Where Do We Put the House of Industry? Perth? Carleton Place?

CLIPPED FROMThe Ottawa CitizenOttawa, Ontario, Canada02 Jan 1901, Wed  •  Page 7

CLIPPED FROMThe Lanark EraLanark, Ontario, Canada24 Apr 1901, Wed  •  Page 1

CLIPPED FROMThe Weekly British WhigKingston, Ontario, Canada02 May 1901, Thu  •  Page 10

CLIPPED FROMThe Ottawa CitizenOttawa, Ontario, Canada05 Aug 1901, Mon  •  Page 9

The House of Industry, in Bathurst, just outside the town limits, is the latest creation of the kind in the province, and competent judges claim it is easily the finest House of Refuge in Ontario. It is up-to-date in every respect, built of the beautiful Bathurst cream-colored freestone, and is commodious enough to accommodate not only our own homeless poor, but the friendless indigents from Renfrew and Carleton Counties, which, under arrangement, send their poor to the Perth home for keep and house comfort. J. M. Walker for the Perth Courier, 1905

Before the construction of this building the only alternative place to house indigent residents was in the county jail. This building was locally known as “The Poor House”. It was described as “the finest House of Refuge in Ontario”. There were farm buildings in the back fields that lead down to the Tay River. In the early days was sustainable as a working farm. In 1948 it was known as Wiseman’s Chronic Hospital, Tayview Nursing Home in 1967 and since 1985 the building is home to the Perth Community Care Centre. 

Also read

The House of Industry, Perth on the Christie Lake Road, c 1905. Photo by John Hart.

From Perth Remembered

Life in The House of Industry

1. Did You Know About the House of Industry?
2. Monument erected to honour 400 buried in unmarked grave
3. Farmersville 1859 County Directory (Athens)
4. House of Industry Athens Farmersville

History of Tayview

Life in The House of Industry

 

1904

 

In the late 1800s Lanark County’s population was booming as railways and industries brought prosperity. But along with it came poverty, people had no place to go, and it was one thing after another, whether it was cholera, influenza, or diphtheria.

On February 2, 1903 the new House of Industry was erected by the county of Lanark on a seventy-eight-acre lot, immediately outside the limits of the town of Perth. It was opened by Rev. A. H. Scott, M.A., of St. Andrew’s Church, Perth, and Rev. Canon Mickelson, of St. James Church,  who were entrusted by the County Council with the dedication of the building.

The members of the Lanark Council, the clergy of Perth, and the mayors of adjoining municipalities dined together at noon, and after dinner the building was dedicated. After the dedication an examination was made of the different parts of the new structure. The general public was supplied with substantial refreshments during the afternoon and evening.

The upper storey of the building was converted into an auditorium from the platform of which addresses were delivered appropriate to the occasion. J. A. Stewart, LL.B., mayor of Perth, gave the first address, Hon. John Haggart, M.P., and Col Matheson M.L.A., both of Perth, followed. Mayor McKim, of Smiths Fallls  W. C. Caldwell, M.L.A., of Lanark; and Dr. Preston, of Carleton Place, were the other speakers. Judge Senkler presented Councillor Pattie the chairman of the building committee, with a souvenir chain of gold. The ceremony in connection was impressive and over two thousand people were present at the opening of the building.

The founders of the House of Industry were later criticized for a judgmental attitude that distinguished between the “deserving poor” (elderly people and invalids who were unable to work) and the “undeserving poor” (able-bodied people who couldn’t find a job because of such problems as alcoholism). But after researching the institution’s history they do deserve credit for helping people who were falling through the cracks. They really did make a difference.

The men slept separately and there was a dormitory upstairs for the women. In the morning they got some oatmeal and tea and then they were asked to contribute some labour. The women did some sewing and the men spent an hour or two chopping kindling, or working on their farm. Then they were expected to go and look for a job.

