Whitby Free Press, 11 May 1988, p. 10

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PAGE 10, WHITBY FREE PRESS, WEDNESDAY. MAY 11. 1988 Whitby native 's illustrious life related in new book By DEBBIE LUCHUK ' A book bas been written about a family that included Whitby native Thomas . Hamar Greenwood, who went down in the history books of England as a distinguished British parliamentarian and as Viscount of Holborne of the County of London. Greenwood led a remarkable life, and counted among his friends Winston Churchill and Wilfrid Laurier, among other famous individuals, and held many parliamentary posts, directorships and military ranks such as Chief Secretary for Ireland, president of British Iron and Steel, and lieutenant colonel of his own British infantry unit. The book, "The Greenwood Tree in three Continents," is by Alexander Greenwood of Nanoose Bay, B.C. Thomas Greenwood's great- grandfather was a tenant landowner in the parish of Llanbister, Wales. His son, William, married Mary Hamar, and the family generally never prospered. Thomas's father emigrated to Canada to improve his fortunes, living with his uncle Hamar on a farm in the township of Whitby, then very small and noted mainly for its apple orchards. John was a lawyer practising in Whitby, and married a local girl, a Hubbard of United Empire Loyalist stock. He was a partner in the law firm of Greenwood and McMillan, president of the Canada Clock Company and was at various times, the mayor of Whitby. However, his investments and business dealings rarely were successful. The family was living at 208 Henry Street when Thomas Hamar Greenwood was born, the first of a family of seven children, on Feb. 7, 1870. Thomas was christened at All Saints' Anglican Church. The following Thomas Hamar youth in Whitby, chapter four: text, about Greenwood's is taken from "From the start Tom had a touch of showmanship about him. He grew up big and handsome and with a fine flow of Welsh eloquence that was to carry him far. He attended a Dame School in Henry Street where a, teacher recalled him as the nicest and, brightest boy of his class. From the Henry Street School he went to the Whitby Collegiate Institute where his natural eloquence and his big, handsome presence soon earned him distinction. At 16 he was on the committee of the Institute's Literary Society. At 17, he was elected its president by acclamation. As a vice president of the Institute's Debating Society his reputation as a speaker spread. In 1887 he defended a resolution "That intemperance, as regards the use of liquor, opium and tobacco, has caused more misery than war." It was a significant occasion. The resolution was lost, but 19 years later its defence won Tom a seat in the British Parliament. Temperance in those days was a keen political issue and at 17 Tom had already come down firmly on the side of total abstinence. His reason for this were said to have been influenced by his father's heavy drinking and its domestic consequences. In 1887, Tom was elected Dux or Leader of the Whitby Collegiate boys. He received a silver badge of honor, planted commemorative trees in the school grounds and then, with a friend, set out in an 18-foot sailing skiff to explore the eastern reaches of Lake Ontario. The voyage lasted 11 days during which the party covered some 50 miles in the face of unfavorable HAMAR VISCOUNT GREENWOOD (Photo c. 1937) winds. Eventually the mast broke and the adventure had to be abandoned. During the dull moments Tom enlivened proceedings by performing on the violin. Returning to Whitby, Tom found that he had qualified for university but his father was opposed to paying the fees. He wanted his son to study the law under himself. Tom had no relish for this. He fancied becoming a school teacher. For this he needed certification. While casting about as te how he might secure one, a school vacancy occurred in the small town of Manchester a few miles outside Whitby. He persuaded a Whitby school teacher to back bis application and secured the job. The school teacher concerned was a certain A. G. Henderson whose influence over Tom was considerable. Long afterwards, in 1938, talking to Whitby townsfolk, Tom recalled Henderson as "the greatest teacher of history I ever heard of. He inspired in me the desire to make history. He inspired me to a serious study of history and geography --the two subjects of which there is the greatest need to bring a realisation of the greatness of the Empire." Henderson was also the officer commanding the school cadets, and history or not, he inspired in Tom a love of the Army. Several stories survive about Tom's early army affairs. One says he ran away from school and joined the Canadian Militia against his father's wishes; another that while in camp his father came to take him away, and Tom, being on guard duty, had his father arrested as a tresspasser and only released him on his promise not to interfere. What is certain is that he was in the school cadet corps under Henderson, that he later joined No. 1 Company of the 34th Regiment of Militia in or about 1888, whose Captain was A.G. Henderson." In 1895, Greenwood was-made a lieutenant of the Stanley Barracks. As a young man, he enjoyed acting, but passed up an acting career for one in politics in which he graduated from the University of Toronto in the 1890's. Although not a spectacular student, he was a "rabble rouser" as the president of the Political Science Club while there and was branded a socialist for his sympathy for trade unionism and radical socialism. Upon graduation, Greenwood went to England to begin' a political career, and became a well-known, ardent temperance speaker for the Liberal party. In 1900, he stood for election in the City of York, and was appointed parliamentary secretary to SEE PAGE 12 TRY McDONALD'S SALADS TOSSEDFRESHALLDAY CHEF SALAD CHICKEN SALAD ORIENTAL GARDE Our Chef Salad beckons with Our Chicken Salad Oriental is loaded with Our GardenS tender strips of ham and big, tender chunks of chicken, iceberg iceberg lett turkey mingled with al your lettuce, green pepper and more. Ourcrunchy tomato, crr salad favourites, including chow mein noodies and special Oriental carrots, cu zesty cheddar cheese and a dressing make this a satisfying celery, plus fresh eggabnd tomato wedge. change oftaste! cheese and Six dstinctive dressings: Frenche 1000 Island e Blue Cheese saLiten HO USeietiental N SALAD alad brims with tuce, luscious nchy radishes, cumbers and grated cheddar an egg wedge. ©1988 McDONALD'S RESTAURANTS OF CANADA LTD.

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