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Bear found in Clyde River

May 8, 2021 by VB

No worries, this bear was found in Clyde River in 1843. Donald Murray from the Baltic Road had been having some trouble with them. As the article says, they “had been making too free with his sheep.” Having lost a prime sheep, Donald was “determined to watch for the marauder”. He was only watching for about five minutes when the Bruin (brown bear) made its appearance and was instantly destroyed.

We find out that Donald took the bear skin to town to sell. “A large bear, in capital condition, was brought to town for sale yesterday, weighing 300 lb.” It turns out the skin was not at its best given the time of year, so it would not fetch a high value. We are unable to report if Donald even covered the cost of his prime sheep.

Sometimes when a man killed a bear, they earned a nickname, so I’m wondering if Donald became known as Donald “Bear” Murray, like a local folk hero. I have MacDonald relatives on my mother’s side from across the river which were referred to as the Bear MacDonalds. The story goes that one of them killed a bear with their hands, or that’s how the story evolved. My father would tease her by times when she got a little angry, “that’s the Bear MacDonalds comin’ out in ya.”

Having lived for more than a year with COVID restrictions, there’s a good chance that the Bear MacDonalds have been comin’ out in us, too.

Posted in History | 1 Comment »

Photo Stories: Horses

May 2, 2021 by VB

There’s a reason that cars took a long time to be adopted in Prince Edward Island. Islanders loved their horses. They depended on them for so much, to plow the fields, go to church, visit neighbours, and go to the Charlottetown market. Men in the community would challenge their neighbours to ice racing on the river. They took pride in their horse power. They gave them names. Strong work horses were hitched to a box sleigh in winter to carry goods to the market, or logs to the local sawmill. Refined horses were hitched to your finest sleigh or carriage to go to church or head out on a Sunday tour. Can you think of anything better than taking a carriage ride on a warm summer day?

Even after folks had cars, there were still families in Clyde River that kept a horse into the late 1950s and would use it like we would a second car, especially, in winter when you could attach it to a sleigh. For those of us who have pets, we know first hand how attached we can become. Horses depended on us and they became so well trained to the point where they would know the way home, like an early driverless car. Click on the album below to see the beautiful horses you would have found in the community if you could go back in time.

Posted in Farming, History | 2 Comments »

Photo Stories: Ferry to Nova Scotia

April 23, 2021 by VB

Our dream of sharing a travel bubble with Nova Scotia has been dashed, at least for the near future. In our history album, we find some photos of travelling on Northumberland Ferries’ first ferry, MV Prince Nova between Wood Islands and Caribou which served between 1941 and 1958. You can only imagine the relief they felt with the war being over, doing their best to return to family life. The thrill of getting in our car, loading onto the ferry or crossing the bridge, and embarking on an adventure will be ours again. Here are a few photos of heading out on the Prince Nova to visit relatives in Halifax in the late 1940s.

Prince Nova
In line for the ferry
Hazel Beer and her Halifax cousin Lorraine

Posted in History, WW2 | 1 Comment »

Remembering a Young Australian on Anzac Day

April 21, 2021 by VB

Photo credit: Department of Defence, Library and Archives Canada: Two aircrew examining a target drogue at No. 10 Bombing and Gunnery School, RCAF, Mount Pleasant, P.E.I., 1944

Editor’s note: Here is an upcoming event that was inspired by the Clyde River Cemetery Stories Course. Richard Newson is one of our participants. We have over 70 course participants from across PEI, Canada, some in US and England. Richard’s initial research and connection to an Australian family came much earlier, but he decided to create a remembrance event this year. Story follows.

On this Anzac Day, April 25th, there will be a graveside remembrance of John Leighton (Jack) Buttsworth, a young member of the Royal Australian Airforce who died in an accident on February 16th, 1945, while training at Mt. Pleasant Airfield No. 10 Bombing and Gunnery School at 24 years of age.

A genealogical researcher and family relative of Jack in Australia, Judy Sanders, stumbled across a newspaper article on Jack’s death which appeared in an Australian newspaper in 1945. She saved the link to the story on Ancestry.com, attached to Jack’s name. Meanwhile in Prince Edward Island, Richard Newson had noticed Jack’s war grave and wondered who this young man’s family was, so far away from home. He connected with Judy through Ancestry.com and sent her a photo of Jack’s grave.

“Richard and I corresponded regularly after that. While I was looking into Jack’s life in Australia, Richard was researching his war time service in Canada,” said Judy.

