History

Donald Brock MacAulay joined the Southampton Curling Club in 1889, at the age of 18 years. The Club had been initiated in 1858, about the same time as the founding of the village of Southampton, but waited until 1896 for the building of facilities.

 

From OCA records, 1896 was the founding year for the Southampton Curling Club ( the same records show that the Club was formally registered with the OCA in 1901 ). In that same year Brock and teams from the Club won the Ontario Tankard Northern District competition, a feat which was repeated again in 1897, 1898 & 1906.
 

In 1902, also from OCA records, Southampton teams won the Governor General Trophy, inscribed "1902 - Presented to - The Ontario Curling Association - His Excellency the Earl of Minto G.C.M.G. - Governor General of Canada - The Southampton Club" ; to show the strength of their game, they repeated the feat in 1908.

 

As reported in the Toronto Globe and several local newspapers, Brock MacAulay and Southampton team members were undefeated in winning the 1906 Glen Challenge Trophy; this was a bonspiel in St Thomas with 72 rinks from across Ontario. They defended the trophy in Southampton against challenges for many Ontario rinks. throughout 1906 and 1907, and then won it again in St Thomas in 1908.

The most distant excursion for Brock MacAulay and his teammates was to Winnipeg, the centre of curling in western Canada. In 1908 they were winners of the Tetley Tea trophy. From a December 1989 article in the Southampton Beacon written by D.Ruttan "In 1917 MacAulay travelled to Winnipeg where he and his mates John Moose McIver, Billy Cameron and Alton Dad Huber captured the MacDonald Brier Cup, earning them the bragging rights as the best rink in Canada". The prizes were car robes, table lamps, diamond stick pins and silver trays. A grand celebration was held when the team arrived by train and paraded up the main street in a dray to a reception and celebration at Town Hall.
 

In 1940, in recognition of his many achievements in the sport of curling, Donald Brock MacAulay was made an Honourary Life Member of the Ontario Curling Association; he was only the 29th member of this order at that time which included both administrators and outstanding curlers.

The painting which we have of Donald Brock MacAulay was painted by his son Douglas MacAulay and donated to the Club in 1961. We also have in the lounge framed photographs of Brock and his teammates recording some of their major victories. There is also a Brock MacAulay Trophy for regional competition, and a Brock MacAulay Memorial Trophy donated by Mr & Mrs W.J. Knowles for senior competition.
 

Several trophies referred to above are with the Bruce County Museum.

 

Many members of the Southampton Curling Club played on teams with Brock, and others formed a partner team when the competition required a two team entry. Brock's teammates included J. Moose McIver, Alton Dad Huber, Bill Cameron, John Logie, William Logie, Doran MacAulay, Peter Foster, Captian Ed Williscroft, Dougall MacAulay, Fred Bowman, George Stirton, Captain Wille Crofold, W.J. Corcerou, George Toots McIver, George MacAuley, Captian Harry Spence, D.H. Aulay, John McVittie, Augie Munroe & Wally MacGillivray.

 

From the Southampton Beacon, January 26, 1911, a poem written by Brock MacAulay, about his favourite sport and another ...

 

    Kerlin' Time

 

    The frost is i' the air Moose,

    The snaw cam's skirlin' doon,

    The lochs will soon be froze Moose,

    On the ootskairts o' the toon,

    We hae'd oor gewt a' sinner,

    On mony bonny links,
    But that's a stoopit game Moose,

    Tae kerlin' on the rinks.