New Brunswick Branch - for United Empire Loyalists

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Our annual Loyalist Day celebrations went off well, with a church parade of our members in Loyalist
costume to Trinity Church on May 13th. On the 18th there was a flag raising ceremony in front of City
Hall, the laying of geraniums, our city flower, at the Loyalist Rock, a 21 gun salute from Fort Howe, and
a reception at Loyalist House where Lt. Governor. Marilyn Trenholm Counsell presented prizes to the
winners of our Loyalist poster contest for school children. In addition to the Lt. Governor, our local
Member of Parliament and our Mayor took part in the ceremonies. In the evening we had a delightful
banquet at the Union Club, where Mrs. M.A. MacDonald, local historian and author, informed us of the
relationship between the Loyalists and the pre-Loyalists and of their lasting contribution to Canadian
society.
Annual outreach activities included:
1. a presentation of a History Prize to a student of the University of New Brunswick in Saint John at
their Fall Convocation,
2. a donation of money for Loyalist books and a video to the Children's Department of the Saint John
Free Public Library,
3. subscriptions to the Loyalist Gazette given to five local libraries including the university, and
4. Branch brochures distributed to tourist outlets around Saint John.
A bake sale was held in one of the local shopping malls where brochures and surplus Gazettes were given
to interested customers, and used Gazettes were distributed to waiting rooms in hospitals and doctors'
offices.
By Frances Morrisey UE,
2002 Spring
O
ur Christmas potluck dinner and bring-and-buy auction was an entertaining and profitable way to
augment our funds. The hall at St. John's (Stone) Church was attractively decorated by Elizabeth
Prescott and her team. After the delicious dinner, Christmas carols were sung under the direction of Janice
Willis, accompanied on the piano by her husband, Ray. Wally MacMurray was our entertaining
auctioneer and the members and guests acquired many useful items, including pine boughs for decorating
our homes, donated by Laurence Dickson and Kathryn Bradshaw.
At a recent meeting of the Saint John Common Council, our president, George Teed presented a Loyalist
Flag, to be displayed in the Mayor's Reception Room. A workshop on the Loyalist Burial Project
was held at our November meeting and several members submitted reports on their Loyalist ancestors to
Myrna Fox, coordinator of the project. As a result of a radio announcement promoting the event, Myrna
was interviewed on our local CBC radio station. Harold Wright, a local historian, gave an interesting talk
on the preLoyalist Quinton family at our October meeting.
We have been saddened by the deaths of two of our members and one former member. Dr. Clifford
Skinner LLD, who passed away 24 June 2001, made a significant contribution to the advancement of the
black people in Saint John. Mrs. Mae Fawcett UE, Branch President (1986-89), who passed away 7 Oct.
2001 and Mr. John Robinson UE, Branch President (1985-86) are remembered for the work they did for
our Branch.
We welcomed eight new associate members and presented twelve certificates to ten associate members.
By Frances Morrisey UE