Tuesday 26 November 2013

 



Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire


Christmas at Westfield a Feast for the Senses

 
Close your eyes for a moment and imagine the scent of freshly baked bread, cinnamon, hot popcorn, fresh pine and cedar.  Envision twinkling hearths and lanterns, a brilliant display of fireworks lighting up the winter sky, a candlelit table laid with a gorgeous Victorian Christmas dinner.  Hear the sounds of traditional music wafting through the crisp night air, the hearty laugh of Father Christmas, the clatter of a woodstove being stoked.   Taste the sweetness of an old-fashioned candy stick, a steaming cup of hot cider, a morsel of roasted chestnut, sprinkled with salt.  Feel the crunch of snow as you make your way down a country road, and the surge of warm air on your face as you enter a cozy log cabin.  Does this sound too good to be true?  Westfield Heritage Village will be the setting for this feast of sensory delights during its ‘Twas the Night before Christmas, program, which will take place on the evenings of December 7th, 14th and 21st from 5:00 – 9:00 p.m.  Lit by lanterns and candlelight, the village is a magical place for families and children of all ages.  At Westfield you can step back in time and enjoy the sights, sounds, aromas and tastes of Christmas in the Georgian, Victorian, and Edwardian eras.
The program on Saturday December 7 will be a special evening for music lovers.  The extraordinary Rosewood Consort, directed by Bob Rivers, is an elite group who perform a repertoire of Early and Baroque music on a full range of recorders, from Sopranino through Contra Bass, supported by Harpsichord and Viola da Gamba.  From 7:00 -8:00 pm, they will present A Rosewood Christmas at Westfield, a rich programme of seasonal music developed specifically for this event.  The group has offered a special invitation to visitors, especially children, to bring their singing voices, as there will be many opportunities to join in.

Visitors to the village can explore the more than thirty-five historical buildings decorated in their holiday best, meet costumed interpreters and have a special visit with jolly Father Christmas.  Young ones especially will enjoy a holiday craft in the one room log schoolhouse.  One-of-a-kind Christmas items are available for sale in the Gift shop.  A magnificent fireworks display will light up the skies at 6:30 p.m. 

Hungry visitors can enjoy moderately priced light fare in the Ironwood Hall, including warm homemade soup, sandwiches, baked goods and hot chocolate.  Visit the General Store to purchase old fashioned sweet treats.  Munch on some free, hot popcorn as you take in the sights and sounds of the village.  Samples of warm, fresh bread, baked in the village’s hearths and ovens, will be available.

In the spirit of the season, Westfield will be accepting donations of non-perishable food items for distribution to local food banks. 

Westfield Heritage Village celebrates ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas on Saturdays, December 7th, 14th and 21st from 5:00-9:00 pm.  Christmas in the Country will take place on Sunday, December 15 from 12 noon to 4:00 pm.  Admission is $11.00 for adults, $10.00 for seniors and people with disabilities, and $6.50 for children ages 6 to 12. Children 5 and under are admitted free.

Westfield Heritage Village is located at 1049 Kirkwall Road (Regional Road 552) in Rockton, just off Highway 8 between Hamilton and Cambridge. For more information please call 519-621-8851 or visit www.westfieldheritage.ca

Saturday 19 October 2013


It’s going to be a
Grimm Halloween at Westfield

 

Things are looking mighty Grimm at Westfield Heritage Village.   The village’s annual Haunted Halloween event, taking place this year on the evenings of Friday October 25 and Saturday October 26 from 6:30 – 9:30 pm., will be inspired by Grimm’s Fairytales.  The village will be lit by lanterns, pumpkins and moonlight, and visitors will be treated to an evening of folklore, surprise and mystery.   During this family friendly event, visitors of all ages will be able to explore the village’s unique setting and discover the origins and traditions of Halloweens past.

While we now think of fairytales as charming stories for children, with singing elves, talking geese and handsome woodsmen, many of these early stories presented shadowy and mysterious themes and characters that would make even the bravest listener shiver. Grimm’s Fairy Tales, first published in 1812 as Children's and Household Tales by brothers Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, was a collection of European folktales that had been passed down for hundreds of years. Generations of children have gone to bed with the blankets pulled over their heads; trembling with visions of plotting witches, mysterious trolls and large, hungry wolves prowling through the forest. 
 

