Chatham, New Brunswick
Encyclopedia
Chatham is a Canadian
urban neighbourhood in the city of Miramichi, New Brunswick
.
Prior to municipal amalgamation in 1995, Chatham was an incorporated town in Northumberland County
along the south bank of the Miramichi River
opposite Douglastown
. Since amalgamation, it has been sometimes referred to as Miramichi East.
, where the Miramichi River gradually becomes Miramichi Bay
. Because of its eastward facing location, ships coming from the British Isles in early times had easy access through the Strait of Belle Isle and across the Gulf of St. Lawrence. It was more accessible and safer to get to than the ports of Quebec City
or Saint John, New Brunswick
.
In colonial times
, the surrounding lands were heavily forested; the stands of eastern white pine
were especially valued for ships' masts. The River teemed with fish, Atlantic salmon
the most prized. Abundant game roamed the forests, and berries were a valuable food supplement.
Scottish
immigrants to the area found it familiar. The rocks in the Miramichi are similar to those of Scotland, being a part of the same formation before continental drift
separated them. Seabirds and fish are often the same or similar. The Atlantic salmon, the herring gull and the common tern were found in both areas. The Scots had the technology and know how to lumber, fish, farm and build ships in such an area. The Irish
immigrants did not bring the same skills, as their forests had long been cut down and they did not have such a well-developed fishing industry. They picked up skills from their neighbours. As urban English immigrants did not have these skills, and farmers were used to a more moderate climate, they tended to settle elsewhere.
At Chatham, the river banks are low but not subject to flooding, and are thus well suited as a location for wharves. With a deep channel close to the shore, the largest ships in colonial times could approach the wharves. Away from the shore, the land gradually rises several hundred feet. Rainfall is quite adequate. The soil, while sandy and a bit acid, supports potatoes, root crops and apple trees. All these circumstances made Chatham an ideal location for a lumbering and fishing centre.
) was shipwrecked in the Gulf of St Lawrence. Tradition holds that one of the ship's boats, named the "Chatham", washed up near the Miramichi River, giving rise to the town's name.
In 1800 Francis Peabody settled in the location that became Chatham. The Miramichi River is nearly a mile wide here. Its channel comes very close to the shore at this spot, so it was a natural place to build wharves. Logs from the large watershed of the river could easily be floated to this point for milling and export. The best salmon fisheries were nearby.
Other settlers followed, but growth was relatively slow throughout the early part of the 19th century. The first newspaper published in the North Shore
of New Brunswick was the Mercury, founded in Chatham in 1825. By 1834 the first bank opened. A stage coach left each Monday for Fredericton. The settlement attracted a group of aggressive entrepreneur
s, Scottish and English, such as Joseph Cunard
, William Muirhead
, Jabez Bunting Snowball
, and later, W.S. Loggie
. Gradually, the community became a centre for lumber mills, shipbuilding, and exporting fish and forest products to the British Isles
and, later on, to the United States
.
In its early days, Chatham resembled the Calgary of today far more than the contemporary quiet towns of the Maritimes
. It was bustling, energetic, growing and confident. Both Chatham and Calgary attracted the ambitious and able young Maritime lawyer Richard Bedford Bennett, later to be prime minister
of Canada. He was involved in politics in both places. In 1896 when Chatham held its first elections for Town Council, the young Bennett was elected by one vote. He was then employed with the law firm established by Lemuel Tweedie, a former Lieutenant-Governor of New Brunswick. Bennett's campaign manager was a 17-year-old "articling" student by the name of Max Aitken. Aitken grew up in Newcastle and would later become Lord Beaverbrook. He was appointed the Minister for Aircraft Production in Winston Churchill
's World War II
cabinet
.
By 1851, Chatham had 505 employed persons among the following occupations: 170 labourers, 74 servants, 60 shipwrights, 25 joiners, 20 cordwainers, 19 farmers, 16 clerks, 13 blacksmiths, 12 merchants, 10 tailors, 9 storekeepers, 7 sawyers, 7 teachers, 5 blockmakers, 4 sailmakers, 4 riggers, 4 stage drivers, 4 butchers, 4 printers, 3 clergymen, 1 sparmaker, 1 gunsmith, 1 surgeon and 1 constable.
A police force was started in 1858, telephones came to the town in 1880, and street lighting was installed in 1888.
In 1881, somewhat past the prime of sailing ships, the port of Chatham recorded the following annual traffic:
In 1881, the value of bank deposits was $133,118.
