Item

Beacon
Aug 28/1902
Reminiscences of Bye-Gone Days
For the Beacon
In one of your late issues you requested information from the old inhabitants of St. Andrews, relative to the English soldiers who occupied the old Barracks, lately purchased by Sir Thomas Shaughnessy. As a native of St. Andrews, where I lived till the summer of 1854, I will simply say I have no recollection of the time when there were not soldiers in St. Andrews. In my schoolboy days I went to school with the sons of soldiers, at the old schoolhouse at the entrance to the old Episcopal Church, near the residence of the late Thomas Algar. I was born in 1826. In 1839 I left school and went to learn my trade with James Kennedy, who at that time lived in the old Gilchrist house, next to the house occupied by the late Russell Bradford. On the wharf below was John Treadwell's block and spar yard. At that time, the officer in command was Lord Hill. He was a very handsome little man, a great horseman and had two English thoroughbred horses—the most beautiful creatures I ever saw. If I mistake not, his father was second in command at Waterloo. He used to gallop up the street to Mr. Kennedy's, get off his horse and hitch him to the latch of the door, sit up on Mr. Kennedy's cutting board, and chat by the hour about their old home in Ireland. They were both from the same town, in the County of Antrim, Ireland. There were never in my recollection more than 25 or 30 solders at the barracks, commanded by a lieutenant, the regiment being at Saint John or Fredericton. Lord Hill was removed to St. John. As I remember he volunteered to ride a tailor's horse in a race and won the race. He was afterward killed while riding a vicious horse in steeple chase in the old country. The horse threw him and broke his neck. He was the second man that horse killed. They shot the horse. I distinctly remember many of the officers, —a Mr. Cole, who kept a horse. When he left, his equipment was sold at auction. Dr. McStay bought his sleigh. It was after the fashion of a Russian sleigh—very low. I remember the Doctor's daughters when in it seemed a reclining position. A Lieut. Wedderburn, another officer with money, was a great ladies' man; also Mr. Lacy or DeLacy. He always dressed in is scarlet regimental clothes when going to church on a Sunday, —the only officer I ever saw do so. He was a tall, beautiful figure of a man. In fact, all the officers were the same.
            The soldiers all had to go to their respective places of worship on a Sunday. The officers seldom went with them. They would all leave the barracks in Company form, come down the hill together as far as the George D. Street House. Those who were Roman Catholics would drop out here and go to their place of worship, the same at the Kirk. The Episcopalians would continue on to the Episcopal church. I don't remember ever seeing one at the Methodist church. The majority were Roman Catholics.
            I don't remember the names of the many officers till that of Lieut. Wells, of Her Majesty's, (it was then) 1st Royals. He came very prominently before the inhabitants of St. Andrews by his assaulting Mr. A. T. Paul (your late Sheriff) in A. MacFarlane's pasture. I did considerable work for him. He was a very nice gentleman and distinguished himself in the Crimean War. [this is the man who did the undated lithograph of St. Andrews. As Mr. J. M., the contributor, lived in St. Andrews until 1854, the lithograph predates this year]
            The officer who relieved him was Lieut. Herrong, or some such a name. He was a great boating man. I used to loan him my boat and borrow his. We got along very nicely together. He was also a very nice gentleman. He is the last I remember, as I left in 1854.
            There were always two artillerymen at the Western Block House. It was there the guns and accoutrements used by the Militia on training days were kept, and I presume they were there to care for them. They were mostly Scotchmen and went to the Kirk.
            So far as my life in St. Andrews was concerned, there were always soldiers at the old Barracks on the hill. I could prove it, were it necessary, from many reminiscences. I was told that when the Confederation of the provinces took place the English Government said, if you want soldiers you will have to pay for them, but as we declined to pay for them, and as they were of no used to us, they were taken away.
            I realize that when a man emigrates from the place of his birth he always in a retrospective view, sees it and everybody and thing about as he had been accustomed to see it. It is always the same dear old home to him, regardless of its humbleness. Nature seems to place in the heart of man a love for the humble, old home that no amount of prosperity or riches in another sphere can obliterate, hence so many remember in their last will and testament a fond recollection of their old home. A I read the columns of the home paper it makes me sad to see how few names in it I recognize, I too forget how time passes, forget it is 48 years since I left and that great changes in the population have taken place, to see there is not the name of Wilson, Hatch, or Street in the town,—and so many that moved in the same circle—Col. David and Mrs. Mowatt, David W. And Mrs. Jack. Col. and Mrs. Wyer, Thomas Wyer, Mrs. Wiggin, the Hon. B. R. Stevenson, and his brother, Fletcher; all have passed to their reward. They were a goodly lot of ladies and gentlemen, who would add grace and dignity to any condition of life, and a community should be much the better for there having been of it.