newcastle village and district historical society newsletter · newcastle village and district...

Newcastle Village and District Historical Society Newsletter Issue #90 page 1

Newcastle Village and District Historical Society Newsletter

Fall 2006 Issue # 90

Upcoming Events Monday November 13th Pippa Schmiegelow and Leslie Wilson will present: 200 Years in a Canadian Kitchen - family history as interpreted by what we eat. That's fairly self explanatory; the twist is that it is also a demonstration of how to construct ones fam-ily history using recipes and kitchen implements to do it. This general meeting will start at 7:30pm in the Lions Room at the Newcastle Community Hall 20 King St W. Newcastle. There will be a free-will collection taken with refreshments served at the end of the meeting. Remembrance Day Saturday November 11th Leslie is working on a display for the Historical Room to commemorate our fallen soldiers over the last 100 years. Anyone who saw the display last year will remember what a great feel-ing of pride we had for the “local boys” that stood guard for us. Anyone who is able to spend some time helping in the Historical Room that day would be ap-preciated. Please call Leslie and volunteer. Some photos from Last year’s Remembrance Day will appear on page 10. Saturday November 25th Historical Brimstone and Bylaws a dramatization of the first Newcastle Council Meeting. Please see details on Page 9. Sunday November 26th Santa Clause Parade We will be entering a float again this year. Ken has been working on the theme and construction plans for it. The theme is: "Trying out the Christmas Presents" It will be a clearing in the woods, set at the edge of a frozen pond. Still working on how to create/mock up a snow drift. We'll need skates, skis, snowshoes, sleds & toboggans. The trees will be lit with the white lights we used last year. About six large logs rounds will hold the bottoms of six kids who will toast marshmallows over an open fire - yup, an open fire, sing songs and wax their new skis. Maybe we could get Sasha calm enough by then to ride on the float - if not, do you know anyone with a big but calm doggie or ..wonder if there's someone around with miniature horses....We also need another NV&DHS banner made up, that way we can have a banner either side of the float - Maybe someone would like to sponsor another banner for us!! Monday February 5th 2007 NVADHS Annual Meeting Mark your calendar and plan to bring something for “Show and Tell”


Prez's Message Comings & Goings This past month we have welcomed three new members to our Society: Judith Clapperton Shane Lang and Rachel Gencey. and we mourn the loss of a long time one. Lena Graham was a lady I’ve known all my life, and with her death it became very clear how few remain who can give us a first hand account of the 1920 to 1940 era in the Newcastle area. In her youth I don’t think Lena gave much thought to who her ancestors were; but shortly after her marriage to the late Fred Graham she lived for the better part of her live at “Belmont” - the Wilmot homestead. Lena was a driving force in terms of preserving the knowledge of what that property had been and what it meant to the community throughout and prior to all the years she lived there. But Lena was not a Wilmot - no connection whatsoever to the family. She was a Kimball - a family at least as old in terms of New England connections as the Wilmots and older than the Wilmots in terms of land ownership in Durham County. Those are historical nit-picking points, and ones Lena was possibly not aware of; but she knew how long her family had been in this area and knew her life was shaped and guided by 201 years of not only her own Durham County ances-tors but those of others in this community. Lena was a lady born in the first quarter of the 20thcentury; but by the 21stcould probably have you told the difference between a blackberry and a Blackberry. That ability was, to us who were merely her acquaintances, a good portion of her charm - she had one foot firmly rooted in her past, the other in the present, and her mind always looking to the future. She will be greatly missed by all who knew her. Leslie Wilson

Prez working on the Histori-cal Soc. computer


The Passing of Lena (Kimball) Graham by the editor

It was with much sadness that many members of this Society received the news of Lena’s passing. As one of the “old” members I must relate back to the early days when we held our meetings in Lena and Alf’s kitchen at Belmont. Lena was one of our earliest Directors and has always been a strong supporter of the society. More recently whenever I had newsletters to deliver I looked forward to taking Lena’s newslet-ter, because I could be sure of a warm welcome and a genuine interest in the happenings of the Historical Society.

The President’s comments on Lena are on the Prez’s Page

Lena’s Obituary

GRAHAM, Lena Winnifred (nee Kimball) – (life-long member of Newcastle United Church; member of the U.C.W. and the Newcastle Village and District Historical Society) – on Sunday, October 22, 2006, in her 88th year, at home in Newcastle. Devoted wife of the late Alfred W. Graham. Grateful for her life and vital presence are her two children, Fred (Melva) and Janet (Bill Hodsoll); her grandchil-dren Jessica Graham, Adrian Graham (Amanda), and Stephanie Hodsoll, as well as two great-grandchildren Aislinn and Arwen. She is survived by elder brother Jack of Newtonville, and was predeceased by brothers Jared and George Kimball. Donations in Lena’s memory to Newcastle United Church or the Newcastle Village and District Historical Society would be appreciated by her family. Expressions of sympathy may be e-mailed to [email protected]

We Welcome New Members to the NVDHS

Recent new members to the Society are Judith Clapperton, Shane Lang and Rachel Gencey. Shane tells us that he is “into" computers & antique steam engines and.... and is a stationery en-gineer and Rachel is a history professor . Ms Clapperton has offered her services for data entry as well as newsletter compilation and in terms of how long her family has been kicking around southern Ontario- among her ancestors are David & Mary Thompson, the “first” settlers of Scar-borough.


