Milk in the Pattullo Fountain
On Saturday, June 10, 1961, a refrigerated mix of water and milk powder flowed in the Pattullo Fountain. It was one of the attractions during the second annual Dairy Day to be held in Woodstock. The Sentinel-Review noted, "With some 5,000 pounds of ice-cooled, creamy milk circulating around her, the little [Lady of the Fountain] in her milk bath was easily the centre of attraction as a large gathering milled about Woodstock's historic city hall".
At the time, Canada produced 18 billion pounds of milk a year. Ex-Mayor Charlie Tatham was chairman of the Dairy Day event, organised to celebrate dairying in Oxford County, classed as a $20 million a year industry.
The Day opened with the Woodstock Pipe Band leading a motor cavalcade from Wilson along Dundas to the city hall square (now Museum Square). A Dairy Princess competition among young women from Oxford County towns and villages added human interest to the varied dairy exhibits in the square. On Finkle Street, an occasional moo marked stalls exhibiting Jersey, Holstein and Guernsey calves and cows.
A large quantity of milk powder had gone bad at the Silverwood's Dairy at Canterbury and Huron Streets. Someone then suggested putting the inedible powder to use by re-circulating it in the fountain, instead of plain water. The liquid was cooled with ice to stop it getting any worse (and smelling?) during the Dairy Day event. The flowing milk in the fountain caused a furore when local church and anti-poverty groups heard of it, not realizing or believing that the milk was from powder that was rancid. Careful onlookers later alleged that small worms could be seen floating in the white liquid, providing visible evidence that the powder had truly been unfit for human consumption.
A Dairy Day with milk apparently flowing around the Lady in the Fountain was then held on a June Saturday in each year up to 1965.
Sources:
- Sentinel-Review, Saturday June 13, 1960; June 10, 1961; June 9, 1962; June 8, 1963; June 6, 1964; June 5, 1965; June 4, 1966.
- Charlie Tatham, ex-Woodstock councillor and Mayor.
At the time, Canada produced 18 billion pounds of milk a year. Ex-Mayor Charlie Tatham was chairman of the Dairy Day event, organised to celebrate dairying in Oxford County, classed as a $20 million a year industry.
The Day opened with the Woodstock Pipe Band leading a motor cavalcade from Wilson along Dundas to the city hall square (now Museum Square). A Dairy Princess competition among young women from Oxford County towns and villages added human interest to the varied dairy exhibits in the square. On Finkle Street, an occasional moo marked stalls exhibiting Jersey, Holstein and Guernsey calves and cows.
A large quantity of milk powder had gone bad at the Silverwood's Dairy at Canterbury and Huron Streets. Someone then suggested putting the inedible powder to use by re-circulating it in the fountain, instead of plain water. The liquid was cooled with ice to stop it getting any worse (and smelling?) during the Dairy Day event. The flowing milk in the fountain caused a furore when local church and anti-poverty groups heard of it, not realizing or believing that the milk was from powder that was rancid. Careful onlookers later alleged that small worms could be seen floating in the white liquid, providing visible evidence that the powder had truly been unfit for human consumption.
A Dairy Day with milk apparently flowing around the Lady in the Fountain was then held on a June Saturday in each year up to 1965.
Sources:
- Sentinel-Review, Saturday June 13, 1960; June 10, 1961; June 9, 1962; June 8, 1963; June 6, 1964; June 5, 1965; June 4, 1966.
- Charlie Tatham, ex-Woodstock councillor and Mayor.
