2023 Tales of Our Town (2025)

The following Tales were published in 2023

Five generations of Moore blacksmithsby Larry Peters

On October 7, 2024, Moore’s Blacksmith Shop will celebrate 120 years in the same location at 78 Caradoc Street. I recently met with Jim and Vivian Moore to learn how this family business has lasted so long. It’s quite a story!

It began in 1904, when Ryerson “Rye” Moore purchased the business and building from Thomas Bogue. Like blacksmiths at the time, Rye made his own tools, and had the talent and experience to do precision fire welding with forge and anvil. His skills enabled him to expand into building carriages and carts. Later, as automobiles grew in popularity and carriage-making declined, repairs to farm equipment and carriages became a larger part of the business, along with shoeing horses.

The Depression of the 1930s was a difficult time. Blacksmiths were kept busy, as area sawmills and farmers found that machinery and tools were cheaper to repair than to replace. Since horses were important in both sectors, the regular replacing of horse shoes also helped Moore’s survive. The economy improved with World War II, but the need for metal in war industries meant that new farm and industrial equipment was not available, so repair was the only option. There was still a reliance on horses, and those horses still needed shoes. Moore’s continued to be a busy shop.

In 1947, Russell Moore, who had run his own blacksmith shop on the north side of Front Street just west of Head Street, purchased the business from his Uncle Rye’s estate. Some years earlier, Russ had begun making trailer hitches for the early automobiles, a product line he continued. He acquired an acetylene welder and cutting torch, which were mastered by his son, George, now working in the shop. An arc welder purchased in 1951 is still in use. The welders helped to meet the changing needs of their customers, and led to an increase in workload. The physically demanding work of shoeing horses was phased out.During this period, Jim started working part-time with his father, George, and grandfather, Russ, becoming a full-time employee in 1961. In 1965, George inherited the business.

Through the 1960s and 1970s, local sawmill owners brought their repair work to Moore’s. These included J. M. Hawkins, Norm Odorizzi, Bill Early, Bill Sills, Don Keay and the Kenney brothers. The Sills and Keay logging trucks were too big to bring into the shop. Jim remembers lying on his back under them in the street, using a welding torch in cold, slush, and snow.

By 1980, the sawmills were gone, and the emerging larger farms had their own welders and repair shops. An old part of the business - trailer hitches - helped to fill the gap. With people buying and trading cars more often, and using them to pull boat and travel trailers, there was a whole new market. Moore’s reputation for high quality work brought both new and repeat customers, and supplemented the repair side of the business.

When George Moore died suddenly of a heart attack in 1984, Jim became the 4th generation owner. With his creativity and skill, he designed and fabricated two metal-working machines that improved on commercially produced models. Both are still in the shop. Jim and Vivian’s son, Russ, worked part-time before starting full-time in 1986. With Jim’s retirement in 2005, Russ took over as the 5th generation to follow the family trade. He has added new lines of work that are reminiscent of Rye’s production of carriages and carts. He manufactures the chassis for hot rods and replacement panels for the restoration of vintage vehicles, as well as specialized industrial equipment.

The story of this family business is one of adapting to major changes over time. Each generation has introduced innovations to maintain the vital repair side of the business, and has shown the imagination and technical skills to constantly meet new challenges. It is no accident that Moore’s Blacksmith Shop has survived for well over a century.

​Vampco’s legacy by Bill Groot

The name Vampco has passed into history now. But for about 36 years it was a major employer in Strathroy, leaving behind architectural gems in many provincial capitals and Canadian cities. Former employees remember the names of the buildings they worked on and are proud to have played a part in the construction of such beautiful and significant cityscapes that still stand decades after they were built. They may even have visited the buildings while on vacation.

In May 1956, Valley Metal Products Ltd. of Plainwell, Michigan opened their newly- completed Vampco plant on Albert Street. The company produced aluminum window frames and copper fittings for the refrigeration trade. An agreement was negotiated with the Fabrication Division of Canadian Pittsburg Industries, a Toronto company, to install Vampco’s aluminum products. Along with its standard series of products, Vampco had the expertise to design and manufacture special projects. Their first big job was to supply windows for Ottawa City Hall.

