3 Chestnut Street, Fonthill, Lot 168, Pelham, (formerly Thorold)
[Pelham Historical Calendar, 1986]
Catherine B. Rice
This magnificent house is situated on a quiet street, fronted by an extensive lawn and bushes and sheltered by a lovely maple tree. The owner, Mrs. Holly Mosley, is surrounded by beauty within and without, while she continues to create more beauty with her needlework.
The patent for Lot 168, one hundred acres, was made out to Thomas Karraghan on October 25, 1798. In 1814, the land passed to George Keefer, and in 1825, to Caleb Swayze. He was the last one to own the complete acreage, and he was selling portions of his land in 1850. In 1921, Mr. and Mrs. Mosley purchased this property, now consisting of twenty-five acres from Roland Tanner, whose father William Tanner had taken possession in 1872, and had constructed the house. The land was in Thorold Township at that time, but on January 23, 1929, a by-law amended the Village of Fonthill, changing Lot 168 from Thorold to Pelham.
The cottage roof on the house, decorated with triple peaks, is unique. Beneath the central peak topped with stained glass, the verandah, with its sloping inset roof and four sturdy pillars, occupied the centre of the facade. It has two high windows flanking it on each side, with two similarly-placed windows on the second storey. Over the front door there is a stained glass window, while the main window in the door is most unusual, having an etched design on frosted glass.
The interior is composed of large, light and airy rooms, with high ceilings. The dining room, hall and two sitting rooms all have a large moulded decoration in the centre of the ceiling. The one in the dining room portrays a harvest theme of fruit and grain. In the hall there is fern-like arrangement, and those in the two sitting rooms are carved with doves, flowers, leaves and ribbons. A third stained glass window adorns in the main sitting room. The clear, rich colours attest to the value of the material and the workmanship. The woodwork throughout the house is impressive in its quality and its depth. The staircase was apparently constructed of cherry wood from the trees on the estate. The beautiful hand wrought newel post draws one’s attention for a second and third glance.
In the rear sections of the house Mrs. Mosley’s son, Harry, conducts his insurance business. He is better known as “Moe,” a nickname that he acquired in the air-force which has remained with him ever since. There is also a daughter, June (Mrs. Gordon Clemens), who resides in Welland. Mrs. Mosley has five grandchildren and five great-children who are able to come to this gracious home for happy visits.
SOURCES: Mrs. Holly Mosley
Land registry Office, Welland
By Paul Forsyth
[Welland Tribune, 24 January 1986]
WELLAND- When Heinz Gaugel created a 16-foot high sculpture outside Sunset Haven Home for the Aged, he was trying to get a message across. Now 20 years later, the theme still radiates from the work.
“Has it really been 20 years?” asks Gaugel, who was unaware that this week marked the sculpture’s 20th anniversary.
[Standing in front of the statue are, left to right, residents May Quinn and Laura Campaigne. In the back are maintenance employees Walter Fogel and Dominic Trozzi.]
THREE MONTHS-The concrete steel and stone abstract work took him three months to complete in 1966, and was created to complement the modern addition of Sunset Haven.
“I selected stones from a quarry in Paris, Ont.-the greenish ones-because I wanted to have a contrast with the red brick wall behind it. It’s basically a steel frame covered with a strong wire, and cement put over it and the stones put in the wet cement.”
Gaugel, now 58, is world-renowned artist of many disciplines.
A native of Germany, he immigrated to Canada 35 years ago and has done artwork on a large scale all over the continent.
Included in some of his local works are a mural of the Last Supper inside Sunset Haven and a mural at St. Andrew’s Church.
SOMETHING APPROPRIATE-“The thing was to find something appropriate for the home of the aged. I felt the name-Sunset Haven-meant there was a need to project the feeling that people are protected and taking care of each other.
“It is an exchange of love and protection-the care of humanity.
That’s the general idea. It’s a man and a woman protecting each other and holding each other in the sunset of their lives.”
On the building behind the sculpture a setting sun is depicted, and flood lighting at night creates an interesting effect.
