Bv M.A. Siute History of the Cream of Barley Mili I find very interesting and. colourful, the history of the Visual Arts Centre, alias Cream of Barley Mil, alias Soper Creek Mili, alias MlacKay's Caledonia Milîs, _Alias Ontario Milis. Some of our senior citizens and those bora in this area migbt find it more so. The building is situated on the banks of Soper Creek at the south end of Rotary Park, off Simpson Ave., a short distance north of Hlighway 401. We are indebted to Mrs. Marie Hubbard and the local Heritage Committee for suppiying researched materiar an to Mr. Stu Cander for his information and anecdotes. Early in the last century some of our local pioneers realized that Soper Creek was a source of power for milîs. Timothy Soper, after whom the creek was named, buiit a saw-mili near the present site of the Centre as early as 1814 and eleven years inter erected a grist miii on the >same property. Soper operated this miii, known as Ontario Milis for most of his life. At the same time, on the west side of the village, John Burk was also operating a saw miii and a grist-mili, the foreruaner of Vanstone's Miil, on Barber's or Bowmanviile Creek. In 1877 rVisual 'k Arts SCentre Soper soid his propertyto Richard Richardson who in turn sold it to John Codd. It was in 1886 that John MacKay from Scotland, purchased the F roprty, and it was he who aterbuii't the brick miil which still exists. He called bis business "the Caledonia Milîs", not to be confused with "the Caledonia Milis" operating on Barber's Creek. MacKay moved into the old frame mWi buit by Soper and instalied the machinery which was of bis own patented invention. He specialized in the manufacture of "pot and Pearl barley". John MacKay was a quiet, unassuming man who didn't participate in g ubiic affairs, but must have een quite enterprising as he won medais in international competitions not only for bis peari barley but for his invented machinery. He became known as the "Barley King of Canada", shipping is bariey products to various parts of Canada, the U.S.A., the West Indies, and Great Britain. MacKay died in 1902 but bis estate continued to operate the miliing business under the name of John MacKay and Co. Ltd. In 1904 the wooden miii was destroyed by fire. However, wîthin a few months a new brick miii, the present building, was erected and in business. It was powered by a 120 h.p. engine as well as the water power. The business of the Mil expanded during the next two or three decades even though it changed bands on occasion. During and following the First World War the Cream of Barley 'Mill experienced a thriving business with its barley products due to the scarcity of wheat. My own first recollections of "the Cream of Barley", its products and the "Colonel" go back to the 1920's. Each year My parents would bring the family out to a picmce at the Cream of Barley Camp which was ail part of the property. Thîs is now the Bowmanville Zoo. I was quite impressed with the owner, James Lake Morden, the "Colonel" to us. Looking back, he did indeed po ssess certain features much like our present-day "Colonel Saunders". 1 liked his dogs but not some of bis language, which I thought wasn't appropriate for a Sunday afternoon or for a gentleman of his aperance. J. Lake Morden, having married the daughter of John MacKay, operated the Miil and the Camp. I, suppose Stu Candier aptly described tis man, 'Now there's a character, but you know, he was sharp as a tack." Apparently he was quite a business head taking advantage of both the tourist trade which was just becoming popular, and the new craze for golf. He expanded the Cream of Barley Camp for tourists travelling on Highway 2 and operated the first golf course in the area . As for the product from the Mil, we frequenty had cream of barleyý porridge for breakfast. The prepared breakfast cereals were not common on the farm in the 1920's. we learn that Morden ONTAR lO'S FISH TESTING PROGRAM Ontario is famnous for ils fishing. The Ontario govemment constantly checks this valuable resource through its continuing research and testing programn of fish. Testing has nowv been done in 625 lakes and rivers. "#G UID ETOEÀATI ING ONaiTA RIO SPORTFI1SH" The resuits are published in the three bookiets "Guide to Eating Ontario Sport Fish- (Northern Ontario, Southern Ontario and Great Lakes editions). N'OWAVA3LAFm-BLE FOR 19'%79 You can get your free copies from your nearest office of THE ONTARIO MINISTRY 0F THE ENVIRONMENT THE ONTARIO MINISTRY 0F NATURAL RESOURCES THE ONTARIO MINISTRY 0F NORTHERN AFFAIRS Copies are also available in vacation area LCBO Stores (May-June) and Brewvers' Retail Stores (JuIy-August). Ministry of the Ministry of