We began our speaker session of March 22, 2025 at the Main Branch of the Ottawa Public Library on a somber note as Ben Weiss informed us of the unexpected death of Jamie Bramburger who had been our guest speaker just one month earlier. All of us at the Historical Society of Ottawa extend our condolences to Jamie’s family, friends and colleagues.
As March 7, 2025 marked the 225th anniversary of the arrival of Philemon Wright and his party to this area, we were pleased to welcome Rick Henderson, a direct descendant of Philemon Wright, who gave the 28 of us a brief insight into the vision, achievements and legacy of his famous ancestor. Philemon, who was born in Woburn, Massachusetts, received a land grant of more than14,000 acres from the Crown under the Leaders and Associates Program. The group he led to settle the area consisted of his own family, that of his brother and those of his two sisters-in-law. London Oxford, a free black man also accompanied Philemon, though it is unclear whether London had a family or was alone. A group of 33 axe-men / labourers and 7 slaves also came with them. By 1806, as land was distributed, there were more than 20 partners occupying nearly 4,000 acres, including a French-speaking family, that of François Loizeau. By 1821, there were over 100 partners occupying more than 10,000 acres, including dozens of francophone families.
Rick pointed out that the successful agricultural community grew to include lumbering, quarrying. mills, smiths and all manner of infrastructure. By 1826, when plans were being formalized for the construction of the Rideau Canal, it was this developed infrastructure at Wrightstown that made the project possible. Had Wrightstown not been established and a success, Rick believes that it is doubtful the canal would have been built and without the canal there would have been no Bytown to become Ottawa.
Despite the significance of the event on local history, the City of Gatineau has no plans to mark this anniversary.
There is much more to learn about Philemon Wright and Wrightstown. Please check out Rick’s blog at: Capital Chronicles
Following Rick Henderson’s well-received presentation, we were pleased to welcome Dr. Andrea McCrady, who spoke to us on the history of the Peace Tower Carillon and the five individuals who have served as the Dominion Carillonneur since 1927.
Dr. McCrady started playing the carillon in 1971 at Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut. She then studied at carillon schools in the Netherlands, Belgium, and France. While studying music at McGill, she played the carillon at St. Joseph’s Oratory then in Toronto at the carillon at the University of Toronto and the Canadian National Exhibition. From 1990 to 2008, she coordinated the carillon program at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist in Spokane, Washington, where she also practiced family medicine. In 2008, Andrea received her Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Denver, retired from her family medicine practice and accepted the position of Dominion Carillonneur, there being no qualified Canadian to fill the position. Andrea became a Canadian citizen on July 1st 2017.
Andrea told us a bit about the carillon. The carillon is a musical instrument comprising at least 23 bronze bells, (a chime consisting of 8 – 22 bells). It is manually played through a keyboard with both keys and pedals. The bells are stationary, their clappers being generally of iron and hung to one side within the bell. The bells are tuned when cast and never need retuning unless damaged. Every carillon is unique, as the tower in which it is housed serves as its sound box, giving each a distinct voice.
Andrea explained that when the original Centre Block was destroyed by fire in 1916, it was planned to replace the single bell in the Victoria Tower with a set of 4 bells so it could mimic the Westminster chime. Senator George Bradbury of Manitoba proposed that a carillon be installed in the new Peace Tower as a more fitting tribute to the Canadians who had fallen during the Great War. The Peace Tower carillon is composed of 53 bells, that were cast by Gillett & Johnston in Croydon, England between 1925 and 1927, and has a range of 4 ½ octaves. The largest bell, the Bordon, weighs 10,090 kg, while its clapper weighs 229kg. The tower was built around the largest bells, which have remained in-place through the current Centre Block restoration. The carillon was first played publicly on July 1st 1927, being featured on a nation-wide radio broadcast in celebration of Canada’s 60th anniversary.
Andrea went on to give us a brief history of her four predecessors.
Percival Price was the first Dominion Carillonneur, at age 26, from 1927 to 1939, having previously been the carillonneur at the Metropolitan Church in Toronto and the first carillonneur at the Rockefeller Carillon in New York. His musical program consisted mainly of classical works and folk songs. Over his life he is credited with over 1,000 compositions and arrangements. He was a composer, teacher, carillon architect, campanologist (a person who studies bells and the art of ringing them), author, professor, lecturer, historian and one of the founders of The Guild of Carillonneurs in North America (GCNA) in Ottawa in 1936.
Robert Donnell was the carillonneur of the Cutten Memorial Carillon at St. George’s Church in Guelph before becoming the assistant to Percival Price in1936 and Dominion Carillonneur in 1940. He served with the Royal Canadian Air Force from 1942 to 1945. His programs also consisted chiefly of classical works and folk songs. He was forcibly retired in 1975 having reached the mandatory retirement age of 65. He produced over 2,000 arrangements during his lifetime, but requested that his family burn these upon his death, to which they complied.
Émilien Allard played in the Royal Canadian Air Force’s Central Band as a clarinetist from 1942 to 1945. Following the war, after additional studies and work, in 1955 he was appointed carillonneur at St. Joseph’s Oratory in Montréal and won the International Carillonneurs’ Prize in Mechelen in 1958. He became the Dominion Carillonneur in 1975, introducing French Canadian folk songs to the repertoire along with more complex works featuring the innovative use of unusual scales and rhythmic patterns. He composed 50 works for carillon, made more than 700 transcriptions, and wrote works for chamber ensembles and symphony orchestras. He died in 1976.
Gordon Slater learned to play the carillon at age seven. He had finished second in the competition that led to the appointment of Émilien Allard, so was appointed Dominion Carillonneur upon the death of his predecessor, beginning the role in 1977. Never a composer himself, he is a brilliant improvisational performer who broadened the scope of the materials played. He retired as Dominion Carillonneur in 2008 but continues to perform.
Andrea explained that apart from playing the carillon, she is actively teaching it. This initially involved a group of students from the University of Ottawa, but in 2011 she joined the Carleton University Associate Performance Faculty where she leads the Carillon Studies program. Carleton University now offers a Certificate in Carillon Studies, the only Canadian university to do so.
Andrea shared many clips of recordings during her fabulous presentation, ranging from the formal and somber Last Post to the energetic and always entertaining theme from Star Wars. She has also shared the following links with us:
- Carillon - History, Art and Architecture - Parliament of Canada
- Carillon - Histoire, art et architecture - Parlement du Canada
Though the carillon has been quiet now for the past three years, there are many recordings that can be enjoyed online and it is hoped that the Dominion Carillon will be performing again by July 1st 2027 to celebrate its 100th anniversary.
