Monday, June 24, 2024

First and Last Victims of World War I Plaque

The plaque honouring the first and last victims of World War I hangs on a pillar in the main hallway on the ground floor of Ottawa City Hall, south of Laurier Avenue West and west of the Rideau Canal.



Serbia and Canada Commemorating the Centennial of the end of World War I, where they fought as allies

Remembering the fallen from all nations by honouring the first and last victims of World War I


First Victim of the WWI

Dušan Ðonović (Душан Ћоновнћ), age 16, student of the Royal Academy of Commerce in Belgrade, volunteer in the Unit of Voivoda Jovan Babunski. Died of wounds from artillery fire on the City of Belgrade, from the Austro-Hungarian Danube river monitor ship "Bodrog", the first day of war July 28th 1914 11:00 p.m.

Last Victim of the WWI

George Lawrence Price, age 26, Served with "A" Company of the 28th Battalion Canadian Expeditionary Force in Belgium. Fatally shot by a German sniper at 10:58 a.m. on November 11th 1918. He died just two minutes before the armistice ceasefire that ended the war, coming to effect at 11:00 a.m.


Dedicated on July 26th, 2019 by His Excellency Mihailo Papazoglu, Ambasador of the Republic of Serbia, and His Worship Jim Watson, Mayor of the City of Ottawa.
La Serbie et le Canada, alliés, commémorent le 100e anniversaire de la fin de la Première Guerre mondiale

Souvenons-nous de tous ceux et de toutes celles tombés au combat en honorant la première et la dernière victime
de la Première Guerre Mondiale


Première victime de la Première Guerre mondiale

Dušan Ðonović (Душан Ћоновнћ), 16 ans, était élève à l'Académie royale de commerce de Belgrade. Soldat volontaire dans l'unité de Voïvode Jovan Babunski, il est décédé après avoir été atteint par des tirs d'artillarie sur Belgrade, provenant du «Badrog», navire austro-hongrois qui croisait sur le Danube, au premier jour de la guerre, le 28 juillet 1914 à 23h.

Dernière victime de la Première Guerre mondiale

George Lawrence Price, 26 ans, servait dans la compagnie A de 28e bataillon  du Corps expéditionnaire canadien en Belgique. Touché mortellement par un tireur d'élite allemande le 11 novembre 1918 à 10 h 58, il a succombé à peine deux minutes avant la proclamation de l'armistice, qui mit fin à la guerre ce même jour à 11h.


Dédiée le 26 juillet 2018 par son Excellence Mihailo Papazoglu, ambassadeur de la République de Serbie, et Son Honneur Jim Watson, maire de la Ville d'Ottawa.


Monday, June 17, 2024

Chaffey's Lock Cemetery & Memorial Wall

Chaffey's Lock Cemetery & Memorial Wall occupies a location east of Chaffeys Lockstation between Brown's Marina and Rideau Lakes Cottages on the south side of Chaffeys Lock Road. The cemetery is hidden from the road. It may be accessed by walking a short distance south on the roadway to Rideau Lakes Cottages where it may be seen on the right. Alternately behind an almost hidden sign that says, 'Chaffey's Cemetery,' there is a path that leads to the site.

CHAFFEY'S CEMETERY
Chaffey's Lock Cemetery & Memorial Wall

Resting Place of Mary Anne Chaffey and Canal Builders

A project of
The Chaffey Lock & Area Heritage Society

in cooperation with
parks Canada - Rideau Canal

Chaffey's Lock Cemetery

The Chaffey's Lock cemetery probably dates back to the mid 1820's when Samuel Chaffey developed a mill site and settlement at the rapids running from Indian Lade to Opinicon Lake. It 1827, Samuel died with malaria and was interred in this plot. It is highly probably that his father-in-law, Joseph Poole, also was buried here in 1825. During the subsequent building of the lock between 1827 and 1832, the graveyard would have provided a final resting place to canal workers.

Samuel's widow, Mary Anne, remarried John Scott, a man involved with lock construction. Scott drowned in a canoe accident in 1834 and was interred in this location as well. Throughout the nineteenth century various village residents were buried in the old cemetery, particularly members of the Simmons and Flemming families. These two related families provided lockmasters to the village for most of the century. Even in the 1950's there were still headstones of various Simmons evident in the cemetery.

