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People and organizations
Aamjiwnaang First Nation
Corporate body

The Aamjiwnaang First Nation (formally known as Chippewas of Sarnia) is a First Nations community of about 2400 Chippewa (Ojibwe) Aboriginal peoples (850 of which live on Reserve). We are located on the St. Clair River, 3 miles south of the southern tip of Lake Huron in the city limits of Sarnia southwestern Ontario, Canada – just across the United States border from Port Huron, Michigan.

For more details consult their website at https://www.aamjiwnaang.ca/history/.

Our heritage language is Ojibwa.

The name Aamjiwnaang, (pronounced am-JIN-nun) means “at the spawning stream.”

Adams, Myrtle Reynolds
Person · 1889 - 1977

Myrtle Reynolds Adams, teacher, poet and author, was born on August 10, 1889 in Strathroy, Ontario. She graduated from The University of Western Ontario with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1910 and received the Governor-General's Academic Medal in her fourth year of studies. She went on to study at Queen's University and received a Bachelor of Education in 1915. While at Queen's she met her husband John Gordon Adams, of Glenville, Ontario. They married on September 29, 1917 in London, Ontario and spent the subsequent years moving around the province before leaving the country and settling in Detroit, Michigan. The Adams' lived in Detroit for twenty two years before returning to London, permanently, in 1951.

It was while in Detroit that Myrtle Reynolds Adams' career as a professional writer began. She was an active member of the local literary scene, serving several years as president of the Detroit Women's Writers Club and twice as the poet laureate of the Michigan State Federation of Women's Clubs. Upon her move to London she became involved with the London Poetry Group and University Women's Club of London.

Her poetry was published both in literary journals and popular serials; including Atlantic, American Weave, Canadian Forum, Canadian Poetry, Dalhousie Review, Fiddlehead, Georgia Review, Good Housekeeping, Lyric, New York Herald Tribune, Saturday Night and others. Ryerson Press published three chapbooks of her poems: Remember Together (1955); Morning on my Street (1958); To Any Spring (1960) and Fiddlehead Poetry Books published, By a Laugh and a Cry (1973). Sauble Calling, a compilation of already published poems, was self published in 1962. It was illustrated by Toronto artist, Vern Tremewen. Reynolds Adams also published articles and short stories in many popular magazines and newspapers, including American Home, Better Homes and Gardens, London Free Press, Maclean's, She, Telegraph Delivery Spirit, Women by Women's Digest, Woman's Day and others.

Myrtle Reynolds Adams passed away on September 17, 1977 at the age of 88.

Corporate body · 1942 -

The Beta Chapter of Alpha Omega Alpha fraternity was formed at Western University in 1942. The inaugural banquet for the chapter took place at the London Hunt and Country Club on February 18, 1942. This fonds contains lecture papers, certificates and member records.

Ashworth, George Johnston
023 · Person · 1862-1937

George Johnston Ashworth was born June 26, 1862 in Quebec to William Henry Ashworth (1820-1901) and Jane Murray Ashworth (nee Johnston, 1835-1908). By the late 1860’s, the family moved to Newmarket, Ontario where William Ashworth worked as a hat manufacturer. The fourth of thirteen children, George J. Ashworth entered the family business. He worked as a hat manufacturer with his father and in 1883, both father and son purchased the Newmarket Hat Factory as a joint venture.

During the Northwest Rebellion in 1885, George Ashworth served as a Captain in the 12th Battalion York Rangers. After completing his military service, Ashworth returned to work with the family business in Newmarket. Four years later, Ashworth moved to Toronto, Ontario where two of his brothers were living, and began studying law at Osgoode Hall. By the following year, the rest of his family relocated to Toronto.

During his years as a law student, Ashworth worked at Macdonald & Cartwright, later Macdonald, Cartwright & Garvey, a law firm in Toronto. It does not appear that George J. Ashworth completed his law studies in Ontario.

