Month: May 2014

In Memory of Annie Gray

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Annie Gray, a resident of Sturgeon Point for 87 years, passed away this Saturday.  Service will be today in Fenelon Falls.

Obituary for Annie Gray

GRAY, Annie Margaret “Anne”:

Passed away at Ross Memorial Hospital in Lindsay on Saturday May 24, 2014. Annie Gray in her 92nd year was a long time resident (87 years) of Sturgeon Point, Ontario and resident (4 years) of Fenelon Court Long Term Care, Fenelon Falls, Ontario. Dear sister of Bill and his wife Helen Gray of Peterborough. Aunt of Charlie Stewart and David & Sandi Stewart both of Fenelon Falls, Lori & David McMaster, Bob & Kathy Gray of Peterborough. Great aunt of Mitchell, James and Thomas Gray of Peterborough and Jackie McMaster of Brampton. Predeceased by her parents Captain Charles & Minnie Gray, sisters Gladys Gray, and Minnie Stewart, her brother Charles Gray and brother-in-law Douglas Stewart. The family of Annie Gray will receive friends at JARDINE FUNERAL HOME, CREMATION & TRIBUTE CENTRE, 8 Princes’ Street West, Fenelon Falls on Tuesday evening from 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. and on Wednesday May 28, 2014 from 12:30 p.m. until time of complete funeral service in the chapel at 1:30 p.m. Interment later at Fenelon Falls Cemetery. Memorial donations to St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, Fenelon Falls or the charity of your choice would be appreciated by the family. On line condolences, memorial donations or to light a memorial candle please visit www.jardinefuneralhome.com

Forgotten Regattas at Sturgeon Point

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This article appeared in this week’s issue of “The Fenelon Falls Town Crier”  and on Fenelon Falls website.

http://us4.campaign-archive2.com/?u=96e2c04ec7f8cdb50494afa8c&id=58f263eb08

http://www.fenelonfalls.info/WP/regattas-at-sturgeon-point/

Regattas at Sturgeon Point (May 2014)

Fenelon Falls, Kawartha Lakes, Sturgeon Point

Regatta spectators and participants gather around Joseph Brown’s Boathouse located between 4th & 5th Street,  Sturgeon Point Circa 1908 – Source- Vintage Peterborough, Lindsay and Kawarthas

Article Source: THE STORY OF FORGOTTEN REGATTAS AT STURGEON POINT, by Watson Kirkconnell, M.A.

From the earliest times the hardwood groves at Sturgeon Point were a favorite rendezvous for picnics and excursions. The first regatta here was held in 1841, eighty years ago.

All pleasure on that occasion was marred by the drowning of a Mr. Wetherup, who upset from his canoe while in the act of taking off his coat. He was a powerful swimmer, but with his arms thus pinioned behind him he was lost at once.

Thirty-five years later, Captain George Crandell, of Lindsay, the chief promoter of navigation on local waters, realized the possibilities of Sturgeon Point as a summer village and spent some $25,000 in developing it towards that end. In 1876 he built a large summer hotel, the management of which was undertaken by W. H. Simpson. Crandell also purchased an extensive tract adjacent to the hotel and plotted out lots for summer cottages. These were quickly bought up and built upon: and thus began the summer colony at the Point.

The first regatta under the auspices of cottagers was held on September 18, 1878. The event of the day was a double canoe race in which two Rama Reserve Ojibwas named Yellowhead won by a narrow margin from Whetong and Toboco, two Mississagas from the Chemong Reserve. The winners paddled a birch bark canoe at seventy strokes to the minute. There were several white entrants in this open race, but all were left hopelessly behind by the two Indian crews.

About this time a black bear was found roaming about near the hotel and was disposed of by excited huntsmen. The hotel was destroyed by fire in 1893, but the village about it had continued to flourish. It is a somewhat effete existence that these large community summer resorts offer to anyone possessed of youth and vigor: but they are a true paradise for little children and a healthful week-end refuge for urban workers who have no vacation in which to sally by canoe into the magnificent wildernesses of North Victoria and Haliburton.

To learn more about the history and happening at Sturgeon Point visit www.sturgeonpoint.com/

Looking for paintings done by past Sturgeon Pointer

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The Olde Gaol Museum in Lindsay is going to be doing a display on the life and work of W. A. Goodwin this summer.  W. A. Goodwin is the great-gradfather of Jane Goodwin / Dana Still from 3rd Street.

The family is inquiring if any Sturgeon Pointers may have any of his paintings hanging on their walls.  According to family lore, W. A. Goodwin gave his paintings as gifts to many locals.

Most of his paintings we have seen are wilderness and nature pieces of various locations around the Kawarthas with many being of Sturgeon Point itself.  He signed his work simply WAG.  Sometimes he might paint his signature in so as to make it seem part of the scene or sometimes it would simply be painted in the lower right corner.  He also made his own frames and they were often fairly ornate.

