Governor Generals and curling in Canada

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Curling in Canada

The history of curling in Canada begins with eighteenth century Scottish Highlanders serving with General Wolfe at Quebec, playing on the St. Lawrence River with "stones" made from melted-down scrap iron from old French cannons. By 1807 the first curling club in Canada was formed - the Royal Montreal Curling Club. Their games also were played on the St. Lawrence. Soon many other curling clubs were formed: the Kingston C.C. in 1820, the Quebec C.C. in 1821, Fergus in 1834, and the Granite in Toronto in 1836.

Royal Patronage for Curling

By the nineteenth century there had long been local curling clubs throughout Scotland, operating independently with their own rules and customs. In 1838 an ad in the Edinburgh Scotsman called for representatives from all curling clubs to meet. The result was the Grand Caledonian Curling Club with its objective to "unite curlers throughout the world into one Brotherhood of the Rink and to regulate the Ancient Scottish game of Curling by General Laws." ( A Century of Curling 13)
Within a short time the Club received royal patronage. During an 1843 royal visit to his home, the Earl of Mansfield, President of the Club, planned a demonstration of the grand game to her Royal Highness, Queen Victoria. Mild weather made an outdoor game impossible, but the resourceful Mansfield turned the waxed and highly-polished ballroom floor into a reasonable substitute for ice, and the Queen "was amused." The Prince Consort was enthusiastic about the game and became the patron of the now Royal Caledonian Curling Club.

Three former Governors-General of Canada have served as President of that Royal Caledonian Curling Club, the Mother Club: The Earl of Minto, The Marquis of Lorne and The Earl of Aberdeen. A Canadian Branch of the Royal Caledonian was formed in 1852.

A Brief History

The Governor General's Curling Club was founded by Lord Dufferin in 1874. He built a covered curling rink so that he and his staff could play the "roarin' game", and established the Governor General's Trophy competition that is still played today. In 1910 the Vice-Regal Curling Club was renamed the Governor General's Curling Club, and a number of prominent curlers in the Ottawa area were invited to become members. Since that time, the focus of the Club has been to recognize Canadians who have made a significant contribution to curling locally, provincially or nationally, not only as competitive curlers, but also as builders and administrators. The men and women of today's Club come from all walks of life and are proud to be honoured by membership in this historic organization.

Un bref historique

Le Club de curling du gouverneur général a été créé par Lord Dufferin en 1874. Il fit construire une piste de curling couverte pour s’adonner à ce sport avec son personnel, et il mit sur pied la compétition du Governor General’s Trophy qui est encore disputée de nos jours. En 1910 le Club de curling vice-royal a été rebaptisé Club de curling du gouverneur général (Governor General’s Curling Club), et d’éminents joueurs de la région d’Ottawa ont été invités à devenir membres. Depuis ce temps le Club vise à reconnaître des Canadiens qui ont contribué au curling de manière significative au plan local, provincial et national, non seulement comme compétiteurs mais aussi à titre de bâtisseurs et d’administrateurs. De nos jours, les hommes et les femmes qui sont membres du Club sont issus de tous les horizons et sont fiers d’être honorés par cette organisation historique.

Truth and Reconciliation

We recognize that our members reside on traditional Indigenous territories across Canada. We value the contributions that Inuit, Métis and other Indigenous Peoples have made, in shaping and strengthening our community and our country. The recognition of the contribution and historic importance of Indigenous peoples is our commitment to make Truth and Reconciliation real in our community.

Vérité et réconciliation

Nous reconnaissons que nos membres habitent les territoires traditionnels autochtones à travers le Canada. Nous apprécions les contributions que les Inuits, les Métis et les autres peuples autochtones ont apporté en façonnant et en renforçant notre communauté et notre pays. La reconnaissance de la contribution et de l’importance historique des peuples autochtones constitue notre engagement pour que la vérité et la réconciliation deviennent réalité dans notre communauté.