Juliana came to Fredericton in June 1867 with her husband,
Alexander Ewing, who was attached to the Pay Department of the
22nd Regiment. Though they stayed in New Brunswick for only two
years, the Ewings, particularly Juliana, are well remembered here.
Juliana, daughter of children’s author, Margaret Gatty and the
Rev. Alfred Gatty, Vicar of Ecclesfield, also wrote children’s stories
and painted. Determined to maintain strong ties with her family, Juliana’s many letters home contained detailed accounts and
often water colour sketches of her life in colonial New Brunswick.
Many of these letters have been published and indicate that the
Medleys (Bishop John and his wife, Margaret) befriended Juliana
and Alexander, who sang in the Cathedral choir and often played
the Cathedral organ.
Juliana’s letters home often told of drives in the country with
the Medleys to visit or consecrate churches, trips on which she
always sketched. Through the Medley connection, Juliana’s circle
of friends included other clergy families. One of these friends, the
Rev. Theodore Dowling (Parish of Douglas) told her that Anglicans in nearby Magaguadavic, in the Parish of Prince William
where the Rev. E. A. W. Hannington was rector, were building a
church (All Saints) and that they needed assistance, including
communion vessels. When Juliana relayed this to her mother, the
Ecclesfield Regiment of the Children’s Mission Army sent out the
communion plate.
Modelled on the mission armies in the United States, the first
Regiment of the English Children’s Mission Army was established
in Ecclesfield circa June 1868 by Mrs. Margaret Gatty – immediately following sermons encouraging its formation.
On March 1, 1869, the Mission Life printed this report: From
Ecclesfield we hear that the sum of £5 12s, out of monies
subscribed by the Young Crusaders, has been expended in the purchase of a set of Communion plate (electroplate) for the
use of a small Mission Church in a wild part of New Brunswick,
North America. The church has been raised by the manual labour
of those who are to form its congregation; but although they could
hew wood and join them to stone, a decent Communion service
was not obtainable except by purchase. This want, therefore, the
Ecclesfield Young Crusaders are supplying, their interest in the
case having been called for by letter from the married daughter of their Vicar, now resident at Fredericton. A meeting, at which
tea and cake will be provided for the children by the liberality of
friends and neighbours, is to take place, and herself [Mrs. Gatty]
and the little soldiers are to have the pleasure of looking at their
beautiful gift before it is packed up for its far off destination.
Juliana later reported to her mother [March 1, 1869 letter] how
pleased the rector was because Bishop Medley gave an altar
(butternut wood), Mrs. Medley the coloured cloth, Mr. Pearson
(assistant at the Cathedral), the font, Ecclesfield the communion
plate and the military may give linen cloth. Juliana concludes “It
seems odd but I believe that interest you and yours have taken .....
will do more to rouse their neighbours to help them than if the
Bishop had pounded away for a year.”
On August 24, Juliana happily told her mother of the arrival of
the Communion plate.
“It is splendidly solid and fine and the guilding of the chalices
is beautiful. How charmed the people will be! And we are all so
glad it has arrived in time for the Consecration. The alms dish is
called a Paten! And two plates are also enumerated. Paten is the
old word for the plate or plates on which the bread is put. And as
there are two cups or chalices — I suppose the two small dishes
are the plates or patens. The other — like all the big dishes in communion sets — is to receive the alms when they are brought by
collection to the minister.”
Juliana described the new church as a “very pretty church built
of wood, rather than logs. It is roofed and is to be consecrated in
September.” It was consecrated as All Saints Church on September
8, 1869 by Bishop John Medley.
Sources:
by Elizabeth S. Tucker)(1896)
1869 (Edited by Margaret Howard Blom and Howard Blom) (1980)
The Archives Corner is prepared by Twila Buttimer (twila.buttimer@gnb.ca or 506-453-4306) and Frank Morehouse (frankm@nbnet.
nb.ca or 506-459-3637). They welcome your comments or suggestions.
