We Request the Pleasure of Your Company

Cardinal McGuigan raises a toast at a dinner held in honour of Queen Elizabeth II's coronation at Toronto's Empire Club.

1 June 1953

PH 09E/16P
ARCAT Photograph Collection

This weekend, people across Canada will celebrate Thanksgiving. Sharing a meal with family and friends has been a way to celebrate and mark occasions since time immemorial. Whether it's a formal event in a hotel ballroom or an intimate affair in a friend's home, a meal is an excuse to gather and enjoy good company. This week we are featuring a few of the many invitations to dinner and luncheon that we have here in the archives.

The Duke of Orleans presents his compliments to Mr. McDonald and will be very glad to see him at dinner on Sunday next at four o'clock, if he is not otherwise engaged.

13 August, 1813

M AE07.10
Bishop Macdonell Fonds

The professors and students of Trinity Medical School request the pleasure of the company of His Grace, Archbishop Lynch at their eleventh annual dinner, to be held at the Rossin house, on Thursday, Nov. 10th, 1887, at 8 p.m. R.S.V.P.

November 1887

L AH32.158
Archbishop Lynch Fonds

To meet His Excellency The Governor General and Marchioness of Lansdowne
The Lieutenant Governor of Ontario and Mrs. Beverley Robinson request the honor of His Grace the Archbishop's company at Dinner on Friday, the 19th of September at Eight o'clock. Government House, Toronto. An answer is requested to the A.D.C.

September 1887

L AE06.96
Archbishop Lynch Fonds

The President, Executive and Members of The Canadian Club of Toronto and the Empire Club of Canada request the pleasure of the company of Archbishop N. McNeil, at a Luncheon in honour of His Excellency The Rt. Hon. Earl of Bessborough, P.C. G.C.M.G., to be held in the Royal York Hotel, Tuesday, November 24th, 1931 at 12.45 o'clock. R.S.V.P. before 10 a.m., Monday, Nov. 23rd, to J.M. Philip, Secretary Canadian Club, 1003 Bank of Hamilton Bldg. Guests will assemble in Hall A, at 12.30 o'clock.

November 1931

MN AA23.140
Archbishop McNeil Fonds 

Mr. Ray N. Bryson, President of the Boy Scouts Association, District of Toronto, invites you to join him as his guest at a dinner given in honour of Major-General Dan C. Spry, C.B.E., D.S.O., Chief Executive Commissioner of Canada's Boy Scouts. 

This will be held at hte Granite Club, 63 St. Clair Avenue West, Tuesday, December 2nd. Guests will assemble in the Men's Lounge Room, main floor, at 6:30 p.m. Dinner served at 6:45 p.m. Dress: Scout uniform or business dress.

All 1947 Officers are invited to attend including Mr. R.C. Berkinshaw, the chairman, and Members of the Advisory Board, the Board of Honour and Members of the Executive Committee.

R.S.V.P. by November 27th to Mr. Herbert B. Greenaway, Suite 604, 57 Bloor Street West, Toronto, Ontario.

November, 1947

MG SO22.19
Cardinal McGuigan Fonds

Have a great weekend of giving thanks for great dinner companions!

Feasts of Thanksgiving: Historical Menus

At Thanksgiving, we gather with family and friends to be mindful of our blessings.
Thanksgiving is also a harvest celebration; there is no denying that many of us will indulge in the abundance of food prepared for the Thanksgiving feast.

In the spirit of food and feasting, we decided to post some historical menus from various celebrations...some of them featuring a variety of very weird and wonderful dishes.

Archbishop Lynch's 1884 banquet was held at Rossin House, which stood at the Southwest corner of King and York streets from 1857 to 1969.
Anyone for Arches of Buffalo Tongues? Aspic of Lobster a la Parisienne?
Duck en surprise on Pedestal? Sweetbreads Larded, a la Financiere?

Green Turtle Soup and Haunch of Venison? Sign me up!

By 1944, menus for episcopal events were becoming somewhat more simple. 

This menu (courtesy of the General Archives of the Basilian Fathers) is interesting for its hockey-reminiscent food names, but it is even more interesting because of the note on the front, which indicates that the banquet was cancelled because of VE Day.

We couldn't resist finding recipes for some of the more interesting dishes from these menus:

From The Gastronomic Regenerator: A Simplified and Entirely New System of Cookery (1847) by Monsieur A. Soyer, p. 427.

From The Royal Cookery Book (1869) by Jules Gouffé, p. 490.

From White House Cook Book: A Selection of Choice Recipes, Original and Selected (1889) by Fanny Lemira Gillette, p. 329.

From White House Cook Book: A Selection of Choice Recipes, Original and Selected (1889) by Fanny Lemira Gillette, p. 321.

Are you inspired to make Turkey Galantine for your family this weekend? Perhaps they would prefer Boiled Turkey with Oyster Sauce, or a Pyramid of Spring Chicken, or Arches of Buffalo Tongues. 

For more historic menus, check out the Toronto Public Library's virtual exhibit Local Flavour, and the New York Public Library's What's On The Menu project. 

Record of the Week: Do you think they served pumpkin pie?

 We are directed by the Lord Bishop of Toronto to inform you, that the Metropolitan of Canada has suggested the third Thursday in November next, viz November 16th, as a suitable day on which the members of all Christian Bodies in this and the neighbouring Provinces, might unite in offering up to the Almighty Giver of all Good, their praises and thanksgivings for the Blessings which he has bestowed upon us, and our Country, by the renewal of a bountiful Harvest, and the continuance of peace and prosperity. (Bishop Lynch fonds, L AH 22.13)

At ARCAT, we found an 1877 letter from the Anglican Diocese of Toronto to Bishop Lynch asking for his support for a day of thanksgiving in November. The campaign must not have been successful, because no days of thanksgiving are recorded as having been observed between 1872 and 1879. 

The current date of Thanksgiving was officially fixed in 1957 for the second Monday in October. The reason for the holiday is stated as "For general thanksgiving to Almighty God for the blessings with which the people of Canada have been favoured."

Prior to that, the date was proclaimed each year, and the reason for thanksgiving varied. Many years were thankful for "blessings of an abundant harvest." 

Some other thanksgivings of note:

• Thursday, January 10th, 1799: "In signal victory over our enemy and for the manifold and inestimable blessings which our Kingdoms and Provinces have recieved and daily continue to receive."
• Thursday, April 6th, 1815: "End of the war with the United States of America and resotration of the blessings of Peace."
• Wednesday, February 6th, 1833: "Cessation of cholera."
• Monday, April 15th, 1872: "For restoration to health of H.R.H. the Prince of Wales."
• Saturday, August 9th, 1902: "King's Coronation, as a day of General Thanksgiving and rejoicing."

Check here and here fore more information about our beloved autumn holiday.

Happy Thanksgiving!