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In the Hamilton Times of Saturday August 15, 1914, there was an announcement that a musical concert to take place at Dundurn Park the following evening. The concert featured the 91^st Highlanders Band under the direction of H. A. Stares.

In addition to the announcement, the full programme for the concert was presented for the paper’s readers :

God Save the King .

  The Maple Leaf.

   O! Canada.

         Rule, Britannia.

March  - Victoria, B. C. …………………………..H. A. Stares

Overture – William Tell ……………………………. ...Rossini

Moreau – Salut d’ Armour ............................................Elgar

Grand Fantasia – Albion …………………………….Baeteus

     (English, Scotch and Irish Airs)

Song – Selected ……………………………………. ______

                   Mr. Roy McIntosh

Overture – Zampa ……………………………………..Herald

Largo ………………………………………………….. Handel

Overture – Coronation (1911) …………………………Hume

  (Contains National airs of the Empire)

Hymn – O, God of Love, O, King of Peace

      (Tune, Old Hundreth)

Hymn – O, God, Our Help in Ages Past.

       (Tune, St. Anne)

Mr. Stares requests that those who attend the concert sing with the band in the patriotic pieces and the hymns.” ¹

¹ “People Asked to Sing Hymns : And Patriotic Songs at Dundurn Tomorrow”

Hamilton Times.             August 15, 1914.

To help those who planned to attend the concert, the Hamilton Times printed the words to “patriotic pieces and hymns” which were planned to be performed at the concert. Readers could clip out the article as so be fully be prepared to join in the collective singing:

                   “ GOD SAVE THE KING

                God save our gracious King.

                Long live our noble King.

                   God save the King.

                 Send him victorious,

                 Happy and glorious,

                Long to reign over us,

                     God save the King.

 

                   THE MAPLE LEAF

              In days of yore, from Britain’s shore

                Wolfe, the dauntless hero, came,

             And planted firm Britannia’s flag,

                 On Canada’s fair domain.

              Here may it wave, our boast, our pride,

                  And joined in love together.

             The Shamrock, Thistle, Rose entwine

                 The Maple Leaf forever!

 

                             O! CANADA

          O. Canada, our fathers’ land of old

          Thy brow is crowned with leaves of red and gold

          Beneath the shade of thy holy cross

            Thy children own their birth.

          No stains thy glorious annals gloss,

            Since valor shields the hearth.

          Almighty God, on Thee we call,

          Defend our rights, forfend this free nation’s thrall.

            Defend our rights, forfend this nation’s thrall.

 

                   RULE BRITANNIA !

          When Britain first at Heaven’s command,

            Arose from our azure main.

          This was the charter, of the land,

            And guardian angels sang this strain

          Rule Britannia! Britannia rules the waves.

            Britons never shall be slaves.

 

                   HYMN

          O, God of Love, O, King of Peace,

          Make wars throughout the world to cease.

          The wrath of sinful man restrain,

          Give peace, O God, give peace again.

 

          Remember Lord, Thy works of old.

          The wonders that our fathers told.

          Whom shall we trust but Thee, O Lord?

          Where rest but on Thy faithful word?

          No one ever called on Thee in vain.

          Give peace, O God, give peace again.

 

          Where saints and angels dwell above,

          All hearts are knit in holy love.

          O bind us in that heavenly chain.

          Give peace, O God, give peace again.

                                                Amen.

 

                             HYMN

          O God, our help in ages past,

            Our hope for years to come.

          Our shelter from the stormy blast,

            And our eternal home.

 

          Beneath the shadows of thy throne

            Thy saints have dwelt secure;

          Sufficient is Thine arm alone,

            And our defense is sure.

 

          Before the hills in order stood,

            Or earth received her frame,

          From everlasting Thou are God,

            To endless years the same.

 

          A thousand ages in Thy sight

            Are like an evening gone;

          Short as the watch that ends the night

            Before the rising sun.

 

          Time, like an ever-rolling stream,

            Bears all its sons away;

          Then fly, forgotten as a dream

            Dies at the opening day.

