Before and after.. thanks Jennifer E. Ferris for sending the new photo
No date, I assume it is in the same period of the other clippings and notes mid 1920s.
Smartly dressed up for the occasion McDonald’s Corners, alias the Ninth Line, alias “The Hill,” looked its best on Friday last when the local Women’s Institute sponsored a “Field Day”. This event attracted a large number of spectators from all parts of the countryside and the towns and the villages round about. Notably among the visitors was a group from Perth under the leadership of Mr. T. A. Code a gentleman who has evinced keen interest in the Institute and its activities.
Mr. Code is a friend of ‘The Hill”. Not only is he a donor to the prize list, but he organized a party of two motor carloads who were present with heart and soul who entered into and very acceptably assisted the presentation of the various items on the program. Many regrets were heard that McDonald’s Corners had defaulted on their usual fair. This year no fair was held as it had been feared that the times were out of joint for the holding of a successful agriculture show. There may or may not have been sufficient reason for this feeling of termerity, but at all the events the time was seized upon by the Women’s Institute who sprang into a breach and used the date for a Field’s Sports Day
Temporarily the race track was converted into a campus upon which all the events were brought into competition. Encircling crowds of men and women, boys and girls, watched with thrilling feelings: the ball games, the strenuous runners on the track and the numerous novel competitions that gripped the contestants in their keen endeavours to being victory to their banners.
Ideal weather prevailed throughout which not only added enjoyment to the watching of the athletic trials of skill and speed at the ringside, but gave congenial openings for friendly greeting and meeting which is so prominent at this time. Mr. Thomas Alfred Code is the originator of slow motion softball. No player must exceed a walk, either in the field or on the bases. The inclination to accelerate one’s speed is difficult to restrain. If the ball is shot in from the outfield hit and comes dangerously near catching the runner out of it is provokingly hard to keep from a few quickened paces that will attach the runner to the much desired base. But such a proceeding is absolutely against the rules and many a brilliant batter has fallen from the hectic heights of a long level lob that sent the ball careening out through space to the dismal depths of despair when the umpires would call him out simply because he tried to save himself by taking a few speedy steps in order to reach base.
McDonald’s Corners vs North Sherbrooke were pitted against each other in the great game. McDonald’s Corners won with a score of 8 to 1. Parrot McCoy of the Rochester Athletic Club was much in evidence. His coaching was superb and Mr. Stanley J. Kirkland of Perth was an umpire of impeachable integrity.
Then there was the the hard ball game between McDonald’s Corners and Poland with McDonald’s Corners winning by a narrow margin of one run with the score being 11 to 10. Some of the out of the ordinary games were: the rolling pin and the ladies slipper contests. Married ladies cast a rolling pin, the one achieving the longest distance being declared the winner. The rolling pin used in the event was over 50 years-old and was made by Reverend Hugh Ferguson’s son, now head of the Children’s Shelter, and Juvenile Court Judge in Stratford, Ontario. During the contest a number of meek married men were observed stroking their ‘frosty pows’ as their Amazonian spouses deftly handled this all too convenient weapon.
The law of inertia was in evidence as the ladies gracefully relieved themselves of their right slipper. It was a reminder of Charlie Stewart’s remark at a political meeting when the speaker did not seem to have much room for his frenzied criticism.
“There’s naethin wrenches a body sae bad as to kick at naethin”
The ladies kicked at nothing except thin air, but my how the slippers did fly. And so in this manner the glorious afternoon wore on– fun, laughter, jollity, a real entertainment of friendly rivalry conducted in the most friendly fashion, and making everyone feel extremely happy.
In the evening there was a dance in the *Women’s Institute Hall and a capacity crowd. At eight o’clock it opened with a grand march and circle with “The Hill” Orchestra leading in the trembling rhythm.
Supper was served at midnight and the continuation of the dance went on until ‘wee sma hours’.
- The store was later closed and the building sold in 1866, subsequently becoming an agricultural hall. Agricultural fairs were held in this building, once producing a show of potatoes that was said to exceed that of any other local fair and to rival even the provincial exhibition. The building was later home to a dance hall (known as Polly Hall after its owner Polly McCullough) where frequent dances were held, attended by settlers from miles around. The dancing continued alongside plays and other musical events when the building housed the McDonald’s Corners Women’s Institute, seeing many more lively nights before it was eventually sold, standing to this day as a private home.Read An Email from Alberta about McDonalds Corners
Clipped from
- The Ottawa Journal,
- 25 Sep 1978, Mon,
- [first edition revised],
- Page 3
Clipped from
History
The first industrial process on the site was operated by the Kilpatrick family beginning in 1842 and established as a tannery shortly thereafter. In 1882 a new owner, Thomas Alfred Code, established Codes Custom Wool Mill with a range of processes, including: carding, spinning, fulling, shearing, pressing, and coloring of yarns. In 1896, its name was changed to the Tay Knitting Mill, and it produced yarn, hosiery, socks, gloves, sporting-goods, sweaters, and mitts. Another change came in 1899, when a felt-making process was introduced and the mill was renamed Code Felt. The company continued to operate until the closing of the factory in 1998.
