Frankville Fair – Sept 26th and 27th, 1895
From the pages of The Athen’s Reporter and County of Leeds Advertiser, Tuesday Aug 20, 1895 issue we have learned a bit about the annual Fair held in Frankville. Unlike the fair held at Unionville, it appears to be a smaller county fair. The list of prizes and judging catagories gives us some idea into what the fair was like.
If you read further down this page after the list of prizes, The Athen’s Reporter of Oct 1st, 1895 gives an account of a day at the fair.
The officers of the Frankville Fair Association, recognizing the fact that the cash and special prises that have been so freely given by he businessmen of the surrounding towns and villages have been of great help in bringing our fair up to its high standard as a Township Show, desire to once more take this opportunity of returning thanks to all those that have contributed so generously to the success of our fair.
John F. Wood, M.P., Brockville Cash $20.00
Walter Beatty, M.P.P., Delta “ $10.00
Montreal Bank, Brockville Branch “ $10.00
Toronto Bank, Brockville “ “ $10.00
Molson’s Bank, Brockville “ “ $10.00
Molson’s Bank, Smith’s Falls, “ “ $10.00
Union Bank of Canada, Smith’s Falls “ $10.00
Jas. Cummings, Lyn “ $ 5.00
W.A.Edgers, Frankville “ $ 5.00
R.Brownbridge, Frankville “ $ 5.00
D.Derbyshire, Brockville “ $ 5.00
R.Bowie, Brockville “ $ 5.00
W.H.Comstock, Brockville “ $ 5.00
Pair General Purpose Horses
The James Smart Manufacturing Company, Brockville, One Dandy Perfection coal stove, value $6.00, to first.
William Johnston, Dealer in Dairy Produce, Brockville, One bag of sale, value $1.25 to second.
Pair Carriage Horses
Central Canada Coal Company (limited) Brockville. James Reynolds Secretary. When in want of any kind of coal, call on us before purchasing elsewhere. One ton of coal in yard, value $5.00 to first.
John Briggs & Sons, Sash & Door Factory, Brockville- Goods to the value of $1.50 to second.
Pair of Roadsters
Cossitt Bros, Agricultural Instruments, Brockville-One set mowing maching knives, value $3.50 to first.
D.Allport, Proprietor Smith’s Falls Woolen Mill.- One piece of flannel, value $1.25 to second.
Pair Carriage Horses Sixteen Hands, to be Driven by a Lady
J,R.McNish, General Produce Merchant, Brockville, Cash $4.00, to first
WR.Gardiner, Manager Edged Tool Works, Brockville, One axe and helve [sic], value $1.50 to second.
Single Driver, to be driven by owner’s wife or daughter
R.W.Steacy, jeweller, Smith’s Falls, Piece of silver ware, value $3.00 to first
D.W. Downey, Boot & Shoe Store, Brockville – One pair of Ladies’ boots, valu $1.50 to second
Single Roadster
A.S. Ault & Co, coal merchants, Brockville. Farmers and blacksmiths will find it to their own advantage to call on us when in town for either stove or blacksmith coal. Stove coal was sell for $5.00 per ton in our yard., Office, Kings st. east.- Ten lengths 4 inch sewer pipe, value $3.00 to first
G.A.Rudd, manufacturer of Harness, buggy tops, &c. -\One whip, value $1.50 to second.
Three Year Old Colt in Harness
William Gilroy & Co., general merchants, Smith’s Falls- One carriage rug, value $1.75 to first
Copy of the Brockville Times to the second, value $1.00
Bicycle Race, Ladies
E.J.Scott, jeweller, Smith’s Falls- Ladies’ Ring, value $4.00 to first
R.Davis & Sons, merchants, Brockville – One Silk handkerchief, value $1.00 to second
Cow showing most milking points
Smith & Knapp. Cash $5,.00 – $3.00 to first and $2.00 to second, Competition open to Patrons of Barlow’s and Frankville cheese factories only.
Collection of Oil Paintings
R.H.Smart, hardware merchant- Carpet-sweeper, value $2.50 to first
Allen Turner & Co., druggists, Brockville – Selection of tube colors and brushes, value $1.25 to second.
Collection of Crayon Drawings
W.Johnston, druggist, Smith’s Falls- Fancy case, value $1.50 to first
Copy of Weekly Times to second
Collection of Water Colors
A.H. Swarts, furniture dealer and undertaker, Brockville. Call and see my stock and you will be surprised at the wonderful low prices. –One bamboo table, value $1.50 to first; Copy of Brockville Times, value $1.00 to second
Colony of Working Bees
Cossitt Bros. Ag’l Implements Mfg., Brockville- One set mowing machie knives, value $3.50 to first
William Martin, general agent Massey Harris Mfg. Co., Brockville – Cash $2.00 to second.
