. ., ::\Ht. .1\ND MRS. WlLUAM T. MERRETT

Many friends, neighbors and relatives called at the home of Mr. and Mrs. W. T. Mer· 1ett, well-known and popular residents of West Lorne, to wish them many more years of health and happiness, when they held open house last Tuesday evening, from Seven to nine o'clock, on the occa· sion of, their fiftieth wedding aniversar·y.

Over two hundred guests signed the register which was presided over by their grand­daughter, Rosemarie Gibson. Their other two '\.grandchiJ.. dren, Jackie and John Orr, welcomed the guests at the door. Receiving with the couple were their two daugh­ters, Mrs. Orval (Anna) Gib­son, of West Lorne and Mrs. Meredith (June) Orr, of Sar­nia. Inviting the guests to the tea room was Mrs. Roy Hunchberger, t h e former Augusta Brock, daughter of the late Dr. W. Brock and Mrs. Brock who resided in West Lome. Mrs. Hunchber­ger played the wedding march at Mr. and Mrs. Merrett•s wedding. The tea table cov· ered witll a beautiful lace cloth was centred with an at­tractive arrangement of gold chrysanthemums and gold roses in a crystal bowl and lighted gold tapers in crystal candelabra and silver appoint­ments completed the setting. Pouring tea were Mrs. Walter Becker and Miss Erie COJ.Jlter, both of St. Thomas and Mrs. Basil Fisher and Mrs. V. E. Lemon, of West Lorne. Unit 1 of the United Church W~ men catered for the reception with members of the choir, Mrs. Ken Leith, Mrs. Mable Koegh, Mrs. Cecil Reid, Mrs. Charles Cooper, Mrs. Erie Bird and Mrs. Thomas Rip:. ley, serving. Many cards, flowers and gifts were receiv-

ed by Mr. and Mrs. Merrett showing the high esteem in which they are held. Letters of congratulation were receiv­ed from James A. McBain, MP, and Jack Spence, .MP, and the Provincial Govern­ment. A family dinner will be held Sunday at the Sarnia Golf {.,'lub.

The couple were married in the Methodist Church by Re". G. C. Gifford on September 4. Mrs. Merrett the former Georgina Dodd, the only daughter of the late Lila Mull· holland and N. Dodd, was :born in West Lome.

Mr. Merrett was bOrn in ~ndon, England. He served his apprenticeship in wood­working there and came to Canada fifty-eight years ago. He retired last year as presi­dent of the Miller 'Lumbez• Company. For ·many years he was a member of the PUC and village council, and ser­ved as reeve of West Lorne three 1 times. Mr. Merrett takes much pride in his beau­tiful garden at the rear of his modern home which he built recently. He is a past master of McColl Lodge, AF & AM and a member of the Royal Arch Masons.

Both Mr. and Mrs. Merrett have I>een active members of the West L or n e United Church, Mr. Merrett being ()n the official board. Mrs. Mer­rett has been organist in the Methodist Church and United Church for forty-five years and pianist of the West Lorne Women's Institute for fifty years. She is a chatter and life member of the WI and served on the Public and Con­tinuation School board for a number of years.

Friends and relatives at-' tended from St. Thomas, Lon­don, Port Burwell, Niagara Falls and Sarnia.

GOLDEN WEDDING

~esda.y,

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N n· ~ ~. Va rrr Hu.>nJh-r;e s

On Tuesday next , July l l., 1961 , a well- known vlest Lorne couol e, Mr . and ~s . Harry Humohries, Graham Street, will mark their Golden Wedding day .

The years have rested lightly on the couple, whose pleasant smiles and friendliness endea~ them to all who know them. Perhap s their belief that "JVTaking the best of every day a s it comes , and enjoying it 11 as Mrs. Humphries expressed it, ha s been the secret of their many ha ppy years.

Wed in Well and by Rev. J . qohertson, in the Bapti s t Church, t h ey lived t here for so~e ti~e , l ater moving t o St . Thomas, and then to the pleasant We s t El gin town, ~est Lo~ne, where t he y now live. Mr. Humphries, new retired, was for f ortv years a signalman wi t h t he New York Central l ailway .

