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They Made a Difference
Ed Arnold invited suggestions
and did an impressive amount of historical research trying to decide
those who most influenced the development of Peterborough in the last
100 years. He then ranked his choices and published a neat biographical
feature in Peterborough Examiner for Wednesday, 26 May 1999. Ed Arnold’s
list of 100 who made a difference included Martha Ann Kidd, a current
member of the Trent Valley Archives Board of Directors. We congratulate
her and the others on her list.
1. James Stevenson, merchant
2. George A. Cox, financier
3. Richard Rogers, canal
builder
4. Ralph Braund, Salvation
Army
5. Sisters of St Joseph,
caregivers
6. G. Roland Denne, merchant
7. Thomas Symons, educator
8. Charlotte & Robert
Nicholls, philanthropists
9. William G. Morrow,
industrialist
10. H.R.H. Kenner, educator
11. James Hamilton,
businessman
12. Frederick DelaFosse,
librarian
13. James Z. Rogers, canoe
builder
14. Sir Sandford Fleming,
surveyor, inventor
15. David Sutherland,
educator
16. J.J. Duffus, businessman
17. Christine Nornabell,
conservationist
18. Stewart Daniel,
industrialist
19. Ross Smith, developer
20. Iva Fallis, senator
21. Robertson Davies,
novelist
22. Henry Nokes, labour
leader
23. Lester B. Pearson,
politician
24. William and Chester
Fisher, industrialists
25. E.H.D. Hall, lawyer
26. John Belcher, architect
27. Roland Glover,
politician, businessman, publisher
28. Reg Faryon, businessman
29. Walter Pitman, politician
30. Harold Morrow, engineer
31. Stan McBride, politician,
sheriff
32. Frederick Roy,
photographer
33. Eldon Ray, educator
34. Katherine Wallis, artist
35. Richard O’Connor,
bishop
36. Russell Magee, surgeon
37. Gill Sandeman, politician
38. Peter Demos, nuclear
physicist
39. Frank O’Connor,
businessman
40. Rupert and Therese
Gliddon, music teachers
41. Harry Oakman, businessman
42. Alene Holt, mayor,
alderman
43. Pansy Forbes, sports
44. Fern Rahmel, historian
45. Bill Lech, lawyer
46. Ralph Staples, labour
leader
47. Doug Sadler, nature
48. Hubert R. Sills, engineer
49. F.D. Kerr, lawyer
50. Martha Kidd, historian
Those
that follow were not ranked:
Chuck Armstrong, grocer
Ken Armstrong, teacher
historian
David Bierk, artist
Richard Birdsall, surveyor
Isadore Black, businessman
R.J. Bolton, educator
John Bowes, developer
T.E. Bradburn, politician
William Bradburn, developer
Ernest Braund, businessman
J. Hampden Burnham, lawyer,
children’s advocate, historian
Ron Campbell, McDonalds
Myer and Harry Cherney,
business
Drs D.W., Ralph and Peter
Clark
Bill Cocks, developer
John Corkery, lawyer
Dr J.J. Craig, dentist
G. Wilson Craw, editor,
historian
Art Crossman, rouser
Dr Don Curtis, physical
fitness
T.H.G. Denne, developer
F.H. Dobbin, historian
Jack Doris, mayor
R.F. Downey, educator
Hugh Faulkner, MP
Sir J.W. Flavelle,
businessman
David Foster, Kentucky Fried
Chicken
Gordon K. Fraser, MP
Robert Gainey, hockey player
James E. Girvin, CGE
Jon Grant, Quaker
Agnes Logan Green, pianist
Les Groombridge, Outboard
Marine
Anne Heideman, museum
historian
Vic Henderson, volunteer
Gordon Holnbeck, volunteer
Jim Hooper, city engineer
Helen Hugel, philanthropist
Gene Hurtibise, strong man
Robert Jameson, Peterborough
Paper Converters
Bruce Johnston, municipal
worker
James Kendry, woolen
business, politician
Gordon R. Langley, engineer
Ada Lee, jazz entertainer
Frederic Mann, organist
composer
Allan Marshall, swimmer
Ian McRae, CGE manager
C.H. O’Donoghue, clergy
William Overend, businessman
Colleen Peterson, singer
songwriter
John Pierce, surveyor
Carole Pulver, businesswoman
G.H. Roper, YMCA
Gordon Roper, English
professor
Carl Salmonsen, CGE
Richard A. Stewart,
exhibition
George ‘Red’ Sullivan,
hockey
Max Swanston, businessman
John Taylor, rouser
Hugh Waddell, businessman
Edmund Wand, planing mill
Lillian Ward, music
Walter Ward, CGE
Len Welch, grocer
Albert White, athletics
Louis Yeotes, businessman
The
list shows the range of talent that called Peterborough home, even if
only for a couple of years. No two people would have the same 100 names.
