Markhman Fair 1911

Markham Fair 1911 – Rain and Reciprocity.

By T. Rogers Gardham (Past President 1977)

The Markham Agricultural Society’s annual meeting was held Friday afternoon Jan. 21st, 1911 at 2 PM in the Town Hall and according the Markham Economist (ME) "the attendance was the largest in years and the competition for the directorate was of the keenest". The 1910 President James Armstrong called the meeting to order and, J. B. Gould, Finance Chairman, read from the Treasurer’s report. Income totaling $6, 238.10 was comprised mainly of Gate Receipts $1607.90, Grants $900. Stalls and Pens rentals $ 860.70, Donations $1,566.50, membership fees 1911- $171 and a balance in the bank of $678.85. Expenditures totaled $5,788.10 comprised of $3,199 for Prizes, mortgage payment $575, Printing and postage $406.64, Salaries $250 and Misc. $652.56.The paper also reported "The assets and liabilities show that the society is in a very satisfactory condition financially. The principal assets are the grounds and buildings which are valued at $21,400 against which there is a mortgage $1, 010."

What later might appear as a prophetic element was the reading of a new proposal for Rain Insurance read by the Fair Secretary: "In the case of loss sustained by an Agricultural Society through rainy weather or snow storms, the Department of Agriculture may, on satisfactory proof, pay the Society so affected an additional grant equal to 50% of the loss sustained, which shall be payable out of the annual grant to Agricultural Societies, and such sum shall not exceed $10,000 in any one year. The loss shall be based on the average gate receipts for the previous years, but in no case shall the grant to a Society for this purpose exceed the sum of $500, and it will not be paid until affidavit of the president, Secretary and Treasurer has been received by me as Superintendent, showing that gate receipts had fallen below the average on account of such bad weather and that the rain or snow had fallen previous to 3 PM on one or any day of the Fair." After the reading of the letter the paper reported: "Mr. J.B. Gould, after moving that the delegates to the Fair’s Association be instructed to support the proposition, made a speech condemning the same. He was afraid that it might take away a part of the government grant to Markham Fair. Messrs. Milne and Wales spoke in favour of the scheme and argued that it could not possibly affect our grant as they understood it while in case of a bad year it provided for a portion of the loss in gate receipts. The majority of those present however could not grasp the meaning of the proposition and when the question was put voted it down."

The next item on the annual meeting agenda was the election of officers with the paper reporting that the President, Vice-President and Directors for Scarboro were elected by acclamation, but there was a "warm contest" for the rest of the seats. Those elected were President – Robert B. Ormerod of Brown’s Corners; 1st Vice President – William C. Ormerod of Amber; 2nd Vice President – H.S. Adam of Markham. Directors: Scarboro – George Scott and Thomas Maxwell; Stouffville – O.A. Elliott; Pickering – Alph Hoover and Walter Milne; Markham Village – James Torrance, T.H. Hassard, John Isaac, John Thomas and W.J Harper; Markham Township – J.M. Armstrong, Thomas Hargrave, H.J. Davidson, Ed Kirk, George Tran, J.B. Gould, Alex Pringle, Robert Canning, Fred E. Reesor and R.J. Cunningham.. Appointments: auditors – T.B.Reive and W.A Robinson. Delegates to Fairs Association: – A.W. Milne and J.B. Gould.

To indicate democracy in action the report adds that the new directors elected were: T.H. Hassard, F.E. Reesor, O.A. Elliott and Robert Canning and old directors not elected: F.A. Reesor and W.H. Todd (retired) and James Malcolm and A.G. Gormley who were deseated on a close vote. "At the conclusion of the election the retiring president called on president elect Ormerod to take the chair, who briefly returned his thanks for the high honour conferred on him and spoke hopefully of the prospects of a bigger and better fair next fall". A motion was also passed that the Fair be held Wed, Thurs, and Fri October 4th, 5th, and 6th, 1911. The following Committees were appointed: – Finance – Gould, Isaac, Thomas and Torrance. Grounds and Building: Isaac, Torrance, Thomas, Hassard, Harper, Gould and F. H .Reesor. Permits: – Thomas, F.H. Reesor and Adam. Printing: Isaac, P. H. Reesor and Adam. Refreshments: – Gould and Torrance. Soliciting Markham Village: – Adam, Isaac, and Harper, Stouffville – Elliott, without recompense. Toronto: – Gould and Torrance, on a 20% commission basis. For other sections every member of the Board in his municipality on a 10% commission basis. A resolution was also passed that the Fairgrounds be rented to James Torrance for $50 for his use except when required by the Society.

There was also a federal election just before the 1911 Fair (Sept. 21st) which was fought over the issues of reciprocity (free trade) with the United States and the creation of a Canadian Navy. The debate was over the naval arms race between the British Empire and Germany, already indications of the coming World War I, which began in 1914. The Liberals, who by ideology and history were strongly in favour of free trade, decided to make the issue the central plank of their re-election strategy, and negotiated a free trade agreement in natural products with the United States.

