Welcome to Winter in Ontario!
Emigrant guides were small books or pamphlets published to provide information to those planning on emigrating to Canada. These guides provided all that was deemed necessary information, such as the cost and availability of goods, the steps to acquiring and settling land and details on the growing season for crops. Included in this guide to the climate was a frank and sobering description of what winter in Canada was like. This was published in "The Emigrant's Guide to the British Settlements in Upper Canada and the United States of America", in 1820.“The Winter, in Upper Canada, commences in November, and continues till April; during which time the ground remains covered with snow from one to three feet deep, accompanied with an extraordinary and continual frost; the cold at times so intense as to penetrate the warmest clothes, or chill the hardiest man or tame beast. Water, after remaining in a cold house near an unextinguished but feeble fire, will be frequently frozen nearly an inch thick during the night. Milk, bread, meat, &c. all frozen. Sometimes a person outside door, washing his face at a creek, may have icicles hanging from his whiskers before he could get inside to apply a towel, and by touching iron with the bare hand, it will adhere slightly to the skin thereof.”The Emigrant's guide to the British settlements in Upper Canada and the United States of America : London : Printed for T. Keys, 1820
Settling in Winter
William Hambly surveyed the Gwillimbury townships in the winter of 1803-1804. This included the Cook’s Bay (Keswick) and Ravenshoe areas. The lands here had not yet been settled and consisted mostly of swamp, brush and forests.His diary of the survey records the daily struggle of his axe men and chainbearers. Running a survey requires men to chop down trees and brush that are in the path of the line being surveyed and chainbearers pulling a chain from one point to another to count out the distance.Below are some of the highlights some of that struggle:Monday 2nd January 1804- Continued Said line to 4 miles. Some Snow returned to Camp and being late and in Cutting some kindling from a Pine tree, it fell lamed one of my men who instead of running from, ran under, being in close woods & Evening very dark.Tuesday 3rd January 1804 - Sent a hand in with the lamed man. Snowed all day. not able to move with the Compass.Wednesday 4th January 1804- Bushes loaded with Snow. continued the line to 5 miles bad going at noon the lame man and guide returned having lost the southern line and wandered into Whitchurch lay’d out all night without fire and were so lucky as to find the way back.Tuesday January 10th 1804- started the line early this morning Begun to snow and blew hard & threw the snow down in such quantities No Proceeding at 10 miles & 20 chains. Returned to Camp.Friday 13th day of January 1804- very cold and snowing a little, three men complain of frozen toes. the line continued to 13 miles & 68 chains. Bad running on account of swamps.Saturday 14th January 1804- sat off early with the line one man scalded and three frozen. move slowly.Wednesday 18th January 1804- Snow and high winds not able to Proceed.Friday 20th January 1804- Still wandering up the western branch of the Holland River not knowing that we had the wrong branch. the weather so extremely cold stormy obliged to camp in the Marsh & Tamarack Swamp. Early in the afternoon everyone of the Party got their feet & ears frozen.Saturday the 21st January 1804- Sat out at the break of day and went back arrived at Mr. Bonds very late in the evening and got assistance from him to bring one of our men which we left laying on the ice.Thursday 26th January 1804- Sat out early on said line and got to No. 18 obliged to Camp on acct of one of the Party was took with the Cramp Rheumatism in his Legs and was in extreme Pain all the afternoon & night.Monday 30th January 1804- Morning very cold and high winds from the North west the line continued and at 101 chains Planted the 5th Concession Stake, continued the line to 50 ch’s further and one of the axe men Cut his Right Knee and disabled him so Much as to hinder him from doing any business for the Present and was obliged to send him home.Tuesday 31st January 1804- Begun to snow early this morning and continued till 11 OClock A.M. Proceeded with the line. Planted the 6th Concession Stake and at 85 Chains further camped another axe man cut his toe nearly half way through but did not hinder him from Proceeding with the party.Thursday 23rd February 1804- very cold all day one of the Party had his feet frost bitten- the line continued to No. 23 camped.Friday 24th February 1804- So extreme Cold and high winds from the northwest obliged to Remain at Camp all day
Health and Wellness in Winter
Colds are more common in winter months, because the viruses that cause them prefer the cold, dry weather. Our weakened immune systems from cold weather and lack of the sunshine vitamin make us easy prey. Combine this with more time spent indoors in close proximity to other people and less fresh air, we're sitting ducks!Today we are familiar with the terms "cold and flu" though in the 19th century words like catarrh, la grippe and ague were commonly used to describe these illnesses.Catarrh was used to describe the symptoms of excessive mucus in the sinus and airways. La Grippe was a french term used in the english-speaking world to describe the flu. To have an "ague" was to experience fever and chills, usually connected with malaria or similar symptoms blamed on living in damp conditions.Cure-all medicines of the 19th century were of little help. With ingredients like cocaine, ether and opium, 19th century cold remedies were sure to distract the sufferer from their symptoms. By the end of the 19th century, ether was used only in small doses. Opium and its derivatives (laudanum, heroin, morphine) were banned altogether in the 1920s. A shift to manufactured “home remedies” is noticeable at this time.Drinking plenty of fluids and broth-based soups is still prescribed as the best cure for the common cold.