As a rule they tried to get the children out of the House at the age of about 14. They apprenticed some of the boys, and got places of service for the girls. It was not often boys and girts were put into the House of Industry who were of  a desirable class; when they were bright some relative generally took them. They kept no registry of what became of the children after they left the House, neither did they keep up correspondence with them.

The House of Industry was not known for gourmet fare. Staff were instructed that the soup should be nutritious, but not so tasty that people would be tempted to comeback for more. While some residents stayed just a few days, it soon became clear that others needed a permanent home.  Before the construction of this House of Industry in Perth the only alternative place to house indigent residents was in the county jail, so this was much better for the 90-100 people that lived there.

 

 

 

Historical Notes-

 

The Corporation of the County of Lanark has had a long history in the provision of residential care for seniors and other people requiring residential services. It began in February 1903 when the doors to the House of Industry opened in the stone part of the building next door, now called Perth Community Care Centre. In 1966, the County sold this building (at that time it was called Tayview Home), and proceeded to build a brand new 110-bed home and named it Lanark Lodge. The doors opened in September 1967, and all the residents from Tayview were moved to the adjacent, newly built Lanark Lodge. There have been two major building and renovation projects since at Lanark Lodge. In 1974, an additional 66 beds were added. Immediately thereafter, Fairview Manor was built by the County of Lanark in Almonte, opening its doors in 1977 to keep pace with the growing waiting lists of seniors needing a home. Lanark Lodge was again renovated in 1988 with the addition of a new wing, and the old part of the building was subsequently renovated in 1990 to improve the standard of physical space. Subsequent to the latest renovation in 1990, Lanark Lodge reduced its capacity from 176 to 163 residents.

 

Fairview Manor was divested to the Almonte General Hospital in the fall of 2004, leaving Lanark Lodge the sole long-term care home operated by the County of Lanark.

 

1. 

2.  House of Industry Kingston

   

3. Did You Know About the House of Industry?

   Monument erected to honour 400 buried in unmarked grave

   Farmersville 1859 County Directory (Athens)

   House of Industry Athens Farmersville

CLIPPED FROM
The Lanark Era
Lanark, Ontario, Canada28 Jun 1899, Wed  •  Page 1

Clipped from
The Ottawa Journal,
07 Feb 1907, Thu,
 

CLIPPED FROM
The Lanark Era
Lanark, Ontario, Canada09 Dec 1914, Wed  •  Page 4

CLIPPED FROM
The Lanark Era
Lanark, Ontario, Canada09 Dec 1914, Wed  •  Page 4

The House of Industry, Perth on the Christie Lake Road, c 1905. Photo by John Hart. Perth Remembered

Some residents of the Lanark County House of Refuge who were able to work had plenty of chores on the industrial farm. Also in the photo is Lawrence Conroy, who was the hired farmer in the 1940s until he became manager in 1949, works in the field with ardent helpers to harvest grain. Perth Remembered

House of Industry Athens Farmersville

 

 

 

 

East of Athens along Highway 42 is a mass grave site associated with the House of Industry as it operated from 1895 until 1946 housing the sick, elderly or poor. The gravesite is currently marked by a large stone simply reading “Pioneers of Leeds & Grenville 1895 – 1946”. The original plans for the burial site included space for over 480 individuals in specific areas of the site however it is unclear if these plans were ever followed.

 

Photo–Created by: gravehunter

 

Over one hundred graves are located here, of those who lived at the House of Industry between the aforementioned years and whose bodies remained unclaimed after death. For many years it was unclear where the graves were precisely located, as absolutely no records were kept and no grave markers were placed at the time.

