The World is a Stage
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The world really is a stage. After all, if you can perform in a graveyard, you can perform just about anywhere.
The Tombstone Tours this past weekend were full and went very well. Many hours were spent by the volunteer actors finding the story amongst all the facts on the ‘ghost’ they were portraying. Rehearsing on their own and coming up with appropriate costume, took a lot of time and energy, but paid off, for as one patron said, ‘they were mesmerized by the stories they told.’ I must extend heartfelt thanks to everyone for a job very well done.
Each live ghost told the true story of a settler’s family that used to live right here in Tillsonburg between 1825 and 1881. These people were not only building their own futures, but the future of our town and the British Empire. Many of them lived to see Canada become a country in 1867.
In fact Mrs Letita Harriet Bayly (performed by Olwyn Coughlin), who was born in Ireland, let us know of the excitement on being in our new capital, Ottawa, when bursting fireworks lit the sky, and the ringing of church bells heralded in the new country. It was where she met James G. Vansittart, who she married later in Woodstock where his Uncle Vansittart had been the founder. The Vansittarts went back to Plantagenet reign in England; but not to be left behind the blue bloods, Letitia’ s family included a Baronet! Royalty lived in Tillsonburg.
A teacher (Marie Blake) told of the terrifying experience of having a student killed in her classroom, when two boys began fighting.
Although Dereham Forge (Tillsonburg) did not exist during the War of 1812, we have veterans from both sides buried in the Pioneer Graveyard. Abram VanNorman (Stephen Bourne) told what it was like to be fighting with General Brock, Oct. 13, 1812, on the day he was slain. Wartime attitudes were still prevalent even after death, as noted when Abram saw Nathan Hayes, a Yankee, across the graveyard and tried to shoot him yet again with his musket!
Mrs. Nancy Barker Tillson (Maureen Bourne), first lady of Tillsonburg, was quick to settle Abram down again and told us what it was like for a woman back when there were no stores near by. All had to be made from what you planted or grew.
We had been greeted earlier by the first resident of the graveyard the lovely Tamsen Tillson (Jen Gibson), who died shortly before her marriage to Louis Leonard, who worked in the village’s first store. She was comforted by her father, our founder George Tillson (Randy Just), who told of the responsibilities of starting a new settlement and his big push to lay out the town and make sure we were connected to the major thoroughfares now known has Hwy 3 and built Hwy 19 to connect us to Woodstock and London.
One of the more unusual tales was told by John Hopkins (Stephen Molnar), a carpenter killed in a pre-election riot. The audience was treated to not only Mr. Hopkin’s story but what the political climate was like back in 1858, by the Honourable Mr. Foley, who came to the rally. This story was most imaginative and amazed all.
Cynthia Adamson (Brenda Fitzgerald) told how the Adamson family were shipwrecked upon arrival in Newfoundland after two months at sea! Her father Nathan Hayes (Eldon Cooper) told his story of settling in Whitby after getting the King’s land after fighting against kin in the War of 1812, then moving here to be near his children only to find that Cynthia and husband would die and he and his wife must care for the children.
Catherine Woodward (Val Donnell) told of her daughter Fanny’s out-of-wedlock baby, who was left to die in the woods and subsequent trial for murder.
Elizabeth Rutherford (Sherry Hamilton) told of her husband Orlando’s famous grandmother, English author Eliza Fenwick, who not only helped raise his family from the Caribbean to Canada, she also financed the land from the soccer field to Concession St. where they built their log cabin.
Frederick Sharp (Mike Coombes) was a butcher who made some astute real estate deals which gave him enough money to build a hand-polished brick crypt.
The Bird families’ landlady (Karen Tripp) told of the families’ exciting past during the US Civil War and that Ellen Bird was a former slave. Also the heart-rending story of the deaths here in town.
Mrs. Brady (Elaine Balpataky) found comfort visiting the tombstones of her three children, although they are no longer beside each other. Her husband and son were noted veterinarians in Tillsonburg.
Thanks must also go to our audience who endured the much longer than one-hour tour. Proceeds are going to assist the completion of the Graveyard this summer.