In 1895, Ashworth served as the Secretary and Manager of the Sun Savings and Loan Company. By August 1895, the company was in a state of turmoil as management and shareholders disagreed on how to manage the company. Ashworth was replaced by Samuel Nesbitt during a reorganization but shareholders reappointed him and he subsequently returned to the office with his brother, John Ashworth, who was advising him as his lawyer. The police were called and several individuals were arrested for trespass. In 1896, Samuel Nesbitt was listed as the manager of the company.

By 1898, Ashworth co-founded a mining broker company, Henry A Drummond & George J Ashworth Mining Brokers in Toronto, Ontario. In 1900, Ashworth was employed as the Secretary for the Aqueduct Construction Company but returned to the broker profession by the following year and remained until 1903.

On October 4, 1904, George J. Ashworth married Kathrine Williams (1870-1949) of Hamilton, Ontario in New York. On May 13, 1906, the couple’s only child, George William Ashworth (1906-1998), was born in Toronto, Ontario. By the following year, Ashworth was employed as a reporter for the Toronto Star.

In 1908, George J. Ashworth moved to Sudbury, Ontario where he lived with his wife and son at 149 Elm Street. While in Sudbury, Ashworth started his own newspaper, the Daily Northern Star (aka the Daily Star or the Sudbury Star). The newspaper claimed to be the “first morning daily newspaper between Toronto and the ‘North Pole.’” The first issue of the first edition was published on January 11, 1909. The newspaper’s first issue stated under its article “Why We Are Here,” it was “established solely for the purpose of serving the people and interests of New Ontario first, last, and all the time. It is not the organ of any clique, corporation or political party. We believe that in serving the interests of the whole people we shall be fulfilling our proper destiny.”

After the first six months, the newspaper suffered financial difficulties. The Printing Forman, William Edge Mason, was instrumental in helping find and secure the financial help of local businesses and after the newspaper required additional financial support later in 1910, it reduced its publication to two days a week and was renamed the Sudbury Star. Sometime before January 1910, Ashworth had resigned and Mason became the owner and publisher of the newspaper.

In January 1910, Ashworth visited his sister in Vancouver, British Columbia and shortly after decided to relocate to the west coast. He worked as a reporter for Vancouver World, the News-Advertiser and the Vancouver Sun. In 1920, he ran in the British Columbia General Election in Vancouver for the Vancouver Rentpayers Association party but was not elected.

The Ashworths enjoyed vacationing on Savary Island in British Columbia and during the late 1920s, George J. Ashworth established the Royal Savary Hotel. Ashworth held the positon of manager until his death.

George J. Ashworth passed away on Savary Island in British Columbia on April 13, 1937 at the age of 74.

Corporate body · 1989-

An Associate is a layperson who has made a commitment to the charism of a religious community. Both Associates and Sisters are called to the same mission and charism, yet they are distinctly different. Where Sisters take perpetual vows to live out the charism in religious community, Associates hold individual vocations to live out the charism, but do not take vows.

On July 9th, 1987, the Sisters of St. Joseph in London approved the movement towards having an Associates Program complete with a candidate process and formal training process. The program began on April 4th, 1989, in London, Ontario. The Associates Program was originally founded by Sister Doreen Kraemer and later administered by Sister Janet Zadorsky. After Sister Janet Zadorsky ended her involvement with administering the Associates Program, as of April 2017, two associates were given stipends by the Associates to serve as mentors for two years, during a bridging stage. They prepared a document, “Midwives to Our Future,” and after this, the Associate program evolved away from the Sisters being directly involved. The program is now autonomous but still connected through a Congregational liaison, but the Associates make their own decisions.

