New Brunswick Branch - for United Empire Loyalists

Page 20 of 33
1994 Fall
O
n April 14, 1994 a joint meeting with the New Brunswick Historical Society was held at Stone
Church Hall. Guest speaker of the evening was Dr. Sheila Andrew, professor at St. Thomas University
in Fredericton. Her address was titled: "Courage and Constraints: New Brunswick Loyalist Women".
She dealt most evocatively with her subject, referring to the written diaries of Loyalist women; these,
together with other documented stories recorded their courage and resourcefulness during those early
days of settlement in New Brunswick.
May 18, 1994 was the two hundred and eleventh anniversary of the landing of the Loyalists in Saint John.
Typical of the season, the day was cool and windy; however, all went according to plan.
The Flag-raising took place at Loyalist Plaza (Market Square) with Wallace MacMurray, President of the
N.B. Branch, the Hon. Jane Barry, MLA, and Mayor Tom Higgins officiating. There followed the Coffee
Party at "Loyalist House". And at noon, atop Fort Howe, the 21 gun salute was fired by the Third Field
Regiment. President Wallace MacMurray, and Mayor Tom Higgins reviewed the regiment.
That evening, the Loyalist Day Banquet was held at the Union Club. Guest speaker was Mr. Robert
Nason (formerly with Historical Resources, Fredericton, NB). Mr. Nason gave a history of the "Penobscot
Loyalists," who eventually became the founders of St. Andrews, New Brunswick.
President Wallace MacMurray's address at the flag-raising ceremony was thought -provoking. He referred
to the fact that, by the end of the Revolutionary War (1775-1783), there were 57,000 British Regulars,
30,000 German Mercenaries, and approximately 70 Loyalist Regiments, totalling a considerable number
for the times. He went on to relate, how in the spring of 1783, upwards of 20 ships assembled off Long
Island, New York. On April 26, they set sail for the mouth of the St. John River. They ar rived on May
11, and lay at anchor off Partridge Island (at the entrance to Saint John Harbour). Most passengers remained
on ships until settlement sites were found. The final disembarkation of the Spring Fleet took place
on May 18. Two years later, on May 18, 1785, Saint John was declared, by Royal Charter, the first
incorporated city in Canada.
President Wallace MacMurray concluded with the words: "Respect for their loyalty, determination and
duty is due the Loyalists, our founding ancestors."
1992 Fall
D
Dr. F.M. Bourne
ied, July 11th, 1992, a three-time Olympian, at the Saint John Regional Hospital. Dr. Frederick
Munroe Bourne of Rothesay was 82. He was born in Victoria, BC.; received a BA in English and
political science. While editor of the McGill (University) Daily, he captained their track, swimming and
water polo teams and won two university championships in the mile.
But it was in swimming that Bourne represented Canada internationally, participating in the British
Empire Games and three Olympic Games. At the Amsterdam Games in 1928, he won a bronze medal in
the relay. He was the oldest Olympian to carry the torch at the 1988 Winter Olympics at Calgary.
Bourne's post-graduate medical training was in Montreal. During the World War II, he joined No. 14
Canadian General Hospital where he met nurse .Margaret Fairweather; married in England in 1943. He
went overseas in 1941.