This Halloween, Westfield will be tapping into this rich treasure trove of literary delights.  Dark, mysterious and sometimes funny fairytales will be the inspiration for a range of scenarios throughout the village, allowing visitors to experience both familiar and unfamiliar stories within a historical environment.   You never know who you might meet!  Who is that young woman with the long hair, calling from that upstairs window?  Are those golden eggs on the table in the farmhouse?   Why is that witch bothering the villagers in the Early Settlement area?  Courageous souls can go on an adventurous journey into the forest.  What could possibly go wrong?

Westfield Heritage Village is a magical place for families to have fun and learn together.  Children are welcome to take a seat in the one-room log schoolhouse to make a unique fairytale-themed craft and then stop by the barn.  You might have a chance to say goodnight to the furry and feathered friends settling down in the stalls.  Peek in the parlour at the Gillen House to see and hear the Edwardian Fancy Dress party underway, with a fairytale theme, of course.   Weather permitting; a rare 1880s telescope will be available for viewing the spectacular wonders of the moon.   Visitors who have worked up an appetite will find delicious, light fare available for purchase at the Ironwood Hall.  Sweet treats will also be for sale in the General Store.  Visit the Gift Shop for unique items.

Haunted Halloween takes place on Friday October 25 and Saturday October 26 from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m.  Admission is $11.00 for adults, $10.00 for seniors and persons with disabilities, and $6.50 for children aged 6-12.  Children 5 and under are admitted free.  Parking is free.  Tickets can be purchased at the gate or online.   Westfield Heritage Village is located at 1049 Kirkwall Road (formerly Regional Road 552) in Rockton, just off Highway 8 between Hamilton and Cambridge.  For more information on Haunted Halloween evening programs, as well as Pumpkin Sunday, which will be held on Sunday October 27 from 12:30 – 4:00, please call (519) 621-8851 or visit www.westfieldheritage.ca

Monday 18 March 2013

Stepping Back to Move Forward

Always welcomed with a wide smile and warm greeting no matter the occasion, Westfield is quickly becoming a home away from home.

I first got in contact with the small family of full time staff in the fall regarding whether or not they would be interested in facilitating an Event Management Post Graduate student from Conestoga College as part of the co-operative learning requirements.

I was nervous getting ready for my initial meeting with them, but as soon as I walked in the door and sat down in the quaint library for our meeting, I knew it was an organization that I wanted to learn more about. I immediately felt the warmth and connection from the team and couldn’t wait to get my hands dirty and jump right in to whatever they wanted to give me.  

The small group of individuals working in the office embodies the ultimate family that is able to accomplish greatness as they work together and feed off the strengths of one another.

Since that meeting I have had the ability to take part in the captivating ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas program and begun working in the office throughout the week. Now that Maple Syrup season has kicked off, March will be an exciting month filled with even more learning opportunities. The behind the scenes interaction that I have experienced has been invaluable on so many levels.  

The many volunteers that dedicate their time and energy into the programs and site are so inspiring. Their ability to bring history to life right before the guests’ eyes and evoke that sense of wonder and curiosity is remarkable.  

As a young girl I frequently visited Westfield for the variety of programs they host throughout the year and I always came away with new and fascinating nuggets of knowledge. This continues into my current work at the village, every time I am on site I love hearing the new stories and learning all kinds of information that would otherwise perhaps never have found its way into my brain.

No matter who you are or what you’re looking for, there really is something for everyone and I encourage people to take a journey through time and rediscover a piece of history.

Wednesday 13 March 2013

Sweet! Maple Syrup Festival in Full Swing

Sweet!  Maple Syrup Festival in Full Swing


The trees are tapped, the sap is dripping and the fires are crackling– it must be maple syrup time at Westfield!

 















In the village’s Early Settlement area, visitors are learning how maple sugar was produced for generations by Canada’s First Nations communities, and how these techniques were shared with the first European immigrants.  This process involves placing hot stones into a hollowed out log filled with sap.  A labour-intensive but effective process!

 
 
 
At the D’Aubigny Inn, visitors are finding out how early 19thcentury pioneers used a series of iron cauldrons to produce large quantities of delicious syrup.  A smokey, steamy, sticky business!


 A short walk into the sugar bush leads to the modern sugar shack, where you can taste some of Westfield’s very own maple syrup.   Mmm!

Here are Lady and Rose taking visitors on a wagon ride through the village, with an optional stop at the Sugar Shack.




 .
Ella checks out a sap bucket












The Sweet Taste of Spring maple syrup festival takes place every Sunday in March, as well as March 13, 14 and on Good Friday, March 29, 2013.