Mrs . humphries is the former Grace Michener, daughter of tue l~te Mr. and Mrs . Charles Mi chener , who lived in Perry Station, and ~r . Humphries' parents are the l a te Mr . and Mrs . Daniel Humphries who resided in vJest Lorne.

They a re the parents of four children , Mrs. Herbert Cox, (Catherine), Welland; Archie, West Lorne; Mrs. Gordon Cook ( Norma), who r e sides at 199 Fore s t Avenue, St . Tr.om1s, and Floyd R. Humph~ies, Tal botville. There are fifteen grandchildren . Members of the Baptis t Chur ch, West Lorne, Mrs. Humphries is also a member of Adah Chapter, O. E . S., vutton , while JVTr . Bumphries belong s t o the ~ . c. R. Pioneer ' s Associa tion and the Social Pension Club, and is a member of t he Br otherhood of Railway Si gnalmen.

On Saturday f-Ar. and MT's. Humphries wi.ll be guests of honour at a family dinner in the Baptist Chu~ch parlors , and on Tuesday they wil l be a t ho~e to their manv fr iends , neighbours and nelatives from t wo to five o'clock in the afternoon and from seven o ' clock in the evenin~ .

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More than one hundred and t·itty guests signed the reg1.st.er at t he

home of Mr. and Mrs . Neil Nickleson, West Lorne on Monday, when

the well- known couple celebr~ted their sixtieth wedding anniversary,

Miss A. Branchflower greeted the guests and the register was in

charge of Mrs. M. Gammon and Miss Betsi Nickleson. The couple

received a host of cards, messages , flowers and gifts, including

a mirror from the West Lorne Baptist Church and flowers from the

church choir. Congratula tions were received from Queen Elizabeth;

Prime Minister L.B. Pearson; J. A. McBain, M.P.; Jack Spence, M. P.;

Ont~io Liberal Leader Farquhar Oliver; and a cable from

Mr. and Mrs . Alex More (Helen Evans), London, England. The tea

table was covered with a lace cloth, and was centred with a lovely

... arrangement of spring flowers, offset by burning tapers . Pouring

tea were Mrs . Carmen Nickl eson, Mrs . Keith Aylsworth, Mrs .Harold

McKellar, Mrs . Clara Squance , all of St . Thomas, and Mrs . Hattie

Leitch . The guest s were served by Mrs . Donald Branchflower ,

Mrs . Orville Gibson and Hrs . Don Leitch . Mrs. H. Humphries invited

the guests to the tea room. During the evening, piano selections

were played by the couple's grandchildren, John, Betsi and Cindy. .. .

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JV!r . and Mrs . James ~owie were completel;r sururised la~t ·•Jednesdav evening w~en a partv was held in tt~ir honour on tte occasion of their golden wedding anniversary .

Planned by their daughters, JV!rs . Leta C ~llier and JV!rs. Pt1llip w illets, memb0rs of t1 e farnil '' and neighbours started. dropning in shortly 'lfter the suoper hour to wish them many l"O'~"e Year's of 1eRl th and happiness .

lefore the evening was over many of their relatives from ~a'l"'nia , Al vins ton , !:>trathrov , P•rron , P.rownsv ille Newbur~r and Cottam, 9.S well as neighbours ana f'l"'iends from tl:le village attto~nded the p~rty .

fhe couole were marriPd at the home of the bride's parents , ~r . and J.lfrs . Ormerod, of ~lvinston, by 1ev . J . Brown, on the 15tl of ecember , 1 915 . They farmea near Alvinston 11ntil 1937 wten they moved into tle villafe and oper ~ted a rest~urant there until 1~~6. Two years later they moved to ~'Vest Lorne where Mr . Bowie Wqs employed qt ~ilne1"'-1iP;sbv ' s . He was caretaker at the Community Centre fo,... a fe'l.• vears before retirement in 1963 . Thev are the u:.'\.rents of f r·ur children : Leta , ]llfrs . Collier , of 1Nest Lorne; ~'lorence , Mrs . 1.rnie Kerr, of Brownsville; Vet>nn., Mrs . Philip Willits, of ~Jest Lor ne , and ~eginald , of Cottam . They have six grandchildren­Joanne Ket>r, Phi lip and Perr"' ~illi ts ana Jennis , James and Scott Bowie

The couple received many cnngrat ulator y messages and gifts on their anniversary , to wni ch the community adds its sincere good wishes for many more years of heal th ~na happy life in west Lot>ne .

