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The Herald Second Front 1977 The fullsize paper reaching more than 12700 homes in Halton Hills 131 YEARS AS A COMMUNITY INSTITUTION A profile of Georgetowns fair Fair exhibits sometime during the 1950s By GARFIELD McGILVRAY As Georgetown Fair is to form the setting or he limn Centennial celebration is fitting hat some mention of the history of hits organization should be recorded not only for posterity but to give the newer residents of our town some knowledge of this time- honored institution The Agricultural Society which operated he fair up until this year when the name was changed to Georgetown Agricultural Society Is older than lion itself The first fair was held in To commemorate their centennial in 1916 a monument and flag pole was erected In Georgetown Park given by the Department of Agriculture for one hundred years button in he agricultural Held It was he first pylon to be erected in Western Ontario only five having been erected in Eastern Ontario prior to that date So it is only filling that as the fair celebrates its 121st exhibition that the own should wont to celebrate Canada centennial at the same time A PIONEER BEGINNING As we endeavor to trace history of this organ tat ion picture il you can the pioneer farmers of the last century who decided to organize for the first fall fair and agricultural society Much of this country was still In a very primitive stale log was slillln evidence especially farther to the west There was not a great deal of although the more uptodate and wealthier farmer had progressed somewhat by this time Motor cars and airplanes were unheard of and oxen teams were still In use on the farm We can picture some the pioneers came to that first meeting by oxen cart or at least in a democrat OLD JOURNAL It Is almost Impossible to get a true glimpse of proceeding at the first organize tlonal meeting Old timers say it was held in the old township hall al Stewart town and at that time Stewart town was thriving community with large number of taverns stores and Industry Govern records do not reach back far enough from which to obtain information hut paragraph from Journal and Transactions of the Board of Agriculture Upper Canada Vol 1 Toronto extract from county report p says The township of Nelson Trafalgar and have each societies established therein for some length of time and from the exhibitions held during the summer in these fine townships we can truly say that their agriculture is at present in an advanced state As late as 1BS8 pounds shillings and pence were still in evidence and further paragraph from Journal reads as follows hundred and one members amount of subscriptions gov grants total receipts Including balance from previous year fid total disbursement in premiums and general expenses 15s Balance in the treasurer s hands id Then on Page Esquesing one hundred and thirty members amount of subscriptions M II d lie grants 5s total receipts Bs it amount paid in premiums Incidental expenses 14 Is id balance In hand 10s Id it was not until between hat Ihe society asked that a charter be filed It must have been an exciting day for those pioneer farmers as they brought their product and livestock for the exhibition We understand the at was used for displaying the vegetables grain fruit and ladies work while the fair proper took place In Murray field house on top of the hill There were probably lines of hex rugs he women folk vied for the honours as well as those delicious of ho nil made bread buns and sages lhat are Inclined be conspicuous by heir at present day shows as the modern cooks go far ihe fancy pastry While records are meagre to oar claims Vic that one Abraham was first president of the society Col John Murray grandfather of the Into J C Murray tils death a few years ago was the firs secretary treasurer in the one hundred and twenty one years we will deal with some these later In this story About 1875 the fair was moved from to Georgetown aid wis held in the Market Square which wab then land bordered by Markel Church and Factory Streets iclory SI was a decode IarkAvt Then as now it was only a one day fair and square was in by in eight loot fenci along streets for fair The old drill hall stood below the present library was used for display purposes The first show on the present ground in the Georgetown Park took place in 1889 Around this time fair being a township fair was held alternate years in Acton and Georgetown and it was not until 1903 the last fair was held In Acton by this group II was In 1907 that W A Wilson became president later becoming a posi It isof interest that Mr Wilson niece Mrs George Ironside Is the present secretary or