On March 17, 1960, the Age Dispatch ran the headline, “Vampco Gets $1,000,000 Contract.” The company had won the bid to tsupply aluminum “curtainwall” for Place Ville Marie, a 47-storey cruciform-shaped office tower in the heart of Montreal. It was one of the first buildings to use curtainwall as the outside skin of a building. Each window frame was connected to the one beside it and to those above and below it. Today this remarkable building stands out clearly on the Montreal skyline and often appears in flyers, postcards and advertisements.

Vampco soon employed over 110 people and became a major player in the architectural landscape. Former employees Maynard Smid and John Grogan recall other successful projects: Chateau Champlain, Place Bonaventure and Place Victoria in Montreal; the Toronto Dominion Centre; the Bentall Centre in Vancouver; and Habitat 67, built for Expo 67. This latter complex is still known as “Montreal's architectural icon”.

In 1967, Canadian Pittsburgh Industries purchased Vampco’s plant and its aluminum assets from parent company, Mueller Brass Ltd. The copper fixture business was relocated to become Streamline Copper and Brass on Ellor Street, Strathroy. Vampco became known as CPI Vampco.

I was hired in 1974 to work on CPI Vampco’s latest contract, the 13,000-window curtainwall for the Royal Bank Plaza in the financial district of Toronto. It was my first job as a mechanical drafting technician. This gold-mirrored building is beside the Royal York Hotel and across from Union Station. The Bank had two towers, one 42 floors, the other 27, joined by a 13-storey open space called the “Urban Room”. The towers were triangular in shape, with each window joining the next at a 90-degree angle.

Using layout drawings, I learned how to do a “material take-off”. I made lists of all the aluminum extrusions with their ideal order length, as well as panels, insulation, screws and gaskets. Once the material was ordered, I drew up “shop tickets” for each part, detailing all machining and location information. Ray Wilton, Lee Bowman and Brian Hartung were part of my team.

Because Toronto was nearby, frames were assembled in-house. They were shipped to a warehouse in Toronto, where double-pane glass was installed before they were lifted on skids to the appropriate floor. The project took two years to complete.

I worked on other CPI Vampco contracts in the next few years: Colonia Place, and parts of the Eaton Centre and Roy Thompson Hall, all in Toronto; Central Towers in Winnipeg; and buildings in Vancouver and La Ronge, Saskatchewan. In 1979 I left the company to pursue further education.

Three employees in particular helped my career: Adriaan Beckmann, design engineer, who recognized my potential while I was attending college; John Vander Velden, production manager, who agreed and called me in for an interview; and Ray Wilton, engineering, who hired me and shared his extensive knowledge of the aluminum fabrication industry.

In 1989 CPI Vampco was sold, then relocated to London in 1991. The Albert Street building became the home of Columbia Sportswear and later London Tire Sales Ltd. Just a piece of Strathroy history that shouldn’t be forgotten.

Early private banking in Strathroyby Libby McLachlan and Janet Cummer

Banks have always played a role in the prosperity of a community by making money available for growth, through loans. For more than forty years, from the late 1860s through a peak in the 1890s, private banks filled a special niche in small Ontario towns. In the cities, banks chartered by Parliament were already providing services. Canada’s oldest bank, the Montreal Bank, had been chartered in 1817. Rural areas, however, tended to put more confidence in their own citizens than in big city firms.

Some businessmen, who had accumulated capital from operating successful local enterprises, formed private banks, as either individuals or partnerships. Their services varied, but all offered loans to farmers, agricultural traders and other businesses. Many provided a full range of banking services for residents, often including insurance and real estate. They were independent, unincorporated and unregulated businesses. Most had arrangements with chartered banks to source loans and access a cheque-clearing system. They were not required to send reports to any level of government, so very few records or documents have survived.

There was certainly risk involved, with economic downturns and the sometimes modest capital invested. Over time, there were well-publicized private bank failures that undermined local trust, although some with strong management lasted well into the twentieth century. Meanwhile, the big chartered banks became more efficient and opened branches in many small towns. The era of local private banks eventually came to an end.