The Associates Program currently (as of 2022) has an Associate Leadership Circle with a representative from each of the areas: London, Sarnia, Windsor-Chatham, Simcoe-Woodstock, and Zaña, Peru. There are Animators for each region who assist with spiritual development. There is a Core Team who look after business matters, including event planning. Together, these form the Joint Animating and Core Team. Every leader has a term of two to three years. There is also a congregational liaison who provides a communication channel between the Associates and the Congregational Leadership Circle. Members are recruited by means of a “seekers” process and are provided with instruction and allowed to discern their commitment over a two-year period, at the end of which there is a “charism connection” ceremony, and they are given a pin and sign an agreement. There are two annual events held: a retreat, and the Annual General Gathering. As well, there is a representative who attends Federation meetings of Associates from Hamilton, London, Peterborough, Pembroke, Toronto, and Sault Ste. Marie.

Aubert, Marie Angela
Person · November 26, 1924 -January 17, 2008

Born November 26, 1924 in Detroit, Michigan, Angela Marie Aubert was the daughter of Joseph Telesphore “Ted” Aubert (d. 1936) and Helen Benesch (d. 1971). She had one brother. She was raised in Wildwood, Alberta and attended high school there. In 1945, Angela Aubert moved to Edmonton to enroll in business and secretarial studies at McTavish Business College. She then began a career as a secretary in Edmonton. It was at this time that she felt a call to religious life and on August 25, 1948, she was received into the Community of the Sisters of St. Joseph at Sacred Heart Convent in London, Ontario and given the name Sister Marie Angela. After her first vows on August 25, 1950, she returned to Edmonton where she took teacher training at the University of Alberta, graduating in 1951. Sister Marie Angela Aubert professed her final vows on August 25, 1954 in London. Her first assignment, until 1957, was at the Catholic school in St. Bride's, Alberta where she was a teacher, then principal. From 1957 to 1961, Sister Marie Angela Aubert was assigned to the business office at St. Joseph's Hospital in Galahad, Alberta. After she returned to teach at St. Nicholas School in Edmonton until 1964. Then she was asked to teach business and religion at O'Leary High School. As head of the business department, she encouraged her students to manage a real business in the classroom under the sponsorship of Junior Achievement. The students had great success, even winning awards and a chance to go to Vancouver to compete in the Junior Achievement national competition. She finished her Bachelor of Education studies, graduating in 1969, from the University of Alberta. In 1971, Sister Marie Angela Aubert returned to London, Ontario as head of the business department at Mount St. Joseph Academy, and in 1975, was assigned to Catholic Central High School. While teaching there from 1975 to 1978, she supervised the Catholic Central High School Business Club and received the Catholic Central High School Business Club award. When Mount St. Joseph Academy closed, the facility was opened as a Guest Wing for those who had a family member as a patient in University Hospital, and Sister Marie Angela Aubert was appointed treasurer. During those years, she volunteered at the jail, participated in the Toastmistress Club, initiated self-Bible study, and turned Gospel stories into plays. She also maintained an interest in social justice, reaching out to the least fortunate and forgotten. In 1985 and 1987, the Ministry of Corrections gave her service awards for her volunteer work at the Elgin-Middlesex Detention Centre where she was the Coordinator of R. C. [Roman Catholic] Jail Ministry Volunteers. In 1991, she was moved to Ignatia Hall Infirmary and then to the care centre at 485 Windermere Road when it was built in 2007. Sister Marie Angela Aubert died there on January 17, 2008. A Mass of Resurrection was held in St. Joseph Chapel at the 485 Windermere Road residence. She is buried at St. Peter’s Cemetery in London.

Becher Family
Family · 1835 -

Henry Corry Rowley Becher immigrated to London in 1835. The Becher family was prominent in the legal profession, political and community activities, and military service. Henry C.R. Becher was a prominent attorney and active in politics. Henry Becher was a lawyer and active in London politics. Katharine Becher was active in community affairs. Henry Campbell Becher was a lawyer and stockbroker who served in World War I. Archibald Valancey Becher, a physician, also served with the Canadian Expeditionary Force. Thornwood, the Becher family home, was designated as a heritage building by the City of London in 1992.