If anyone does have a painting, please contact Dana Still at stilldana (at) gmail (dot) com.  It would be a lovely surprise to find some unknown Goodwin paintings.

Here is an example of Goodwin’s work.  It is quite small – just a bit bigger than a post card.

Dana Still of 19 3rd Street typing. The Olde Gaol Museum in Lindsay got in touch with us about a month ago asking if Jane was the great-granddaughter of W. A. Goodwin, who built the cottage on 3rd Street. It turns out they had come across some old paintings in their building that had been painted by him. They did some research and what they learned has prompted them to begin preparing a display on the life and work of W. A. Goodwin this summer. We will be shipping paintings to them from our home on the west coast and bringing other things with us when we come for the summer in mid-June. Why I'm writing here is to ask if anyone among the original Sturgeon Point families ( or anyone else for that matter) have any paintings that might have been given as gifts by W. A. Goodwin. According to family lore that is apparently what he did with his paintings. Most of his paintings we have seen are wilderness and nature pieces of various locations around the Kawarthas with many being of Sturgeon Point itself. He signed his work simply WAG. Sometimes he might paint that in so as to make it seem part of the scene and sometimes it would simply be painted in the lower right corner. He also made his own frames and they are often fairly ornate. If there do happen to any, and I recognize that after 130 some odd years it's unlikely, please do get in touch with me at stilldana at g mail dot com. It would be a lovely surprise to add some heretofore unknown Goodwin paintings to the show. </p> <p>Here's an example of the kind of thing he painted. This is quite small - just a bit bigger than a post card. Thankyou for any help you may have to offer.

Passing of another long time Sturgeon Pointer

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Arnold Agnew, a long time Sturgeon Pointer, passed away on May 7th.

A memorial service will be held at 3 p.m. on Monday, May 12th at Morley Bedford Funeral Home, 159 Eglinton Avenue West, followed by a reception at Morley Bedford.

From the Globe and Mail – http://v1.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/Deaths.20140510.93342759/BDAStory/BDA/deaths

AGNEW, Arnold Harvey

Arnold Harvey Agnew, born May 22, 1925 in Toronto, son of the late George Harvey and Helen Agnew (Smith). Died May 7, 2014 following a short illness at the Sunnybrook Veterans Centre. Predeceased by his wife of more than 60 years, Flora Jane (Mulligan). Also predeceased by sister Phyllis Baldwin, Wonderful father of John (Jodi Woollam), Sarah (Stephen Zeifman), David (Sheila Kirouac) and Elizabeth (Bruce Lourie); proud grandfather and great-grandfather to Jesse (Michelle Chan), Emmett, Clancy, Ellen, Claire, Michelle, Nick, George and Jane; Jack and Olivia. Chronologically, Arnold’s first love was newspapers. His second was Flora. They met working at The Varsity while they were at University of Toronto. Before attending university, he had signed up for the RCAF after graduating from University of Toronto Schools. He was training as a rear gunner when the war ended, and returned to his education. After a short time in Halifax working as a reporter, he went to London, England in the early 1950s to work for United Press. Flora followed, and they were married at St. Bride’s Church, Fleet Street’s spiritual home, in August, 1952. John’s birth would follow a year later, and they returned to Canada where Arnold joined the Toronto Telegram, also deceased. Living in Toronto long enough to have Sarah, the family then moved to Sherbrooke where he was the editor of the Daily Record. David and Elizabeth — known to all as Biz — would soon follow. Returning to Toronto and the Telegram, Arnold rose through the ranks to become Editor-in-Chief before the paper folded in 1971. Following a stint with TD Bank, he turned to marketing and communications consulting where he ended his career in his early 80s. Until the end, Arnold faithfully read his daily newspaper, devoured The Economist and kept his Progressive, even Red, Conservativism fresh. His other passion, much unrequited, was golf at the family’s Sturgeon Point cottage. His remarkable doggedness at the game, never reflected in his score, was occasionally rewarded by an ‘Arnold’ — holing a short chip to stay below double digits. He was the last man standing among a close- knit group of friends who summered together for decades — the Point will never be the same. Arnold had a long association with St. John’s Rehab, proud of the wing at the hospital that carries his father’s name. He was an honorary director of St. John’s after serving on the board for many years. He served as both councilor and reeve of the Village of Sturgeon Point and enjoyed his volunteer time with Katimavik and Management Advisory Services. A memorial service will be held at 3 p.m. at Morley Bedford Funeral Home, 159 Eglinton Avenue West, followed by a reception at Morley Bedford. Many thanks to the remarkable staff at Sunnybrook who cared for him during his short time with them with warmth and compassion. Please make a donation in his memory to the charity of your choice.