Dear Old Crathie, Adelaide's Boast

This crumbling cement-block hall at Highway 81 (Centre Road) and Crathie Drive, near Strathroy, was built in 1923 and, according to the sign at the top, was called Crathie Community Hall. 

A little building like this might be used by surrounding farmers for ... well, anything really. Bridge nights, bridal showers, debates, dances - you name it. In fact, the Middlesex Heritage Trail sign out front states that the young Guy Lombardo played here in the 1920s while still a college student. I admit that sometimes it seems like G.L. played everywhere ... but that claim to fame alone should make this building worthy of preservation. 

The sign also records the words to a song children were expected to sing at Literary Society meetings. held inside. I've reproduced some of the lyrics below. 

Crathie on the Hill

Of all the places far and near

There's none that can compare

With dear old Crathie, Adelaide's boast

Your're lucky if you're here.

Chorus

Crathie, Crathie that's the place for me

There's everything there from A to Z

Real good roads and shady trees

For work and comfort the people all use skill

So let's offer a toast to Adelaide's boast

Dear old Crathie on the hill.

A few explanatory notes: the hall sits on a slight rise or hill; it's in the former Adelaide Township (now Adelaide-Metcalfe); and "me" rhymes with "Z" (American-style). According to the plaque, these words were sung to a tune usually associated with London. I assume that means our London. Whoever researched this sign found the song in the London Free Press on March 17, 1925.

There was more to Crathie in the old days than this hall. A post office by the same name opened in 1874 on the southwest corner of this intersection with James Anderson as postmaster. It was probably named after the village of Crathie in Scotland, about a kilometre east of Balmoral. I believe it's pronounced CRATH-ee. The post office closed in 1880, reopened in 1887, and closed for good in 1913. The area also had a blacksmith and sawmill. At one time a school stood on the northwest corner, but it was torn down in the late 1960s.* Many earlier buildings have been replaced with newer ones on the same site. For example, there's a newish home on the site of the former schoolhouse.

Century-old buildings like this one are a reminder of our rural past. Pity someone can't restore this surplus structure into a working community centre again. Once more there could be a "Dear old Crathie on the hill..."

See Jennifer Grainger, Vanished Villages of Middlesex. Toronto: Natural Heritage, 2003, pp. 6-7.