Clementina Trenholme
Encyclopedia
Clementina Trenholme Fessenden, (4 May 1843 – 14 September 1918), was born at the village of Trenholm, Canada East
and died at Hamilton, Ontario
, author
, social organiser. Also, mother of Reginald Fessenden
, the radio pioneer. Buried in St John's Anglican cemetery, Ancaster, Ontario
.
clergyman. The family moved to Fergus, Ontario
, and later to Chippewa, Ontario, on the banks of the Niagara River
. There, she honed her writing skills as one of the first editors of the Niagara Women's Auxiliary Leaflet. Joseph accepted the position of rector at St John's Anglican Church in Ancaster, Ontario
in 1893. Always trying to find ways to strengthen Canada's links to the British Empire
, she identified herself both physically and spiritually with Queen Victoria. She dressed in mourning black like the widowed Queen after her own husband died in 1896. She was responsible for introducing Empire Day in Canadian schools, first in Dundas, Ontario
in 1898 on the last school day before May 24, Queen Victoria's birthday. It was then celebrated more each year and then instituted in England
in 1904 by Lord Meath. A typical Empire Day in Hamilton schools occupied the entire day and included inspirational speeches by trustees and songs such as The Maple Leaf and Just Before the Battle.
A bronze plaque was installed in her memory on the wall of St John's Anglican Church.
, Ontario.
The first neighbourhood, Fessenden, on the West Mountain, is bounded by Upper Paradise Road
on the east, Mohawk Road West
on the north and west. This road for the most part runs on a west-east route on the Hamilton Mountain, but on the western end, where this neighbourhood is situated, the road turns south and crosses the Lincoln M. Alexander Parkway
, the southern boundary of this neighbourhood. Landmarks in this neighbourhood include Sir Allan MacNab High School and Regina Mundi Church.43.243°N 79.896°W
The second neighbourhood, Trenholme, on the East Mountain, is bounded by Limeridge Road
East on the north, Pritchard Road on the east, the Lincoln M. Alexander Parkway
on the south, and Upper Ottawa Street
on the west. Landmarks in this neighbourhood include Albion Falls Park and Trenholme Park, which is also named after her.43.214°N 79.863°W
Canada East
Canada East was the eastern portion of the United Province of Canada. It consisted of the southern portion of the modern-day Canadian Province of Quebec, and was primarily a French-speaking region....
and died at Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Conceived by George Hamilton when he purchased the Durand farm shortly after the War of 1812, Hamilton has become the centre of a densely populated and industrialized region at the west end of Lake Ontario known as the Golden Horseshoe...
, author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
, social organiser. Also, mother of Reginald Fessenden
Reginald Fessenden
Reginald Aubrey Fessenden , a naturalized American citizen born in Canada, was an inventor who performed pioneering experiments in radio, including early—and possibly the first—radio transmissions of voice and music...
, the radio pioneer. Buried in St John's Anglican cemetery, Ancaster, Ontario
Ancaster, Ontario
Ancaster is a picturesque and historic community located on the Niagara escarpment, within the greater area of the city of Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. This former town was founded officially in 1793 and was one of the oldest European communities established in present day Ontario along with Windsor...
.
Biography
Educated in Montreal schools, she grew up in a home where loyalism and devotion to British traditions were strong. At twenty-one she married the Reverend Joseph Elisha Fessenden, a Canadian-born Church of EnglandChurch of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
clergyman. The family moved to Fergus, Ontario
Fergus, Ontario
Fergus is the largest community in Centre Wellington, a township within Wellington County in Ontario, Canada. It lies on the Grand River about 25 km north of Guelph.-History:...
, and later to Chippewa, Ontario, on the banks of the Niagara River
Niagara River
The Niagara River flows north from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario. It forms part of the border between the Province of Ontario in Canada and New York State in the United States. There are differing theories as to the origin of the name of the river...
