Christmas 1893

“From far and near and early and late came the buyers, and as was to have been expected, the market today was very large.”

Hamilton Spectator.   December 23, 1893.

As it had been for many years before, and would be for many years to come, the Hamilton Market square was a very popular location the days before Christmas.

As Christmas day in 1893 was on a Monday, and as the market could not be active on a Sunday, the last Market day for the year was on Saturday December 23.

The Hamilton Times assigned a reporter to go to the Market Square and make a report on conditions there for the afternoon edition of the paper:

“There appeared to be unlimited supplies of all kinds of produce and the attendance of buyers was such that between 9 and 10, the huge square presented a very animated appearance.

“Loads of evergreens, holly and plants and flowers suitable to the season gave the market a decidedly Christmas-like appearance.”¹

¹ “The Christmas Market : What Housewives Paid for Turkeys and other Delicacies”

Hamilton Times. December 23, 1893.

The reporter’s task was less to capture the atmosphere of the Christmas Eve market, but more to report on the prices being charged for fruits, vegetables, butter and other foodstuffs.

However, the most interest was in what was available and what was being charged for meat to cook for the Christmas Day meal:

“Poultry, of course, was in great demand, but, owing to the rush of heavy buyers on Thursday, prices had a weakening tendency. Choice turkeys, and there were hundreds of them, opened out at 12 cents a pound, but before 9 o’clock had dropped to 9 ½ and 10 cents. Big 30 pounders brought $2.75 and $3.

“Geese were again plentiful and sold at 8 to 9 cents a pound. Plump chickens brought 40 to 60 cents a pair, and fat little ducks sold at 70 to 80 cents a pair.

“The brisk trade done on the outside meat market on Thursday seemed to have knocked the bottom out of today’s trading. The mild weather was also a strong factor against quick sales, and there was no advance in prices which were as follows:

“Beef – Heifer and steer, by the carcass, $5 to $8 a hundred pounds; hindquarters, $5 to $7; forequarters, $4 to $5.”

“The Market Hall was thronged all day, and will probably be equally crowded tonight¹

The Hamilton Market Square consisted mostly of farmers selling their goods from back of wagons, their horses having been taken to nearby stables for the day. However, there was one building on site used almost exclusively by butchers.

The Times reporter just had to note that the butchers occupying the meat market building could have done better in making their quarters more festive in appearance:

“ Lawry’s stall and a few of the other butchers were the only people to do any decorating, but the show of fine beef, choice pork and other prime meats were fully up to the standard of last Christmas.

“There was an absence of uniformity in the matter of decorating and the good effects produced by produced by evergreens, flags and bunting were lacking.”¹

Services took place in all Hamilton churches on Christmas day, most on Christmas Eve as well.

It was morning services at Hamilton’s St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Cathedral which a reporter with the Hamilton Times attended:

“Yesterday was a big day in the Catholic churches, and the many services were crowded from early morning until night.

“ At the St. Mary’s Cathedral the first mass was celebrated by Mgr. McEvay at 6 o’clock, when the church was full to the doors. A special choir of children was present and sang appropriate hymns.

“From 6 o’clock until 9 o’clock, mass was said every half hour, Fathers McEvay and Coty officiating alternatively.

“At 9:30, pontifical high mass was held, Bishop Dowling being the celebrant. Bishop Dowling preached a sermon appropriate to the occasion, his text being the familiar passage of scripture, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and, on earth, peace, good will towards men.’

“The music was of unusual importance, and although half a dozen members of the choir have the prevailing grip, the difficult music was interpreted most ably.

The church was very beautifully decorated.”²

² “Christmas in the Churches”

Hamilton Times.   December 26, 1893.

In the afternoon of Christmas Day, 1893, the Times reporter made his way up the James street hill to the Hamilton Asylum for the Insane.

Every effort had been made to make the interior of large foreboding building have a pretty holiday air for Christmas:

“Many and varied have been the scheme invented for the diverting of the mind diseased, the Christmas decorations at Hamilton Asylum for the Insane appear to lead them all, and the results hitherto have been always beneficial. This year the decorations are far in advance of any previous year.”³

^{3 “}Christmas at the Asylum : The Decorations Prettier and More Elaborate Than Ever.”

Hamilton Times.  December 26, 1893.

Dr. Russell, described by the Times reporter as “the ever-courteous and  genial medical superintendent” led him on a tour of inspection throughout the building :

“In the main building, Hall ‘A’., supervised by Geo. Weelgar, first claimed attention. Besides a profusion of all kinds of pretty wall and ceiling decorations, there was an unusually large number of mottoes exhibited. Among these were noticed the following appropriate selections : “He that ruleth his own spirit is greater than he that taketh a city.’ Side by side  were the mottoes, ‘Canada first, last and all the time,’ and ‘Equal rights to all creeds and nationalities.

“One patient from the land o’ the heather was responsible for ‘We’ve aye been amply provided for.’

“In this building was secured the first glimpse of the handsome new dining rooms since the addition of which the old plan of having all patients in the building eat in the same dining room has been discontinued.”

It must have been an exhausting tour of inspection for the reporter as he was taken through every hall, and separate adjacent building to note and report on the decorations.

The man from the Times also was able to share the news that the patients have been well-looked after on Christmas day by staff and a large contingent of volunteers :

“Yesterday nearly 1,000 patients sat down to Christmas dinner in the asylum. The amount of beef, poultry, bread, vegetables, plum pudding, mince pie, fruit, etc., consumed in less than hour would have opened the eyes of World’s Fair organizers..

“At night, the annual Christmas tree distribution took place.”³

An orchestra played several selections while “Dr. Russell sang, several other ladies and gentlemen contributed to the program, and last, but not least, the two Christmas trees were stripped of the scores of pretty and useful articles and every patient got a present.”³

The weather on Christmas day 1893  in Hamilton was exceptionally mild. It was noted that a gentleman out for walk, in passing Dundurn park, had picked up two caterpillars.

There had been some rain during the morning, but “a beautiful rainbow appeared in the northwestern sky. The oldest inhabitant has not been interviewed as to whether one was ever seen on Christmas day before.”⁴

⁴ “Tea Table Gossip”

Hamilton Times. December 26, 1893.