Not Kitchener A week after city council’s wrathy meeting, the head of the military district announced troops would not winter in Kitchener. As expected, locals weren’t pleased. News of North Waterloo’s 118th and Muskoka’s 122nd “homelessness” revived speculation (mostly in The Daily Telegraph) of the boys’ return home. The newspaper tried to bolster its theory and […] Read more…
First, we take Ontario; then we take Canada About a week after Ontario’s Temperance Act took hold, the four provincial liquor vendors’ cash register chimes probably wouldn’t have drowned out even the smallest of music halls. One wholesaler only rang up $22 in the first week ($429—see note on conversion): he wouldn’t have out-tinkled a […] Read more…
Drying out Ontario In the days before the Ontario Temperance Act became law, newspaper articles warned about life after 16 September. Fewer drunks, more money A Liquor License Board report ballyhooed possible benefits for a (more) ascetic province. Temperance was already in force in the prairies (Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba) and so far they experienced […] Read more…
Kitchener will come in quiet The city would inaugurate its new name in silence. The aldermen held a special meeting to discuss the momentous day. Alderman Cleghorn introduced a resolution that declared the city fathers were “of the opinion that no greater tribute could be paid by the residents of this city to the memory of the […] Read more…
Held up by the post(master) Waiting for the postmaster general’s decision may have been as excruciating as waiting for King George V’s long silence to end. Weeks had passed since officials sent Canada’s head postie the referendum results. After a prod from the local MP, the acting postmaster sent a letter to Mr Millar, the city […] Read more…
Leaving Carling Heights. Arriving at Camp Borden. Moving to the big camp near Barrie, Ontario loomed heavy over soldiers’ heads. After four countermands, the 118th Battalion received their orders to pack and board the train to Camp Borden. “Huronto,” The Berlin News-Record’s special correspondent told readers after the boys packed everything up, they “lay around […] Read more…