The Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA), founded in London, England, was established on religious beliefs and provided opportunities for young men to make constructive use of their leisure time. The London, Upper Canada branch of the YMCA is presumed to have been founded in 1856 by William Bowman, a railway construction supervisor. The organization provided leisure activities including camps, fitness and education programming, and various social events, and would evolve over time to take on a growing religious role, even partaking in missionary work in Asia. The Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA) was founded in London, England in 1855. In1889, Miss Tilley, the daughter of the Lieutenant Governor of New Brunswick, inspired community members in London, Ontario to organize a Young Women’s Christian Temperance Union (YWCTU). The YWCA began as a branch within the YWCTU, but they developed into a separate organization. The YWCA provided social and religious services and activities to young women around London and the surrounding area. Ultimately, the YMCA and the YWCA amalgamated in 1951, becoming the Young Men’s and the Young Women’s Christian Association. It was officially incorporated in April 1953 by an Act of Ontario. The function of the organization remained largely the same as its predecessors, providing spiritual, physical, and mental support to the young men and women around the city. Today, the YM-YWCA, known simply as the YMCA or the ‘Y’, has the same function as it has had historically, as a multi-service charity that provides opportunities for personal growth in spirit, mind and body for people of all backgrounds, beliefs and abilities. They operate gymnasium facilities, child care centres, community programs, and camps for over 135,000 members across Southwestern Ontario area. Until c.2012 known as YMCA-YWCA of London and now part of YMCA of Southwestern Ontario.

The Women’s Auxiliary of Woodstock General Hospital was created in 1893 and headed by Mrs. H.J. Finkle, in order to raise money for hospital endeavors. Proceeds from a Ben Hur play at the Opera House was used to purchase a horse-drawn ambulance and in 1908, a Swastika Carnival raised money to build and equip the steam laundry. The following year, money was set aside for a nurses’ residence, which was built in 1914 after raising $20,000 for the building. In doing so, the Auxiliary sought to look after the welfare of student nurses and to encourage students by making their home “away from home” as attractive and comfortable as possible.

By the 1960s, new student nurses were welcomed each year with a wiener roast sponsored by the Women’s Auxiliary, which also provided a graduation tea and dance. In 1964, the auxiliary raised $2,000 towards the cost of a swimming pool at the nurses’ residence. The auxiliary also furnished the auditorium in the Ethel M. Finkle School of Nursing, bought a piano as well as other modern day appliances, and even provided a microscope for the nurses’ training course. An annual scholarship was also awarded for nurses to take postgraduate study. Such assistance was no longer required, when the school of nursing closed in 1974.

Over the years, the Auxiliary’s interests have expanded to cover the welfare of the patients as well. For long term patients, the auxiliary established a recreational therapy program and a special committee gave instruction in various crafts. In addition, the Auxiliary bought televisions and radios for the use of patients. The Auxiliary also once provided a Christmas gift for each patient every year. The hospital chapel paid for by the auxiliary in 1959, was also maintained by their funds as well as a quiet room for use by patients and their families.

In addition, since its inception Auxiliary has raised funds in order to purchase equipment for the Hospital. Such purchases included incubators for the prenatal ward, a pulmonary function equipment for the Intensive Care Unit, bed scales, and a whirlpool as well as wheelchairs, heart monitors, and cribs. In the 1930s, the group even purchased a meat slicer and sewing machine for use in the hospital.

Funds were raised for projects largely through the hospital gift shop. However, other fundraising events such as dances, calendar sales, a yearly Penny Sale held every June and a house-to-house canvassing event known as Rose Day were also held to help raise funds.

The organization also helped raise money for other worthy causes through events such as Daisy Tea, which raised money for cancer research, in partnership with the Canadian Cancer Society. During WWI, the Auxiliary furnished five beds for Shorncliffe Hospital in England.

Today, the Woodstock Hospital Foundation raises money to purchase new equipment and upgrade technology at the Woodstock Hospital.

Florence Mary Wilson (nee Reid) was born January 4, 1911 in Odessa, Ontario to her parents Stanley (1880-1957) and Elizabeth Reid (nee McFarland) (1877-1965). Florence grew up on a homestead in Odessa with her siblings Hazel (m. Denyes) (1905-1993), Vernon (1916-2003), and Harvey (1907-1987). Florence attended Fellows Public School, S.S. 12 and Odessa Continuation School in Ernestown Township before going on to teachers’ college at The Peterborough Normal School with the Class of 1930-1931. She taught briefly in Ernestown until marrying Meredith MacFaul Wilson, son of Thomas Wilson (1859-1943) and Margaret Blanche Wilson (1875-1962), on October 16, 1935. Together they lived in Enterprise, Ontario until Meredith’s death on June 9, 1959 at the age of fifty. Meredith’s death led Florence to return to teaching, working first as a supply teacher in Ernestown, and then as a teacher of students with mental and physical disabilities in the Kingston area from 1963 until 1971. Florence was an active community member within Emmanuel United Church, Odessa and as a volunteer with the Lennox and Addington Historical Society and Helen Henderson Care Centre in Amherstview. Florence was a hobbyist genealogist and great appreciator of history, devoting much of her time to studying her family’s history and that of Lennox and Addington County. Florence Wilson died February 28, 2005 in Kingston at the age of ninety-four, and is buried at Reidville Cemetery with her late husband Meredith.