 

 

Photo–Created by: gravehunter

 

The mass grave became abandoned in 1946 when the House of Industry came under new management who deemed the burial practices being used as undignified. A plot was then reserved in Glen Elbe cemetery for the unclaimed dead. In recent years, the long-neglected cemetery has been cleaned up and a fence was built around the stone memorial. A cooperative effort between local genealogical societies has recently discovered the approximate boundaries of the burial plot by dowsing for grave site

 

Photo–Created by: gravehunter

 

 Click here—House of Industry Burial Grounds List

 

Jennifer Fenwick Irwin

On the way home we came across this “House of Industry” in Athens. https://www.recorder.ca/2013/01/15/project-marks-lost-cemetery/wcm/d11c585b-6a99-1eb5-8622-49c65d7d1e1d

Jennifer Fenwick Irwin

https://www.leedsgrenville.com/en/services/our-history.aspx

 

 

 

 

Mr. Willoughby was called by telephone to Athens on Wednesday last by the council of that town. Some months ago the fine high school there was burned—a school which made Athens famous. The ratepayers were torn apart by mass of dissension over the problem whether to use the old walls or start anew from the ground.

Mr. Willoughby built the school forty-eight years ago—before most of us were born—and, as his name still retains the savour of architectural excellence, it was decided to invite his opinion. On Thursday he made a thorough inspection, and was able to report at a public meeting in the town hall that evening that the walls were in perfect condition and were capable of infinite and enduring power. It is probable he will be asked to supervise the reconstruction.— April 7 1905

 

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 and Screamin’ Mamas (USA)

 

 

Did You Know About the House of Industry?

Monument erected to honour 400 buried in unmarked grave

Farmersville 1859 County Directory (Athens)

“Lanark is my Native Land” -Master Clarence Whiticar 1930

Glen Tay School – SS#3 Bathurst Township, Lanark County, ON-Diane Duncan

LANARK COUNTY SUBJECT RURAL PUPILS’ ADDRESS 1930

At the 1930 Lanark County Educational Association meeting held in Carleton Place on May 31st, the president, Mr. Peter McCallum, of Almonte, offered a beautiful silver cup to the county pupil giving the best address on the subject, “‘Lanark County.” (if you look at the historical portion there are lots of students names)

There were six contestants and the prize went to Master Clarence *Whiticar, a pupil of S. S. No. 3, Bathurst, at which school Miss Mary M. Gray of Ferguson’s Falls, is teacher. The address is as follows:­ 

Lanark County, one of the finest counties in Ontario, with its significant motto: Intelligence integrity and industry, and a county we are proud to call our own, is the topic upon which I shall speak this afternoon. There is much one could say about Lanark County, but as my time is limited to only a few minutes shall touch rather lightly upon the subject for I can only speak on its general points.

You all know a good deal about Lanark County, as it is today one of the most progressive counties of our province, but I shall go back for a brief space of time to its early history and ” tell you a little about it “in the making.” At the close of the war of 1812-13 and 14, many of the soldiers engaged in that conflict, desirous of remaining in Canada were discharged and settled by the Government on territory north of the Rideau Lakes. This was accomplished in 1815 and 16 and a comparatively large number of these military settlers were located and about what was then known as “The Perth Settlement.” The territory round about was known as the “District of Bathurst” in Upper Canada.

In that same year (1816) many Scotch settlers arrived from Glasgow and Greenock, coming in by way of Brockville and took up land along that is still known as the *”Scotch Line”.  in 1823 owing to prepared failures of potato and other crops in Ireland, many settlers from that land were brought out, and these augmented the already flourishing pioneer settlement of Bathurst.

Many of the places in Lanark County are named after prominent military, men, who figured largely in these days. Bathurst was named after Lord Henry Bathurst son of Earl Bathurst, who was then foreign and Colonial Secretary in the British diplomatic service. Ramsay takes its name from General George Ramsey, Earl of Dalhousie, who also gave his name to another of our townships, Pakenham, after Sir Edward Pakenham, who was drilled in the battle of New Orleans. Beckwith Township was, named after General Sir George Beckwith, a distinguished officer in the British array at that time.

