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Memorial To Sir Gilbert Parker By Margaret Wakelin tradition in mirturing things Canadiana when the Camden East branch sponsored .n June the unveiling of a plaque to the Inemery of Sir Gilbert Parker, wh05e novels n the early 1900’s made the world conscious if Canada. The plaque may be seen from the Lennox nd Addington County Highway No. 4 as one .aSSES historic St. Luke’s Anglican Church. The handsome blue plaque with gold letters . placed near the Parker family plot in the hurch yard. Only a few years ago there would have veen old-time residents who could have re- membered Sir Gilbert as a boy, probably [tending the local school or as a youth. lerking in the village store. Such sketchy l-atails as are available now are the result I.‘ the Camden East Institute‘s Tweedsmuir listorical Research project. Sir Gilbert was born in 1862 in a plain, quare, twoâ€"storey frame house just down the meet from the church. His early life seems much like any other youngster’s growing-up Eays. His clerking in Hayden’s store did not impress the villagers with the promise of ‘reat things to come. But as he moved from his village to Belleville, thirty-five miles x'estward, and later as he shifted from con- IMPETUS was given to the Women’s Institute At the unveiling of the Sir Gilbert Parker historical plaque at Camden East. left to right: Rev. John Weesel pastor of the United Church; Rev. J. M. Stone of the Presbyterian Church; Mr. Nelson Kane nedy, reeve of Camden East; Canon A. G. Wake- Iin, rector of St. Luke's Anglican Church; Mr. D. J. Rankin, M.P.P.; Mrs. Allan Carroll. Pres. Camden East Women's Institute; Mrs. Ted Allore, Institute mem- ber who unveiled the Plaque: Mrs. R. J. Penney, F.W.I.O. Board,- Dr. G. F. G. Stanley, a member of Historic Sites Board. FALL 1958 tinent to continent, his extraordinary talents became front page news. For a while he taught school near Belle- \'ille and simultaneously continued his studies at Trinity College, Toronto. During this same period he also instructed at the School for the Deaf in Belleville. His first novels were written about this time. After a dismal be- ginning his talents were recognized and later he was rewarded by having his novel. “The Seats of the Mighty," a story of the French Canadians. chosen as required reading for public schools. However, Parker did not wait in Ontario for fame to come to him, He embarked for Au- stralia where he accepted a job as assistant editor for the Morning Herald in Sydney. In this capacity he reported on events in all parts of Australia and even covered special happenings in the South Sea Islands. His next hop took him to England where he embarked on still another careerâ€"poli- tics. He arrived in England in 1839 and in 1900 he stood for Parliament in Gi‘avesend. He was elected and represented this mn- stituency for eighteen years. It was two years after this he was made a barnnel and the following year was named a privy councillor. His death in 1932 brought a varied and dis- tinguished career to a close. Not only were Women’s Institute members