Display of Honey
Agricultural Society – $4.00 to first
Alex. McCrady & Son’s Brockville – Pair Driving mitts, value $3.00 to second
Twenty Pound Crock of Butter
The Rathbum Co., dealers in lumber, sash, doors and factory goods, coal, all sizes, best quality and at lowest prices; also bran, shorts, Flour and feed – 100 lbs, Diadem flour, value $2.50 to first
Collection of Fruit
John Culbert, Rock Bottom Grocery, Brockville- Caddy tea value $2.00 to first, copy of the Weekly Recorder to second
Two Colored Cheeses
D.Derbyshire, produce dealer, Brockville- Cash $5.00-$3.00 to first and $2.00 to second
Two White Cheese
W.J.Cluff, dealer in cheese factory supplies, dairy products and general insurance agents, Brockville- Cash $2.00 to first
T.Gilmour & Co., wholesale grocers, Brockville- One caddy tea, value $2.00 to second
Display of Fancy Work
R. Hawkins, Tinsmith, eavetroughing and dealer in Stoves and Cooking Ranges – A Bird Cage value $1.25
Artificial Paper Flowers
Charles C. Lyman & Co., dry goods merchants, Brockville- Oil cloth floor mat, value $1.00
Best Looking Young Lady
William Coates & Son, practical opticians, Brockville – One silver necklace $1.00, prize winner to call for prize
Best Matched Pair of Cows
E.G. Dobbie, hardware merchant Brockville- Set knives and forks, value $1.50
Mantle Drape
C.M. Babcock, staple and dry goods Merchant, Brockville – One umbrella, value $1.00
The Athen’s Reporter and County of Leeds Advertiser Tuesday Oct 1, 1895 issue
Frankville’s Big Exhibition
The Exhibition Went on “Lively all the While” – The people were there in Thousands and Everybody had a Great Big Time, –
Thursday morning opened up pretty glum and gloomy for the managers of Dave Dowsley’s big show, but about noon the clouds brook away, the sun showed its face for the rest of the day and the exhibitors made a big rush and push to exceed all the township and many other county fairs in Eastern Ontario.
The show of horses was pronounced by competent judges to be the largest and best of all the fairs in this section, and while the Reporter is not an expert in horse lore, we must coincide with the universal verdict.
Cattle, sheep, and swine were shown in large quantities and were a marked improvement on all former exhibits in breeding…… (page ripped and part of this story is missing)…..and quantity of root crop, and we have attended nearly every exhibition of the Frankville fair and have no hesitation in saying that the display was the best ever seen there. We would, however, suggest to the managers that if more care were exercised in placing each class or variety of exhibits together and putting a couple of windows more in front end of Main hall it would add very materially to the convenience of visitors who wish to thoroughly inspect the various exhibits.
Outside on the grounds, the last afternoon, the fun was fast and furious. The trials of speed drew a large crowd to the side of the track.
The Merry-go-Round did not get into running order until late in the afternoon of the last day, but from that until the close every space was occupied. The musical wonder was there also and drew a fair sized crowd. The darkey, barber acrobat, and grey eyed Annie combination came in for a share of attention. A tintype gallery, a number of Aunt Sallies, and a phonograph man, each tried and fairly succeeded, in drawing a few shekels from the pockets of the crowd.
In the inner circle “Uncle Dave” mounted a stocky mare, ‘wearing the same white “Greely plug” that has done duty for so many years, was the High Muckety-Muck of the sports. A barrel race, wheelbarrow race, running race (forward and backward), smoking race, run and jump, bun feed, and pig race were all run off in lively time and afforded and endless amount of fun for the spectators.
On the track, Moonstone, Bayonet, Texas Pointer, and Daisy had a close contest for supremacy, with the result that Bayonet got 1st, Moonstone 2nd, and Texas Pointer 3rd place.
A bicycle race was wheeled off between the heats and resulted in Brownlee 1st and Moles 2nd.
The baby show attracted a lot of interested spectators. Mayor Culbert and the Recorder man acting as judges. They could not do better than to award the prize to an Athens baby, seeing that the judges at Unionville were partial enough to award the prize for the best looking young lady to that classic village. Mrs. Alex. Green was awarded the special prize.
The prize list will be published in the Recorder as soon as the secretary gets it in shape for publishing and it can be relied upon as correct and official.
April 18, 2022 @ 11:53 am
In 1947 Gordon E. Ellis & Helen (Moore) Ellis purchased from Byron Derbyshire the Leverette home located on the old Frankville Fairgrounds. The house was built in the late 1800’s. The property had a huge two story exhibit hall with shed attached. The roof was gone but the huge beams & thick hardwood flooring were intact. Over the course of a number of years the barn was torn down. In addition the property had a barn that had stabled horses & cows as well as a small chicken coup located close by. The remains of a track could be seen on the adjacent property owned by W. Soper.
May 1, 2022 @ 4:45 pm
My name is Gordon N. Ellis. My family home in Frankville was located on the old Frankville Fair Grounds. The house was built in the late 1800’s by a Leverrette family one of whom was PostMaster in Frankville. My father Gordon E. Ellis bought the home from Byron Derbyshire in 1947. The house was large with two stairways & was divided into two homes which were eventually converted into one. On the property was a large two storey hall which had no roof. Attached was a small shed. Also on the property was a 2-story barn with horse stalls & places for cows. Another building had been a chicken coup. Behind these buildings could be seen the outline of a track. The house had no electricity, no plumbing or running water (a cistern below the kitchen provided water by way of a hand pump & a hand pump was outside), no furnace, the windows were single pane, insulation was non-existent, etc. Over many years the house was upgraded with all the missing immenities. I am still attempting to find out the name of the original owner not just the family name.