51 Herriott – The Code Mill is actually a collage of five different buildings dating from 1842. T.A. Code moved to Perth in 1876, and bought this property by 1883. Code spent 60 years in business in Perth. The business started with a contract to supply the North West Mounted Police with socks, and continued for many years manufacturing felt for both industrial and commercial uses.
Code Felt Co today– Click here..
In the 1883, Mr. T. A. Code established Codes Custom Wool Mill with a range of processes, including: carding, spinning, fulling, shearing, pressing, and coloring of yarns. In 1896, its name was changed to the Tay Knitting Mill, and it produced yarn, hosiery, socks, gloves, sporting-goods, sweaters, and mitts. Another change came in 1899, when a felt-making process was introduced and the mill was renamed Code Felt. The company continued to operate until the closing of the factory in 1998. The following year, John Stewart began a major restoration and introduced new uses for this landmark. This impressive limestone complex with its central atrium now has an interesting mix of commercial tenants.-Perth Remembered
How did I get this?
I purchased this journal online from a dealer in California. I made every attempt to make sure the journal came back to its rightful location. Every day I will be putting up a new page so its contents are available to anyone. It is a well worn journal full of glued letters and newspaper clippings which I think belonged to Code’s son Allan at one point. Yes there is lots of genealogy in this journal. I am going to document it page by page. This journal was all handwritten and hand typed. Read-More Local Treasure Than Pirate’s Booty on Treasure Island
How did it get into the United States? The book definitely belonged to Allan Code and he died in Ohio in 1969.
Allan Leslie Code
1896–1969 — BIRTH 27 MAR 1896 • Ontario—DEATH JUN 1969 • Mentor, Lake, Ohio, USA
Andrew Haydon–He was the author of Pioneer Sketches of The District of Bathurst (Lanark and Renfrew Counties, Ontario) (The Ryerson Press, 1925) and Mackenzie King and the Liberal Party (Allen, 1930). - Come and visit the Lanark County Genealogical Society Facebook page– what’s there? Cool old photos–and lots of things interesting to read. Also check out The Tales of Carleton Place.Information where you can buy all Linda Seccaspina’s books-You can also read Linda in The Townships Sun andScreamin’ Mamas (USA)
The Original Thomas Alfred Code and Andrew Haydon Letters – —Part 1
The Thomas Alfred Code Journal – Letters-Part 2– Perth Mill
The Thomas Alfred Code Journal – Letters-Part 3– Genealogy Ennis
The Thomas Alfred Code Journal – Letters-Part 4a – Innisville the Beginning
The Thomas Alfred Code Journal – Letters-Part 4b – Innisville — Coopers and “Whipping the Cat” 1860-1870
The Thomas Alfred Code Journal – Letters-Part 4c – Innisville — Henry York and Johnny Code
The Thomas Alfred Code Journal – Letters-Part 4d – Innisville — “How We did Hoe it Down”!
The Thomas Alfred Code Journal – Letters-Part 4e – Innisville — ‘Neighbours Furnished one Another with Fire’
The Thomas Alfred Code Journal – Letters-Part 5- Code Family– “Hawthorn Mill was a Failure, and the Same Bad Luck has Followed for at Least 50 Years”
The Thomas Alfred Code Journal – Letters-Part 6- Code Family– “Almost everything of an industry trial character had vanished in Innisville in 1882”
The Thomas Alfred Code Journal – Letters-Part 7- Code Family–“Thank God, no member of my family has disgraced me or the name!
The Thomas Alfred Code Journal – Letters-Part 8- Code Family– “We got a wool sack and put him inside and took him to the bridge”
The Thomas Alfred Code Journal – Letters-Part 9- Code Family –“I had much trouble in saving myself from becoming a first class liar”
The Thomas Alfred Code Journal – Letters-Part 10- Code Family – I conjured to myself: “You will know me later!” And Peter McLaren did.
The Thomas Alfred Code Journal – Letters-Part 11- Code Family –“I continued with bull dog tenacity for 12 years without salary”
The Thomas Alfred Code Journal – Letters-Part 12- Code Family–“Had I the course to go over again I would evade outside responsibilities beyond my share, even if it cost more”
The Thomas Alfred Code Journal – Letters-Part 13- Code Family–S. S. No. 17 Drummond, Innisville
The Thomas Alfred Code Journal – Letters-Part 14- Code Family–Letters from Mother Elizabeth Hicks
The Thomas Alfred Code Journal – Letters-Part 15- Code Family– Love and Runaway Marriages
The Thomas Alfred Code Journal – Letters-Part 16- Code Family-“The fish would shoot back and forth and at time hit their legs causing them to fall”
lindaseccaspina 