. There, she honed her writing skills as one of the first editors of the Niagara Women's Auxiliary Leaflet. Joseph accepted the position of rector at St John's Anglican Church in Ancaster, Ontario
Ancaster, Ontario
Ancaster is a picturesque and historic community located on the Niagara escarpment, within the greater area of the city of Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. This former town was founded officially in 1793 and was one of the oldest European communities established in present day Ontario along with Windsor...
in 1893. Always trying to find ways to strengthen Canada's links to the British Empire
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
, she identified herself both physically and spiritually with Queen Victoria. She dressed in mourning black like the widowed Queen after her own husband died in 1896. She was responsible for introducing Empire Day in Canadian schools, first in Dundas, Ontario
Dundas, Ontario
Dundas is a formerly independent town and now constituent community in the city of Hamilton in Ontario, Canada. It's nickname is the Valley Town. The population has been stable for decades at about twenty thousand, largely because it has not annexed rural land from the protected Dundas Valley...
in 1898 on the last school day before May 24, Queen Victoria's birthday. It was then celebrated more each year and then instituted in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
in 1904 by Lord Meath. A typical Empire Day in Hamilton schools occupied the entire day and included inspirational speeches by trustees and songs such as The Maple Leaf and Just Before the Battle.
A bronze plaque was installed in her memory on the wall of St John's Anglican Church.
Tribute
She had two neighbourhoods named after her, Fessenden and Trenholme, both on Hamilton MountainHamilton Mountain
Hamilton Mountain is a federal electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1968. The riding is located in the Hamilton, Ontario region....
, Ontario.
The first neighbourhood, Fessenden, on the West Mountain, is bounded by Upper Paradise Road
Upper Paradise Road (Hamilton, Ontario)
Upper Paradise Road is an Upper City collector road in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. It starts off just north of Scenic Drive by Cliffview Park and extends southward where it ends just south of Rymal Road beside Carpenter Park...
on the east, Mohawk Road West
Mohawk Road (Hamilton, Ontario)
Mohawk Road, is an Upper City arterial road in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. It is a two-way street throughout that starts just West of Highway 403 & Meadowlands and travels eastward linking up with the Lincoln M. Alexander Parkway. Mohawk Road east of Highway 403 resumes again in front of Iroquoia...
on the north and west. This road for the most part runs on a west-east route on the Hamilton Mountain, but on the western end, where this neighbourhood is situated, the road turns south and crosses the Lincoln M. Alexander Parkway
Lincoln M. Alexander Parkway
The Lincoln Alexander Parkway, officially nicknamed "The Linc", is a municipal expressway in the Canadian city of Hamilton, Ontario. Located on the Hamilton mountain, atop the Niagara Escarpment...
, the southern boundary of this neighbourhood. Landmarks in this neighbourhood include Sir Allan MacNab High School and Regina Mundi Church.43.243°N 79.896°W
The second neighbourhood, Trenholme, on the East Mountain, is bounded by Limeridge Road
Limeridge Road (Hamilton, Ontario)
Limeridge Road is a two-way Upper City collector road in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. It starts off just West of Garth Street/William McCulloch Park as Limeridge Court and cuts across the Hamilton mountain eastward running parallel with the Lincoln M...
East on the north, Pritchard Road on the east, the Lincoln M. Alexander Parkway
Lincoln M. Alexander Parkway
The Lincoln Alexander Parkway, officially nicknamed "The Linc", is a municipal expressway in the Canadian city of Hamilton, Ontario. Located on the Hamilton mountain, atop the Niagara Escarpment...
on the south, and Upper Ottawa Street
Upper Ottawa Street (Hamilton, Ontario)
Upper Ottawa Street is an Upper City arterial road in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. It starts off at Mountain Brow Boulevard in the north and extends southward where it ends just past Rymal Road at the South Hamilton Industrial Park...
on the west. Landmarks in this neighbourhood include Albion Falls Park and Trenholme Park, which is also named after her.43.214°N 79.863°W