Anniversaries

 

Before January 2014 completely disappears, it might be interesting and maybe a bit sobering, to think about some of the significant events that happened 100 years ago. 1914 is such an interesting time in history - so many changes happening so quickly - women entering the workforce, the beginning of commercial flight, increasing knowledge leading to advances in science and medicine, construction, communications and the early days of the movie industry, to name a few. You can probably add to this list and I welcome your thoughts.

100 years ago:

The really big one for many people: the start of the First World War, the Great War precipitated by the assassination of the Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand on June 28, 1914 in Sarajevo. Canada, a member of the British Empire, entered the war when the United Kingdom declared war on Germany on Aug. 4. By the end of the horrifying conflict 45,000 Canadians soldiers were dead.







Other notable events of 1914:

Dubliners by James Joyce published.

Canadian-born actress Mary Pickford starred in silent film Cinderella

Honus Wagner became the first major league baseball player to have 3000 hits.

First year that Mother's Day was celebrated.

The Panama Canal was completed.

The ocean liner RMS Empress of Ireland sank in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, after a collision with a Norwegian collier resulting in the loss of more than 1000 lives.

Comedian Oliver Hardy made his film debut.

The Royal Ontario Museum opened.

The building of Casa Loma , started in 1911 was completed in 1914 at the cost of $3.5 million.

A few of the famous people born in 1914:

poet Dylan Thomas
writer W.O. Mitchell
country music pioneers Ernest Tubb and Hank Snow
actors Alec Guinness, Jackie Coogan, and Clayton Moore (the Lone Ranger)
scientist Jonas Salk
boxer Joe Louis
baseballer Joe DiMaggio

 

In 1914 Canada's population was just short of 8 million people (it is now approximately 35 million).
Our Prime Minister was Conservative, Robert Borden.