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Mr . and Mrs • ...!.arl Lemon m· rked their fiftieth wPdding anniversar.v on Crtoher 9, lq6a 'l1hey •ere the ~ir-!'3t co i,t~)l, to hn m· rrir>t'l in thP. Chur-ch of 0,_, ·i.Qt, ePt JJorne, whi.ch was then only fmrrtcen ve[ rs olrl . J{ev. T • • L . Fowler, 'lSsisted by Rev. V. J . Mnrrqy, conducted t e cerf' ony . I• iss l\'ildred 'n'Y'ner wr•p the ,: id of onour. ,no the lf-lte ~r. Cl8rence L. Jone~, o~ i 1 ·1, n 'rmy friend of the g-room ' s, v· s roomsnRn . SUitPhld weddin~ music w s rovided by the bride ' s brother, Nr. ho:-; . Sharr· 1.t, or~r''ni""t of 11al bot Street Ba.r.tj st Chnrcl-1 i 1 J,ondon . l\lrs . Lemon, the former Grnce :)harr'ltt, ,,,;.,s born in 1~n,.l'lnd ,.,.,...d CO.'"e to ·tent Lorne ..,t tee !'l~e of eL~"ve \'lit!:' her ;>"rents, l•.r. and :r-::r.:~ . '''hom· c- Sh"'rra-t-t. Mr . TJemon i"' P

n"ti ve of tl e •ill· e, thr son of M-r. · nd I•1rs . Jose h ~ . Lemon . Roth Pttended /P.st Lorne Public School with Mrs . Lemon eonti uinr on to Continuiltion Scl1ool while Mr . Lemon "ttend P.d 8<"hool in 'PhnmeRvllle \vi erl is f"ther w .... s in businesn there. 'Phey -returned to le~t Ior~e in 191 0 . In October 1915, ~r . Lemon joined the ,r~ed forces r d went oversePs \'lith thP. 91---t Br>tta ion, servine in l'i're1ce witr the 2 d CanRdian I1 fn try Bnttnlion before returring home ot t e e d of l1ostilitieA . Durjn~ his "our ye"'r oversePs hts fj "nc ee sr.ent t\'!0 yc'"'rA on the st·.., ff of '/ertervel t Businec·s Co., J ~f!..., Londono To the couple \'ere 'Jorr. two nons: Dr. J"l.!"le"' T. I em on. , ·' o is on t• e .,, c 11 tv of t'~-e Fnjvcrnit: of Toronto, !"lnd J)r. Robert E. Lei'1on, on e 'h'~r.nJty of Mcf}i1l U iversity, Mont'Y'e·1l . Jim end ,.,j.fe, Cnrol"~m Miller, r·ormerly of TJos 1\.:n eJeP, Cal ., h· vr- thref' d:1u:l1te1·"~, T/f"-r ·:•r~"t, tTnnet nrl Cet1.herine . -\ob ".(] his i·!ife, tbe form~"r

