Written By Alice Gibb
For many years, the arrival of spring in Ailsa Craig meant not only the scent of lilacs in the air, but also the annual spring fair. In 1880, fair day was Wednesday, April 28 and the event proved to be wildly successful.
Now since crops obviously weren’t available for exhibit, the fair consisted of two main attractions – livestock competitions and displays of farm machinery. Questions of the day included “Who owns the best stallion” and “Who is the proprietor of the best Durham in the county?”
The first query was easily answered in the Northern Sparks column of the London Advertiser. John Gibson of London Township claimed first prize with his splendid blood stallion named Nicollet. The runner-up was McGillivray Township farmer Joshua Bradley, showing Lord Byron.
There was also a competition for imported draft horses, and another class for agricultural horses. That was won by Samuel Hunter’s British Oak, followed by George Wilson’s Netherby. The judges who had the onerous task of choosing the best horseflesh were George Smith of Arkona; George Robson of Lobo and James Miller of McGillivray.
The winning Durham Short-horn was owned by Thomas Nicholson of West Williams, whose Duke of Connaught took first place. He won again with his yearling entry, Bersey Stanley.
But prize-winning livestock was only one of the day’s attractions. The other drawing card, just like Western Fair’s farm show every spring, was the display of new and innovative farm equipment. Most of the larger companies, from Masseys to Harris and Son of Brantford and Maxwell of Paris, were promoting their wares. But there were also several local dealers who used the fair to line up potential customers. For example, Alexander Brothers of Ailsa Craig exhibited a fine display of their gang and stilt plows, cultivators and drum rollers. Weir, of Strathroy, took orders for fanning mills and Stewart and Company of London brought along their Empire Harvester. D. Nunnemaker, another Ailsa Craig resident, displayed pumps and patent “squirters”, used to keep the dust down, while Smith, Drought and Co. (place of origin not mentioned), were finding buyers for school, dinner and farm bells. Just so that farm wives wouldn’t be completely bored at the fair, there were also displays of Singer sewing machines and washing machines – undoubtedly much more primitive than today’s time savers!
As the Northern Sparks writer noted: “Everything passed off pleasantly, and the crowd kept sober (pretty sober).” There was one brief bit of excitement when John McLellan’s horse and rig broke loose on the grounds, scattering the crowd. While the buggy was smashed to smithereens, happily no one else was injured in the mishap.
And what was the most unusual exhibit at the fair – a headless rooster from Lobo, whose owner was asking $500 for his prize possession.