Social Gatherings in Winter
With the work of the harvest completed for the season, more time was freed up for social gatherings. Snow on the ground and the frozen lake meant the conditions were perfect for travel. Sleighs or cutters were employed to bring families together for dinners and dancing.Nineteenth century diaries reveal that our progenitors partied often and long– many soirées not breaking up until the early hours of the morning.
Keeping Active in Winter
Sutton’s skating rinks occupied several spots around town 100+ years ago. One nearby rink was the Drill Hall on Market Street. The (largely) unused government building was flooded in winter for the enjoyment of ice skaters. Keswick kids had many rinks dotted along the shore at Cook’s Bay and on the Maskinonge River, while those in the rural lands away from the lake enjoyed the sport on ponds and creeks.The Fancy Dress Carnival held here last Friday evening on the Village Rink was a great success. There was a very large attendance. Fine skating, a grand display of costumes, appropriate to the occasion and the whole crowned with enthusiastic enjoyment."Sutton" section, Newmarket Era newspaper (Newmarket, Ont.) February 19, 1904.
Travelling in Winter
The roads during the early settlement period of Ontario were to be avoided, if it could be helped. The quality of the foot paths and trails that were expanded and called "roads" varied with the seasons. They could be thick with mud, under water, strewn with fallen trees, horribly rutted from wagon wheels and horses, pitted with potholes or dry and dusty.Winter snow brought with it freedom. Travel was made easier if roads could be avoided.
Seeking Warmth in Winter
For dashing through the snow in a one-horse open sleigh, a must-have was the buffalo blanket or rug. Lined with wool, it kept the sleigh’s occupants cozy and dry. It was made of bison hide, others were made of bear.
Getting Around on Foot in Winter
European settlers learned to walk on snow, using the snowshoe, from Canada's northern Indigenous peoples. This technology provided the wearer the ability to distribute their weight over a larger, webbed platform; allowing them to walk on the snow, rather than sink into it.This allowed the wearer the ability to hunt and travel over larger distances, thus expanding their territory. Snowshoes are thousands of years old and can be found in many northern hemisphere cultures.Snowshoeing appears as a recreational activity in the mid-19th century and continues today.
Keeping in Touch in Winter
Between 1882 and 1905 William Mulock was the MP for the riding of York (North), which includes Georgina. During his time as MP, Mulock also served as Postmaster General. In 1898 he established the Imperial Penny Postage- Canadians could send a letter anywhere in the British Empire for one (British) penny. This was 2 cents Canadian. The rate came into effect on Christmas Day 1898.In 1903, the Post Office began to allow the postage of photo postcards within Canada.Before 1915, the cost to mail a postcard within Canada was 1 cent.
Big Business in Winter
Eating in Winter
In the 19th and 20th centuries, it was not uncommon for men to venture out into the bush for months at a time and trap animals for their livelihood. Trips of this length required the men to build cabins for shelter.Inside, there is a bunk for sleeping, a small woodstove and table and chair. There was room for the trappers’ provisions, rifles and traps. The trapper went out several kilometers from their cabin to lay traps in order to keep animals away from their temporary lodging. There are different sizes of traps for different animals, but all have blunt ends that capture the animal until the hunter arrives. After the animal was killed, it was skinned and the fur and meat brought back to the cabin. The trapper then went into town to trade the fur for money or supplies.
