Revisiting The Great Bracebridge Histories According to Redmond Thomas QC.

Redmond Thomas Q.C.

THANK YOU PATRICK MCGAHERN BOOKS INC., FOR REUNITING ME WITH REDMOND THOMAS - AND HIS BRACEBRIDGE, "REMINISCENCES"

A TOWN HISTORY I CAN'T WORK WITHOUT - SO THIS TIME, I SWEAR, I WON'T SELL IT

     ABOUT A DOZEN YEARS AGO, I SUCCUMBED TO TEMPTATION. SUZANNE KNEW, THAT ONE DAY, I WOULD SLIP, AND MAYBE EVEN FALL. SHE WAS PREPARED FOR IT, I THINK, AND WHEN I FINALLY MUSTERED THE COURAGE TO CONFESS MY SINS, I COULD TELL SHE WAS DISAPPOINTED. IT WAS IN HER EYES. A DISTINCT LOW LUSTER TWINKLE. I HAD BROKEN A PROMISE. I SAID I WOULD NEVER DO IT AGAIN. BUT I DID. AND I ENJOYED EVERY MINUTE OF IT TOO! I DIDN'T TELL HER THAT PART, BUT THE SMILE ON MY FACE KIND OF GAVE IT AWAY. OKAY, I ADMIT IT, I'M A BEAST OF A MAN. I FELT ASHAMED FOR A MINUTE AND A HALF. HEY, I GAVE HER THE MONEY FROM THE PROCEEDS.

     GOSH, DID YOU THINK I HAD CONFESSED, TO HAVING AN AFFAIR? NO WAY! IT WASN'T ANOTHER WOMAN. I SWEAR.

     I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU'D THINK I WOULD DO SUCH A THING. I WAS REFERENCING HOW I BROKE A PROMISE ABOUT SELLING OFF MY MUSKOKA COLLECTION OF HISTORIES. WE NEEDED THE MONEY. AND MUSKOKA HISTORIES SELL VERY WELL. IT MARKED THE THIRD TIME THAT I HAD DECIDED TO UNBURDEN MYSELF, OF ALL THE MOST IMPORTANT REGIONAL BOOKS IN MY ARCHIVES CABINET. AT THAT POINT, I HAD NOTCHED A HAT-TRICK OF BROKEN PROMISES, AS RELATES TO MY, "OUR", MUSKOKA COLLECTION. EACH TIME, IT'S BEEN ABOUT MONEY, AND THE FACT WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY. SO WHAT HAPPENS, IS THAT I SUDDENLY, AND WITHOUT WARNING, GET A SURGE OF NEW INTEREST IN MUSKOKA HISTORY, AND GREATLY DESIRE TO ONCE AGAIN, WRITE ABOUT IT FOR REGIONAL PUBLICATIONS. IT'S A WRITING CONUNDRUM MIXED WITH AN ANTIQUE DEALER'S FOLLY, OF ALWAYS LOOKING TO BUY SOMETHING, JUST SO WE CAN SELL IT AGAIN. THEN I STARE THROUGH THE GLASS OF THE FLAT-TO-THE-WALL CUPBOARD, WHERE I KEEP MY HISTORIES, AND FIND THE SHELVES HAVE CRYSTAL SUGAR BOWLS, CHINA CASSEROLE DISHES, AND WINE GLASSES, INSTEAD OF BOOKS LIKE "REMINISCENCES," WRITTEN BY REDMOND THOMAS, AND "A GOOD TOWN GREW HERE," BY ROBERT BOYER. USUALLY, THE SEVERAL THOUSAND DOLLARS GAINED, FROM THE SALE OF MY MOST IMPORTANT BOOKS, ISN'T SPENT YET, WHEN THE SYMPTOMS OF PROFOUND REGRET COMMENCE; LIKE THE WITHDRAWAL FROM BOOZE, ALL OF A SUDDEN THE MIND RECOGNIZING, THAT ALL IS NOT WELL. I WILL SOON, THEREAFTER, START THE ACQUISITION PROCESS ALL OVER AGAIN. I SOMETIMES WONDER, IF SUZANNE WOULD HAVE LESS CONCERN ABOUT MY SANITY, IF I CONFESSED TO INFIDELITY, VERSUS TELLING HER ONCE MORE, I'VE GOT THE HISTORY BUG AGAIN. OR THAT I'M SELLING OUT, AFTER GETTING A LARGE OFFER.

