Heigh-ho - come to the fair - Glimpses of the Past with Karen Webster
Throughout our district, many towns, villages and townships have held a fall fair to celebrate the year’s harvest and to provide some friendly competition amongst their citizenry. Fairs of all descriptions are rooted in ancient history and were brought to the New World. The first Canadian Agricultural Society was formed in Nova Scotia in 1765, with the Agricultural Society of Upper Canada following in 1792 in Niagara-on-the-Lake.
As the province of what is now called Ontario was settled, agricultural societies and regional fairs were commenced in the early 1800s. At one time, there were over 500 of them and now there are just over 200. The Ontario Agricultural Society lists Bayfield, Brussels, Clinton (Spring Fair), Seaforth, Dungannon, Howick-Turnberry, Lucknow and Listowel as currently running fairs in our immediate vicinity.
At one time, the fall fair in Blyth could rival any other fall fair in size and reputation. Its inception was in 1864 and it was held on the “fairgrounds” on a plot bounded by King Street on the north, Mill Street on the west and Wellington Street on the south. The eastern boundary was formed by residential lots. The Blyth Fall Fair continued at this location until 1896, when it moved to the west side of Wilson Street (now Gypsy Lane). The impetus for the move was caused by the erection of Blyth Public School at the former Mill Street location.
One enthusiastic reporter announced the coming of Blyth’s fair with a flourish. He stated that the Canadian National Exposition in Toronto had passed, London’s Fair was history and that now was the time for the “Grand Blyth Fall Fair”. The timing of the fall fair varied over the years between September and October.
Travel to the Blyth festivities was encouraged by the Grand Trunk Railway, which offered a special fare for anyone living within 85 miles from Blyth to secure first class, single-fare tickets for a round trip on any Grand Trunk railway station from Oct 6-9.
The year of 1902 was a banner year for the fair. There were demonstrations by McNally and Plummer of their revolutionary brick-making machine. The bricks with their distinctive pebble pattern would eventually grace many of the buildings in the village. Singer sewing machines were also on display, as were cream separators.
There were classes for horses, cattle, swine, poultry and sheep as well as grains, roots, dairy and provisions, and fruit. Implements such as “single covered buggy” were to be judged, as well as “manufactureds” - “homemade all wool flannel”, ladies’ work. children’s department - “darning a sock” - fine arts, plants and flowers. The event was finished off with a school children’s competition.
The 33rd Huron Regiment 80-piece band led the parade of children from 11 schools from the school ground on Mill Street to the fairgrounds to open the fair.
That same year, Blyth Standard Editor A. E. Bradwin challenged the population figures for the village. He felt the census should be taken in October (during fair week) when the figure would be 6,000 to 7,000 souls as opposed to the normal 1,000 or so folks.
In the 1906 prize list, McMillan and Company offered an award of $8 for the best 50-pound tub or box of butter. C.H. Beese, miller, donated a special prize for bread baked with his Favourite Flour, on the condition that within two weeks before fair day, one must have purchased at the mill a 98-pound sack of Favourite Flour. First prize was two sacks of 98 pounds of flour and second prize was one sack of flour.
By 1938, work on a new agricultural building had been completed and lights had been installed. People wishing to view exhibits were asked to pay a very small amount to cover the cost of the lighting. Friday evening, the placing and judging of exhibits occurred and on Saturday judging of the livestock was followed by horse racing. The committee was pleased to announce that Donald McCharles and Herb Miller of Lucknow entered their championship race horses in the event. There was a softball game between Ripley and Brussels girls and then, on Friday evening, a dance and a grand concert were both held at Memorial Hall.
A beauty contest was held in the 1960 fair with four ladies entered. First prize of $10 in cash went to Mrs. George Burkholder and second, a necklace, was won by Mrs. Jack Nethery. There was excitement about the draw prizes: a suit of clothes went to Ed Wightman of Belgrave; a four-piece place setting of Melmac dishes was awarded to Hugh Radford of Blyth and the third prize of a coffee perk was won by Robert Henry, also of Blyth. A crowd of 2,550 attendees enjoyed the excellent weather.
At 1 p.m., a parade of 10 schools, led by the Brodhagen Brass Band, headed to the grounds and the fair was then opened by Elston Cardiff, MP for Huron. The annual regional show for Elgin, Lambton, Middlesex and Huron Guernsey breeders was held at Blyth for the first time with William J. Dale of Hullett Township made a “clean sweep” of that division. The executive was formed by President George Watt, directors Albert Bacon and James McCall and Secretary-Treasurer Beryl Ortelli.
Time passes and so do the seasons of success and failure of entities. By 1971, the Blyth Fall Fair was struggling due to a lack of volunteers to run the show. Of the 18 people listed as directors, only six were active. The help of a private organization named J and J Ltd. was enlisted, however, that plan fell through.
By 1972, the glory days of the Blyth Fall Fair had faded away. In 1986, the remaining monies from the defunct Blyth Fall Fair were distributed, with $200 going to the Blyth Horticultural Society, $500 to the Belgrave, Blyth and Brussels School Fair and $400 each to the four high schools that served the Blyth area (Wingham, Goderich, Clinton and Seaforth) for bursaries.
In the place of a fall fair, throughout the years, the people of Blyth have pulled together with various organizations and events that have helped keep the spirit of community alive and well.