Number 63 June 1, 2009
VERE BECK, A LEADER OF LAND REFORM
By Ivan Munn
When Vere and his young family arrived in Prince Edward Island in 1813 they found themselves in the midst of a battle between the residents and the absentee landowners. It was a controversy that was already 45 years old and would continue to plague the Island for another 60 years. Britain gained ownership of the Island, Isle St. Jean, from the French in 1767. It was divided into 67 lots and given to prominent British citizens. Within 10 years they were to bring out settlers to develop the land. The settlers would pay rent to the landlords, who in turn would pay rent to the Crown to finance the operations of the PEI government. In most cases the landlords ignored their obligations and used their political clout in London to fend off any complaints from the Island.
The settlers argued that the system was completely unfair and they agitated for escheat – the reversion of the land to the Crown. We've known for some time that Vere was in sympathy with the Escheat Movement, but new information indicates that he was one of the leaders of the group. I wrote an article in 1998 outlining Vere's association with the movement and you can read it as Appendix C in the Vere Beck Family Biographies.
An in depth history of the movement by Rusty Bittermann, a Professor of History at St. Thomas University in Fredericton, N.B., shows that Vere played a leading role. Bittermann did his thesis on the Island land issue, and later turned it into a book, “Rural Protest on Prince Edward Island ...”
Bittermann says that Vere was in the forefront of the Escheat movement from about 1830 onward. Rather than a loose association of like-minded individuals, it turns out the supporters were very well organized. They had local committees throughout all three counties, under the direction of a central committee. Bittermann says Vere served a term as the corresponding secretary of the central committee and was active in other ways. In November, 1837, two thousand Islanders gathered in Georgetown to voice their opposition to the land system in what to then was the largest rally ever held in PEI. Vere is named among the leaders who placed resolutions in front of the crowd. And Bittermann says he was part of the committee that drew up the new land settlement policies that emerged from the Georgetown rally. During the 1830s Vere also wrote articles that were circulated among the settlers in support of Escheat. Some of these articles written by Vere and other movement leaders were combined in pamphlets and distributed in the late 1830s.
All of this combines to tell us that Vere was better educated than most rural Islanders at that time and had the ability to express his arguments in writing.
It was not much wonder that the group resorted to printing their own pamphlets. Communication was almost non-existent at that time. Bittermann quotes one Islander as saying newspapers “were almost worn out with the handing from one to another.”
Vere said in a letter to the editor of the Royal Gazette in May, 1832, that transportation problems and a lack of money made it difficult for those in his area to see a paper regularly. However, he added, whenever escheat was raised in the house those going to town made it a point to return with many copies of the latest issue. “When a neighbour was expected back from Charlottetown,” Vere wrote, “he is hardly allowed to refresh himself before his house is crowded.” He said he himself made a point of collecting every paper containing the proceedings of the House that year, but he regretted that the debates were not more fully reported.
Vere noted that discussion of the escheat question was of wide interest to all Island residents. He said that more complete coverage of debates would permit people to form a better opinion concerning ”who are really and truly its (escheat's) steady and determined advocates and worthy of our future confidence.” He added that this would help voters decide who to support in future elections.
Two years after this, escheat ceased to be a personal concern for Vere. He gained title to his own farm in 1834 in a deal with John Cambridge, the lot owner. However, Vere continued to work harder than ever in the escheat battle. He attended rallies, wrote material, and attended committee meetings during those years. Meanwhile resistance to the landlords was growing, with settlers refusing to pay rent and often clashing with the authorities. Crowds would gather in support of their neighbours when word was received that the sheriff was coming. Resistance continued even in the face of threats to call out the militia.
In the election of 1838, the Escheat Party led by William Cooper, won 16 of the 22 seats in the Assembly. Vere was one of those elected in a sweep that saw Kings County go solidly for Escheat. Despite their firm control of the Assembly, Escheat made little progress on the land question. Legislation put forward was blocked by the Legislative Council, which was stacked with members of the establishment. In 1839, the Assembly voted to send William Cooper to Britain to take up the cause with the Colonial Office. He arrived in July only to find the government in turmoil over other matters and unable or unwilling to focus on Island issues. Cooper returned home in defeat.
