Visiting Pattullo's Fountain, Woodstock, Ontario: Remembering Andrew Pattullo (1850-1903), Editor and Parliamentarian

Dating from 1916 and formally inaugurated the following year, the structure in Woodstock, in Ontario's Oxford County, known as Pattullo's Fountain, is the work of J. L. Mott and Company of New York (1).

It has has sometimes been referred to as the 'Maid of the Mist' (recalling a number of vessels which have sailed the Niagara River at the famous Falls, since the 19th century), because of its figure of a woman pouring water from an urn, above two water pans. The structure is of cast iron and is 5.1 metres tall. An original basin had a diameter of 6.1 metres.

The Fountain was commissioned in memory of Andrew Pattullo (1850-1903), a prominent, local editor and Member of the Provincial Parliament of Ontario, representing Oxford from 1896. Andrew Pattullo was particularly known for editing the 'Sentinel' and later the 'Sentinel-Review'. He was also founder of both the Ontario Good Roads Association and the Oxford Historical Society.

Following the death of Andrew Pattullo and the execution of a bequest from its late citizen, a Pattullo Fountain Committee was formed by the City of Woodstock, which worked with plans for a new City Hall, which, however, was delayed because of World War One. It is recorded that for the Fountain's inauguration, the Horticultural Society of Woodstock was involved in planting tulips in flowerbeds around the structure, and a number of landscaping experts were involved in consultations over the design of the site. The Fountain is situated in front of Old City Hall, now the Woodstock Museum National Historic Site, at 466 Dundas Street, Woodstock.

The Pattullo family of which Andrew Pattullo was a member, proved to be prominent in public affairs:

Andrew Pattullo's brother, Major George R. Pattullo (1845-1922) was a civically active figure in Woodstock, serving as Oxford County's Registrar of Deeds from 1886 until 1922 (2) and had also edited the 'Sentinel' prior to his brother Andrew.

A son of Major George R. Pattullo's son (Andrew Pattullo's nephew) Thomas Dufferin ('Duff') Pattullo (1873-1956) served as Premier of British Columbia from 1933 to 1941.

Another son of Major George R. Pattullo was George R. Pattullo II (1889-1967), a journalist, novelist and property developer with interests in the United States.

April 23, 2019

Notes

(1) See also; https://www.cityofwoodstock.ca/en/live-and-play/resources/museum/Collections/Pattullo-Fountain.pdf ; https://woodstocknewsgroup.weebly.com/-pattullo-fountain.html

(2) See also link, below, re. the former Oxford County Registry building, in Woodstock.

Woodstock itself has various examples of fine ecclesiastical architecture, including Old St. Paul's Church, dating from 1834; other buildings, including the City Hall, the Oxford County Court House, the Old Town Hall, the former County Jail building, the Old Registry Office, the 1909 Public Library building and the Old Armoury, among others, are also worth seeing.

In London , Ontario (distance: 43.4 kilometres) prominent buildings and visitor attractions include: Eldon House; St. Paul's Cathedral; the Middlesex County Court building; the former Armouries; the Fanshawe Pioneer Village.

Kitchener (distance: 57.7 kilometres); Woodside, former home of long-serving Canadian Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King is a National Historic Site of Canada.

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How to get there: Air Canada flies to London International Airport, from Toronto Pearson Airport, from where there are wide North American and other connections. Car rental is available at London International Airport. VIA Rail serves Woodstock, connecting with Windsor and Toronto, and other cities. Some facilities may be withdrawn without notice. Please check with the airline or your travel agent for up to date information. Please refer to appropriate consular sources for any special border crossing arrangements which may apply to citizens of certain nationalities.

MJFenn is an independent travel writer based in Ontario, Canada