This has been a wild month— and I would like to correct another statement I saw online. No, “folks don’t run for mayor or council for photo- ops” instead of stating issues. The thing is— all of us running have our pages for our statements and Carleton Place Social Scene has asked questions. I have tried to share a few things from everyone runnning on Tales of Carleton Place because that’s who I am. BUT, most moderators of groups don’t want election things on their page– and you can’t blame them as it could get nasty. I understand that, so please contact those running and they will bend over backwards to talk to you.( anything about me is here.. Tea with Linda Seccaspina Carleton Place Election 2022)
I on the other hand takes LOTS of photos (not photo-ops)–that’s true– I have for years before I was a councillor. Is it for vanity? HELL no. I am documenting and promoting my community. I have made THREE books so far of community photos which I hope to donate to the library in a few years so everyone can see them. I have also since 2014 been documenting local history and I have 7,205 published stories for future generations. I have done my job as councillor with devotion and love, and lots of hard work— but also had time for this as it is important.
So another myth spoken about. Love you all.– And remember to Vote
Unfortunate.—One day last week Miss Mary Hart, a young lady of this place who has been attending the High School for some time past, was taken to the Perth gaol, having been committed by Mr. James Rosamond, as an insane person.
In the old days women used to be committed for even PMS and why James Rosamond owner of the Rosamond Mill committed her tells me that her Father probably worked for him. I searched the archives and in insane asylum data bases and found nothing about her which made me sad. Looking at the age of her parents and the amount of siblings, which she was probably responsible for tells me she must have had a tough life.
Most of these women were kept in jails, or left to care for themselves. Sometimes they were left to wander at will and the fact I cannot find much more about young Mary Hart makes me wonder if she did not die young, I am going to keep searching.
See at the end thanksto Lee Burke
View 1881 Census of Canada Name:Mary Hart Gender:Female Age:16 Birth Year:1865 Birthplace:Ontario Religion:Roman Catholic Nationality:Irish Province:Ontario District Number:112 District:Lanark North Sub-District Number:B Subdistrict:Almonte Division:1 Household Members: NameAge Thomas Hart56 Margt A. Hart49 John Hart18 Mary Hart16 Patrick Hart15 Frances Hart14 Charles Hart13 James Hart11 Selina Hart 8
Perth Courier, October 27, 1876
Almonte: Insane—One of the workmen employed in Mr. William Wylie’s woolen mill named Thomas Glasgow, became deranged in his mind last week and was taken to the county gaol for safe keeping. The unfortunate man has always been a quiet, industrious, and temperate man but a short time ago he lost his wife, which misfortune is supposed to have caused his present insanity.
Perth Courier, November 10, 1876
Insane—A few weeks ago a young man named Patrick Bowes, son of Mrs. Bowes of Almonte, showed signs of insanity which last week culminated in an undeniable attack of that dreadful complaint. He was committed to the gaol at Perth on Monday last on information laid down by his uncle, Mr. John O’Neil of Bathurst, there to await the action of the asylum authorities. He is about 17 years of age and in his affliction both he and his widowed mother have the entire sympathy of the people of Almonte.
While you have shown the obituary for James Rosamond Jr. it was likely his father James Rosamond Sr. who had this woman removed from her home. James Sr. was very involved in the affairs of the town. He also had a personal experience. One of his daughters Rosiland married a doctor from Carleton Place Dr. William Hurd. Dr. Hurd died shortly after the birth of their first child in 1868. Rosiland and the child moved home to her parents. However some time between 1871 and 1881 Rosiland went to live in the Toronto Hospital for the Insane where she died in 1908.
Photo: Assistant Physician’s Office, Brockville Asylum for the Insane, [ca. 1903
Perth Courier, March 14, 1890
The Smith’s Falls News says: One of our citizens, Arthur Couch, is suffering from that form of insanity known as melancholia. Six or seven weeks back the symptoms first began to show themselves but no further notice was taken at the time than would be taken of a man who might become somewhat odd or preoccupied. A couple of weeks ago however, the disease took a more dangerous turn and on Saturday the 1st inst., he made an attempt on his life which would have been successful but for the providential interference of a friend.
An effort has been made to place the unfortunate man in the asylum at Kingston but that institution was over crowded and he could not be admitted. He is at present at home where he is carefully watched although he is quiet in demeanour. He appears to take no interest in anything around him except horses, and knows no one except his most intimate friends to whom he will once in a while talk horses. One of the peculiarities of his madness is that of the two horses which are standing in a stable he believes one to be dead and will not feed it.