ancy Philin .... , of' Y'ockvi Lle 1 ...,ve one d~U.,.,.}ltPr, Jornna . On t;he eve of the · li VPT'f'fDY t:'Ylc r·tf>ff of LemrnA ' storf. te'tl.d ered thet11 a r:mrnrise prrty t their home on Chestnut f>1·'Y'eet vrherF! tl ey h.,ve liv0.d sin~':!~" tl-tP.ir. mnrri'l{"C . An · niversar·y dinner w"n held the nP t eveninr; in 011at1 ··m \'!ith 1'-Tr-1=1 . TJPmon 1 R sister ·>nCI hf>'Y'husb·nd, rr . and Mrs . F'~'·ed. ~Jo.rk, Anterta nin.c:r . Frin.:<y e'c~'i"'"' t'l-1e nei n ours surpri~ed them with n d~.nnP.r in t1 e Community l{oll • On Sund~~r, 00.+ohe'r' 12th , r1r . and Mrs . Lemon were ·uE!sts of their sons, tTim Bnd Rob ~nd n eir wives, f1 t dinner at the Guild Inn , 'J'oronto, .folLovrine wr1ich E' recentjon vms held 't Jim ' '"' home in '" 1 0'~"'0nto, ,.,}1ere i11meo i ...,te ~ri ends hf'd '!' the'Y'ed ~ o of'fe"~" conr;rnt"l' tions . J.pte I• r . ., d ~~,...G . Lemon left -''0r t' e !3rucc peninsula where they f.l'l")ent n few d.:oy with 't-!r . nnd M·rs . lfrcd Percy at Lion ' s . c: Pd . :rv,r . Ler1on is a I'-1ason and :1 member of the RoynJ Arch . He was ch~rter nresident of th ·west El in Le["ion in 1932 r> d h"s been in husjness fifty- seven ye· rs . t.T0 v1rs Vill· ·e councillor i'or tr rP.e ye~n.·f' r-nd Reeve in 1 g3s - 39 when t e vt"'terworks v1ere inst3lled . Mr . Lemon is ouperinte aent of the Church of Jh ·int i 1~ School Pnd nlso

Pl~er in i~e Church . Mrs . Lemon h.,n been director of the choir rnd iR nresently niHt of the Church . She is a )' st ~ "'esid ent of the Chl'isti· n vomen ' s Fellow<> hip was alBo 'Lhe first resident of the local ~ed Cross Sof'iety n d was co_"'vener of

v1~r ork <'lurinc- .!orld lar 11 . Mr . Lemon is not interested in retirin,rr bec::>m~e ..... r-~ er such nn A.ctive li.fe l1e i.hinks he would Cind time heavy on his h"nas .

T:iE PUBLIC LI!:5RJ~RY

"Books a re keys to Hisdom ' s treas•.1re ,

13o:>ks are gates tv lands of pleasure ,

Books a rc pRths thR.t up\n.rd lead ,

t?ooks ·~-re friends--Come , l 8t us read l "

·rhe th.Juf:hts 0 f c;;omo ~:mblic s;:> · ri teJ citizens of ':'est LoJ··-w must hE17F he:en running in a

s i. rr 11 Pr vein to the a"l).Jve '1'1ot-:1tion whrm , in 13?; , r,--.;;li :Hn~ tlv.t t 111entrJl and cultL:rrel =tclvantages

\•,e.s flee i d•..:•~ L.J :>rgani;;;e , .t •1.d n. 3oa rd ol' scvc11 members w·1~ e l r>cted ; namely , Dr . Sroc k. , ?r>ed )v;e tt·:JM ,

and a s ti table build Lng or part t.i11C'!reof ('Otlld be secur ed for 3. libr::t"':'Y nnd reading r')'Jm . Duriob

ftno.ncin :~ , sni:. t'11A ln~'lti Jn for B 'lel'mrtn'~l"lt l.11j l clin·~ , and t lle selection ;.., ... bool{C! .

,~36 . 00 rer year . This \!'IS the f ir st ~10fi1C ::>f tb~ .fAst Lor nc Public Lihl··ny . !i'ollO':Iinf niF:et ' ngs

dealt vJ i th sec •_._J.• i.nL ..:ran Ls ,"'rc~l the t'Jwn, t')vmshi. p, ~clue'.! t;; r n jepart mcnt , and h·1.vin;: resp:.n s i. b l e

po :>p l.~ se 11 member shi. p ticlr11ts to p.rovi. d8 requi "t' ., ,1 fund.s . .tllso t-.hs r1..1 t te r· 1 r CT(~ t t i.ng i n touch

wi.th book publishe r:; n.nd the orde ri ng of books was diSC I:tS Sf1 c1.. A co'.te or ,..Lll es , PE:lgu.l n tion s nn.tl

ty- l ;···JS wr> ~ s•1brti ttcd by r1 c om.YJ1i ttee of the l3oA. r d .'"'.•l.i :.1dop ted .

