It was the greatest British naval victory since Sir Francis Drake shattered the Spanish Armada in 1588. Nelson became famous as 'the hero' of the British people and their allies around the world. He had spent four years chasing the French fleet around the Mediterranean. He had lost the sight in his right eye at Calvi in 1794, and his right arm was amputated following the Battle of Teneriffe in 1797.

Now, at last, on Aug. 1, 1798, Nelson was off the coast of Alexandria and had Napoleon's fleet just where he wanted it, in a defensive formation at the mouth of Aboukir Bay. The French had anchored their ships about 500 feet apart, and captain Foley of the British fleet, slipped boldly through the French line and attacked from behind. Four more ships followed him through the line. The British fleet then sailed down the French line and battered one ship after another into ruins by attacking from the front and rear at the same time. The Battle of the Nile lasted from sunrise to sunset.

There was an estimated 895 British killed or wounded, and between 2,000 to 5,000 French killed and wounded. Nelson biographer Thomas Southey described the victory as "the most complete and glorious in the annals of naval history."  By Stanford Dingman  

*  Stratford had six train stations during its history. For a map and timeline of the stations see Station Timeline

"The proprietor of the well felt satisfied that its water contained remedial virtues sufficient to warrant the expense of an analysis. An analysis was accordingly made by the celebrated Canadian analyst, Prof. Croft, of Toronto, which resulted in the water being pronounced the best in Canada; thereupon the proprietor felt it to be a duty to make provision for participation in its salutary influences by the general public.

After consultation with prominent citizens, and others whose opinions were considered valuable, it was resolved to erect baths of all descriptions for applying the water externally and also drinking fountains for the enjoyment of its healthful and invigorating properties when taken internally. 

In the meantime, the water continued to be used both with and without professional direction, and the result has been that now when the water is ready to be utilized in the form of baths of every description, as well as in the way of beverage, an array of testimonials to its extraordinary virtues as a remedial agent have accumulated, placing it at once in the first rank of health-promoting agencies of its class." Source: Stratford Directory 1880-81

Lucy Cartright, proprietress of Meribah

A first-class entrepreneur, Lucy Cartwright was the wife of Dr. Calvin Cartwright, a Stratford dentist. She was also proprietress of the Meribah Mineral Springs. While sinking a well on their property on the southwest corner of Nile and Ontario streets in the late 1870s, the well yielded more than expected. The water had an unusual taste and produced an exhilarating effect. Chemist H. H. Croft of the University of Toronto found seven minerals in the water, and he declared it “the best in Canada.” 

By 1880, the Cartright house had become the Meribah Mineral Springs. It contained baths and drinking fountains and was opened under Lucy’s direction. According to her publicity, the water could cure 26 diseases. The list included colds, congestion, ague, nervous diseases, kidney diseases, and of course "all female complaints." The Meribah Mineral Springs with its astonishing waters lasted only a few years and then passed silently into Stratford history. Source Stratford & District Historical Society 

He worked for the CBC, launched another freeform modern rock station, Coast 800, later Coast 1040, in Vancouver, was later involved in the creation of Iceberg Radio, the first major Canadian internet radio project, and returned to the airwaves as host of a freeform rock show on Oshawa, Ont.'s CKGE-FM The Rock 94.9 in the early 2000s. It was known as The David Marsden Radio Program, or the as The Marsden Theatre. During his time on CKGE, Marsden was the only freeform DJ on a commercial radio station in North America.

He created the subscription-based radio channel NYTheSpirit.com, which launched in September 2014. The station plays a mixture of music, concentrating heavily on the 1980s alternative scene, but with a freeform mentality that mimics Marsden's 1980s heyday at CFNY.

Marsden has been profiled in exhibits at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, both for his on-air Dave Michie persona and for his role as program director of CFNY. He was featured in a 2015 documentary about radio DJs called I Am What I Play, directed by Roger King in 2017.  Source Gord Conroy Wikipedia. 

During a raid on the enemy trenches he led a section of the raiding party, penetrating the position to a depth of some 350 yards, where he successfully rushed a machine gun post, killing two of the garrison and scattering the remainder. Although severely wounded, he directed the retirement of his party, with much skill, and himself carried a badly wounded comrade back to our lines. 

His courage and resource were responsible for the success of his portion of the enterprise." After a successful trench raid and a discovery by a German machine gun position (which he neutralized) Sgt. Price was to carry a wounded fellow Sgt 350 yards through enemy lines and across no mans land to his own lines receiving gun shots wounds to the leg and buttocks during the crossing. Source: Bill Donaldson FB

Names of the soldiers of the 110th Expeditionary Force 

Elizabeth and John Forbes had four sons and a daughter. In December 1874, their daughter, Jennie Elizabeth (1853-1943), married Dr. James A. Robertson (1845-1924). It was shortly after his graduation as a doctor from Trinity College, University of Toronto, in 1875, that they moved into the new house at 131 Nile St. It was Elizabeth Forbes who had the house built, but she never lived in it. 

Jennie and James had two children, Lorne Forbes (Oct. 4, 1876-October 1952) and Pearl (1878-April 28, 1893). Like other doctors of his day, James Robertson may well have used the house on Nile Street for his practice. While there, he had two employees living at the house: Annie Armstrong, a domestic helper, and her sister Mary, a nurse. As the Robertsons had, the Armstrong sisters had emigrated from Scotland.

During his career-long practice in Stratford, James Robertson was extremely well regarded in the community. He was a doctor who visited hundreds of homes on his errands of mercy and healing. He served as doctor to Stratford's Grand Trunk Railway operation, and as the city’s health officer. He was president of the Ontario College of Physicians and Surgeons. By 1899, he and his wife had built a new house, that came to be called The Elms, at 55 Albert St. (see Albert Street). After his death on Nov. 4, 1924, Dr. Robertson was described in a newspaper as being of noble character and a leading citizen of Stratford.

Dr. Lorne Robertson followed in his father's footsteps. Like his dad, Lorne Robertson became a physician and surgeon, and member of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. He earned post doctorate degrees in England, Edinburgh and the United States. Well known in southwestern Ontario as a colourful figure, Dr. Lorne, as he was called, was part-time coach of Stratford's senior hockey team. Rumour has it he was intimately involved in advancing the career of a well-known Mitchell and Stratford hockey player named Howie Morenz. (see Morenz Drive).

There is a doctors Robertson story about father and son on vacation together. While away, they needed someone to tend their Stratford practice. From the University of Toronto, they were given the name of a promising young physician, Norman Bethune (see William Street), who indeed came to Stratford to cover their practice. After that experience, the Robertsons invited Dr. Bethune to establish his own practice in Stratford but Bethune chose instead to join the navy.

Dr. Lorne Robertson married Jesse Winnifred Munroe on April 30, 1920. They had no children. She died  on March 10, 1938 at age 52. Jennie Elizabeth (Forbes) Robertson was 83 when she died on June 28, 1943. Her attending physician was her son Lorne, who died in October 1952. Source: Stratford-Perth County Branch ACO (Architectural Conservancy of Ontario) | Historical Plaque Properties