Perth Courier, October 27, 1876
Almonte: Insane—One of the workmen employed in Mr. William Wylie’s woolen mill named Thomas Glasgow, became deranged in his mind last week and was taken to the county gaol for safe keeping. The unfortunate man has always been a quiet, industrious, and temperate man but a short time ago he lost his wife, which misfortune is supposed to have caused his present insanity.
Perth Courier, November 10, 1876
Insane—A few weeks ago a young man named Patrick Bowes, son of Mrs. Bowes of Almonte, showed signs of insanity which last week culminated in an undeniable attack of that dreadful complaint. He was committed to the gaol at Perth on Monday last on information laid down by his uncle, Mr. John O’Neil of Bathurst, there to await the action of the asylum authorities. He is about 17 years of age and in his affliction both he and his widowed mother have the entire sympathy of the people of Almonte.
Yesterday the text disappeared on this story and I apologize.
May 14 1897
Johnnie Long was an inmate of Ontario asylums for sixteen years and among others was removed to the Brockville institution. Not long after he moved a Lanark County gentleman came to the asylum here to take home a friend who had completely recovered.
While he was getting into the rig Johnnie called him by name. The visitor couldn’t place him, but Johnnie was sure of his name, and asked quite sharply,
“ Why, don’t you know Johnnie Long?”
“What! Johnnie Long who worked for father twenty years ago?”
“ I’m the chap,” said the inmate, and at once fell into an interesting conversation. Long found out for the first time that his father had been dead for ten years, but his mother was still living. The family knew nothing of his whereabouts, having heard nothing from him for many years.
The result was that when the Carleton County man reported to the aged mother that je had seen the lost boy, there was great joy, and in day or two a brother came out and took Johnnie home to the paternal roof.
Editor Almonte Gazette:— In your last issue I noticed an item on “Shop Lifting.’
Since then it has been rumoured that the party’s name; who committed the theft was Mary Delaney. I deny knowing anything about the matter whatsoever. By giving this a place in your valuable paper, you will oblige .
While the proprietors and clerks of The People’s Store were out at *the fire on Monday, a young lady coolly appropriated to herself a parcel of dry goods, put up for a customer, and carried it off. The theft, however, was quickly discovered, and the suspected party was followed and the goods were found in her possession. They were taken back and the woman was allowed to depart in peace.
Photo thanks to Brent Eades of Almonte.com
Within the special world of new stores, women found themselves challenged to resist the enticements of consumption. It was the tiniest of crimes, but it wasn’t innocent- the history of shoplifting really remains unwritten. Once tied to the rise of the kleptomania, most shoplifting was done by female customers. With all the new choices some women couldn’t help but steal. It’s actually rather interesting to note that with the rise of cheap items and a plethora of choices in shopping, people felt more compelled to take it than buy it.
Did you know that buying something, wearing it to a party, and returning it to the store the next morning was a known occurrence in the nineteenth century? Another crazy aspect was that sometimes women were deemed insane in relation to the crime of shoplifting. So, if I was Mary Delaney from Almonte I would have written to the newspaper too before I was *committed.
It was one of the first areas in which a woman’s crime was seen to be an aspect of mental illness rather than criminality. The concept that a respectable woman, who had been caught stealing something which she did not need, was an anathema to a society who could see no reason for a respectable woman to steal something which she could easily afford.
The decoration of stores and private residences is a proof of the good wishes of the citizens and an evidence of their interest in the undertaking. Many places of business were tastefully adorned with banners and evergreens. The Dominion Block was surrounded by balsams, while the windows of Messrs. Hayes, Gavin and Gardner were tastefully dressed. A rope stretched to the Almonte House bore the words “The People’s Store Welcomes All.”— Grand Balloon Ascension At McFarlane’s Grove In 1879
Our pushing young merchants, Messrs. Riddell & McAdam,
have purchased the •People’s Store• property from Mrs. J.T~
Brown, and will shortly remove to their new stand. The price
paid was $5,550. At the sale on Saturday afternoon .Mr. Wm.