Strathroy was home to four private banking companies: L.H. Smith & Co. (1870-1906); Johnston’s Bank (1868-1883); James Manson (1872-1914) and E. Rowland & Co. (1876-1917). L.H. Smith was recognized internationally as a breeder of prize English setters. Alex Johnston opened branches of his bank in Amherstburg, Clinton and Elora. As Stewart Lamont remembers in a letter to the Age Dispatch (April 10, 1930), “He stood 6 feet 7 inches, weighed 270 lbs., and was commonly called ‘Jumbo’ by his many friends”. Stewart Lamont also recalled “Jimmie Manson, the old-time banker, who always had time for a little fun and a good joke. He and Ed Rowland were pals.” Manson’s home became the original Strathroy Hospital.

Ed Rowland was one of the last, and most colourful, of Strathroy’s private bankers. Fifty years ago there were still residents who could remember him. By today’s standards he might be considered eccentric. He was a bachelor, lived in the Queen’s Hotel, which he owned, and in his later years probably became somewhat untidy in appearance. However, his contribution to Strathroy was quite remarkable.

How did he get into private banking? From an early age, he had a mathematical turn of mind. Born in 1846 and raised on a farm near Arkona, he taught public school for a time. As well, he would compute interest for his aunt and others in the community who loaned money. He then decided to enter banking in Strathroy, a rapidly growing community on the railway line, by forming partnerships with other businessmen in town. The result was “E. Rowland & Co.”

Ed’s public life was well-known. He was treasurer and trustee of Strathroy Hospital from its beginning in 1914. He served as clerk of the Division Court in Strathroy. Politically, he was a staunch Liberal, active in the riding of West Middlesex and close friend of Sir George Ross and his son, a lawyer and later Judge Duncan C. Ross. Privately, he enjoyed “cutting up” with local citizens and a quiet game of checkers in the local library.

When Ed Rowland died in 1931, he left behind a legacy of support for Strathroy’s Hospital, Library and IODE, as well as scholarships for aspiring students at Strathroy Collegiate. So often, perhaps through movies, we get the impression that bankers were the enemy of hard-working citizens. Not so with Ed Rowland. He was remembered for his honesty and integrity. His funeral was private, but the pallbearers tell the story. They were the pillars of the town.

Behind the names: Metcalfe Township roadsby Paul Long

The footprint of Metcalfe Township on a map is irregular, to say the least. When the area west of what became Strathroy was first settled the land was surveyed as Adelaide Township, with Ekfrid Township abutting it to the south. The two township surveys had baselines of different orientations. In 1846 Metcalfe Township, named after an early Governor General, Sir Charles Metcalfe, was created between the two. It incorporated several concessions from Adelaide and several from Ekfrid. The result was a mismatched grid of roads that was further challenged by the wandering Sydenham river and, after 1858, by the Komoka to Sarnia railway. Further changes came in 2001, when Adelaide and Metcalfe amalgamated to become the Municipality of Adelaide Metcalfe, and Ekfrid became part of Southwest Middlesex.

In 1995, with the introduction of a county-wide 911 emergency response system, the traditional numbering of concessions and sideroads was replaced with road names. Metcalfe chose uncontroversial names that commemorated vanished villages or former property owners.

Some roads are short with no homes, but with other surviving farm buildings. McDougall Road, in the south, is an example. Although there are no houses now, in the 1870’s it was home to three McDougall families. Nearby Winter Drive recognizes the longtime Winter family whose descendants still reside on the road. The name Murphy Drive was submitted by the Patterson and Dodge families, neighbours of Edith (1872-1950) and Alice (1875-1945) Murphy, who resided at Concession 3, Lot 14. Their parents, Richard and Sarah Ann Murphy, purchased the farm prior to 1878. The two sisters lived their entire lives on the home farm. Although they never married the family name now survives.

Patterson Drive was not the name originally approved by Council. It had been known as “Butt Line Drive”, a surveyors term for the back or rear of a farm property which was not accessible because of the river. After the road sign was stolen several times it was renamed, recognizing the Patterson property owners. Brady Road denotes a neighbouring farm family.

