- CA BWGPL PH26595
Municipality :
Community : Bradford
Lot :
Concession :
Description : You might think that the original event of Confederation would be front page news. Not in Bradford. This excerpt comes from page 2 of the South Simcoe News, from the July 4th, 1867 edition. And what was on the front page? A continuing serial entitled "The Pot Of Gold - A Pretty Cute Story."
Comments of confederation
"The long anticipated commencement of our national existence as the Dominion of Canada is at length realized. Henceforward, the four millions of British subjects on this continent will exist but as one people. We began our new era of history under most auspicious circumstances. The causes that provoked so much strife and bitterness between us and our sister provinces are at length happily removed; the objects for which, as a people, we have so long struggled have been in the main, effectually secured, and the calamities that loomed so ominously in the future have vanished altogether from the political horizon." No mention of the celebration of Dominion Day made the pages of the June 30, 1943 edition of the Bradford Witness. No parades were planned, and the only outlet for social activity seemed to be the Holland Theatre, which was offering a double bill. The 'A' feature was "Desperate Journey", starring Ronald Reagan and Errol Flynn, preceded by "Tarzan's Triumph." And, 100 years after the fact, the event of the Canadian Centennial passed with no fanfare, and little official recognition. The Rotary Club held their annual Carnival and Car Draw, but no mention was made of the anniversary. One of the few indications of the historical significance of the date was to be found on the masthead of that week's Bradford Witness, which proclaimed "Bradford - 10 years older than Confederation." The Editor at the time made this comment: "Canada's 100th birthday passed very quietly in Bradford, with almost the only indication of the special day being the heralding of church bells at midnight."