Curry, blacksmith, bought the Cowie pump factory and the
1889 map — this is almost surely it. Note the 3-story main building with 2-story addition, and the bevelled corner.-Brent Eades (People’s store)
*Fire–On Monday forenoon a defective chimney in Mr. J. L. Reed’s house set fire to the wood-work adjoining, and for a few moments there was every prospect of the long-expected fire that is some day to lay Mill Street in ashes. The fire being discovered before it had gained much headway, it was soon put out with a few buckets of water. The loss was very trifling— about §10. November 1871
Almonte Gazette–April 1 1892-
Four Smith’s Falls boys were lately
fined $2 and costs each for loafing at a
street corner on Sunday evening. This
should be a warning to the crowd that on
Sundays lounge around the People’s
Store corner staring at people going to
Church–
*May 6 1892-Wonder where those loafers were when the fire started? On Tuesday last the People’s Store brick block had a narrow escape from being damaged by fire. The chimney leading from Mrs. Greig’s kitchen stove runs up the wall between her residence and Riddell & McAdam’s store. Tuesday noon the chimney took fire, and through an imperfectly protected pipe hole in R. & M’s. the flame was communicated to a curtain stretched across it.
People often doubt the drama that happens at my home, but in reality it is all true, and sometimes, it goes for the gold. The house is very old, and every single day is like a scene from the film The Money Pit. There does not seem to be a day that goes by that something doesn’t pop, explode or fizzle.
It began the day before when I smelled what I thought was a gas leak or a backed up sewer line and local superman plumber Blair White was called in to check it out. After examining everything he opened a door and said,
“Linda, what you’ve got here is a dead mouse somewhere under the furnace or in the walls.”
The internet told me it would take 10 days for the smell to go away and not any amount of Febreeze would help. My bedroom now smells like a bus station restroom, but-
I’ve got a strong nose- I can deal with that.
It has been way too hot for a long time, and never in my life have I had ants in my house. Today I woke up to a huge squadron of them making my cookbooks home. Breakfast was spent gritting my teeth watching the little critters slide from one book to the other finally camping out in the Company’s Coming section. Then, we had an Amityville Horror film version of cluster flies attacking the second floor but–
I’ve got Raid I can deal with this.
This afternoon one of the raccoons who has made his home in one of my roof peaks was seen drinking and swimming in my fountain like he was at a local spa. He would not even budge when he saw me as– my home is his home- and he does not have to pay taxes, nor does he care.
This has been going on forever- I can wait a few more weeks until the Hanet’s from Perth show up to close up the peak.
Tonight Steve phoned me from the kitchen (it’s a big house folks no one hears anything) and says,
“There’s a bat in the kitchen!”
I told him to shut the doors hoping to trap the little sucker in there. Not likely. Fifteen minutes later the bat makes his way to the second floor interrupting America’s Got Talent. We run downstairs and man ourselves with Squash rackets that were expressly made for killing bats and not to play the sport.
We attempt to find him and eventually see him curled up on the floor. Steve hits him and he misses. I scream,”WTH?” (actually you can probably replace the H with another initial). I ask him what his issue is not killing the bat. Seeing he just immigrated here from California he looks at me and says with downcast eyes,
“Well, it was my first bat!”
The bat by this time has disappeared somewhere in that room and no amount of high powered rays from the trusty flashlight can find it. We shut off the TV knowing there will be no watching “Chopped” for us tonight and go down to the kitchen.
Sitting around the kitchen island we notice flashlights beaming at us from the other side of the gate and waving hands. Was it a neighbour? Was it my son Perry, well renowned bat-catcher, coming to save the day? Actually, it was our brave men in blue (OPP) coming to find out if everything was okay. A neighbour had seen the flashlight beams in the TV room and saw the TV shut off off early, called 911, and reported something suspicious going on in our house.
So, after having a good laugh and hearing some good bat-catching tips from our friendly OPP we came back in and I told Steve we had to catch the bat in the morning as we have no catch and release program in this house. His response?
“Okay, but I need my breakfast first as I can’t catch the bat on an empty stomach- and I definitely need my coffee!”
Stay tuned for more episodes- as the fun never stops here.
Neighbour Jennifer Fenwick Irwin–Wasn’t me who called the cops! I met them at your front gate, checking the lock with flashlights! They said good evening to my dog Bindy and I carried on inspecting the fence!
John McQuarrie of Lanark was confined in the Perth jail a year or two ago for insanity and taken from there to the asylum at Kingston died in that institution and was buried in Lanark last week.
Emeline Ferguson, insane, sent to jail.
Innisville Inklings: Miss Maggie Steen, a young lady of Innisville, lost her reason last week and was taken to the Perth jail to be cared for.
These days, work stress, postnatal depression and anxiety are addressed hopefully with great understanding. But years ago, the women who suffered from these conditions, were confined to an asylum as they had no other place to put them.
But who decided if a person was mad or not? And just how did you end up in a Victorian asylum? In those days women could find themselves labelled insane and locked up in madhouses for a range of conditions – from postnatal depression to alcoholism or senile dementia, and even for social transgressions such as infidelity (‘moral insanity’).