Th~ f irst mention of a librarinn in the minute bo~k was on JRn . ?5 , !996, when Dr . 3 rock

was appointeu to the office for one weelr a'1d Uti s 111as probably "''hen tl.le lib: ·1ry WflS rirst opan€d.

to the puhl i c . Mr . John Cho..::;el_y became tho first r cguLLr l :i..br.,r·i .'l.n on Jr~n . 1 , 1897, to continue to

May 1 , l e97 , a t 75¢ per \·1•?8 k . .l t the ·~xpi.ratton of that ti. !w~ ll~; \H S re -enGaged a t 25¢ per ni: ht

for eac11 YJ.ight the llhrAry wus O!ien, and at tlw r. time it vras open HectnAsday r:~nd .3atur' ' ,.y n i Ghts

onl,1 . In .J2nu."ry , 13?3 , ?-:?ncl..ty night vJO.s adrN:. To secure mor·e mc!llbr~rs t:he libr F.ri::ttl vt3.S

authorized to sell memhersr1ip tickets ::>n R commi ssi on of 10,4 .

t ':3 board. meet.ing helc1 Au g . 1 ,7 , 189S , -r-1r . W. E . Bole made an offer to furni_ sh u roOJn , fuel,

l i ght , a nd ne t as librqrian , keeping the ljbrary open every d~y and thre~ nights per week from

7 to l 0 9 . m. .r~n ~1'30 . CO oor A nnurn . Tbc off8r was ac cepted a.nd thi s a rra ngemE)nt continued for

some time . Mr . ChasP l y wn; a !,;ai~ li br1.d an in 1 C:l2 And rema.i ned i.n thr~ t ofri <'3 unttl Sept . ?9 , 19;'4 .

Upon hi.s r etirement , i n 1"\ppr (~ ~iatl on of his l:>ng and efficient service , h~ and l1r s . Chasely were presented wi tb a sm ~11 gift by th~ Doa r d . Miss Lucy Ash succeeded Hr . Chasely . At tha t t i me the

librar.f was open stated hours on •ruc sday , Thursdt=t~T and Satnrdn.y , 'l:lut soon nfterwards Thursday

~c.t s dr opped as a library day . In September , 1930 , Mrs . TJen Pa!'tri.dga , Sr . , vms appointed o.s

relief libr a rian on a c count of Hi ss Ash ' s illness , find on Dec . 8 , 1930 , on Hi. ss Ash ' s death ,

!•irs . I\::-tridge be came the new permanent librarian . Her term of offjce termj.nated in 1934

when she left ~Jest Lorne to make her 11ome in Arkansas . 1Jpon he r resigna tion our present

llbrarian, Mr s . Ve rna Norri. s , we.: s ap .,ointed .

MinL~t~s are not available for the years 1910 a nd ' ll , but it 'DUSt have been durt:1g this

time that libr~ry b11ilding was er0c~ed . On April 6, 1 909 , a minute a~paared in the boJks that

a c om~ittee get qn option on a suita ble site fo r the erecti~n of a public library and get

fi.gures on the cost of e. sui table building . 't,'hen the minutes ~.Jere resUlJled in 191: r e ference

was madA to the destr11c tion o f the bQildin~ b y f ire a nd a motion apreared in the minutes of

Jan . 1 2 , 1912 , sponsored by Dr . ;,,fe b st.n· and Arthur Petherick , t h:tl:, tenders be r e ceived f or

rebttildi.ng it . Finally the present build ing wn s erected , whether by the lib r a ry Board or the

Villa ge Council is no t ~lear, but in nny event , the bui ldi ne is now the property of the Co~nc il .

During its fifty-tw~ ye~rs of ex;stence many cittzens have given of their time to serve

on the 1ibr&ry boa rd . ~ould that all could be mentioned ~ Among those who occupied th e office

of c hairman were : .l . Bri<lc;man , A. Petl:eri.ck , ~r . Brock , Dr . Webs ter , Rev . Mr . Ilaig ~ ,J. B.

