Woodland Women Wishers Clue #1

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A vision became a reality to honour the fallen servicemen

When the soldiers returned after the 1914-1918 World War I, the editor of the Drayton Advocate paper suggested that a monument be erected, listing the Drayton, Maryborough and Peel Township servicemen that did not return. The newspaper’s vision of a monument could have been in the thoughts of many residents.
A homecoming reunion committee was formed in January 1927, but there was no mention of the Drayton Women’s Institute’s (WI) involvement in an extraordinary project recognizing the servicemen who lost their lives in the World War. It took communicating with various community members to reveal the pieces of the puzzle to provide a more complete picture of the evolvement of the cenotaph and the community park project. Could some type of permanent recognition be erected, for the extraordinary project undertaken and completed by ordinary people in the Drayton Women’s Institute for the Women’s Institute’s 125th Anniversary?

The Women’s Institute motto was in 1927 and is today, “For Home and Country”. Following this motto, President Isabel (Peggy) Henderson approached her Institute and area businesses with the purpose of planning an area to recognize the servicemen who paid the ultimate price for their country. Mrs. Henderson inspired the donation of a parcel of land by O. B. Henry at the corner of Wellington and Wood Streets. Mr. Henry was also the secretary of the Home Coming Committee. The Drayton WI, founded in 1903, took the lead in designing, planning, and funding, that was necessary to construct a cenotaph in a Memorial Park. The gate to the park is supported by two stone pillars and unique detailed iron work with the inscription, “Drayton Memorial Park”. Farther back the stone cenotaph was strategically situated. The cenotaph was topped with a ring of lights and a single larger light in the centre. The front tablet listed the names of the fallen soldiers during the 1914 to 1918 World War I (WWI). The back tablet was added later listing the names of the fallen soldiers during the 1939 to 1945 World War II(WWII).

Funds for the project were raised at a play called “The Gay Deceiver”, which was performed by the Elora Dramatic Club in the Drayton Opera House on May 24, 1927. This event raised $331.88. That was an amazing feat, especially since this dollar amount would almost cover the overall cost of $445.00 required for the completion of the Memorial Park. The placement of benches, plant material including trees and shrubs such as Bridal Wreath Spireas, made the park an inviting place to visit or reminisce. Other funds were derived from the Women’s Institute booth during the three days at the Old Boys’ and Girls’ Homecoming/Reunion celebrations. The Drayton WI funded the entire project not just the cenotaph.

Almost nine years after WWI ended, during the homecoming reunion on July 25, 1927, the Memorial Park was dedicated, and the cenotaph unveiled by Lieutenant Governor General of Ontario, His Honour W.D. Ross. During the ceremony 14 children placed baskets filled with poppies at the foot of the monument. One basket for each of the 14 names inscribed on the tablet.

A major snowstorm caused a one-day delay to our planned photograph date. Upon arriving at our nearest Women’s Institute’s extraordinary project on February 12, 2022, our team could have used a small snowblower in order that our team would be in front of the cenotaph. Our resourceful team member had a shovel and tunneled a trail to the front of the cenotaph. To our great surprise a recognition plaque was absent. There was no visual signage as to who was responsible for the designing and funding of the gates, cenotaph and Memorial Park, or the donation of the land in the middle of Drayton. For this adventure our team decided we should create knitted scarves. A keen knitter in our Institute knitted two and a half scarves and showed a beginner the techniques required to knit a scarf. That member will now be saying purl knit purl knit purl knit over and over in her sleep. One team member who is in Florida, participates through zoom and emailed her picture wearing her knitted scarf. We returned to retake a picture on Feb. 25, 2022, from the front gate to show the placement of the cenotaph. After all the work to create her knitted scarf, the beginner knitter forgot her scarf therefore a tug was on for the scarf intended for a gate pillar. This photo includes the last surviving Drayton WI member, Shirley Fletcher, who is now a member of another WI group. She was a great source of information and gladly shared historical facts of the projects that the WI were involved with. Drayton WI inception was in 1903 and disbandment in 1995.

We visually explored the Memorial Park and noticed the amazing condition of the stonework. We are curious who the skilled and knowledgeable stone mason was. A newer bench supported with cement feet has replaced the original three wooden benches. The back of another newer bench was constructed with iron work with the message, “Lest We Forget”. At the cenotaph base two wreaths told the story of a community that gathered for the 2021 Remembrance Day service. A large, approximately 90-year-old maple tree, a smaller maple tree, an older flowering crab tree, a few deciduous shrubs, an upright yew, 2 larger stones by the cenotaph and lawn area were part of the park. The park is at an intersection of Drayton therefore houses and a church are visible in the background.

Researching and getting ready for this month’s WISH almost made us feel like we were part of the Drayton WI. It must have taken endless hours planning, purchasing supplies, locating tradespeople and special guests, and arranging the play which would provide funds for the cenotaph, gates, and park. There were many questions that went though our minds. What was the mode of transportation used by the Lieutenant Governor General of Ontario? How did the group secure such community commitment to support the endeavor and attend the play on the May 24th weekend? This was an extraordinary project accomplished by the hard-working ordinary people of the Drayton WI.

It has been fun and exciting contacting the local museum and archives employee, local business owners, the Moorefield, and the Drayton Horticultural Societies, to aid in locating a previous Drayton WI member. An established business owner shared the information that there are no O.B. Henry descendants in the area. They provided our team with information about the park and the maintenance of the grounds. It would be a privilege to approach Shirley and the Mapleton Council to seek permission to place a small plaque that would recognize the Drayton WI and the donor of land, O. B. Henry.

In 1927, the Drayton WI exemplified the moto, “For Home and Country” by creating a place to acknowledge Canadians: Drayton, Maryborough and Peel Township citizens who fought for our freedom. Today’s generations should be grateful that the Drayton WI followed through with their vision to initiate and create the Drayton Memorial Park featuring the cenotaph for all who have served in WWI and WW II. This Memorial Park is a remembrance of the price paid by our fallen soldiers, which allow today’s generation the freedom and prosperity that we enjoy today.

Extraordinary people made a vision become a reality, an extraordinary project the Memorial Park and cenotaph, to honour the fallen servicemen during the WW I and WW II.

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