PRESERVING THE PAST FOR THE FUTURE DECEMBER 2015

THE UPDATE York Pioneer and Historical Society

P.O. Box 45026, 2482 Yonge Street, , Ont. 416 656-2954 (President David Raymont) www.yorkpioneers.org [email protected]

Another Successful Year at the CNE

This year, Pioneers welcomed 5091 visitors to Scadding Cabin during the Canadian National Exhibition, up from 4159 in 2014. The cabin was mentioned in a banner on the front page of the daily program that CNE visitors receive when they enter the grounds.

Special events, organized by President David Raymont and listed in each day’s CNE program, featured Sarah Gossip spinning on the great wheel; flutist Jamie Thompson, who played a variety of pieces, including “Gilderoy” and “Tweedside”, two old tunes transcribed by Ely Playter about 1815; First Nations Na-Ma-Res Drummers; wood carver Ross Ward; and bluegrass singers Kristine Schmitt and Chris Coole; spinning demonstrations by Ann Lambert and Cheryl Michaelson on the small wheel, and Devon Jones on the drop spindle. Kayoko Smith also made arrangements for an exhibit at a booth in the shared by Diane Reid, Ruth Cameron and Roksana members of the Canadian National Exhibition Podolska welcome visitors to Scadding Cabin. Association. Contents A big thank you goes to our volunteers during both the CNE and the fall ghost walks, who make it all More from the CNE 2-3 possible. Edna Rigby Retires from 3 Scadding Cabin Four Centuries of the Toronto 4 2016 AGM of the YPHS Carrying Place January 31st at 2pm at Mackenzie House, Report of the Nominating 5 34 Parkview Ave North York, ON Committee & AGM From the Archives 6 Come hear George Duncan, former president and York Pioneers at Montgomery’s Inn 7 author, meet your new board members, and share Historic Unionville Book Launch 7 a cup of tea with your fellow Pioneers. Society Events 8

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PRESERVING THE PAST FOR THE FUTURE DECEMBER 2015

Flute player Jamie Thompson entertained visitors to the cabin by playing music written down by Ely Playter, whose brother John lived in the cabin between 1796 and 1820. Photo: David Raymont

Wood carver Ross Ward (centre) points out one of the Board members Barry Mapes and Father Leo details of his work to York Pioneer John Marshall. Burns welcome visitors to Scadding Cabin. Photo: David Raymont Photo: David Raymont

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Pat Robertson shares stories about ancestors with drummers from the Native Men’s Residence – Oliver Dick, Earl Oegema and Edward Backle. Geannie Bugler and her mother Eileen Bugler, an elder from Saskatchewan, (left and second left) participated in the discussion. Photo: David Raymont

Edna Rigby Retires from Scadding Cabin

It is the end of an era. After nearly 30 years of greeting visitors at Scadding Cabin, Edna Rigby has retired from her duties.

A volunteer at the cabin since 1986, Edna joined the Board of Directors in 1991 and became Chair of the Scadding Cabin Committee in 1993, continuing in that role until 2012. In addition to chairing the committee, Edna served as the Society’s representative to the Canadian National Exhibition Association, and she was the full- time docent during the CNE from 1993 to 2009. From 2010 to 2014 she was there for four days each year. In scheduling volunteers for the CNE, as well as Doors Open and the CHIN Picnic, Edna found many new people, sometimes recruiting her own friends, several of whom became YPHS members.

Edna was a keen fundraiser, and she especially enjoyed selling the Scadding cookbooks, which she spent hours assembling from pages originally produced by Jeanine Avigdor. Edna also volunteered at the Grange, and when that site closed as a house museum in 2009, she arranged for the donation of several Grange costumes for use at the cabin.

We extend our sincere appreciation to Edna for her many years of dedicated service. Edna Rigby at Scadding Cabin in 2011.

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York Pioneers Celebrate Four Centuries of the Toronto Carrying Place

This past September, more than 300 people – including a good number of York Pioneers - participated in a seminar and watched theatrical presentations as part of a celebration of the Toronto Carrying Place – the portage route along the Humber River that connects Lake with the upper Great Lakes. The day-long event took place on the shores of the Humber, in the Brûlé rooms of the Old Mill hotel and conference centre and along the Pan Am Path/Shared Path, in Étienne Brûlé and King’s Mill Parks. This year marks the 400th anniversary of the trip Étienne Brûlé, an aide to Samuel Champlain, took to Lake Ontario, and the first direct contact between Europeans and First Nations in the Greater Toronto Area. The seminar featured presentations by Annie Veilleux, Cultural Heritage Division Manager, ASI; Christian Bode, President, La Société d’histoire de Toronto; Prof. John Steckley, anthropologist/linguist, Humber College; Christopher Moore, Governor-General’s Award-winning author and historian; and Prof. Carolyn Podruchny, historian, York University. Garry Sault brought greetings from the Mississaugas of the New Credit and Amy Desjarlais, an Ojibway knowledge keeper, was a special guest and moderator.

Following the seminar, participants watched theatrical installations inspired by the people and stories of the Toronto Carrying Place with performances by Ars Musica, Jumblies Theatre (in collaboration with First Story Toronto, a First Nation group promoting greater understanding of Toronto’s Aboriginal background) and the Humber River Shakespeare Company.

The event was organized by The Etobicoke Historical Society, and the York Pioneers joined the Etobicoke York Community Preservation Panel, Swansea Historical Society, West Toronto Historical Society and King Township Historical Society to contribute advice and funds. Financial support was also provided by the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority and the City of Toronto, through the Host City Showcase Program.

