Officials Forcibly Confined at Sir Adam Beck School during the Great Depression
Although we experienced a very hot summer in 2016, it was definitely not as hot as the summer of 1936 when a record-breaking heat wave, coupled with the woes of the Great Depression, led to a double kidnapping at an Alderwood school.
All across Southern Ontario, the week of July 8 to 15, 1936, set new records for heat. Swimming pools were packed and thousands of residents slept outdoors in parks. The only air conditioned buildings were cinemas, many of which stayed open all night. Two hundred and twenty-five Toronto residents died, mostly young children and the elderly.
At the same time, 2,168 Etobicoke men were unemployed and receiving relief benefits in cash or in vouchers that could be used to buy food and other necessities. In exchange, the men were expected to work on road maintenance or other types of unskilled public work. Relief workers felt the pay was inadequate and were demanding more provincial funding for the program. Rotating strikes and public protests were increasing. However, as Mimico’s mayor, Amos Waites, announced, “No work, no relief!” and all those on strike had their relief benefits cut.
Sir Adam Beck School was being used on weekends as an office to pay relief workers. On the morning of July 8, 1936, the school was packed with 500 relief workers, strikers and their supporters. Relief Officer Charles Grubbe arrived at 1:30 pm and paid in cash those who had worked over the previous two weeks. When those who had been on strike demanded compensation as well, Grubbe informed them he had nothing to give them. After much discussion, the group let Grubbe phone Etobicoke Reeve William A. Armstrong, who arrived at the school at 4:30 pm. When Armstrong tried to leave the building at 5:00 pm, he was forcibly prevented from doing so. Both Grubbe and Armstrong were then confined to the stifling and dripping basement boiler room for more than 18 hours. After several unsuccessful bargaining attempts, at 11:30 am on July 9th the Reeve finally agreed to compensate the strikers who had families for their lost pay. Only then were Armstrong and Grubbe allowed to leave.
On July 10th a special police squad of officers sworn in from surrounding municipalities was sent to arrest those responsible for confining Grubbe and Armstrong. Thirty-seven arrests were made, either for unlawful forcing or unlawful assembly. However, after delays in bringing them to trial, and knowing there was great public sympathy for the strikers, Premier Mitchell Hepburn was finally persuaded to drop all charges. After this incident, Alderwood was nicknamed “Pogeyville”.
Sir Adam Beck School was demolished in 1999 and replaced by a brand new school building. The triple-arched entrance from the old school was erected adjacent to the new school, and it now has an historical plaque telling this surprising story of a kidnapping at an Alderwood school.
Researched & Written by Denise Harris, originally published by the Etobicoke Guardian and reprinted with permission.
All across Southern Ontario, the week of July 8 to 15, 1936, set new records for heat. Swimming pools were packed and thousands of residents slept outdoors in parks. The only air conditioned buildings were cinemas, many of which stayed open all night. Two hundred and twenty-five Toronto residents died, mostly young children and the elderly.
At the same time, 2,168 Etobicoke men were unemployed and receiving relief benefits in cash or in vouchers that could be used to buy food and other necessities. In exchange, the men were expected to work on road maintenance or other types of unskilled public work. Relief workers felt the pay was inadequate and were demanding more provincial funding for the program. Rotating strikes and public protests were increasing. However, as Mimico’s mayor, Amos Waites, announced, “No work, no relief!” and all those on strike had their relief benefits cut.
Sir Adam Beck School was being used on weekends as an office to pay relief workers. On the morning of July 8, 1936, the school was packed with 500 relief workers, strikers and their supporters. Relief Officer Charles Grubbe arrived at 1:30 pm and paid in cash those who had worked over the previous two weeks. When those who had been on strike demanded compensation as well, Grubbe informed them he had nothing to give them. After much discussion, the group let Grubbe phone Etobicoke Reeve William A. Armstrong, who arrived at the school at 4:30 pm. When Armstrong tried to leave the building at 5:00 pm, he was forcibly prevented from doing so. Both Grubbe and Armstrong were then confined to the stifling and dripping basement boiler room for more than 18 hours. After several unsuccessful bargaining attempts, at 11:30 am on July 9th the Reeve finally agreed to compensate the strikers who had families for their lost pay. Only then were Armstrong and Grubbe allowed to leave.
On July 10th a special police squad of officers sworn in from surrounding municipalities was sent to arrest those responsible for confining Grubbe and Armstrong. Thirty-seven arrests were made, either for unlawful forcing or unlawful assembly. However, after delays in bringing them to trial, and knowing there was great public sympathy for the strikers, Premier Mitchell Hepburn was finally persuaded to drop all charges. After this incident, Alderwood was nicknamed “Pogeyville”.
Sir Adam Beck School was demolished in 1999 and replaced by a brand new school building. The triple-arched entrance from the old school was erected adjacent to the new school, and it now has an historical plaque telling this surprising story of a kidnapping at an Alderwood school.
Researched & Written by Denise Harris, originally published by the Etobicoke Guardian and reprinted with permission.