Hi everyone! It’s Jay again. Since the summer is fast approaching, my time here at the Museum is coming to an end. Over the past few months, I’ve learned some things, ranging from using Canva for videos (I never knew you could do that!) to how much of a history nerd I can be. As I’ll be in Grade 12 in the fall, I’ve often thought about my post-secondary education. One of my options is to work at a museum as a social media manager, curator, or something along those lines. The other option is for broadcasting and television, which is funny because both of the options are very different from one another!
Lake Ontario and the beach
Either way, I know I’ll be sticking around even after my placement is up. I love how museums can connect with the community and positively impact someone’s day after they’ve come in for a tour or even a coffee. I’ll be doing as many of the volunteer opportunities as I can. I’ve met many people and done many things I would never have done without being here. And the staff here are excellent!
The steering wheel from the Helen, on display in Guy House
Over the past couple of months, I’ve done various projects, all of which I loved to do. One of my favourite projects was researching information for three schools in Oshawa, Albert St. School, Mary St. School and Westmount Public School, and writing about them. It was fascinating to read about how schools have changed over the decades, which I can relate to, especially as I’m still in high school. One thing that shocked me was that one class had a 1:75 teacher to students ratio due to overcrowding. The other thing that brightened my day has to be giving tours. When I first started my placement here, I was worried about giving tours, and now I love them. It’s always fun to inform people about things they don’t know.
One mini project for school was these SMART goals. They were something you had to accomplish by the end of your placement. Mine was to positively impact the community and museum in whatever way works, which I achieved through my tours and little timbits here and there. I’m so grateful to get the experiences I did here at the museum and meet everyone I did. I’ll miss my time here and all the little things I’d see and do daily.
While there are several, earlier, unverifiable claims to the bicycle invention, the earliest verifiable claim is to a German inventor in the early 1800s. This simple mode of transportation has seen evolution, adaptations, and various safety enhancements through the years.
This post is inspired by photographs in our collection that feature bicycles and, coincidentally, is published a day before World Bicycle Day on June 3. So, in the famous words of Freddy Mercury, “Get on your bikes and ride!” Enjoy the read!
By Karen A., Visitor Host Born in Jackson Township, Stark County, Ohio, on May 28th 1840, Joseph Dick was a machinist in Oshawa from 1863 util 1874, later becoming a proprietor of his own business, Dick’s Agricultural Works, located in Canton, Ohio. What’s really interesting about Joseph is his patent from 1869 for the “improvement…
All articles originally appeared in the Ontario Reformer
June 1, 1922, page 1 Wm. Culling Quits The Police Force Mr. William Culling who for the past two years has been a member of the Oshawa Police Force, has resigned his position and will confine his attention to his business at Oshawa-on-the-Lake where he conducts an ice cream parlor. Mr. Herbert Flintoff, an Oshawa man has accepted the position and commenced upon his new duties this morning. Mr. Flintoff is well known here and should make a valuable acquisition to Chief of Police Friend’s staff.
Page 2 Spend Your Money in Oshawa The “Buy-in Oshawa” campaign, in which several local merchants are co=operating for the net ten days, got away to an excellent start this morning. It is right that it should, and its popularity may be expected to increase each day.
During these ten days the merchants will make an earnest effort to convince skeptics that by buying in Oshawa they are not only being local to the merchants and the town, but to themselves. The merchants are offering big values for the prices asked, and The Reformer believes that if fair-minded persons, who have been buying considerable quantities of goods in Toronto, will only give the stores a fair trial more money will be kept in Oshawa in the future…
Be loyal to your community. Take advantage of the splendid prices offered in local stores. Profit by your experience in so doing, and help make it an even better down in which to live.
3 Jun 1922, p. 3 Building Forty Cellars Mayor Stacey is constructing Cellars under forty houses this season, most of the on Verdun Road, and in that vicinity. The mayor stated last evening that he has had numerous enquires for houses in the past few weeks, more in fact than for some years at this season.
Ontario Reformer, 6 Jun 1922, p. 4
Butter Down, Eggs Up Butter has been 45¢ a pound on Oshawa market for over a year, but this morning found Mrs. Oshawa Housewife able to buy the product at 35¢., the reason being the abundant supply, far greater than the demand. But when one product comes down in price another goes up. It was ever thus, and so 35¢ a dozen was asked for eggs, after the prevailing price of many weeks of 30¢. There was an abundant supply of rhubarb at 5¢ and 10¢ a bunch, and some potatoes at 35¢ a basket. A few chickens flew away at 35¢ a pound.
