From the Tavistock Gazette, Wednesday, September 24, 2014

In 1914 the village of Tavistock boasted slightly over 1,000 people and four hotels. Henry Ford had just introduced the assembly line operation in his Model T car plant in Detroit, Michigan, and Babe Ruth played his first professional baseball game.

These and many more facts were outlined in an illustrated talk by Mrs. Sherrill Calder at the Tavistock Legion Hall last week. The presentation was the first instalment of five annual events being held across the County of Oxford to commemorate WWI, “the War to End all Wars.” This year’s presentation focused on pre-war events and showed the way people lived prior to August 5, 1914 when Great Britain declared war on Germany and Canada, as a member of the Commonwealth, did also.

Here in Tavistock there were a total of 22 people who owned motor vehicles and the speed limit was 15 mph. Buggies were far more popular and available from various businesses such as William Matthies Waggons and Carriages.

In the area of sports, football (soccer) and hockey were the choice. In hockey, it was six men to a side due to the small size of the rink and they played two 30-minutes halves with the referee ringing a bell, not blowing a whistle.

Council held many public meetings on the need for street lights in the village and a woman’s right to vote was also on the agenda. A local Poultry Show drew entries in 161 different classes while livestock sales thrived with horses, cattle, sheep and hogs being shipped by rail to far off places into the U.S.

George Shibley was the new editor of the Tavistock Gazette and big news was the boundary change whereby all of Tavistock would be considered Oxford in Provincial elections and split down Hope Street for Federal elections.

As it is today, church life was a big part of the community. Entertainment included musicals and stage shows at the Opera Hall as well as parades, fairs, and a grand Dominion Day celebration featuring a parachutist jumping 50 feet from a hot air balloon.

When war was declared, not many signed up right away because they were of German descent. But after they realized the war would not be over by Christmas, attitudes changed. Event proceeds soon began going to the war effort and prayers were sent up for the boys at the front, although spoken in German.

Although Mrs. Calder was the face and voice of 1914, many Historical Society volunteers worked diligently behind the scenes to set up the displays in the Legion Hall and welcome guests. Throughout the week, Grade 5-6 and 7-8 classes from Tavistock Public School attended as well as the Men’s Club Thursday night. Wednesday evening was a very successful night as more than 60 people attended. Friday afternoon, more than fifty Women’s Institute members came to the hall to listen and view the artifacts and displays.

Providing several of the women‘s dresses and a man’s driving dust jacket complete with goggles was Mrs. Gwynneth Canfield from the Woodstock area. She collects turn of the 20th century apparrel, hats, gloves, etc. She displayed a pair of spats that her father had purchased, complete with the original box.

Viewing stations were set up around the hall with titles such as religion, home life, farming, education, sports, etc.

McCutchen had a gramophone set up and after cranking the machine, played two records - “When Irish Eyes are Smiling” and It’s a long way to Tiperary,” to conclude the talk.

There will be 100 special events and programs hosted throughout Oxford County between 2014 and 2018. These events will be hosted in five areas of the County. The areas that will participate reflect the 4 Companies of the 168th Battalion - Oxford’s Own, which was formed during the First World War. These four Companies include Company A - Woodstock, Company B – Ingersoll, Company C – Tillsonburg, and Company D – Tavistock, along with Norwich which has been added to reflect the unique Quaker history of the area and the story of the conscientious objector.

Events and programs are being organized and implemented by staff and volunteers of the Museums, Archives, Libraries and Historical Societies along with any and all interested partners.

Attendance numbers for the Tavistock event were 325 people which includes 116 school children.

This project will raise awareness of the past achievements and sacrifices made by Oxford’s citizens on both the home front and the war front during WWI.

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