Leonard George Westland owned and operated a hardware and paint store in London South on Wortley Road near Bruce St. in the first part of the 20th century. He was also an amateur photographer.

Western's Caucus on Women's Issues was formed in 1980 to promote and safeguard the interests of women at the University of Western Ontario and its affiliates. Its objectives are: (1) to cultivate a sense of community among women at the university, (2) to encourage the integration of findings from feminist research into curricula at UWO and its affiliates and (3) to promote a work environment that facilitates the full professional development of all women employed at UWO and its affiliates.
The Caucus held lecture series, sponsored a women's studies essay award and hosted a brown bag lunch series to foster discussion. The group also produced several documentaries about the experiences of women and minority groups in post-secondary institutions including Breaking the Trust (1986), The Chilly Climate (1991), Backlash to Change (1996) and Voices of Diversity (2008).
In addition to this, the Caucus mobilized its membership around issues of importance to women, forming committees to address particular issues and to ensure that women would have meaningful input into initiatives undertaken by the university. The Caucus gave recommendations on the university's sexual harassment policy and race relations policy, submitted proposals for affirmative action/ employment equity and gave input during the university's strategic planning process.
The Women's Studies Committee of the Caucus on Women's Issues raised awareness about courses focused on women and ensured that library holdings supported women's studies. The committee compiled the “Directory of Women's Studies Courses” which, in the absence of a formal women's studies program, identified courses which fell into the realm of women's studies - courses which previously had not been identified as such. In 1981, courses identified as “women's studies” were offered for the first time.
The Caucus actively promoted employment equity (previously known as affirmative action) at Western, submitting in 1982 a brief on the status of women that contained a proposal for affirmative action. In 1986 Western received the Ontario government's employment equity award and in response to this, Constance Backhouse released the report, “Women faculty at UWO: reflections on the employment equity award.” Constance Backhouse researched the history of women at Western extensively in writing this report and conducted additional research on women at Western for the U.W.O. law archives and in preparation for celebrations marking 100 years of women at Western.

Founded on March 7, 1878 by Bishop Isaac Hellmuth (1817–1901) ‘The Western University of London Ontario’ opened its doors to students for the first time in 1881. Four faculties were established (Arts, Divinity, Law and Medicine) at Western's inception.

In 1916, the current campus property was mainly purchased from the Kingsmill family, with construction beginning in 1922 and first classes held in summer of 1924. In 1923 the university was renamed The University of Western Ontario.

Since that first class graduated in 1883, the university has become a vibrant centre of learning. Through 12 faculties and three affiliated university colleges, Western today offers its 36,000-plus students more than 400 specializations, majors and minors.

The Western Fair Association began with the amalgamation of the East Middlesex Agricultural Society and the London District Horticultural and Agricultural Society in 1867. The first annual Western Fair was held the following year in September 1868 over two days. It eventually expanded into a ten-day event. It was originally created in part for farmers to sell their produce and their families to sell other wares, but has become a much larger autumn fair and agricultural exhibit with auto shows, harness racing, midway rides and more.
The Western Fair’s exhibits often appealed to what people were interested in each year. In 1883, night exhibitions with incandescent lightbulbs were held. In 1960, a fully-stocked bomb shelter drew large crowds. In the 1930s, due to demands made by the Women’s Christian Temperance Union, the fairgrounds went “dry” and prohibited the use or sale of alcohol. The agricultural and livestock portions of the fair, which had originally made up the majority of its offerings, eventually became minimized for more urban attractions that matched the urbanization of London itself. This included the development of musical acts and concerts and an expansion of the midway rides. It had a lot of community engagement and support, especially in the beginning. Children would sometimes be let out of school early, given a day off or taken on a field trip in order to attend the fair.
The Western Fair was originally held north of Victoria Park at a site on Richmond Street but moved to Queens Park by Dundas and Rectory Street in 1887. When the fair moved, they held a contest to design the main exhibition building. The winner was George Durand, whose design was known as the Crystal Palace because it was based off the Crystal Palace in London, England. The building burnt down in 1927 and was replaced with the Confederation Building. During the Second World War, the fairgrounds were used by the Department of Military Defense as barracks and training grounds, thus shutting down the Western Fair from 1939 to 1947. It resumed in 1948 but the fairgrounds had been extremely altered and many buildings and amenities had to be rebuilt or renovated.
The Western Fair Association has had a number of presidents over the years, including James Johnston and Lieutenant Colonel William Moir Gartshore. John Huse Saunders was president of the association for 22 years, from 1922 to 1944, and is credited with many accomplishments, including his work in developing the poultry department over his fifty year-long association with the Western Fair.
The Western Fair is an important cultural, historical and financial event for the City of London as it supports a number of merchants and businesses in London and its surrounding areas, as well as its citizens. Although it began as an annual event, the Western Fair has now become a corporate entity that hosts events year-round. In June 2011, the Western Fair Association was rebranded as the Western Fair District.

