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DAYS OF THE WALRUS MOUSTACHE McCorquodale, Doughty Mariner, Councillors Were Fashion Plates In 1915 W as Early Weather Prophet By W. W. MOORHOUSE Peter McCorquodale was born in Scotland in 1807, and came to Oak ville in 1830 having already gained considerable experience as a sailor on the rough seas and rugged coasts of his native land. Naturally he found a place among the great company of lake sailors of those early days, and first appears in local history as master and part owner of the schooner " Royal Tar." For Sailor King From the scant records of her cargoes, she was probably a ship of about 150 tons and must have been newly built at the time as she was named for King William IV, the " Sailor King" who had just come to the throne of England. Jerry Snider tells me that in 1857 (Oak ville's year of birth) she was a sunken wreck in the western gap at Toronto. Whether she founder ed in a storm or had just died of old age is a matter of doubt. There are so many questions one might have asked of people who are no longer able to answer. Peter was a good listener but a man of few words. When local mariners were talking shop there was little that escaped him. Old timers like Capt. Nick Boylan, John Moore and the brother Cap tains Robert and William Wilson would discuss local weather condi tions, handling of ships laden or in ballast in different types of wind and sea, and the pros and cons of various sailing rig. One thing all were agreed--for a har bour of such growing importance, Oakville must have a lighthouse. REFORMER Caleb Hopkins, a reform candi date, became Halton's member of parliament in 1841, the year after the Upper Canada House of As sembly had its last meeting. This was built in 1837 at a cost of £852 but during a North-east storm of unprecedented violence in April 1886, the structure was under mined and collapsed into the lake. The lighthouse of today was built in 1389. A Devil An' All! However, it was in 1832 or there about that Peter McCorquodale sat listening to the local mariners. " When the murk is thick ahead it's the devil an' all to make a land fall. 'Tis the sky-line what counts an' (here's no verra much to choose between the mouth of Coates Creek an' the Sixteen in a fog. Why, we nigh ran slap into the Little Sixteen at John Hin ton's sawmill in a blow last week. Ay, it's the sky-line what counts, and it's no sae bad in an off-shore blow, -- ye can tack or ca' canny an' heave-to. With a gale astarn, heavy seas runnin' an' a lee shore, it's hell an' all!" Peter mulled this over as he strolled down to the head-land East of the Port Where he had bought a quarter acre lot from Wm. Chisholm and was starting to build his house. " This bluff should show up to sta'board, but there's bluffs too to sta'board of Coate s Creek an' the Little Sixteen, an' when it's piping up an' thick an' night comin on--Trees might help some,--tall, fast growin' trees"-- On such lines his thoughts ran. Strange Shapes Anyone who has tried to make a port at night or in thick weather knows how the whole face of nature changes. The thickening shadows seem to shift and take on strange shapes that can make imagination run riot. In these days of course, one suffers too from a multiplicity of lights,--red, green and white lights from shore cot tages, -- red and white shifting lights of motors on the highway,-- all seem bent on hiding the rather dim lights noted in the Coast Pilot that mark the Harbour's mouth. So Peter thought about trees and asked about trees, and ended by planting in front of his house a row of Lombardy poplars. They're all gone years ago, but may be seen in old photographs of the lake front. They served their pur pose admirably for years, and marked a landfall <for many a mariner hasting or often limping into^ort. Sons Followed Steps Amongst these were Peter's sons Duncan and Robert who later commanded sailing ships. He probably felt bitter disappointment when a younger son, James, went "into steam." Peter McCorquodale was a God fearing man and an active member in the founding of the Canada Presbyterian Church in Oakville. He died in 1850 but the family re mained in the old house until the nineties. His epitaph might well be adapt ed from the rather formal obituary notice that appeared in the " Oak ville Sun." " He was a sailor of ardour and integrity." Storm In '86 Whipped Waves To 30 Feet, Washed Pier Away April 8 , 1886, was a day long re membered by the citizens of Oak ville. A terrific storm lashed the waters of the lake, causing waves which some observers claimed were 30 feet high. So great was the force of the waves that the timbers in