Peterborough Sports Hall of Fame asks MCHS to Help Trace the Origin of a Jersey in Their Collection

Pictured is a Lacrosse Jersey from the Peterborough Sports Hall of Fame dating from July, 1881 from a Millbrook Lacrosse team of the year which included two players bearing the name of Gautt.

The Millbrook and Cavan Historical Society provides support and research help to those looking for their ancestors in this area or have questions about local history.

Notably this year, we searched our holdings to provide materials for the celebration of the 150th anniversary of St. John’s Church at Ida, and helped the Peterborough Sports Hall of Fame solve the mystery of a jersey in their collection.  Below is the story behind the Sports Hall of Fame jersey.

According to the account given in Mary Sloane Eakins’ Brief History of Cavan Township and Millbrook Village (printed in 1937), the Millbrook Lacrosse team was well known in early days.

As part of the celebration of the first Dominion Day in 1867, the home team won against Cornwall’s Caughnawaughna team.  The ladies of Millbrook presented each member of the Millbrook team with a silk flag worked in beads featuring the words “Presented to the Boys by the ladies of Millbrook”.

Eakins also cites another game played in Millbrook against Brantford’s Ojibway team, which counted among its members the father of poet and performer Pauline Johnson. The Millbrook champion Lacrosse team of 1875 was composed of the following players: Samuel Hughes (the late General Sir Samuel Hughes). Arthur McBain, Thomas Marshall, Albert Ball, John Dawson, Albert Hetherington, George Knowlson, J. B. Smith, John Beatty, George Armstrong, William Scott, George McCartney, R. H. Kells, Harry Mason, John Deyell.

On July 1, 1881, Millbrook defeated the Victorias of Toronto.  The home players were: Harry Richards, Wm. Breakey, Albert Ball, Johnston Brandon, Wm. Gautt, George Duncan, Robert McMahon, Albert Duncan, Wm. McBean, John Coombe, Frank Walsh, Robert Gautt, Richard Kells and Wm. Raper.

In July 1887, the Plum Creek (Souris) Lacrosse team won the championship of Manitoba from the Winnipeg team. Eight members of the Plum Creek team were boys from Millbrook: Harry Smith, Wm. Foster, Henry Hunter, Sidney Smith, Wesley Sloan, Sidney Sloan, Fred Deyell, R. Hetherington.

“Millbrook has been a Lacrosse town for over sixty years. In 1929 Mr. Harold Nattress manager of the present Lacrosse team, with the assistance of Mr. Alfred Gautt of Toronto a former Millbrook boy in 1860, and enthusiastic Lacrosse player, organized the present team.  Mr. Gautt assisted greatly in a material way by donating two dozen lacrosse sticks, a set of nets and fifteen sweaters for the players. First year Millbrook played home and home games with Peterborough, Port Hope and Cobourg, and since then playing in the Inter-County League. Teams all registered under the Ontario Amateur Lacrosse Association.” –  from Brief History of Cavan Township and Millbrook Village from the year 1816 to 1937.

By Celia Hunter

 

 

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