Melwood Drive is named after Melwood Park, a longtime outdoor recreational centre on the Sydenham River. Started in 1960 by John and Amelia Melchior, the 225-acre site featured a campground, trails and a huge outdoor swimming pool which was enjoyed by local children and adults. Ill health saw the Melchior’s dream sold to the St. Clair Region Conservation Authority in 1972. The Authority planted thousands of trees and maintained the camping operation and pool. For several years in the 1980’s the Optimist Club of Kerwood-Adelaide-Metcalfe continued seasonal services. In 1993, the Cahill family assumed ownership and developed the site into the successful Texas Longhorn Ranch, which is still operating.

A Melwood Drive farm across from the current Crooked Creek Acres grain elevator was the home of W.H.A. “Bill” Thomas. Mr. Thomas was the Middlesex West Member of Parliament from 1957-1968. Richard Bolton, former Metcalfe Reeve, tells of his father recalling Mr. Thomas having a serious farm accident in November 1953. Fifty neighbours came with their tractors to finish his corn harvest and do the fall plowing.
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There are other road names recognizing previous property owners, often on roads with few dwellings. From 1892 to 1960 the Walter and Tom Pike families lived on Pike Road, for many years a dead end with no bridge over the Sydenham. Kellam Road was the location of the township dump. The Kellam family farmed at the north end for 100 years between 1854 and1955. Truman Road does not cross the railroad track into Adelaide Township. The Truman family purchased the farm in 1857 and sold the property to the neighbouring Callaghan family in 1906.

Denning Road has only one residence and is the location of the well-known Ivan Denning & Sons Trucking. There are still many generations of Dennings in the area. Burdon Road is named after the Burdon family who purchased land in 1910. Harvey Burdon is remembered for growing popcorn. Case Road is another short road lacking a bridge over the Sydenham. Annie Dora Case purchased the 87 acres in 1933 for $3,800 and sold it to Dairi-Acres Farms in 1980. Edwin Bryant, a neighbouring farmer, remembers his father and others driving thrashing machines across the Sydenham at a low spot and becoming mired in the mud.

Many of these family names would have been forgotten if not for the road names. And there are more to consider in a future Tale.

“Home away from home “ by Ineke Haan

As soon as spring arrives migrant workers begin to appear in the Strathroy area, gearing up for the new growing season.You may see them late on Friday afternoons or Saturdays, biking or being driven into town to shop, visit the bank and enjoy leisure activities.

For over fifty years migrant workers from Mexico, Jamaica, and the Eastern Caribbean Islands have been coming to Canada as part of the Seasonal Agriculture Worker Program (SAWP). F.A.R.M.S. manages the administrative function of SAWP for Ontario employers. In 2021, close to 27,000 seasonal workers arrived on Ontario farms. They supply the steady and reliable general labour vital to farm operations in the greenhouse, tobacco, horticulture, nursery, food processing, and fruit and vegetable sectors. Without them, farmers agree that these agri-businesses would barely survive in Ontario.

As recently retired H.R. Manager at Bonduelle (now Nortera), a frozen vegetable processing plant in Strathroy, I remember my early years at what was then Strathroy Foods. In 1987 the labour market was very tight and it was difficult to find enough local workers for the processing line. That year the plant bussed in workers from Sarnia. We would expect 20 people on the bus, but only seven would get off. So that winter, through the Canadian government, the first group of eight offshore workers was organized for the 1988 season. They were housed in the Derby Inn and picked up packed lunches from the Gardenia Restaurant. Since then, 50 to 60 offshore workers have come every year for up to six months to help Bonduelle process its crops. Generally, the same workers return year after year.

Two long-term Jamaican workers, Elvis and Michael, shared some memories at the Plant’s 25-year celebration. Both were selected to come to Strathroy Foods through the SAWP Program. Although they did not know each other in Jamaica, they became almost brothers.

When asked how it felt to leave their home and family for six months, Elvis replied, “At times I get homesick, but it’s good coming here to work. You get to meet different people, learn more and gain experiences of liberty. People in Jamaica…their culture is different”. On living together at their home on Fraser St., Michael observed, “The first time you have a lot of changes to make. You get accustomed to it and it becomes a home away from home”. After work the two friends liked to play pool and dominoes, watch their favourite TV shows and relax.

