Prepare to travel back in time this holiday season with a historic adventure.
The Bradford West Gwillimbury Local History Association invites everyone to attend their event, A Children’s Christmas, at the Auld Kirk (3380 Line 6) Dec. 9 from 2 to 4 p.m.
Guests can enjoy holiday-themed youth musical performances and youth activities, including a marshmallow roast, to help get into the holiday spirit. But the highlight of the event is expected to be a dramatic reading by Nancy Chapple Smokler, local actor and president of the South Simcoe Theatre, of the short story From Scotland to the Scotch Settlement: a Young Girl’s Diary, written by long-time Bradford reporter Miriam King, who also previously worked for BradfordToday.
“We wanted to bring in the Christmas spirit,” association secretary Mikki Nanowski said. “Christmas was a very important time for the settlers, their harvest was over and they were grateful for another year of successful farming. The church was their centre. This is where they gathered for births and deaths and marriages, so what better place to celebrate the birth of Christ?”
King’s 6,300-word story explores the history of the Highland Scots and their journey to Lord Selkirk’s Red River Settlement and eventually West Gwillimbury, through the fictional perspective of Jannet Sutherland.
The story was inspired by historian Jan Blommaert’s fictional diary of Jannet Sutherland, which was originally planned to be read at the event, but a copy could not be found, leading the association to reach out to King last month, and she did not disappoint.
Despite no longer having her notes from the original reading, King persisted and in addition to speaking with Blommaert, spent several weeks researching the Selkirk papers and historical works on the Scottish Clearances that included Unsettled by Robert Lower, and The Sutherland Clearances by Alwyn Edgar.
“It was fascinating, learning more about the Highland Clearances, and the hardships faced by the Highlanders who were displaced. And while I haven’t been able to recapture Jan’s original work, I hope I have given Jannet Sutherland a voice that is authentic and moving,” King said via email.
The Highland Clearances were the forced evictions of a significant number of tenants in the Scottish Highlands and Islands, mostly in two phases from 1750 to 1860.
“I hope that those who hear the reading come away with the same sense of awe and respect that I have for the Scots Highlanders who faced and overcame so many challenges, before reaching a home in West Gwillimbury,” King said.
To help add to the atmosphere and authenticity of the reading, Smokler has been researching the character by learning about that period of history and reading through the script in character. While she couldn’t give away all the details just yet, Smokler is hoping to bring some “realistic touches” to the performance.
“The story itself is so interesting and so well written by Miriam that those are just minor embellishments," Smokler said. "The story will stand beautifully on its own with or without those things.”
Known for her many roles in local theatre and for playing the original Margaret Carmody in CBC’s The Beachcombers, Smokler said she was approached about the reading by a colleague at the theatre. Upon hearing King and Nanowski were involved, she was happy to assist.
Smokler suspects guests will learn something new about local history, and gain a better understanding of the “incredible hardships” newcomers felt coming to the area.
“I hope that they will also draw some parallels and empathize with new Canadians who come to this country now to settle, and to welcome them and help pave the way for a new life with kindness and friendship,” she said.
There is no cost to attend, but donations to help the maintenance of the church (established in 1827, with the present structure built in 1869) are appreciated and can be made to the historical association by cheque or cash.
Anyone interested in becoming involved in the association can call Nanowski at the Bradford Print Shoppe at 905-775-4011.
— With files from Miriam King and Rosaleen Egan
