It was Queen Victoria’s 66th
birthday on May 24, 1885. However, the celebrations had to be held off for one
day because the 24th of May was on a Sunday that year.
Like cities all across
Canada, the city of Hamilton was a location of many Queen’s Birthday events
from the start of the day until well after sundown.
The Hamilton Spectator
reporter assigned to cover the events of May 25, 1885 began his article,
masterfully capturing the flavor of the day :
““The sky full of dark,
ominous clouds, and the wind blowing a gale from the sou’west; flags and
bunting flying everywhere, the incessant popping of firecrackers, red coats
hustling down the street, fond mamas and papas laden with baskets and babies;
white and gay-colored dresses, and extensive hats with pretty faces peeping
archly from them – these were the things that confronted the average
Hamiltonian when he or she turned out of bed yesterday morning to participate
in the sixty-sixth anniversary of the birth of Her Most Gracious Majesty, Queen
Victoria.”1
1 “The
Queen’s Birthday : How It was Celebrated By Hamilton and Dundas : A Big Day at
Dundurn – The Dundas Waterworks Formally opened With Great Eclat – Excursions
and Picnics”
Hamilton Spectator May 26, 1885.
It appeared that it could be
a rainy day, but fortunately, the concerns of citizens looking forward to the
day, were spared the worst :
““Whoever knew it to rain on
a Queen’s Birthday, anyhow? Nevertheless, waterproofs and umbrellas encumbered
the arms and hands of almost everybody.”1
Hamiltonians had a wide
variety of places where they could go to enjoy the holiday, but, unquestionably
the biggest draw was Dundurn Park:
“The principal attraction
locally was the
St.
George’s Society’s
demonstration at Dundurn park. The park looked its
prettiest. It was warm there, but the wind disturbed the heat pleasantly. The
tender green of trees and sward made a beautiful background for gay dresses and
gay uniforms. Swings were flying through the air, and the irrepressible small
boy literally swarmed over the ground. The baseball match in the morning drew a
good crowd; more came up with the military at noon, and still more came up as
the afternoon wore away. By 4 o’clock, there were upwards of 7,000 people in
the grounds, and with the additions made in the evening, a total must have
climbed up to several thousand more.”
One of the
main draws for the day at Dundurn Park was the attraction of Hamilton’s popular
militia unit, the Thirteenth Battalion :
“For the local militia, it
was field day at Dundurn. From early in the morning, the gunners and drivers of
the Hamilton field battery were busy fitting harness and getting the guns of
their battery housed. Major Van Wagner was in command, and the other officers
of the battery were Capt. Hendrie and Lieutenants Bankier and Copp. About 10:30
o’clock, everything was in readiness and the last buckle fastened, and the
battery started out from Hughson street, marching through several streets to
test the horses and see that everything was in order. They finally formed in
columns of march on James street in front of the drill shed, till the
Thirteenth which had been ordered to parade at 10:30, was ready to join them.
Most of the companies of the Thirteenth turned out well, especially B company,
Capt. Barnard, C company, Capt. Zealand, E company, Capt. Reid, and G company,
Capt. A. D. Stewart. The parade state of the Hamilton Field battery showed some 60 men present, and
that of the Thirteenth some 300. Col. Skinner commanded the parade, with Major Moore
as brigade major. Major VanWagner commanded
the Hamilton Field battery, and the Thirteenth was under command of
Lieut.-Col. Gibson, M.P.P., with Capt. Stuart as adjutant. The other officers
with the Thirteenth were Major Armstrong, pay master; Mayor Mason,
quartermaster; Surgeon Ryall, Assistant Surgeon Griffin, Major McLaren,
Captains Barnard, Adams, Stoneman, Riel and Zealand; Lieutents Brown, Moore,
Mewburn, Gillewspie, Tuckett, Watson, Ross, Chapman and Cameron. Lieuts. Watson
and Ross had the honor of carrying the colors.
“On arriving at Dundurn, line was formed facing the new
grandstand, the artillery on the right. The battery came into action front, and
the word was given by the brigadier to fire a royal salute – the battalion
taking open order. Seven rounds were fired by the battery, and one round of the
feu de joie by the Thirteenth; the band of the Thirteenth playing the first bar
of God Save the Queen. This was repeated three times, after which the order for
a royal salute was followed by three cheers for the Queen. These were given
with a truly hearty ring from as loyal hearts as her Majesty has in her
service. After this part of the programme was concluded, the men of the battery
went to lunch, and the Thirteenth marched past in column, quarter column and in
double time. The thirteenth then took their turn at the lunch table, two
companies at a time being accommodated. After lunch, the tug-of-war, bayonet
exercise and military games were in order till 4 o’clock, when the regiment
returned to the shed.”1
At Dundurn
Park, the baseball field was home to three professional Canadian Baseball
League teams from Hamilton, the Clippers, the Rimroses and the Baysides. In the
spring of 1885, a large covered grandstand had been built for spectators. It
had been decided that at 12 noon, the 13th Battalion would line up
facing the grandstand so that as many spectators as possible could see their
salute to the Queen. A baseball game, between the Primroses and the Baysides,
had been scheduled to start two hours earlier at 10 a.m. but the best plans
often get sidetracked :
“When the Thirteenth
battalion interrupted the Primrose-Bayside game by drawing up in a line, partly
on the ball field, the boys at home base had some fun with the volunteers. They
knocked balls into, and when they got near, the soldiers broke and fell back in
confusion. It is to be hoped that they can stand leaden balls, better than they
do balls knocked from a bat.
“It is fair to say that the
Thirteenth battalion drew up on the ball field under instructions from the St.
George’s committee. The committee had expected that the game would have been
ended by noon, and wanted the grand stand filled for the royal salute and the
feu-de-joie. The interruption was partly the fault of the players. The game
should have been commenced promptly at the specified time – 10 o’clock.”1
In the afternoon, there were
many athletic contests involving members of the 13th and some
ordinary citizens. The games included 200 yard foot races, one each for military
men, a civilian race, race for girls under 14 and a race for boys under 15, a
sack race for boys under 15, hop, step and jump, running jump as well as
Bayonet exercise and calvary sword exercise for soldiers only.
Besides the athletics, a ventriloquist
and magician, Professor Leonardo, gave a number of exhibitions, which delighted
the children., especially the orphan children from the Boys’ and Girls’ Homes
who had been provided free admission to the grounds for the day. A string band
provided the appropriate music for dancing as well.
The immensely well-regarded
band of the 13th Battalion
played off and on throughout after noon,
until the shadows began to lengthen:
“By the time the games were finished, the day was bending
westward, and a general move was being made for home. The thirteenth band had
gone, and people who took no interest in the games, had enjoyed themselves
listening to the band’s exquisite music and wandering where their various
fancies led them started the movement, and it did not take long for the grounds
to be nearly emptied. Nor did it take long for them to fill up again.”
The evening of the 1885 Queen’s
Birthday celebrations at Dundurn Park were capped off with a fireworks display by
Hamilton’s own firm, Professor Hand & Company:
“THE EVENING’S ATTRACTIONS
were a concert by the Thirteenth band, and a display of
fireworks by Prof. Hand & Co. The band played magnificently. That goes
without saying. And Prof. Hand & Co. surpassed themselves with the
brilliant programme and handsome designs of colored fire, which they arranged
and carried out. More than one particularly beautiful set piece was loudly
applauded by the immense crowd, whose upturned faces turned from a glaring red
to a ghastly green, or a deathly yellow, as the variegated fires filled the
grounds with their tinted reflection.”1
No comments:
Post a Comment