TWILLINGATE MUSEUM - Key Persons

Dr. Charles E. Parsons was the first Superintendent and Medical Director of Notre Dame Bay Memorial Hospital. Having received his medical degree from Johns Hopkins Medical School in 1919, he began serving the Grenfell Mission in 1913. Dr. Parsons worked as a teacher at Wilfred T. Grenfell School, St. Anthony, and also as an employee of the Mission Office. The following summer, he served as Dr. Grenfell's secretary onboard the hospital steamer Strathcona. Later, with Grenfell's recommendation, Dr. Parsons travelled to Twillingate where he led the construction of Twillingate Hospital and took charge of medical services. Despite the original plans for building a cottage hospital, Dr. Parsons insisted on a larger institution - a complete hospital for Twillingate and the surrounding areas offering as wide a medical service as possible. He worked at the hospital for 10 years until ill health led to his resignation. Despite previous medical treatment, Dr. Parsons suffered a fatal heart attack in 1941 while delivering a paper to a medical conference in Philadelphia.

Georgina Chalker was born at Notre Dame Bay Memorial Hospital on September 5, 1944, delivered by Dr. J.M. Olds. She moved to St. John's where she was educated at Bishop Spencer College and Bishops College. During the summer seasons, Georgina visited Twillingate and hoped she would someday return to Twillingate as a medical doctor. Georgina was awarded a BSc, MD in 1968 from Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario and in 1975 was received as a Fellow in the Royal College of Surgeons, Canada. On July 1, 1976, Dr. Chalker came to Twillingate where she worked with Dr. J.M. Olds for approximately 4 years until his retirement from surgery. During her stay, Dr. Chalker focused mainly on general practice, general surgery, and obstetrics. With the regionalization of Twillingate Hospital in 1994, Dr. Chalker moved to G.B. Cross Memorial Hospital in Clarenville. Although she officially retired in 1999, Dr. Chalker continued her medical service by doing locums at Twillingate until 2006.

Georgina Ann Stirling was born in Twillingate, Newfoundland, on April 3, 1867, the youngest of 10 children born to Ann Peyton and William Stirling. Ann Peyton was a grand-daughter of John Peyton (1747-1827), who had established a fish business at Exploits, just west of Twillingate, prior to 1800, and brought his son, John Peyton Jr. (Ann's father) from England in 1812 to join the business. William Stirling, originally from Harbour Grace, was a medical doctor, who moved to Twillingate to practise in 1843. Georgina and her sisters were educated at Twillingate. Most also received musical training from an early age, and their father, recognizing the need for a well-rounded education, and his daughter's natural musical talents, acquired two pianos, a violin and a flute for their use. By the time she was 15, Georgina was playing the organ at church services and playing and singing at local concerts.

Rev. Gordon Elliott was born in Glasgow, Scotland, June 9, 1888. He taught school at various places in Scotland until he came to Romsey where he became assistant organist. During his time at Romsey, Rev. Elliott heard about Newfoundland and, in 1908, decided he would move to Newfoundland. However, just before his move to Newfoundland, he attended an experimental Scout Camp operated by Lord Baden Powell in Perth, Scotland. When Rev. Elliott told Lord Baden that he was going to Newfoundland to work, Lord Baden said: "Just the place for Boy Scouts, why not start it there?" Armed with the authority to speak for the Boy Scout Movement, Rev. Elliott came to St. John's and rented a room in an old house at Maggoty Cove (as it was then known) for the purpose of Boy Scout meetings. Initially, 10 boys met once a week to learn how to read a compass, hoist a flag, and tie knots. Memory games, flag signals, and hikes were also part of the Boy Scout curriculum. The names of the boys of the first troop are forgotten except for a Duchemein and a Brown (who later became a judge) who kept in touch with Rev. Elliott until his death. He entered Queen's College where he studied for ministry. He was ordained in 1911 as Deacon and, in 1913, as Priest. Rev. Elliott married the former Lily M. Stirling - sister of the late Canon Stirling, and cousin of Georgina Stirling. During his ministry, Rev. Elliott resided in many communities in Newfoundland and thoroughly enjoyed all the places he visited. At one time, he returned to England and attended King's College in London where he studied medicine. Due to the lack of doctors around the Newfoundland coast, clergy were often called upon to assist the sick. Therefore, Rev. Elliott's knowledge of medicine greatly assisted him in his work among the Newfoundland people. He was a dedicated minister who especially loved children. Rev. Elliott held a special service for them every Sunday and taught them love and reverence for God's House. These services were well attended by parents and children alike. He returned to England with his family in 1936 and worked in a few parishes and was Hon. Chaplain to Canterbury Cathedral from 1944 - 1947 where he conducted tours of the Cathedral and held evening services. In 1947 he returned to Newfoundland and became Rector of Foxtrap Parish until 1959 at which time he retired. During his retirement, he lived part time in Twillingate and assisted with services at St. Peter's Church. He loved nature and catalogued the wild flowers of Newfoundland. He wrote many unpublished accounts of his encounters with beaver, moose and bears and also of fishing expeditions. Rev. Elliott was mentally alert and expressed a great interest in reading and crossword puzzles until his death. He died at age 96 and was buried at Snelling's Cove Cemetery.