As Michael pointed out, “Each year we come back to a changed company. I’ve seen growth over the years. It’s tremendous. Every year there’s something that makes it easier to do our job”. Elvis, referring to the freezer, joked “It used to be one freezer and now it’s so big you could get lost!” He recalled the years before Bonduelle’s corn processing moved to their Ingersoll plant. “There would be 12 corn cutters on each side of the processing line.” As the corn came down the line he and Michael would challenge each other to process more corn faster. “That part was pure fun!” On a night shift you frequently hear workers singing Christian music and reggae, another way to add some fun to the job.

Offshore workers are part of the seasonal fabric of our community. Many have been with the same employer for over 20 years, and they call their local accommodation their “home away from home”. They enjoy the Strathroy Hometown Festival, including the Show ‘n Shine Car Show. Just prior to the end of their work permits, they ship totes back home containing healthcare products, household items, clothes and electronics, a boost for our local economy.

These men also integrate into the workplace family, becoming part of the employee team and participating in company events such as Harvestfest and service recognition awards. Being hard workers, they don’t mind long days to get the job done! And they are often willing to work on their days off for extra pay to help their families. Their earnings are used to fix up their homes, help with their children’s education and sometimes to buy small farms. On their return home they may drive taxis, do handyman jobs, or work on a farm.

The SAWP program, established in 1966, is one of Canada’s most successful labour programs.For growers, it counters a chronic shortage of domestic labour. It enables Ontarians to buy quality local foods. And workers have embraced this opportunity to improve the quality of their family lives back home.

Frank E. Malin’s Wedding Gift to A Future KingBy Chris Harrington

It was with sadness for many Canadians to hear of Queen Elizabeth II’s passing last September 8, 2022. Like most Canadians (and anyone born after 1952), it will be my first time witnessing the crowning of a British monarch. The coronation of King Charles III that will take place on Sunday, May 6 at Westminster Abbey, will be a historic event.

While royal visits were made several times to nearby London, in addition to a stay by the Queen in a cottage at the private Redtail Golf Club in Port Stanley, the late Queen Elizabeth never visited the Strathroy area during her seven-decade long reign. King Charles has also not visited our town (yet) but there is an item in the King’s possession that has a local connection. A wedding gift that was crafted by hand and manufactured in Melbourne, Ontario was sent to Prince Charles for his wedding to Lady Diana in 1981. The following is the tale of Frank E. Malin and the sidelock shotgun that was manufactured here in Melbourne and is currently in the possession of Prince (now King) Charles of Britain.

Frank Malin’s story begins in England. He was born in 1943 in Birmingham, one of England’s traditional gun making cities. Frank advertised himself as having studied and apprenticed for many years in Britain’s finest gun houses (including maker Webley & Scott) and followed in his father’s footsteps in the trade. By the late 1970s, economic conditions in Britain caused many of the prestigious gunmakers to go out of business. Frank decided to open his own traditional gun business based in Canada.

In 1976, Frank and his family immigrated to Canada with the dream of setting up Frank’s own gun making shop. By 1979, Frank E. Malin & Sons opened at 5 Queen Street West in Melbourne, Ontario. Frank would soon convince several of his friends in the gunmaker trade to leave England and work for him at his new Canadian shop making traditional English shotguns and double rifles.

Shortly after Prince Charles and Lady Diana announced their wedding engagement on February 14, 1981, Frank concocted the idea that he would later use as a marketing tool to promote his new business. On March 4, 1981, Malin mailed a letter to Buckingham Palace asking if Prince Charles would accept a custom-made shotgun as a wedding gift from a former British subject. To Frank’s surprise, he received a reply from Rear-Admiral Sir Hugh Janion expressing that Prince Charles was indeed interested. By May 14, 1981 Frank received the future King’s specific stock and length measurements which Frank E. Malin & Sons then used to make a hand-crafted custom sport shotgun that was “fit for a king”.