Coming closer to our own locality we learn that Glen Tay at one time a large manufacturing village, was originally called *Adamsville after Captain Joshua Adams, Who this place built the first mill, within the establishment forming the Rideau” In after years the name, District of Bathurst, was abandoned by Act of Parliament, although the township name was retained. It may be added that the present counties of Renfrew and Carleton originally formed part of Lanark County, although at that time, that territory had not been divided into so called counties or townships.

But today Lanark County is a well defined municipality and thickly settled. Its people are of the finest. We have few foreigners within our borders. We are all of Anglo-Saxon blood descendants of these Scotch, Irish and English pioneer settlers and we have the staunch qualities of these great races the thrift a common sense of the Scotch, the large heartedness and love of laughter peculiar to the Irish and the fine traditional culture and respect for law and order characteristic of the English.

Lanark County with its fourteen townships comprises a great area of splendid arable land. There is naturally a great diversity of surface characteristics, but comparatively little waste land. The finest agricultural portions of our county exist in the townships of Drummond, Ramsay, Pakenham and Bathurst, our township taking preeminent place. The breeding and maintenance of fine stock is a noticeable feature of our County. It is said that there is more shipped from Perth than any other station between Montreal and Peterborough. Lanark County is, rich in mineral wealth.

The finest quality of limestone deposits exist in Burgess and Bathurst. Feldspar is mined extensively and shipped in great quantities. In the northern townships a splendid quality of marble exists, although owing to the lack of railway facilities it has not been worked. In Elmsley and Burgess we have *lead and mica deposits, both of which have been mined extensively.

Speaking of Perth, the capital of Lanark County, there is no town in Eastern Ontario more noted for its progressiveness and natural beauty. Its industries give employment to several hundred hands, and as for beauty of location it is truthfully said to have within a radius of thirty miles thirty fine lakes, each a paradise for sportsmen.

Care of Lanark’s aged has been provided by the *House of Industry at Perth, while at *Children’s Shelter at Carleton Place tells the story of love and care to those miles of misfortune to be found in every community. At the time of the Great War where the cry came forth that civilization was in danger the descendants of Lanark’s Pioneers proved that they were worthy sons of worthy sires by sending more recruits according to their population to Britain’s aid than any other county in the Dominion.

Ladies and gentlemen, we should feel proud to own Lanark County as our birth-place or our place of residence, and no matter where we roam in the years to come, let us always remember our great heritage from pioneer ancestors in this particular part of our fair Dominion. And let us never forget to regard Lanark County as our home, first and last. Breathes there a man with soul so dead who never to himself hath said. A home his footsteps, he hath turned From wandering on a foreign  strand This is my own native land.

 

 

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 and Screamin’ Mamas (USA)

Bathurst Township Boy

Again Trophy Winner 1932

Special to Tire Journal PERTH, Ont., Oct. 27.-Clarence Whitaker, S.S. 3, Bathurst Township, for the second year in succession, won the George S. James silver trophy in the senior section of the annual oratorical contest open to the prize winning speakers at Lanark County rural school fairs held here last night. ‘The Lawrence James’ silver trophy, for the winner of the junior section, went to Jean Ferguson, S.S. 6, Dalhousie Township. The two champions will represent the rural schools of Lanark County in the Eastern Ontario competition to be held at Kemptville on October 29. All eligible competitors spoke at the contest, which was conducted by W. A. Davidson, county agricultural representative, in the Gymnasium of the Perth College Institute. Suitable prizes were awarded to the other winners, who were as follows: Senior section-Rodger Stewart, S.S. 13, Lanark; Dorothy Paul, S.S. 14, Ramsay; Merle Percy, SS. 1, Dalhousie- Ida Frizell, SS. 1, Elmsley; Eldon Lightbody, S.S. 16. Montague West; Dorothy Truelove, S.S. 8, Drummond Junior section-Helen Gilmore, S.S. 16, Drummond; Hazel Kettles, S.S. 8, Beckwith: Frank Stead, SS. 13, Lanark; Betty Suffron, S.S. 6, Montague: Kathleen Matthews S.S. 14, Ramsay; Jean Woods, S.S. 1, Pakenham, Russell McNaughton, Balderson Corners School, Bathurst. The judges were J. H. Hardy, principal of the P.C.I.; John L. Scott, William Reid, J. E. Anderson Harold Shaw and Sheriff Joseph Ebbs. Short addresses were given to the competing students and the large audience by Principal Hardy, Public Schools Inspector T. C. Smith, Sheriff Ebbs and Mr. Anderson. Musical items on the program were offered by the P.C.I. girls’ orchestra, comprised of the Misses V. Brunet, M. Brunet, D. Hoffman, I. Hogg and M. White. Miss Alice Tysick, of Montague, gave a recitation, while a lap dance was executed by little May Lytton of Poland Township.–Newspaper Articles compiled by Grant McFarlane of Lanark.—Received from: Melanie Maso

