1937

In April of 1937 when 6" of rain fell in 5 days, the entire west end of London had to be evacuated.  The North Branch of the Thames rose 15' at Fanshawe north of London.  On the morning of April 27, the river reached a height of 21'6" above the mean summer flow.  Five deaths were attributed to the flood.  Near Beachville, a CNR passenger train charged off the undermined tracks killing the engineer and fireman and "a transient riding the rails".  An Ingersoll doctor rushing to administer to the injured drowned when his car plunged into the Thames after a bridge gave way.  A London man drowned when he was swept from a rescue boat.

Ernest Charles Drury had rejoined the Liberal Party.  Hepburn made him the sheriff of Simcoe County, a minor position, but he was inside the county administration building where he could lobby for more forests.  Four men - Drury, Edmund Zavitz, Monroe Landon, and Watson Porter launched the Ontario Conservation and Reforestation Association.  Porter, who owned the London based Farmers Advocate newspaper wrote:  "Something must be wrong when farmers are obliged to draw water in the summer and must be rescued in lifeboats from their upstairs windows in the winter."  It was pitiful to see cattle milling around dried-up water holes in summer because wells that had never failed before went dry.  The aforementioned four men, especially Edmund Zavitz, were the environmental conscience of the Conservative government from 1923-1934, but they had no power under Hepburn.

Today the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority in Oxford County is one of 36 in Ontario that Zavitz initiated.  The largest in south-western Ontario is the Middlesex County Forest (began in 1938) sometimes referred to as  "Skunks Misery".  Now it is over 800 ha in size.

 According to "The Axe and the Wheel" history of West Oxford,  Mr. Hargreaves reported that 1937 was the first official match of East and West Oxford (they had an executive) held on his farm Lot 8 Conc. 2 West Oxford and they finished with an oyster supper.  Leslie Curry was treasurer and held that office until September of 1945.

EAST OXFORD PLOWING MATCH HELD IN RAIN  S.Review Tuesday 5th Oct.

There were 10 classes.  The entire match was held in the rain making it difficult for judge W.C. Barrie from Galt.  The placings were:

Class 1 (open sod):

1. John R. Hargreaves, RR1 Beachville
2. W.J. Harrison, RR7 Galt
3. R.G. Brown, RR7 Galt
4. Marshall Deans, Paris

Best crown W.J. Harrison

Best finish John Hargreaves

Class 2 (sod - open to Oxford residents):

1. Harry Blackman, RR4 Ingersoll

2. Arlington Robinson, RR4 Ingersoll

3. Fred Howard, RR3 Woodstock

4. L.J. Richardson, RR4 Woodstock

5. Charlie Williams, RR5 Ingersoll

6. Howard Chilton, RR1 Beachville

7. Russell Masson, RR1 Woodstock

Best crown Harry Blackman
Best finish L.J. Richardson

Class 3 (Oxford County Boys Under 23):
1. George Jakeman, Beachville, R.R.1
2. Donald Crawford, Beachville, R.R.2
3. Mervin Cuthbert, Curries

Best crown and finish, George Jakeman.

Class 4 (stubble open to Oxford boys under 20), no entries.
Class 5 (stubble, open to Oxford boys under 17):
1. R.  Hargreaves, Beachville, R.R.1
2. F. Williams, Ingersoll, R.R.5
3. J. Masson, Woodstock, R.R.1

Best crown and finish, R. Hargreaves.

Class 6 (stubble, open to members of Bonds' U.F.Y.P.O):
1. Leslie Curry, Woodstock, R.R.1
2. B. Karn, Woodstock, R.R.1

Best crown and finish, Leslie Curry.

Class 7 (East Oxford amateurs):
1. Fred Bertrand, Woodstock, R.R.4.

Class 8 (West Oxford amateurs):
1. Russell Pellow, Beachville, R.R.1.

Class 9 (Tractor, sod, open):
1. Alex Black, Guelph, R.R.2
2. John Hall, Ayr, R.R.3B

Best crown and finish, Alex Black.

Class 10 (tractor, Oxford county residents):
1. Gordon Masson, Woodstock, R.R.1
2. Clarence Zinn, Woodstock, R.R.6
3. George Calder, Woodstock
4. Lloyd Goodall, Woodstock, R.R.7

Best crown, C. Zinn
Best finish, G. Masson.

SPECIAL AWARDS

Best plough team - 1. Howard Chilton; 2. Arlington Robinson.

Best team and equipment - 1. Russell Masson; 2. John Hargreaves.

Best ploughed land (open to East Oxford) - 1. Lorne Richardson.

Best ploughed land open to class 2 - 1. Harry Blackman.

City Dairy specials - 1. Ross Hargreaves; 2. Fred Williams.

Best ploughed land (restricted) - 1. George Jakeman.

Eckhart Donation - 1. John Hargreaves.

The Albert John Harrington Eckhardt donation, a four-piece tea service and tray given annually for the best ploughed land was won by J.R. Hargreaves.  To qualify for this award, contestants must reside in one of the counties which comprise district number 7 - Oxford, Brant, Norfolk, Waterloo, and Wellington.

Sharing honors with the contestants who worked in the driving rain, were the ladies of the district who maintained a cheery atmosphere in the dining tent and managed to serve up a welcomed hot meal at noon despite the conditions.

Sentinel Review 12th October, Tuesday 1937

Fergus, Ontario PLOWMEN COMPETE IN POURING RAIN

One hundred men and a woman set out through pouring rain for their allotted plots as the 24th International Plowing Match began at Beatty Bros. farms in Wellington County.

Sentinel Review 13th October, Wednesday front page NEW AGRICULTURE MINISTER

Hon. Patrick Michael Dewan B.A., B.Sc.A., member elect for Oxford was assigned portfolio of Agriculture in the Hepburn government.

Sentinel Review Saturday, 16th October 1937

At the IPM banquet in Fergus, Dewan, addressing 1000 guests, requested the confidence of farmers in administering  the largest and most important department of government - Agriculture Minister.  He promised that continued consideration would be given to farmers interests because, he said, "Where you find a good plowman you will find a good farmer and a good grower of seed, and a good manager."  He complimented all competitors paying special tribute to Miss Maisie M. Nicklin of Ariss, the only plowwoman of the match.  Ladies too, have entered these contests, and in the years to come plowing matches may be revolutionized.

Sentinel Review Monday, 18th October City and District

John Hargreaves, at Fergus last week, won the Frost trophy, emblematic of the championship for the best plowed field in sod.

The 2nd Annual Ingersoll Junior Farmers Plowing match ad appeared  October 21.