The Wawanosh family was a prominent family of the Chippewas of Sarnia, Kettle Point and Stoney reserves (now known as the Aamjiwnaang First Nation) with several of its members serving as hereditary chiefs in the 19th century and one member, William Wawanosh, serving as the first elected chief.
Joshua Wawanosh (ca. 1781-1871) served as Chief from 1827 - 1844, 1848 - 1853 and 1868 - 1870. In 1827, he and several other Chiefs signed Treaty 29. He converted to Christianity when the Methodist missionary Rev. James Evans visited the district. Joshua Wawanosh and his wife Eliza had one daughter named Elizabeth and four sons - David, Joseph, Thomas and William - all of whom succeeded Joshua as chiefs. David, Joseph and Thomas all died of tuberculosis and in the cases of Joseph and Thomas, this meant their time as Chief was short lived.
David Wawanosh (d. 1867), Joshua's eldest son, served as the chief from 1853 until 1867. He and his wife Elizabeth had six children - Julia, Francis, Agnes, Florence, Minnie and David D. After David died of tuberculosis, his father again took on the role of chief.
William Wawanosh (ca. 1845-1907) was appointed Indian Interpreter in 1870 and served as chief from 1874-1877 and again in 1899-1901. He married Mary Helen Waldron, the daughter of a missionary and they had three children - Charles (known as Chas for short), Augusta and Edward. William changed his name from Wawanosh to Wells and this is the name that he passed down to his children. His son Charles became a clergyman and founded the Wells Academy in London, Ontario.
Agnes Effie Sands Mern (1875-1966) was the only daughter of Julia Wawanosh Sands, (daughter of David Wawanosh) and Daniel Sands. She received musical and vocal training from Sarnia teachers at Our Lady of Mercy Vincent in Port Huron, Michigan; from Profs William A. Harvey and George D. MacComb in Detroit and Prof A. Straub of the Detroit Opera House. She wrote song lyrics, poetry and stories and organized and participated in a variety of cultural events, including concerts of music by well know First Nations musicians including Oskenonton and David Russell Hill and His Onondaga Indian Concert Band. Along with the Indian Confederation of America, Agnes assembled a group of Native Americans to march in the Brooklyn Centennial parade. Throughout her life, Agnes was an active member of the church community, singing in the choir and teaching at the Devine St. Methodist Sunday School. She and her mother also ran a dress making business.
In 1933, Agnes married John Phillips Mern, a retired sailor from the US Navy. John had a son from a previous marriage but the couple did not have any children of their own. They lived in Marcy, New York as well as in the Wawanosh family homestead in Sarnia and travelled throughout Ontario and New York State. From 1936 to 1937 they briefly ran a convenience store in Sarnia called the Wawanosh Post where they sold gasoline and groceries. Agnes Sands Mern died in 1966 in Sarnia.
For additional information about the family, please consult the Wawanosh family tree, which is attached as an appendix

The Vidal family descends from Spanish and French origins. The family settled in London England in 1685. Emeric Vidal, a British Royal Navy Captain, lived from 1751-1811 and resided in Bracknell, Berkshire England for the entirety of his life. He married in 1783 to Jane Essex and they had 4 children together named Emma Vidal (1783-1844), Captain Richard Emeric Vidal (1789-1854), Emeric Essex Vidal (1791-1861) and Vice-Admiral Alexander Thomas Emeric Vidal (1792-1863). Like their father, all three brothers entered the Royal Navy and became officers in active service. Captain Richard Emeric Vidal was a Naval Officer who voyaged around the world and kept detailed and thorough diaries throughout his years at sea. After retiring from the navy in the 1830’s, he emigrated from Bracknell, England to Sarnia, Ontario (then called ‘Les Chutes’ or ‘The Rapids’) in 1834. With him he brought his wife, Charlotte Penrose Mitton (1789-1873) and four children, including son Alexander Vidal (1819-1906). However, there was a fifth child who died before the family immigrated. They had one more child after moving to Canada. Captain Richard Emeric Vidal was among the first pioneers of Sarnia and was active in changing the name of the town from The Rapids to Port Sarnia. Alexander Vidal was 15 when he moved to Sarnia with his father Richard Emeric Vidal and family. He went on to be an important figurehead in the Sarnia community, having experience being a surveyor, a banker, and a politician. Alexander Vidal eventually became a conservative member of the Senate of Canada for the Sarnia division from 1873-1906. He married Catherine Wright (daughter of Captain William Wright) and they had seven children together. One of those was Charlotte Vidal Nisbet (1855-1948), or ‘Chattie’ as her friends and relatives often called her, who would become a local Sarnia historian and author. Her husband, Thomas Nisbet was the originator of the Boy’s Brigade in Sarnia. Charlotte Nisbet provided weekly contributions to "The Sarnia Canadian Observer" starting in 1935. Her columns were based on daily happenings for the corresponding days one hundred years before which she extracted from her grandfather’s and other family member’s diaries and letters.

The Board of Governors of Western University was established in 1908 with full authority to govern and manage the affairs of the University, except for those purely academic matters assigned to the Senate. The Board's mandate was to manage the property, finances, and business affairs of the University.

In 1880, Robinson left and Tracy and Durand worked as partners. This partnership lasted until Tracy became city engineer.

The Toronto Ornithological Club (TOC) was established by Toronto area birders in order to facilitate cooperation and communication concerning ornithological studies within the Toronto area and between Toronto and other ornithological centres. The club maintained records of bird sightings each year in Toronto and adjoining areas until 2011. Present records by members are now submitted to E-Bird. Meetings generally include a short paper on an ornithological topic by one of the members or a guest speaker.