This took a lot of steam out of the Escheat movement, and Vere was among a number of members who did not re-offer in the next election. Vere returned to the farm and it wasn't until the 1870s that the land question finally got sorted out. The government bought out the landlords and in turn sold the land to the farmers. Vere fought hard for the cause in middle age, and lived long enough to see it settled before he died in 1878.My thanks to Callum Beck (1.4.3B.7.3.3.) for drawing my attention to Bittermann's work
A GLIMPSE INTO OUR PAST
A cross section of Island history is on display this spring in Charlottetown and Summerside. It's called "Forty Years . . . and Counting" and provides a glimpse of the many items stored in the large collection of the P.E.I. Museum and Heritage Foundation.
The museum's history curator, Boyde Beck, (1.4.3A.3.6.4.) says the one-hundred plus items on display is just a tiny sample of the 85,000 items stored in the Artifactory in Charlottetown. Boyde hand-picked the items for the display that opened in March at the Confederation Centre in Charlottetown and will move later to the Eptek Centre in Summerside.
The Forty Years . . . and Counting refers to the fact that the museum only started its collection in 1970. This exhibit brings together everything from an old deed for Lot 29, to Mi’kmaq baskets to kitchen iceboxes and a walrus skull that is thought to be about 40,000 years old.
“Walruses were once native to the Gulf of St. Lawrence,” Boyde told Mary MacKay of The Charlottetown Guardian. “One of the first acts passed on Prince Edward Island by the government in 1770 was an act to protect the walrus fishery because they were fished the same as whales. They were hunted for the oil in their blubber and for the ivory in their tusks,” he said.
A picture of a silver fox has been paired with a sign that shows that the theft of valuable foxes was a real concern. But this sign goes far beyond the typical no trespassing notice: “E.R. Brow Fox Ranch. This ranch is protected by the Charlottetown Fox Breeders Association. Trained bloodhounds, detective agency, best legal talent and large cash resources for the prosecution of any person or persons who break into or steal from this ranch.”
A notable artifact is a cardboard container from H. Benoit’s establishment that served “temperance drinks” as well as food at his Charlottetown lunch counter. “His restaurant was essentially an oyster bar down on Water Street. . . and in the 1880s, going to an oyster bar was kind of wink-wink because that’s where the unlicenced rum sellers operated out of. Usually they used the oyster bars as a front for drinking establishments,” Boyde said.
“So Benoit is emphasizing he is not a fly-by-night, speak-easy kind of (place). His is an actual respectable restaurant.”
One of the remarkable things about the container is that it was not disposed of immediately, but lasted for more than 100 years in someone's home before being donated to the museum.
The collection also includes household furniture including the first television set ever owned on PEI.
It belonged to Arthur Arsenault, a car salesman.
“He was the top Hudson (automobile) salesman in the whole country and he was given a choice of two prizes; he could have a speedboat or a combination Admiral television, radio and record player all in one,” Boyde said. “He chose that and in1952 when you consider the closest TV station to here would be Montreal or Boston he had faith that someday he’d actually be able to watch it.”
”Then there's the 1928 automobile license plate. It was the first in Canada to display a motto. From top to bottom it read, “seed, potatoes, foxes.” Boyde said, “there was only one other place in North America (that) put a motto on their licence plate It was Idaho and it was the same year, 1928 and they also mention potatoes.
Boyde says he hopes visitors enjoy the exhibit as much as he did putting it together.
KINGS COUNTY WITHOUT ER SERVICE OVERNIGHT
The Kings County Memorial Hospital has closed its emergency room at night due to a shortage of technicians. The closures started on April 22 and extend from 10 pm to 8 am daily. Officials say there is a critical shortage of diagnostic services staff, including combined technologists who conduct both diagnostic imaging and laboratory services.
The nearest ER is in Charlottetown. While this affects residents all over eastern PEI, the pressure is greater for those living in Eastern Kings, where Souris Regional Hospital lost its emergency department back in 2006.
Alan Beck of Kingsboro (1.4.3A.3.1.3.) was one of the leaders in the losing fight to save the Souris Emergency Room. He is even more concerned now.