Reciprocity had been promoted since Confederation for it meant there would be no protective tariffs on all natural resources traded between Canada and the United States. This would allow prairie grain farmers access to the larger American market, and allow them to make more money on their exports. It also meant they could obtain access to cheaper American farm machinery and manufactured goods, which otherwise had to be obtained at higher prices from central Canada. Although the Liberals still had two years left in their term, they decided to call an election to settle the issue after it aroused controversy.Many English-Canadians in the East and West felt the Liberals were abandoning Canada’s traditional links with the UK on both issues. The powerful manufacturing interests of Toronto and Montreal switched their allegiance and financing to the Conservatives, who argued that free trade would undermine Canadian sovereignty and lead to a slow annexation of Canada by the U.S.The election ended fifteen years of Liberal government and the Conservatives formed a majority government.

One of the other big news events for the Markham area was the announcement in January that the coronation of King George V was to take place in Westminster Abbey in June (he was the father of "Bertie" who became George VI featured in the movie "The King’s Speech" for which Colin Firth won an Oscar 2011).

There was a major train wreck in Bolton and an editorial complained about the need for improvements in Main Street Markham including scraping the roads and not putting the "scrapping" back to make a "sea of mud" later, as well as not filling holes with "cinders", but "good clean gravel or broken field stone". The 140 Acre Byer farm( pt Lots 22 &23) was sold by auctioneer Prentice for $8,000. A new covered skating rink was opened in Locust Hill and radial railways were said to be planned for connecting to Markham. There was a full day of blizzard in February, the first of the winter, winds reported at 40 miles an hour, and blinding snow, with trains delayed up to 3 hours in the Markham area.

Italy declared war on Turkey. There were floods in Europe and Australia said to be caused by changes in the sun and the deforestation of America and reports of Bubonic Plague in China The Grande Prairie – Peace River district (Alberta) was opened to thousands of prospective homesteaders and a major hockey tournament involving Brougham, North Toronto, Broadview and Markham had to be replayed due to timekeeping irregularities (prizes of 7 gold watches awarded to the winners). The largest dirigible yet built, 510 feet long, was constructed for the British Navy and personal savings in Canadian Banks totalled $575,740,000 or $82/person.

Another interesting note on the agricultural front appeared in late January when it was reported that the students of the Ontario Agricultural College and the MacDonald Institute in Guelph had petitioned the Minister of Agriculture to remove the ban on dancing.

A report from the Fairs Association meetings held in Toronto in February stated that the "insurance against bad weather scheme" presented by the Department of Agriculture was endorsed. This is the scheme voted down at the annual meeting on the basis it might cut down their government grant.

It seems that even in 1911 mother nature and the elements pay little heed to the motions of the Agricultural Society and the October 19th edition of the (ME) bore the sombre headline Markham Fair Hard Hit By The Rain. A good show in the Hall – The Ring attractions Had to Be Cancelled. Gate Receipts Fall off $1600 – Will Pay Prizes in Full.

"Cold, bleak weather on Thursday and a heavy rain on Friday was what Markham Fair was up against this year. Naturally the attendance fell off heavily – about two-thirds. The only wonder was that anyone went on Friday. But they did. The Grand Trunk (railway) brought in over 1200 people, fully half of whom did not go to the grounds, but sought shelter in the cars, at hotels or with friends. The gate receipts were $600 or $1,600 less than last year. But some of this will be made up. The directors expect to get about $300 from the Fairs Association – rain insurance. True the resolution for this insurance was voted down at the annual meeting last winter, but the Fairs Association to which Markham belongs, showed more wisdom than our members did and it was adopted in spite of them. Then again, considerable prize money will be saved as several races and most of the harness classes had to be called off on account of the downpour of rain on Friday. Secretary Milne thinks that after all this year’s liabilities have been met the deficit will not amount to more than $200.

As to the exhibits. There was a perceptible fall off in entries. In cattle and sheep there was a grand exhibit. Poultry was fully up to the mark as in most of the swine classes. The ladies work and fine arts many thought the show broke all records, and the splendid exhibits made by the Markham, Highland Creek and Box Grove branches of the East York Women’s Institute was always surrounded by an admiring crowd. Considering this was an off year the show of fruits and vegetables was remarkably good."

The report goes on to describe the notable personalities, mainly political officials, that attended and closed with notes that the exhibit of the latest equipment for growing potatoes attracted great attention with a gratifying number of sales; the Attractions Committee were criticized for passing up the home band for one from Scarboro Beach and "the wet weather was no doubt responsible in large measure for the number of drunken men on the streets."

Like the proverbial postman who rain, snow, sleet and hail cannot keep from his appointed rounds, so Markham Fair marches on through fair and foul weather bringing the best in agricultural entertainment and education and keeps re-inventing itself to new generation after new generation.

Once again our (Myra and Rogers) sincere thank you to Cathy Molloy, Heather McKeown, Janet Reid and the staff at Markham Museum, which is about to officially open its new and improved home to the advancement of history through its irreplaceable archives of Markham and surrounding communities. How lucky we are to have such dedication. Visit and take the time to go back in time.