Jules Maule-ffinch, Nathan Hiller and the Albion Bolton Historical Society and More

Written By CONSTANCE SCRAFIELD

Both Jules Maule-ffinch and Nathan Hiller have been living in Caledon for a long time. Ms. Maule-ffinch came here in 1984. 

“We emigrated from England in 1980. I come from rural England and I wanted to live in a rural area here. So, we moved to Caledon East. We moved here and my son was born in 1985.”

Nathan Hiller came with his family in 1967. “It was farmland mostly then, he commented, “there have been a lot of changes.”

Once Ms. Maule-ffinch's son was old enough, she “went back to work. Then, went to work for myself. I'm a gardener,” she told the Citizen. “In the winter, I do a lot of volunteer work with garden clubs mostly. Nobleton and King City Garden Club.”

If gardening is deemed necessarily a summer occupation, Ms. Maule-ffinch's answer to a question about indoor gardens as part of the business was “in my house, most of the window space is filled with plants: orchids, other flowers. For lot of places of people that I do, are away for the cold months or want the freedom to travel. 

“Some do, though. Those we house sit for. We can take care of those gardens. We try to do a work shop each year [about indoor gardens]: fairy gardens, pictures frames. Yesterday, we went to Chinguacousey Greenhouse on Central Park an drive and close to Bramalea City Centre. It's lovely to walk around there and there's no entrance fee now.”

“Photography, which I run as a small business,” is Mr. Hiller's passion. “I compete. Over the last few years, I've been working on a collection of photographs which I call the Caledon Collection. I sell them on card stock, greetings cards with blank inside. They're at Beaux Arts in Brampton and at the Dufferin Museum.”

The Museum of Dufferin, he was reminded, to which he remarked, “It's so important t for groups and organization to reinvent themselves [from time to time] so that families come too.” 

To help, enjoy and learn from the differences in their tastes, they both benefit tremendously.

He explained, “We do outside work in the summer time. I help Jules with the gardening, things that need attending, some artscape and some carpentry-”

In addition, “doing research and some scanning for the Historical website.”

The Albion Bolton Historical Society is important to Mr. Hiller. “I've been an Albion Bolton a member for a number of years. Last year I was asked to take on the presidency. History in the area is important to me. I lives in Sandhill and I was researching a couple of years ago and learned a great deal about the militia in the area. “At the last meeting [of the ABHS], I did a presentation on local militia. From 1818 to 1918, there was a strong presence of the militia at the time. The militia men - back then it was called militia – in the 1860's, they were quite prominent and helped to defend Canada in 1866. That was quite interesting. I came up with a lot of stuff which I found going through research and archives. Some of it by going to visit the families, the Lorne Scots [Regimental] Museum in Brampton, where they have artifacts, and the Toronto Reference Library. There are many, many archives, both on and off line.”

He told us, “Sandhill had a militia by the tail end of 1866. Alton, Mono Mills and Sandhill, Bolton and Tullamore, a total of 250 men. There were companies [Dufferin, Peel and Halton Regiments] of militia, from the early 1960's up to WWI. They drilled, they camped, did training. For a hundred years.”

Then, Ms. Maule-ffinch added, “I joined up because I'm interest in helping community groups. With Nathan on the Board, I thought I may as well help out too. So. The secretary wanted to step down and I offered to take over for her.”

Although we were talking about the roles they two play with the ABHS, Mr. Hiller was concerned to be clear, by saying, “I really want to stress the Albion Bolton Historical Society has been begun since 1974. They've gathered and recorded the history of Albion Bolton. Most of the Board have lived there all their lives and a significant portion of them at the meetings, remember things 60 years ago. They really have amazing memories.”

The Society is active in the community with “every year we've done a tour walking historical tour. Last year was Bolton camp; this year there'll be another.”

There are three meetings a year, plus the walking tour.

“In April, we're talking geology. Greg Sweetnam is doing it. We try to make it relevant to the area around us but we also have speakers to what ‘s further around us, locals that can contribute.” 

Said Mr. Hiller, “The reason I got involved in the ABHS is because I've lived here a long time. Our mandate isn't geared toward politics. Our society is more about presenting, to share our knowledge and promote the history of the area. We're not political. As individuals, we have our own opinions.”

Ms. Maule-ffinch added, “We'll document the history as well. The Society's website is being updated with a couple of volunteers that are working on that. It's ongoing.”

Said she, “I'm looking forward to the spring; it's very important when we do start work. We do more maintenance [than original design]. We have a base core of clients. Over the time, we do more for our a clients, as they ask us to take on other aspects of their garden. Some want something more – others want to cut back. It's a fluid kind of job. We do all sorts of [garden] work for big and small places, seniors - all sorts. That really suits me.”

“We both belong to Halton Hills camera club. I have been for 20 years,” Mr. Hiller said. “We both help out volunteer to help out as well; the camera club is in Georgetown.” 

From Ms. Maule-ffinch, “When you do this type of work in the summers, all our friends know, we're really dedicated. We probably 6 days a week. In the winters, we have lots of time and enjoy going to the library and that's when we have time for our volunteering”

She continued, “Between Nathan and I – I can't say that all our interests are the same. For myself, I might not go to the historical society but I did and I met interesting people.” 

His take on that, “I mean, flowers –I take or leave the flower part of the work. Still, I'm also a photographer and a judge. As such, I'm looking for just not something that's a quick snap but something that has some thought to it, where the photographer has given some time to it. I'm going to Judge at the Horticultural Society Georgetown. There's also a little photography end to it.”

As for what they would say to people coming to live in Caledon, they were truly in agreement.

“When people come, it's basically Caledon; it's basically agricultural. It's got a small town attitude about it. 

“Explore it because we've got some beautiful natural resources. The trails, the parks, get out and explore and learn about the community. The people that have been here for many, many years, when they first got involved, they learned what a really great place this is.”