Excursion to Bonniaw‘ by mean

The Stream? Isln, with a Elemhre party of about 80 persons on hnnnl‘Jefl the Steam Barry W' nrf yesterday momingfit M) o’clock. for the hand of the Elliot River (Bonshaw Bridge.) On arriving

sirfe at the Bridge, they all landed, and after spending some time Islander

on (there, again embarked for town. and had not proceeded more 21 Sept. 1849, than Boynnls when the Steamer Ilook the ground, the tide falling page 3 column 1 fast in the time. About n dozen of the party hired com'e nnces, ’

and returned to town by land inst night; the rostremn inod hehind,

null took up their. uarters for the night at the Farm "onset: in the vicinity ofthe'Brv' ‘ge-utho greater Bordon, we hem, were bilitorl m Bonshaw House; An Amateur and, together with an Ammo teur Vocal party, were' on board the Ida, and we .hear from n person wholpn'aSed Bonshaw House this morning at four o’clock, that it was illuminated, and the Bum! \yus pinyin; right merrily. The Isla, it is expected, w“! return this evening.

View from "Hilltop Farm" looking south pre 1940 showing the barns Of "Bonshaw Farm" courtesy of Peter Hicks

3.qu

A unique item in Bonshaw was the use of gravity water systems for a number of houses. Due to the presence of springs on most of the hills it is possible to pipe water to a number of houses without the use of pumps. Bonshaw House had a well high on the hill behind it and water feed both the barn and kitchen. At least three houses in the village still use type of system today.

Hilltop farm owned by the McRae 5, now David Gibson, used a hydraulic ram to pump water

from the spring at the foot of the lane. (This spring, also known as Lizzie Murphy's, was the one that fed the creamery and watered horses pulling loads to and from Crosby Mills.)

References for Chapter VI

1 Extracts from the Annie Laurie Robertson diary 1888 to 1903, the location of the original now unknown, extracts in the possession of Ann Coles, Milton, Queens County, P.E.I. Dec 1992

2 Interview with Marjorie Gibson formerly McRae of Bonshaw 1985

3 Examiner, 1903, March 20 pg 3

4 Canadian Inventory of Historical Buildings, P.E.I. Lot 30, surveyed in 1974 copies in the possession of the authors 5 Guardian, 1969, May 3rd, pg 2

6 Interview with Fred Hickox of Charlottetown, son of Spurgeon Hickox,1986 7 Guardian, 1962, February 21st, pg 1 8 Guardian 1957, December 5th, pg 3 col 3

9 based on the recollection of Christine McNevin nee McLeod, who lived in the house for 14 years in the 1930s, Argyle Shore, Sept 1993)

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