The North Yarmouth Women's Institute was established at a meeting held October 17, 1930, operated as part of the Elgin East District Women's Institute, and disbanded effective March 31, 2006. The first Women’s Institute in Canada was established at Stoney Creek, Ontario by Mrs. Adelaide Hoodless on February 9, 1897. In 1904 the Ontario Department of Agriculture began funding seven full-time staff to help promote and organize Women’s Institutes in communities throughout the province. By 1913 institutes were established in all the provinces. In 1919 provincial representatives met in Winnipeg to form the Federated Women’s Institutes of Canada (FWIC), a national organization that co-ordinates the activities of the provincial Women's Institutes. The FWIC’s national office was established in Ottawa in 1958. “The motto ‘For Home and Country’ reflects FWIC aims: to promote an appreciation of rural living, to develop informed citizens through the study of national and international issues (particularly those affecting women and children) and to initiate national programs to achieve common goals. Each provincial organization is represented on the board of directors, which meets annually; new executives are elected at triennial conventions. FWIC are constituent societies of the Associated Country Women of the World (ACWW), the international organization of Women's Institutes and other organizations with common aims and objectives.” The Federated Women’s Institutes of Ontario (FWIO) was founded in 1919 and soon began a process that resulted in the ‘Tweedsmuir Histories’ project. “In 1925, a special standing committee of the FWIO was formed known as the Committee for Historical Research and Current Events….By the mid-1930s, Lady Tweedsmuir, wife of Lord Tweedsmuir, Governor General of Canada, [1935-1940,] …suggested that Ontario Women's Institute Branches keep local history books as the WIs in England did, where she had been a devoted member. In 1940, a recently widowed Lady Tweedsmuir was delighted to approve that these histories should be named after her late husband, and so originated ‘The Tweedsmuir Village History Books.’ Because documenting local history was seen as a fitting project to mark the upcoming fiftieth anniversary of the Women's Institute movement, a campaign was launched in 1945 encouraging every WI Branch in Ontario to prepare a history of their local community before the 1947 celebrations took place. This proved a popular project, and these local histories were officially named Tweedsmuir History Books in 1947….A great boost to these histories was the appointment of FWIO's first provincial Tweedsmuir History Curator in 1957, Mrs. R.C. Walker. By 1964 she reported that all levels of the organization had begun to take Tweedsmuir Books seriously, with well over 1,100 Branch histories recorded.”
In January, 1891 George E. Neilson began publishing "The Municipal Miscellany" in Arnprior, Ontario. After publishing twelve issues, Neilson sold his journal to K.W. McKay, who moved its operations to St. Thomas, Ontario and in January, 1892 resumed its publication under a new name, The Municipal World. Municipal World Limited originally operated from an office in the Journal Building on the north west corner of Talbot and Hiawatha Streets, St. Thomas. The Journal Building was demolished in 1936. In 1895, the company moved its operations to a small cottage located at 28 Elgin Street, St. Thomas, adjacent to the home of K.W. McKay. In September, 1901 Municipal World moved into a large two-storey building on Talbot Street that became known as the Municipal World Building. This served as the company's base of operations until 1988. In addition to publishing Municipal World magazine, Municipal World Limited designed, printed and distributed forms, stationery, ledgers, election materials, seals, dog tags and other supplies to municipalities and municipal officials in Canada and the United States. In 1927, W.S. McKay joined Municipal World as Associate Editor, rising to become Editor following K.W. McKay's retirement in 1941. Until 1968 Municipal World maintained its own on-site printing facilities. From 1951 to 1968 the printing division operated under the name "The Printing World". In 1968, the printing division was sold to Phibbs Printing, St. Thomas. In 1964, Michael J. Smither joined Municipal World as Associate Editor. He became Editor in 1974 following the retirement of W.S. McKay, and Editor and Publisher in 1984. In 1988, Municipal World relocated to a retrofitted former school house in Union, Ontario. Susan M. Gardner joined Municipal World in 1989. She was appointed Assistant Editor in January, 1994 and became Executive Editor in 2001, following the retirement of Michael J. Smither.
The village of Springfield was first established in the early part of the nineteenth century by pioneer settlers eager to clear the land and establish homes. Early names for the village were Byrns (Burns) Creek and Clunas. In 1855, it was given the name Springfield, because the early buildings were in a field through which ran a number of flowing springs. The community grew and experienced the boom brought about chiefly by the expansion of the railroads. The Village of Springfield was incorporated in 1878 and became a constituent municipality within the County of Elgin. On January 1st, 1998, the Village of Springfield amalgamated with the Township of Malahide and the former Township of South Dorchester to form part of a new municipality called the Township of Malahide, which functions politically as a lower-tier municipality within the County of Elgin.
The Retired Teachers of Ontario (RTO/ERO) was initially established in 1968 under the name Superannuated Teachers of Ontario (STO/ERO). At a 1971 gathering of superannuated teachers held at Parkside Collegiate in St. Thomas, the Elgin County branch of Superannuated Teachers of Ontario was formed with 40 charter members. The purpose of the organization was “to preserve the identity of retired teachers and to act as a source of reference and assistance to the teaching professional and governmental bodies.” In 1990, the RTO expanded to 41 Districts, with Elgin County being designated the final spot.
