North Easthope Township Cairn, Presentation of Pioneer History to Lord Tweedsmuir, 1936

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Description

Hampstead Women’s Institute president passes the leather-bound copy of “History of the Pioneers” over to Lord Tweedsmuir May 28, 1936

STORY:
In 1934, the residents of North Easthope township planned to build a cairn to honour the early settlers in their area who had emigrated from Scotland and Ireland. After some discussion, the committee chose a 40-foot square plot of land at Lot 21, Concession 1 along highway 7&8 just west of the village of Shakespeare. A designer and an architect were named and the materials for the cairn, such as granite stones, sand and gravel were brought from nearby township properties.
On May 28, 1936 at 4pm, the Governor General of Canada – Lord Tweedsmuir pulled back the Union Jack flags to reveal the twelve-foot high cairn honouring the pioneers of North Easthope township. [Line 34 (hwy. 7/8), Road 107, Perth East, Shakespeare, Ontario]
Following the unveiling, Katherine McCallum, BA. President of Hampstead Women’s Institute presented Lord Tweedsmuir with a leather-bound copy of “History of the Pioneers” in which was recorded the history of the early settlers of North Easthope. Lady Tweedsmuir’s interest in preserving local history led her to honour her late husband and in 1945, she recommended that Women’s Institutes record local history in Ontario and across Canada – thus the beginning of Tweedsmuir histories by Women’s Institutes.

Date of Publication

28 May 1936

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