     THANKS TO PATRICK MCGAHERN BOOKS INC., OF OTTAWA, I'VE NOW COMPLETED MY BRACEBRIDGE AND MUSKOKA ARCHIVES FOR THE FOURTH TIME SINCE 1979. THE BOOK SHOP WAS ABLE TO PROVIDE ME WITH A NICE, CLEAN, WELL CONSERVED COPY, OF THE 1969 HERALD-GAZETTE PRESS PRINTING OF THE TOWN HISTORY, "REMINISCENCES," BY REDMOND THOMAS Q.C. I'VE PROBABLY HAD A DOZEN OF REDMOND'S BOOKS IN THE PAST TWENTY YEARS, BUT THEY SELL INCREDIBLY WELL. THE DEALER-IN-ME SHOWS NO MERCY TO THE HISTORIAN-ME. REDMOND HAD A VERY FOLKSY WRITING STYLE, AND TELLS SOME GREAT STORIES, THAT VERY FEW OTHER HISTORIANS HAVE DARED TO WRITE ABOUT. FOR ONE, HE HANDLES THE TRADITIONS AND ADORNMENTS OF OLD STYLE FUNERALS. VERY FEW HISTORIANS TACKLE THIS KIND OF REKINDLING. HE WRITES ABOUT SKELETONS FOUND IN UNUSUAL PLACES, A PUBLIC HANGING, A STEAM POWERED MERRY-GO-ROUND, R.M. BROWNING'S CASKET, FALLING OUT OF THE HORSE-DRAWN HEARSE, AND A SHORT BIOGRAPHY OF A FELLOW, KNOWN BY THE NICKNAME "BONEY," AND HOW ONE DAY, IN A HAPPENSTANCE PARADE, "HE RODE HIS OWN COFFIN." ALL MY KIND OF HISTORY. THE STORIES THAT REMIND US, HISTORY DOESN'T HAVE TO BE THE BLACK AND WHITE, HARD CORE, FACT ON FACT TEXT, WITHOUT REPRIEVE. REDMOND THOMAS, AN ASTUTE HISTORIAN, WASN'T PREPARED TO IGNORE THE MORE FASCINATING SIDE OF OUR CHRONICLE. IN COMPANY WITH THE OTHER MORE FORMAL, UNBENDING HISTORIES, "REMINISCENCES" IS A JEWELL. IT SHOWS A BIT OF HUMOR, YET A SERIOUS RESPECT, FOR THOSE ASPECTS OF HISTORY, THAT ARE IMPORTANT FOR SOCIAL / CULTURAL REASONS, MORE THAN, FOR EXAMPLE, THE DATE A CORNERSTONE WAS CEMENTED IN PLACE AT THE LOCAL HIGH SCHOOL; WHEN A NEW MAYOR OF THE VILLAGE WAS SWORN-IN, OR THE FIRE-HALL BURNING DOWN. THE ONLY WAY I CAN SENSIBLY PRESENT THE DIFFERENCES, IN THE TWO SCHOOLS OF THOUGHT, ABOUT HISTORICAL PRESENTATION, IS TO QUOTE SOME OF THE WORK I HAVE FOUND SO REMARKABLE, AND DIMENSIONAL, TO WHAT WE KNOW OF THE TOWN BACK THEN. IT'S PRETTY NEAT STUFF. I HOPE YOU AGREE.

AN INTRODUCTION TO REDMOND'S BOOK, FROM HERALD-GAZETTE PRESS PUBLISHER, AND MUSKOKA M.P.P., ROBERT BOYER

     "The opportunity to bring to mind and to paper, many personal reminiscences, of the interesting past, can be given fullest scope, when one reaches a time of leisure. A few years ago (late 1960's) when Redmond Thomas, Q.C., retired from his responsibilities as Magistrate, for the District of Muskoka, he was asked about his plans. The wish was expressed to him, that he would give his mind to preparing articles for publication, based on his knowledge of the community, and records he had kept. A little time went by, and then Mr. Thomas showed his agreement, with the suggestions, by submitting for publication, in The Herald-Gazette, Bracebridge, the first few of several articles on earlier times, in Bracebridge and Muskoka, under the heading 'Reminiscences.' His writings are much enjoyed, and highly valued by the weekly newspaper's readers, who trust they will long continue," wrote Mr. Boyer.

     "Mr. Thomas comes from one of the families which has been long in the land, in Muskoka, a family of prominence in Bracebridge, in merchantile publishing, municipal and legal activities. He began in his legal career, as a youngster in the office of the late Crown Attorney, Thomas Johnson. He interrupted his university career later, to enlist, and resumed it, to be able to be called to the Bar of Ontario, a few years after World War I. In addition to his legal practice, he was associated with the publishing of the former Bracebridge Gazette. Keenly interested in sports, for several years, he wrote accounts of lacrosse and hockey games, before beginning to write for publication on other subjects of wide interest. At first his appointment as Magistrate, permitted him to continue some of this work, until such time as his court work increased, and he was asked to assume the duties of Magistrate, on a full time basis."