The formation of the TOC was first proposed in the fall of 1933 by Jim Baillie, Ott Devitt, Stu Downing, Bill Emery, Hubert Richardson, and R. Art Smith, who met to discuss the purpose of such a club, its proposed constitution, and to draw up a list of possible members. The first meeting was held on January 5, 1934; in addition to the founders, the meeting was attended by Albert Allin, Ed Deacon, John Edmonds, J.H. Fleming, Paul Harrington, Cliff Hope, Bob Lindsay, Thomas McIlwraith, Ross Rutter, Terry Shortt, Lester Snyder, Herb Southam, Murray Speirs, and Stuart Thompson. The charter members immediately voted to make J.H. Fleming an honorary member.

The TOC was managed by an Executive Council, with the secretary-treasurer responsible for collecting membership dues, paying bills, attending to correspondence, reading the roll-call at meetings, and appointing a chairman for each meeting. Women were not permitted as members until 1980, when Phyllis E. Mackay joined the Club. The TOC did not have a president until Hugh Currie’s appointment in 1991. It was at this time that Currie rewrote the by-laws creating and defining the post, as well as setting out the roles for the rest of the executive. Currie served until January 2000. He was followed by Marcel Gabhauer (2000-2002), Don Burton (2002-2005), Bob
Carswell (2005-September 2007), Margaret Kelch (acting President, 2007-2008), Kevin Seymour (2008-2013), Anne-Marie Leger (2014-2016), John Nishikawa (2016-2019), Justin Peter (2019-2020), and Emily Rondel (2020-present).

The Toronto Ornithological Club was incorporated by Ontario letters of patent of incorporation on November 23, 1987 and holds Ontario Corporation Number 741676. The original letters patent were amended by supplementary letters patent dated July 28, 2004, giving the organization charitable status so that it could receive donations and issue tax receipts to donors.

In 1934, the TOC ran its first ‘Fall Field Day’, during which the members went birding in different areas of York County. By 1944, the Fall Field Day was being held in the Durham region. The Field Day traditionally ended with a social gathering; from 1944-1979, the ‘round-up’ was held at Alf Bunker’s home in Ajax.

In 1958, the TOC took over the management of the Christmas Bird Count (CBC) from the Brodie Club. The purpose of the CBC was to count as many birds as possible within a 30-mile radius of the Royal Ontario Museum. In 1989, the area was reduced to 7.5 miles, centred on the ROM.

The first Reporting Guidelines were issued by the Bird Records Committee in 1989-1990, establishing the format for sending in monthly bird sightings to the editor of the Newsletter. Early attempts to start a TOC journal had been unsuccessful, but in 1990 the first TOC newsletter was issued, with George Fairfield as editor. It published the monthly bird records as well as other articles.

The first Bird Checklist for the GTA to be published by the TOC was issued in 1996. In 2000, the checklist and reporting guidelines for bird sightings were updated by Glenn Coady & Roy Smith, and published as the Greater Toronto Area Checklist and Reporting Guidelines.

A short-lived journal, Toronto Birds, was produced by the Bird Records Committee from January 2007-February 2011, and incorporated the ‘Greater Toronto Area Bird Report’ that had formerly been included in the Newsletter. The journal also included more scientific articles on bird sightings and populations.

The TOC held its 700th meeting in November 2002, and on January 5, 2009, celebrated its 75th
anniversary.

The TOC Historical Membership List, 1934-2008, compiled by Joan Winearls and Barbara Kalthoff, was issued in electronic form for that anniversary.

The 800th meeting of the Club was celebrated on November 12, 2012

William Elgin Swinton was born on September 30, 1900, in Kirkcaldy, Scotland to William Wilson Swinton and Rachel Cargill. He had one younger sister, Mary Swinton. He received his early education in Dundee, Scotland and graduated in 1922 from the University of Glasgow with a BSc. Swinton began his career in 1922 as an assistant in the geology department at the British Museum and was later appointed as a paleontologist and curator of fossil amphibians, reptiles and birds. During his career at the British Museum, Swinton gained an international reputation as an authority on dinosaurs and had many publications on the topic, including The Dinosaurs (1934).

In 1961 Swinton left Britain to become Head of the Life Sciences Division at the Royal Ontario Museum, combined with a post of professor of zoology in the Departments of Zoology and Geological Science at the University of Toronto. On July 1, 1963, Swinton was appointed Director of the ROM. After three years, Swinton was required to retire from his post due to a new University regulation that fixed retirement for administrators at the age of 65.

Upon leaving the ROM, Swinton resumed his scholarly activities as a professor at Massey College, University of Toronto. His last appointment was as a professor at Queen’s University in Kingston until 1979.

Swinton died in Toronto, Ontario in 1994, at 93 years old.

