Fun Fact Friday #20 - The Little Pier That Could 🌊

      Did you know that Canadians living on the coast of Lake Erie built a pier to sell goods to the Americans across the lake during the Civil War?

What is left of the pier at Tyrconnell.

      In April of 1861 the Dunwich Pier Company was established in order complete the building of a 500 foot pier at Tyrconnell. The pier was 30 feet wide so that horses were able to turn around at the end and people would still be able to pile products, usually grain. The selling of grain bushels to the United States while the war was on created a very profitable economy for the farmers in the Tyrconnell area. The pier was considered so important that it became a possible landing spot for invaders from the U.S. 

      Unfortunately, after the war was over the pier was not used nearly as much and eventually, in 1890, became unsafe to use entirely. These days there is not much left of the old pier that used to be there, but is still an interesting story to tell locally.

Come visit the Backus-Page House Museum in Wallacetown to find out more interesting stories about the history of Elgin!
29424 Lakeview Line, Wallacetown, ON
519-762-3072

World War Wednesdays: Canada's Role in the Outbreak of the Second World War

World War Wednesdays: Canada's Role in the Outbreak of the Second World War

    Most of us know at least a little bit about the role that Canada played in the Second World War. We have family members and community members who were involved, and even if we don't always tune into the media regarding these topics, every Remembrance Day we reflect on the sacrifices made by our great country. My hope for this blog is that we can become better acquainted with what the generation before us really experienced during the war, and how these experiences fit in with those of the rest of the world.

 

 

 

     Following the crash of the New York Stock Exchange in 1929 the world experienced a time of economic hardship commonly known as the Great Depression, and Canada was no exception to the widespread suffering. Population growth in the 1930s reached its lowest point since the 1880s, the number of immigrants dropped to less than 12,000 by 1935 (consisting mostly of those from preferred countries only), and by 1933, 30% of the labour force was unemployed. Understandably, Canadians looked to their leadership during such hard times, and the people began to see the weaknesses in Canadian politics. In an effort to alleviate the effects of the Depression, Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King utilized some of American President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's programming ideas of the New Deal in order to create a social safety net: welfare. As a result of focussing on solving its domestic problems, Canada turned away from Europe and the issues that continues there after the First World War. Mackenzie King adopted another American concept, that of Isolationism, which meant that Canada would not become involved in foreign issues.

Unemployed men line up for free food during the Depression

     Even after 1935, the growing power and aggressive policies of Germany, Italy, and Japan were not of great interest to the Canadian government. Canada remained neutral when civil war erupted in Spain, and even Jewish refugees fleeing Nazi Germany were not accepted (stay tuned for subsequent blogs regarding this).
     Two distinct phases are evident in regard to Canada's attitude towards another war. From the mid-1920s to 1937, people generally felt that war must be avoided at all costs. The First World War had been a devastating and drawn-out conflict which claimed the lives of almost an entire generation of young men, and the effects of the Depression left the country in no shape to be entering another such conflict. The technology developed in the First World War meant that new conflict would be devastating and costly. It was also popularly thought that Italy and especially Germany had been poorly treated in the postwar Treaty of Versailles, which crippled the country with reparation payments and loss of territory. It is also important to note that a fear of communism was particularly strong, a sentiment shared not only by the Germans. From 1937-1939, British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain attempted negotiations with Hitler, which proved to Britain, Canada, and other sympathetic nations that negotiation rather than force could resolve the claims which were creating tension.

The famous photo of Neville Chamberlain shaking hands with Adolf Hitler

     By 1937, however, Mackenzie King recognized that war was possible. He also knew that he would be under strong pressure to back Britain in a future conflict should the country take any action.  As a result, some Canadian rearmament was undertaken after 1937, but King mainly focussed on avoiding war.
     Canada's neutrality was not the only thing threatened during this time. King's position as Prime Minister became under fire as it was clear that English and French Canada had very different views regarding war. Francophones wanted neutrality, since they had no connections to any European countries, and felt that Canada's involvement would be sticking its nose in where it had no business being. English-speaking Imperialists stood behind Britain and were willing to fight Germany. However, all of Canada was relieved by the policies commonly known as Appeasement in 1938, which allowed Hitler to have his claims of previously lost land areas on the grounds that he would be satisfied, making war unnecessary.

Neville Chamberlain famously waves Hitler's signature, proclaiming 'Peace in Our Time" and the end of German hostility

     While events such as this are now reflected on as having been horrifyingly naïve, they are reflective of the lengths that the world was willing to go in order to avoid the turmoil of another war. Unfortunately, hindsight and evidence tell us that this was just playing into Hitler's plan, as he felt that Germany's claims for power and restoration could only be won through war. On September 1st, 1939, Hitler's army attacked Poland. As part of Britain's pledge to defend Poland in the event of attack, Britain, and subsequently France, declared war on Germany on September 3rd. Mackenzie King called Parliament on September 8th and delivered a speech in favor of war. The Conservatives supported him, and on September 10th, the Parliament of Canada voted to declare war on Germany.
    