the Georgetown Agricultural Society Joe Acton was president in and John unmngham in year 1909 In 197 organized the first plowing In I94G when the Society celebrated lis centennial we talked to two of the members at that time both arc now deceased and gleaned much of history of the fair W A Wilson said he could remember hib father showing a Preston bay marc at fair in 1879 J Alexander had a good memory and could recall many of Ihe early exhibitors back in the early BO and Drain Bros of the Nerval district showed oxen Imported Short hurra were exhibited by Thomas Leicester sheep were shown by Brain Bros also while Henry Ross was the first exhibitor of cattle John Brown idge was an outstanding exhibitor of Yorkshire Tarn worth and Berkshire pigs and his early breeding of registered swine has been carried on down years by his desccn dents who to this day breed and export high quality hogs Thomas and son Alan of Georgetown are still laking the ribbons at and Royal Winter Turin Toronto Road and horses were the pnde early fairs as are today although not as as in former years Around and previous names of still ring familiar were John Wrlgglcaworth William Patterson Joseph Wll Ham William Leslie Sandy Joseph Coltrell W Wilson Henry Wilson J Nell Glllls J Clark John MacDonald Dave Brooks Harrison Bros MnrkGlven I Herbert Allan Hugh Morrison Andy Little Aiken Bros Fuller J Gra John McKay Appclbe James A J Alexander was one the early exhibitors of fancy fowl and editor of Feather a poultry maga at the time of his death started showing at Georgetown Fair in 1909 Some of the early fairs that we can remember were a cry from those of today Not II at Ihcy did not have some fine shows excellent hall exhibits and inghirness races Ihe crowds were small in comparison the town had only about people at that lime Harness racing was Ihe big In fact Ihe society formed a driving club thai sponsored races on the of May sport the rides for children but there were many games of chance and booths with taffy apples pop corn and candy We when the laleCy Kennedy father of Mrs This photo Is believed to dote back to following War Jack Wilson of Main St used travel the air circuit wllh his team and wagon with goodies for the children OFF It THROUGH Many presidents have captained the ship through its one hundred and twenty years While oil have made a fine effort for he good of the fair at least three have stood out above others The late Benjamin was popular in the early while in later year Craig Held and Harding Price did much to promote the fair and knit the board Ihe together While we don I have a complete record of presidents prior to 1931 these man did hold the top office before that time J Joerlynn John Cunningham A Wilson Thomas Maffatt A Herb Cook Alex Joe Jim Held J A Elliott George Leslie Henry Wilson Huffman Thomas took W C It Is interesting note thai in 36 years from 1931 lo the society has had only presidents In 1931 T I Leslie 1932 Ed George Leslie Jameslisher 193738TJ 19404l42HcrbCcnvc 454G47ragHcid 194B49 John Bird 195051 Nelson Robinson 54 Harding Price Spencer Wilson 195B Wilfrid Bird Garfield MeGilvray Ken Ella Kellh Webb We have no knowledge of the secretary ircisurers prior in 1931 except to say Percy Cleave look the treasurers position from the laic J A and that position for over thirty five years retiring In 1963 A twenty five years Secretaries from 1931 to the present Included W A Wilson 1931 Oscar 1939 I- rank 194042 Garfield McG vray 1943 Trevor Williams sec 19501961 Mrs George Ironside 196267 tt HAT OF As the agricultural society approaches Canada centennial celebration the directors are confident that future directors and townspeople generally will rally around and see that this time honoured institution will continue for ninny years to come You ask why it has succeeded so well II is due to the hard work which succeeding reeloralcs have put Into each fair always striving make he next fair a Utile better the one before If prize was offered for the best rural fair in Canada today we doubt if any finer example could be found than that presented by your awn One has only to stand by the grandstand looking out over Ihe crowds of people and livestock and turn and catch the beamy of the grove of maples in their autumn colors sides to realize lhat we haven good thing here for Canadians we and with a will go on striving for a fair that may eclipse those of the post In further progress of agriculture and entertainment for the community is a whole The show has grown in past decade Since the above history of Georgetown Fair was published in Centennial Year 1967 the society has continued to grow and prosper During the decade attendance and number has doubled but