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In July 1918, 30,000 cans were produced daily. Bownianville also had a canning factory which started operating in 1912 under the name of British Canadian Canners, and in 1915 was sold to Canadian Canners Ltd. This plant was also a major employer employer of women. Evaporators Apples grow in abundance in this region and most of the high grade were shipped overseas. The lesser quality apples were sliced and dried at plants known as evaporators. Bow- manvillc, Newcastle and Orono all had evaporator plants. The Bowmanvillc plant operated from the 1890's until just after the First World War ended. Employment was available for women and girls to operate the machines which would peel, core, and slice the fruit. After being peeled and sliced, the apples went to the steam dryers until practically practically all the moisture was gone. The Bowmanvillc plant, owned by John A. Holgate and Son, usually .only operated from late September until mid-December, but in 1914 they secured a large war contract for their products and did not cease operations until the beginning of the following May. It employed approximately 35 men and women. The Orono evaporator, evaporator, was constructed in 1912 and closed down in 1936 with the cessation cessation of the Canadian Northern Railway Railway services. • A resident in Orono, Mr. Kenneth Stephenson, has a vivid memory of going into the evaporator plant as a youngster and seeing the women with their hands wrapped in bandages. This occupation was not without risk as women were continually slicing their fingers on the sharp blades of the machinery. This type of employment employment was generally seasonal in nature, nature, and was appealing to married ' women who were unable or unwilling unwilling to Commit to permanent employment. employment. Arts and Education Bownianville and ils surrounding areas experienced a period of growth during.the war. Teachers were in great demand. In September 1915 there were 82 women and 15 (non employed as teachers. This figure includes includes Port Hope, counties Darlington, Darlington, Clarke, and Minivers and llow- "149 Years of Service" Established in 1845 by Robert S. Manning, an Irish immigrant who set up a cabinet shop and undertaking establishment on King Street West. In 1875 the business was sold to William R Prower and 1882 Prower built a large brick building on the south side of King Street which became the new location for the undertaking firm, located at the present site of Allouise Fashions. In addition to being an important businessman in Bownianville (he was director of the Upper Canada Furniture Company) he served as the town's reeve for 17 years. . When Prower died in 1894 the business was sold to Marcus Williams and his son Alan. In 1915 the business was moved further west. Marcus Williams died in 1922 and Alan continued to run the business until his death in 1932. Arley Northeutt and Aubrey Smith purchased the undertaking establishment from the Williams family and a year later it moved to its fourth location, on the north side of King Street, next to the Bank of Montreal. A small funeral chapel was opened in the rear of the building for those who did not wish to have the body of the deceased rest at home. In 1952 Northeutt and Smith purchased" the Treblicock home at the corner of Division and Wellington Street. The house, which became the fifth location, was renovated and a chapel was added on the east side. The firm carried on as Northeutt and Smith until 1964 and in 1964 Carson Elliott purchased controlling interest and the home took on its present name. Mr. Cory Kuipers, a Bownianville native, joined the firm in 1972 as Funeral Director and Embalmer and in 1988 Cory and his wife Rose purchased the business from Carson Elliott. Northeutt Elliott Funeral Home is complete with modern parlours and a chapel which is currently under renovation providing wheel chair accessibility to all citizens of Clarington, Our business brings the people of Clarington and surrounding areas a service which is steeped in tradition of the unfamiliar details, handling all with reverence and respect. You can be assured that quiet, comforting consolation will he extended. NORTHCUTT ELLIOTT FUNERAL HOME , ' 53 Division Street North, Bowmanville Telephone (905) 623-5668 The classified ads in The Canadian Statesman were an excellent source of information about women's work. Bicentennial Edition, Wednesday, October 5, 1994 liïisii Issagitiii tor Women in ie@iamlle Daring First World Si by Cathy Haynes Bowmanvillc became known as a village in the 1830's and was officially officially incorporated in January 1853. The town grew steadily with immigrants from Britain and small industries began began to appear. By 1914 the population was approximately approximately 12,000. This figure includes includes Bowmanville and its surrounding surrounding areas. The town itself was bustling with industry, with factories manufacturing industrial and consumer consumer goods. The area surrounding Bowmanvillc was, and still is, prime agricultural land. A 1915 article in Tire Canadian Statesman, describes a "busier, better, better, and bigger Bowmanvillc" which, rather than declining during die war, was prospering. The article further states that "any man who wants to work in town can find it", but left unanswered unanswered is: What about the women? Few resources exist which chronicle chronicle women's work during this period, but talking with some local historians as well as laboriously searching through the old issues of The Canadian Canadian Statesman, led to the discovery