Ernie Woods - guitar, Ross Sanders - accordian, Gerald Lawrence - violin,
Harry Jenner - drums, Erling Sand - saxophone, Chester Botting - banjo 1940
By Grace Meger in 2014
When, you have a good community and a town that’s on the move and growing, music finds its way to the forefront and Heinsburg, in all these years has had good music...That is well known for miles around... One such group that led the whole time were, known as the HEINSBURG OLD TIMERS.
Many people, who have played under this banner, came and went over the years, but the name stayed the same. I would try to remember and tell about some of those who passed through and enjoyed the time they played together, but I might miss lots and I don’t want to do that...There were the few who were really old timers like Harry Jenner... Harry stayed steadfast all the years, just like the band name.
Harry Jenner, Ed Smuk, Leonard Sawak, Vernon "Babe" Sharkey
A 1967 wedding dance at King George Hall, south of Elk Point
Harry played the drums and was known far and wide for his talent with this instrument... The dancers knew the rhythm from him was right on, all the time. He really was the root of the orchestra. Yes if you are talking with anyone about dances in Heinsburg they will tell you, “I remember the HEINSBURG OLD TIMERS... Although Harry has passed on now there are some who wish they could still dance to that music...
The Entertainment part of the fun in town is also long lived. There has been, many dances and some home town stage plays put on by local talent, and many “modern bands” that got the younger people of the district, dancing the night away... not wanting the band to quit at the end of the evening...
The later years when there was liquor served in the hall it made for less fights out in the parking lot, and less, over drinking too...
The 2000’s brought in a NO SMOKING law and there was the joke that (one used to smoke in the hall, but no drinking allowed, then it turned to, liquor in the hall and smoking only outside...STRANGE.
“THE FAMILY FOUR”
Myself, and my accordion, my Dad, Chester on the banjo, my brother Henry, singing and playing guitar, my brother in law Bob Hendiks on the bass, played for a few years under the name “FAMILY FOUR”... we enjoyed that and ran into a lot of good people and funny moments while doing so...
I remember, Bob, getting flashed, by a very young girl, who felt she didn’t need to wear a bra, but, when her blouse popped open, right in front of the stage, he got a good view ... needless to say the bass was a little quiet for a beat or two...
On April 9th one year we played for the grade nine prom, in town and it was so cold, that the ears on a new born calf out at the farm, froze, and that was the only one, of all the calves born the entire spring, to lose his ears.
THE HAPPY HORTON’S
With a good upbringing and a love for music, Gladstone and Kate Horton’s four children, studied and practiced music enough to put together a little band they called “THE HAPPY HORTONS”... many times this group, had the Heinsburg Community hall bouncing with their music, that was somewhat different than the Heinsburg Old Timers...
I guess that was because the brass horns that Eric and Twe played, added a jazzy sound... with a good rhythm, supplied by Glad on the drums... Joan could put the fiddle to work for the “Square Dances” that were popular in those days. Margaret played the piano and sometimes Eric would rattle those keys to a good lively dance...
On the other end of entertainment for the town was the curling rink, and it was to make a big reputation for its self, by hosting Bonspiels, throughout the winter. But, not having artificial ice, you did depend on Mother Nature most of the time...
Gladstone and Kate Horton, among other people in town, were influential in getting the rink built and a curling club formed with Mrs Horton taking on the Secretary—treasurer job for several years. Also Kate, was an avid, LEGION AUXILIARY member along with many women in the area, catering meals to many functions that Heinsburg was so good at... I remember my Mom, Bertha Botting spending many hours with all those ladies, turning out the best meals...
Margaret Horton, taught school in Heinsburg for ten years, and remembers her dad’s expression, on an education, “NOBODY CAN TAKE IT AWAY FROM YOU, AND IT ISN’T HARD TO CARRY AROUND”
The Heinsburg Community Club, turned out a book, “MINUTES MARK THE PASSAGE OF TIME” in 2009, the year we realized that the Club was marking 50 years as an active club, and active it has been, with building the hall and supplying a good facility, worthy of any in the entire area... you can find lots of entertainment in the Heinsburg Hall and adjoining SENIOR CENTER... The best Jamborees are held in Heinsburg and have been for the last 18 years, but the faithful jammers are getting older and attendance is falling off...
