1914-08-05a

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

          Hamilton Spectator. August 6, 1914.

          The news had been anticipated, the news seemed virtually to be inevitable, but when it was confirmed, there was a mighty roar of approval.

          On Tuesday evening, August 4, 1914, the streets in downtown Hamilton, particularly those in the vicinity, were packed with citizens anxious to hear the latest news from Europe.

          For several days, the dominoes seemed to be falling in precisely the order which would mean a full-scale war was about to begin. However, extensive diplomatic efforts had been made to avoid such a conflict so what would happen in the near and distant future had not been confirmed.

          At the Spectator office, a huge screen, a big sheet actually, had been placed on the outside of the building.

When a bulletin confirming the fact that Germany had formally declared war on England, the scene was remarkable:

“Long, loud, reverberating 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 downtown from all parts of the city.”¹

¹ “News of 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 6, 1914.

The managers of the Hamilton Spectator had leased a wire service from the United States, and this service was the first to confirm the news that war had been declared in Europe. Therefore, the Spectator was able to beat its local competitors, the Times and the Herald, with its ability to provide Hamiltonians with the first official word on the matter.

The Spectator had seven agents throughout the city and area where the bulletins were posted for them convenience of people living in those neighbourhoods.

The Spectator West End Branch Office was at York and Ray streets and the Spectator Dundas Branch was in the Valley City business district. Other locations where the Spectator bulletins were various businesses where the newspaper was sold : Porter’s Drug Store on James Street North, Newman’s at the corner Barton Streets and Robins avenue, , Griffin’s drug store, Charlton Avenue and Queen Street South, Bishop and Sons on Mount Hamilton.

There was an incident at the Barton street east when a native of Germany and “a sturdy son of England” started arguing:

“It ended up with the two mixing it up with their fists. Before any serious damage had been done, however, others in the large crowd assembled in front of the store parted the duo. For a time, it was feared that the German would be mobbed, and some of his sympathizers hastily telephoned to the police of the east end division.”²

² “Feeling Was Running High : German and Englishman Came to Blows”

Hamilton Spectator. August 5, 1914.

Although each location certainly had groups of citizens following the bulletins as they were posted, it was the downtown core where the crowd were largest, and the reaction to the climatic bulletin was most fervent :

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

“The verses of the national anthem were shone onto 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.

“Pictures of celebrities of all nations on the side of the British kept the enthusiasm at fever heat, and, as by magic, these cheers ceased as portraits of the Kaiser and kaiserin, or representatives of German or Austrian warships took their places. Cries of adulation instantly gave way to howls and yells of execration, for the best patriotic feelings of these Hamilton men were now thoroughly aroused.”¹

The Spectator reporter on scene noted that while it was obvious that the surge of patriotism on display was evident on the faces of those he termed as “sons of the empire” he also wrote that  even though “foreigners” recently arrived to become citizens of Hamilton were also caught up in the energetic display of loyalty.

For some time, the Spectator kept flashing bulletins it was received from London, Paris, Berlin, Brussels and other European cities. Evidently it was determined that nothing more of note was expected that evening and an announcement was made to that effect. The crowd then began to disperse, but not before final renditions of Rule Britannia and the national anthem were sung loudly.

Hamilton Mayor George Allan received the news that was had been declared via a telephone call from the Spectator. The mayor then went from his home to Dundurn Park and made an announcement to the large crowd of citizens who were present at the park to take in a concert by the Thirteenth Battalion Band :

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

Another place where a large crowd, already assembled, were given the news of the war, was the Temple Theatre. The vaudeville performance was interrupted as Manager Appleton who also had been informed by the Spectator of the announcement of the German declaration, took the stage himself after the first act and informed the audience of what he had learned:

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