Hello PMHA Member and others,
It has been some time since you received a last Bill’s Post. Sorry about that. I have had some minor problems but more than anything I’m just very lazy.
PMHA has been busy since I last sent you something. There are two things I would like to share with you today.
First item: There is one very important item I would like to bring to your attention.
On May 6th 1850 shortly after midnight a ship carrying soldiers of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers 23rd Foot enroute to London Ontario sank off the mouth of the Grand River with the loss of 39 soldiers and family members. In the fall of 2022 PMHA commissioned Peter Rindlisbacher to create a https://port-maitland.ca/wp/published-articles/sinking-of-the-commerce-print-now-available/ digital painting of his perception of the event. As expected and desired it is a dark and sad image showing the horror of young men, women and children during their last moments on earth. To my knowledge no painting or image of this event exists. This summer PMHA donated a 4-foot by 2-foot print to the County of Haldimand.
This digital print is for sale. To purchase this print or To see larger image right click here and open hyperlink.
This 20 by 15 ½ inch print sells for $160.00 plus shipping. We will try to deliver it to you if you live locally; saving you the shipping cost.
Yes, it is a bit costly, but due to its darkness and a number of other technical issues it had to be printed on very high-quality paper pushing the price up considerably. We believe this print is a valuable record of the May 1850 event and well worth the price to help preserve this important moment in our history. We hope you will give serious consideration to purchasing a print.
Second item: PMHA has been working with the County of Haldimand attempting to create a proper memorial (cenotaph) to these soldiers and family members. We know it will be expensive, somewhere in the $30,000.00 range. We are cautiously comfortable that we have tentatively $20,000.00 of that arranged. (If that isn’t a sentence afraid to see the light of day, I don’t know what is!) We will not be doing serious fundraising until we dot all our i s and cross all our t s. The funds mentioned above will be from Major Sponsors and if the project goes forward their names will be engraved on the back of the cenotaph. We will need more Major Donors if this project gets approved. No, we are not at liberty to give any more details just yet including its hoped-for location.
You will be asked to help out but DO NOT send us any donations now. What you could do is indicate to us via email what you would consider if we do build the cenotaph. Look for more information. Major Donors are people, families or companies who donate at least $5000.00.
Meet the artist; Peter Rindlisbacher painting the “Battle, Mid-Lake Ontario, September, 1813”; HMS WOLFE. This large 4’ x 6’ work was a house warming gift for Peter’s sister and her husband.