Chatham was incorporated as a town in 1896. A large wooden hotel, The Adams House operated from 1884 to the 1950s. The four-storey, brick Touraine Hotel was opened in 1908. It was destroyed by fire just after World War II
. The hotel was on a branch line of the Canadian National Railways, which brought tourists from Quebec.
, several sizeable hotels; a Catholic hospital (Hotel Dieu) and associated nursing home, also run by the Religious Hospitallers of St. Joseph; three secondary schools, a Catholic liberal arts college, the county poor house (the County Home), a race track, an indoor rink, a golf club, facilities for an agricultural exhibition, and several notable churches. The Anglican Church and Rectory were beautiful wood structures, but burned down in 1960.
The town was a service and shopping centre for the surrounding lands, especially the areas farther down the bay. Students boarded at the Catholic girls and boys schools, and the Catholic college in town. During the period, 1880 to 1960, the Catholic Church was a major employer in Chatham, being especially important after the mills began to close.
Until 1967 a ferry boat provided service across the Miramichi River at Chatham, except during the period of winter freeze up. When the Centennial Bridge
was opened, the ferry was no longer needed.
. This neoGothic structure was formerly a cathedral. Next to it, in the same style, is the former bishop's residence, now a convent
. From 1860 to 1938 Chatham was the centre of a large Catholic diocese
covering the northern part of New Brunswick. The Diocese of Chatham was moved to Bathurst, New Brunswick
, in 1938. Chatham is noted for the many priests and nuns it produced. The Bishop at the time was Bishop Chaisson. The local lore has it that the move took place in the middle of the night so that the local residents would not know.
Following the move of the See from Chatham to Bathurst, the Church was petitioned by local residents to be removed from the Diocese of Bathurst. They wanted to become part of the Diocese of Saint John, New Brunswick
. A circle around the Parish of Chatham still designates it as part of the Diocese of Saint John, not Bathurst.
A Catholic religious order, the Religious Hospitaliers of St. Joseph, established the Hotel Dieu and nursing home, as well as the large elementary/secondary school (St. Michael's Academy). While the nuns are still present as of 2005, their numbers have been much reduced. The Basilian Fathers operated a small liberal arts college, which was later taken over by the Diocese. It evolved into St. Thomas University
, now located in Fredericton
.
Ethnic backgrounds are Irish, Scottish, English, and French, with the latter gaining somewhat in recent years. Catholic Lebanese immigrants settled here, originally calling themselves Assyrian. Several Norwegian families also immigrated. A few retired military have settled there adding to the mix.
, but even then its main export was people. During the war, many young men from Chatham joined the 132nd Battalion of the North Shore Regiment. Many were killed or wounded at Vimy Ridge and on the Somme
. The postwar depression of 1919 hit the town, resulting in a major employer, the Snowball
sawmill, closing permanently. Young men and women moved to New England to seek work where many had relatives.
World War Two
saw the opening of RCAF Station Chatham, providing an economic stimulus for the town until its closure in 1996. RCAF Station Chatham was established as part of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan. After World War II, many different aircraft were deployed at Chatham. RCAF Station Chatham was the site where the Golden Hawks
Aerobatic Team was formed before it was moved. The Golden Hawks
were a pre-cursor to the current 431 Air Demonstration Squadron, known more widely as the "Snowbirds".
The primary purpose of the base was to train Navigators for flight crews serving in the European Theatre. During the 1960s and 1970s, the base, renamed CFB Chatham
in 1968, was an important staging ground for CF-101 Voodoo
fighter interceptors, which were under command of NORAD to interdict Soviet nuclear bombers that could have challenged Canadian airspace in Atlantic Canada. The Soviet bombers (predominately the "Bear") flew the circumpolar route from the Soviet Union to Cuba and enjoyed entering Canadian Airspace over Newfoundland to time the reaction of NORAD.
Chatham sent many sons to Europe during World War II as part of the North Shore Regiment. The North Shore Regiment joined the Royal Winnipeg Rifles and the North Nova Scotia Highlanders as the first wave of Canadian Troops to land during the invasion of Normandy
. They hit Juno Beach
as part of Operation Overlord
. Following the war, the North Shore Regiment was folded into the Royal New Brunswick Regiment (RNBR).
The postwar baby boom
of the 1950s enabled the town to reach a peak population of 8,600 in 1961. The loss of St. Thomas University
, which moved to Fredericton in 1964 adversely affected the town in combination with other changes. The closure of CFB Chatham in 1996 further reduced local employment. The Nursing School run by the Religious Hospitaliers of St. Joseph closed soon after the move of St. Thomas University. The loss of these two educational institutions was both symbolic and contributed to Chatham's decline.