8 Jun 1922, p. 2 Editorial Comment If the town of Oshawa were in the dairy business, it would have some splendid pasture for cattle along the sides of the roads on the outskirts of the municipality. However, as there is no possibility of this kind of public ownership being entered into, the Council could considerable improve the appearance of the town by having this long grass cut.
Ontario Reformer, 13 Jun 1922, p. 1
13 Jun 1922, p. 1, 2 Town Should Have Dead Fish Buried Suggested that Boys Be Paid to Gather Shiners Up To Be Destroyed Summer residents at Oshawa-on-the-Lake, and visitors to Lakeview Park, have been complaining for some weeks past of the fishy odor from the thousands of decaying shiners along the shore. Oshawa has fared no better nor no worse than other places along the north shore of lake Ontario, but that does not make the visits of Oshawa people to the lakeshore any more enjoyable. The presence of the dead fish, coupled with the odor, has interfered with the bathing all along the lakeshore…
Messrs Wm. Culling and James Smith, having sandy beaches in front of their property at Oshawa-on-the-Lake raked the dead fish together and buried them. The suggestion was made to The Reformer that the council or the Park Board should direct the cleaning up of the fish in from of Lakeview Park….
Ontario Reformer, 15 Jun 1922, p. 2
20 Jun 1922, p. 1 Mel Thompson To Manage New Martin Theatre Mr. Mel Thompson, who is known to many Oshawa people as having been business manager for Mr. Ernie Marks, has been appointed resident manager of The New Martin Theatre. Mr. Thompson comes to Oshawa from the Orillia News Letter and before coming here, besides acting as business manager for Mr. Marks for eight seasons, was connected with various amusement companies in Chatham, Owen Sound and other cities. He has had wide experience in the theatrical business and Oshawa theatre patrons will be pleased to learn of his appointment. Mr. Thompson states that during this coming summer he intends to introduce the cold blast ventilating system which, he states will make the auditorium of the theatre comfortably cool on even the warmest days.
Ontario Reformer, 20 Jun 1922, p. 2
22 Jun 1922, p. 1 Mr GW McLaughlin Gives Union Cemetery To Town of Oshawa, Also $500 Toward Its Upkeep Part Of Cash Gift Is To Be Used To Defray Cost of Moving Bodies of Veterans Into Plot Set Aside For Soldiers’ Graves COUNCIL UNANIMOUSLY ACCEPTS OFFER AND VOICES APPRECIATION The Union Cemetery, between Whitby and Oshawa, will become the property of the Town of Oshawa on July 1. This splendid gift was made formally to the Town Council, in special session, last night by Mr. George W McLaughlin, who has secured all the stock of the present holding company. Needless to say, the offer was speedily accepted, and the Town Clerk was unanimously instructed to write Mr. McLaughlin expressing the sincere thanks of the corporation.
Mr. McLaughlin also gives $500 to be used as a nucleus for a fund to administer the property. Part of this money he suggests be used to move bodies of soldiers to the veterans’ plot.
There are about 30 acres in the cemetery, the part of it on the south side of the Toronto and Eastern tracks only having been opened. How the cemetery will be governed by the Town has yet to be decided…
Ontario Reformer, 24 Jun 1922, p. 1
24 Jun 1922, p. 1 $90,000 IS BUILDING FUND OBJECTIVE OF ST.GEORGE’S CHURCH Campaign To Be Launched at Congregational Meeting Monday Night HAVE $11,000 ON HAND Aim to Raise $23,000 Day for Three Days—Teams Chosen With an objective of $90,000, exclusive of the cash on hand the members of St. George’s Anglican Church on Tuesday start a campaign for the raising of the funds necessary for the erection of the proposed new memorial church. The canvass of the congregation will extend over Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday with a daily objective of about $23,000. The foundation of the church on Centre Street will be completed next Thursday and if the campaign is successful it is the intention of the committee in charge to let the contract for the superstructure this year…
At the present time the congregation has on hand something around $11,000, which was realized by the sale of the old property. Besides this amount there is a fund which has been built up by various organizations in the church during the past few years with the object of assisting in the erection of the church. This money, most of which has been raised by the women, will be devoted to furnishing the church.
Nearly every window in the proposed edifice has already been spoken for by some member or friend of the congregation who intends to make a memorial to some departed one, but at the present time no names are available for publication in this connection…
27 Jun 1922, p. 2 Boy Scouts Have A Splendid Hike An enthusiastic troop of boy scouts participated in the despatch (sic) run and hike held Saturday afternoon under Boy Scout auspices to Edmundson’s Woods at Tooley’s Mill. The boys were in charge of Mr. Chapman, Honorary Scoutmaster, and Assistant Scoutmaster Jas. Lovell. Several of the boys participated in the cooking contests, after which all had a swim.