William Stirling was both a believer and promoter of his daughters' talents. In the fall of 1888 he arranged for her to travel to Paris to receive voice training. An audition with renowned voice teacher, Mathilde Marchesi, resulted in an invitation to attend Marchesi's school in Paris. In 1890, while performing at one of Marchesi's concerts, Stirling's voice caught the attention of an Italian impresario, who invited her to join a Milan opera company. It has been claimed that she made her debut at Milan's La Scala opera house. She spent the next year with that company before returning to Paris and more study with Marchesi. In the summer of 1892, Stirling returned to Twillingate for the first time in four years. There she was welcomed and honoured for her accomplishments, many of which had been reported in the local newspaper The Twillingate Sun. While there she sang at the flower services for St. Peter's and St. Andrew's Anglican Church. In October, Stirling left Twillingate for Europe. On a short stop-over in St. John's she sang several numbers, including "Ave Maria," at a divine service held at the Roman Catholic Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, with Bishop Power in attendance. Her singing received laudatory reviews in the local papers. The 1892-1893 season was to be Stirling's last with Marchesi. She made her Paris grand opera debut in 1892 and also made a return visit to St. John's where she performed at the Methodist College Hall. The following year she spent performing in England. She also adopted the stage name "Marie Toulinguet" at this time. The next five years where to be busy ones for Georgina Stirling. After spending the 1894-1895 season touring England, she visited Twillingate, followed by several concerts at St. John's on her way back to Europe in the fall of 1895. In 1896 Stirling accepted an invitation from the impresario Colonel J. Henry Mapleson to join his New Imperial Opera Company based in New York. In St. John's, on her way to New York, she participated in the dedication service for the newly constructed Gower Street Methodist Church. Stirling's debut with the New Imperial Opera Company was a resounding success, with laudatory reviews in New York, Philadelphia and Boston newspapers. Unfortunately, the company ran into financial difficulties and was forced to close mid-season, leaving its performers stranded. Stirling was able to obtain a number of singing engagements in eastern USA cities during the winter of 1896-1897. Arriving in St. John's in late June 1897, with her friend, the Dublin-born singer Marie du Bedat, Stirling found the city in the midst of celebrating the 60th anniversary of Queen Victoria's ascension of the British throne. Both singers agreed to perform at various special events and concerts, Stirling singing the National Anthem at the laying of the cornerstone for Cabot Tower, as the 400th anniversary of John Cabot's arrival in Newfoundland was also being celebrated. Stirling and du Bedat spend the remainder of the summer in Twillingate. On October 18, 1897, Georgina Stirling made her debut with the Scalchi Operatic Company, under the direction of Sophia Scalchi, a former member of Mapleson's troop. The company toured throughout the United States, from the Carolinas to Arkansas to Colorado, to wide acclaim, especially Stirling who received very complimentary reviews: "Mlle. Toulinguet undoubtedly achieved the triumph of the evening." (Arkansas Gazette); "Mlle. Toulinguet sings faultlessly and without the least effort. Her high notes are as clear as a bell and her range seems unlimited." (Charleston News). The tour was a tremendous success, and resulted in a series of engagements for Stirling in Italy the following year. Stirling was in Italy for most of the years 1898 to 1901. During this time she damaged her voice; evidence points to a straining of the vocal chords. It prevented her from singing, which brought on despondency and depression. A lengthy period of rest was required, part of which was spent in London with her sisters, Janet and Lucy. When she did return to the stage, it was as a concert artist, not an opera singer: the damage to her voice had been that great. She performed rarely, which tended to worsen her psychological state and may have caused her to seek solace from alcohol. After spending the summer and fall of 1904 in St. John's and Twillingate, Stirling returned to England, where she eventually joined the Duxhurst Farm Colony for Women and Children in Surrey. Founded by Lady Somerset in 1895, this quiet country estate offered professional assistance and security to woman recovering from alcohol abuse. It would appear that she spent various periods there over the following two decades, interspersed with living with Susan and Janet. Susan Stirling Temple died in 1925 and Janet Stirling in 1928. No longer able to depend on them for emotional and financial support, Georgina Stirling was forced to return to Twillingate. She quickly settled in and was accepted by the residents of the town. She helped to organize and sang at concerts sponsored by the Hustler's Club to raise money for the Twillingate Hospital. And she spent time gardening, a hobby she had acquired at Duxhurst Farm which attributed her the nickname, Lady of the Lavender. Georgina Stirling died at Twillingate on April 23, 1935. DIED - Toulinguet Stirling - Nfld's Prima Donna. On Easter Sunday at about 3:30pm, Georgina, youngest daughter of the late Dr.and Mrs. Wm. Stirling, at 68 years, passed away after an illness due to cancer. Funeral was held at St. Peter's on Thursday, Rev. Butler officiating. She leaves to mourn at home Miss Rose E. Stirling and Mrs. Putzki (Kate) in Washington, D.C., and many relatives. (No obituary, by request)