Environment' Natural Resources Hon. Harry C. Parrott, DDS, Minister (5 on. James A.C. Auld, Minister Ontario Flying Dutchman Holda Another Disco Contest The Prisms Disco Lounge at the Flying Dutchman held their second disco dance contest Saturday, April 21. The room was full of interested spectators and three couples took to the floor to demonstrate their disco talents. The winning couple pictured is Don Willson, RI.R. 2 Blackstock, and Shelley Godden, Uxbridge. tried several promotional gimmicks to aid the sale of his products. Garnet Mutton tells me that Morden had him and Arthur Hearl, now deceased, take a ioad of free samples westward which were distributed along the way, through the American rnid- west and the western provinces. Mr. Alfred Shrubb succeeded Morden as loperator of the Mill in about 1946. Older citizens wil also remember "Alfie" (Mrs. Lorne Allin's father) as the world-famous long distance runner. Mr. Shrubb took great pride in his home at 111 Simpson Ave. With the new trend toward prepared breakfast cereais, business at the oid Mill began te iag and soon the Mill ceased to operate. It was reopened for business again for a short while after World War Two by Bierman, a native of Czechoslovakia. Thus the manufacture of barley products in Bowmanville came to an end, The exterior of the Cream of Barley Mill has not changed much since its completion in 1905. It is a three storey brick building set on a fieldstone foundation. The upper storey is provided with additional Iligt by a raised cleristory which makes it different from most other mils. The windows have arched heads and just recently the Board of the Visual Arts Centre has been able to replace several of the twelve paned sashes which had disappeared. The iow brc ig on the north, originaily the boiler room, presentiy provides washrooms for Rotary Park. The sturdy exposed wooden pillars and timbers at the Centre indicate the weight of the machinery that they were once required to support. The local Rotary Club purchased the Mili property about 1965. For a couple of years the Club used part of the bilding as a drop-in centre for youth of the area. In 1974 the Rotary Club gave possession of the Mill to the Town of Newcastle for the small sum of $1.00. In the samne year Council gave verbal agreement to a committee to use the building as a Centre for the Visual Arts. Early in 1975 an inaugural meeting was heid and an interim advisory board set up. Later in the year at a general membership meeting, the first administrative board was elected. In 1976 the Centre received its Charter. In 1977 a lease was entered into by the Town of Newcastle and the Visual Arts Centre to run for 20 years, giving the Centre sole occupancy of the three floors. Funding of the Centre has been through the Town of Newcastle, the Ontario Arts Council, and membership fees. There is stili1 a big restoration job to be done. Much of the interior renovation is being carried out by volunteer labour. 1The purposes of the Visual Arts Centre as set out in the Charter are briefiy 1) to establish a permanent location for participation in the visual arts in the Town of Newcastle, 2) to encourage active participation and 3) to promote the visual arts for enjoyment and enrichment. Such are the highiights from the lives of some of our local pioneers. Such is the history of one of our buildings which once housed a, thriving business andwhich has been recommended for designation for architectural and historicai reasons. And such is the history of the now Vîsuai Arts Centre. Discuss Darlington Agreement Counci*l Calling Special Meeting On Hydro Matters A speciai meeting, of counci's committee of the whoie wili be held to discuss SEAP-Dariington's (Save the Environment from Atomic' Pollution) concerns about the town's agreement with Ontario Hydro. SEAP's Dorothy Boden toid council last week the group has noted the agreement stipulates there wili be ongoing negotiations bètween the towa and Hydro regarding the station's cooiing water system. There are severai questions SEAP would like answered in connection with this aspect of the agreement, she said. How does the town know the cooling system meets the criteria of ail reguiatory bodies? How are town officiais invoived in the research and design of the cooling system? Since Ontario Hydro bas aiready issued contracts for parts of the construction, does this mean they are, proceeding without prior approvai from regulatory agencies? Social and economic impact studies are not enough, added Boden. There shouid be an environmental monitoring programn after Darlington is in operation. Council decided a special ýmeeting wouid be the best place to discuss these matters. Councilior