The Village of Lights by Doris Bond-Montgomery for the Westminster Township Historical Society Over the years, the Village at the Crossroads has been known by several names. It was in 1856 that John Chalmers, the postmaster who had emigrated from Lambeth, England, petitioned the Upper Canada government to change the name to Lambeth. His request was officially granted in 1857. The Christmas season of 1954 was Lambeth’s first year in the spotlight of Dominion-wide publicity. Ted and Ruth Bacon had seen a lighted and decorated street in a small town in the USA a few years earlier. Ted had taken many coloured slides to show their David Street neighbours back home. Ruth, a set designer with London Little Theatre, took it upon herself to organize her neighbours to decorate for the Christmas season. So, David St. was decorated with coloured lights and Christmas symbols. The following year, with Ruth’s enthusiastic prodding, all of Lambeth was decorated with nativities, some with live animals, snowmen, spotlights and Christmas lights of every colour. There was barely a house in Lambeth that was not fully decorated. The traffic became so bad in 1956 that at one peak period, 1300 cars passed through the village. A chart of Lambeth streets appeared in the London Free Press with directions: “To see decorations, motorists should turn onto Campbell Street. Londoners driving South on Highway 2 should turn left off Highway 2 at Campbell St, then right off Campbell to Marianna”. One Ontario Provincial Policeman must have wondered about the direction his career was taking when, one Sunday night, he was out directing traffic at the corner of Marianna and Campbell Streets. A London Free Press story reported that five policemen were not enough to unscramble the traffic jam caused by literally thousands of cars pouring through the village. This is how and when Lambeth became known as “The Village of Lights.” This tradition, a testament to the community’s commitment to preserving its heritage, carried on for several years. Then, in 1986, the Lambeth Business Association (LBA) endeavoured to restore this reputation. They purchased Golden Shooting Star Christmas lights and installed them on Main St. with the help of volunteers. On November 28, the public was invited to a brief ceremony in front of Main Street Munchies & Maplewood Quilts and Yarns, “The Carley House,” for the turning on of the lights, complete with a visit from Santa Claus and hot chocolate served to the chilled by-standers. The Township Council decided this was not a job for volunteers, so the municipality took over installing and removing the lights each year. The LBA was still responsible for the cost.
In conjunction with this, the LBA sponsored a competition for the most attractive home display, with judging to take place on December 22. The winner received a small plaque and, of course, their picture in the Lambeth News-Star. This competition continued for several years. Several business owners had moved on to other endeavours, so the Lambeth Business Association had to disband. However, the Lambeth Horticultural Society quietly stepped up and took over, ensuring that Main Street was still decorated for Christmas. The Lambeth Community Association took back the responsibility for a few years, and then, in the early 2000s, the Lambeth Rotary Club stepped up and took over. In 2024, Main St. will again have the colourful green Christmas tree lights and many households will also light up, reminding us that Lambeth is still “the Village of Lights.”
Toy Town Train on the lawn of Mr. and Mrs. Bacon.
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Lambeth Villager • December 2024 • Page 13
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