Richard Monette Way

Ted Blowes, Mr. Stratford

Ted Blowes was affectionately known as Mr. Stratford. He was the son of the late Jean (Gibson) and Stan Blowes who operated a gift shop on Wellington Street. 

He was a secondary school educator for 34 years, and retired as head of the geography department at Northwestern Secondary School. Previously, he had  taught in Parkhill, London, Whitby and the Stratford Collegiate. 

He was active as a volunteer with several organizations for 49 years. His life was personified by his endless promotion of the City of Stratford. He served six terms on the Stratford city council, two as an alderman, the last four as mayor (1978-1988). He was on the board of the Organization of Small Urban Municipalities (OSUM) and was a past chair and honorary member of OSUM and its annual trade show. 

He also worked with St. John Ambulance, Community Living, Communities in Bloom, Winter Lights and Winterfest. He was a senator of the Stratford Shakespeare Festival. 

He received many awards and accolades over the years including a Paul Harris fellowship from the Rotary Club of Stratford, the Queen's Silver and Diamond Jubilee medal,  Man of the Year and Senior Volunteer of the Year for Stratford. He died in 2013 at age 76. 

* He was also honoured with a Stratford Bronze Star in 2016. It has been located at the city hall and titled Mr. Stratford.

Tom Patterson plaque (1920-2005)

The plaque reads:

A native of Stratford, Ont., Tom Patterson grew up during the Great Depression and dreamed of plans that might revitalize his community. After serving in the Second World War and completing university, he worked as an associate editor for a trade publication in Toronto. During the early 1950s, Patterson began discussing plans to establish an internationally renowned Shakespearean festival in his hometown. Although considered a risky venture by some, Patterson gained encouragement from Mayor David Simpson and the local council, and from British Shakespearean director Tyrone Guthrie. 

The Revols

First they were the Rebels, in 1957. The name fit. They were into their rebellious teens, and so were we, their friends and fans. We had James Dean. Little Richard. Elvis. And The Rebels.

But the Rebels name was taken, by Dwayne Eddy and  his band. So the Stratford Rebels became the Revols. Sounded just about the same. At times they were known as the Rockin’ Revols. And rock they did.

It all started in the basement of Ken Kalmusky’s parents’ house on Queen Street. In 1957, they made a demo tape (see below) at CKSL Radio in London, Ont. 

They were “revols,” revolutionaries in a real way. They gradually gathered followers. They played dances in semi-darkness at The pavilion in Upper Queens Park, which was renovated in the late 1980s. (see Kiwanis Bandshell). Teens were drawn there by the hundreds.

The Revols, with Richard Manuel (see Well Street) on piano and vocals, John Till on guitar, Ken Kalmusky on bass, Doug Rhodes on vocals and Jim Winkler on drums ,were just 14- and 15-year-old kids at the time Ronnie Hawkins came calling and, together and individually, they made music history in the years to come. Till, 15, was reluctant to quit school and was replaced by Garth Picot, of Goderich, Ont.

As the Revols gained popularity in Ontario, one of their first gigs was opening for Hawkins in Port Dover. The next time Hawkins came to Stratford, the Revols were on the bill, but this time they followed Hawkins.

In 1984, four original Revols -- Kalmusky, Manuel, Rhodes and Till -- reunited at the Stratford Shakespearean Festival Theatre as the Revols, opened for The Band at two sold-out performances. It was billed as The Band/Revols Reunion Shows. Dean Robertson features the story in his book Not the Last Waltz, and other Stratford Stories. Not long after that memorable weekend, family members and band members carried Richard Manuel's casket out of his funeral service at Knox Church (Ontario Street), after his death on March 4, 1986.