Jasper Holliday aiso presented a notice of motion requesting the Atomic Energy Control Board of Canada to consider including an evacuation plan in iicensing agreements for any CANDU nuclear stations. Council wili vote on the motion at its next meeting on May 7. Metric-make it a daily habit T D introduces For farm land, buildings or major improvements Features include: erepaymnent terms up to 25 years *optional interesi rate- fixed or floatinq TORONTo DOMINION t.bank he people owe E ih fec See your local TD Manager Section Two The Canadian Statesman, Bowmanville, May 2, 1979 3 Today 's Woman by Beverley Marti*n Fragrance Women are 'now enjoying a new kind of freedom both in personal and prof essional lives. We are free to be sentim ental romantics and business women at the same time. They need flot conflict. A woman 's femininity can grace every aspect of hier life with charm and beauty. A lot of time is put into clothing, hair and skin to enhance a womans femininity. Something else very important to women is bIer fragrance. Nestled in every, woman is a tender, romantic self. A self of poetry and romantic reflections. It's a warm presence that graces everything she is, everything she does. A fragrance brings out'these inner feelings in a woman and therefore is very special to hier. Thousands of years ago incense made of resins, spices and aromatie woods was burned as an offering to the gods. Thus originated the word p erfurne, which comes from th e Latin per fumum, meaning through smoke. The earliest records of perfume as an adornment, dated between 3500 and 5000 B. C., go back to the Egyptians., The origin of bottling perfume in glass goes back to Egypt as well. Beautiful vials and bottles have been found in the great tombs of Kings. In Rome, perfumes were introduced by barbers and used by the wealthy to scent clothes and linens. In the l6th and 17th centuries, French perfumes found their way into the homes of the upper class. They were manufactured in small quantities in barber shops, hair salons an d glove makers boutiques. Every fashionable woman had a personal fragrance; she scented her clothes, furniture, wigs and even hier jewelry. After World War 1, 623-3621 ,M State Farm Fire ana Uasuaity Company American entbusiasm for perfume g rew tremendously and bas continued to do so. The art of perfumery has become highly sophisticated. In fact, there are American fragrances that are as important and as successful as many of the, classic French perfumes. To the woman, of today, fragrance is a part of everyday dressing and makeup. The chemistry ofskin combined with fragrance components determine how the scent will develop on eacb individual. To a certain degree, each fragrance wearer makes a particular scent ber own and creates a memory. There is a psychological aspect to tbe sense of smell. Early in life we develop 9"scent memory' that makes it possible for a scent to evoke a cherished memory or create a new one. Your sense of smell can become weakened by a scent after a period of hours. The scent is still there only your perception of it bas faded. While you may not be aware of it, the fragrance is still sending impulses to those around you. A fragrance says something special about you, choose one carefully. HA qYDO«1N NEW S (Intended for Iast week) Club 21 ladies, met at the Centre Monday, April l6th with Rena Potts in the chair. Secretary and Treasurer's rprsread and approved. A cetleaning bee, at the Centre, Apri 24th beginning at 8:30 a.m. Treasurer to get cleanini supplies, each lady to bring a paint brush. Two of our men are to be asked to do repairs around the centre. Giadys Potts to buy a large mat for the west door. Kay Buttery to get a set of locks. A bowling social is to be held Saturday, Aprîl 21 at the Bowmanville Liberty Bowl. We discussed selling tickets on our quilt and the price was estabiished. Then June Trewin introduced our guest Mrs. Helen Piels, who showed us work from the Creative Show Case wich included Crewei Stichery stich and stuff. Just needie point and iatch hook rug. 20 ladies sat down to a strawberry short cake lunch. Next meeting May l4th, with group 2. Giadys Potts, Meta Swain, June Trewin, Jean Siemon. There were about 23 folks, enjoyed bowling, Saturday evening, at the Bowmanviile Liberty Bowl,. sponsored by Club 21. Miss Betty Sterrett, Campbellford, was a Wednesday visitor, at Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Trewin's. Miss Mary Potts, Toronto, spent the week with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Jack Potts. sPACL VRAMÉ' STEEL BUILDINGS The affordabie ait new store gel warehouse building Ufts .... 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