Becher, Henry
Person · 1846 - 1889

The second son of Henry Corry Rowley Becher and Sarah Evanson Leaonard Becher, Henry Becher was born at Thornwood on July 5, 1846. He studied law with his father's firm of Becher, Barker and Street, joined the firm after being called to the bar in 1867, and was admitted as a partner in the firm of Becher, Street and Becher in 1872. After his father's death, he remained in partnership with Street, as the firm Street and Becher. When Street was elevated to the bench in 1887, Becher was associated with Henry Stephen Blackburn in the firm of Becher and Blackburn. Henry Becher was appointed Queen's Counsel in 1885. He served as solicitor for the Bank of Montreal, served as a London alderman for several years and was mayor of the city in 1886. He was active in the London Hunt and served as the organization's president.

On September 19, 1872, Becher married Katherine Moore Campbell, eldest daughter of Duncan Campbell of Simcoe. The couple had three children: Henry Campbell (born 1874), Alexander Lorne (1875) and Archibald Valancey (1877).

Henry Becher died at Thornwood on January 15, 1889.

Becher, Henry Campbell
Person · 1874 -1915

The eldest son of Henry and Katharine Campbell Becher, Henry Campbell Becher was born at Thornwood on January 20, 1874. He was educated privately and at Trinity College School in Port Hope. He articled with the firm of Blackburn and Cox before being admitted to the Bar and entering into partnership with Andrew Greenlees. Becher retired from legal practice in the early 1900s to open a brokerage business. Becher was a member of the London Hunt and Country Club and served as its honourary secretary. A member of the London Dramatic Club, he appeared with the company in London, Toronto and Winnipeg. Active in the 7th Regiment, Becher assumed command of the unit, with the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel, in May, 1914. He enlisted in the Canadian Expeditionary Force in September, 1914 as a Major in the 1st (Western Ontario) Battalion. He was promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel, second in command of the battalion, in 1915. Henry Campbell Becher was killed in action at Givenchy, France on June 15, 1915.

Becher, Henry C.R.
Person · 1817 - 1885

Henry Corry Rowley Becher was born June 5, 1817 in London, England, the youngest son of Captain Alexander Becher, Royal Navy, and Frances Scott Becher. He immigrated to London, Ontario in 1835.

Becher began his legal career by articling with John Wilson and was admitted a law student at Osgoode Hall in 1836. He was appointed Registrar of the Surrogate Court of Middlesex County in 1839. Admitted as an attorney in 1840 and called to the bar in 1841, Becher was elected a Bencher of the Law Society of Upper Canada in 1853 and called to the bar at the Inner Temple, London, England in 1882. Becher was partner with Samuel Barker and William Purvis Rochfort Street in the law firm of Becher, Barker and Street. The firm became Becher, Street & Becher, when his son, Henry Becher, was admitted to a partnership in 1872. He served as solicitor for Colonel Thomas Talbot in the 1850s, drawing up the will that bequeathed the bulk of Talbot's estate to George Macbeth and settling a dispute between Talbot and his nephew Richard Airey; was involved in the settlement of the estate of George Jarvis Goodhue in the 1870s; and served as municipal solicitor for London from 1849 to 1853. In April and May of 1855, he alone handled the crown business at the assizes at St. Thomas, London, and Chatham, and submitted civil briefs at St. Tomas and London. Becher completed the transaction in which the Huron Diocese acquired Rough Park, the estate of Lionel Ridout which became the first site of Huron College in 1863. In 1856, Becher was appointed Queen's Counsel and lectured for a tern at Osgoode Hall. He became solicitor for the Gore Bank and a director of the Great Western Railway in 1857.

Becher served on the London town council from 1850 to 1854. Attempting to enter provincial politics, he failed obtain the Conservative nomination for London in 1857. He won the nomination in 1860, but lost the by-election. In 1861, he again vied for the nomination, but withdrew, after the intervention of John A. MacDonald, to stand for the Legislative Council for Malahide. Defeated, Becher did not run again for public office; however, he remained an active party organizer.

