George Bowering's Library

 IS NOW IN THE UBC LIBRARY

The source for the photo above is: "A Reading Room Fit for a Literary Giant: Poet Bowering's Personality Showcased Along With Thousands of His Books," John Mackie, Vancouver Province, June 28, 2026. Here is some text from it:

   "Canada's first Parliamentary Poet Laureate, has written so many books of poetry and prose that it's hard to count, and has given readings and lectures all over the world.

   His latest honour is close to home: His personal library has been set up as a reading room at the University of B.C.'s Irving K. Barber Learning Centre.

    It isn't a replica of his home study, like you might find in a museum. But an estimated 5,000 volumes from Bowering's vast collection now line the shelves of the reading room, with more to come....
    It's not just books, though. Bowering's personality comes through in the improbable memorabilia that is displayed alongside the volumes, such as baseball bobbleheads, a puppy penholder and Hello Kitty collectibles....

Alas, George isn't young anymore - he's 90. His health hasn't been great, and he now uses a wheelchair. His sight is limited, to the point where he can no longer read or write.

   That said, he's just released two books. Pearl (Talonbooks) is billed as his final book of poetry, and Barefoot Gringo (UBC Press) is a Boweringesque take on his travels to Mexico.

   He still has enough energy to power a small city. Maybe Penticton, where he was born on Dec. 1, 1935, or Oliver, where he grew up.

   Bowering remains as engaging as ever, laughing and telling a dizzying number of stories and anecdotes during a visit to the space, which is officially known as the George Bowering Modernists and Post-modernists Collection."

   If you curious about UBC acquiring such a collection see: "UBC Library Achieves Funding Goal for the George Bowering Reading Room," Library Communications, March 3, 2025. Remember also that in MM there was a recent post about the University of Miami acquiring Jackie Gleason's library and that Philip Roth's library can be found in the Newark Public Library!

   If you noticed the word "Poet" in the headline and are not interested, remember that Bowering wrote many books, including some about baseball. It takes a while to scroll through the list of works written by Bowering in his Wikipedia entry.
   If you associate Bowering with B.C., don't forget that he studied at UWO and was a writer in residence there. Among his books, you will find this one: The Moustache: Memories of Greg Curnoe. 
   There are over 100 works by Bowering in the Western Libraries and the LPL has around 20, including this one: 

If you are now interested, here is a good place to begin for more about Bowering: Georgebowering.com.

London's Bicentennial (Snippet 32)

 RICHARD BERRY HARRISON (1864-1935)

   The image here is from the Atlanta Daily World, Nov. 3, 1933. The caption has been enlarged for clarity. It is about Richard Harrison who was starring in the play, Green Pastures. Harrison, the son of slaves, was born in London, Canada West. He died two years after this performance.   

The photograph below is from the plaque found in Richard B. Harrison Park which is located near the newly renovated Clark's Bridge on Wellington Road between South Street and Watson Street. There is a good Wikipedia entry for Richard Berry Harrison.  This brief bio is from On This Spot:

   "Richard B. Harrison (1864-1935) was a London-born actor, whose parents, both former slaves, escaped to Canada in the 1850s. The family remained in London until 1880 when they moved to Detroit, where Harrison trained as an elocutionist. His stage work, which took him all over Canada and the United States, was comprised of dramatic monologues, as well as readings of poetry and literature.

   The role that would make him famous was that of "De Lawd” in a play called the Green Pastures. Seen today as somewhat patronizing and fostering African-American stereotypes, the play at the time was well received. It won the Pulitzer Prize for author Marc Connolly in 1931 the same year that Harrison received the NAACP’s Spingarn Medal, presented annually for outstanding achievement by a Black American. Harrison toured with a production of the Green Pastures to over 200 cities including London, his hometown.

   In 2019, London playwright and actor Jeff Culbert, created a one-man theatre piece entitled "Elocution: The Life of Richard Berry Harrison” starring legendary Canadian actor Walter Borden. It can be heard at www.jeffculbert.ca."