Alan had a recent experience where he needed emergency medical attention. He told David MacDonald of The Eastern Graphic that he was having difficulty breathing following a fall in which he suffered broken ribs and a partial lung collapse. He was taken by ambulance to Montague to be stabilized before being transported to Charlottetown the next day. That night, the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Charlottetown had been diverting emergencies to either Montague or Summerside.
Alan said one of his biggest concerns about the overnight closure is the added pressure on other emergency departments on the Island.
“If Montague is closed, it’s not just the extra distance or the time. It’s the strain that’s going to be put on the ER in town,” he said. “I think Montague was feeling the strain from the closure of the ER in Souris, and it’s just snowballed.
“Where does it end? Do we close the ER in Charlottetown and get diverted to Moncton?" Alan said it takes about as long to get from East Point to Charlottetown as from Charlottetown to Moncton.
He said the government needs to focus on dealing with the staffing shortages. He added they’re expanding the ER in Charlottetown but where are the doctors or nurses to staff it? They don’t seem to be doing anything to rectify the personnel problem.
Alan said he thinks the government is trying to deal with staffing shortages, but he isn’t looking forward to the possibility of having to go from Kingsboro to Charlottetown if he has another emergency.
“When you’re hale and hearty, an extra 20 minutes doesn’t seem like a long time. When you’re in the back of an ambulance, 20 minutes is an awfully long time."
GARNET DOES IT AGAIN!
The Murray River ceilidhs continue to set new records in fund raising for the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Charlottetown. Garnet Buell (1.6B.6.5,2.), the organizer of the events, presented a cheque for $31,585 to the hospital's equipment drive during the 21-hour telethon held the weekend of May 23 & 24th.
This was the 9th year that the ceilidhs have been held in Murray River and each year the total raised has been bigger than the year before. When Garnet started the fund-raising entertainment nine years ago he set a 10-year target of $200,000 and that's easily within reach. During the nine-years the ceilidhs have been operating, more than $197,000 has been raised.
Ten weekly ceilidhs were held this year. Besides donations at the door, money was raised from fudge sales, ticket draws, auctions, and cake sales.
While the ceilidhs are for a good cause, they're also about having a good time. The Murray River hall is usually filled to capacity each weekend, and the line-up of entertainers often include more than a halfdozen performers. Some nights the ceilidhs go on until close to midnight.
Garnet said he originally planned to drop out and let others take over after his ten year goal had been reached, but now he's thinking he may keep going. “It’s going so well. It brings a lot of people together, especially the seniors,” he said. “It all depends on my health, I’m not a young man. It’s a lot of fun, and you get great pleasure when it’s over.”
CUTTING OUT THE MIDDLEMAN
The lobster industry in Prince Edward Island is facing hard times. Most of the processing is controlled by one company, and there's a glut of unsold inventory. Part of the problem is the economy in general, but fishers say lack of competition is also a factor.The price at the wharf is lower than it's been in decades, running as low as $2.75 a pound.
Some fishermen are trying to boost their incomes by peddling part of their catch directly to the public. Robbie Hicken of Alliston is one of a few in eastern PEI who is giving it a try. Licenses are available for $25.
Robbie told Stephen Brun of The Eastern Graphic that he was almost embarrassed to apply, but considering the way the season has started he felt there was little choice.
On Friday and Saturday evenings after he finishes fishing for the day, Robbie heads for Charlottetown to sell lobsters from the holding bins on the back of his truck. He said the extra money makes the weekend ventures worthwhile.
“When you only make your income over two months of the year, you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do. I never ever dreamed I’d have to do this, but sitting back and getting nothing for the lobster is not the answer either.”
Robbie is assisted by his wife Brenda, son Robert and daughter Jessica. They sell about 200 pounds a day at $4-$5 a pound. He says his customers have been very sympathetic, and there have been no complaints about the price. He said the Island's Asian population accounts for a good portion of his sales.
Robbie says it's a lot of work, but if you can add an extra $200 to $300 a week to your income it's certainly worth it.
DEATHS
BECK: Anne Boyde (Leeco) Beck (1.4.3A.3.6.) died in the Kings County Memorial Hospital on Sunday, May 3, 2009.
She was 79 and the wife of Edwin Beck. She is survived by children Doug of Milltown; Louise (Malcolm Brown), Calgary; Boyde (Anna MacDonald), Mount Stewart; and Roy (Kim), Montague. She is also survived by six grandchildren: Stephen, Joseph, David, Daniel, Allison, Alexander and two great-grandchildren: Logan and Edwin. She was predeceased by a daughter, Sandra.
