Dominion Day (now Canada Day) started with sound of cannon in Chapleau's early years

Dominion Day was a time for a "great holiday" celebration in the early years of Chapleau's history from six a.m. when a cannon sounded until a dance ended the festivities in the evening.

Actually, Dominion Day, now called Canada Day on July 1 was a major celebration to mark Canada's birth as a nation, for many years, first sponsored by the municipal council after 1901 when Chapleau became a municipality, and later Branch No. 5, (Ontario) of the Royal Canadian Legion.

According to Vince Crichton in his book 'Pioneering in Northern Ontario' the six a.m. salute to mark the beginning of the day's actvities was fired from an old cannon owned by Tom Lonergan. Mr. Lonergan had served in the military in India and Canada.

Dominion Day 1911

This tradition lasted many years as I remember the cannon sounding during my growing up years in the 1940s and 1950s.

As well as celebrating Canada's birthday, another main objective was to get everyone out to enjoy themselves and participate, and the program involved activities for all ages.

Dominion Day 1903

In the early years a giant parade formed at the rink located on Lorne Street at nine a.m. It was led by the Chapleau Brass Band.

Vince shared details on one parade. The children followed the band some being pulled in small wagons and each carrying a Union Jack or Red Ensign. As an aside I just recalled that houses and stores were decorated with flags for the occasion.

Dr. J.J. Sheahan organized this part of the parade and all children got five cents to spend. In later years J.M. 'Jack' Shoup, veteran of World War I and II, and long time principal of Chapleau Public School was in charge. I think we got ten cents. Mr. Shoup also was in charge of children's races.

J M Shoup far right 1950s

Horse drawn floats all decorated were in the parade and top prize was about five dollars.

Parades in Chapleau were always awesome.

Vince summed up those early years: "The enthusiasm and happy holiday spirit was further enhanced by the music of the band at intervals throughout the day and above all the shouting and huffing of the citizens,"

There were always sports activities including ball games between Chapleau teams and others who came from Schreiber, White River and Fort William. 

They may even have had their own car on the Canadian Pacific Railway. Common in those years. In fact, I recall our Bantam hockey team had our own car for  a trip to Sudbury in the 1950s.

There were also water sports and in the evening the day ended with a dance usually in the Town Hall basement.

I've kinda gone back and forth between the very early days, and later years in Chapleau, but I really wanted to share some photos from the early 1900s to Mr. Shoup's time in the 1950s. 

Dominion (Canada) Day celebrations were always such an important part of community life. Happy Canada Day. My email is mj.morris@live.ca

NAMES OF BAND

The Chapleau Brass Band taken at south-east corner of Birch and Lansdowne Street, 1905. They are as follows: 1 Mickey Lanigan, 2 Max Brunette, 3 Joe Windburn, 4 Dr. Jim Gillie, 5 Harry West, 6 Stanley Dexter, 7 J.B. Dexter, 8 unknown, 9 Tom Lonergan, 10 unknown, 11 unknown, 12 Fred Burrows, 13 D.O. Payette, 14 Alec Sweezy.

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Remembering "a duty to serve" on Canada Day

Mr Shoup on right July 1 Parade

Those were the days when I always made sure I was up to hear the sound of the cannon being fired at seven a.m to mark the beginning of the Dominion Day celebration, organized each year by Branch Number 5 (Ontario) of the Royal Canadian Legion in my home town of Chapleau, Ontario. The name was later changed to Canada Day.

In those growing up years, veterans from World War I and World War II, took responsibility for the celebration, and what a great day it was. The vets, all ordinary men and women, citizens of the Canadian village all, came home and made their communities a better place to live, work and play. Lest we ever forget!

Many readers know that my father Flying Officer Jim Morris did not return from World War II. He was killed on active service in the RCAF in July 1943, so yes, there is a special place in my heart for our veterans.

Such was Dominion Day for a child who had to get his costume ready and tricycle decorated for the annual July 1 parade that marked one of the highlights of the year for me in the years following World War II that I still recall the celebrations like they were only yesterday.

My Mom, and my grandparents would help me get ready for the parade and off I would go for a day packed with activities for our entire community. 