For more information, go to westfieldheritage.ca 

 




Tuesday 12 March 2013


Rules of Engagement:
Courtship and Marriage in Early Canada

Dearest Etta,
The delightful hours I have passed in your society have left an impression on my mind that is altogether indelible, and cannot be effaced even by time itself. The frequent opportunities I have possessed, of observing the thousand acts of amiability and kindness which mark the daily tenor of your life, have ripened my feelings of affectionate regard into a passion at once ardent and sincere, until I have at length associated my hope of future happiness with the idea of you as a life partner, in them. Believe me, dearest Etta, this is no puerile fancy, but the matured results of a long and warmly cherished admiration of your many charms of person and mind. It is love - pure devoted love, and I feel confident that your knowledge of my character will lead you to ascribe my motives to their true source. Might I then implore you to consult your own heart, and should this avowal of my fervent and honourable passion for you be crowned with your acceptance and approval, to grant me permission to refer the matter to your parents. Anxiously awaiting your answer, I am, dearest Etta, Your Sincere and Faithful Lover, George Courtright. Wednesday October 20th, 1894.

Poor George. He must have agonized over that letter for days, carefully crafting a marriage proposal that would convince his darling Etta of his love, commitment and suitability as a husband. We can imagine Etta, perhaps unfolding the letter with trembling hands, reading it several times and weighing each word, each phrase. She would likely not have been surprised by this turn of events, as it would have unfolded as part of a complex, but well understood, process for finding one's life partner. We do not know what her answer might have been, but we can be sure that she would have measured George's proposal carefully, taking into consideration not only her own hopes, dreams and preferences, but those of her family and community.



Since Canada's earliest days of settlement, the trials of finding a spouse has been a theme consistently chronicled in diary accounts, letters and journals, providing a fascinating window into how early Canadians met, courted and married. They help us to understand what was considered acceptable behaviour, the influence of parents and neighbours and the strategies that were necessary to navigate the sometimes treacherous social terrain.

Just what were early Canadians looking for in a mate? Prior to the 19th century, economic considerations were a strong factor in the selection of a husband or wife. Eventually, however, the concept of marrying for love crept into the equation, and by the early to mid-19th century, the idea of a spouse as a companion was widely accepted. Women were encouraged to look for a man with not only good financial prospects, but also someone who would be kind, temperate and hard-working. Men typically sought women who were even-tempered, patient and capable of engaging in intelligent conversation.

The importance of a spouse as friend is reflected in the 1854 letter of Caroline Hewlett, who commented on the broken engagement her niece Jane Price. "From all I heard of Mr. Campbell he appeared to me from his youth, habits, and insufficiency of means, to be wholly unworthy of Jane, who ought in her husband to have have a man of equal talent with herself, a companion and friend..."

Meeting a life partner was a long process that in many ways began in childhood. Social gatherings that brought together people of all ages, such as religious functions, skating parties, community picnics and work bees were all opportunities for people get to know one another within their social sphere. Parental and community approval was extremely important, as couples would depend upon the assistance and support of family and friends throughout their married lives.

Once a potential partner was identified, parental consent secured and intentions clearly stated, courtship could begin in earnest. This was an intense period when a couple would really get to know one another, spending many hours discussing a wide range of topics, to ensure compatibility. Engagements could last for many months, or even longer if the man required time to settle debts, secure a property or settle into reliable employment. Once a pledge to marry was made, only very exceptional circumstances would allow the engagement to be broken, a circumstance typically met with strong family and community disapproval.



The long and considered courtship process in nineteenth century Canada, grounded as it was in family and community approval, seems to have greatly increased one's chances of a happy, or at least workable, marriage. Someone who clearly married for love and companionship, Susanna Moodie, wrote to her sister Catherine in July 1856, after twenty-five years of marriage: "Time lengthens while he is away. Will age never diminish my love for this man?"

Prepared with information from:

Noёl, Francoise, Family Life and Sociability in Upper and Lower Canada, 1790-1870. McGill-Queen's University Press, 2003.

Young, John H. Our Deportment: Manners, Conduct and Dress of the Most Refined Society, F. B. Dickerson and Co., Hamilton, Ontario, 1881.

Azoulay, Dan. Hearts and Minds: Canadian Romance at the Dawn of the Modern Era 1900-1930, University of Calgary Press, 2011.