The Canadian Curler's Manual: Or, an account of curling, as practised in Canada: with remarks on the history of the gameBicket, James
History
The Canadian Curler's Manual: Or, an account of curling, as practised in Canada: with remarks on the history of the game
Bicket, James
Curling -- Canada -- Handbooks, manuals, etc; Curling -- Canada -- History -- 19th century; Curling -- History
On 20th January, 1838, the parish of Lesmahagow, in Lanarkshire, met the
neighboring club of Avondale, on a sheet of ice, near Strathaven. Each
club consisted of twenty-one rinks of eight players, making the number
of players on each side one hundred and sixty-eight, so that three
hundred and thirty-six Curlers were engaged in the match. Such a
bonspiel as this may not take place every season, but this instance,
which is referred to, as being of recent occurrence, is sufficient to
shew the interest which in such districts is taken in the game, and,
also, the excellence of the organization which could bring so many
players together on a notice so short as that which can be given, where
the continuance of hard frost cannot be depended on.
It is now about twenty years since Curling was introduced to Canada, and
since that time the game has been regularly played at Quebec and
Montreal. The Clubs of those Cities, in imitation of their friends on
the other side of the Atlantic, have occasional contests with each
other. The match which they last had, came off in March of the present
year, and was played at both places on the same day--one-half of the
players from each City having proceeded to the other--so that the result
of the joint game could not be known at either place, until the parties
had time to communicate. A few years ago, the Bonspiel took place at
Three Rivers. The distance which, in those cases, the players had to
travel, sufficiently shows how warmly they are devoted to the game.
During the last winter, the officers stationed at some of the posts to
the south of Montreal, relieved the monotony of military duty, by
engaging in Curling. The game has been practised at Perth, in the
Bathurst District, although now fallen into disuse there. At Niagara, a
rink was formed four years ago, one gentleman having imported a
sufficient number of stones for their use, and great interest is now
taken in the sport. At Newmarket, about 30 miles to the north of
Toronto, there is a Curling Club, the minister, like many of his
brethren at home, being an active promoter of the game, and an exact and
skilful player. Curling is now also a favorite amusement at Dundas at
the head of Lake Ontario; at Guelph, in the new District of Wellington;
and at Fergus, in the township of Nicholl. There are also, many
first-rate players in Scarboro' who are always ready to measure their
strength, in numbers and skill, with those of Toronto, and both enjoy
the _certaminis gaudia_ in their annual bonspiel. They played at
Toronto, on 12th February last, with twenty-four players aside, when
their Excellencies the Governor General and the Lieutenant Governor were
spectators of the game.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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