Document generated on 09/26/2021 2:37 p.m. Ontario History Social Networks and the 1912 Commemoration of the “Brock Centenary” Peter W. Holdsworth Volume 109, Number 1, Spring 2017 Article abstract In 1912, the General Brock Chapter of the Imperial Order Daughters of the URI: https://id.erudit.org/iderudit/1039201ar Empire (IODE) unveiled a monument to General Sir Isaac Brock in Brockville, DOI: https://doi.org/10.7202/1039201ar Ontario. This monument represented just part of the efforts of a network of mostly Anglo-Saxon women from the IODE, United Empire Loyalists of Ontario, See table of contents and Ontario Historical Society to celebrate the centenary of the War of 1812 as the “Brock Centenary.” The context of the rise of the “Brock Centenary” is investigated by applying social network theory to historical memory studies, Publisher(s) re-interpreting historical evidence from 1898 to 1912. An analysis of membership lists both reaffirms some previous arguments around imperial The Ontario Historical Society and feminist ideals and also points to other promising avenues of inquiry regarding the importance and influence of the groups and women involved. ISSN 0030-2953 (print) 2371-4654 (digital) Explore this journal Cite this article Holdsworth, P. W. (2017). Social Networks and the 1912 Commemoration of the “Brock Centenary”. Ontario History, 109(1), 107–131. https://doi.org/10.7202/1039201ar Copyright © The Ontario Historical Society, 2017 This document is protected by copyright law. Use of the services of Érudit (including reproduction) is subject to its terms and conditions, which can be viewed online. https://apropos.erudit.org/en/users/policy-on-use/ This article is disseminated and preserved by Érudit. Érudit is a non-profit inter-university consortium of the Université de Montréal, Université Laval, and the Université du Québec à Montréal. Its mission is to promote and disseminate research. https://www.erudit.org/en/ 07 Social Networks and the 1912 Commemoration of the “Brock Centenary” by Peter W. Holdsworth n 19 August 1912, the citizens Canada Who Fell October 13th, 1812, of Brockville, Ontario gathered Fighting For King and Country.” Min- in the courthouse square to cele- ister of Militia and Defence Sir Samuel Obrate the life and times of Major-General Hughes unveiled the monument. Sir Isaac Brock, the town’s namesake, and The mostly male platform included to witness the formal unveiling of a mon- a number of dignitaries. Among these ument to his honour (Figure 1).1 Under- neath the Union Jack was a bust in uniform of Brock, who had died a century earlier leading a charge at the Battle of Queen- ston Heights. This bust’s podium, in- scribed with the gen- eral’s name, BROCK, also read: “Erected By General Brock Chap- ter Daughters Of The Unveiling the monument to Major-General Sir Isaac Brock, 19 August 1912. Empire In Memory Of Maj. Gen. Sir Isaac Brock K.C.B. Pro- were Mayor Charles W. MacLean; the visional Lieutenant Governor of Upper sculptor, Hamilton MacCarthy, of Ot- 1 While located at the Brockville Museum Library and Archives, this version of the photograph is found at Doug Grant, “The General Isaac Brock Monument: Unveiled August 19, 1912,”Brockville History: All About the History of Brockville. Posted 14 June 2008, <http://brockvillehistoryalbum.word- press.com/2008/06/14/the-general-isaac-brock-monument/> (accessed 12 April 2013). Ontario History / Volume CIX, No. 1 / Spring 2017 Spring 2017 inside pages.indd 107 2017-03-04 12:23:46 AM 0 ONTARIO HISTORY tawa; civic and militia leaders; and the guest of honour, Sir Samuel Hughes.2 Abstract Separated from the men by the mayor In 1912, the General Brock Chapter sat the local Imperial Order Daughters of the Imperial Order Daughters of the of the Empire (IODE) chapter executive Empire (IODE) unveiled a monument led by the regent (chapter president), to General Sir Isaac Brock in Brockville, Ontario. This monument represented just Mrs. G. Crawford (Ida) McClean, along part of the efforts of a network of mostly with Toronto’s Mrs. Albert Gooderham Anglo-Saxon women from the IODE, (née Marietta Redford Duncanson), the United Empire Loyalists of Ontario, and national IODE president, and the sculp- Ontario Historical Society to celebrate the centenary of the War of 1812 as the tor’s wife, Mrs. Hamilton MacCarthy. “Brock Centenary.” The context of the rise Amongst others, Mayor MacLean, of the “Brock Centenary” is investigated Minister Hughes, and Regent McClean by applying social network theory to his- gave speeches on the role of Brock in de- torical memory studies, re-interpreting historical evidence from 1898 to 1912. fending the Empire and his sacrifice, and An analysis of membership lists both re- the role of the women of Brockville and affirms some previous arguments