This water pump stands on its wooden platform outside the school, much as it would have 120 years ago, for the use of students and teachers. We can't say that this is the pump that was originally placed at the school as the patent date on it reads "Patented 1940". It was probably installed at the time that the museum was created to create a more authentic aura.
The word "DOMINION" on the pump's body refers to its model. These pumps were manufactured in Canada by Beatty Bros. Ltd., of Fergus, Ontario, Canada and patented in 1940. The pumps were designed to be operated by hand or by a windmill.
One of the few old wood framed one room schoolhouses to have survived on the Island, Orwell School has been well maintained and preserved as a nineteenth century school. Opened for classes in 1895, the school continued in use until school consolidation forced its closure in 1969. Inside it still contains all the accoutrements one would have found in the school at the turn of the twentieth century and earlier.
Today the schoolhouse is one of the attractions at the
Orwell Corner Historic Village, an authentic historic village of old buildings which once constituted the Village of Orwell. The intent of the village is to preserve the old village and present it as it was circa 1895.
Opening days and hours for the village for 2015 were as follows:
(Future years should be essentially the same)
July 1 to Friday August 28 - Daily 9:30 am - 5:00 pm.
Closed Sept 7th to allow our staff to enjoy a well deserved Labour Day
August 31 to Sat October 16. Open Monday to Friday 9:15 am - 4:45 pm.
We will close for the season at 4:45 pm Friday October 16th.
Beatty Bros. Ltd.
Brothers George and Matthew Beatty started the company Beatty Brothers Limited in Fergus in 1874 in the Temperance Hall building on St. Andrew St. West, Fergus. In 1879 they moved to the factory located on the northwest corner of Queen and St. David Streets (now referred to as the Fergus Market building) where they manufactured farm machinery and would eventually manufacture everything from barn and stable equipment, to pumps, churns, washers, vacuum cleaners, floor polishers, ladders, barn door track and grain grinders...
...George Beatty (1845-1921) was the inventor and in charge of production while Matthew (1836-1884) was in charge of sales and canvassing from farm to farm. After Matthew died, George carried on alone until 1901 when his sons William George (1877-1957) and Milton James (1879-1940) joined the business. William was in charge of the plant and production while Milton handled sales and collections. In 1911 the Hill Street factory was built in Fergus. In 1912 they
bought out Wortman and Ward of London, Ontario, manufacturers of pumps, hay carriers, daisy churns and hand washers. This deal put Beatty's in the pump and washer business...
Read on at the Wellington County Museum & Archives
Orwell School
DESCRIPTION OF HISTORIC PLACE
The Orwell School is a well preserved rural one room schoolhouse located in the Orwell Corner Historic Village. Constructed by local artisans in 1895, it has a wood frame, shingle cladding, and a gable roof. The designation includes the footprint of the building, it does not include the building's interior.
HERITAGE VALUE
The Orwell School is valued as a well preserved representation of rural school architecture in 19th Century Prince Edward Island. Constructed in 1895, the school replaced several that had been in the area since the first crude log structure in 1825. It operated until 1969 when school consolidation forced it to close. The building was later rejuvenated to mark the 1973 centennial of Prince Edward Island in Canadian Confederation when it opened as part of the Orwell Corner Historic Village - one of the sites of the Prince Edward Island Museum and Heritage Foundation.
CHARACTER-DEFINING ELEMENTS
- the overall massing and shape of the building with its wood frame and wood shingle cladding
- the gable roof with simple trim mouldings
- the decorative Gothic quatrefoil window in the upper gable end of the building
- the placement and style of the six over six single sash windows throughout the exterior
- the placement of the brick chimney
- the placement and style of the side entrance door
- the location and style of the sign on the gable end of the building
From Historic Places Canada