From the archives of the Sault Ste. Marie Public Library:
On a mid-November evening in 1950 women in ‘glamorous gowns and gentlemen in dress uniform or formal tails’ gathered for the first Sault Ste. Marie Artillery Ball in the ballroom of the Windsor Hotel.
For 11 years, Sault Ste. Marie had not seen a celebration of this magnitude. The war years had been followed by years of repatriation when those who had served came home and searched for jobs and readjusted to civilian life. Years of shortages and rationing of things like sugar, coffee and gas, and many citizens of Sault Ste. Marie serving overseas or involved in war work did not allow for social frills like balls or galas.
The idea for the Artillery Ball belongs to Louis H. Derrer, the man that our Armoury also owes its existence to. At the time he was the General Manager at Algoma Steel as well as Commanding Officer of the 49th Sault Ste. Marie Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery.
At that first Artillery Ball, a function of the 49th Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment (RCA), guests were received by Lt. Col. Derrer and Mrs. Derrer along with Major E. G. Vance and Mrs. Vance and Regimental Sergeant Major Ken J. Brown and Mrs. Brown. Responsibility for the Ball rested in the hands of the Officers’ and Sergeants’ Mess Committee whose Chairman at the time was Capt. John A. Curran.
As you can see the inauguration of the Artillery Balls involved a veritable who’s who of prominent Sault Ste. Marie citizenry who would help shape our city in the decades that followed.
The Artillery Balls became the launching event of the winter social season each year in Sault Ste. Marie and were known for their breathtaking centrepieces, decorations, and fashion of the attendees. It was also customary for the 49th Sault Ste. Marie Field Regiment to invite a distinguished military member or a high government official each year as the special Artillery Ball guest.
The Artillery Ball would go on to be an annual event sponsored by the 49th Regiment for decades. Over the years much dancing, feasting, and celebrating took place into the wee hours of the morning during a November weekend. The following are just a few of the many Artillery Balls that were held here in the Soo.
The fourth annual Sault Ste. Marie Artillery Ball took place on Friday, Nov. 20, 1953, in its new setting at the Sault Armoury on Pine Street. Decked out in “striking royal colours, the autumn formal carried the Coronation motif in decorations, presentations and dance setting.”
An exact floral replica of St. Edward’s Crown, worn by Queen Elizabeth II at her coronation took centre stage. Nine feet in height, the massive floral centrepiece consisted of a frame, made up of 7,800 chrysanthemums and the crown “of yellow, white, and bronze mums, was arranged on a cushion of gold velvet. Directly overhead was a net setting of blue and red balloons, which were caught by the dancers at midnight when the net was brought down.”
The band shell and posts around the ballroom were covered in blue and red drapes, completing the theme of the evening. The women, in their exquisite finery, accompanying members of the regiment dressed in traditional ‘blues’ or formal evening wear, received favours at the door of jewel ashtrays of native copper, specially inscribed for the occasion. Highlights of this ball included a buffet luncheon replete with decorated pig heads. The 49th Regimental Pipe Band gave a ‘thrilling exhibition’ following the luncheon and dancing during the evening was to the accompaniment of Mr. Don Buchan and the regiment’s 14-piece orchestra.
The Sixth Annual Artillery Ball in 1955 also celebrated the 100th anniversary of the Royal Canadian Regiment. The ball was described as “more exciting than ever, adoring ladies exquisite in gowns of champagne brocade…regal silk velvet, perky nylon net in vivid pastel shades…Distinguished military in dress blues, brilliant dress jackets appropriate to their regiment, gentlemen stately and polished in tie and tails…oozing elan and savoir-faire…” A hogshead ‘afire and aloft’ adorned the buffet and the bagpipes of the 49th Regiment Pipe Band let loose during intermission. The floral centrepiece was glorious with 2,000 flowers depicting a soldier and a cannon.
Of special note was the music of the 17th annual Artillery Ball held on Nov. 1, 1966. Through the perseverance of Captain Vance Hart, Ball Chairmen for 1965 and 1966, the dance orchestra of the United States Air Force agreed to play at the Sault Artillery Ball of 1966. The band, The Airmen of Note, played jazz, instrumental and modern music. Renowned for performing on the Lawrence Welk television show and Stars on Parade, they also performed at the White House. During this time Downbeat Magazine praised The Airmen of Note as “one of the best bands anyone interested in big band jazz or good dance music can hope to hear today.”
Also of note, guests at the 17th annual Artillery Ball were welcomed by a receiving line that included Canada’s Minister of Defense, the Hon. Paul Hellyer, and his wife Mrs. Hellyer. All of this led to yet another Artillery Ball that was the “glittering event of the Sault Ste. Marie social season.”
“Scarlet knights and silken ladies made the 19th Artillery Ball a Camelot” read the headline in the Sault Star on Saturday, Nov. 2, 1968, the day after the annual Sault Ste. Marie Artillery Ball. That year the Armoury drill hall was transformed into a ballroom with blue, red, and white as the main colour theme with gold used to outline the revolving centrepiece and a golden replica of the 49th Regiment’s insignia in the lobby. Members of the 49th Regiment worked everywhere to make sure the guests felt pampered, and a guard of honour was formed at the entrance. The Artillery Ball was one of the few occasions when regiment officers wore their scarlet tunics.
The theme for the 21st Artillery ball was the space age. The ball, held in 1970, celebrated the beginning of an era. Over 500 guests “danced and dined round the revolving centrepiece, a lunar module zeroing in for a landing on the moon. Lights of red, white, and blue enhanced the dream-like atmosphere of the landing craft hovering over the rotating moon.” In the lobby, a cannon greeted the guests while gold, blue and red designs along with drums decorated the inside space. As always, the guests were treated to a midnight meal and the 49th band piped in the flaming boar’s head, an Artillery Ball tradition, to kick off supper.
1971 saw a special guest of honour attend the annual Artillery Ball. The Honorable W. Ross MacDonald, the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario and his party attended the 22nd Artillery Ball. Mr. MacDonald received the Royal Salute, which included six bars of God Save The Queen and eight bars of O Canada.
On Friday, Nov. 1, 1974, the 25th Anniversary Artillery Ball was held in the Armoury on Pine Street. The Armoury was adorned with silver decorations in honour of the anniversary and “the colourful uniforms and glamorous gowns made the occasion as festive an occasion as its predecessors.” The guest of honour was Brigadier General A. R. McIntosh. As at many previous Artillery Balls, guests were treated to the musical stylings of Ned Ciaschini’s big band. Another treat for the guests of the anniversary ball featured vocalist Kris Reville.
Sadly the 30th annual Artillery Ball which should have taken place in 1979 was cancelled due to poor ticket sales. Only 95 couples had confirmed attendance, and it was decided that it was not economically feasible to hold the ball with those numbers. However, the event went on to take place on Nov. 8, 1980, instead and was held in a new venue. Traditionally the Artillery Ball was held in the Armoury, excepting the first year. In 1980 the event was moved to smaller surroundings as an experiment. Major Jim Murphy explained in an interview with the Sault Star that “after a lot of discussion with some objections from those who believed in the tradition of having it at the Armoury, it was decided to try it at the Ramada Inn as an experiment. The younger members felt a more modern place might create a better atmosphere.”
The Artillery Ball reigned as the highlight of the city’s social affairs for decades, hundreds donning their finest formal wear each year to celebrate the event sponsored by the 49th Field Regiment, Canadian Artillery. Incredible music, flaming boar heads and breathtaking centrepieces wowed the attendees and honoured special guests each year, launching the winter social season with aplomb.
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