Nine months later and after more than 1200 working hours, Frank Malin and his staff of four master craftsmen were able to complete the gun. The wedding present was a 16-gauge double barrel sporting shotgun created in the traditional English style. The top of the barrel had personalized “HRH Prince of Wales” in gold inlay. More gold inlay was found on the underside of the action with “Royal Wedding July 29, 1981” along with the customized serial number of “29781” (the wedding date). On the left side of the gun there was an engraving of Broadlands, the country estate where the couple went on their honeymoon. On the right side, the gun had an engraving of the Royal couple leaving St. Paul’s Cathedral. Peter Cook engraved the scenes while Ron Collings engraved the scroll work. Metal blanks were filed by action filer Anthony Tomlinson. French walnut aged for 40 years was used as the wood stock and this work was performed by David Catchpole. The gun was valued at $50,000 in 1982 (adjusted for inflation, this gun would cost almost $150,000 today).

Frank personally made the trip to England and delivered the wedding present to Charles and Diana in April 1982. Unfortunately, despite initial success and later opening a second shop in Lambeth, Ontario, by the mid-1980s, Frank Malin sold his gun line and business to an American company and closed both local shops. Frank passed away in Strathroy on March 8, 2006.
Long live the King!

Howard Downham: a Strathroy success storyby Chad Collings
Today, when you pull into the parking lot at 626 Victoria Street in Strathroy, you’ll be shopping at the Real Canadian Superstore. Prior to 1993 you would have been visiting the main offices and garden centre of Downham Nursery. The company’s wholesale production and shipping facilities filled ten acres at the southwest corner of Victoria Street and Pannell Lane.

Following the First World War, a young Howard Downham purchased ten acres of land and began a business selling strawberry plants door-to-door on his bicycle. A chance meeting with a stranger enabled him to upgrade to a motorcycle on a simple promise to pay when he had the money. So Howard was able to market in a wider area. Over the next ten years the number of acres under cultivation gradually increased. In 1925 a branch was opened in Bowmanville, Ontario and in 1939 another opened in Abbotsford, Quebec.

An article in the May 5, 1932 Age Dispatch described Howard Downham as “a Strathroy boy who saw opportunities in his own home town, which he took full advantage of”. Howard also established Downhamdale Dairy. According to the Age, “A year or so ago he branched off into a dairy business, which has been thriving from the start, due not only to the satisfactory milk supplied from his up-to-date plant, but largely to the personality of the man behind the business”. The article goes on to describe how “Mr. Downham has never been too busy to take an interest in town and church affairs”. A member of the Lions Club and a Shriner, he also led a large class of young men at the United Church, and for several summers took Cubs and Scouts on camping trips. Eventually marketing methods changed. It was decided to become primarily a wholesale grower with a full line of nursery stock, and to move into the garden centre trade. The H. C. Downham Nursery Ltd. became centralized in Strathroy and produced an annual catalogue, listing 283 varieties of stock in 1978. The nursery consisted of eight farms in Metcalfe and Delaware townships, along with two properties within Strathroy: ten acres at 626 Victoria Street and 22 acres at 390 York Street. The company employed approximately 150 to 175 staff, principally in the spring. Some people might remember working in the fields, propagating in the barn or bagging roses in preparation for shipping. Many local newcomers to Canada found employment at Downhams, returning for seasonal jobs year after year.

I was hired as a student to work the March Break in 1988, setting up the Garden Centre in preparation for its spring opening. I vividly remember laying paving stones in freezing drizzle to create the walkways through what would, in a few weeks, become the nursery stock display yard. After the long, wet March Break I was offered a part-time job working in the Garden Centre after school, on weekends and through the summer. That part-time job lasted four years. Spring was the busiest season, of course, but there was always work to be done. Helping customers pick out and load Christmas trees into or on top of their vehicles in a snowstorm certainly helped to engage the Christmas spirit. When the Goods and Services Tax was introduced in 1991, I remember having to enter a special code into the cash register so that it would charge properly. That update passed the test when, on a quiet January day I sold a plant tray to an elderly woman for 98 cents…plus 8% PST, and now...7% GST! The woman was not impressed. And it was the day’s only sale.

In 1975 Howard Downham retired as president of the company he had founded over 55 years earlier. When he died in 1982 at age 86, the business had been sold. But the green trucks with long trailers loaded with nursery stock rolled through town regularly into the nineties.