     The events that followed established a new Canadian identity on the world stage amidst the uncertainty and horror of the early days of war. Next week's post will pick up from here, and explore Canada's contributions and unique initiatives throughout the conflict.

As mentioned last week, I would like to hear more from readers! Have something you'd like to be discussed in a blog post? Always wondered about the how or why of a Canadian historical event? Send me your questions via commenting on this post, the blog itself, or the Backus-Page House Facebook page! I'll be posting a Q&A once I've gathered some questions.
                       Thanks for reading!
               Delany


World War Wednesdays: Remembrance Day 2014

World War Wednesdays: Remembrance Day 2014

     Remembrance Day is and always has been the most significant day of the year for me. Even as a child, I would put more thought into the time leading up to that day than I did my own birthday. I was that kid who glared at the rambunctious boys giggling during the moment of silence. In grade five I was chosen to co-host the annual assembly at Dutton-Dunwich Public School, and I considered that to be the highlight of my career.

     Now that I am almost twenty years old, very little has changed since then. One of the main reasons I came to university in Ottawa was to be a part of the  national ceremony at the War Memorial, not to mention the year-round landmarks and events for war commemoration. It is a great city in many ways, but for studying history it couldn't be better.

     When the first few poppies of the season begin appearing on peoples' coats in November, I always start feeling melancholy. What is already a major part of my life and daily thought becomes prevalent in the minds of most Canadians, and there is a feeling of shared reverence. But that's enough about me, I'll now talk about the day itself.

     This year especially has major significance for Remembrance Day and what it means to remember those who serve to defend us. With the tragic deaths of Patrice Vincent and Nathan Cirillo just weeks prior, the feelings of sadness were magnified in Ottawa and the rest of Canada leading up to November 11th. The times were so uncertain, but it did not stop hundreds of people, myself included, from pouring into Ottawa's downtown core to be at the national Remembrance Day ceremony.

    

An OC Transpo bus the morning of the 11th with a special sign

     During my first time being at the ceremony last year, I was taken aback when I looked up and saw several snipers stationed on the roofs of the big office buildings downtown. This year, they were to be expected again, but for some reason seeing them that day added an additional sense of unrest and served as a reminder of what the area looked like on the day of the shooting.

     Before I discuss the ceremony itself, I must slightly digress onto the topic of Remembrance Day etiquette (it would not be Remembrance Day if I did not). There are two very simple things that I wish people would know about attending a ceremony and keep in mind when they do. The first, and most crucial, is that REMEMBRANCE DAY IS NOT A CLAPPING EVENT. There will be countless times during the ceremony where one would want to applaud a moving speech or entrance of a dignitary. It is so crucial that this does not happen. For one thing, clapping suggests a congratulatory gesture, one of appreciation. We do it at concerts and sporting events, but Remembrance Day is considerably different. Clapping undermines the solemn tone of a ceremony, making it seem as though it is a performance. It is crucial to remember what is being done during these ceremonies-- one certainly would not clap after a speech delivered during a funeral or when a priest walks into a church. It is of my observation that the majority of people in the crowd do recognize how inappropriate this is, but the few that do not will clap and the gesture will spread. They think that they are doing a grand thing of respect, but it is quite the opposite.

     The other thing which is a terrible mistake is for a man wearing a hat to not remove it during God Save the Queen and O Canada. People of the 'old school' way of thinking will agree when I say that there is nothing more frustrating to witness. If you are going to wear a hat to a ceremony (and this is only applicable to men in this case), then it is very important to remain vigilant and have that hat over your heart or at least off your head when standing and singing for your country among those who fought for it.

     I realize that these ideas may sound incredibly arbitrary and outdated. But, my goodness, if we can't even observe actions of respect on Remembrance Day, then what is there left to do it for?

    

World War Wednesdays 4

     2014 has been a very exciting year for people across the world as we join in recognition of the 100th anniversary of the First World War. It has provided the opportunity for us to reflect on the past century, and to think about what has changed and what has remained. Without a doubt, the global conflict has impacted every area of life for a great majority of people. As a result, this anniversary year is the time to gain perspective on its magnitude.

     Last week, renowned Sociologist, speaker, and CEO of the Vanier Institute of the Family Nora Spinks held a lecture with my second year Sociology class at UOttawa. She spoke of a recent event at the Vanier Institute where a time capsule was dug up which had been compiled by a group of Sociologists one hundred years ago. In this capsule, they expressed some concerns which faced the families of their time which they hoped to be solved in a hundred years, and posed three questions which they hoped to be answered. For their concerns, they worried that young people would not be able to improve beyond the living standards of their parents, that young people would be safe and secure in their families, and that people could find meaningful work for meaningful pay without affecting family time. What is startling about these concerns is that none of them has been resolved, and they are still highly prevalent problems in the families of today.