     The Publisher, Mr. Boyer, writes of his friend, "One easily, accepts, then, the special qualifications of Mr. Thomas, to take on the responsibilities of the 'Recollector,' of events and developments, belonging to the yesterdays of Bracebridge. On behalf of his many readers, and friends, it is my privilege in this brief forward, to thank him for having written his reminiscences of so many people, and events, in this interesting manner."

      He concludes by noting, "It is my belief, that a good community spirit depends to a large degree, on an understanding of how the community developed, and the kind of people that aided in promoting its earlier progress. With respect to Mr. Thomas's native town, one may gain a good part of such an understanding, from the pages which follow." It is signed "Robert Boyer M.P.P. Muskoka."

     One historian to another. I look up to both these men, as the true "Recollectors" of Bracebridge history.

THE OLD CANNON ON THE PARK (ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE HERALD-GAZETTE, ON JUNE, 1967)

     "The two muzzle-loader cannon on Memorial Park (Bracebridge) - one at the apex of that triangular tract, and pointing north towards the intersection of Manitoba Street, and Kimberley Avenue, and the other at the base-line of the area, and pointing south - have been in their present location for six decades (meaning they were placed there in 1907), which is longer than they are remembered by most of the present inhabitants of this town, but not as long as the park has been there. It was in 1907 that the cannon were placed on the park, but when I first remember them, they were stilly lying on the ground behind the old town hall; how long they had been there I don't know," wrote Redmond Thomas.

     "Each of the cannon has cast into it the initials 'GR' and when initials appear on government property, the 'R' stands for one or other of the Latin words 'Rex (King), or Regina, (Queen),' and the other initial indicates the names of the sovereign. As King Edward the Seventh, was reigning, when the cannon were put on the park, the guns must have been cast not later than the reign of King George the Fourth, who died on the 26th of June, 1830. The Town of Bracebridge does not own the guns - they are Dominion Government property, as they were loaned, not given, to the town."

     I played on those cannon when I walked to and from Bracebridge Public School, back in the mid 1960's. I leaned on them, in my teenage years, when out for a stroll with my girlfriends; looking as if I was the kind of chap who could fire one of these iron monsters. Maybe win a war with one well aimed cannon ball. When I lived across the road from the park, in the former home / medical office, of Dr. Peter McGibbon, in the early 1980's, I'd see those shining black cannons every morning, when I'd sit out on the second floor balcony having my coffee. I used to walk through the park, with our young lads, Andrew and Robert, waiting for their mom to be finished work, at the High School, and both loved to sit up on the barrel of the big gun; a few minutes at the north end, and then reversing, for a tad, to the south end cannon. I remember picking up Robert from my parents' apartment, one afternoon, and being shocked to find a goose-egg on his forehead. As my mother explained, with sincere apology, Robert, under her watch, slipped on the cannon, midway up, and fell onto the great iron piece, hitting his head. I've had a little history myself, with these 1830's circa cannons, guarding both ends of the Manitoba Street park.

     "Firing the cannon was a favorite Hallowe'en prank, of the boys of Bracebridge High School, prior to World War I. Though the touch-hole of each gun had been plugged, the muzzle of each was open - as is still the case with the north one - and the lads from the seat of learning, used to ram a paper bag filled with rifle-powder, down the muzzle. and rig up a fuse leading from it to the ground. After lighting the fuse they would hide in some place from which they could enjoy the explosion. The north cannon was the one nearly always chosen for the event."

     Redmond writes, "The roadways were surfaced with coarse crushed stone, and during the summer, small boys amused themselves by trying to thrown some of these stones into the muzzle of each cannon, especially the north one, (aimed onto Manitoba Street because of the angle of the park at this point) - and often succeeded. Consequently, when on Hallowe'en, the bag of powder was shoved as far as possible down the muzzle into the bore, the stones were forced back almost to the breech. The explosion would hurl the stones back against the breech and they would rebound out the muzzle like a cannon ball. Furthermore, in those days, the north cannon had not tilted down a bit, as is now the case, nor was there any tree in front of it, as is at present. Consequently, stones shot from that cannon landed onto Manitoba Street, and would be something of a danger to anyone, who then happened to be using that thoroughfare."

     I know this as fact, because I had a chance to talk, at some length, with one of the fellows who routinely participated in this unauthorized cannon-fire, towards upper Manitoba Street. I won't reveal his name, but he did explain how they tried to get the biggest bang, and the most projectiles into the air, and that involved increasingly larger amounts of gunpowder. He said that on one occasion, the explosion was so great, that it seemed to rock the cannon itself, and sent a thunderous amount of debris into a nearby house.

