Origins
In the 1830s, ''newsrooms'' were beginning to open in Bytown, Upper Canada. Newsrooms were spaces where reading materials, especially newspapers, were made available presumably to those who subscribed and paid for the materials. Newsrooms were set up in the British Hotel in Upper Town and another in McArthur's Hotel in Lower Town.Hirsch, R. Forbes, ''The Bytown Mechanics' Institute: Improving the Mind of the Working Class.'', Bytown Pamphlet series; 39) 1992. p .6. The longevity of these organizations was influenced by the long hours of the working class. In 1845, clerks in Bytown organized ''The Mercantile Library Association.'' This association appears to have been an extension of the Upper Town newsroom as both were housed in the British Hotel.Lucien Brault,''Ottawa Old and New.''Ottawa: 1946, pp. 280-281Institute timeline
The lifespan of the BMI was relatively short, and the institute does not appear to have merged with any other organizations. The timelines of the BMIA, the Ottawa Natural History Society and the Ottawa Literary and Scientific Society are blended as three naturally related organizations. * Bytown Mechanics' Institute — 1847–1849 * Bytown Mechanics' Institute and Athenaeum — 1853–1869 * Ottawa Natural History Society — 1863–1869 * Ottawa Literary and Scientific Society — 1869 – c. 1907History
Bytown Mechanics' Institute
The Bytown Mechanics' Institute (BMI) was established in 1847. This first Mechanics' Institute was not long-lived and closed two years later. The Bytown Mechanics' Institute and Athenaeum (BMIA) was officially established January 29, 1853. The Bytown Mechanics' Institute differed from the newsrooms in that the founding fathers were not clerks or members of the working class; they were employers and professionals. The social leaders of Bytown formed the BMI: Hon. Thomas McKay, George W. Baker, Horatio Blasdell, John Scott, William P. Lett, John Bower Lewis and all resident clergymen. Lack of participation had several causes. First, the subscription fee of five shillings was likely too high for the majority of the area's inhabitants. Second, it is unlikely that there were enough working men who would be attracted to such an organization. Lumberjacks were largely French-speaking and used French language institutions. For anglophones, the Carpenters' and Joiners' Society had largely the same purpose. Third, fund raising events were generally failures. Finally, and most critically, there was no newspaper support or advertising. The continuity of the BMI through to the BMIA was broken between 1850 and 1852. French Canadian membership, although sparse, stopped in 1849 after the Stony Monday Riot in September. Local francophones formed their own similar organization, ''Institute canadien français d'Ottawa'', in 1852. The stratification of Ottawa was both social and cultural.Bytown Mechanics' Institute and Athenaeum
The Bytown Mechanics' Institute and Athenaeum began in January 1853. The BMIA had strong support from Robert Bell the publisher of ''Events
Lord Elgin opened the first BMIA exhibition held in the West Ward Town Hall on July 28, 1853. The exhibition was primarily a local affair. On display were: *• tweeds from Thomas McKay's factory *• window blinds from Currier, Dickenson and Company *• hemp from Hull-grown flax *• a fine set of false teeth from a local dentist.Lecture sample
Lectures were considered a staple of the Mechanics' Institute. Improving the mind of the common man was the ultimate goal of the Mechanics' Institute.Hardy, E.A., ''The Public Library.'', Toronto:William Briggs 1912. The following is a sample of lectures made available through the BMIA. Although never intended for them, women attended the lectures in significant numbers.Membership sample
Membership in the BMI had been based almost solely on high social status although the membership was intended to be working class status. While the BMIA was not immune to this type of social patronage in its executive, it did allow women membership and some limited democratic involvement in the executive. The democratic nature of the executive could be seen in the inclusion of Roman Catholics. This type of inclusion was not common across Upper Canada or, later, the Province of Ontario and it speaks to the numbers of Irish immigrants and the relatively large francophone population in the area as a whole.See also
* '' Libraries & the Cultural Record'' * '' Bytown'' * '' Ottawa Public Library''References
;Bibliography *External links