the old east pier gave way beneath their impact. The whole structure soon went to pieces, and the lighthouse toppled into the channel before the aston ished gaze of a crowd of school children who had come to the spot to view the storm's depredations. When the storm was over the harbour was filled with debris and stones, and the task of salvaging timber from the lake took several days. A temporary scaffolding was erected to enahle the steamer Southern Belle to take on and dis charge passengers, but the struc ture lasted only a few weeks, and steamer service had to be cancel led for the season. A deputation from Oakville went to Ottawa and obtained a grant of $2 0 , 0 0 0 for harbor repairs which were made the following year. A new pier was built to replace the one which had been destroyed, but the lighthouse was not re placed until 1889. Town's First Prima Donna Was A Boat Only four entries completed the course in the first Toronto-toOakville yachting race, staged the year the town was founded by the Royal Canadian Yacht Club, then only three years old. Abnormally heavy squalls prevailed that sum mer day in 1857, and many entries dropped out. Prima Donna won the race in four hours and forty-nine minutes, defeating Queen, Cygnet and Can ada. The trim vessels were accord ed a hospitable welcome upon finally making port here. Styles in men's neckwear have changed somewhat since the ac companying pictures of the mem bers of Halton County Council for 1915 were taken. Many of the county legislators of 42 years back have, since passed away, but there may be one or two still living. Many people of Oakville and dis trict will remember Arthur S. Forster, whose photo is second from the left in the middle row. Mr. Forster was editor and pub lisher of the old Oakville Star for more than 40 years. He took an active part in municipal afffairs, and served as reeve and mayor of Oakville. He was county warden one year. Seen immediately below Mr. Forster is George Hillmer, at that time Oakville's deputy-reeve. Mr. Hillmer also had a long record of service to his town, and at one time held office as mayor. A life long Conservative, he was elected as member for Halton in the On tario provincial election of 1923, and remained in office until 1929. Both Mr. Hillmer and Mr. Forster have been dead for more than 2 0 years. At the extreme left of the bot tom row is S. Dynes, deputy-reeve of Nelson. Third in the row is C. Readhead, reeve of Nelson. Others are C. T. Turner, deputy-reeve of Trafalgar, George Hynds, reeve of Acton, and L. E. Fieck, reeve of Georgetown. Thomas Cox, reeve of Esquesing, is at the left of the middle row. A. Porter, reeve of Trafalgar, is third, and F. D. Ghent, reeve of Burling ton, fourth. In the top row are J. F. Little, reeve of Milton; A. Joe, deputy-reeve of Esquesing; $. Mutcheon, treasurer; and William |Campbell, reeve of Nassagaweya Panton, secretary. and warden of Halton county for On the extreme right is Duncan 11915. Ladies Academy Students Donated To Pioneer Winter's Fuel Bills Young ladies of Oakville's pi oneer era of 1857 were fortunate in being able to attend the "La dies Select Academy" of Miss Sarah Hewson--provided their pa rents could afford $28 for board and $16 for tuition. According to her prospectus, Miss Hewson "devoted herself to the instruction and improvement of her pupils" in English, French, Music, Drawing and Needlework, with the hope that she would "give satisfaction to those who would entrust their children" to her charge. file good lady didived her school year into four terms, first of which began in August, and the last of which ended in early July. She levied an additional charge of five shillings each winter to help cover her fuel bill. FIRST MUNN Daniel Munn, who opened a tav ern on the spot about 1812, gave his name to Munn's Corners. SNOW CONSTRUCTION LIMITED OAKVILLE:: ONTARIO M A R K OF Q U A L IT Y A. JAMS -- JELLIES M A R M A LA D E S GLASSC0LTD. having been A PROVEN RECORD · of Shown above the Crestwood public school in Etobicoke. Built by Snow Construction in 1953 the school has many MANUFACTURING High Quality EFFICIENCY and classrooms and exemplifies the latest in J a m s , J e ll i e s a n d M a r m a la d e IN OAKVILLE FOR THE PAST 45 YEARS we take great pleasure in joining the many in wishing ECONOMY WATERMAINS EXCAVATING SEWERS GRADING architectural design. Congratulations OAKVILLE on your OAKVILLE every success on their 100th BIRTHDAY CNOW 8 FLORENCE DRIVE INSTITUTIONAL 100th ANNIVERSARY CONSTRUCTION K * = = = = = = = = = L I M I T E D Victor 5-2826 GENERAL CONTRACTORS Glassco Ltd 73 6th Line Victor 4-3411 OAKVILLE :: ONTARIO t-- INDUSTRIAL -- COMMERCIAL