Richard added, “I regularly visit the grave of John Leighton Buttsworth in Summerside People’s Cemetery and send photos to Judy after each visit. To mark the anniversary of Jack’s death one year, I bought a can of locally brewed beer and stood at his grave to share a drink with him.”

Jack grew up in rural Australia. He joined the Australian Light Horse and then transferred to the Australian Imperial Force. After training in numerous camps in New South Wales, he travelled to the Middle East, to participate in the campaign at El Alamein. Three major battles occurred around El Alamein between July and November 1942, which became the turning point of the war in North Africa. The Australian 9th Division played a key role in two of these battles, forging its reputation for defending Tobruk during 1941.

Jack then returned to Australia with the famous 9th Division and took part in troop marches. From there, he moved from the army to the Royal Australian Air Force. Jack then travelled to Canada to train at the Mt. Pleasant Airfield No. 10 Bombing and Gunnery School. He was accidently killed when he walked into the path of a plane’s propeller.

Jack was laid to rest in Summerside People’s Cemetery with full air force honours. He is also remembered on several public memorials in Australia including the historic Wilberforce Park war memorial that remembers those from the local area who served in the two world wars.

Richard says, “I continue to research Canadian newspapers and connect with history groups to try to learn more about John Leighton Buttsworth’s time in Canada. I’ve even shared with Judy the type of music Jack could have listened to while he was in Prince Edward Island.”

Anzac Day is a national day of remembrance in Australia and New Zealand which commemorates those who served in wars, conflicts and peacekeeping operations. This date was chosen as it marks the anniversary of the Gallipoli Campaign when WWI troops landed April 25, 1915 on the Gallipoli Peninsula (Turkey), where both Australia and New Zealand incurred mass casualties over eight months.

Anyone is welcome to attend the remembrance on Sunday, April 25th at 4:00 p.m. at Jack’s grave in Summerside People’s Cemetery. The best access is from Maple Grove Road and his grave is near vault. COVID protocols will be in place.

Note:

Originally, the aerodrome in Mt. Pleasant was a Relief Landing Field for No. 9 Service Flying Training School located nearby, but in 1943, it became a bombing and gunnery school with 44 buildings, including 5 hangars, and 1800 personnel. It was closed in 1945.

Posted in History, WW2 | 1 Comment »

Duke of Edinburgh Award Recipients from Clyde River

April 17, 2021 by VB

On the day of Prince Phillip’s funeral, we repost earlier stories where we featured Clyde River recipients of the Duke of Edinburgh Awards: Tanner Brine, Aiden Brine and Cedric Stead. For others in Clyde River who have received a Duke of Edinburgh Award, we welcome you to leave a comment below and tell us a bit about what you did to receive this award and your award ceremony.

Brine boys meet Prince Edward

Aiden Brine received his Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award in 2012. To earn a Duke of Edinburgh Award is wonderful at the bronze, silver or gold level and several Clyde River youth have already had that honor. At the highest level, gold, youth can choose how and where they receive the award.

For the Brine family in Clyde River, the chance to go to Ottawa to have Prince Edward present Tanner and Aiden with their gold Duke of Edinburgh Award was a wonderful opportunity.

Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, established the Award, and 2012 marks the 50th anniversary of the program in Canada. On September 12, 2012, Prince Edward, the future Duke of Edinburgh, came to Ottawa for a ceremony to kick off the anniversary year and to present Gold Duke of Edinburgh Awards.

Tanner and Aiden Brine were among the 130 Canadian youth recipients. Even though Tanner had just started his fourth year at Mt. Alison University and Aiden had just started attending Acadia University, their parents, Marie and Bruce Brine, accompanied them to Ottawa for what Tanner and Aiden Brine describe as an incredible experience.

The award ceremony took place on the 4th floor of the Ottawa Convention Centre. The room had glass outer walls so the Peace Tower and Chateau Laurier were part of the backdrop. Tanner and Aiden said Prince Edward was remarkable; classy, warm, well spoken and he gave lots of time to the young people. The recipients were seated in small groups with family behind. The Prince visited each one for their presentation and a chat and then turned to congratulate the parents. The Brine family thought this was a wonderful gesture, and the whole experience felt quite intimate.