Often we do not know who were crucial. I would have rated George A. Cox
as the singular most important person in Peterborough. But where does
one go after that? Ed Arnold’s list is dominated by business-men,
especially those who were heads of big companies, were developers or
were philanthropists. For balance, we have a number of educators and
religious leaders, and some promoters of music and sports. What does it
tell us when Richard Birdsall makes the list: his 1825 survey of the
town left us all puzzling why his lines are so peculiar? Why are the
non-lay religious leaders only Roman Catholic? Braund is better seen as
a businessman and developer. Except for Tom Symons and Gordon Roper,
Trent Uni-versity shows up on the list through the business leaders such
as Faryon, Grant and Ward. Still it is a brave man who sets out on such
a project.
Ed Arnold continued to run biographical notes on
others in a column called "Century Capsules". The project was
well appreciated, and we look forward to its appearance in book form.
The Trent Valley Archives has always been concerned
that the archival papers of our leaders have not survived. It is a poor
commentary on our collective respect for history. Of all the names on
this list, only the papers of Sir Joseph Flavelle could be said to be in
a public archives. We do not even know that companies such as GE of
Canada, Quaker Oats or Out-board Marine have archival collections that
could be used by researchers. Apparently the archives of Fisher Gauge
are being properly preserved. The Peterborough Agricultural Soc-iety has
some papers relating to Dick Stewart’s years as man-ager. The Sisters
of St Joseph have a neat archives thanks to the persistence of Sister St
Damien, one of the founders of the Trent Valley Archives. Bill Domm is
the only local politician whose papers are in the National Archives and
he did not make the list. Sandford Fleming papers are very extensive,
and they too are in the National Archives. Many people on Ed Arnold’s
list have left archival papers in local archives, but interestingly most
saw themselves as preserving Peterborough’s history rather than their
own. I think of people such as Martha Kidd, Anne Heideman, Fern Rahmel,
Stan McBride and Henry Nokes. There is a nice collection of papers
related to R.B. Rogers in the Trent University Archives. Of local
businessmen, the only significant Peterborough person with papers in an
archives is John Carnegie, and he, too, did not make the list. There may
be George A. Cox papers in the records of the 43 companies of which he
was president, but none has proved accessible. The family historian told
me his private papers were destroyed because his children feared he
would be seen as a "robber baron". His fate, simply, is that
the world changed its views about patronage. It used to be good to
support your family and friends. Three senators made Ed Arnold’s list,
probably the only category in which everyone possible made it. Cox was
one; the others Duffus and Fallis, and neither of them has left a paper
trail. Peterborough’s literary heritage is represented by Robertson
Davies, whose archives are in Massey College. Everyone is hoping that
Fred Roy’s archives will be preserved but it is still in private
hands, and in danger of being dispersed. Oakman is listed as a
businessman; his amazing aerial photos are in a private archives in
Oshawa.
In short, Ed Arnold’s list serves to remind us of
the fragility of history. The people who built the industrial structure
of Peterborough are rightly admired. So too for the politicians who
paved the way for the industrial development of Peterborough. Hurrah for
the educators and cultural leaders who softened the city’s image. But
what a pity that so few of these who made a difference have left the
archival legacy that the community deserves.
Elwood Jones
Heritage Gazette of the Trent Valley, III, 2-3
(August / November 1999)
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