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FROM THE OAK PLAIN TO THE LAKEFRONT Because the fair will be with us this weekend, I thought it only fit- ting that the last column be about the beginnings of fairs in this area, and most especially our own Orono fair. Wbile writing this chapter for the book, "From the Oak Plain to the Lakefront" I have discovered that there are very few old photos of die fair. If any readers happen ta have some, please let me know. What gaod is a history book with- out pictures? Sa, on with the col- umn... From the 'Historical Sketch of Northumberland and Durham', found at the back of 'Beldin's Atlas ofthie Counties of Northumberland and Durham, 1878', we have an account of the first fairs in the area ... " ... The first preliminary steps for establishing an Agricultural Society for the County of Durham were taken in November 1830, by the issue of a subscription list cir- culated amongst those desirous of becoming members. The first meeting ta elect office-bearers was held at Mr. Bletcher's tavern in December. David Smart was elect- ed Presîdent, Jacob Choate, Treasurer, and Erasmus Fowke, Secretary. The first general meet- ing was held at Wellington Inn, - Part Hope, on the 20th of January, 1831, when the constitution of the Society was adopted. In 1832 Mr. Choate was deputed ta import thor- ough-bred cattle, and a number of pure Durham and other breeds were afterwards introduced by him and sold ta members -of the Society at cost. Thiesame otticer was.also, in 1834, deputed ta purchase seed wheat for die same purpose. He purchased one hundred bushels in the United States of white flint wheat, and a little quantity of.red chaff wheat at Hamilton. Bath proved a failure, being littie adapt- ed ta the soul of the country. These were the first importations for agri- cultural impravements in the District af Newcastle. Agricultural- Societies for Northumberland and for the sepa- rate ridings of each county of Northumberland and Durham quickly followed. Every munici- pality bas its Township Society, and there is also the Grand Central Exhibition now held periodically, at which thousands of dollars are given in pnizes, and the display of horses, cattle, sheep and ail other kinds of stock and farmers' pro- duce amount ta thousands of entries in the various clas ses." Local resident, Francis Jose, has spent rnany hundreds of hours researching the history of fairs in Ontario, and the Durham Central Fair in particular. TMis chapter is 99% bis unerring work, and I must offer my deepest thanks to him for making bis, notes available ta com- plete this chapter. He, has gîven. his permission for me ta quote lib- erally from his work, and this I have done. Everything you find through the rest of this chapter in " "is bis work, with notations made as ta the works origin, if known. It seems that the fairs of today were not the intcnt of the original agricultural societies. They were formed ta give the average farmer an opportunity ta improve his stock or produce through 'co-operative' buying power... "as the country opened up to immigrants and more land came into production there became a shortage of good breed- ing stock and superior seed. The early farmers realized just like the modem farmer today that unless they could plant the best seed and breed the best livestock much of their hard labour was being wasted. These luxuries were not easy for an individual farmer ta obtain aane. 'he cost of importing a high producing bull from England was far beyond the means of most early settlers. By becoming a member of an Agricultural Society a farmer could increase bis buying power and therefore make bis farmn more productive..." "...It is quite noticeable by its absence that the original intent of early Agricultural Societies was not. ta put on fairs, or as they were called in the 19th century, 'Shows'. It does seem, however, that the show just came along naturally as the quality of the farm product improved, the farmer wanted ta show off the fruits of bis labours. What better way ta do this than ta take bis best produce and livestock ta a show where là ÇOU1d bO entCrcd in competition with that neighbaur who is always bragging that he grows the biggest and best of everything..." Even though these old records say that there was not a great deal of interest in Agricultural Societies prior ta 1830, a report from the Board of Agriculture, 1855, dealing with the history of Agricultural Societies in the province says there was a Society in the District of Newcastle as early as 1825. It also says that the Clarke Agricultural Society was organized in 1852. -Besides the usual fare of cattle, horses, other stock and field crops, there was a special attraction at the first Clarke Fair of 1852 - Might's patent Self-acting Horizontal Sawing Machine. A letter from Robert Might was printed in the Port Hope Guide on March 19, 1853. Here is an excerpt from this article... " ... Persons engaged in the man- ufacture of sawed shingles, staves, etc., would do well ta examine these machines, as they will do Each year in this country, hundreds of drivers die in head-on collisions. They sec it conhing. They hit the brakes in panic. And thev watch it happen. At Y\oung Drivers, we ve taught our Head-On Collision Avoidance technique to over haif a million Canadians. And our files are full of letters fromn graduates who 've saved their owfl lives, and the livecs of o'thers, by uising it. Most driving courses doii't more work, in a better manner, and with less power than any ather sawing aPPaawS eXta For the cutting Of fire Wood, exceedingly applicable; witli a two horse motive Power (two horses walking ini a cir- cie) and four men to attend, one machine will eut from twenty to thirty cords of Wood per day from logs of twenty feet in length, or under, and double this quantity will bcecut if a motive power of four horses is applied." "The inventor received a Diploma for bis machine at the late Provincial Agricultural Show in Toronto, and a Premium was awarded him for bis invention'at the late Agricultural Show held in Newcastle..." You will see that the fair that year was not at Orono, as it is today. In earlier times, the fair was held wherever there was room for it, or a couple of adjoîning fields were available. Some years, in the beginning, the fair was held at Bowmanville, some years at Newcastle, and some years at Orono. "For about the fîrst 20Oyears, the Clarke Agricultural Society held the annual show in the Village of Newcastle. The next two decades saw the ghow aItermaing between Newcastle and Orono and after 1895, it appears that Orono became the permanent home at the Orono Fall Fair, as it was now known." So says Francis Jose in an article in the Canadian Statesman, April 8, 1992, the year the Society cele- brated ils l4Oth anniversary. The fair in 1858 was held in Bowmanville, and an article in the Orono Sun, on October 14 of that year states... " ... This being the first show beld sînce the division of the Counties, we were prepared to see a mucb smaller show of Cattle, etc., than in by-gone years. We were surprised on die other hand to fmnd that the show far exceeded that at Port Hope last year, in the num- ber and excellence of the entries of Cattle and stock of ail kinds. The farmers appeared to enter into the affair with great spiri. The article goes on ta tell of some of the competitions, and of those who exhibited fine beasts... continued on page 6 teach head-on- collision avo idan c e -~ But if you're in the market for, a lifetinie of collision-f ree drivîng, Young i)rivers is just about the onlv place voui're going t() wlft to go. Young Drivers of Canada SYour licence to survive. 98 King St. W., Bowmanville Next Course: Saturday, September 9th (2 weekends) Cali 623-7017 for information. k, A c îe at ........ .. .. ôf