The objective of the award program is to encourage personal and community development among youth ages 14-25. The youth at Bluefield Senior High and East Wiltshire Intermediate have been very active with the Duke of Edinburgh Awards Program for some years now with several advancing to the gold level. This award recognizes a proven record of intensive volunteering and community involvement, physical activity, overcoming outdoor challenges and developing life skills. Participants say it teaches personal discipline, social consciousness and self-reliance.

Both Brine boys strongly endorse the program as a great way for young people to help others, learn new skills, stay active and stretch the limits of their personal abilities. Others, like the Ross, Wood, and Richards families would agree.

Clyde River has greatly benefited from Tanner and Aiden’s help. These volunteer efforts helped them achieve bronze, silver and gold status and helped community development for Clyde River. Just a few examples are given in this article. When the apple pie fundraisers were held, Tanner and Aiden were always there to help. Their willingness and skill to help with all stages of the process were very much appreciated. Likewise Tanner and Aiden helped create Murchison Place Park and with annual clean up ever since the park opened in 2007.

While in high school, Tanner organized a birdhouse competition working with Bluefield art and carpentry students. These birdhouses added to the attractions at Murchison Place Park when it opened in 2007 and still do today. In recognition for his leadership, Tanner received a Canadian Youth Award on Canada Day of that year. Tanner was unable to be present to accept that award as he was off doing a wilderness canoe trip in northern Quebec.

Aiden was depended on even more when Tanner went to university, and whenever he was asked to help, he would respond willingly and independently set off to complete a task. In 2010, at a Youth Inspires Seniors forum, Aiden gave an inspiring talk on his own wilderness canoe adventure. Aiden took a leadership role at Bluefield High where he served as Student Council President in his graduation year. As part of this role, Aiden worked closely with Habitat for Humanity and the students built a home on site for Habitat.

Other sources such as teachers, sport leaders and friends could more completely describe the work and dedication that led to Tanner and Aiden’s achievement of a Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award, but from the community of Clyde River, all we can say is “congratulations and thank you for your years of help. You are an inspiration to youth as well as to the adults of this community and we are proud of both of you.”

Cedric Stead, son of Steven and Lisa Stead was presented with a Bronze – Duke of Edinburgh Award in 2016.

He is shown here being presented with the Award by Lt. Gov. Frank Lewis. (Photo credit: Brian Simpson)

 

Posted in Youth | Leave a Comment »

Photo Stories: Landscapes of Clyde River

April 16, 2021 by VB

In our Clyde River historic photo library, we have various landscapes of Clyde River and also Meadowbank from as early as 1914. If you have others in your collection of photo albums, we invite you to send us digital versions. This photo gallery will keep you busy for a while. We encourage you to add comments below on what you notice in the photos. We also welcome your stories and memories. To better view the photos in a larger format, please select any photo and click arrows to move through the collection. If you are newer to Clyde River and have any specific questions, please feel free to add your question below.

1950s aerial view of Clyde River – looking toward Cornwall
1950s aerial view of Clyde River
1914 – Clyde River – Meadowbank in background
Possibly 1914
Clyde River – McLean farm – Clyde River Road
Clyde River – likely around 1914
Taken from Clyde River Road
McLean’s – Meadowbank
Old wharf on Clyde River
Taken from Meadowbank
Taken from Meadowbank
1920s Clyde River – McLean, Murchison, McKinnon, Matheson children
McLean Property Meadowbank – Clyde River in background
Overlooking Clyde River
Hector & Ina Darrach Property on the Clyde River Road – house no longer exists
Clyde River Road – Dunedin Bridge
Clyde River Road
Dunedin draw bridge
Dunedin Bridge
On the Clyde River – Murray Farm in background – Lorne MacLean
1926 Baltic Road
Beer farm on Bannockburn Road
Bannockburn Road
Dixon-Scott Mill – Bannockburn Road
Taking logs to Dixon-Scott Mill
Beer’s Mill – Bannockburn Road
Dixon-Scott Mill – Bannockburn Road
Lulu MacKinnon walking up the Dog River Road
McLean Property Meadowbank – Clyde River in background
McLean Property Meadowbank – Clyde River in background
McLean Property Meadowbank – Clyde River in background
McLean Property Meadowbank – Clyde River in background
McLean Property Meadowbank – Clyde River in background, old community hall featured on right

 

Posted in Farming, History, Landscapes, Meadowbank, Rivers | 1 Comment »

This month in 1911: Murray Diaries

April 9, 2021 by VB

The Murray Diaries in our collection cover 1911-1925 in handwritten notes by Annabell (Henderson) Murray. She was born on July 25th, 1851 and died at 74 on January 21st, 1926. We have transcribed a few years which is quite a slow but fascinating undertaking. There is one line for each day which included the weather, the day of the week and a brief highlight or two.