On Dominion Day, next Saturday, the scouts will hold an all-day hike to the same locality, in all probability, when about thirty boys will be in attendance. The boys are now aiming at passing the tests for a First Class scout and will try some of these next Saturday. After the First Class Scouts come the Kin’s Scouts, and some of the Oshawa boys already have this class in view.
Ontario Reformer, 29 Jun 1922, p. 10
29 Jun 1922, p. 1 No Mail Delivery On Dominion Day On Dominion Day, July 1, which falls next Saturday, the General Delivery and Registered Letter wickets of the Oshawa Post Office will be open between the hours of nine and eleven o’clock in the morning. Stamps may be procured at the General Delivery wicket at that time.
There will be no delivery of mail by letter-carrier on that date and only one collection of mail from the street letter boxes. This collection will be at five o’clock in the afternoon. All outgoing mails will be despatched as usual.
As summer heat builds, more people will rely on air conditioning units to keep cool. No air conditioning? No problem! There were a variety of options for ‘cooling off’ on a hot summer day before the days of air conditioning! Here are a few of the creative ways people in Oshawa beat the heat at the turn of the 20th century.
Parks
Parks are a wonderful place to cool off; trees absorb heat, and ponds and lakes help further cool the temperature in the air. The development of city parks boomed in the late 1800s and early 1900s.1 Early city parks were usually privately owned land made available, for a small fee, to the public. This model evolved after WWII.
An example of this type of privately owned park was Prospect Park (located where Parkwood Estate is today). In 1880, Eli Edmondson landscaped the grounds with ornamental gardens, gazebos, and water fountains that would have provided an easy way to cool off in the summer!
Prospect Park; Oshawa Museum archival collection (A996.27.7)
One of the best parks to cool off in would be Oshawa-on-the-Lake (today’s Lakeview Park). For the citizens of our community, it is a favourite location to spend a summer’s day, swimming and relaxing along the sandy beach. There is an abundance of large trees providing shade to sit under to escape the summer sun or to take an afternoon nap!
Cooling off at Oshawa-on-the-Lake, 1910. The Thomas Bouckley Collection, The Robert McLaughlin Gallery
Cool Architecture
Awnings became popular as a way to block out the sun while still allowing daylight and air to enter into storefronts that needed ventilation. On rainy days, awnings made it possible for passersby to enjoy window-shopping excursions. Throughout their history, awnings have had great appeal. Along with drapes, curtains, shutters, and blinds, they provided natural climate control in an age before air conditioning. By blocking out the sun’s rays while admitting daylight and allowing air to circulate between interior and exterior, they were efficient and cost effective.
King Street, Downtown Oshawa, 1910; Oshawa Museum archival collection (AX995.194.1)
Covered porches, such as the one pictured below, helped reduce the amount of direct sunlight hitting the outside walls and downstairs windows. A covered porch also allowed people to sit outside during the evening and early in the night when it was cooler. The porch eventually turned into a place to socialize with friends and family while cooling off after a long hot day.
Members of the Lick family on the front steps of their home, Stone Lodge. Note the large covered porch; Oshawa Museum archival collection (A001.1.3)
Summer kitchens during the late 19th and early 20th centuries in Ontario had a number of practical applications. They were usually a wing constructed on the rear of the home. Often, the wood stove in the home would be disassembled and moved into the summer kitchen.2 At Henry House, the summer kitchen is located at the back of the house, off the main kitchen. This extension of the home was used during the hot summer months to separate hot kitchen activities from the rest of the house during the warmer months – a key way to survive the summer before the advent of the modern air conditioning.
Fresh Fashions
Fans, hats, and parasols are not just fashion accessories. They were useful tools used to beat the heat of the summer months. Since the sun heats the earth through radiation, one of the best defences against the summer heat for a Victorian woman was protection from the sun’s rays. Wide-brimmed hats and parasols not only protected but were essential fashion accessories. After a stroll in the sun, what better way to cool down than to let nature protect—with its cooling canopy of shade.
When reading through old newspapers, mentions of familiar places and names are always exciting. The following appeared in the Oshawa Vindicator, 22 May 1867:
Social – On the afternoon of the 24th inst., a social in connection with the Ladies’ Aid Society, of the Christian Church, will be held at Elder Henry’s, Port Oshawa. Tea will be served at six p.m. A programme has been prepared for the occasion, one item of which is an essay from the pen of Mrs. P.A. Henry.
An evening spent by the lake listening to the writings of Polly Henry sounds like a lovely way to have spent and evening, almost 156 years ago.
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