Cenotaphs in Acton, Georgetown and Glen Williams have honoured war heroes for decades.
Georgetown
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Acton
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Glen Williams
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Since the end of the First World War, memorials have been installed in communities across Canada, acting as a way to honour and remember the lives of those who served, and the cenotaphs in Halton Hills are no exception.
Within present-day Halton Hills, there are three cenotaphs situated in the communities of Acton, Georgetown and Glen Williams, serving as a focal gathering point for Remembrance Day ceremonies.
By definition, a cenotaph is an empty grave, tomb or a monument erected in honour of a person or group of people whose remains are elsewhere or have been lost to war.
Beginning in 1919, following the end of the First World War, a war memorial movement began across the nation as towns and villages were looking for a way to honour those who served and died.
As early as February 1919, committees were formed in Acton and Georgetown to explore potential cenotaph designs and locations, along with the creation of campaigns to raise necessary funds.
In the village of Acton, after extensive discussion and even disagreements, a design and central location for the cenotaph was eventually selected and agreed upon, with land being donated by the Methodist Church on Mill Street.
The location was ideal, at the time, as it was across from the Acton Soldiers' Home that once was located at 55 Mill St. E. Prior to the large monument, a small stone was installed on the lawn of the Soldiers’ Home and was relocated to Fairview Cemetery in 1923.
Installation of the cenotaph got underway in September 1920 and was unveiled for Armistice Day on November 11. Atop the gray Stanstead granite cenotaph is a carved maple leaf adorned with a wreath made from a copper and bronze alloy sourced from Timmins.
The cenotaph in Georgetown took a bit longer to come to fruition, with completion and unveiling taking place in August 1924. The design of the Georgetown memorial is intricate in detail, featuring a large statue of the Imperial Lion of Britain and winged Britannia Victoria. The statue was cast in England.
Unlike the memorial in Acton, the one in Georgetown was moved a handful of times, originally situated at the corner of Guelph and Main streets, before being relocated to its present location in Remembrance Park at James and Charles streets in 2000.
Both war memorials would receive updates and expansions to honour the fallen soldiers of the Second World War and the Korean War.
When it comes to the hamlet of Glen Williams, a desire to erect a memorial dated back to the end of the Second World War, but it would be another three decades before one was physically installed.
In 1971, local stonemason Gerald Inglis hand-carved the monument from freestone sourced from the Inglis farm on the Tenth Line and was erected along the banks of the Credit River on Main Street. The memorial has three sides, with each side having an inscription recognizing all three wars.
Restoration work was carried out in 2010 by local stonemasons Gerry and Ryan Inglis, which saw the reinstallation of a stone cross. The cross, weighing approximately 200 pounds, was hand-cut by the duo from freestone at the nearby Inglis farm.
To this day, the cenotaphs in Halton Hills continue to serve as a tribute to the sacrifices made by Canadians during armed conflict, peace support operations and military training.
Article written by Scott Brooks, with information from the Dills Collection/Veterans Affairs Canada/EHS/HHPL.
Within present-day Halton Hills, there are three cenotaphs situated in the communities of Acton, Georgetown and Glen Williams, serving as a focal gathering point for Remembrance Day ceremonies.
By definition, a cenotaph is an empty grave, tomb or a monument erected in honour of a person or group of people whose remains are elsewhere or have been lost to war.
Beginning in 1919, following the end of the First World War, a war memorial movement began across the nation as towns and villages were looking for a way to honour those who served and died.
As early as February 1919, committees were formed in Acton and Georgetown to explore potential cenotaph designs and locations, along with the creation of campaigns to raise necessary funds.
In the village of Acton, after extensive discussion and even disagreements, a design and central location for the cenotaph was eventually selected and agreed upon, with land being donated by the Methodist Church on Mill Street.
The location was ideal, at the time, as it was across from the Acton Soldiers' Home that once was located at 55 Mill St. E. Prior to the large monument, a small stone was installed on the lawn of the Soldiers’ Home and was relocated to Fairview Cemetery in 1923.
Installation of the cenotaph got underway in September 1920 and was unveiled for Armistice Day on November 11. Atop the gray Stanstead granite cenotaph is a carved maple leaf adorned with a wreath made from a copper and bronze alloy sourced from Timmins.
The cenotaph in Georgetown took a bit longer to come to fruition, with completion and unveiling taking place in August 1924. The design of the Georgetown memorial is intricate in detail, featuring a large statue of the Imperial Lion of Britain and winged Britannia Victoria. The statue was cast in England.
Unlike the memorial in Acton, the one in Georgetown was moved a handful of times, originally situated at the corner of Guelph and Main streets, before being relocated to its present location in Remembrance Park at James and Charles streets in 2000.
Both war memorials would receive updates and expansions to honour the fallen soldiers of the Second World War and the Korean War.
When it comes to the hamlet of Glen Williams, a desire to erect a memorial dated back to the end of the Second World War, but it would be another three decades before one was physically installed.
In 1971, local stonemason Gerald Inglis hand-carved the monument from freestone sourced from the Inglis farm on the Tenth Line and was erected along the banks of the Credit River on Main Street. The memorial has three sides, with each side having an inscription recognizing all three wars.
Restoration work was carried out in 2010 by local stonemasons Gerry and Ryan Inglis, which saw the reinstallation of a stone cross. The cross, weighing approximately 200 pounds, was hand-cut by the duo from freestone at the nearby Inglis farm.
To this day, the cenotaphs in Halton Hills continue to serve as a tribute to the sacrifices made by Canadians during armed conflict, peace support operations and military training.
Article written by Scott Brooks, with information from the Dills Collection/Veterans Affairs Canada/EHS/HHPL.