PUBLIC FAREWELL TENDERED JUDGE LIVINGSTONE AND WIFE AT TILLSONBURG

Large Number of Citizens Assemble in the Opera House-Address and Cabinet of Solid Silver are Presented

 [People's Press, 28 October 1913]

An Excerpt from The Tillsonburg Observer

              On Tuesday evening, October 21, His Honor Judge Livingstone and Mrs. Livingstone, who went to their new home in Welland on Wednesday, were tendered a public farewell and presented with a handsome testimonial of esteem by the citizens of Tillsonburg.

             The gathering took place in the opera house, a large number of persons from the town and district being present to express by their presence their hearty good will and their appreciation of the honor that has been conferred on the citizens of Tillsonburg by Mr. Livingstone’s appointment to the position of county judge of Welland.

             The stage was fitted up as a reception room and a great cluster of yellow chrysanthemums decorated the table.

             Those who occupied seats on the stage were: The Town Council, Town Clerk, A.E. Raynes, Magistrate G.W. Hare, Revs. J.J. Brown, C.N. Dewey and T.B. Howard, ex-Mayor C.H. Mabee, Dr. H. McQueen, R.J. Matheson, E.F. Davis, J.E. Weston and John Law, Judge Livingstone’s father, Mr. W.W. Livingstone, Mr. and Mrs. E.I. Torrens, Mr. and Mrs. E.C. Jackson.

             Mr. V.A. Sinclair filled the position of chairman.

             While the citizens were gathering, an excellent impromptu programme was rendered, those taking part being: Mrs. Chas. Waller and Miss Swayze, who rendered a piano duet; Mr. Thos. Holland, Mrs. Alex Rodgers and Mr. Walter Martin, who sang solos, and Mrs. T.B. Howard and Mrs. E.J. Wood.

             At an interval in the programme, Mr. E.F. Davis conducted Judge Livingstone and Mrs. Livingstone to the stage, introducing them to the chairman as “Our guests of the evening.” They were greeted with an ovation, after which the national anthem was sung.

             Mr. Sinclair congratulated Judge Livingstone on his appointment to the judgeship and expressed the sentiments of the gathering that the government had chosen wisely in making the appointment, declaring that Judge Livingstone could always be depended upon to give equitable treatment to all coming before him. He referred to the honor done the citizens of the town by the appointment of one of their number to the important position of judge. Reference was made to Judge Livingstone’s association with every phase of pubic life since being a citizen of the town and to the many public offices he has held with credit to himself and advantage to the town. He also referred to the part Mrs. Livingstone had taken in the societies with which she had been connected and in the social life of the community and in the church.

             Mr. Sinclair expressed regret at losing two such important citizens as Judge and Mrs. Livingstone and voiced the good wishes of all for their success and happiness in their new surroundings.

             Mr. A.E. Raynes then read the address following and at the opportune time Mr. John Law presented Judge and Mrs. Livingstone with the cabinet of silver, which had been placed in readiness at one end of the stage and covered with a union jack.

             The testimonial consisted of one hundred and forty-three pieces of beautiful sterling silver cutlery, with the letter “L” in old English engraved on each piece.

             The silver was in a handsome case of polished quartered oak lined with white satin. On top of the cabinet was a silver plate on which was engraved-“Presented to His Honor Judge Livingstone and Mrs. Livingstone by their Tillsonburg friends, Oct. 21, 1913.”

             Judge Livingstone acknowledged the address and presentation in appropriate terms, expressing his appreciation of the kindly feelings of the citizens as portrayed in the address and his thanks for the handsome gift to himself and wife. He assured the citizens that he would never forget his pleasant association with the town nor his friends in Tillsonburg and that he would endeavor to live up to the high opinion they held of him.

             The gathering then sang heartily, “For he’s a jolly good fellow,” after which Judge and Mrs. Livingstone shook hands with their many friends.