 

          O, God, our help in ages past,

            Our hope for years to come;

          Be thou our guide while troubles last,

            And our eternal home.

 

                             Amen.

 

          The concert on Sunday evening August 17, 1914 drew an immense crowd to Dundurn Park:

          “The park was crowded as it has not been for many a long day, and it was estimated that at least 10,000 people were in the grounds.

          “The street cars were packed, the streets so thronged that it was a matter of difficulty and patience to make one’s way through the crush and the drives of the park were lined up with autos in one long string, with very little space between any two of them.” ²

                ² “Ten Thousand at the Park : To Hear Patriotic and Sacred Music Last Night.”

          Hamilton Times. August 18, 1914

          It was a large crowd and the Hamiltonians who went to the concert were drawn by their need to give expression to their feeling about the outbreak of war:

          “That the patriotic feelings of the citizens of the citizens of Hamilton are still at a very high pitch and that anything in the way of patriotic music will touch a responding chord in their hearts.”²

                Although many in the crowd had brought along the words to the songs which were presented, it was not the result that had been anticipated:

          “It must be stated that the crowd did not seem to join in the singing with any particular gusto as the sound which arose from so large  a crowd was by no means overwhelming.” ²

                The realization of what the outbreak of war in Europe was beginning to undercut the wild enthusiasm which had characterized in the city during the past few days.

          One thing that did go well was the fund-raising effort:

          “The Boy Scouts were busy with collection boxes in aid of the local fund for the Canadian Women’s Hospital ship, and their headquarters on the ground were the autos of Mrs. Southam and Mrs. S. C. Greening.”²

 

         

 

 

           

 

 

1914-08-14af

“Viva L’Italie!  Viva la France!  Viva! England!  Viva Canada! These were war cries which echoes and re-echoed up and down James Street last night They emanated from throats of a huge crowd of Italians, who had gathered in Kennedy’s hall”

Hamilton Times.   August 14, 1914.

Of the Italian population in Hamilton during the summer of 1914, there were many who had been living in city just a few years, and those whose residency was of much longer standing.

However, the Italians of Hamilton were prepared to support the war effort of Canada in support of England in solidarity.

They met collectively in Kennedy’s Hall during the evening of  August 13, 1914 to decide what actions should be taken in light of the newly-declared war in Europe:

“There was so large a number that the room was packed to suffocation, and then there were crowds in the street who could not force their way into the hall.”¹

¹ “Italians Are Enthusiastic Volunteers : Kennedy Hall Was Packed to the Doors at a Mass Meeting Last Night.”

Hamilton Times.  August 14, 1914.

Inside the hall, the loyalty of those present was unmistakable:

“They were a band of men who realized and appreciated the advantages they enjoy in a free country such as Canada and under the rule of the British Empire.”¹

The man chosen to chair the meeting was L. P. Scarrone, who, in his introductory remarks explained the object the meeting, and pointed out the “friendship and staunch good will and backing” which Italy had received f4rom England and France in light of the aggression of Germany and Austro-Hungary..

Chairman Scarronne then called upon Dr. Aldrightetti to address the meeting:

“The gentleman is very well known and popular among local Italians, and he is the official Italian courier for this city.

“He speedily worked up his compatriots into a frenzy of enthusiasm. They jumped on their seats, they jumped down again, they cheered to the echo, Long Live England! Long Live France! Long Live Italy!

“They moved round the room as far as they could go in its exceedingly congested condition, slapped each other on the back and were in a most effervescent condition of enthusiasm.”¹

 Dr. Aldrightetti proposed the idea that Hamilton Italians form and equip a corps themselves, and when it was ready put it at the disposal of the local military authorities to use as they saw fit:

“When volunteers were asked for, the scene was one of wildest excitement. Each volunteer was asked to lift his hand as a signal of his desire to volunteer.

“Many were so anxious that they be not overlooked that they lifted both hands, and made themselves heard through the medium of their voices and their feet.”¹

An enrolment list was established and when the meeting was over, the list contained over 200 signatures.

As the men dispersed they were encouraged to spread the word among their fellow countrymen about the proposal to have an Italian manned and financed corps made in Hamilton.