John Kenneth Galbraith

   I realized a while back that John Kenneth Galbraith died twenty years ago and that his name is not mentioned as much as it should be. So, on a fine summer day a few weeks ago, my wife and I drove the short distance from London to the Iona Station area where he was born over 100 years ago. For now, I will just focus on that trip and his local connection. When the weather is not so fine, I plan to write more about what he wrote.

The Trip to Dutton
   The library in Dutton is named after Galbraith and is located not too far from his homestead. The librarian on duty was helpful and offered me directions to it and the library has a good collection of his books.

  In 1993, Galbraith returned to the area to help raise funds for the construction of the library. Although he was Scottish, he donated his lecture fee to the cause. Apparently he once asked about the local reaction to his book, The Scotch, and learned that there were two of them: 1) those mentioned in the book and didn't like it, and 2) those not mentioned who didn't like it. Port Glasgow, by the way, is close by.

The photo above is found in Western News, April 15, 1993

  The map indicates where the field is located, in front of which are two plaques and an appropriately tall inukshuk.

  It is likely that the site honouring Galbraith is passed by without notice and it is on a dirt road not heavily travelled. Back in 2014, there is a letter found in the London Free Press, indicating that more should be done to improve the site. See, "GALBRAITH SITE OVERLOOKED" - Southwest of London, the municipality of Dutton-Dunwich, and specifically Iona Station, are known as the birthplace of world renowned economist (and Order of Canada recipient) John Kenneth Galbraith. The Galbraith farm is marked by two bronze plaques and a stone inukshuk honouring the Canadian roots of one of the world's most influential economists and advisor to several U.S. Presidents. Apparently people visit the site from many places about the world." C. Lloyd Brown-John, Aug. 30, 2014.

  There are good reasons for honouring Galbraith and I hope to post about them when the weather is worse.

Sources:
   This link to The Dutton Advance from April 14,1993 provides three pieces about the Dutton Library and Galbraith's visit in 1993.

   Galbraith has visited the area on other occasions. In 1978, for example as this photo indicates. "And in London, Ontario, the largest gathering of academics in the world comes to Western to unravel the issues of the day and share their scholarly insight. The year was 1978, the last time Western played host to the Congress of the Humanities and Social Sciences. Western was celebrating its 100th birthday at the time..."Looking Back at Congress, 1978," Dahlia Reich, Western News, May 26, 2005.
   On March 26, 2022, the London Free Press reprinted a piece originally done in 2003: "In a Wide-ranging Interview, John Kenneth Galbraith Spoke About His Hometown, About Canada, the War in Iraq and the Fate of Liberal Economics in the United States," Randy Richmond, LFP, Oct. 11, 2003: CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – As he approached his 95th birthday, Dutton-born John Kenneth Galbraith – world-renowned economist, former adviser to four presidents and U.S. ambassador to India – met with Randy Richmond of The London Free Press at his home in Massachusetts. Galbraith, who would die at age 98, opened up in a wide-ranging Q-and-A that was first published in our print editions on Saturday Oct. 11, 2003."

London's Bicentennial (Snippet 27)

 Mayday!  Mayday! - 1920

The source is The Ogden Standard-Examiner, May 1, 1920.

This is what the front page looks like:

To assess May Day activities in 2026 see the Wikipedia entry for, "2026 May Day Protests".

London's Bicentennial (Snippet 26)

 Last Veteran of the Light Brigade -1923

Source: The Laramie Republican (Wyoming), Feb. 26, 1923.
  

This is from Tennyson:

III

Cannon to right of them,

Cannon to left of them,

Cannon in front of them

   Volleyed and thundered;

Stormed at with shot and shell,

Boldly they rode and well,

Into the jaws of Death,

Into the mouth of hell

   Rode the six hundred....

VI

When can their glory fade?

O the wild charge they made!

   All the world wondered.

Honour the charge they made!

Honour the Light Brigade,

   Noble six hundred!

London's Bicentennial (Snippet 25)

 Happy Canada Day!

   Here are a few items from the London Morning Advertiser - 100 Years Ago - July 1, 1926.

