1914-08-05alo

“No more welcome tidings have ever been received by Hamilton people than those which flashed onto the Spectator bulletin sheet last night, telling the vast crowd that Germany had declared war on England.”

Hamilton Spectator.  August  05, 1914.

While it might have seemed more appropriate that word of England’s declaration of war on an enemy might have seemed more likely to be well-received, the crowd which had been following the developments of the past few days knew that the matter was more complicated.

The announcement that Germany had decided to start the war was a signal for an immense celebration:

“Long, loud, reverberated cheers burst from thousands of throats, and were re-echoed again and again.

“For two days, these people had kept under restraint their exuberant enthusiasm, but now they let themselves go in a manner which brought hundreds of others rushing to the scene from all parts of the city.”¹

¹ “News of the War Was Received  With Cheers : Immense Crowd at Spec. Office Roared Approval : Patriotic Scenes at Dundurn and Temple Theatre : G. F. J.’s Leased Wire Brought First Word Here.”

Hamilton Spectator.  August 5, 1914.

The celebrations were not as much that warfare was now underway, but that the enemy had been manipulated into taking blame for its beginning:

“They recognized that the home government had scored another diplomatic success.

“Premier Ascquith and his ministers had indisputably placed the onus of an open declaration of was upon the kaiser , and many of the crwd who had previously been inwardly rebelling against what they termed the hesitation of Britain to declare war now recognized the strategy by which the kaiser’s hand had been forced.

“It was now a case of Germany challenging the world, and Germany must be destroyed forever as a great naval and military power. And it only wanted England to actively support the forces of Russia and France to bring this inevitable end about.”¹

The crowd reaction when it was confirmed that Britain, and Canada, were at war with Germany was overwhelming:

“The scene which followed the welcome news was almost indescribable. Men and women cheered and shouted their loudest, and hats were flung high into the air.

“The verses of the national anthem were shone on to the screen and Hamilton witnessed the unique sight of several thousands of its citizens bursting involuntarily into the tune of the great national air as with one voice.

“The next slide – a colored patriotic device containing Nelson’s words, ‘England expects that every man will do his duty,’ never had a more enthusiastic  reception, while a huge picture of the British lion, calm, fearless and majestic, brought forth a roar full of triumph and pride.”¹

The frenzy that greeted the initial news of war being declared eventually diminished, but most the crowd near the Spectator building remained:

“So long as the bulletins from London, Paris, Berlin, Brussels and other cities of Europe continued to arrive, so long did the Spectator flash them onto the white sheet for the people to read, and so long as there was anything to wait for, the people waited.

“Finally, when the announcement was made that nothing further of importance was expected to reach Canada until the morning they dispersed, but not before the national anthem and Rule, Britannia had again been sung by a wonderful chorus of thousands of men and women, who wanted nothing better last night than to cheer for King and empire.”¹

Hamiltonians who were not into the downtown core when the news of the declaration of war by Germany was confirmed, heard the news not long afterwards.

Hamilton Mayor Allan was at his home when he was informed of the news by telephone. He decided to go to Dundurn park where he knew that many citizens were listening to a musical concert:

“The Thirteenth band was giving a band concert, and an immense crowd was listening to the music.

“There was an impressive silence as the mayor stepped forward to speak, and then when the crowd realized that Britain was really in the fight now it cut loose with enthusiasm.

“The band struck up the national anthem and Rule, Britannia, and thousands of people sang with patriotic fervor.”¹

In a scene repeated at all of Hamilton’s large vaudeville theatres, the audience at the Temple theater heard the news from the stage:

“Manager Appleton secured the news from the Spectator and then had it announced from the stage after the first act.

“The orchestra immediately played the national anthem and other patriotic airs, and there was a scene of wild enthusiasm, the audience arising almost as one to cheer and sing.”¹