Over the years migrants from Chatham have moved to where the jobs were. In the mid to late nineteenth century, some left for lumbering opportunities in the United States in areas such as Maine
, Wisconsin
and Washington. Until the 1930s, the majority went to Boston as a center of business and industry. Few left during the Hungry Thirties
. Right after World War Two, Montreal
seemed to offer opportunities. It was superseded as an attraction by growth in Toronto
and other parts of Ontario
.
Fredericton and Moncton were also work destinations from the 1950s onwards, with Halifax
becoming more important after 1965. In recent years, Alberta
has attracted more Chatham residents.
In 1996, the provincial government imposed an amalgamation of all incorporated municipalities in the lower Miramichi River valley, creating the city of Miramichi
. Longtime residents regret the loss of the town's historic name and separate identity. In 1998, the federal government opened a Central Processing Site for the Canadian Firearms Program in Chatham. The office is dedicated to implementing the Firearms Act, and will maintain the records of all registered firearms in the country. The office employs several hundred civil servants and has helped to offset employment losses from the base closure. CFP celebrated the 10th anniversary of the opening of Central Processing Site in Miramichi, New Brunswick
in 2008.
Today, Chatham is known for its annual Irish Festival. It also has become something of a retirement community, offering good quality, affordable housing. The married quarters of the former military base have been converted to private housing.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
urban neighbourhood in the city of Miramichi, New Brunswick
New Brunswick
New Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
.
Prior to municipal amalgamation in 1995, Chatham was an incorporated town in Northumberland County
Northumberland County, New Brunswick
Northumberland County , having the largest area of any county in the province, is located in northeastern New Brunswick, Canada.-Geography:Northumberland County is covered by thick forests, whose products stimulate the economy...
along the south bank of the Miramichi River
Miramichi River
The Miramichi River is a Canadian river located in the east-central part of New Brunswick. The river drains into Miramichi Bay in the Gulf of St. Lawrence...
opposite Douglastown
Douglastown, New Brunswick
Douglastown is a Canadian suburban neighbourhood in the city of Miramichi, New Brunswick.Prior to municipal amalgamation on January 1, 1995, Douglastown was an incorporated village in Northumberland County....
. Since amalgamation, it has been sometimes referred to as Miramichi East.
Impact of geography on history
At Chatham, the Miramichi River is quite wide, the water salt and tidal. Just downstream from the town, the river begins to widen into a broad estuaryEstuary
An estuary is a partly enclosed coastal body of water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea....
, where the Miramichi River gradually becomes Miramichi Bay
Miramichi Bay
Miramichi Bay is an estuary located on the west coast of the Gulf of St. Lawrence in New Brunswick, at the mouth of the Miramichi River. Miramichi Bay is separated into the "inner bay" and the "outer bay", with the division being a line of uninhabited barrier islands which are continually reshaped...
. Because of its eastward facing location, ships coming from the British Isles in early times had easy access through the Strait of Belle Isle and across the Gulf of St. Lawrence. It was more accessible and safer to get to than the ports of Quebec City
Quebec City
Quebec , also Québec, Quebec City or Québec City is the capital of the Canadian province of Quebec and is located within the Capitale-Nationale region. It is the second most populous city in Quebec after Montreal, which is about to the southwest...
or Saint John, New Brunswick
Saint John, New Brunswick
City of Saint John , or commonly Saint John, is the largest city in the province of New Brunswick, and the first incorporated city in Canada. The city is situated along the north shore of the Bay of Fundy at the mouth of the Saint John River. In 2006 the city proper had a population of 74,043...
.
In colonial times
History of New Brunswick
New Brunswick , is one of the three Maritime provinces in Canada, and the only officially bilingual province in the country...
, the surrounding lands were heavily forested; the stands of eastern white pine
Eastern White Pine
Pinus strobus, commonly known as the eastern white pine, is a large pine native to eastern North America, occurring from Newfoundland west to Minnesota and southeastern Manitoba, and south along the Appalachian Mountains to the northern edge of Georgia.It is occasionally known as simply white pine,...
were especially valued for ships' masts. The River teemed with fish, Atlantic salmon
Atlantic salmon
The Atlantic salmon is a species of fish in the family Salmonidae, which is found in the northern Atlantic Ocean and in rivers that flow into the north Atlantic and the north Pacific....
the most prized. Abundant game roamed the forests, and berries were a valuable food supplement.