Nineteenth century doctors knew next to nothing about the mind. They tried to discover what had triggered a mental breakdown, and list that incident as the ’cause’ of the illness. Dr Hugh Diamond, believed that the then new science of photography could help to diagnose mental illness by capturing what he called the ‘exact point that had been reached in the scale of unhappiness’.
Photo from Google Image
Thousands of people passed through the county asylums. But some of the mental health provision was still in private houses, often run by nonmedical men who did little more than keep patients locked away. With their living coming from the profit, there was little incentive to discharge patients who could be detained.
Anyone who could persuade two doctors to sign certificates of insanity could put away inconvenient or embarrassing relatives in a madhouse. Women – with lower social status, and usually less power and money – were more vulnerable. Some were sent away just because they suffered from severe epileptic fits
One woman had been the only servant in a 20-room house and was unable to keep up with the work over the hard winter months when every room would have required a fire burning in its grate and lamps to be lit early. Doctors then would diagnose burnout and acute stress as a form of insanity.
Photo from Google Image
Mercury, known as calomel, was considered an effective treatment for hysteria but, like most of the medicines prescribed for mental illness, was highly toxic. Antimony, a toxic chemical now used in fire retardants, was employed to keep patients in a state of nausea, making acts of violence less likely. It was an early example of the ‘chemical cosh’.
Women’s sexuality was a prime focus of male Victorian physicians. Erotomania (hypersexuality) was considered a constant danger in female patients and could accompany hysteria. Most times a cold bath, a douche and cold applications to the regions of the uterus were all employed as a cure.
Was insanity just a perfectly rational adjustment to an insane world? Maybe the same could be said now?
In May of 1893 the second daughter of Carleton Place retailer James Sumner was reported missing in the Almonte Gazette. Bertha left home at approximately 3 pm that day on her way to have tea with Miss Cram, daughter of Mr. W. Cram.
The 18 year-old was last seen knocking on the Cram’s door around 4 pm and later on seen on the bridge watching the steamer being launched. After that Bertha Sumner completely disappeared, and the next day the minister announced her disappearance from the pulpit encouraging everyone to look for her. It was reported that she was last wearing a plaid dress of a gray-greenish color and a black straw hat.
Her Mother became frantic, and so on Monday they closed the Carleton Place High School and the teachers and pupils formed search parties, but they never found her. A week later a man by the name of Thomas Houston found Bertha’s lifeless body lying under a spruce tree near her home where it was said she had committed suicide.
When Constable Wilson appeared on the scene it was reported that a bottle of carbolic acid, a bowl, a note and a glass tube was by her side. The note beside her said that she was sick of life and not to blame anyone for her demise.
Carbolic acid, also known as phenol, would’ve been commonly available as a disinfectant. Highly poisonous, when consumed it caused a horrible reaction of vomiting and purging, delirium, and convulsions. It was a popular method of suicide similar to another young woman’s story I read today. An ounce could be purchased at a drugstore for about fifteen cents.
In June 23rd of the same year in the Perth Courier, and as early as June 16 in the Carleton Place Herald were ads stating the following:
Messrs E. Hutchings and James Sumner of Carleton Place are selling out and intend retiring from business.
How odd that her father chose to close his flourishing business barely a month after the death of his daughter. After doing research in more newspapers it was reported once again that no inquest was made into her death as she was probably suffering from a bout of insanity. It seems that Bertha had suffered from time to time from short bouts of insanity. (PMS?) The Almonte Gazette suggested maybe one of these spasms of insanity had seized her that particular afternoon.
The note found next to her lifeless body had been written in ink, yet she had transported no pen and ink (let alone a bowl, carbolic acid and a vile) and was on her way to friends. The media and police quickly brushed it aside and said she had probably written the note before she left home.
Her remains were buried in the Dewar cemetery and a large number of sympathizing friends and acquaintances came to graveside. There is no record of her gravestone at Dewar Cemetery.
“Two years ago I interviewed Cyril the Gnome, who is the first cousin of the famed Travelocity Gnome. Cyril’s taco truck is still sitting in Golden Gate Park in San Francisco and has been invaded by elderly hippies. They have already changed the name of the truck to:
“Would you like this truck on your party?”
Thankfully, I managed to contact him through E.S.P to continue this Q and A that I began 2 years ago. No, I am not on drugs, this was actually this week’s Zoomers writing challenge.”
lindaseccaspina 