Group Portrait of professors and students from the Hellmuth Ladies' College, London, Ontario

Description

Media Type

Image

Item Type

Photographs

Description

A print made from an original group portrait showing professors and students from the Hellmuth Ladies' College in London, Ontario.

Notes

The first person (who appears in the top left background) listed as #1. on the photocopy which accompanies this print, is William Barron, with the note "piano, organ, history". Fortunately for us, the third volume of "Men of Canada" which was published in 1893 provides us with both a portrait and biography for William Caven Barron. From this we learn that he was born in St. Mary's, Ontario in 1864 and at the age of seventeen travelled to Boston, Massachusetts to study music for two years. On his return, he was appointed professor of music at Hellmuth Ladies' College and held that post until 1888 when he decided to further his musical studies in Leipzig, Germany. Two years later he returned to London to open his own academy, "the London Conservatory of Music and Elocution." This aids us in dating his particular portrait as circa 1883 to 1888.
The map shows the former location of the long since demolished Hellmuth Ladies' College. Hellmuth Ladies' College was located on Richmond Street North, just south of Windermere Road. Founded by the Rt. Rev. Isaac Hellmuth, it opened on Sept.23, 1869. The buildings and grounds were purchased by the Sisters of St. Joseph in 1899 and was then known as Mount St Joseph. It was used as the order's motherhouse, an orphanage and later added a girl's boarding school. The main building was demolished in 1976.

Inscriptions

Although there are no inscriptions on the print, it is accompanied by a faded photocopy which lists some of the people in the portrait and some cryptic details in various handwriting, (some of it very hard to decipher, and at least one listed name for the photograph appears to be a male name for a female student) Other information indicates who may have donated it and to whom. Inscription follows: Hellmuth Ladies College - Presented to the London & Middlesex Historical Society, Jan. 23rd, 1938. Elizabeth D. Raymond - Minnie (?) Raymond
1. William Barron - piano, organ, history
2. Edith Fitzgerald
3. Wray
4. Thomas Martin
6. Childs
8. Verda Kella (?)
10. Constance Meredith
11. Waldemar Arthur Bleuthner (?) piano
12. Maude Hudson - Mrs. (Dr.) Merritt, St.
Catherines (?)
15. Julian Ruggles Seavey
22. Miss Nelda Von Seyfried - singing
23. Buzzie Gurd
25. Mrs. E.M.(?) English
26. Ida English (Mrs. Corbin Weld)
27. Miss Hattie English
28. Clark
29. Alberta Oakley
Also listed on the photocopy is: Mrs. F.A. Fitzgerald, 293 King Street [and] in white mat - wood
The London Room Archives index lists the source as: London Regional Art & Historical Museum, 1992.

Date of Original