As you progress through the days and weeks, you can see the flow and patterns of their lives. You may or may not know the names, but the entries give you a sense of what anyone in the community or in greater Prince Edward Island may have been up to. Here are some highlights of what was going on in April 1911 along with my notes to help fill in the background.

The first day of April was very cold with a raw wind. It was a Saturday. Charlie MacLean, Neil Darrach, Neil MacKinnon & Wall were digging a grave and the frost was three feet deep. Wall was Wallace Murray, Annabell’s son. Not sure whose grave it was as there were two deaths that week.

Mrs. Alex Darrach had died on the morning of March 28th. It was a Tuesday and rainy. Her funeral came up the ice and passed by the door of the Murray home. It was a large funeral. The roads were very bad.

Just so you can find your bearings, the Murray house is the small white house on the left after you pass the old Clyde River School (now the Riverview Community Centre) as you drive down the Clyde River Road. It was common in those days for funeral processions in the community to travel on the ice during winter and come up through the Murray property to either the Baptist or Presbyterian churches/cemeteries. A note in the paper says that Mrs. Darrach’s funeral was at her late residence which would have been down the Clyde River Road near the river, where the Brown’s live now.

Mrs. Alex Darrach was Mary (Lamont) Darrach. She was born in 1839. I see where her husband died the following year. They are both buried in the Burnside Presbyterian Church cemetery. On their headstone, it shows the name of their daughter Elizabeth who died in 1889 at 9 years old. According to the Darrach genealogy, it appears that Elizabeth is the only one of their children that made it past infancy.

In letters we have in our collection of Mary (MacDougall) Darrach from 1907-08, Mary mentions Uncle Alex, who would be Alex Darrach. She notes that Uncle Alex had taken some weak turns, and one morning they thought for sure he was dying, but they gave him some cold water and he came to. She said, “He’ll work till he drops. His money won’t do him much good when he’s gone. He’s near blind but he comes over to our place, just by guess. When we see him coming, we go to meet him.” Mary and John Darrach lived on the farm next door, now owned by Sidney Poritz.

The day before the men were digging the grave, on March 31st, Scott the miller went by the door with his horse and wagon. He was heading to town with a bag of flour on the ice. Scott’s had a mill on the Bannockburn Road for some years which was later owned by the Dixon family.

Aunt Mary McLaughlin died on the 31st. It started raining in the evening. Mary (Murray) MacLaughlin was born in 1823 and she died at 88 years. She is buried in the Clyde River Baptist Cemetery. Her husband was Donald MacLaughlin. Earlier Murray and MacLaughlin ancestors are buried in the Clyde River Pioneer Cemetery.

On April 2nd, Mary’s funeral passed the door. Wall, Ince, Bertie and Edith down. Bert Auld, Jessie and Alva (Bert’s sister) were there for dinner. On April 4th, Wall took Bertie to town. Bertram Robertson Auld was married to Jessie Ward. The Wards were from Kingston. Interesting to see Bert’s second name “Robertson”. That name was his great grandmother’s maiden name, Jane (Robertson) Beer who immigrated from Derry, Ireland in the 1830s.

On Wednesday, April 3rd, it was fine in the forenoon, Duncan MacNevin got married to Katie. Wednesday was a common day to get married in those days. Jim MacPhail, his wife and Annabell went to Riverdale, and the roads were pretty bad. It was very stormy in the afternoon and the roads were bad coming home.

On Thursday, the roads were soft but there was a spree at S. Squires. No entry on Friday, but on Saturday, it mentions that Earl Grey got into town between 3 & 4 o’clock p.m. Earl Grey was the Governor General of Canada in 1911. Here’s an interesting bio on him.

It was an anxiety-ridden day on Sunday, April 9th, as Jim McPhail’s mare got into the ice at J. McLaughlin’s shore; it was pretty bad. No news on Monday and Tuesday, but it was fine both days.

On Wednesday, April 12th, they finished sawing wood. On Thursday, Hector McDougall, Alice, Collie, Heber and Harold were there. It was a big day on Friday as Diamond foaled a dandy mare. Saturday was drizzly and the roads were bad. Bell Fraser was there on Easter Sunday.