By 1995 the business had closed and a supermarket was about to go up on the Victoria Street property. While the Downham buildings were being demolished, Vera MacDonald and her son Gene walked through the site. They stumbled upon a flat stone bearing the name of Mrs. MacDonald's father, Morley Petch. He had scrawled his signature in the wet cement on October 27, 1923, at the corner of the nursery's root cellar which he had just constructed. It was a memory going back almost to the beginning of a Strathroy firm that was in business for over 70 years.

Scouting: a proud tradition in Strathroyby Libby McLachlan

Hundreds of volunteers serving thousands of youth through 115 years! That’s the story of Scouting in Strathroy. The Scouters who led the groups were working to build life skills, both practical and personal, in a safe environment. The boys were having fun and making new friends.

Postmaster William Campbell formed the first Scout troop of 51 boys in 1908, a year after Baden Powell started the movement in England. By the time that 1st Troop received its official charter in 1921, many of the ‘original Scouts’ had already served in World War I. And E.J. Wright had begun a life-long Wright family commitment. In 1917 he accompanied eight Scouts to a Canadian Jamboree on the Exhibition grounds in Toronto; and his signature was on the charter application, along with Mr. Robinson, the Anglican Church rector, Dr. O.C. Berdan and William Freele.

Scouting was quickly seen as a valuable program for young boys. (It became co-ed in the 1990s.) Prominent citizens, including business owners, doctors, ministers and town councilors stepped up to provide support, especially in those early years. The community has always supported fundraising efforts, and Scouts have shown their thanks by participating in and helping with community events.

For decades, Scouting managed to cope without a permanent home for its meetings and equipment. Groups met in church basements, in the Anglican Parish Hall and for several years in the Armoury on Frank Street. In 1957, Richard B. Pincombe donated property adjacent to Alexandra Park to build a Scout House. It was constructed on the foundation of ‘the old ice house’ that had stored ice for the town in earlier days. Generous donations
of labour and materials by citizens supported the project. In the fall of 1959, Scouts and Cubs moved into their own building, officially deeded to the town. It is still a centre of activity, and the setting is perfect: in the middle of a greenbelt with river, streams, parks and trails.

Camping has always been one of Scouting’s most popular group activities, an opportunity to have fun while learning new skills and gaining a lifelong appreciation for nature. Besides many local, regional and district camps and canoe trips, Strathroy Scouts have attended jamborees organized at National and International levels, including Canadian Jamborees hosted by Scouts Canada every four years.

Some Scouts have traded badges at World Jamborees attended by thousands of Scouts from dozens of countries. In 1955 Scouter Bob Ramsey and eight boys joined 8000 campers at Niagara-on-the-Lake for the first World Jamboree held outside Europe. Kingsley Butler attended the 1957 World Jamboree in England, and others have fond memories of Kananaskis, Alberta in 1983. Last year seven Strathroy Venturers travelled to a jamboree in Denmark. This year eleven Scouts will fly to Holland. Scouts groups and their families have worked hard to raise funds for these far-off camping adventures, with generous support from the town and its service clubs.

A critical element of Scouting’s success has been its long-term volunteers. They provide continuity by mentoring new volunteers and assisting with long-term planning. Those with more than 25 years of service deserve special mention: 1908 to 1940: E. J. Wright; 1940 to 1980: Marilyn Grigg, Don Whitbourn, Alf Morris, Bob Ramsay, Tom Healy; since 1980: Ken Dunsmore, Linda Dunsmore, Leo Verberne, Roger Clark, Ian Johnston, Alan Morrill, Sherri Crozman, Norma Robertson.

Ken Dunsmore, now in his seventies and still a Scouter, has been passionate about Scouting since he became a Cub in 1955. Years later, with their three sons in scouting, both Ken and his wife Linda became deeply involved for the next 40 years. Ken has volunteered in all aspects of the scouting movement, serving as fundraiser, scouter, scoutmaster, scouter recruiter and trainer, large camp planner, and group commissioner, responsible for reporting to Scouts Canada on the overall functioning of Strathroy Scouting. Ken believes that Scouting is a great program for children: “Making friends, learning new skills, gaining in confidence and leadership, protecting the environment and learning about service to community are things that will stay with them for a lifetime.”