William Atcheson Stewart was born on a farm near Denfield, Ontario on February 26, 1915 to parents George A. Stewart and Frances Langford. He was educated at a local public school and attended Lucan high school during his teenage years. Stewart dropped out of high school in Grade 10 to pursue work on his family’s farm. Through his continued farm work, Stewart developed a fascination and passion for agricultural work.
William Stewart married Edythe M. Jones of Granton in 1940. They had four daughters, Marilyn Jenken, Norma Brock, Barbara Shipley, and Gay Slinger. Stewart was an active member of the agricultural community and headed several special committees on agricultural affairs. In 1957 William Stewart was elected MPP for Middlesex North for the Progressive Conservative (P.C.) Party in a by-election. He was re-elected in general elections in 1959, 1963, 1967, and 1971. In 1960, Stewart turned down a position as Minster of Transportation and entered as a Minister without Portfolio later that same year. In 1961 Stewart took on the position of Minister of Agriculture, and later Minister of Agriculture and Food, which he held until his retirement in 1975. Stewart retired as the longest serving Agricultural Minister in Canada.
During his time in office, William Atcheson Stewart was responsible implementing many important acts to further the agricultural sector in Ontario. These pieces of legislation include The Animals for Research Act 1968-1969, Beef Cattle Marketing Act 1968, an Act to Provide for Inspection of Meat for Human Consumption 1962-1963, and An Act respecting Ontario Agricultural College, Ontario Veterinary College and Macdonald Institute 1961-1962, to list a few.
Although Stewart was forced to retire from politics due to heart conditions, he remained active in the agricultural community in an advisory capacity and joined many major companies as a board member, including Ontario Hydro.
Stewart remained a longtime friend of the Ontario Agricultural College (OAC), a part of Guelph University. He was granted an LLD from the OAC in 1976, his first university degree. He also conferred an Honorary Doctor of Laws Degree from the University of Western Ontario in 1978. Stewart maintained close ties to the University of Guelph, eventually serving as Chancellor from 1983-1989. Stewart was also the first recipient of the Centennial Medal from the OAC at the University of Guelph during their centennial celebrations in 1974.
With encouragement of his family, Stewart wrote an autobiography of his life, “Rural Roots and Beyond,” outlining his childhood, political career and his retirement. The book was published in 1990, shortly before his death.
William Atcheson Stewart died of a heart attack at Victoria Hospital on December 8, 1990 at the age of 75. Stewart was inducted into the Canadian Agricultural Hall of Fame in 1988 and inducted into the Ontario Agricultural Hall of Fame in 1992.

In 1854, there was a cholera and typhus outbreak within the city of Hamilton. At the same time, many immigrants were crossing the Atlantic Ocean looking for a better life in the New World. Often ships were overcrowded, which led to the spreading of disease. Newcomers often did not have large support networks, like family and neighbours, upon their arrival. This made life even more difficult if the family was dealing with illness or the death of a loved one. Factors like these resulted in Hamilton having a large orphan population. The Sisters of St. Joseph established St. Mary’s Orphanage in 1852 in response to the rising concern for orphaned children within the city.

Initially, the Sisters cared for two orphaned girls in their first convent on MacNab and Cannon Streets. In 1857, an orphan girls’ quarters was located in the Sisters’ second convent at 204 Park Street. The girls lived in the Carmel Wing located under the novitiate. Additions to the property were made on various occasions to meet the needs of the increasing number of children. Both boys and girls resided on the property, although they were housed separately. In 1880, the boys were then moved to a wing in the House of Providence, which was a facility to care for the aged. The building had been donated by Reverend John McNulty. In 1900, the House of Providence burned down which meant that the boys had to move again, this time going into individual homes for care until a new building was opened on the convent property in 1909. In 1910, Mount Carmel Infants’ Home was built on Hamilton Mountain. Young, “delicate” children were cared for in this facility until 1926. In 1936, the girls of St. Mary’s Orphanage were moved from the Park Street convent to the newly built Mount St. Joseph Orphanage at 354 King Street West, a diocesan property. This became known as the Mount St. Joseph Girls’ Division of St. Mary’s Orphanage. The boys later joined the girls at Mount St. Joseph in 1951. This was the first time that the orphanage was co-ed. Mount St. Joseph was administered by St. Mary’s Orphanage.

In 1960, Mount St. Joseph Orphanage became Mount St. Joseph Centre, a school for emotionally disturbed boys. This Centre remained open until 1978.

The Sisters worked tirelessly to provide for the orphaned children. They also fostered children, whose parents paid for their room and board. One of the main ways that the Sisters funded the orphanage was through the annual Orphans’ Festival. This Festival not only helped raise funds for the orphans, but also instilled them with musical and theatrical talents. The festivals were heavily attended by the local community. The Sisters also went to surrounding rural communities to ask for donations and food for the orphanage.

The Sisters of St. Joseph built St. Mary’s Hospital at 200 Grosvenor Street in 1951. It received its first 35 patients on April 3, 1951 from the House of Providence. It was created to serve the special medical and nursing needs of the chronically ill. The Sisters assigned to St. Mary’s Hospital in 1951 were: Sr. Patrick Joseph as Superior; Sr. Leonora Doyle as Superintendent of the Hospital; Sisters: Irene Redmond, Austin Gurvine, Christina Dewan, Alberta Kenny, Lutgarde Stock, Bernandine Boyle, St. Matthew McMurray, Gervase Martin, Roseanne Sheehan, Ludmille (Isabel) Girard, Carmela Reedy, Justina Mahoney, Vincent de Paul Cronin, Genevieve Anne Cloutier, Dolores Sullivan. Its physiotherapy department was especially well-known for its efficiency, modern equipment, and well trained staff.