Ferg~son , Rev . Mr . Carr , 1>1r . McGuire , Rev . Mr . Kitely , Mr . Mr:ttson , Nr . Can~elon , Hr . D. Smith ,

l•lr . F . Balsdon, Rev . 1>1r . Edd y , G. L. Jo hnstone , Niss T. tvrcKill.Jp , T. Robi.r13on . The foll mving

have acted as S'3 cr·etary : ~1 . A. Becker , R. McFate , i_i' . Nilne , t.fr . Ga rv in, Jolm Mc Gillop ,

:-J. B. dole, His s N. Hoberts ::m , A. KnovJl ns , F . J . Cullen , Mrs . Nerrett , C. "W . Gr and,y , F . C. Stone ,

Nj_ss I. i~!~Y~llnp ( l :lter Hrs . .D . 1'~'3nneny) (1920- 1 932 ) , ~~ . Peth.-;rick (1932- 1940) , l-'!5 ss 1-.f . Currie

(19l+O to the present) . Occnpyi.nr; tht~ offtce of treasurer '>''8re : J oh111:. . NcKill::>p , F . Mettam ,

f1' . !v!ilne , A. P~theri. ck, Mr s . ~d . A. Becker , Mrs . A. Petheri.ck . In 193? the officas of

s~cretary and treas u r er ~3rc qmalea mated .

The a lways limited funds Rt th~ d i sposal of the Li br ary Board ha s hampered tl1em in the

service they would li.J.~e tn give the public . The sources of revenu.e duri..ng the years have

v?.ried littl e . Annual grunt s have been ar11t are rece L ved from the villa[:e council , tO\JrJ..ship

c cu'1ci l, cou11ty c ot.mcil and thA Ontario educa tion U.epartment . The ,,fomen ' s Insti t1.1te ann

Eastern Star have f requently given donations and the Institute on one occasion s ponsored a

tea for the library. To s u pplement the revAnue f r om these sources , the member s of t he B~ard

ha ve from time t o time made house to house ca nva s ses ~vhi ch have usual ly met VI i th a s plendid

response . Outsida a rti sts have been 'Jr ought in.Jto ~ give c oncet·ts and plays . At one time a

dr ama tic club was fo rmed u.nder the l eadershi p o.f J ohn A. l~IcKillop to produce 1.• la.fs using loca l

t a lent . The se were a g reat s uc cess . The t reasurer ' s re po::-t of 1<110 shm1s a p ~ 1roxi.mu :.ely ninety­

five dollars netted ~rom a P . M. excursion . At times the Board has had to r esort to loans

from the bank and individuals for fllnds . Dr. Wf'hster took a life mE-rr: ;.>c:·ship in p8.yment of

one of t.h·~ se i. ndt vidn3.1 loans . In 1940 a donation of one hundred dollars by the late G. !VJ. .

Mll1_holland of Toronto , 3. native son of 'Aest Lornc , f or the pllrchase of books was 1t-1elcome and

much appreciated .

Since 193~3 , by paying an annual ff!e of $25 . 00; the local library has been a member of

the El.:; in County Library Association . This is a travelling llbrary which sends thr~e

t.i~es a ye~r to the member librarjes a collection of some 125 books c~r }fully chosen by

quali.fi cd li.hrr:,i"'ians with headquarters in St . Tr.omas . Thi~ service m3kes av:J.i l_qble to the

reaaing public some 375 books per year i n addition to the books on the shelves . The

Ontario Edtlca"':ion Department also sends a smallJr collection of -1bont 35 books t.hr·ee times

per year , makine a tota l of 105 books per Jreur from that source . ·rhe Ho.:t r.d spends as much

money as poss ible every year on books after admini stratinn ex~enses arP paid.

The present Librr.try .Board of nine members lnCllJ.des: T. Hobinson , chairman; S. Garnish ,

vi ce-chairm~:-.n; Miss N. CL'..rrie , Sec - treas; Mrs . John .A McKillop , Hrs . J . N"cGregor , Miss T.

McKillop , V. E. Lemon , C. ~ lil son , C. D. Ar cher . Mrc . John A. M(! I<Jllop has been •t member of

the board since 1909 , a peri~J of 37 years. Her late husband was o member from its i ncep­

tion in 1895 till his death in 1937, ~ period of 42 years . This constitnt~s a r e cord for

this family in library work . Tha librar y is open Tuesday and Saturdays from 2 . 30 to 5 p . m.

and from 7 to 9 p . m. Mrs . V. Norr is is libra rian . There are a~proximately 1 200 books on

the shelves a nd the membership for 19l~6 \IJas 68 . The Board holds l'egular m'3etines on the

third Monday of every third month .

