Dan Laroche, Manager of Fort George National Historic Site, was dressed in the full uniform of a Fort Major at historic Navy Hall, surrounded by War of 1812 artifacts last Friday.
His presentation, Wacky, Weird and Wonderful: When Artifacts Go Wild!, was the first of four fireside chat sessions at Navy Hall this February.
Laroche has worked at Fort George since 1988 and has been its manager and supervisor for over 20 years. His research on Fort George helped him co-author the new publication Fort George: A History.
Since 1765, several buildings, known collectively as Navy Hall, evolved into a large military complex. Lieutenant-Governor John Graves Simcoe converted one of the buildings into his residence in 1792.
The buildings were destroyed by American forces during the War of 1812, however, after the war, the British reconstructed some of the buildings, one of which still survives. Laroche explained that the excavation for the current flagpole unearthed many artifacts from the officers’ quarters and mess (kitchen).
It was a costly endeavour to become an officer. All one had to do to join the Infantry was be able to read and write However, to become an officer, one needed the financial backing from family to the tune of £400 every year.
“Now to put that into context,” said Laroche, “the lowliest rank within the army,” a private, received a yearly salary of £18.” However, the deductions for that same job totalled nearly £95 a month.
“So the family is putting up pretty much four years of his gross salary for that Commission.”
Officers also had to purchase every item of their uniform, in both summer and winter weights, as well as their weapon.
“Mess fees vary from regimen to regimen, but I can guarantee you it's going to cost at least a couple of shillings per day, more than double what the soldiers make in their daily rate, which is a shilling a day.”
Most officers also employed servants, said Laroche, and even though the army subsidized servant pay, it still cut deeply into their yearly wage.
Some of the artifacts displayed on long tables in Navy Hall were brought over from England with officers’ belongings.
A late 18th century/early 19th century shaving bowl, with a large indent in the side, was designed to fit under the officer’s chin, and was probably the most expensive item in the room, said Laroche. A cruet stand and a cellarette were close seconds.
The cruet stand held oils, vinegars and sauces and the cellarette, a small box with original geometric-shaped bottles, held spirits, which traditionally came from Europe. Sir Isaac Brock, for example, had a cache of madeira, a fortified wine from Portugal, and champagne from France.
The oldest artifact was an illustrated print with lyrics to How Stands the Glass Around? (Why, Soldiers Why?), dated 1794.
A Wedgewood and Georgian silver spoon “would have come over with an officer’s personal belongings,” said Laroche.
Fort George is hosting three more fireside chats, including First Nations and The Battle of Queenston Heights, Friday, Feb. 14. Tim Johnson and Jim Hill will explore this pivotal event from different perspectives and outline the actions, experiences, and recollections of First Nations and the British army during this excruciating battle when the fate and future of these lands and waters hung in the balance.
On Friday, Feb. 21. Peter Martin and Chris McKay will showcase and discuss uniforms from the War of 1812. They will be spotlighting some of the more unique uniforms that appeared both on and off the battlefield. This event is titled Marching Off the Beaten Path: Lesser-known Uniforms of the War of 1812.
Music Across the Garrison is presented by Peter Alexander and Gavin Watt on Friday, Feb. 28. They will showcase live music that filled the daily activities at Fort George, from the lowliest private to the Officers that staffed the headquarters.
Tickets are $15.75 per event. All events begin at 11:00 a.m. Tickets are limited and can be purchased at the Friends of Fort George Online at this link. And yes, the fire will be stoked in Navy Hall’s fireplace.