The Month That Was – June 1922

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.

Oshawa’s Marks Theatre

The Marks Theatre once stood on the corner of King and Celina Streets in downtown Oshawa.  The building was erected circa 1875 and originally operated as the American Hotel.  The proprietor of this hotel, Mike Finnigan, fought in the American Civil War.  Born in Belleville, Ontario, Finnigan was paid by a wealthy American family to impersonate their son so that he could escape the draft.  Fighting for the North under an assumed name, Finnigan also had the opportunity to ride in the cavalry with General Custer.  After the war, he returned to Oshawa, married a woman from Pickering, and built the American Hotel.

From the Daily Times Gazette, 1951

By 1921, Mike Finnigan had retired, according to the City of Oshawa Directory from that year.  The building was sold to Mr. Martin who changed the hotel into a theatre and named it the Paragon Theatre. In 1924, the name had changed to the New Martin Theatre and the proprietor at this time was Mr. Ernie Marks.  Ernie and his wife Kitty were a fascinating couple who were talented performers.  Ernie was a trick bicycle rider and actor, and Kitty was a singer.

From the Daily Reformer, 1927

In 1928 the New Martin Theatre underwent both interior and exterior renovations.  The Daily Times noted on March 10, 1928 that “Ernie Marks, manager of the New Martin Theatre, is transforming his theatre into one of the most up-to-date motion picture houses in the Province.”  Not only was it outfitted with new seats and lighting, it was also equipped with a cooling and ventilating system.

The concession stand in the Marks Theatre, from the Oshawa Community Archives

Sometime between 1931 and 1934, Ernie Marks changed the name to The Marks Theatre.  It became a popular place for travelling vaudeville performers, theatre, opera and motion pictures.  Since that time, the theatre has passed through various hands, and by the 1980s the new owners had made it into a popular “hot-spot” for showing cult movies such as The Rocky Horror Picture Show.  It also became a great place for previewing up and coming local rock bands.  Between 1984 and 1988 the historic building managed to survive two major fires and fierce competition from other theatres in the area.

The Marks Theatre in 1985, the marquee advertising Back to the Future! From the Oshawa Community Archives Collection

Then in April 1992, the Marks Theatre was torn down in order to make room for a parking lot.  It was demolished by its owner, a Willowdale based company, who had long term plans to build a three or four storey office building.  In April 1997, five years since the demolition, no structure had yet to be built.  Today, the site is being used as a parking area for a small handful of vehicles, and a restaurant utilizes the westernmost portion of the property for a patio in the summer months.