Two years ago , by the will of the late Archibald Mcivrillan, a. J.tfe- long resident of

East Aldborough , the village of ';/est Lorne ·.-~as left a generous bequest of ·;~7 , 000 . 00 to be

used for the erection of a new librRry on a suitable site, to be known as t~e McMillan

Brothers ' Library in memory of tlae testator and his twin brother , Duncan McMillan , who

predeceased hi!ll . 'rhis legacf j_s now avail able and ~vest Lorne ma y look forward to an

at tractive library buildint: in the near fut11.re which will b'3 a fittin~ memorial to those in

whose memory it is erected and will open a new era i n library histo=y fo r the village .

Prepared by :

tvlima Curri.e

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. - . . V. E.!...e 111 o·n .... C/1a i rman - 1950

T: G.Ro bi 11 s o n , _ 19t9

\\'I~ST LOI~~E. O~T .. Till !~SD.\Y. ~larch 16th. I<J.=iO

l arge ·Crowds Attend Opening Ceremonies of New Library

Another chapter in th.) <ld\ an.!e of the village was '.'\dc.!ed l;st Wcdnesd .. y afternoon and evening, rwhen the new $7.500 McMillan Brothers LLJrnry was o.fficinly opened and ded1catcrl. Cmwds wait outside the new build:ng, w:ti'ing an . opportunity· io inspc5t the new Libr::n·y. · -Courtesy London Frcc Pl'css.

T

On April 17 , 1944 l"ir . vfm . Her r et t , ~'teeve of West Lorne uttend~d a. meeting 'Jf th9 Hest

Lorne Libra r y Board to ann:mnce that the Town Council had ac C'~pted the bequest of the twin

broth-;rs, ~·~rchie a nd Duncan Mc Millan and \.Jere rea dy to compl y· wi. t.h all specl ficati ::ms of t .h.e

wi l l.

The Council w'Juld provi (le a S'li tA.ble site anll s pend $1 , 200 for books . The l i bra.r y vias

to be~ buiJ_t 'Jf r e d l"~ rtck wi th thn nDme McNillan fi ro thers 1 Li brary engr:tv ed on st::>n e a cross

the front of Lhe Libra r y . At a joint meeting of the Li:Jra ry Board aml 'LOivn Council the

lot immedia 't~ly east of the Commnni ty Hall was cnosen as the best site a s i t 1-1as already

owned ~ y the c oD ncil an~ was centr a lLy located a~d wa s approved by the trustees of the

Hc r,Ji llan est9.te . The Connc5 l then proct>eded t') en~3.~e Howard .St·:tdclon ·' s :uchi teet nnd

Al ex P~rkcr ~s contr~ctor .

The ne v1 Mc Millan :Sr others ' Lil)rary \vas ~ ::>rmally openecl Narch 9, 1~50 . V. E . Lemon ,

cha irman of the Library E3oa ru , off i.ctnt.ed . Rev . 0 . Et . Dylrc gave t he dedi.ctory pr ayer ,

Mrs . John!.. . NcKi..l l op , n j nc e of the Hc .i•ii l •fl.n Brothers ' c •1t the purple ri ~)bon across the

e ntrance , and J.:lr . Tom Ro~inson, a p8.st chairm.:m , unlocked the do'Jr in a c eremony for

which he received the key f rom Al ex Parker , c ontr~ctor .

Many r e sidF.lnts called to insp\.:i c t the ne"'' r oom also to hear t he s peaker :tv12.ss .linni frec1.

Reed , chief librarian of the St . Thoma s Publi..c Library . In the evening short talk~ were

gi,ren b~r Miss Annabelle Nc Kille>p of the vJind sor Public Lib r &ry and c:. natjve of \le- st Lorne .

Mrs . John A . McKi.llo ~J d isr>layed the new Tweedsmuir Book and r er:td from it 3 hi.stor i ca l

~!fetch she and her hu::::,.J:::.nd had made of the town . Dougald Ca.:-michael , YilJ.r..ge reeve wben

the librar y was starterl , ex pressed bts pleasure a t seeing t he compl eted lihrary .