Many patients at St. Mary’s were there for long-term care and were encouraged to make the hospital their home. Some of the programs that facilitated this were the Patients’ Council, a patient newspaper called Between Friends, and fund-raising events for charities and the hospital. The hospital’s budget was often strained. In 1959, the Ontario Hospital Commission Insurance was created which provided welcome financial relief for many hospitals, including St. Mary’s. It was difficult for administrative and medical staff to adjust with extra patient evaluations and paperwork required to qualify for insurance.

In 1960, the hospital re-organized its staff in preparation for the Canadian Council Accreditation Survey which the hospital passed. The hospital maintained its accreditation over the years despite inadequate facilities which were addressed in 1979-1981 with a large building project. The old laundry and what remained of the Mount Hope Chapel were demolished to make way for a new chapel, laundry, and kitchen which connected the hospital with the neighbouring Marian Villa. In 1979, the Pastoral Department was created at the hospital. A Sister or priest worked part-time to co-ordinate the Sisters who volunteered for pastoral visits to patients.

In 1985, St. Mary’s Hospital merged with St.Joseph’s Hospital and Marian Villa to become St. Joseph’s Health Centre. In 1986, rehabilitation services were added at St. Mary’s Hospital for acute injuries, amputees, neurological, orthopaedic, and chronic pain. In 1997, it became part of the Mount Hope Centre for Long Term Care.

The Sisters of St. Joseph have a long history of music instruction. The St. Joseph’s School of Music traces its beginnings back to 1914, when the Sisters of St. Joseph first took up residence at Sacred Heart Convent in London, Ontario, and began formal music instruction, due to the initiative taken by Sister Ursula McGuire and Sister Patricia Mallon. The school was quite successful and soon after its opening, Sister Patricia Mallon was recalled from Goderich to lead the school. The school's earliest known music recital took place in 1919; however, it wasn't until the early 1920s that the school was established as the Sacred Heart School of Music. The music ministry has an even longer history, though, as individual Sisters were offering music lessons in small mission houses and schools throughout Ontario as early as 1867.

In the early days of the Sisters’ music ministry and the Sacred Heart School of Music, music studios were established in a number of schools within the London Separate School Board, and Sisters would visit the schools once or twice a week to teach. These schools included St. Michael, St. Martin, Holy Cross, Holy Rosary, Blessed Sacrament and St. Peter’s Catholic Schools. By 1929, the music ministry had 27 music teachers, and the Sisters offered music instruction in Windsor, Belle River, Leamington, Goderich, St. Mary’s, Ingersoll, Woodstock and St. Thomas in Ontario, as well as in Edmonton, Alberta. That year, Sister Callistus Arnsby was appointed Community Music Supervisor and Principal of the Sacred Heart School of Music. She was responsible for creating uniformity in policies and structure throughout the schools, and for helping the Sisters to grow professionally.

The Sacred Heart School of Music’s instructors studied and were trained themselves at the London Conservatory of Music (1892-1922), which later became the Western Ontario Conservatory of Music (1934-1997). Some of the Sisters also received special instruction in violin and piano teaching from a well-known musician of the time, Mr. St. John Hyttenruck.

The Sisters originally taught a program of studies based on the examination requirements of the Toronto Conservatory of Music (now the Royal Conservatory of Music). Students could take annual examinations, with examiners from the conservatory coming to the school for the exams. However, when the Western Ontario Conservatory of Music was established in London in 1934, the Sacred Heart School of Music began following its courses and requirements instead.

As the years went on, the Sacred Heart School of Music continued to grow. School policies were instituted, student recitals took place regularly, scholarships and awards were established, and bi-annual report cards were issued to students. There was even a music library. In the 1940s, the Sacred Heart Concert Orchestra was formed by Sister Immaculata Brophy. Originally a string ensemble, the orchestra eventually expanded to include wind, bass and percussion instruments. The Sacred Heart Concert Orchestra played frequently at important civic and religious events and gave annual concerts in London and other nearby cities until the late 1940s when it disbanded.

When the new Mount St. Joseph Motherhouse opened in 1954, the music school was relocated there, and its name was changed to the St. Joseph School of Music. The new St. Joseph School of Music contained larger, modern facilities, including St. Cecilia’s Recital Hall and adjoining music studios for teaching and practice. However, some of the school’s original studios were still retained, such as the studio at 429 Colborne St., a small house across the street from the Sacred Heart Convent, which continued to be used for teaching until 1973.

In addition to piano and violin instruction, the Sisters also offered vocal instruction. In fact, Sister Mary Margaret Childs organized several choirs over the years, including a senior girls’ choir called the School of Christ Choristers and a junior choir called the Little Radio Choir. In 1963, she formed a choir of her own senior vocal students called the St. Cecilia Singers who sang a repertoire of sacred songs, folk songs, popular songs, plain chant, and carols. The St. Cecilia Singers made quite a name for themselves, touring throughout Canada and the United States and winning many awards at Rotary and Kiwanis Music Festivals. The choir is still in existence today as part of the Don Wright Faculty of Music at Western University. By 1972, the St. Joseph’s School of Music had an enrolment of approximately 400 students, and lessons were offered in piano, violin, singing, and music theory. At this point the school had 30 teachers, seven of whom were Sisters.

