ARMSTRONGS CORNER HALL
Submitted by Sadie E. (Howe) McCracken  
 
 

The Armstrongs Corner Hall was situated on a lot of land donated by William F. Woods, a part of lot number 25, originally granted to Robert McKim, and lot number 8, originally granted to William H. Lyon, located in the parish of Petersville, County of Queens, N.B. Here, the Gagetown Road and the Back Road met, with Mitchell's (Harry Lyon) Road meeting the Back Road a few yards away. The hall faced the Gagetown Road and Merritt Bridge, which crossed the Nerepis Stream.

The hall was rectangular in shape with a gable roof and decorative architecture under the eaves. The front had a small vestibule with double panel doors and a round window. Above this was a tall narrow window and along the sides were several double sash windows. The walls were painted white with a blue-grey trim. The building was dedicated for religious services of the Church of England, Presbyterian and Methodist (later United) churches.

Inside the building, it had hardwood flooring and wainscoting and sheathing on the walls and ceiling. A wood burning cast iron stove provided heat when needed. There were long benches with turned dowels and arm rests plus hardwood chairs. At the front, the organ sat on the right side, a desk or table on the left and on either side, a few steps led to the stage where a pulpit and upholstered chairs sat. On the back wall, there was a memorial for two boys of the community who where in killed in World War 1, namely William Smith and Kenneth Woods as well as a plaque designating that a Temperance Group once met here. From the stage, two doors opened to a back room. Brass oil lamps hung from the ceiling. Along the side walls and stage were bracket oil lamps with reflectors.

Regular church services were held on Sunday at 3 p.m. with the ministers coming from Welsford. In the nineteen-thirties, the United Church minister was the Rev. Christopher Graham; the Church of England, the Rev. R.E.J. Brittain. Mrs. Audrey Francis and Mrs. Eva Hasson were the regular organists

Sunday school was held before the church service. Mrs. Annie (Bill) Lyon was the superintendent about this time. Sometimes her daughter Ethel played the organ. Later, Mrs. Annie Mitchell, her daughter Eva and son Everett, very devoted people, walked several miles each Sunday, whatever the weather, to hold Sunday school.

The hall was also used as a community hall where many activities were carried out. To mention a few - there would be variety concerts of dialogues, recitations and songs. The young people had special gatherings. No dancing was allowed, but with Audrey Francis at the organ, there could be lively games. Elections were always held there with voters coming from Welsford, Clones, Dunn's Corner, Olinville and the areas in between. Many came early in the morning by horse and wagon, staying all day until the polls closed, having meals at Max Charlton's or Perce Howe's. A day of crowds and excitement! The winners went home happy, the losers with sad faces.

On this property, at the left of the hall, was a large wagon shed, built of large timbers with archways in the front of several stalls, where the horses and wagons were kept during activities. The Armstrongs Corner School sat just above it.

In later years, there were picnics and hauling matches where they served chicken dinners, the meals prepared in the back room of the hall. Also, a floor was placed in the wagon shed and dances were held. Ed Puddington's Orchestra from Saint John usually played - sometimes, Ned Landry, a noted violinist.

There's much more to be told, but these are some of my memories. Our family, my parents Perce and Fran Howe, my sister Mildred , two brothers Gordon and Ross and myself moved from Welsford to Armstrongs Corner in May 1932 to the homestead of William F. Woods, my grandfather.

A sad ending in 1953, the Armstrongs Corner Hall, along with the farms and dwellings were taken over by the Camp Gagetown Training Area. I understand the money derived from the sale of the building was donated to the Protestant Orphanage in Saint John, N.B.