In the early days of the Royal City, fall meant that citizens of the city were strongly focused on the farmers of the Fraser Valley and the delta. The year's harvested crops were vitally important to the community as fruit and vegetables were carefully gathered, prepared and put away for the coming winter. Today we recognize the symbols of autumn but no longer feel the same degree of urgency.
The autumn months saw many special market events and a fall fair at which shoppers could stock up on necessary fresh supplies and see the agricultural goods that would be available later in the year and throughout winter.
The giving of thanks for the harvest, "Thanksgiving," was a time for family and friends to take note of their good fortune and prepare for the harsher months to come. The season was important to all, whether it was celebrated with a dinner, a personal thought or two, or a religious service.
And then there was Halloween. This long-celebrated date was a hallmark of fall in New Westminster. An ongoing collaborative research project has created a wonderful large file of Halloween stories from this city.
There are tales of parties, dances, and concerts; stories of special foods and treats; colourful descriptions of decorations and festivities; and other accounts of tricks not treats, nasty shenanigans, and truly dangerous deeds.
One account of an event from 1901 included a description of the hall that "had been nicely decorated with bunting, ferns, and Chinese lanterns...pumpkin lanterns adorned the platform." One of the pumpkin lanterns, it was noted, bore the inscription "goo goo eyes."
Another Halloween event announcement from 1903 ensured that those who attended were clear about the time of year. "From the start patrons were reminded of the season for they were escorted to their seats by ushers attired as ghosts." Doughnuts seem to have been a favourite treat at Halloween, and at this social "the doughnuts were handed around on a broomstick by a witch."
In 1921 the mayor commented in the papers about being careful while having fun and not carrying out any damaging actions and issued "an appeal to boys and girls for a safe and sane Halloween."
The war years brought many changes with shortages, security rules and strict limits on sweets and firecrackers, and "a tour (in 1944) of the City's Chinatown failed to reveal a single cracker."
And those who decry the fact that Christmas arrives too soon after Halloween and that such a thing never happened in their youth should note that in 1957 Santa was to arrive at the "Woodward's Wonderful Toyland" on Nov. 2.
For more of autumn, the agricultural fall fair and especially Halloween, come along to a presentation on these themes at the New Westminster Historical Society, Wednesday, Oct. 16, starting at 7:30 p.m. in the New Westminster Public Library auditorium.
