Up the Gatineau! Article
This article was first published in Up the Gatineau! Volume 10.
Did You Know That
Keeping the Home Fires Burning was vital
“Keeping the home fires burning“ was more than a patriotic sentiment to the early settlers of this country. it was critical to their comfort and even survival. Nothing so unusual about this, you may say, but what was unusual was how they kept those fires burning.
Before the development of safety matches about the middle of the last century there were primitive methods of starting fires such as creating friction between two pieces of wood rubbed together. Although flint striking steel to create sparks and start fires was discovered some centuries ago this method continued to be used. However, under some circumstances, a not uncommon practice, when one’s fire had gone out, was to visit a neighbour and “borrow” a few live coals to be carried home on a shovel or in a pan, all the while being kept alive by being blown on.
Coals were “borrowed” rather than given, as the neighbour was always sure to come for some of the same, sooner or later, as no matter how careful one was, fires would go out, or flint and steel would be misplaced. Some wise farmers kept candles burning so as to be sure of a light in case of need. And in the depths of the Gatineau winter the need was a matter of life or death.