The funeral service was held at Ferguson's Funeral Home Chapel on Wednesday, May 6, followed by interment in the Murray River cemetery.
FIRST THE BECK BULLETIN, THEN THE GUARDIAN
After years of scalping the papers for Beck material, this time we got a chance to return the favour. After the April newsletter came out, I contacted Sally Cole at The Guardian to let her know about John Arsenault (1.4.2.2,4.4,1.)and his developing opera career. She had helped out in the past supplying pictures to go with stories she'd written about members of the Beck family.
Sally writes a lot of entertainment features for The Guardian, and she devoted the better part of a page to the story about John. She included several pictures of him in costume for various roles he's played on the stage. Thearticle traced his life from growing up in Murray River, attending High School in Montague, taking music at Mount Allison University in Sackville, and then going to British Columbia to study opera.
He told Sally that he loves the Maritimes, but its unfortunate there is no audience here for opera because of the small population base. “I'd love to come back home to do a concert,” he said.
After reading the article I emailed Sally to congratulate her on the story. She thanked me for the story idea and background information and added, “I hope there's enough interest in John to bring him to P.E.I. He'd be great at the Indian River Festival.”
The Indian River Festival has been held each summer since 1996 and has featured some of the best classical musicians available. It's held in St. Mary's Church, built in 1902 by Island architect William Critchlow Harris. It features the Harris trademark, a rib-vaulted ceiling, which enhances the quality of sound. It has been said that the natural acoustics of St. Mary's rates as one of the top ten places to perform in the world.
TOP HONOURS FOR ALYSSA
Alyssa Chapman (1.2,2.6.1,3,1.2,) of Murray Harbour has been named the Prince Edward Island Special Olympics female athlete of the year. The 18-year-old swimmer was nominated for the award along with Amber Metcalfe of Charlottetown, also a swimmer, and Monique Gauthier, a curler.
Alyssa displayed the true olympic spirit of sportsmanship by pulling for her fellow nominees to win.
“I thought one of my friends was going to win and when I heard my name called I was really surprised,” she told Stephen Brun of The Eastern Graphic. However, she acknowledged, “I work hard and do a lot of events.”
Alyssa thinks a gold-medal finish at the national championships in Quebec last year, along with countless hours of practice helped her earn the honour of top female athlete. She said she swims at least once a day, twice on Fridays, and swam six kilometres a day during a recent trip to Florida.
Referring to her gold medal win in Quebec, Alyssa said, “it felt really good.” She added that her parents were really proud of her and they always are. She's the daughter of Kenny and Michelle Chapman.
Alyssa has her sights set on this summer’s Canada Games being held on PEI, where she’ll compete in such events as the back crawl, front crawl and breast stroke, each in multiple distances.
“I was at a swim meet not too long ago where I had a couple of my best times,” she said. “I’m planning to take some time off my previous swims.”
ANOTHER YEAR, ANOTHER PLAY
The Murray Harbour Drama Club presented the four act comedy, “The Doctor is In,” at the Murray Harbour Community Centre on April 24.
The play, written by Gary Scully of Georgetown, depicts life in rural PEI in 1947, when the railroad, party line telephones, and the politics of the local doctor were topics of discussion. The production was under the direction of Linda Osborne.
The cast included Myra Taylor as Dr Carol Anne Murphy, Gary Scully as local merchant Bill Brooks, Vaughen Gosbee as Bill Brook’s wife, Verna Osborne as Bill Brook’s mother-in-law, Marvin MacLeod as Dr Art Brooks, Shirley Scully as Art Brooks’ wife, Linda Osborne as Dr Robert Brown and Paul White (1.4.6.7,2.5.) as Thomas Brooks.
The drama club has held a play every year for more than two decades, but this is the first time the club has performed a play by a local author.
Paul White and his Drama group have catered our reunions in recent years.
The Vere Beck Family Home Page
We're always looking for news of Beck family members. If you know of any interesting events drop me a line with the information. imunn@accesswave.ca
That's it .. please share it with relatives who aren't on line. The next edition will be out on June 1, 2009. 
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