Today the temperature is supposed to soar to 35, but will "feel like" 47! In 1926, it was 25 and peoples' feelings were probably not so inflated.

Cars driving into buildings is not new.

In 2026 we may soon be able to get booze from another province, but probably no bourbon from the U.S. for quite a while.

According to the "Homicide Dashboard" produced by the Toronto Police Service, there have been 16 murders so far in 2026.

The blue license plate problem happened in 2020. The issue is still in the news: "Ford Government is in Secrecy-by-default mode, Critics Say After blue licence plate Documents Released."

DON'T FORGET TO RENEW YOURS

Nurses can now wear scrubs.

Now we just have different coloured ones.

London had a local paper back in 1926 and the sports coverage was considerable. There were even stories about lawn bowling and cricket.

There were plenty of ads, but clearly the writing was on the wall and this strategy was applied. It didn't work.

London's Bicentennial (Snippet 24)

 A Criminal Caught - 1898

Arizona Republican, Oct. 10, 1898

Punishment Forthcoming

The Times (Washington), March 30, 1899

For more about this crime see, "Marion 'Peg-leg' Brown", where a picture of the murdered Constable Michael Toohey is also found. "Death, Disaster, and Disgrace in Victorian London - Walking Tour," . p.33.

London's Bicentennial (Snippet 23)

 Early Infrastructure Issues - 1881

Source: Juniata Sentinel and Republic, June 2, 1881.
Juniata is a county in Pennsylvania and the paper was published in Mifflintown, which seems to be in the middle of nowhere.

    There used to be thousands of papers, even in small towns in the middle of nowhere. Many also had the word "Sentinel" in the title to indicate they were standing watch over the community. Now there are far fewer, even in a large city like London. In Eastern Ontario, as of today, there will be even fewer.

The following is from the story below the picture above:

The local media scene is changing once again.

This Thursday June 25 will be the last day people in the wider Quinte region will be seeing the Community Press weekly newspaper in their mailboxes.

Owners Postmedia will cease all eastern Ontario print weeklies on that date.

The Community Press will continue to be published online.

Postmedia says its decision will affect affect about 50 full-time and 200 part-time jobs connected to its flyer distribution network.

The Community Press was founded in the 1980’s by Alan Coxwell and his brother-in-law James Eby, along with John Seckar with its offices located in Stirling.

London's Bicentennial (Snippet 22)

 HELLMUTH LADIES' COLLEGE

    In the second half of the 19th century, if you asked any American what they knew about London, Ontario, the answer would likely have been, "It's the home of Hellmuth Ladies' College."  I think that is the case because any newspaper search about London in those days yields "hits" about the Hellmuth Ladies' College, the advertisements for which are ubiquitous. London for them must have been imagined as the "Athens of the North."

                                  Higher Education in London, Ontario
  Elevated above the Thames, young ladies were lured to come to the "sanitary surroundings" in the Forest City where they could study, music, dance, French and refinement. To illustrate what was advertised, here are some samples and they range from such papers as, The Salt Lake Herald, Southern Christian Advocate (Charleston) and The Portland Daily Press (the one in Maine.) These are from the 1880s and there are many more from many different newspapers.

This picture is from the 1890s. 

    The property is located on RIchmond at Windermere and is now mostly a retirement facility, but you can stay at the Guest House on the Mount if you are visiting.

 Farther up the river Thames, east on Windermere, young ladies coming to UWO could stay at Spencer Hall well into the 1960s. One of the finer dormitories found anywhere, I would think. It is now the Spencer Hotel and Conference Centre and you can stay there as well.

  Young women used to be able to come to another "ladies'' college in London which was also an attractive place, located until just a few years ago, above the corn fields across the road from UWO. It ceased to be a college for women a few years ago (see, "Bad News From Brescia.")

 

  The corn fields were removed to make room for parking and the Ivey Business School and the space at Spencer Hall on Windermere is now also associated with the Business School. Progress, I suppose.