Sadly, many towns have lost their Scouting groups over time, Mount Brydges, Ailsa Craig and Watford being happy exceptions. The 1st Strathroy Scouting Group, along with Woodstock, was recently recognized as the longest continuously-running troop in Canada. Other age groups have been added through the years. Currently the Scout House is home to almost 100 Beavers, Cubs, Scouts and Venturers, led by over 35 volunteer Scouters. The tradition continues!

Thanks to Ken Dunsmore for sharing his vast knowledge of Strathroy Scouting.

A big night at the Arenaby Brian Angyal

Last year, 50 years after the 1972 Summit Series against Russia, was a time to recall international hockey coming to Strathroy. It was March 1960 when the Czechoslovak Olympic team played the Strathroy Rockets. The Olympic hockey tournament in Squaw Valley, California had been a disappointment for Canada. Although the Canadians had defeated their arch rivals, the Soviet Union 8-5, the United States won the gold medal behind the superb play of their goal tender.

Strathroy was the last stop for the Czechs on their post-Olympic tour. When they arrived in town they had already played several teams in Canada and the States. In Ontario there had been games against both Senior A and Senior B teams; the Senior A squads tended to have more former professional players. The Czechs had lost their games with Senior A teams, but had defeated the Welland and Sudbury Senior B’s. Strathroy’s Senior B squad had won the Ontario championship the previous year and was an excellent team. So the stage was set for the final Czech game in North America against the Strathroy Rockets.

The Age Dispatch devoted considerable coverage to the game and the events leading up to it. On the evening of March 12th, the entire Czech team and delegation of 38 members were feted at a smorgasbord banquet at the West Middlesex Memorial Cetre. Among the 150 guests were hockey officials, members of the Lions Club, and representatives from Czechoslovakia and Canada, including Mayor Ralph Westgate, MP Bill Thomas and MLA Harry Allen. The Age also reported that the leaders of the Czech delegation were entertained Saturday afternoon at the home of Reg Thorn, owner of Glendale Mobile Homes.

In another long article, the Age covered an interview with Stanislav Bacilek, a 30-year-old defenceman, and Stanislav Sigmund, a Czech sportscaster. Bacilek told about his life in his hometown, Kladno, where he worked as a technical clerk in a steel factory and played hockey. There were no professional hockey leagues in communist countries, but as we learned years later, many so-called jobs were fictional and the teams actually trained all year long. Perhaps Bacilek was one of those players. Members of the two teams traded information. One conclusion was that there was very little difference between Czech and Canadian cigarettes - a discussion unlikely to take place today. Sigmund claimed to remember Art Sullivan of the Rockets when Art was playing for the Paisley Pirates in England and Scotland; the Czech team had defeated Paisley 6-2.

The Memorial arena was sold out on game night, March 13, 1960. My Dad and I were part of the crowd. We were all anxious to see how the Rockets would fare. First there were the usual formalities and the exchange of gifts by the players – cuff links and tie bars from the Strathroy players and miniature hockey sticks from the Czechs. Then it was game on!

The Rockets started by quickly going ahead 2-0 on goals by Paul Oliver and Don Mayes. But the Czechs soon responded with their first goal on a power play. The first period ended 2-1 for the Rockets. Even though the Rockets were leading, it was evident that the Czech players were a faster and more skilled team. Their physical conditioning was excellent, a fact that Team Canada was to discover again when they played the Soviet Union in 1972.

The Czechs tied the score in the second period and took the lead in the third period on another power play. The Rockets put on a last minute charge but were unsuccessful in tying the game. The Czechs held on for a well- played and hard fought 3-2 win.

Many folks wondered if the outcome might have been different if the international rules against body checking had not been used. During the game, Stan Long, the outstanding defenceman who had played a few games for the Montreal Canadians in the early 1950’s, delivered a hip check, a lost art today, to a Czech forward. It was a great delight to the fans, and no penalty was called.

With the game over, the Czechs headed home and the Rockets resumed their Senior B schedule. Eventually they were again crowned Ontario Senior B champions. But for one brief moment, Strathroy was at the centre of international hockey.