of a substantial'amount of information. The occupations of women at that time were as varied as the women themselves, from nurses to milliners and maids. They were an integral part of the community and everything they did can be viewed not only as individual work experience but as a vital part of an active community. The following pages describe some of the diverse occupations of the local women during the time of the First World War. For the sake of organization and readability they are categorized under headings, but after spending so much time reviewing people and places, 1 feel as if in some way I knew these women and could definitely not categorize any of them! Industry and Agriculture Fanning was, and still is today, albeit albeit to a lesser extent, a major business business in Bowmanvillc's outlying areas. areas. You need not travel more than a few minutes from town and you arc in fanning areas. This area cultivated almost every kind of vegetable as well as apples and pears. At harvest time cunning factories were in full operation, Tlie Orono Company started operating operating in 1913 and employed upwards of 35 hands. These employees were primarily women. In August 1916 an ad was run in the Orono Paper by Mr. Robert Foster, Manager of the canning canning company, requesting 35 women to work at the plant. The vegetables required preparation prior to canning, i.c. peeling and slicing and with large amount of produce arriving constantly, constantly, many women were needed to keep up production. manvillc. The wages varied, depending on their level of certification. certification. Their salaries ranged from $450 to $700 per year. There were only a few teachers whose salaries were $1000 per year or more, one of whom was a teacher, from Orono named Elsie M. Wise. In addition to traditional education, education, instruction in music was also available. In the September 2, 1915 edition of The Canadian Statesman there were at least two advertisements advertisements for piano and vocal instruction. instruction. Two such ladies were Miss Helen Helen Martin and Miss Alma M. Courtice. Service Industries The classified ads in The Canadian Canadian Statesman were an excellent source of information about women's work. For example, one advertisement advertisement was for a "good girl wanted for light housework". It was also discovered discovered that there were two sisters whp had a dressmaking business. The Continued on Page 18 Supplement of The Canadian Statesman 17 |Poit Islington Barton Created in 1837 From Page 16 stead of the Port Hope Advertiser, and in 1853 the meetings began to be held in "the Office at Port Darlington", Darlington", instead of in the various taverns, taverns, inns and hotels such as Hindes', Kellogg's, Brodie's, Foley's Inn, Mitchell's Inn and others. Apparently these were very numerous at the time. The Grand Tmnk Railway must have come- through about this time for in 1854 the company set the dues collectable for railroad iron and other railroad material being received at the wharf. In 1856 another pier, paralleling paralleling the cast pier was built and a dividend, of 20 per cent was paid. In 1856 also, Mr. John Simpson, president president of the Company and a prominent prominent citizen in Bowmanvillc affairs was elected to the Legislative Council Council for Queen's Division (we arc not sure what territory this comprised) and in 1867, the year of Confederation, Confederation, he was called to the Senate of the Dominion of Canada. Fire At Dock During the 60's business must have declined, possibly due in part to the railway, for dividends were only 4 1/2 per cent and 6 per cent. Misfortune Misfortune struck on August 15, 1870, when the warehouse on the dock was destroyed by fire. But at a meeting of the directors called the same dav in the Ontario Bank, it was moved that a new building 75' x 25' be erected with a lighthouse on top and office and waiting room below in the south end. Old residents will recall this lighthouse, lighthouse, painted white, its outer wall almost entirely covered with rude carvings of entwined hearts, and otit er romantic symbols, together with' the initials of the jack knife artists and their inamoratac. It was a favorite favorite pastime, of the younger generation generation to try to decipher these hiero-. glyphics and refer them to the romances which they were intended to perpetuate. In 1871 it was decided that at the next annual meeting the stockholders of the Company would offer to sell Port Darlington Harbor to the Town of Bowmanvillc for $66,000. The idea was in connection with a proposed proposed railroad from Port Darlington to Bobcaygeon, which, it was probably probably thought, would increase trade through the harbor. An alternative offer offer was to be made to the Town of 50 per cent of the gross yearly earnings received by the Harbor Company for 25 years on traffic brought to or dispatched dispatched from the harbor over this railroad. Nothing seems to have come of this. The Hon. John Simpson in 1876 secured Dominion Government assistance assistance of $5,000 for the improvement of the harbor. Up to this date, this was the only aid given by the Government. Government. David Fisher succeeded John Simpson as president in 1885 and two new directors were appointed, appointed, John McClellan and D. B. Sii son. Simp- Coming into this century, a good „ many can remember harbor affairs and the early days of Bowmanvillc Beach as a summer vacation spot. As soon as school was out, families moved down to the lake and the kids went happily barefoot until it was time for school bells to ring out aeain.