Scottish people
The Scottish people , or Scots, are a nation and ethnic group native to Scotland. Historically they emerged from an amalgamation of the Picts and Gaels, incorporating neighbouring Britons to the south as well as invading Germanic peoples such as the Anglo-Saxons and the Norse.In modern use,...
immigrants to the area found it familiar. The rocks in the Miramichi are similar to those of Scotland, being a part of the same formation before continental drift
Continental drift
Continental drift is the movement of the Earth's continents relative to each other. The hypothesis that continents 'drift' was first put forward by Abraham Ortelius in 1596 and was fully developed by Alfred Wegener in 1912...
separated them. Seabirds and fish are often the same or similar. The Atlantic salmon, the herring gull and the common tern were found in both areas. The Scots had the technology and know how to lumber, fish, farm and build ships in such an area. The Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
immigrants did not bring the same skills, as their forests had long been cut down and they did not have such a well-developed fishing industry. They picked up skills from their neighbours. As urban English immigrants did not have these skills, and farmers were used to a more moderate climate, they tended to settle elsewhere.
At Chatham, the river banks are low but not subject to flooding, and are thus well suited as a location for wharves. With a deep channel close to the shore, the largest ships in colonial times could approach the wharves. Away from the shore, the land gradually rises several hundred feet. Rainfall is quite adequate. The soil, while sandy and a bit acid, supports potatoes, root crops and apple trees. All these circumstances made Chatham an ideal location for a lumbering and fishing centre.
Early settlement
In 1765, the troop transport Pitt (reputedly named after William Pitt, 1st Earl of ChathamWilliam Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham
William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham PC was a British Whig statesman who led Britain during the Seven Years' War...
) was shipwrecked in the Gulf of St Lawrence. Tradition holds that one of the ship's boats, named the "Chatham", washed up near the Miramichi River, giving rise to the town's name.
In 1800 Francis Peabody settled in the location that became Chatham. The Miramichi River is nearly a mile wide here. Its channel comes very close to the shore at this spot, so it was a natural place to build wharves. Logs from the large watershed of the river could easily be floated to this point for milling and export. The best salmon fisheries were nearby.
Other settlers followed, but growth was relatively slow throughout the early part of the 19th century. The first newspaper published in the North Shore
North Shore, New Brunswick
The North Shore is a region in the northeastern part of the Canadian province of New Brunswick.Specifically, it refers to the province's northern shoreline which borders Chaleur Bay, a sub-basin of the Gulf of St. Lawrence as well as the estuary portion of the Restigouche River, including all...
of New Brunswick was the Mercury, founded in Chatham in 1825. By 1834 the first bank opened. A stage coach left each Monday for Fredericton. The settlement attracted a group of aggressive entrepreneur
Entrepreneur
An entrepreneur is an owner or manager of a business enterprise who makes money through risk and initiative.The term was originally a loanword from French and was first defined by the Irish-French economist Richard Cantillon. Entrepreneur in English is a term applied to a person who is willing to...
s, Scottish and English, such as Joseph Cunard
Joseph Cunard
Joseph Cunard was a merchant, shipbuilder and political figure in New Brunswick. He represented Northumberland County in the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick from 1828 to 1833....
, William Muirhead
William Muirhead (politician)
William Muirhead was a merchant, shipbuilder and political figure in New Brunswick, Canada. He served in the Legislative Council of New Brunswick from 1867 to 1873...
, Jabez Bunting Snowball
Jabez Bunting Snowball
Jabez Bunting Snowball was a businessman, the 11th Lieutenant Governor of New Brunswick, Canada, and politician from the Town of Chatham, New Brunswick...
, and later, W.S. Loggie
W.S. Loggie
William Stewart Loggie was a merchant and politician of the town of Chatham, New Brunswick, Canada.Born in Burnt Church, New Brunswick, Loggie, a dynamic man, built a small empire throughout the Miramichi River area. He bought fish directly from the fishermen, and packed and exported it...
. Gradually, the community became a centre for lumber mills, shipbuilding, and exporting fish and forest products to the British Isles
British Isles
The British Isles are a group of islands off the northwest coast of continental Europe that include the islands of Great Britain and Ireland and over six thousand smaller isles. There are two sovereign states located on the islands: the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and...
and, later on, to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Maritimes
The Maritime provinces, also called the Maritimes or the Canadian Maritimes, is a region of Eastern Canada consisting of three provinces, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island. On the Atlantic coast, the Maritimes are a subregion of Atlantic Canada, which also includes the...