The Ontario Association of Superannuated Women Teachers was established in Toronto, Ontario on April 3, 1956, as an organization dedicated to promoting the interests of retired women teachers and in particular to pressure the provincial government to grant women teachers the same pension benefits as their male colleagues. In 1999 the organization was renamed the Retired Women Teachers of Ontario. A complete chronology of significant events in the history of the organization is available at http://www.rwto.org/pdf/History.pdf •The St. Thomas-Elgin Branch of the Ontario Association of Superannuated Women Teachers was formed at an organization meeting held in St. Thomas, Ontario, on October 30, 1964. The organization's initial slate of executive officers was elected at a meeting held November 20, 1964, when Kathleen Chambers was elected President, Bessie Campbell was elected Vice-President, and Eva Dennis was elected Secretary-Treasurer. The organization was renamed the St. Thomas-Elgin Branch, Retired Women Teachers of Ontario in 1999.
George Edward Robinson operated the Odeon Theatre in St. Thomas during the early 1950's. The Odeon Theatre in St. Thomas had a seating capacity of 916 people; originally “Roxy” was a chain of theatres founded in New York City, which gained the sponsorship of the Warner Brothers Company. Nan Robinson operated the Roxy Theatre in Port Stanley. Odeon was a European (Dutch) chain of theatres which were popular in Germany, France and Italy both pre and post-Second World War. •George was born 26 June 1900, and died 26 June 1965. Nan Robinson and her daughter Diana emigrated from England with their daughter in 1946. They settled in the United States until George informed them that they should meet him in Canada, as he was still in Germany with the British Services, as a Commissionaire, in charge of booking entertainment for the troops. It is also noted that George managed theatres in Britain and the United States before settling in Canada. •George’s wife, Annie (called Nan) Robinson, was born 13 April 1911 and died on 6 October 1994. She was born in England, and moved first from Lancashire to London. Nan found employment as a secretary for the Timken Company in the sales department, until retirement.
Patricia Skidmore was a history professor and author on the faculty at Brescia University College (affiliated with the University of Western Ontario). Professor Skidmore retired from Brescia University College on June 27th, 2008. She served as chair of the Canadian Oral History Association and authored a two-volume history of Brescia University College.
The Township of Yarmouth was incorporated January 1, 1850 as a township attached to the County of Middlesex with the first meeting of the council being held in the Mansion House in the Village of St. Thomas on January 21, 1850. The Township of Yarmouth became one of the inaugural townships when the County of Elgin was incorporated in 1852. Yarmouth Township was named after a seaport in the County of Norfolk, England and also as a compliment to Francis Seymour or Lord Conway, who in 1793 was made Earl of Yarmouth. The original survey of Yarmouth included approximately 71,000 acres of land. The original township included all of what is now the present City of St. Thomas. At various times, however, parts of its original territory have been removed by municipal adjustments. Unincorporated villages in the Township of Yarmouth included: Sparta, Union, New Sarum, Mapleton, Dexter, Yarmouth Centre and Orwell. The Township offices were located in St. Thomas. On January 1st, 1998, Yarmouth Township amalgamated with the former Village of Port Stanley and Village of Belmont to create the Municipality of Central Elgin.
The Imperial Order of the Daughters of the Empire, General McNaughton Chapter, of Dundas, Ont., was formed on October 2, 1939 and named for General A.G.L. McNaughton who had just been appointed commander of the Canadian army. There were 24 charter members. Mrs F.E. Lennard was appointed Honourary Regent and Mrs W.W. Metcalfe was elected first Regent. The first years of the chapter were busy with activities which supported the war effort. They sponsored a British trawler and sent the men food and books. Later, Canadian ships were sponsored. After the war, the chapter focused their efforts on assisting children. They sponsored a northern school to which they sent books and equipment. They also supported the tuberculosis x-ray survey. Educational assistance to local children was provided through bursaries, flags, and calendars. In October 1969, the chapter was forced to disband due to lack of members to fill the officer posts. They donated their remaining funds to the Legion for bedridden and hospitalized veterans.
The Royal Templars of Temperance Victoria Council No. 7 was established in Dundas on December 30, 1879. It was an organization of the temperance movement which sought to control alcohol consumption. The temperance movement believed that self-discipline was essential for economic success and that the use of alcohol prevented self-discipline and therefore economic success.
The Victoria Council No. 7 established a number of funds and committees, such as the Relief Fund, the Committee on the Care of the Sick, the Auditing Committee, the Room Committee (for readying the meeting room and regalia), the Committee on the Good of the Order and the Committee on Visiting. Over time other funds were added including the Ladies’ Mutual Aid fund.
Meetings consisted of the transaction of business as well as speeches, music, and recitations. Regular excursions with other Councils or with similar groups such as the International Order of Good Templars were organized.
The minutes survive to 1899 and it appears that the group continued on beyond that, although for how long is unknown.
The YMCA Dundas was formed in 1900 after Mr. C.W. Williams of Dundas attended the YMCA summer convention in Hamilton. He became Corresponding Secretary and assisted in organizing the YMCA group in Dundas. During these early years the group held meetings at the Baptist church, took an aggressive approach to preaching, and was involved in temperance work. By 1902 the YMCA Dundas had rooms for meetings, games, reading, and exercise and in 1905 it moved into its own building, donated for the purpose by J.B. and J.L. Grafton. By this time the focus of the group had shifted from the religious to the more traditional role we see the YMCA in today. The letterhead of the time describes the goal of the group: "An association for mutual helpfulness, providing Dundas young men an attractive social resport, with wholesome surroundings, well equipped for their physical, intellectual, and spiritual development". It is not known whether these were two different groups or one group whose purpose had evolved. The YMCA Dundas had disbanded by 1913. However, after World War I, the Wentworth County organized a YMCA and Dundas became part of that group. It was closed for lack of funds and re-organized in 1925. Richard C. Sidenius was the first County Secretary. He retired in 1934.