Jump to content
News Ticker
  • I am now accepting the following payment methods: Card Payments, Apple Pay, Google Pay and PayPal
  • Latest News

    Coldstream Guards in Ontario 1903


    Recommended Posts

    http://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_06_2012/post-6209-0-52149200-1340640389.jpgCLICK TO ENLARGE

    Bandmaster C.R.Allen served with the Coldstream Guards from the 1880's to approx. 1908.

    His great, great Grandson was not sure on these dates.

    However, the Coldstream Guards visited Canada in 1903 and he was presented with this lovely

    Band Baton by the town of Woodstock, Ontario. I am hoping this is near to where Brian lives

    and that he will find a record of the presentation in the Town archives ?

    I suspect that the wood may be Maple - the carved leaves certainly are. I will show a number of

    pictures showing the inscriptions and your comments will be very welcome. Strange how this has

    survived in such good condition for 109 years.

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    From A History of Ontario, Its Resources and Development [Alexander Fraser, 1907, Volume 2- Biography]

    STEWART FIELDE HOUSTON, M.A.

    Stewart Fielde Houston was born at Waterdown, Ontario, November 19, 1868, and is a son of the Very Rev. Stewart Houston, Dean of Niagara. His paternal grandparents were William Houston, of Ayrshire, Scotland, and Fannie (Cox) Houston, a daughter of the Rev. Robert Gregory Cox, sometime rector of Brampton, Ontario, and formerly of Lincolnshire, England.

    Stewart F. Houston pursued his education in the Toronto Collegiate Institute, University of Toronto, and Trinity University, from which he graduated in 1889. He was licensed as a barrister in 1892. From 1889 until 1893 he was engaged in journalism, being on the staff of the Toronto Empire (since amalgamated with the Mail) in varioiis capacities, including that of sporting editor, and subsequently editorial writer. He was appointed manager of the Massey Music Hall of Toronto in 1900, and has since acted in this capacity. He has conducted many of the tours of the leading musical artists in Canada. In 1903 he brought the first British regimental band the Coldstream Guards across the Atlantic to Canada ; also directed tours of the Black Watch Band, and the Band of Grenadier Guards in 1904. Among other artists whom he has brought to Canada are, Paderewski, Melba, Albani, the Pittsburg Orchestra, the Westminster Abbey choir party, the London Meistersingers and Ben Greet and his Shakespearean Company. He also managed the lecture tour of Winston Churchill, M.P., in 1901.

    Edited by peter monahan
    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    There is a postcard of the court house in Woodstock currently on sale on ebay, dated from about this period I believe.

    Also, available on-line is this volume: From forest to city Woodstock's rise, growth and development, in photogravure, 1834-1901, published 1901 by The Times in [Woodstock, Ontario .

    Sadly, it ends just short of the 1903 visit but gives a very good idea of life in a small English Canadian town at the turn of the last century. It may be consulted here: http://openlibrary.o..._forest_to_city [copy the underlined and paste it into your Internet browser.

    Edited by peter monahan
    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    Create an account or sign in to comment

    You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

    Create an account

    Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

    Register a new account

    Sign in

    Already have an account? Sign in here.

    Sign In Now
    ×
    ×
    • Create New...

    Important Information

    We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.