              Judge Livingstone was born in Simcoe forty-two years ago. He is a son of Mr. W.W. Livingstone of Tillsonburg and a nephew of the late Judge Livingstone of Simcoe. He began the study of law at an early age in the office of Ansley & Slaight in Simcoe and later entered the office of Beatty, Hamilton & Snow in Toronto. He was called to the bar in 1893, when only 21 years old, and opened an office in Simcoe, remaining there a year and then coming to Tillsonburg, and from that time until his recent appointment, he has been a popular and public-spirited citizen, taking an active interest in the municipal, educational and social life of the town and giving his talents and time generously to everything that promised to contribute to the progress of the community, and in many cases his whole-hearted effort and enthusiasm in behalf of a cause turned the scale in its favor and won its success.

             He has been a member of the town council, a member of the High school board, and also secretary to the board, and a member of the Hydro Electric commission and in these positions of trust in which his fellow citizens have placed him he has given them conscientious and unselfish service and had a very strong influence in promoting the growth that has taken place in the town in recent years. He has taken a very active interest in promoting industries for the town and was one of the very first to see the great benefits to be derived from getting connection with the Niagara power lines, and his enthusiastic advocacy of the hydro-electric bylaw was potent in placing Tillsonburg among the pioneers in this great undertaking. He was also one of the first to recognize the benefit to the business interests of the town of rural telephone lines, and the organization of the Tillsonburg Telephone Association which built the first rural line out of Tillsonburg, was chiefly due to his efforts. He was the secretary-treasurer of the Association a number of years and placed it on a firm footing before he resigned from office.

             He has always taken a deep interest in the fraternal societies and has held important offices in several of them. He is a past master of King Hiram Lodge, A.F. and A.M., a past noble grand of Otter Lodge, I.O.O.F., was secretary of Court Ruby, I.O.F., and is a member of Tillsonburg Camp, W.O.W. He has taken an especial interest in the welfare of the Masonic lodge, and the Masonic block, in which are King Hiram’s spacious and beautiful lodge rooms, is a monument to his devotion to the lodge and to Masonic principles. He organized the Masonic Hall Co., has been its president a number of years and given freely of time and thought to achieving the result he had planned-making his mother lodge the owner of one of the finest meeting places in the country.

             He has been a member of the Tillsonburg Bowling Club and distinguished himself in the sport, both on the local green and as a representative of the club in other towns, winning several trophies at local tournaments.

             In his youth Judge Livingstone became a member of the Norfolk battalion of militia, and when he came to Tillsonburg he associated himself with the Oxford Rifles, being a lieutenant, and retired from the militia very reluctantly when the growth of his practice made impossible attendance at the annual camp. He has never lost interest in the citizen soldiery, however, and would be one of the first to respond to a call to arms in defence of his country, for he is a through patriot, having an intense love for Canada and the British Empire.

             Since boyhood he has taken a deep interest in the politics of the country, and during the last 20 years has been an energetic worker in every election campaign in Norfolk and Oxford, both in the committee room and on the platform. He gave his allegiance unreservedly to the Conservative party and counted no sacrifice too great to be made for the cause he championed. The assistance he gave Mr. Donald Sutherland in his several campaigns contributed greatly to the notable victories Mr. Sutherland won in South Oxford. The party recognized his value as a leader and organizer and made him president of the South Oxford Association and later its secretary. Though uncompromising in his support of the policy of his party, he retained the friendship of those who opposed him and Liberals and Conservatives unite in congratulating him upon the high honor that has been so worthily bestowed.

Judge Livingstone married in 1900 (6 June 1900), Miss Frances VanSittart, only daughter of the late James VanSittart, barrister of this town, and granddaughter of the late Admiral VanSittart of Woodstock. Mrs. Livingstone, like her husband, is a public-spirited citizen and has filled an important place in the social life of the community. They have three children, one son, Jack, and two daughters, Margaret and Isobel.

The demonstration and presentation on Tuesday evening tendered Judge Livingstone by those who had been his fellow citizens for years, shows that he numbers among his host of friends those in every walk of life and that he leaves town holding the high esteem of all his associates. He is the youngest judge on the bench and the wish of his friends here is that he will long fill the honorable position to which he has been appointed.