London's Bicentennial (Snippet 21)

 Henry Ward Beecher and London - 1881

    This preacher was one of the more popular public speakers during his time, but today people are more likely to know about his sister, Harriet Beecher Stowe. I don't know if the Reverend made it to London on this occasion, or what his "confoundedly wicked" topic was on the earlier visit. Whatever the subject, it was likely well-delivered. Twain described him, "sawing his arms in the air, howling sarcasms this way and that, discharging rockets of poetry and exploding mines of eloquence, halting now and then to stamp his foot three times in succession to emphasize a point." Perhaps the problem had more to do with the erotic than the evangelical. His affair with a good friend's wife had been highly publicized.

Source: The Canton Advocate, June 2, 1881. (This Canton is the one in South Dakota, not the one south of us below Lake Erie.)

London's Bicentennial (Snippet 20)

 London Flog

Source:
  This item is found in The Sun, (New York, NY), Sept. 7, 1879. It is among the general news items with no title. Justice was a little rougher in London in olden times. That was still true in 1924, when two men were hanged in London on the same day. See, Snippet 13. 

London's Bicentennial (Snippet 19)

 A Scandalous Affair?

Source: Cincinnati Daily Star, Oct 11, 1879.
 One wonders what damage was done to Miss Woodman and if she could have been from Goderich, since errors often occur along with digitization. Although papers "borrowed" frequently from other papers and this piece was syndicated, I found no other examples. More can probably be found on microform or up in the London Room at the London Public Library.

London's Bicentennial (Snippet 17)

 The Loyal Parishioner

That is from the Kenosha Telegraph, Aug. 21,1879. I am not sure whether it appears around that date in the London paper, but assume it did. The adjective, "Primitive", apparently refers to a more evangelical branch of Methodism. We can assume the robin made it up to Heaven.

The Bicentennial Website for London: Celebrating 200 Years. 

Biking & Blogging

   It has been far too nice to be blogging, so again I went out biking. Along the way, I figured I could combine the two AND provide a public service.
    At this time, getting around London is problematic, particularly by car. There are people who have not left their neighbourhood in months. For them I present some new developments.

Towers of Spite
  Even on a bike, construction was an issue as I headed north. My efforts paid off since I was able to spot the "Towers of Spite", which are undergoing expansion near the University. The spiteful erections were erected around 2006/07 and they have now been altered to provide additional satisfaction and profits for the owner. 

   Those in the area who objected originally and provided the label, "Towers of Spite", are probably irritated again, but the winds have changed, as has the neighbourhood.

Towers of Hope

   If you have not travelled north on Richmond lately, you will be surprised to see that the dorms now stretch from the gates of Western to the river Thames. The new eight story building will house almost 800 students and include a dining hall, as well as a 4,500 square-foot fitness centre. Even better, it is closer to Broughdale Ave than the stadium, which means the students will not even have to cross the Thames to enjoy homecoming. Incoming students hope to get into this facility and Western hopes to be able to pay for it.

The Towers of SOHO
   Those who have not journeyed into the southern interior of London (this London, not the SOHO in the other one), will find that the old hospital buildings have mostly been removed and a new high-rise has risen along with some other attractive buildings along Hill Street. 

   The bridge across the Thames nearby is almost completed, but it may still be a while before you attempt a trip down Wellington Road.

Horizontal Towers of Rolling Stock

  Apart from the infrastructure construction that makes travel in London difficult, there are also the trains. I had to wait for this one for a very long time. It was also very long and consisted mainly of cars carrying what I assumed were various petroleum products which are in high demand right now because of events far from SOHO.

Sources:

  My photos are of the same quality as my prose. Good ones for the SOHO area are easily found. For a better one about the new dorms see: "University Drive Residence to Open Fall 2027," Finn Toporowski, Western Gazette, Jan. 7, 2026.

  The Towers of Spite are just off Richmond along Huron. Stories about them have been carried by the LFP over the years. For example, "More Units Proposed for Spite Site," Norman De Bono, Sept. 10, 2024.

The Bonus: 
  Just advice. Philip Aziz Avenue on the other side of Western is closed. It is wise to avoid going anywhere in London by car.