     For their three questions, the Sociologists asked: Have you discovered and explored the North Pole? Have you perfected the flying machine? And, have you developed the ability to communicate with family members who are far away? Clearly, we have done all of these things and more since 1914. Not only have we perfected the flying machine, but it is now a major form of everyday transportation. We have the ability to communicate across long distances even face-to-face, which would be a real shock and fascination for the Sociologists.

     If we were to really look into it, the First World War is a major contributing factor to these advancements, especially in the case of the flying machine. The arms race against Germany caused Great Britain to develop planes that could fly faster and for longer, naval vessels that could withstand the demands of time, combat and transportation in foreign waters, and sophisticated telegraph systems to allow communications along the lines. While a major, terrible loss occurred as a result of the Great War, there were significant technological gains which have a legacy in everyday life a century later.

     I was able to further explore the legacy of the First World War when I interviewed Dr Andrew Burtch, acting director of research at the Canadian War Museum, as part of my research position with the UOttawa Central and Eastern European Studies Research Group. He said that this year of recognition for the hundredth anniversary is less about commemoration, and more concerned with acknowledging the history. The museum itself, for example, has focused on highlighting different aspects of the war throughout the year. For instance, they had an exhibit featuring wartime art by Canadian artist A.Y. Jackson and German artist Otto Dix, which showed the different artistic interpretations of the wartime experience. They also launched a new exhibit this week which focuses on the internment of Ukrainian Canadians during the war, a topic which has only recently been explored. In the years to come, they plan to continue these spotlight events, which will allow people to experience all aspects of the Great War, such as the war in the air and individual battles.

     "[The First World War is] one of the most written-about subjects of all time", said Dr Burtch. "It's the First World War internationally... the United States has the Civil War... This is a defining conflict." In terms of establishing our identity as a new nation, as well as creating groundbreaking technological advances, this war directly paved the way for a great many modern concepts. We should be keeping them in mind as we honour it's hundredth anniversary.

        Thanks for reading,

           Delany Leitch

-What would you write in your time capsule? What questions would you like to have answered?

-If you've ever been to the Canadian War Museum, I'd love to hear about your visit! Join the conversation!

World War Wednesdays #2

World War Wednesdays Blog #2

            I recently had the opportunity to attend a lecture given by British military historian Martin Middlebrook at the Canadian War Museum. The lecture was called Up the Line and Back Again and followed the path of a First World War new recruit. It told how infantry soldiers were trained and mobilized to the Western Front, the various stages of treatment and evacuation after having been wounded, and the process of being discharged when no longer fit for military service.

            Before I attended the lecture, I had never heard of Mr. Middlebrook, but I now know that he is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, an author of a number of books related to military history (list below), a soldier himself, and a Knight of the Order of the Belgian Crown. Clearly, hearing him speak was a great privilege.

            Upon arriving at the museum’s Barney Danson theater, my roommate and fellow history colleague and I were confronted with the usual intimidating feeling of being the youngest ones at a history event. Right away, the elderly man onstage came down to shake our hands and thank us for coming in front of the whole audience. It was a remarkable touch that made us feel appreciated and instantly more comfortable.

            As he began talking, I could see right away that Mr. Middlebrook knew his subject very well, having been a tour guide of the war cemeteries in France for many years, and that he was very passionate about what he had to say. I also began to notice something that left me feeling sad. Mr. Middlebrook would often go off on tangents while he was talking and end up diverting from the point and confusing the audience. As you can imagine, he was eaten alive with corrections and “added information” during the question hour. I felt that this was very unfortunate. Here is a man in his eighties who has given his life in research, and has travelled a great distance despite the recent death of his wife to share his information with us for free. We as a group seeking to do the same thing should have been embracing what he had to tell us and chalking his faults up to the inconveniences of age. Perhaps as a young historian I am more naïve to the topic, but I feel that our older historians are an incredibly valuable asset. There should be no room for competitions of knowledge, but everyone’s individual areas should be embraced. There is something to be learned from all people, old or young, and it is people like myself who are trying to be worthy of inheriting the legacy that people like Mr. Middlebrook will be leaving behind. For me, it was an honor to meet Mr. Middlebrook and hear what he had to say, and I’ll try harder from now on to appreciate everything that can be learned from people like him.

                     Thanks for reading,

          Delany Leitch

        

Mr. Middlebrook, courtesy of the Ottawa Sun.

 

Martin Middlebrook Books:

•  The First Day on the Somme with much co-operation from John Howlett. (1971)
• The Nuremberg Raid (1973)
• The Kaiser's Battle with much co-operation from Neville Mackinder.(1978)
• The Battle of Hamburg (1980)
• The Peenemünde Raid (1982)
• The Schweinfurt-Regensburg Mission (1983)
• The Falklands War, 1982 (1985) first published as Operation Corporate
• The Berlin Raids (1988)
• Convoy
• Battleship (with Patrick Mahoney)
• The Bomber Command War Diaries (with the late Chris Everitt)
• The Somme Battlefields (with Mary Middlebrook)
• Arnhem 1944
• Your Country Needs You
• The Fight for the Malvinas
• The North Midlands Territorials Go To War/Captain Staniland's Journey