around the IODE in the making of the monu- imperial and feminist ideals and also ment. Both Mayor MacLean and Regent points to other promising avenues of in- McClean emphasized that the intended quiry regarding the importance and influ- ence of the groups and women involved. audience for the monument was school children. Intentionally misquoting the Résumé: En 1912, l’Ordre impérial des motto of the IODE, Minister Hughes filles de l’Empire (OIFE) a dévoilé un implored the gathered crowds to main- monument à la mémoire du général sir Isaac Brock à Brockville, en Ontario. Ce tain the support for “One Flag, One monument ne représentait qu’une part de Throne, One Empire, One Navy.” Linked l’effort d’un réseau de femmes, surtout an- in his speech with the “German Peril,” glo-saxonnes, de l’OIFE, du United Em- the minister’s addition of “one navy” pire Loyalists de l’Ontario, et de la Société to the motto previously cited by Mayor historique de l’Ontario à célébrer le cen- tenaire de la Guerre de 1812 en tant que MacLean was a veiled reference to the « Centenaire Brock. » Nous analyserons imperial naval race with the German le contexte du « Centenaire Brock » en Empire. He also acknowledged that the appliquant la théorie des réseaux so- nation owed the IODE much for their ciaux aux études de mémoire collective, et en réinterprétant les faits historiques de work. Regent McClean thanked the 1898 à 1912. Une analyse des listes des men involved in the monument but em- membres réaffirme certains arguments phasized the transfer of the monument’s sur les idéaux impérial et féministe, et in- ownership from IODE to the “council of dique de nouvelles pistes à explorer en ce qui concerne l’importance et l’influence de 2 Despite sharing similar last names, the re- ces groupes et de ces femmes. gent and the mayor appear to be unrelated. Any relationship between them is hard to confirm given spelling variations. Spring 2017 inside pages.indd 108 2017-03-04 12:23:46 AM social networks and the brock centenary 0 the town of Brockville,” reminding them amining networks of commemoration. of the effort “Daughters of the Empire Localized history studies, such as those have given in years of work for its erec- by Glenn Lockwood on Brockville or tion.”3 Elaine Young on the centenary work of Regent McClean’s speech shines a the Lundy’s Lane History Society, are light into the intertwining roles of wom- important in uncovering the details and en and class in shaping public memory of local interpretations of the past, but tend the War of 1812 and of its heroes. Those to look at places and events in isolation.4 behind the shaping of the centenary In a 1933 examination of the Queenston commemoration as a Brock centenary monument, Rose Kate Thorburn Sy- were part of an Ontario social network mons looked beyond the particulars of that allowed for communication be- the Brock commemorations at Queen- tween Brockville, the Niagara peninsula, ston, but still focused on the site.5 Works Toronto, and Ottawa. Who were these by Gerald Killan and Cecilia Morgan on women and how did their class-com- the key men and women involved in these position influence the spread of ideas? groups, including the Ontario History These are questions that a formal net- Society (OHS), have widened the analy- work methodology applied to the study sis by starting to show how feminism and of social and cultural heritage can help to imperialism were present in both urban address. Network methodology can sug- and rural settings.6 This paper draws on gest new avenues for exploration and un- that broader focus, examining the mem- derstanding of this crucial period in the bership connections of a subset of wom- history of public commemoration. en listed on national executive rolls of This study emphasizes the need for the IODE and select chapters, member “big-picture” analysis in memory stud- societies and overall rolls for the OHS ies and contributes to that effort by ex- and United Empire Loyalist Association 3 Brockville Museum Library and Archives (BMLA), Courthouse Avenue/Square file, “Canadians and Many Prominent People Took Part. Occurred in the Presence of Hundreds of Citizens at One of the Island City’s Beauty Spots Yesterday,” Brockville Recorder, Friday, 23 August 1912 from the Tuesday daily, photocopied article. This account is used to set the scene in other details presented in the paragraph along with Doug Grant, “The General Isaac Brock Monument.” 4 Glenn J. Lockwood, The Story of Brockville: Men and Women Making a Canadian Community on the United States Frontier, 1749-2007 (Brockville, Ontario: The City of Brockville Corporation, 2006) and Elaine Young, “The Centennial Celebration of the Battle of Lundy’s Lane and of One Hundred Years of Peace,” Ontario History 104:1 (Spring 2012), 3-20.