The Port Hope Weekly Guide, April 1st 1856


The Port Hope Watchman, Thursday June 18th 1850

The Port Hope Weekly Guide, December 18th 1860

The Port Hope Weekly Guide, April 5th 1856



Your Historical Society has received many donations in the past twelve months - too many to list each item - but we are very appreciative of the support of those who have increased our holdings via their generosity. In some cases we have not received the original item but have been granted permission to make & keep good laser copies of the document or picture in question. Our most sincere thanks to the following:

SANFORD & HELEN ANNE HASKILL RON HOPE FRANCIS & ERLA JOSE JOAN KIMBALL ROBERT LAMBERT JOYCE LANDRY RON & BETTY LOCKE DAVE McCULLOUGH IRV McCULLOUGH ALEC & MARILYN MARTIN MARIE PEDWELL ELEANOR PERRIN STAN & KAY POWELL JEAN & BRENTON RICKARD GRACE RUDELL HELEN SCHMID DENNIS & PIPPA SCHMIEGELOW KEN STEPHENSON PAULINE STORKS CHARLES TAWS EDNA TAYLOR HERB & FLORENCE TAYLOR CHARLES TRIM BERT VAN DEN HEUVEL SYLVIA VAN HAVERBEKE MYNO VAN DYKE

MURRAY R WALTON BILL & KENZA WARBURTON EVANGELINE WARREN DOROTHY BROWN HOPE CARVETH HAZEL CRAGO ESTHER ALLIN WYLMA ALLIN & ARLENE MALCOLM JOAN ANDERSON PAUL ARCULUS RUTH & MARY MARGARET BONATHAN DON & SUSAN BROWN DOROTHY BROWN HAZEL CRAGO SIERD DE JONG PAT EILBECK DORELLA FORGET JACK GORDON CARL GOOD DIANA GRANDFIELD SUSAN GRAY VICKI GRAY Mrs BRYON GRUNDY ANN HARLEY LESLIE & BRIAN WILSON

Pestle and mortar originally belonging to Dr Farncomb.

Donated by Rob Lambert


Some Photos From Recent Events

Leslie and Erla “man” the booth at the Durham Central Fair

Some of the many members and guests that enjoyed the wonderful Presidents pot-luck picnic at Brian, Ken and Leslie’s place on September 4th.


Brimstone and By-Laws

A Dramatization by Gregory Ward of the first Newcastle Council Meeting in 1856 Sponsored by the Newcastle Village and District Historical Society

Originally produced for the Sesquicentennial Celebrations on July 01, 2006

Synopsis for Council Meeting Dramatisation A chilly Monday in January 1856, and the first village of Newcastle council meeting is under-way before a large and somewhat unruly audience - this at a time when hip flasks often did for central heating! We meet the Reeve, the Clerk and the worthy Councillors...Anglicans, United/Union and “Auld Kirk” Presbyterians in an age of zealous churchgoing, their moral rectitude strengthened by the sober sermons of the previous day. But in spite of this - or rather because of it - the knives are soon out over such contentious issues as tavern licensing and the famous Newcastle horse race, as temperance and propriety conflict with business interests. While the battle rages within, no one can imagine there could be any outward disturbance, since the Council Chambers remain under the watchful eye of Elijah Zebulon Walbridge, the town Bailiff. Yet disturbance - indeed disaster - does arrive, and in the most unexpected form imaginable!

Original cast of Brimstone and By-Laws

Because so many people missed this play on July 1st it has been decided to run it again this Sesquicentennial Year. Some of the original cast members are not available but very capable actors have been engaged to full their shoes. This play will run in the Council Chambers at the Newcastle Community Hall on Saturday Novem-ber 25, 2006 at 2:30pm and 7:00pm with a possible 4:30 show inserted if the ticket sales require it. Tickets will be available at the Newcastle Village Card and Gift Shoppe Cost of admission will be $15.00 per person which will include a souvenir Sesquicentennial Booklet.


Remembrance Day 2005 Some photos from the Excellent display in the Historical Room in 2005.

Leslie has plans for a “bigger and better” one this year, so plan to help Leslie or just drop in and enjoy this wonderful display.

newcastle village and district historical society newsletter · newcastle village and district...

Documents