Lakefield Literary Festival

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During the summer of 1993, the Lakefield Historical Society placed an historical plaque at 8 Regent Street across from St. John the Baptist Anglican Church. Lois Wilson, the first woman moderator of the United Church of Canada, came to the ceremony honouring her friend and classmate from their United College days in Winnipeg. Margaret Laurence purchased the large yellow brick house in March, 1974 and she occupied it until her death on January 5th, 1987. The house was reminiscent of her grandfather's house in Neepawa, Manitoba and it too had once been a funeral home. (The Neepawa house has subsequently become the Margaret Laurence Home museum.) In 1995, Ron and Joan Ward of Lakefield owned Margaret Laurence's retirement house and the Ward family organized a banquet to honour the memory of Margaret Laurence and her 13 years in Lakefield. The Wards were neighbours and friends of Margaret Laurence during her Lakefield years. They purchased the house on Regent Street from Margaret's children David and Jocelyn in 1993 with the intention of making it a retreat. A Peterborough Examiner article quotes Ron Ward as stating that, "we don't want it to be a museum and we don't want it to be a bed and breakfast - we want it to be something in between. People are looking for a place to get away." The plans for a retreat never quite materialized, and following the refusal of the village council to rezone the property to allow a tea room/bed & breakfast, the Wards sold the house to their son Tim. He took a year off from his Toronto teaching job to return to Lakefield and attempt to turn the house into a centre for writers. Nancy Warren, a friend of the Ward family, was the first "artist in residence" at the house and she was available for guided tours. Tim Ward in a Globe and Mail article explained his involvement with the house by stating, "They [his parents] wanted to do something literary with it. They were keen on having something done with the house that would promote Lakefield and the literary aspects of Lakefield." The first public event organized by the Ward family, assisted by a small group of volunteers, took place on July 29th and July 30th, 1995. Events naturally focussed mainly on Margaret Laurence. However, the rich literary history of the community was also acknowledged. "The weekend included a Saturday afternoon walking tour of spots important to Lakefield's literary heritage, followed by performances and remembrances. In the evening, a banquet, more reminisces and remembrances took place at Lakefield College School." Dramatist Helen Porter (who would become a popular part of the LLF) presented three Laurence stories from A Bird in the House during the afternoon session and Lisa Heffron a representative of the Writer's Union recalled meeting Laurence when they both lived in England. CBC host Shelagh Rogers acted has master of ceremonies at the banquet entitled "Remembering Margaret: The Lakefield Years" and a number of individuals who knew Margaret personally during that period spoke, including Gary Geddes, Joan Johnston and Alice Williams.

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