BEAUTIFUL SHADOW-“The two people in front cast a very beautiful shadow. It’s a little more dramatic than I expected it to be-I’m very happy with what’s been done there.
“I’m surprised after 20 years it’s still in mint condition, but I’m very happy about that.”
Gaugel gave no name to the sculpture-a belief he has with all his works.
“I never have named any of the things I have done. I don’t think names should be given-it limits it to some extent.”
Instead, he leaves names up to those in possession of his works.
ISSUE NOT LAID TO REST YET
By Greg Dunlop
[Welland Tribune, 30 July 1986]
PELHAM-A report from the Pelham Historical Society has been unable to put the Hillside Cemetery/Dawdy Burying Ground to rest.
Last autumn the society agreed to a request from the Pelham town council to research the history of the Canboro Road Cemetery .Council had been approached by a descendent of the Dawdy clan who the Hillside Cemetery had been renamed in contravention of a 60-year old agreement and that the graveyard’s original name should be restored.
Council members decided they didn’t have enough information to base any decisions on so they asked the Historical Society to investigate the matter and try to clear up a few questions. The society’s report was ready last week and President Mary Lamb presented it to council.
Lamb said even after all their work there were still some grey areas.
“I’m surprised we haven’t been able to find more information. It’s hard to believe there isn’t someone in town who remembers where, when and why the names was changed.
The society circulated requests or anyone with information to come forward but even with the public input the facts were difficult to nail down for certain.
“The cemetery board’s records are critical but they’re not around. No one seems to know what happened to them.”
So far the society is only able to peg the name change as happening sometime in 1933. Lamb said she went through old Welland Tribune clipping to see when the graveyard was first referred to under the Hillside name.
“I went through the death notices fo all of 1933 and they referred to the Dawdy Burying Ground but the first death notice I found for that area in 1934 called it the Hillside Cemetery with Dawdy written in brackets.
She said it was unusual the change was never reported in the newspapers of the time because they use to publish much less critical information. Anything of any significance was published back then, according to Lamb.
The society never did find an agreement between the town and the cemetery trustees where the town agreed not to change the cemetery’s name after they took it over in 1926. The graveyard had been known as Dawdy’s Burial Ground from the early 1800s until 1933.
Lamb told council the society had done all it could, and unless someone else came forward with more information there was nothing more to add. Mayor Bergenstein thanked Lamb and the Historical Society for her efforts.
Council decided to give Tony Whelan, the man who brought up the whole issue, a chance to study and comment on the report before making any decision.
They requested Whelan to prepare his comments and information in written form and to present it at the next meeting of council, August 18.
[The Evening Tribune, 6 June 1986]
Thomas Shiels of 124 Riverside Drive, died at Welland County General Hospital Wednesday, June 4, 1986 in his 77th year.
Born in Markstown, County of Dublin. Ireland, he came to Canada in 1925 residing in Saskatchewan prior to coming to Welland in 1945. Mr. Shiels was an employee of Page-Hersey for 38 years, retiring in 1971, and was a member of the Quarter Century Club. A veteran of the Second World War, he served overseas with the Canadian Army and was a member of the Royal Canadian legion Branch 4.
Mr. Shiels is survived by: his wife, Muriel (Miki) Shiels of Welland; a sister, Mrs. Lillie Ingram of Naicam, Sask.; a brother Leslie Howard of Hong Kong; friend Isabelle Warren of Welland and two nephews. He was predeceased by his parents and three sisters.
Friends are invited to call at the Cudney Funeral Chapel, 241 West Main Street for visiting today 7-9 p.m. Rev. Brian Melbourne of All Saints Anglican Church will conduct the funeral service at the Cudney Chapel Saturday at 10.30 a.m. Cremation will follow. Memorial donations to the Royal Canadian Legion Poppy Fund would be gratefully appreciated. Branch 4 of the Royal Canadian Legion will hold a memorial service at the Cudney Chapel on tonight at 7.30 p.m. By family request the casket will be closed.
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