The Bell in Marion Hall
All those who currently dine in Marion Hall have become accustomed to each meal beginning with the ringing of the beautiful bronze bell that has sat on the corner of the hearth of the grand fireplace since Marion Hall officially opened on June 15, 2002. So loud are its peals, that those sitting close by will cover their ears when the appointed ringer – usually one of the prefects – approaches the bell.
How the bell found its way to Shawnigan Lake School is an interesting story. It was donated by the mother of alum Patrick Halls ’78. Margaret Halls sent a letter to the School Archives on July 5, 2002 explaining how she had acquired the bell:
“As the Canadian [National] Railway Trains no longer needed their bells, they were customarily donated to Anglican Churches across Canada. This particular bell came from a train which went from Port au Basque to St. John’s Newfoundland on a narrow gauge railway.” This train was officially known as the Caribou, but was nicknamed the “Newfie Bullet.” Its last run was on July 3, 1969.
Initially, the Caribou’s bell was donated to the Anglican Church in Riverview, New Brunswick, where Margaret Halls played the organ. There, it lay on the ground under the church steps, disappearing over time under wild grass. Seeing it neglected there, Margaret “had the audacity to say that if no one else wanted it [she] would gladly be ‘The Bell’ keeper.” Her offer was eventually accepted and so the bell accompanied her and her family as they moved to various locations. Years later, she received a letter from Shawnigan Lake School asking for monetary donations for a School bell. That was when the Halls family decided to donate the bell to the School. Mrs. Halls ends her letter by saying, “I hope ‘The Bell’ finds its home at Shawnigan as satisfactory as our son Patrick did while he was there. May it represent the loyalty Patrick feels for his old school.”
The information presented in this write-up is based on current information available in the School's Archives and in consultation with key people who have some relevant connection to this "object." If you have further information about this "object" that you would like to contribute, please contact the School’s Advancement Office at alumni@shawnigan.ca.
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