. It was bustling, energetic, growing and confident. Both Chatham and Calgary attracted the ambitious and able young Maritime lawyer Richard Bedford Bennett, later to be prime minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
of Canada. He was involved in politics in both places. In 1896 when Chatham held its first elections for Town Council, the young Bennett was elected by one vote. He was then employed with the law firm established by Lemuel Tweedie, a former Lieutenant-Governor of New Brunswick. Bennett's campaign manager was a 17-year-old "articling" student by the name of Max Aitken. Aitken grew up in Newcastle and would later become Lord Beaverbrook. He was appointed the Minister for Aircraft Production in Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
's World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
cabinet
Cabinet of the United Kingdom
The Cabinet of the United Kingdom is the collective decision-making body of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom, composed of the Prime Minister and some 22 Cabinet Ministers, the most senior of the government ministers....
.
By 1851, Chatham had 505 employed persons among the following occupations: 170 labourers, 74 servants, 60 shipwrights, 25 joiners, 20 cordwainers, 19 farmers, 16 clerks, 13 blacksmiths, 12 merchants, 10 tailors, 9 storekeepers, 7 sawyers, 7 teachers, 5 blockmakers, 4 sailmakers, 4 riggers, 4 stage drivers, 4 butchers, 4 printers, 3 clergymen, 1 sparmaker, 1 gunsmith, 1 surgeon and 1 constable.
A police force was started in 1858, telephones came to the town in 1880, and street lighting was installed in 1888.
In 1881, somewhat past the prime of sailing ships, the port of Chatham recorded the following annual traffic:
- 177 overseas vessels entered- 80,558 tons exported; 11,344 imported:
- 302 coastal vessels entered-- 98,023 tons exported (value $ 797,179).
In 1881, the value of bank deposits was $133,118.
Chatham was incorporated as a town in 1896. A large wooden hotel, The Adams House operated from 1884 to the 1950s. The four-storey, brick Touraine Hotel was opened in 1908. It was destroyed by fire just after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The hotel was on a branch line of the Canadian National Railways, which brought tourists from Quebec.
Heyday
Chatham in its prime (1880–1919) had extensive wharves, a pulp mill, three large sawmills, a fish-packing plant, a large foundry/shipbuilding facility with a repair yard for small vessels, an armouryArmory (military)
An armory or armoury is a place where arms and ammunition are made, maintained and repaired, stored, issued to authorized users, or any combination of those...
, several sizeable hotels; a Catholic hospital (Hotel Dieu) and associated nursing home, also run by the Religious Hospitallers of St. Joseph; three secondary schools, a Catholic liberal arts college, the county poor house (the County Home), a race track, an indoor rink, a golf club, facilities for an agricultural exhibition, and several notable churches. The Anglican Church and Rectory were beautiful wood structures, but burned down in 1960.
The town was a service and shopping centre for the surrounding lands, especially the areas farther down the bay. Students boarded at the Catholic girls and boys schools, and the Catholic college in town. During the period, 1880 to 1960, the Catholic Church was a major employer in Chatham, being especially important after the mills began to close.
Until 1967 a ferry boat provided service across the Miramichi River at Chatham, except during the period of winter freeze up. When the Centennial Bridge
Centennial Bridge (New Brunswick)
Centennial Bridge is an arch truss bridge crossing the Miramichi River in Northumberland County, New Brunswick, Canada. The bridge is 1.1 km long, and carries New Brunswick Route 11 over the river, connecting Douglastown on the north bank with Chatham on the south bank; both communities were...
was opened, the ferry was no longer needed.
Catholic religious centre
The Town is dominated by a large Roman Catholic church, St. Michael's BasilicaSt. Michael's Basilica
The Basilica of St. Michael the Archangel, is located on a hill overlooking the Miramichi River in the Province of New Brunswick, Canada. It is the dominant feature of the former Town of Chatham, New Brunswick and one of the largest churches in Eastern Canada. It is now included within the new City...
. This neoGothic structure was formerly a cathedral. Next to it, in the same style, is the former bishop's residence, now a convent
Convent
A convent is either a community of priests, religious brothers, religious sisters, or nuns, or the building used by the community, particularly in the Roman Catholic Church and in the Anglican Communion...
. From 1860 to 1938 Chatham was the centre of a large Catholic diocese
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
covering the northern part of New Brunswick. The Diocese of Chatham was moved to Bathurst, New Brunswick
Bathurst, New Brunswick
Bathurst is a Canadian city in Gloucester County, New Brunswick.Bathurst is situated on Bathurst Harbour, an estuary at the mouth of the Nepisiguit River at the southernmost part of Chaleur Bay....