In September 1982, the St. Joseph's School of Music was amalgamated with the Western Ontario Conservatory of Music on the University of Western Ontario campus. The St. Joseph's School of Music programs continued, its teachers were invited to join the conservatory staff, and its students were able to continue with their same teachers. By 1993, only three Sisters remained teaching at the conservatory. Shortly thereafter, the three Sisters began teaching independently again, offering independent instruction at the Mount St. Joseph Motherhouse. In 2014, Sister Caroline Bering was the sole Sister still offering music instruction, with one student under her tuition.

The St. Joseph’s Hospital School of Nursing in Chatham dates back to 1901 when it was discovered that secular nurses would be needed to help out the Sisters of the Congregation in the hospitals. Doctors gave the lectures at the school. From 1903 onward, graduates could be given diplomas. Sister Monica Coyle became Directress of the School. The Alumnae Association of St. Joseph’s Hospital, which started in 1915, raised funds for the school. The last graduating class from the school was in 1970. After the closure of the nursing school, training was delivered by St. Clair College, and nurses did their practical training at both Chatham hospitals (St. Joseph's Hospital and Public General Hospital).

St. Joseph’s Hospital in Sarnia, Ontario, was born during the leadership term of Mother Constance Dunn. Sisters were invited by Mayor Hipple’s Sarnia City Council to set up a hospital in October 1942 but had to appeal to the federal government to release essential building materials so that the cornerstone was not laid until April 21, 1944. The new hospital was located at 290 North Russell Street.

The shortage of labour and materials meant that building progress was slow, but even though the hospital was not completed, one floor was opened on March 1, 1946, to meet the acute need for hospital beds. When the formal opening took place on October 18, 1946, The Honourable George A. Drew, Premier of Ontario cut the ribbon. Bishops J.T. Kidd and J.C. Cody (Coadjutor, Bishop), and priests from London and Detroit were present. Officials from other hospitals were also present. It was one of the first complete hospitals built after WW II. The million-dollar hospital with 150 beds and 30 bassinettes was funded completely by the Sisters along with a $10,000 grant from the City of Sarnia and the offer of freedom from municipal taxation. Unfortunately, the grant did not materialize due to technicalities of municipal law and council changes. Later, Mayor W. C. Nelson personally assumed and discharged that debt. Once the hospital opened, the units were filled with both Canadian and American patients from Port Huron and the state of Michigan.

There were 26 resident Sisters, who carried out active nursing roles and administrative duties, notably Sister Pascal Kenny who served as the first Administrator of the hospital. She had previous experience working in operating rooms and administration and was a member of the American College of Hospital Administrators and of the Board of Governors of the Ontario Hospital Association. In the early days, nursing, technical, and domestic staff were difficult to find. Many of the staff were mothers of families who could only work occasionally. Students from St. Joseph’s Training School of Nursing in London helped fill the nursing rota and were hired permanently after graduation. Because of the nursing shortage, innovations were made such as the central distribution of medicines and central surgical supply rooms.

By September 1948, St. Joseph’s Hospital was better able to provide for patients. A detoxification centre was opened, and many alcoholics were treated at the hospital. A clinic for cancer patients was also held regularly at the hospital, overseen by a team from the London Cancer Clinic, who did follow-up checks and therapy. The Auxiliary Radiotherapy and Follow-up Cancer Clinic, the first of its kind in Ontario, was opened in conjunction with the Cancer Treatment and Research Foundation.

On August 23, 1954, a statue of Our Lady of Fatima, donated by Dr. Carpeneto was installed in the grounds. In November 1954, a movie star, Pat O’Brien, was a patient, causing quite a stir among the staff. He liked the hospital very much. In the early days, there was a tennis court donated by staff and during the winter it was flooded for skating.

Due to the demands on hospital care with the burgeoning population of Sarnia, a seven-story, two-million-dollar addition was built in 1959, with the help of two government grants and a capital expense campaign by the people of Sarnia. The new wing added 150 beds and an expanded radiology department with the latest diagnostic equipment, and an enlarged laboratory. By this time, the number of Sisters on staff was 13.

In 1960, a 45-bed paediatric wing was added. The late 1960’s saw the establishment of an employee health program, the addition of a Social Service Department, and in 1969, a diagnostic radioisotope service. This time period also saw the establishment of District Health Councils. In 1966, 27,377 patients used the hospital, 857 babies were born, and there were 649 hospital employees, and 129 medical-dental staff. Over that year and the following year, the laboratory was renovated, and an intensive care unit opened.

In the 1970s, the hospital needed to update its facilities to meet accreditation standards, as well as to comply with the Sisters’ own standards of care. Because government funding was decreased, Sisters needed to do more independent fundraising. This decade also saw the Ministry of Health deciding to amalgamate hospitals and rationalize services in Lambton County. This became a political issue which meant many hours were spent on discussions with the District Health Council, the Mustard Report, and other tasks. St. Joseph’s Hospital also became embroiled in a confrontation with the Ministry of Health on contentious issues regarding health services, which conflicted with the Catholic faith.

Over this decade, renovations were conducted with an isotope department added, cafeteria improvements, and renovations to the nursery and obstetrics unit. When the pediatrics unit was transferred to Sarnia General Hospital in April 1976, the children’s wing closed and only obstetrics remained. From 1966-1986, 196,857 patients were treated.