 

*Scotch Line–News from The Scotch Line

*Adamsville–In Memory of the Very Few–Adamsville Burial Site

*Mining-My Daddy was a Miner — was Yours?

Other school papers-EARLY SETTLEMENT OF DALHOUSIE-Tina Penman, Middleville, Ont.

*House of Industry at Perth–Did You Know About the House of Industry?

*Children’s Shelter at Carleton Place–The Very Sad Tale of Cecil Cummings of Carleton Place

Clipped from The Ottawa Journal,  03 Nov 1934, Sat,  Page 27

WHITICAR– I thought this was a misspelling as it could be the name Whitaker but it was not. There are many Whiticar’s buried in the St. Stephen’s Cemetery
Brooke, Ontario, Con 6, Lot 7, Bathurst Twp.Burials 1858 to Today– CLICK here to see page for the St. Stephen’s cemetery list

 

White	Morley Dewitt	1961		Frances ??
70	Whiticar	Charles	1860 04 20	23 Aug 1926	Mahalia Sewell
280	Whiticar	Charles R.	1880 05 06	29 Jul 1963	Agnes Conroy
239	Whiticar	Thomas	1882	1974	Minerva Buker
160	Whiticar	Mabel W.	1908 12 10	07 Feb 1983	Wilbert A. Fournier
71	Whiticar	Edward	1912 07 07	11 Apr 1977	Annie Morrison
161	Whiticar	Matilda G.	1914 09 13		Melville John Blair

Did You Know About the House of Industry?

THE HOUSE OF INDUSTRY Photo–

perth remembered

Last night I was watching “Who Do You Think You Are” featuring Molly Ringwald. She was devastated to find out that her Great Great Grandmother was born in a widow’s house. I thought it was ghastly until I found out we had Houses of Industry. Probably not as bad as that, but still sad to think these things existed.

Before the construction of this House of Industry in Perth the only alternative place to house indigent residents was in the county jail. This building was locally known as “The Poor House”.  It was described as “the finest House of Refuge in Ontario”. There were farm buildings in the back fields that lead down to the Tay River. In the early days was sustainable as a working farm. In 1948 it was known as Wiseman’s Chronic Hospital, Tayview Nursing Home in 1967 and since 1985 the building is home to the Perth Community Care Centre.

Almonte Gazette –1914

Reeve Foy reporting for the House of Industry Committee, urged the installation oi a suitable laundry at the House; The fact that in the neighborhood of 90 people require to have their washing done weekly in the House, requires no argument in favor of a complete and up-to-date laundry being installed. The Committee has gone into the matter and have had figures submitted for a complete laundry system which range from $800 to larger figures, in accordance with the size, etc., of the machines installed. The Committee therefore asked for authority to install a complete laundry system.