so has running expenses and while the fair has always paid its way profits haven been too large However Ihe calibre of he show improved tremendously and has offered something for young and old alike More and more businessmen and townspeople are laking a greater interest In the fair Some see Ihe advertising possibilities while others find the refreshment stands a good place to add a few dollars to their organization coffers But he exhibition Is he most Important entity of the fair for without them the show could not carry on So each year more and more people are coming forward to take part in the show and keep Ihis centuryold in afloat Unfortunately Georgetown fair has not been able to accumulate sufficient assets to have their own grounds Each year recreation is taking over more and 1 ire of the available apace of our park but the society is making the best of il for they know the public want to keep this time honored fair in operation The recreation commission and the town works department have been very helpful they too want the fair to prosper In order to alleviate some to the congestion In the hall a floor has been in stalled the building at the far end of the park and will be used for exhibits and com displays One of the horse shows has been dropped from the prize list to allow more space for exhibitors You might say the fair has become too big for the grounds II will be fitted in The success of he fair during Ihe past ten years as was the case previously was the Interest and devotion of presidents secretaries treasurers and board members all were committed make he fair a showpiece and the biggest attraction in he community year after year President Don Gosling President Ladies Section MrsCRFogal Treasurer Mrs Ironside Secretary Manager What will the edition bring Plana have been going ahead for some months and the usual fine show is promised Commercial displays and concessions are being added each week while space for the refreshment booths have been sold out for some weeks Besides the usual horse and cattle there will be Old Macdonalds Farm acrobatics musical entertainment The fair will be officially opened this year by Julian Reed MPP for Halton Burlington Dont the show Sept and Oct Photos courtesy of Garfield MeGilvray One of the decorated exhibit tables A view ol the midway Every equestrian fan knows MacMilian family name is synonymous with horses The name McMillan is so popular in horse show circles today that one think had been handed down from a previous generation The fact is that the McMillan Family have been showing horses for a eomparatively short period of lime but they have made manv friends all over province and In the S since up this hobby II all started back In 1942 when Ken McMillan popular Georgetown farm machinery dealer and who also handled coal traded two Ions of coal for a Shetland pony Dolly for their daughter Joyce Later a com binder changed hands for Queen le and It was soon a familiar sight in the home to sec a proud little girl riding around in a gig drawn by l wo ponies The next year 1943 Ken got the bug to exhibit at some of the fairs the stable then belns increased to three with Chief a horse of good breeding Soon Warwick Princess was purchased as a male lor and a pair of hackney ponies Manor iiarnara Joy and Manor Lady Da v I joy offspring of an English show pony Joy and sired by Do v I burn Bantam then owned by Mrs Lula Long Coombs of Lee Summit Missouri make ho hobby more interesting Since hose early days in he show ring some changes have taken place in the McMillai stable Barbara Joy and Manor Lady Da v I joy hive been replaced by Performer and Sir David and hut recently Chief was sold to Hugh McDonald of Winnipeg and Sky Rocket are now the pride of daughter Joyce while the Shetland pony Dolly Dimples was the moll of a brand new past summer It i affair McMillan horses for both wife and share equally in the long line of ribbons lint Ken place of ribbons from all over he provinee Quebec and the Chicago International Mrs McMillan had never held a line in her hand before 1943 but she rapidly took to he hobby and now competes with the best Daughter Joyce likes the saddle too and her biggest thrill must have been when she was singled out to take the spotlight role In the Hoy a I film film Ihe 1947 Royal Winter Fair The McMillan have derived untold pleasure from their vcnlure they have made friends wherever ihcy have shown because their motto has been when going Into the ring every man for himself and may the best man Their latest vcnlure was at the Chicago Internal Ion Horse Show when they met with considerable success while competing against the strongest opposition Canadian Show New Georgetown January