Sine~ be j nG built, the library b;..:. s been r cc1ecora ted , cupboards wi t.h drawer 3pace have

been added and new shelving for n reCer0~ce library for the weste rn sectle>n 'Jf the c~unty ,

tile bo~kc; beinG pr:>Viderl bJ the co•.mtJ U br·ary.

The Bo.1rd h olds ~Qartc~ly reeJG lngs . Spring teas , to which the public wers j nv j ted ~

tJere held i.n 191R , 1959 and 1960 . At two 0f these , were ftne clispln ys hy J.Jca.l a r t j sts

and e.t the third , there 111 s a d i Sl}la y of milk glasE' froM t,rs . H:-1 r old Hi tchcll ' s c~llec tt::>n .

a evi aw s of n e1., books by membr'r~ of the Bo:trd and othc .~s have · -~ppe:-n:· ed in tbe Wes t

Lor no Sun , f r om t.'Lme t :) time . Am one; contributors h:~.ve be'Jn : Mlss 3dna Nev,lanJ s , Hi s s Tend.

Mc KLllop , ll,rs . !-! . Abdef , t1•r s . tUv~ Kilner , !'1:iss J:i ld 1~cd '.!'urn~r , ~~l'S . H. Hi. t chell e.nd Mr . R.

C::·P'michael . Ne,~! 3oaks have also hec:n ;~rlverti sod by pl f:cin_: Li.le :)ap~r cover·s in a .3how

case :in thc Cornnm .. nity lJal l ever v mont r.. •

.t.r10ther ~c b vi ty th1 t has hee11 rec e i. vi n,· a tt-;nti on, i. s h·1vins ~ ::>mpilrJd into yr~:trly

volume copj es o~ t;1e N:.)+.i:>nal Geo_l'f'9.hi.c . This pro j f> Ct wc.s st:1rt~d oy the uonTti 1n of a

nuMb~~ of vol ,mes by F3rn1J ~ nd FrAd Jecker and was thou~ht wo~thy of conttnust i on .

In 1~11>() tbe Bo;:J t•d ~Ja.sscd 1 rcs0l t1 ·t1on t.o j ~in thP ne,,.. t\egiotJBl Libra r y t ba t .h:- 1 been

set u p 1'8CCrttl :,r •vi 1:l1 heil\; 1_11? rtcr s i. n St . Th OIJ'l',:-> . 3ool~s for the b r ancl1 li br a rie3 are a ll

selAct~rl ~bP re by ~uRlifie~ librPrians Pn~ sent tn br anch lib r ar i es by hnnkm0biJe .

~1rin~ thnpe yearq Mr3 . Norri~ has continued rs libra r1 9n a tot~ l ~~ I hi rty- tt~eR

cocr"t~ ry trC" snr~~· fl'l' twen ty- fi V -~ Y~.1i';: till a n ~-tc ci dent forc<?ri ber to ~w nc OVe t' the

bo~ks to t !1o l"re sent se~ r-'t:-> r y , Hr s . H:1r oJ d Hi t chell . HI'. Jack Fe1:~11 s')n be c .!imP. 11 trl ·~nber

of the b:J:" rd in l '))c;, l ~tc:;~· bccnrn i nr; chairmr.n until his i3::ttr: in 1.9r-.7 . He was r~sron-

sj ble for fll q ci n,e: t he eli S~)l 'l 'r Fr10vJcasP of ne1 / 'books i.n bh e Communi ty Hall, for r 0vi vi ng

the p0 l i ~~· of rcbindin~ the Geographies j nto yearly v ol •.1me s , f o r- c ~ llec ti. '1':: p nd f.'rr,mi 110

Si nc e rhA ,_...., r .? l Jibr· ;.nr llas bccom~=; R. l>l:'t' t of t'.l ·~ LeY,iona l librnrJ , ~J. b'J1.! '<.1 i.. s no

hrs . P·;:.tc~ r.ni Hsssrs . Vo;an, Cer'1; t'lwel and Kemp .