York Pioneers have a track record of commemorating the Toronto Carrying Place. Percy Robinson, author of the first book-length study of French settlement in Toronto, was an honorary vice president of the Society. In 1949, the Pioneers, York Township and the York Board of Education raised a marker at Baby Point to celebrate the Toronto Carrying Place and the settlers who used it. Former president Ken Carter has traced the path of the Carrying Place on modern digital maps.

York Pioneers Robert and Susan Roden – dressed as John and Elizabeth Simcoe – welcomed Mississauga Elder Garry Sault to the Old Mill and the Humber Portage seminar. Photo: David Raymont

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Report of the Nominating Committee for 2016 Board of Directors and the 2016 AGM

An almost-full slate was presented to the board in November by committee members Audrey Fox, Wesley Ferris and David Raymont (representing the board), and Paul Litt and Patricia Robertson (representing membership). The slate will be presented to the membership at our Annual General Meeting, Sunday, Jan 31, 2016 at Mackenzie House, 34 Parkview Ave., North York, ON M2N 3Y2.

Past-President: Audrey Fox Editorial: Dan Panneton President: David Raymont Membership: Stephanie Lever Vice-President: Vacant Programme: Laryl Monette Treasurer: Lili Bozhkova Publicity/Newsletter: Wesley Ferris Recording Secretary: Bonnie Lennie Scadding Cabin: Kayoko Smith Corresponding Secretary: Nick Burton CNEA [appointment]: Fred Robbins Archivist: John Marshall Sharon Temple rep.: Fred Robbins Members-at-Large [3]: Adrian De Souza, David Duncan & 1 Vacancy

And don’t leave all the fun to these people! All invite members are encouraged to stand for board positions and to serve on committees. If you are interested in serving, contact the nominating committee chair, Audrey Fox, at 416-656-0812 or at [email protected]

Come to the AGM to meet and welcome the six new people volunteering for our board! Lili Bozhkova graduated in September with an MBA from the Schulich School of Business; Bonnie Lennie recently retired from Hydro One Networks where she worked as an executive assistant; Daniel Panneton is completing his Master of Museum Studies at University of Toronto; Laryl Monette is an event/wedding coordinator; David Duncan has a Masters of Information from U of Toronto and works for the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada; and Adrian De Souza has an Honours BA from York and is currently completing a Fundraising Management Certificate at Ryerson University.

At the Nov 22 board meeting, current and prospective board members examined an unidentified portrait found in the attic of Scadding Cabin: left to right, Scadding Cabin Chair Kayoko Smith; Membership Chair Stephanie Lever; Member-at-Large nominee David Duncan; Archivist John Marshall; Member-at- Large nominee Adrian De Souza and nominee for treasurer Lili Bozkhova. Photo: David Raymont

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From the Archives: The YPHS Book Collection

By John Marshall

In the coming months the Board of Directors will have decisions to make regarding the Society’s book collection, housed for many years at the North York Central Library. Beginning early in 2016 the library will begin a major four year renovation project, which will see the branch’s Canadiana collection amalgamated with the Baillie Centre collection at the Toronto Reference Library. Our collection is one of four “special collections” under review for relocation.

The collection consists of over 150 books and pamphlets, most concerning Toronto and York County history. A list may be viewed on our website under “Publications”.

North York Central Library Manager Kim Huntley and YPHS Archivist John Marshall view the Society’s book collection in the library stacks. Photo: David Raymont

John and President David Raymont look at one of the more interesting books in the collection: The Works of Joseph Hall, published in 1628. The book, which belonged to Henry Scadding, contains a long inscription in his hand. Photo: Kim Huntley

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York Pioneers at Montgomery’s Inn

Old-fashioned toys caught people’s attention at the York Pioneer booth at the 40th anniversary John Marshall brought word about the York of Montgomery’s Inn as a city-funded museum. Pioneers to the celebration of the 40th anniversary “This is just like the ones grandpa used to of Montgomery’s Inn as a city-funded museum. make,” said Katren as she showed how to make Photo: David Raymont the toy gymnast do flips. Photo: David Raymont

Historic Unionville Book Launch

Stiver Mill in Markham, home of the Unionville Farmer's Market, was the setting on September 27th for the launch of George Duncan's new book Historic Unionville: A Village in the City. An audience of 60 people, many who owned residences featured in the book, joined Regan Hutchinson, filling in for the mayor, and Markham Historian Lorne Smith (who contributed the forward to the volume) in celebrating George's latest publication. The gathering was opened by Markham Town Crier John Webster (pictured on the left, with George Duncan), and afterwards the author signed copies of Historic Unionville for those in attendance. Photo: Judy McIntyre

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Society Events

Gerald Lee and Stephanie Lever examine some of the treasures from the York Pioneer archive that were on display at the newly-rented workspace at the Trinity-St. Paul’s Centre for Faith, Justice and the Arts. Among the exhibits were letters written by the Rev. Henry Scadding and his elder brother John, composite photographs of former members and the words to songs about the York Pioneers.

Kayoko Smith joins volunteers from Not Far From the Tree to pick apples from the trees beside Scadding Cabin. In early October, Amy Fedrigo, Danielle Pellatt- Hall, Cynthia Lorenz, Shai Somji, Tim Watson and Phil Kim picked 175 pounds of apples in two hours. The fruit will go to food banks and shelters in the Greater Toronto Area.

The YPHS gratefully acknowledges the financial support of the Government of Ontario through the Ministry of Tourism, Culture, and Sport.

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