Leading the parade of course was a Legion Colour Party and the Chapleau Town Band that was in existence over 100 years . J. M. Shoup, a veteran of both World War I and II, principal of Chapleau Public School and township councillor would get us all organized for the parade and later the children's races at the beach. I was also proud to see my grandfather Harry Morris, a veteran of World War I, and one of the first group of members of Branch 5 formed in helping out at the activities. 

Near the end of the war, Dr G.E. Young, a local boy who had come home to practise medicine, using his own money, had created a truly wonderful beach area on the banks of the Kebsquasheshing River, and it was the scene of swimming and canoe races, as well as canoe tilting contests. 

Dr Young's beach was complete with change rooms, wading pools, a nicely grassed area and each year he had truckloads of beach sand brought to refresh it.  Dr Young practised medicine for 50 years in his home town. and I guess I took it for granted there would never be a family doctor shortage. Times do change. 

As an aside, Dr Young had a British Columbia connection. His mother was from Creston, and in 2004, he made his last trip west, and we went to the cemetery there to visit the graves of his grandparents.

In the afternoon of July 1, games of chance would be underway while the Town Band would give a concert in the bandstand at the beach area, while over at the ball field there was always an exciting ball tournament. My favourite team was always the Legion.

By the end of the day I would head home tired but happy looking forward to my summer vacation, cruising around Chapleau on my tricycle, and playing with my friends at the Big Rock, the beach and down the lake.

In those years, there was great pride associated with the Dominion Day celebration. Sadly, I don't see that much enthusiasm now for Canada Day. In many communities, including Cranbrook, there has been some difficulty in recent years finding a sponsor. This year, thanks to the good folks at Connect Church, there will be a celebration starting at five p.m. at Moir Park.

There aren't too many of those World War II vets left across our vast and magnificent land, and none from World War I. I remember all I knew very fondly, and I am sure you do too from wherever you were brought up. In war and peace, they made their communities and our country a better place for everyone. Why? As Mr Shoup once said, they had "a duty to serve". What about us?  Happy Canada Day!  My email is mj.morris@live.ca

 

 

 

 

 

Cannon sounded to mark Dominion (Canada) Day in Chapleau

I always made sure I was up to hear the sound of the cannon being fired at seven a.m to mark the beginning of the Dominion Day celebration, organized each year by Branch Number 5 of the Royal Canadian Legion in my home town of Chapleau, Ontario.

Such was Dominion Day for a child who had to get his costume ready and tricycle decorated for the annual July 1 parade that marked one of the highlights of the year for me in the years following World War II that I still recall the celebrations like they were only yesterday.

Mom and my grandparents (Nanny and Grandpa... Edith and George Hunt) would help me get ready for the parade and off I would go for a day packed with activities for our entire community.

Leading the parade of course was the Legion Colour Party and the Chapleau Town Band that has actually been in existence over 100 years now. Mr J. M. Shoup, a veteran of both World War I and II, principal of Chapleau Public School and township councillor would get us all organized for the parade and later the children's races at the beach. I was also proud to see my grandfather Harry Morris, a veteran of World War I, and one of the first group of members of Branch 5 helping out at the activities. (See Mr. Shoup in photo.)

Shortly after the war, Dr G.E. Young, using his own money, had created a truly wonderful beach area on the banks of the Kebsquasheshing River, and it was the scene of swimming and canoe races, as well as canoe tilting contests. The Memegos boys dominated the canoe races and canoe tilting competitions for years and William Memegos, the back packing contest.

Dr Young's beach was complete with change rooms, wading pools, a nicely grassed area and each year he had truckloads of beach sand brought to refresh it. A Chapleau boy, Dr Young practised medicine for over 50 years in his home town and at 95 is living there in retirement. As an aside, Dr Young, in my view, should be named Chapleau's Most Outstanding Citizen.

In the afternoon of July 1, games of chance would be underway while the Town Band would give a concert in the bandstand at the beach area, while over at the ball field there was always an exciting ball tournament. Sometimes there would even be teams from out of town but to me the only team was the Legion on which Tee Chambers played shortstop. Tee was my hero in both ball and hockey.

The celebration ended with a dance and fireworks display at the beach area.

By the end of the day I would head home tired but happy looking forward to my summer vacation, cruising around Chapleau on my tricycle.

There aren't too many of those World War II vets left now, and none from World War I, but I remember all of them fondly, for in war and peace, they made our town a better place for everyone.