WHAT DO CROWE LAKE AND CZECHOSLOVAKIA HAVE IN COMMON?
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Click the photo to watch the 1980 CBC interview of Thomas Bata by Patrick Watson
It's a fascinating pre WW2 story of a shoe maker who saw the writing on the wall as Hitler's influence was taking over Europe. He decided to move his entire factory and 120 employees to Canada to start what would become the world's largest shoe empire. In a brave move, Thomas J. Bata built the village of Batawa (named after Bata and Ottawa) just south of Frankford, which would supply every need of his company families.
Largest cottage built in 1935
Unbeknownst to many, Thomas Bata and his wife, Sonja, along with their executives and families, vacationed on "Birch Island" in Crowe Lake, Marmora, where their managing director, Mr. Herz, had bought three cottages all in the same style with rooms off a central grand room, containing the stone fireplace. The most southerly cottage housed the "boat boys" and probably a gardener.
According to Wilma Bush in Marmora, many of the employees also enjoyed the lake.
Tony Daicar's cottage was on Marble point road
"Growing up on a farm on Marble Point Rd., Marmora Twp., we had the marvelous opportunity of meeting many Czechs from Batawa. The Daicars had a cottage just up the road from us & Mrs. Daicar had many visits with our Mother (we loved her accent). Each summer picnics were held onthe lawn of Tipperary House, across road from us, by Czechs in Batawa. Lots of music & laughter - we were always welcome to join them - a lot of happy memories of these people!"
John Fielding wrote a tribute the company and its families, and in particular to Tony Daicar, who arrived in Batawa from Czechoslovakia as a 7 yr. old, but spent leisure time on Crowe Lake throughout his life.
CLICK HERE TO READ THIS INSPIRING STORY OF CANADIAN INDUSTRIAL HISTORY, THE BATA SHOE EMPIRE AND THE COMPANY FAMILIES. (Kingston Whig May 3, 2016)
Comments:
Evidently a "master craftsman" from Cleveland was the supervisor for the building of the cottages and they made the furniture at the same time, according to a present owner. Mr. Herzhad barges on the lake which made it possible to supply the cottages. The most southerly cottage had previously been owned by the 'Moons', and appropriately called their cottage "Lunar Bay".
Ronald Barrons wrote to say: I've never read anything about Thomas Bata that I didn't find wonderful and fascinating. And so it was just now in reading all this 'new' stuff offered here, fascinating as always. Photo from my mother-in-laws collection who worked there in the 1940's.
Annmarie Willman-Spry Dad (Pat Willman) always bought/sold shoes & shoemaking materials from Bata for his shoe shops due to the fact that he was a HastyP & wanted to support the Batas for their efforts during the war.
Margaret Daicar am the widow of Tony Daicar. He was six years old when his family came to Canada with the Batas. I knew Tom Bata quite well. He had a a brilliant mind and was one of the most interesting people I have ever met.
Edward Zapletal Thank you for the wonderful post. It was nice to see the photo of Tony Daicar. He and my father (Walter Zapletal) were classmates in Frankfort in the 1940s. Tony was my father's best man at his wedding to Marie Zabransky in 1952. My mother still talks about visiting the cottages as a child, and we have many photos that were taken around that time. It was a brilliant move on the part of Mr. Bata to relocate the company to an area that provided his employees so much access to the beautiful Canadian countryside.
Annette Taylor
I had the pleasure of meeting Dr. Tony Daicar (the 2nd) at Kingston Hospital in 1981 and when he learned that I live in Stirling, he mentioned that their family were part of the Czechoslovakian community in Batawa. What followed of course, was a discussion of Marmora and Crowe Lake. Dr. Daicar always mentioned Crowe Lake when I met with him for my appointments. Dr, Daicar's wife made beautiful jewellery as a hobby and I met them again at Portsmouth Olympic Harbour's famous gift show and sale, a few years later.