Becher built Thornwood on 13 acres in London, and took up residence there in 1845. He rebuilt the house after it was destroyed by fire in 1852. Becher travelled extensively in Europe, visited the Middle Ease, made several trips to Florida, and wrote A Trip to Mexico after travelling there 1878. In 1880, Becher became a fellow of the Royal Geographic Society. His diary has been published in the London Advertiser in 1926 and in Papers and Records of the Ontario Historical Society in 1939.

Becher married Sarah Evanson Leonard, daughter of Richard Leonard, the sheriff of the Niagara District, on October 27, 1841. Together, they had seven children: Frances Anna Maria (born 1842), Alexander (1844), Henry (1846), Richard Leonard (1848), twins Florence Mary and Constantia Ann (1850) and Alice Ethel Jane (1857), who died in infancy. Sara Becher died in 1864. On August 20, 1874, Becher married Mrs. Caroline Robertson, daughter of Samuel Street of Niagara Falls.

Henry Corry Rowley Becher died on July 6, 1885 in Sidcup, England.

http://viaf.org/viaf/9853153954912005680005 · Person · 1838-1932

Charles James Stewart Bethune was born in West Flamborough Township, Upper Canada on August 11, 1838. He was a graduate of Toronto’s Upper Canada College and University of Toronto’s Trinity College with a BA in 1859. He was ordained as an Anglican priest in 1862, after nine years, he was appointed headmaster of Trinity College School in Port Hope.

Between 1906 and 1920, as a professor and head of the entomology department at the Ontario Agricultural College (now a part of the University of Guelph), he pioneered the instruction of the science of insects at the university level.

Bethune cofounded the Entomological Society of Canada with William Saunders in 1863, where he served as its president for 11 years and edited its journal, the Canadian Entomologist for 30 years. At Guelph, he developed the teaching of economic entomology based on sound scientific principles, promoted the collection and careful identification of insects, and published widely on the lives of insects and on their control.

Bickle, Thomas Henry
Person · 1916-1937

Thomas Henry Bickle was born on March 11, 1916 in St. Louis, USA. He attended Trinity College School from 1928-1932. On July 5, 1937 he drowned in a boating accident in Gananoque, Ontario. In the mid-1950s his parents funded the creation of a new boarding house at TCS, named Bickle House, in memory of their son.

Bigelow, Jane
Person · 1928 -

Jane Bigelow (1928 - ) was a politician and the mayor of London, Ontario from 1972 to 1978. She also served as controller on the city's Board of Control before and after her term as mayor.
She was born in Toronto in 1928 and educated at St. Clement's Girl's School and the University of Toronto where she completed a B.A. in Physical and Health Education in 1950. She trained as a teacher and taught in high schools in Ottawa, Hamilton and Edmonton.
After settling in London in 1965 with her husband and two children, she took courses at the University of Western Ontario towards a B.A. and began a master's program in urban studies. She participated in the founding of the Central London Association and the Urban League, a group that was designed to coordinate the efforts of local citizens' groups. She also became involved in the London Council of Women, serving on the committee which helped save the Broughdale Lands. Bigelow was active in local and provincial NDP organizations, serving as vice-president of the provincial party from 1968 to 1972. She organized several conventions for the party and was responsible for the Handbook for Municipal Politicians, published in 1968.
In 1969, she was elected to the Board of Control and when she was re-elected in 1971, she received the most votes out of all the controllers making her the deputy mayor. When mayor Fred Gosnell resigned for health reasons in February 1972 she took over as acting mayor. In March 1972, Bigelow was elected mayor by council and in 1973 she was elected mayor by the public in a general election. She was re-elected in 1974 and 1976 but was defeated in the 1978 election by Al Gleeson, an instructor at Fanshawe College.
As mayor, Jane Bigelow advocated for accessible day care, better public transit with special fares for senior citizens, neighbourhood improvement schemes, funding for the arts, more parks and better city planning. She was criticized for being uninterested in development. During her mayoralty, London received a triple A rating from two independent American organizations. In her last years of office, she became interested in financial planning and tax reform for municipalities. She was actively involved in several joint municipal-provincial organizations and represented London's interests at both higher levels of government. In 1974, she was invited with six other Canadian mayors to visit Israel and in 1976, she was a representative to the Habitat Conference and the Conference of Mayors held in Milan.
Some of the major issues during her term as mayor included the Talbot Square development, the London Regional Art gallery, the restoration of the Middlesex Court House and the possibility of siting a prison in London.
She was elected to the Board of Control in 1980 but did not run in 1982. She was later employed by Employment and Immigration Canada. She was honoured with several awards and recognitions for her public service.