, in 1938. Chatham is noted for the many priests and nuns it produced. The Bishop at the time was Bishop Chaisson. The local lore has it that the move took place in the middle of the night so that the local residents would not know.
Following the move of the See from Chatham to Bathurst, the Church was petitioned by local residents to be removed from the Diocese of Bathurst. They wanted to become part of the Diocese of Saint John, New Brunswick
Saint John, New Brunswick
City of Saint John , or commonly Saint John, is the largest city in the province of New Brunswick, and the first incorporated city in Canada. The city is situated along the north shore of the Bay of Fundy at the mouth of the Saint John River. In 2006 the city proper had a population of 74,043...
. A circle around the Parish of Chatham still designates it as part of the Diocese of Saint John, not Bathurst.
A Catholic religious order, the Religious Hospitaliers of St. Joseph, established the Hotel Dieu and nursing home, as well as the large elementary/secondary school (St. Michael's Academy). While the nuns are still present as of 2005, their numbers have been much reduced. The Basilian Fathers operated a small liberal arts college, which was later taken over by the Diocese. It evolved into St. Thomas University
St. Thomas University (New Brunswick)
St. Thomas University is jointly a public and Roman Catholic liberal arts university located in Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada. It offers degrees exclusively at the undergraduate level for approximately 3,000 students in the liberal arts, humanities, journalism, education, and social work....
, now located in Fredericton
Fredericton, New Brunswick
Fredericton is the capital of the Canadian province of New Brunswick, by virtue of the provincial parliament which sits there. An important cultural, artistic, and educational centre for the province, Fredericton is home to two universities and cultural institutions such as the Beaverbrook Art...
.
Ethnic and religious composition
Historically, Chatham has been a majority-Catholic town, with smaller United Church, Anglican, and Presbyterian congregations. Various other Protestant denominations have come and gone, though the Pentecostals have been relatively strong. When it was more of a business centre, the town long had several Jewish families; their numbers have declined.Ethnic backgrounds are Irish, Scottish, English, and French, with the latter gaining somewhat in recent years. Catholic Lebanese immigrants settled here, originally calling themselves Assyrian. Several Norwegian families also immigrated. A few retired military have settled there adding to the mix.
Slow decline
Chatham achieved peak prosperity during the years immediately prior to World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, but even then its main export was people. During the war, many young men from Chatham joined the 132nd Battalion of the North Shore Regiment. Many were killed or wounded at Vimy Ridge and on the Somme
Somme
Somme is a department of France, located in the north of the country and named after the Somme river. It is part of the Picardy region of France....
. The postwar depression of 1919 hit the town, resulting in a major employer, the Snowball
Jabez Bunting Snowball
Jabez Bunting Snowball was a businessman, the 11th Lieutenant Governor of New Brunswick, Canada, and politician from the Town of Chatham, New Brunswick...
sawmill, closing permanently. Young men and women moved to New England to seek work where many had relatives.
World War Two
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
saw the opening of RCAF Station Chatham, providing an economic stimulus for the town until its closure in 1996. RCAF Station Chatham was established as part of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan. After World War II, many different aircraft were deployed at Chatham. RCAF Station Chatham was the site where the Golden Hawks
Golden Hawks
The Golden Hawks were a Canadian military aerobatic flying team established in 1959 to celebrate the 35th anniversary or the Royal Canadian Air Force and the "Golden" 50th anniversary of Canadian flight, which began with the AEA Silver Dart in 1909....
Aerobatic Team was formed before it was moved. The Golden Hawks
Golden Hawks
The Golden Hawks were a Canadian military aerobatic flying team established in 1959 to celebrate the 35th anniversary or the Royal Canadian Air Force and the "Golden" 50th anniversary of Canadian flight, which began with the AEA Silver Dart in 1909....
were a pre-cursor to the current 431 Air Demonstration Squadron, known more widely as the "Snowbirds".
The primary purpose of the base was to train Navigators for flight crews serving in the European Theatre. During the 1960s and 1970s, the base, renamed CFB Chatham
CFB Chatham
Canadian Forces Base Chatham or CFB Chatham was a Canadian Forces Base located immediately south of the town of Chatham, New Brunswick, Canada. Parts are now operating as Miramichi Municipal Airport since 1974 with a partial runway available .From 1970 until 1985 Chatham had a Base Rescue Flight...
in 1968, was an important staging ground for CF-101 Voodoo
CF-101 Voodoo
The CF-101 Voodoo was an all-weather interceptor aircraft operated by the Royal Canadian Air Force and Canadian Forces between 1961 and 1984. They were manufactured by the McDonnell Aircraft Corporation of St. Louis, Missouri for the United States Air Force , and later sold to Canada...
fighter interceptors, which were under command of NORAD to interdict Soviet nuclear bombers that could have challenged Canadian airspace in Atlantic Canada. The Soviet bombers (predominately the "Bear") flew the circumpolar route from the Soviet Union to Cuba and enjoyed entering Canadian Airspace over Newfoundland to time the reaction of NORAD.