Monday, April 17th was stormy in the forenoon but it was fine in P.M. J. McLaughlin and Wall went to Dan Howard’s sale. On Tuesday and Wednesday, Wall was splitting wood and on Thursday, he was in town and roads were bad. Annabell was up to R. MacPhail’s for a visit, and in the evening, there was a party at the Scotts.

Wall finished splitting the wood on Friday. It was a fine and cold day. No news on Saturday, but on Sunday, Jessie, Annabell’s daughter, was visiting at A.C. MacLeans. Monday and Tuesday were fine, no news.

On April, the 26th, Wednesday, Jim McPhail and Victor were there for a visit. Empress went to Pointe de Chene on her first trip of the season. Harry Holman features a story on his Sailstrait blog that highlights the Empress as one of the boats owned by the Island Steam Navigation Company which crossed to Pictou and Pointe de Chene. You can read his story here.)

On Thursday, April 27, they set a goose. Jessie was at Mrs. Fraser’s washing. R. Matheson and A. Cameron were in town, the roads were bad. Inman went to town with his gasoline boat. No ice to be seen.

Friday was fine and on Saturday, the steamer made the first trip. On Sunday, there was no preaching; Mrs. Peter Warren died. The Warren’s were from Warren Grove, just down the road from the new roundabout in North River. There is a pioneer cemetery located there that was once the property of Peter Warren. I see where Elizabeth (Webster) and Peter Warren, however, are buried in East Wilshire Baptist Cemetery here.

Posted in Clyde River Baptist Church, Genealogy, History, Museum archives | 1 Comment »

Photo Stories: Clyde River Churches

April 9, 2021 by VB

Here are photos from our collection of the two churches in Clyde River. Please review and add any comments and stories to offer more insight into their history. If you have any other photos of these buildings to add to the collection, please let us know. Here are a few notes about the churches:

  • The first photo features the second Baptist Church that was built in Clyde River and the one that exists today. The first Baptist Church was located down the Clyde River Road just before the Clyde River Golf Course on the left and up from the Pioneer Cemetery where early Baptists were buried. The first Baptist Church was moved and later became the Clyde River Hall that no longer exists. 
  • One of the photos of Burnside Presbyterian Church features the shed where parishioners left their horses and wagons during church services. This shed was used by both Baptist and Presbyterian churches.
  • One photo of the Burnside Presbyterian Church does include a date of 1941.
  • The photo of the Presbyterian church with the home in the background – that would be Paul and Kitty MacPhail’s home. We believe they ran a store at one time. According to the Murray diaries in our collection, their home burned down on January 2, 1911. Neil MacKinnon was one of the neighbours that made an attempt to save them but both Paul and Kitty perished in the blaze.

(Click on any photo to see enlarged views.)

Clyde River Baptist Church
Burnside Presbyterian Church with Shed
Burnside Presbyterian
Burnside Presbyterian with Paul & Kitty MacPhail House in background

Posted in Burnside Presbyterian Church, Clyde River Baptist Church, History | 1 Comment »

Photo Stories Project: Clyde River School

March 29, 2021 by VB

The Clyde River History Committee has accumulated almost 2000 digital photos and we plan to choose some select photos to share with our website audience as a way to invite comments, observations and stories that will bring these photos to life. Also, you may have a question about a photo, and that’s fine, too. Someone may indeed know the answer. Let’s work together to share and pass on all the rich history of Clyde River to the next generations. Our first photo features Clyde River School which now looks much different since they expanded the school in approx. 1966 and upgraded it to become our current community centre. We will plan to add a photo each week. Please add your comments, observations, stories or questions in the comments section below.

Posted in History | 1 Comment »

Municipality of Clyde River Annual Meeting, March 10th

March 5, 2021 by VB

The Municipal Council of Clyde River will be hosting a public annual meeting of Clyde River residents and property owners on Wednesday, March 10th, 7:00 p.m. The Council will present the budget for 2021-22. The meeting will take place at Burnside Presbyterian Church to comply with COVID-19 physical distancing requirements. Masks will be required. For those residents/property owners who would prefer to participate in the meeting virtually, please email the Community Administrative Officer at administrator@clyderiverpei.com to register by March 9th, and you will be sent connection/call-in details. If required, the storm date for the meeting will be Thursday, March 11th.

Posted in Central Parish Presbyterian Church, Community Council News, COVID-19, Events | Leave a Comment »

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