     "One time the amateur cannoneers, used more powder than had been usual. The explosion was a thriller," notes Mr. Thomas. The ground was shaken so violently, that glass in some windows, in the vicinity were cracked. The stones were shot clear across Manitoba Street, and they had kept travelling until they crashed against a wall of a big wooden house (now long gone), on the east side of that street. The students had thoughtlessly failed to keep a good look-out for traffic, of which ordinarily there would be none. But just after the fuse was lit, a wagon hauled by a team of horses, came up Manitoba Street, and the volley of stones whizzed across the road, only a few feet in front of the noses of the steads. The driver and his team, came pretty close to having crushed stone embedded in their ribs, like an emerald in a gold ring. The horses needed no urging to depart rapidly - very rapidly indeed. How many complaints were lodged with the police? Nary a one. Folks in those days had more toleration - or resignation."

     By the way, both muzzles are now sealed off, to prevent similar events from ocurring again.

BONEY ROAD ON HIS COFFIN (ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE HERALD-GAZETTE IN MAY 4TH, 1967

     Here is another of Redmond's unique stories, that weren't hard-news enough, to make the formal histories of the region, but thank goodness he conserved this gem of folk history for future generations.

     "He was rarely called anything but Boney, and he was a town character in Bracebridge. He spent the nights in a sawdust pile at the Shier sawmill, as long as the weather permitted him to sleep outdoors - and that was most of the year, as he was almost impervious to cold. Probably in bitter winter weather, he slept in the stable of the mill. He must have been a non-smoker, or he would have not been allowed to be around the mill property. He got the nickname 'Boney' because on foot, and carrying a sack, he used to prowl the town looking for bones, empty beer bottles, and other discarded things, which he could turn into a few cents. His real name was of so little consequence, that though I once knew it, I have forgotten it, except that I have a vague recollection that his first name was George. To the townspeople he was just Boney. Though he was harmless, he was of such unkempt appearance, that we small kids were afraid of him."

     Redmond Thomas spins the tale so beautifully, you feel in touch with the day Boney got his revenge on death. "Before my time, or at least recollection, my uncle Jim Thomas, who had been a clerk in my father's store, the Thomas Company, here, had been sent to manage a store which my father had opened under the same name in North Bay, and which uncle Jim eventually bought. While in Bracebridge, my uncle Jim had, of course, known Boney.

     "It chanced that later, Boney betook himself to North Bay to dwell. Perhaps he thought the citizenry of the Nipissing capital, were more affluent or more prodigal, than those of the Muskoka capital, and thus the pickings would be better; or perhaps he went just because there were more people there anyway, as North Bay, now a city, was then a town about one-third more populous than Bracebridge. On arriving in North Bay, doubtless on a freight train, of the Grand Trunk Railway (now CNR), Boney greeted Uncle Jim as a long-lost friend, and began the practice of going to him for a little hand-out of cash, when things got tough even for Boney. The last time (about 1905) I saw Boney, was in North Bay. I was still a young lad, and was in the Thomas Company store there, when in he walked. Uncle Jim, who was very comical, said 'Redmond, I guess you remember my old college chum.'

     "While at North Bay, Boney figured into an historical episode. He lived alone in a shack on the outskirts of town. One bitter winter day, some people from that neighborhood, came down town, and reported that Boney was dead. As for some time, they had seen no smoke coming from the stovepipe, sticking through the roof of his shack. They had peered through the dusty window, and seen Boney lying stark still, and showing no signs of life. As Boney had become a town character, in North Bay, the businessmen chipped in enough money to give Boney a decent burial."

     Redmond, and I can see the smile on his face, as he wrote this piece, reported that, "So accompanied by a police officer, an undertaker went out on an open sleigh, on which was a casket inside a rough box. The officer forced the door of Boney's shack, and he and the undertaker entered the interior, which was bitterly cold. Thereupon the 'corpse,' sat up, and wanted to know what the trouble was. Boney, who, as already mentioned, was almost impervious to cold, had simply been in a sort of temporary hibernation. When Boney learned that he was 'dead' and that his coffin was outside, he thought it a great joke, and got permission to ride down town on the sleigh. Soon the folks on the Main Street, saw an enthralling sight. Down the street came the sleigh, driven by the undertaker, beside whom, on the seat, was the police officer; while on the back of the sleigh, was the rough box, upon which was perched, the dead man, who was laughing, and using the rough box as a drum, on which, with his fists, he was beating a tattoo. It is now long ago, since Boney and a coffin took a second ride together - but not with Boney on the outside."