Bird, Roland L.
Person · 1931-2004

Born in 1931, in Fredericton, New Brunswick, Roland L. Bird arrived in Hamilton at age seventeen to work as a welder at Westinghouse, then later as an insurance underwriter, settling in Burlington in 1956.

Roland (Roly) L. Bird served in the Burlington community from 1979 to November 1991, when he retired from municipal politics. Following his first election to the mayor’s position in the municipal election held in November 1978, he was re-elected in 1980 and 1982, acclaimed in 1986 and re-elected in 1988. At the end of that term, in November 1991, he chose not to stand for re-election and returned to his insurance business on a full-time basis.

Roly Bird married Ethel (nee. Powys) in 1951, with whom he had four children: Joanna, Tim, Jeannie, and Chris. He passed away suddenly at home on Wednesday, January 7th, 2004, at the age of 73.

In August of 2005, the City of Burlington named a park in his honor.

Person · 1923 - 2011

Born August 27, 1923. Died 2011. Daughter of George Frederick Kingsmill and Netta May (Nixon) Kingsmill. Sister of Doris (Kingsmill) Hoskins and Thomas Frederick Kingsmill. Married Corporal Thomas Buchanan Brandon (June 6, 1938 - December 20, 1965), RCAF on December 16, 1944 at Bellevue Park. Parents of one child, Netta Nixon Brandon.

Brown, Brad
Person · 1940 - present

Edmund Bradley 'Brad' Brown was born on May 10, 1940 in Toronto. He attended Appleby College from 1949 to 1954 and went on to finish his secondary school studies at the University of Toronto schools. He did not graduate at Appleby College but is considered to be in the Class of 1959. At Appleby, Brad was a member of the school's Coronation Choir, who were invited to Britain by the Commonwealth Youth Movement to perform in the Coronation celebrations of Queen Elizabeth II.

Brad chose marketing as his career and after graduating from the University of Western Ontario, he joined Lever Brothers and later General Foods where he spent 10 years in positions of Product Manager, Group Product Manager and New Business Development Manager on many of those companies' largest and most successful brands. Brad later founded his own consulting company and later advertising agency, both of which had many blue chip companies as clients. Brad still consults periodically for his long time clients Mercedes-Benz, Porsche and Suncor.

Brown, Vesey Agmondisham
Person · 1824 - 1895

Dr. Vesey Agmondisham Brown was a physician and amateur artist. Brown was born in Limerick, Ireland on 3 June 1824, the third of six children, to John-Southwell Brown and Margaret-Anne Vesey. Brown attended the Medical School of Trinity College at the University of Dublin in 1844 before completing training at the Royal College of Surgeons in London, England in October, 1848. He was appointed to the British Army as Assistant Surgeon in 1849 and was attached to the reserve battalion of the Twenty-third Regiment of Foot (Royal Welsh Fusiliers), which was ordered to London, Ontario in May, 1850. He became licensed to practise “physic, surgery and midwifery” in the Province of Canada a year later.

When the Twenty-third Regiment moved to Toronto in May of 1852, Brown remained in London and served as the physician in charge of enrolled pensioners. By 1856 he was also serving as physician to the Great Western Railway Company. He married Mary Jane Massingberd, daughter of Anglican Reverend Hompesch (sometimes Edward) Massingberd in that same year. They resided on Kent Street. For the majority of his medical career he worked as a general practitioner and surgeon out of the family's London home. He was also a skilled amateur artist. Brown died in London on September 4, 1895 at the age of 71.

