place recently and will make every possible attempt to prevent the misuse of the beach.

July 4,1946

75 Years Ago

Local News: Monday afternoon’s electric storm accompanied by a wind reaching a velocity of 75 miles an hour, knocking down several large shade trees in Shawville, causing damage to electric and telephone lines.

On the farms of George Prendergast and George T. Dagg and Son silos were blown down and on the Portage du Fort road, a barn under erection on the farm of Iverson Harris was wrecked.

A hundred and fifty people from the Deanery of Clarendon spent all or part of Thursday at Charteris. A large percentage of the sixteen parishes and forty churches of the deanery were represented by people and clergy.

The annual Daily Vacation Bible School is to open in the United Church Sunday school room for two weeks.

Lucien Labelle of Noranda was chosen Liberal candidate to contest the county of Pontiac in the forthcoming federal by-election by a majority of four votes on the first ballot.

Several folks from Greermount attended the Dominion Day picnic at Campbell’s Bay.

British military units marched down a tree-lined avenue in London’s famous mall as millions watched the colourful pageant that marked England’s victory celebration. More than 12 million people gathered in the British capital for the celebration.

Flt. Lieut. Gilmour Hodgins of Yarm arrived at his home on Saturday after a year or so in Germany. Flt. Lt. Hodgins’ duties while on the continent were in connection with disarmament operations.

June 30,1921

100 Years Ago

Local News: Dr. S.J. Schachter, Surgeon Dentist has opened an office for the practice of his profession in the rooms lately occupied by Dr. Church (over Caldwell’s Hardware Store) Main Street, Shawville.

Some of our citizens who attended the Firemen’s picnic at Coulonge on Wednesday last declare that the crowd was the biggest they had ever seen at a picnic in Pontiac. Many of the visitors came from the Ontario side to witness the races and other sports that were pulled off. The picnic is said to have been a great success financially.

The annual church parade of Pontiac Lodge A.F. and A.M. which was held at Quyon on Sunday last came off very successfully, the gathering of craftsmen being larger than has been witnessed for years.

The lawn social which was held at Mr. W.J. Brown’s, Starks Corners on Friday evening was a decided success. The supper was all that could be desired, both in quantity and quality. The table was tastefully decorated with June roses.

Rebuilding operations in the burnt area commenced last week. W.J.. Hayes completed a splendid large concrete basement and the work of erecting the super-structure is now well underway. Mr. Herb Smith is constructing a concrete wall on the outside of the old foundation walls of his building, which will considerably increase the size of his premises. Across the way, Murray Bros. are making preparations for the rebuilding of their premises and other similar activities are talked of so that the prospects of a busy season and lot of work are bright.

Sir Louis Davies, Sir Robert Borden, Sir William Meredith, Chief Justice of Ontario and Hon. J.B.G. Lamothe, Chief Justice of Quebec have been selected as the national group within the meaning of the statute for the permanent court of International Justice provided for by the League of Nations for the purpose of nominating, on behalf of Canada, a list of persons from which the members of the court representing Canada may be elected.

July 9,1896

125 Years Ago

Local News: A terrific wind storm, accompanied by heavy rain with some hail stones passed over a portion of Clarendon township on Monday afternoon.

Shawvilleites attended the Quio picnic July 1 in large numbers. All report having had an excellent day’s outing.

About fifty men gathered at Mr. Andrew Elliott’s, Westmeath on Saturday afternoon and raised his large bank barn. The barn, when finished will be the finest in the valley, if not in the township, says the Weatmeath correspondent of The Observer.

Mr. Coates, when on his way to fulfill one of his appointments on a recent Sunday, took an unexpected plunge into the clear, limpid waters of Green Lake while he was in the act of watering his horse. We have not heard that the episode has been the means of making another convert to the immersion theory.

A baseball club has been organized at Campbell’s Bay under the name of the “Campbell’s Bay baseball club”. R. Bowes is president; John Quinn, captain; J.A. Moorhead, field captain and J.M. Sarsfield, Secretary Treasurer.

An unknown man was murdered on the outskirts of Smith’s Falls, Ont on Wednesday of last week. He was one of a gang of thirty tramps who had made that place their rendezvous for some time. The whole party got drunk with the result that one man was killed and others wounded. The gang afterwards separated and the police are after them.

Dominion Day was not celebrated this year in Shawville but a great many of our young people attended the Catholic Forester’s picnic at Quyon on that date. A few of the older heads, betrayed a weakness for piscatorial honours by driving out to the Quyon River and there spending the afternoon. The expedition was highly successful in so far as accomplishing the utter annihilation of the contents of the provision baskets was concerned.

The Intelligencer office in Belleville was burglarized the other night and $1 in small change taken. The burglars must have been know nothings or they would not have robbed a newspaper office.

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