Subserie -2 - Orphans' Festival

• Documento textual

8 cm of textual records
1 scrapbook ; 37 x 30 cm

This sub-series consists of various records dealing with the annual Orphans’ Festival. This festival began in 1853 in the Mechanics’ Hall. In later years, it moved into the Grand Opera building. The festival continued for 103 years, finishing in 1956. The orphaned and fostered children performed theatrical and musical numbers for the Hamilton community in order to help raise funds. The yearly festivals were successful, bringing in considerable amounts of money. There are two souvenir booklets from 1919 and 1920 which provide a detailed history of St. Mary’s Orphanage, as well as a list of festival sponsors. Articles about the Orphans’ Festival appear in the 1925 and 1926 issues of Catholic Magazine. These articles detail the importance of the festival. In the January 1926 issue, author F.E. Regan urged community members to attend and support the efforts of the Sisters. Addresses given at the festival also comprise this sub-series. These speeches show the spirit of the festivals and how popular and important they were both to the Sisters and to the Hamilton community. Ledgers of ticket sales provide a list of attendees, as well as how much they contributed to the event. Itinerary and sponsor information appears in the programmes. Receipts and invoices further show participating individuals and businesses, as well as their donations. Several festival advertisements and tickets also make up this sub-series. Newspaper clippings, photographs, and programmes are present in a large scrapbook.