1915-01-29ss

“Splendid progress is being made in the arrangements for the big concert to be staged in the Temple theater on February 10, in aid of the East End Police Relief Fund”

Hamilton Spectator.    January 26, 1915.

The policemen working out of the Sherman Avenue station in east end Hamilton were fully aware of the many cases of distress in the area which were covered on their beats.

Before Christmas, 1914, those constables, with the support of the community, had raised enough food to provide a decent Christmas meal for hundreds of families in the area. Toys for the children were included in the hampers delivered to the homes that had been identified as in need of assistance.

However, the poverty and desperate conditions did not magically go away with the coming of 1915, so a major fund-raising event, a concert, was planned :

“The police and the ladies  who have been assisting them have done magnificent work during the past two months, but additional funds are greatly need.

“The concert comes as a suggestion from several of the officers of St. Cecilia chapter, I.O.D.E., and will be staged under their auspices.”¹

¹“For Relief Fund : Many Organizations Will Help Make Concert a Success”

Hamilton Spectator.    January 26, 1915.

Widespread endorsement of the concert proposal was immediate:

“The services of various artists are being offered voluntarily, while the Temple theater has also been secured gratis.

“The members of the Tiger Football club, the Hamilton Rowing club and other well-known organizations have already subscribed for boxes, while the sale of tickets has been most encouraging.

“The tickets are being disposed of by the members of the east end division and by the ladies who have been assisting them in their work, and present indications are that a packed house will be the result.”¹

Six days before the big concert, one of the more popular performers, Mrs. Roselle Knott, had to withdraw unfortunately because of a commitment outside of the city which are just arisen. Her place was taken by Mrs. A. Elmore Richards, Hamilton’s popular, clever, dramatic reader

Other than that change, things were proceeding as planned:

“The program has been completed and will be one of the most elaborate as well as most pleasing musical offerings of the season.”²

² Hamilton Spectator.   February 4, 1915.

At first tickets could only be purchased from the policemen of the east end division:

“Splendid success is reported in the sale of tickets. The proceeds of the concert are to be devoted to work being carried on by the east end police relief committee, and the members of the east end police division have charge of the distribution of tickets.

“One thousand seats at fifty cents have been placed on sale, and the best part of these already sold. It is also the intention to offer four hundred twenty-five cent seats to the public. These will go on sale at the Temple theater box office on Monday morning at 10 o’clock, when the box office will also be opened in order that reserve seat ticket holders may reserve their seats.”²

The day after the concert, it was reported in the Hamilton Times that it was “one of the most successful of the season, The theater was filled to capacity long before the time to start, and many of Hamilton’s music lovers were present to hear the exceptionally fine programme.”³

³ “Music and Drama”

Hamilton Times. February 11, 1915.

The program was as follows:

“Overture – “Mansinello”….Auber

          XIII Royal Rgt. Band.

“Duet – “After the Fray” ….Bonheur

          Messrs. Mills and Peacock

“Song – (a) “Roses of Forgiveness”  .. Guy D’Hardelot

          Mrs. R. W. Brennen

“Reading – “Angelina Johnson” … arranged by L. Dunbar

          Mrs. Elmore-Richards.

“Chorus – “Fly, Singing Bird”

          Elgar Duet Club. Violin Obligato Misses Pennington and Findlay

“Band – (a) “Home Guard March” … Aldous

(Dedicated to Hamilton Home Guard)

     (b) “Inspection March”  …. Robinson.

(Dedicated to XIII Royal Regiment.

XIII Royal Regiment Band

          “Song – “My Dreams … Tosti

                   Mr. Royden Mills.

          “Reading – “Minuet”

                   Mrs. Elmore-Richards.

          “Song – “Recruiting Song”  ………….. Bevan

                   Mr. Walter Peacock.

          Chorus – “Spinning Song” “Flying Dutchman” …. Wagner

                   Duet Club.

          “Band – “Excerpts from Verdi’s Opera

                   XIII Royal Regiment Band.”³

         

          Six days after the concert, the Hamilton Spectator carried an article describing how the funds being raised for the East End Police Relief Committee were being used:

“Using the Sherman avenue station as a distributing point, the police and their capable assistants, have been able to look after a great many families.

“An instance of the work being done is given in the assistance rendered a family named Loverock, who were burned out of their home on Sunday morning.

“When the police arrived on the scene of the fire, they found Mrs. Loverock and her ten months’ old baby in a deplorable condition, practically without clothing of any kind. They were hustled to the police station, where one of the members of the ladies’ auxiliary of the Police Relief committee was able to clothe both the mother and baby while food and drink were secured. The police looked after the family until a house was secured and the necessary arrangements made for their keep until such time as they are able to straighten out their affairs.”⁴

⁴ “Work of Mercy “ Police Are Still Doing Much for Poor of the East End”

Hamilton Spectator.    February 16, 1915.

The article concluded with the police advising that conditions were as dire in the east end as they ever had been and urged citizens to continue to donate clothing and foodstuffs . A phone message to the Sherman avenue station would quickly result in arrangments being made to a pick up of donatiions,