Chatham sent many sons to Europe during World War II as part of the North Shore Regiment. The North Shore Regiment joined the Royal Winnipeg Rifles and the North Nova Scotia Highlanders as the first wave of Canadian Troops to land during the invasion of Normandy
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
. They hit Juno Beach
Juno Beach
Juno or Juno Beach was one of five sectors of the Allied invasion of German-occupied France in the Normandy landings on 6 June 1944, during the Second World War. The sector spanned from Saint-Aubin, a village just east of the British Gold sector, to Courseulles, just west of the British Sword sector...
as part of Operation Overlord
Operation Overlord
Operation Overlord was the code name for the Battle of Normandy, the operation that launched the invasion of German-occupied western Europe during World War II by Allied forces. The operation commenced on 6 June 1944 with the Normandy landings...
. Following the war, the North Shore Regiment was folded into the Royal New Brunswick Regiment (RNBR).
The postwar baby boom
Baby boom
A baby boom is any period marked by a greatly increased birth rate. This demographic phenomenon is usually ascribed within certain geographical bounds and when the number of annual births exceeds 2 per 100 women...
of the 1950s enabled the town to reach a peak population of 8,600 in 1961. The loss of St. Thomas University
St. Thomas University (New Brunswick)
St. Thomas University is jointly a public and Roman Catholic liberal arts university located in Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada. It offers degrees exclusively at the undergraduate level for approximately 3,000 students in the liberal arts, humanities, journalism, education, and social work....
, which moved to Fredericton in 1964 adversely affected the town in combination with other changes. The closure of CFB Chatham in 1996 further reduced local employment. The Nursing School run by the Religious Hospitaliers of St. Joseph closed soon after the move of St. Thomas University. The loss of these two educational institutions was both symbolic and contributed to Chatham's decline.
Over the years migrants from Chatham have moved to where the jobs were. In the mid to late nineteenth century, some left for lumbering opportunities in the United States in areas such as Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
, Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
and Washington. Until the 1930s, the majority went to Boston as a center of business and industry. Few left during the Hungry Thirties
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
. Right after World War Two, Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
seemed to offer opportunities. It was superseded as an attraction by growth in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
and other parts of Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
.
Fredericton and Moncton were also work destinations from the 1950s onwards, with Halifax
Halifax Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia
Halifax Regional Municipality is the capital of the province of Nova Scotia, Canada. The Regional Municipality had a 2006 census population of 372,679, while the metropolitan area had a 2010 estimated population of 403,188, and the urban area of Halifax had a population of 282,924...
becoming more important after 1965. In recent years, Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
has attracted more Chatham residents.
In 1996, the provincial government imposed an amalgamation of all incorporated municipalities in the lower Miramichi River valley, creating the city of Miramichi
Miramichi, New Brunswick
Miramichi is the largest city in northern New Brunswick, Canada. It is situated at the mouth of the Miramichi River where it enters Miramichi Bay...
. Longtime residents regret the loss of the town's historic name and separate identity. In 1998, the federal government opened a Central Processing Site for the Canadian Firearms Program in Chatham. The office is dedicated to implementing the Firearms Act, and will maintain the records of all registered firearms in the country. The office employs several hundred civil servants and has helped to offset employment losses from the base closure. CFP celebrated the 10th anniversary of the opening of Central Processing Site in Miramichi, New Brunswick
Miramichi, New Brunswick
Miramichi is the largest city in northern New Brunswick, Canada. It is situated at the mouth of the Miramichi River where it enters Miramichi Bay...
in 2008.
Today, Chatham is known for its annual Irish Festival. It also has become something of a retirement community, offering good quality, affordable housing. The married quarters of the former military base have been converted to private housing.
Notable residents
- Richard Bedford Bennett, (1870–1947) prime ministerPrime ministerA prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
of Canada - Martin CranneyMartin CranneyMartin Cranney was an Irish-born New Brunswick politician. He was a resident of Chatham, New Brunswick and represented Northumberland County in the 14th New Brunswick Legislative Assembly from 1847 to 1850....