Sister St. Elizabeth Wilkinson, Sister St. Paul Dietrich, Sister Georgina Ashwell, Sister Mary Elizabeth Campbell, and Sister Rita Heenan, also served as Administrators over these decades. From 1979 onwards, diminishing numbers of Sisters able to take on the responsibilities of hospital management led to the hiring of qualified laypersons, beginning with Frank Bagatto as the Executive Director in June 1979.

In the 1980s, quality assurance became a major focus, and new services such as the chiropody were added. There were further renovations and improvements, including to the intensive care unit, and the addition of the new Chronic Care Facility. The Sisters’ quarters were vacated, and social service and respiratory technology relocated in this area. An outpatient surgery unit was added, and improvements were made to the heating system, cafeteria, elevators, and nurse-call system. Some of these renovations were fully or partially funded by the Ministry of Health.

By 1982, there were only seven Sisters left on staff, with four in pastoral care. The last Sisters’ quarters were converted to use as an auditorium and health science library in 1983, with Sisters moving to a house at 430 London Road. During this year, palliative care was added. In November 1983, with the assistance of the Lambton District Health Council, a memorandum of understanding was signed by Sarnia General and St. Joseph’s Hospitals. Under this agreement, St. Joseph’s Hospital took over the family oriented acute care field with responsibility for chronically ill patients.

Further changes took place throughout the 1980s including the opening of an ambulatory care unit. Monies from community fundraising efforts as well as the Ministry of Health were secured for the building of a $21 million free standing hospital connected to the old hospital on two levels. This took place in three stages beginning with parking lots, demolition of apartment buildings on Norman Street, and construction of the main buildings. A sod turning ceremony was held on August 24, 1987. However, the hospital faced problems such as budgetary restraints placed on Ontario hospitals and a $1 million deficit, and without provincial help, cuts had to be made to services, particularly to part-time staff.

St. Joseph’s Hospital was officially re-opened as St. Joseph’s Health Centre on October 12, 1990, with facilities for rehabilitation, and continuing and palliative care. This was the amalgamation of St. Joseph’s Hospital, the Continuing Care Centre (formerly the Chronic Care Facility), Sarnia-Lambton Workers’ Treatment Centre, and a Day Hospital. The name change reflects a concomitant change in service provision and governance. St. Joseph’s Health Centre no longer served exclusively as an in-patient treatment centre for the critically ill. It also provided long-term care beds and outpatient treatment. Chief Maness of the local Anishinaabe community spoke at the opening. Patients were transferred to continuing care, mostly from Sarnia General Hospital, but also from acute care beds, homes, and outside agencies for a total of 142 patients by the end of 1990. The hospital that opened its main doors on Russell Street now opened its doors on Norman Street.

In August 1991, the entire hospital site was acquired from the Sisters by St. Joseph’s Health Services Association of Sarnia, Inc. In January 1995, the Sisters donated their residence at 430 London Road to St. Joseph Health Centre to be used as a hospice. Funding for its operation came from daily fees, donations, and St. Joseph’s Health Centre.

There was pressure from the Ministry of Health to rationalize services, which led to changes in service delivery such as moving neurology to Sarnia General Hospital and urology to St. Joseph’s Hospital. In 1995, a study, “Lambton’s Healthy Future” was undertaken by the Lambton District Health Council, the two Sarnia hospitals, and the Charlotte Eleanor Englehart Hospital in Petrolia which set the stage for changes in hospital care. In 1997, St. Joseph’s Hospital acute care services began being transferred to Sarnia General Hospital, and St. Joseph’s Hospital became the provider of support services such as Food Services, Housekeeping, Human Resources, and Materials Management. The emergency department at St. Joseph’s Hospital closed in June 1997.

On January 29, 1998, St. Joseph’s Health Centre joined in partnership with the Charlotte Eleanor Englehart Hospital and the Sarnia General Hospital by signing the Strategic Alliance Agreement. In April 2003, ownership of St. Joseph’s Health Centre was given to the Lambton County Hospital Group.

In 1890 a meeting was held between Reverend Paul O.F.M of St. Joseph’s Parish Chatham, Reverend Mother Ignatia Campbell, and Mother Aloysia Nigh, along with some of the prominent doctors of Chatham. They decided that the community was in need of a hospital and the sisters agreed to run it. A boarding house, formerly the Salvation Army Barracks, was leased until funds could be secured for a new hospital to be built. The hospital was officially opened in its temporary quarters on October 15, 1890 with Mother Aloysia as its head, assisted by Sisters Francis and Martha. Construction began at the hospital’s long-time site of 519 King Street West on the Thames River with the laying of the cornerstone in 1891. Construction was completed in 1892. Over the years, wings were added onto the hospital to accommodate the growing community of Chatham and, therefore, the growing demand for hospital services.

In 1972, the amalgamation of services occurred between St. Joseph’s Hospital and Public General Hospital as ordered by the Ministry of Health for financial reasons. Legislative changes, increasing government control, and the decline of Sisters in the health care field led to the gradual withdrawal of the Sisters from the hospital. The last year that a sister was a hospital administrator was in 1984. In 1992, the Sisters withdrew from residence at the hospital, and in 1993 the ownership of the hospital was changed over to the St. Joseph’s Health Care Society. The hospital is now Riverview Gardens, a long-term care facility.