Missanabie Lodge No 266 of IOOF hold At Home described as one of most successful parties of year

Missanabie Lodge No. 266 of the Independent Order of Oddfellows (IOOF) held their 'At Home' which was described in the Chapleau Post as "without a doubt one of the most successful parties of the year."

The lodge, instituted in Chapleau on May 16, 1888 remains the community's oldest fraternal organization in 2019.

As this At Home was held during World War II the article noted that "On one wall was a large Union Jack in the centre of which hung a frame containing the names of those Oddfellows" serving in Canada's armed forces.

"At seven p.m. more than 200 Oddfellows, Rebekahs and friends sat down to a delicious turkey banquet. The supper was in charge of Sincerity Rebekah Lodge. The tables were tastefully decorated and the guests wore coloured paper hats. The hall looked quite gay with its pink, blue and white streamers and lanterns."

The At Home was held in the Town Hall basement, the location for so many community events between 1914 and 1978 when the Chapleau Civic Centre was opened. The lodge room was on the second floor which was also the Council Chambers.

Founding members 1888

Following the supper chairman Reg Thrush spoke a few words of welcome followed by a toast to the Order by Borden McLeod.

B.W. 'Bubs' Zufelt proposed a toast to those who were serving in the country's armed forces which was responded to by Ross Whitney.

After the toasts Mr. Thrush presented cigarettes to Jack Whitney, Ross Whitney and Lloyd Whitney who were in the armed forces. He added that cigarettes had been sent to Lodge members overseas. 

Nine of the ladies present who had husbands overseas were presented with boxes of chocolate.

Hiram Paul was presented with a past Noble Grand jewel by  Mrs. Ross Whitney and Mrs. H. Wooton pinned on the 25 year jewel presented to E. Woodard.

Following the presentations they adjourned to the auditorium on the main floor of the Town Hall where Arthur Grout was in charge of the entertainment which got underway with a sing song of some popular tunes of the day. Mr. Lauder played the piano accordion. 

Mrs. Bill Stedman and Mrs. Norman Veit "favoured" the audience with solos and both ladies were called upon for encores.

The article says Mr. Grout told "a very amusing story" but no details on it were provided. He also showed some photos. 

The evening ended with a dance with Mr. Darby getting it underway leading everyone in the Grand March and the dance floor, back in the basement, was filled to capacity. Dancing of all kinds continued until two a.m. with a break at midnight  for cake and coffee.

The article concludes: "It was a most enjoyable social evening and will long be remembered by those present". As I was working on this column, it brought back many fond memories of growing up in Chapleau, and in the 1950s, a bit later than this event, my friends and I would look through the basement windows to watch the proceedings. Sometimes my grandmothers Lil Morris and Edythe Hunt would be helping with the catering for a banquet, and we would sneak into the hall by the back door, and head to the kitchen for a treat.  Those really were the days my friends.

Thanks again to Margaret Rose (Payette) and Bobby Fortin for kindly loaning me the Richard Brownlee Papers. My email is mj.morris@live.ca

St. John's Parish House completed in 1919 became 'The Legion' a lasting landmark in history of Chapleau

From St. John's Parish House completed in 1919 to the Royal Canadian Legion Hall of today, the building is a "lasting landmark" in the history of Chapleau. 

Writing about the hall in 2006 in his Snapshots of Chapleau's Past article, the late George Evans wrote "May it still be going strong  in 2019, serving the town and always reminding those who took the time to lean back and read the inscription above the door of the sacrifice and pain of the barbarous 20th century."

The inscription reads: "St. John's Parish House. In memory of Lt. Lorne W. Nicholson and all those who voluntarily gave their lives in the Great War. Erected by his father and mother A.D. 1919. John 15:13." There was an official opening in 1920.

Mr. Evans noted that it is "significant" that Mr. and Mrs. Nicholson did not put their names on the inscription. They were content be remembered as the father and mother of Lorne Nicholson.

John 15:13 reads: "Greater love hath no man than this; that a man lay down his life for his friends". (KJV)

Lorne W. Nicholson. the son of George and Charlotte (Weller) Nicholson, went overseas with the First Chapleau Platoon of the famous 227th Battalion of the Sudbury Manitoulin Algoma Overseas Battalion (Men 'O the North). He was killed in action on November 4, 1918, one week before World War I ended.