(1795–1870), Irish immigrant who was elected as representative of Northumberland CountyNorthumberland County, New BrunswickNorthumberland County , having the largest area of any county in the province, is located in northeastern New Brunswick, Canada.-Geography:Northumberland County is covered by thick forests, whose products stimulate the economy...
in the 14th New Brunswick Legislative Assembly14th New Brunswick Legislative AssemblyThe 14th New Brunswick Legislative Assembly represented New Brunswick between January 28, 1847 and May 31, 1850.The assembly sat at the pleasure of the Governor of New Brunswick William MacBean George Colebrooke...
. - Joseph CunardJoseph CunardJoseph Cunard was a merchant, shipbuilder and political figure in New Brunswick. He represented Northumberland County in the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick from 1828 to 1833....
(1799–1865) of Halifax, a prosperous businessman who was the brother of SamuelSamuel CunardSir Samuel Cunard, 1st Baronet was a British shipping magnate, born at Halifax, Nova Scotia, who founded the Cunard Line...
, founder of the famous steamship line. - Raymond FraserRaymond FraserRaymond Fraser is a Canadian author.Born in Chatham, New Brunswick, Fraser attended St Thomas University where in his freshman year he played on the varsity hockey and football teams, and in his junior year was co-editor with John Brebner of the student literary magazine Tom-Tom...
, (1941- ) novelist, story writer, poet, biographer. - James M. Hill born and raised in Chatham, became Bishop of Victoria, British Columbia.
- John Mercer JohnsonJohn Mercer JohnsonJohn Mercer Johnson was a politician in the Province of New Brunswick, Canada and a Father of Confederation. He represented Northumberland in the Canadian House of Commons from 1867 to 1868 as a Liberal member....
(1819–1868), elected to the House of AssemblyHouse of AssemblyHouse of Assembly is a name given to the legislature or lower house of a bicameral parliament. In some countries this may be at a subnational level....
of the Province. Also served in several appointed positions and was a Member of ParliamentMember of ParliamentA Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
. - W.S. LoggieW.S. LoggieWilliam Stewart Loggie was a merchant and politician of the town of Chatham, New Brunswick, Canada.Born in Burnt Church, New Brunswick, Loggie, a dynamic man, built a small empire throughout the Miramichi River area. He bought fish directly from the fishermen, and packed and exported it...
(1850–1944) was a Member of ParliamentMember of ParliamentA Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
and a preeminent Chatham merchant of his era (1880–1925). - Frank McKennaFrank McKennaFrancis Joseph "Frank" McKenna, PC, OC, ONB, QC is a Canadian businessman and former politician and diplomat. He is currently Deputy Chairman of the Toronto-Dominion Bank. He served as Canadian Ambassador to the United States from 2005 to 2006...
(1948- ), former premier of New BrunswickNew BrunswickNew Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
and later Canadian Ambassador in Washington, was the member of the Legislative AssemblyLegislative AssemblyLegislative Assembly is the name given in some countries to either a legislature, or to one of its branch.The name is used by a number of member-states of the Commonwealth of Nations, as well as a number of Latin American countries....
of New Brunswick for Chatham. - Francis Peabody, founder of the town in 1800, and a successful businessman.
- John RalstonJohn RalstonJohn R. Ralston is a former American football player, coach, and sports executive. He served as the head football coach at Utah State University , Stanford University , and San Jose State University , compiling a career college football record of 97–81–4...
, (1964-), plays George Venturi on the Canadian Family ChannelFamily ChannelFamily is a Canadian English language Category A premium television service marketed to children and teenagers aged 2-15. It is owned by Astral Media...
comedy Life with DerekLife with DerekLife with Derek is a Canadian television sitcom that aired on Family and VRAK.TV in Canada and on Disney Channel in the United States. The series premiered on Family on September 18, 2005 and ran for four seasons ending on March 25, 2009. The series starred Michael Seater and Ashley Leggat as the...
. - Jabez Bunting SnowballJabez Bunting SnowballJabez Bunting Snowball was a businessman, the 11th Lieutenant Governor of New Brunswick, Canada, and politician from the Town of Chatham, New Brunswick...
(1837–1907), prominent entrepreneur and Lieutenant-Governor of New BrunswickNew BrunswickNew Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
. - Lemuel John TweedieLemuel John TweedieLemuel John Tweedie was a politician from Chatham, New Brunswick.His law partner in Chatham for a time was Richard Bedford Bennett, later Prime Minister of Canada and Max Aitken for a time was his office boy....
(1849–1917), 8th Premier of the Province of New Brunswick (1900 to 1907) and Lieutenant-Governor of the Province (1908–1912).