Harry Stemp was born in Uxbridge in 1934. He started his career with the Uxbridge Times-Journal as an apprentice typesetter at age 14. He soon began writing sports for the Times-Journal and eventually owned 10 community newspapers in central Ontario including the Times-Journal. He started writing his award-winning Stemp’s Stew in 1965. The column came to an end shortly after he sold his newspaper chain in 1989, but was rejuvenated in 2006 when Harry became a regular contributor to The Cosmos.
Stars of the Town
The other day I was chatting with a friend who attended Uxbridge High School the same years as I did. Always fun reminiscing about fellow students. Where are they today? What are they doing? And sadly, chatting about some who have since died.
It was during this conversation that I mentioned a wonderful DVD in the Uxbridge Library entitled Stars Of The Town made by a small-time filmmaker who produced 85 films depicting towns and villages throughout southern Ontario.
The filmmaker was not a professional but rather Roy Massecar, a Baptist divinity student and a native of Waterford, Ontario who produced the films to underwrite partially his studies at McMaster's divinity school in Hamilton, Ontario. And later to supplement his income during his first years as an impoverished minister of small congregations.
Although Massecar thoroughly enjoyed traveling Ontario and making these films, they would not prove to be the financial bonanza that he envisioned. Admission was 45c for adults and 25c for children, and attendance was often around 200 people. By the time he travelled to the town for filming, added the cost of the film and processing, then advertising the event and renting a hall, it was unlikely he even met his costs.
The films were devoid of plot. Rather they concentrated heavily on filming people and faces, but the films also depict many street scenes and local businesses.
A couple of years after graduation, Massecar moved to the U.S. and put the films into storage. Following his death his widow donated the films to the University of Western Ontario in London, Ontario. Staff in the Archives Department of the University realized their historical value and have restored the footage, some of which was brittle and damaged, and produced the series under the title Stars Of The Town.
Former Uxbridge High student Beth Cornell (nee MacDonald) worked in the library, and noticed that one of the reels dealt with life in Uxbridge. Beth obtained a few copies for family and friends, and donated one to the Uxbridge Library.
It was a pleasant surprise when Beth and husband Craig sent me a copy. I have watched it several times and it was great fun to see many scenes of Uxbridge as it was in the late forties. And it brought back fond memories for someone like me who was only 13 when the film was made.
At the time of the filming the student body at Uxbridge High School was around 150. At the request of Massecar all students were lined up along the south side of the school shoulder to shoulder. I don't recall the event, but it is obvious from the footage that Massecar moved his camera along and took head shots of every student. What fun to see my face along with the faces of all my fellow students, many who have moved away from Uxbridge and, sadly, many who are no longer with us.
Then the female students went inside and dressed in their blue gymnastic bloomers. Covered a lot of the body, but in those days us guys thought they were pretty sexy.
The gals then went through a series of gymnastic moves on the south lawn. The moves were well planned and their performance adds to the fun of the film.
Then Massecar travelled throughout the town and filmed many of the Uxbridge businessmen walking along the street as well as the front of their businesses. Also workers mixing cement on the sidewalk in front of what would eventually be known as the Roxy Theatre. It is a fun trip through Uxbridge as it was in the late 40's, and I want to thank Beth and Craig for thinking of me.
The DVD is available at the Uxbridge Library, or you can purchase a copy for $15 plus $3 shipping by calling the Archives at 519-661-4046 or e-mail archives.services@uwo.ca
For those who have moved to Uxbridge from another small community in Ontario and would like more information on communities available go to: http://www.lib.uwo.-ca/archives/stars%20of%20the%20town/
It is fun and interesting to view the Uxbridge film and local history buffs should be grateful to Rev. Roy Massecar for producing these films, to his family for saving them, and to the University of Western Ontario Archives for making them available to anyone wishing to purchase a copy.
And a special thank you to Beth and Craig who have lived in London for many years but, down deep, still call Uxbridge home.