Bucke, Richard Maurice
Person · 1837-1902

One of seven children, Richard Maurice Bucke was born on March 18, 1837 at Methwold, Norfolk, England to parents Horatio Walpole Bucke and Clarissa Andrews Bucke. His parents emigrated to Canada in his first year and settled in London, Ontario. At 16 Bucke left home and moved to the United States, where he worked in several locations as a labourer. In 1856 Bucke travelled to the Sierra Nevada where he joined forces with the prospectors Allen and Hosea Grosh. Hosea died within the year of blood poisoning, and in 1857 Bucke and Allen Grosh were lost in a snowstorm. They went 5 days and 4 nights without food or fire, until they arrived at a small mining camp. Grosh died of exhaustion and exposure, while Bucke recovered, despite losing one foot and part of the other to severe frostbite.

Upon his return to Canada in 1858, Bucke enrolled at McGill University to study medicine. He graduated in 1862 with the distinction of being the gold medalist of his year and winning a prize for his thesis, "The Correlation of Vital and Physical Forces." After spending time in Europe for post-graduate studies he returned to Sarnia to take over his late brother's medical practice. He was summoned to California in 1864 to give evidence in the Comstock Lode Litigation before returning to Canada in 1865 where he married Jessie Maria Gurd and settled down to practice medicine in Sarnia for the following ten years. Bucke and his wife had 8 children: Clare Georgina (1866 - 1867), Maurice Andrews (1868 - 1899), Jessie Clare (1870 - 1943), William Augustus (1873 - 1933), Edward Pardee (1875 - 1913), Ina Matilda (1877 - 1968), Harold Langmuir (1879 - 1951) and Robert Walpole (1881 - 1923). His first born, Clare Georgina, died at 10 months old, and his eldest son, Maurice Andrews, was killed in an accident in 1899.

Bucke was appointed Medical Superintendent at the new mental hospital in Hamilton in 1876, and after a year he was transferred to the Ontario Hospital in London where he served for 25 years. Bucke read Walt Whitman's "Leaves of Grass" in 1867 and claimed it to be one of the most important events of his life. He travelled to New Jersey to meet Whitman in 1877 which marked the beginning of a long, close friendship between the two men. Upon Whitman's death in 1892, Bucke became one of his literary executors and was a pall bearer at his funeral.

Bucke was one of the first of his time to depart from orthodox therapeutics at the Asylum. By 1882 he had abolished the medicinal use of alcohol in the Asylum and by 1883 he had discontinued the use of physical restraints and initiated an open-door policy. He also pioneered many surgical "cures" for lunacy, including gynaecological surgery.

Bucke was an active writer, and his many noted works include several psychiatric papers, "Walt Whitman, a biography of the man," "Man's Moral Nature," and "Cosmic Consciousness," the last of which has been held in high esteem for many years and reprinted many times since its publication.

Bucke was one of the founders of the University of Western Ontario's Medical School and in 1882 was appointed Professor of Nervous and Mental Diseases, as well as elected Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada. Bucke delivered the opening academic lecture of the year at McGill University by request of the medical faculty in 1891. He became President of the Psychological Section of the British Medical Association in 1897, and the following year he was elected President of the American Medico-Psychological Association.

Bucke died suddenly after slipping on the veranda of his home and striking his head on February 19, 1902. He is buried in Mount Pleasant Cemetery, London, Ontario.

Person

Norman George Burdick and Katharine Elizabeth Kingsmill were married on September 28, 1943. They were the parents of three children: Elizabeth Jane, Barbara Anne and Mary Katharine. He was the General Manager of the store from 1945-1988. As a son-in-law, Norman Burdick was the only non-Kingsmill to manage the store.

Burlington Gymnastics Club
Corporate body · 1968 - present

The Burlington Gymnastics Club (BGC) is the oldest and largest gymnastics club in the City of Burlington. An award-winning non-for-profit club established in 1968 and a member of Gymnastics Ontario since 1977.