Mr. and Mrs. Nicholson included all those who gave their lives in the war.

His father was the first reeve of Chapleau serving from 1901 when Chapleau was first incorporated in 1901 until 1913, while his mother was one of the community's first school teachers. Mr. Nicholson also served as a Member of Parlieament and was also in the lumber business.

Mr. Evans wrote that Lorne Nicholson's parents decided to "endow the community with a lasting and useful memorial.

" In a town of small buildings made of wood they caused to be built an impressive building of fired brick..." It was designed to match St. John's Church 1908 and the Town Hall 1913. Mr. Nicholson played a major role in the construction of the church and town hall.

official opening 1920

Built as a parish house for St. John's, by 1935, during the Great Depression it became too much of a financial burden for the church, especially after Mr. Nicholson died on January 1 of that year, and in due course the building was taken over by the municipality.

After Branch Number 5 (Ontario) of the Royal Canadian Legion was formed in 1926 following a founding convention in Winnipeg attended by a Chapleau delegation,  in 1925, it started to use the building. By 1955, the branch officially had bought the building when B.W. Zufelt was reeve.

Mr. Evans noted that it simply became known as 'The Legion' and had fallen into "responsible hands and continued to be a great asset to the life of Chapleau."

Upstairs became known as the Cranston Auditorium named after Frank Cranston a veteran of both World War I and II who became Chapleau's last surviving veteran of World War I. It has been used for a wide variety of functions. 

Downstairs became the Bisco Room "a legenadary place" according to George Evans.

In his article George Evans hoped that it would be going strong in 2019!!  It still is thanks to all those who have been involved with "The Legion" over the past 100 years. Congratulations.

George died in a tragic vehicle accident in 2012 shortly before the 90th anniversary reunion of Chapleau High School in 2012.

My email is mj.morris@live.ca

Chapleau Volunteer Fire Department responded to 'Fire! Fire!' conveyed by 'bell, yell or fire alarm' for over 100 years

No matter how the the message "Fire, Fire" was  conveyed whether by bell, yell or fire alarm, it has always been a cause for alarm, and the Chapleau Volunteer Fire Department has responded, Margaret Costello wrote in the Sudbury Star in 1965.

"From the time it was founded officially May 25, 1910, Chapleau's volunteer fire brigade has been trained to a dither and within minutes is at scene and in action.

As an aside I was impressed with Maggie's word choice of "dither"!!!

Maggie noted that Chapleau founded in 1885 when the Canadian Pacific Railway arrived, the community, surrounded by bush, was fire conscious even before the fire department was officially established.

D.O. Payette who arrived in Chapleau circa 1904 noted that the first "primitive equipment" was a fire reel with 500 feet of hose and a hand pumper. 

However, by 1910 with the arrival of a water system and the construction of a fire hall on Pine Street, the fire brigade was officially established with about 20 members. Chapleau had been incorporated as a municipality in 1901 with G.B. Nicholson who served as its first reeve until the end of 1913. 

J.B. Dexter was appointed as the first fire chief.

Mr. Dexter served as chief until 1935 when he retired and was succeeded by Mr. Payette who served until 1946 when George Collinson took over until 1958. Adam Andrews became chief.

The first alarm system was the CPR siren.

After the fire hall was built, with the town jail in the basement, the fire department members also built a club room where they held regular meetings and worked on the latest methods and procedures. Fire prevention was a large part of its program.

Maggie wrote that in its first 55 years as an organized fire brigade it had "kept in step" with the ever growing needs of an expanding community incorporating new approaches. It gained a reputation as one of the best volunteer fire brigades and won awards.

In 1958, the call box fire alarm system  at various street corners throughout the community was replaced with a telephone system located at the pump house, which Maggie called a "Chapleau first" as at the time it was the only community in Northern Ontario with this system.

It was first tested by Reeve Leo Racicot.

Operated by the Bell system, when a call came in, it was sent out to fire department members by phone. Chapleau had come a long way from the bucket brigade of its very early years!

Over the years the fire brigade had several trucks replaced by better equipment as time went on to serve the community.

In 1978 a new fire hall was opened as part of the Chapleau Civic Centre.

The fire department celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2010 as it continued to serve and protect the community. My email is mj.morris@live.ca