Mary Anne Chaffey Scott, although she resided near Newboro for the last fifty years of her life, was buried in the cemetery beside her two husbands in 1888. A newspaper article from that year stats that the body of the 84 year old woman was stored in the vault in Elgin before a spring burial. Her brother, John C. Poole erected a large memorial stone to the pioneer woman.


Thomas Simmons and Charles Simmons, both lockmaster's sons, were the last two people buried in the cemetery, just on the eve of the Great Depression. Oral history points to the fact that the cemetery was consecrated for this purpose in 1930.

The Chaffey's Lock and Area Heritage Society is grateful for Parks Canada's support in creating a memorial wall at the location of this historical burial plot.

HANDS ACROSS THE BORDER

This plaque is dedicated to all the Canadian and American men and women who were veterans of World War II (1939-1945) and for whom Chaffey's Lock and area was home, or as summer residents, home away from home. Some were resident at the time and some have found Chaffey's Lock and area after their service.

Among all these names were Privates, NCO's and Officers including Admirals, Vice Marshals and Generals. All are distinguished in the eyes of a grateful community.


They served their respective countries and our shared values during that crucial period in our history.

DEDICATED AUGUST 14, 2004
In Honour of the Irish Workers

This half acre cemetery became the final resting place for many Irish immigrants who died at Chaffey's Mills during construction of the Rideau Canal.

Chaffey's Mills was one of several locks and canal construction sites where malaria, a disease not understood then, devastated the labour force. During the late summers of each year from 1828 to 1832 up to 95 percent of the workers were stricken.

Many of these Irish immigrants had no family or ties here. Some family records in Ireland indicate that many who immigrated to Canada were never heard from again. No record exists today of their names to enable us to honour them as individuals who helped build this country.

THEY LIE HERE IN UNMARKED GRAVES

This plaque is dedicated to the memory and contribution of those brave Irish immigrants.

Go gcuimhnilid go deo orthu afúd atá curtha anseo in uaigcanna gan lorg, go hílrlthe lad sin a chailleadh gan goineadh, it nganfhios di gclann.
(May they always remember those who have been buried here in the wilderness without a trace, many of them lost without mourning, without the knowledge of their children.)


Unveiled July 23, 2008 by Donal Denham, Charge d'Affaires of Ireland.

Erected by the Kingston Irish Folk Club, Tir na nÓg, The Chaffey's Lock and Area Heritage Society.









Unknown Irish Workers

These unmarked stones commemorate the burial sites of many brave Irish and other immigrants who lost their lives while building the Rideau Canal, 1828 - 1832.

Dedicated July 21, 2001 by Donal Denham, Charge d'Affaires of Ireland.
Samuel Chaffey

Founder of Chaffey's Mills

Born April 2, 1793
In Somersetshire, England.

Died July 26, 1827
Buried here, near his mill sites,
at the falls between the lakes.

This plaque dedicated July 21, 2001

Erected by
The Chaffey's Lock and Area Heritage Society












Monday, June 10, 2024

The Founding of Newboro Plaque

In Newboro, Ontario, The Founding of Newboro Plaque, stands at the east side of a memorial park on the south side of Drummond Street between Simcoe Street and New Street.




THE FOUNDING OF NEWBORO

The settlement of this area begun during the building of the Rideau Canal in 1826-32 when a major construction camp was located here at the Isthmus. In 1833 Benjamin Tett, owner of a nearby sawmill, opened a store and three years later a post office named Newborough was established. A small community including severl stores gradually developed as a trade centre for the region's lumbering industry and agriculture. About 1850 a tannery was established and within ten years two iron mines had been opened in the vicinity. The ore was exported via the Rideau to smelters in the United States. Growth was further stimulated by the erection of a foundry and a steam sawmill and in 1876 Newboro was incorporated as a Village.

Erected by the Ontario Heritage Foundation,
Ministry of Culture and Recreation







Monday, June 03, 2024

Peg's Garden

Peg's Garden occupies the southwest corner of the grounds of the Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation, 1500 Alta Vista Drive, south of Industrial Avenue.



Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation

Peg’s Garden
With special thanks to the Mulcahy Family

Fondation du cancer de la region d’Ottawa

Jardin à Peg
Sincères remerciements à la Famille Mulcahy