READ THE ALMONTE GAZETTE HERE

Indigents in Jail–Howard Morton Brown

Care of Lanark County’s nineteenth century aged indigent residents without family or other private means of support was provided by the available public shelter, the county jail.  There a few respectable elderly citizens without friends or money could be housed and fed and classed as vagrants.  The Grand Jury report of inspection of this institution for imprisonment of alleged criminals related in part in December, 1880:

“The Grand Jurors for our Lady the Queen, have examined the jail and they find it in a very satisfactory state.  There are only two persons committed for crimes and these are of a comparatively trifling character.  We are glad to find there was only one insane person confined in the jail.  The rest are aged persons who have been committed under the Vagrancy Act.  Mr. Kellock who has filled the office of jailer for the last thirty years has resigned.”

The Lanark County House of Refuge was opened formally in 1903 when public figures of the county invited to speak at the ceremony, including Lanark’s members of Parliament, Hon. J. G. Haggart of Perth and Bennett Rosamond of Almonte, provincial members W. C. Caldwell of Lanark and Lt. Col. A. J. Matheson of Perth, Senator F. T. Frost of Smiths Falls and former provincial member Dr. R. F. Preston of Carleton Place.  The disappearing old order is seen in a Carleton Place editorial comment on the death of two residents of the county, one of Beckwith and the other of Drummond, in 1901 in the county jail.  Like others before them, they had been consigned to spend their last years in jail as provision for their maintenance in their helpless old age.

“What better arguments do our County Councillors want to warrant them in proceeding with the House of Industry than deaths in such circumstances?  Poverty, from whatever cause it comes, is not a crime.  The only crime of these two elderly citizens was their poverty, yet note their obituaries.”

Hospital Proposals

 A revolutionary plea for state support for the building of hospitals had been offered by the Carleton Place Herald in its first year of publication.  Its young editor of over a century ago suggested: (Feb. 7, 1851)

“Public Hospitals – The want of hospitals for the indigent infirm in this part of the Province is beginning to be felt as a serious inconvenience.  It has become a pretty heavy tax on the benevolent part of the community to be obliged to support those who are unable to support themselves.  We would therefore suggest the idea that the Provincial Legislature enact that a sum equal to that raised for the Lunatic Asylum should in like manner be raised for the erection and support of three hospitals, to be situated at the most convenient points in the province.”

Sixty years later the building of a hospital at Carleton Place was proposed and discussed at a Town Hall public meeting held in 1910. William Thoburn outlined the origin and growth of the Rosamond Memorial Hospital at Almonte.  Dr. Bruce Smith of Toronto, Inspector of Hospitals, attended and estimated the 1910 cost of a suitable building and equipment at $1,000 a bed, and the cost of annual maintenance in a town of the size of Carleton Place at $3,500 to $4,500 a year.  With local capital being invested in industrial expansion of value to the town, including a hydro electric plant and foundry and woolen mill enlargements, and with installation of an expensive municipal waterworks system in prospect, it was decided not to duplicate the facilities of available neighbouring hospitals.

Debbie Roy added this: The photo below is of my Great Grandpa Gorr while he was a resident of this nursing home. (1961) Debbie, Grandpa, my sister Donna, my cousin Earl Devlin, and my Uncle Wayne.

Doris Quinn

Yes I sure do. It was The House of Industry(the Poor House) poor folks could stay there in return for help on the farm or in the building. Then it became Tayview Nursing home. Wiseman’s Private Hospital was located on Drummond St. E. This Private Hospital was bought by Tayview Nursing Home in about 1980 and the staff and patients there were moved to Tayview Nursing Home and a section of Tayview Nursing Home became “ Wiseman’s Private Hospital”a patient moved to this section would require Hospital care and like in any hospital the first 30 days were paid by OHIP. some residents from Tayview who were not ill were moved to what was Wiseman’s Private Hospital on Drummond St. I worked in both places. When the new addition was added to Tayview Nursing Home the hospital wing was the 2nd floor of the old Tayview Nursing Home and to my knowledge is still intact there.

Also read-

Life in The House of Industry