Alligators of the North. Harry Barrett

marked the seventy-fifth birthday of the Commonwealth’s beloved sovereign, Queen Victoria, and the Queen’s birthday celebration committee were sparing no effort or expense in planning a celebration fitting for the occasion. Several major attractions were planned as part of the day’s activities.

      Simcoe had its own bicycle club and the committee had invited two of the great bicycle riders of the day, Hyslop and Moore of Toronto, to attend. A special train from Toronto had been laid on for the occasion. Bicycle races were a feature attraction on the program and members of bicycle clubs from Toronto, Hamilton, Brantford, Ingersoll, Aylmer, Norwich, and Tillsonburg were in attendance.

      Shortly after daybreak, the booming of a cannon heralded the beginning of the festivities, awakening the soundest sleepers from their slumbers. By 9:00 a.m., the banks of Crystal Lake were host to masses of holidaymakers, expectantly awaiting the feature attraction for the day. West & Peachey’s fame, as makers of the Alligator Warping Tug, had spread far and wide throughout the Dominion and beyond. Today the local citizens and their visitors could see one of these famous Alligators take to the water before their very eyes. The firm had been busy building the tugs the previous winter, and on this day, May 24, and at this hour, 9:00 a.m., the twenty-fourth Alligator to be ordered had been built and most appropriately named Victoria, the name proudly appearing in large letters. She now sat in all her splendour, puffing black smoke from her stack as she rested on her rollers, waiting to be launched.

      The tug launched herself into Crystal Lake, as the small body of water north of the West & Peachey yard was called. The crowd stood in awe as she winched herself toward Norfolk Street, crept out of the water, crossed the road, and launched herself again into the river below the high school, where she was tied to the bank. During the launch into the river the 39th Battalion brass band belted out “Britannia Rules the Waves” as the enthusiastic crowd cheered. Mounting the deck of the Victoria, Mayor McCall addressed the crowd and officially opened the day’s celebrations. Rides aboard the Alligator tug were offered throughout the day and hundreds of spectators took advantage of the free trips on the river.

      At 10:00 a.m. the next popular event took place with the launch of Professor Bartholomew’s hot-air balloon from Beaupre’s Square. The professor was well prepared and the airship quickly rose into the air to the collective gasps of amazement from the assembled crowd. Meanwhile, foot races, bicycle races, and horse races entertained many during the rest of the day. Dress balls and dances in the evening rounded out the day’s activities. The Queen’s birthday celebrations in Simcoe in 1894 would be remembered as a resounding success and fondly treasured for many years to come.