Wallace Havelock Robb

WALLACE HAVELOCK ROBB 1888 - 1976

Poet, author, abbé of Abbey Dawn (Kingston, Ontario, Canada), naturalist, scholar; protege of the late Duke of Windsor

Born: May 19, 1888 Belleville ON CAN - Died: Jan 29, 1976
Married: Edna Ilene Burrows of Belleville ON (3 children)

Upon his death he left behind, his wife, Edna, Sons Joseph and Clifford, daughter Miriam and grandchildren, as well as
many friends. He was the inspiration for Dawn Cove Abbey.

Publications: (many out of print) - this is not an inclusive, exhaustive list:
The failure of the Sulpician Mission to the Kente, 1681, by Wallace Havelock Robb (Kingston Hist. Soc. address)

The Quill And The Candle [p|1927]
The Door Of Dawn [p|1937]
Indian Christmas Carol [p|1940]
Thunderbird [f|1949]
A Day At Abbey Dawn (w Charles HONCE) [p|?]
Hail Canada!: Seven poems for the Canadian Centennial, 1967
Arrayed-in-Wampum
Mentor Of My Youth (Circa 1905) (Broadsheet four)
The bell of St. Basile-Le-Grand (Technical translation)
Owl in a baneful tower (Books of the Bible series)
Lorne Pierce, D.D., Litt. D. 1890-1961 (Broadsheet four)
Kayonakonte,: "Daughter of the Gods" (The Manitoanna legend) (Carillon poetry chap-books)

Tecumtha: Shawnee chieftain, astral avatar (Sir Surendra Singh Majithia Study Series) Revelation Of The True Shawano Tecumtha ; Dreamer Of Amity; Lonely Redman,
monarch and mighty mentor of the forest ; leaping panther frustrated and shooting star betrayed ; gigantic genius and magnificent mystic among the gods; illustrated by
Adrian Dingle c. 1958
Said John Macdonald: "That's the law"; or, Ballad of the high-stepping bays (circa 1842) (Carillon poetry chap-books)
In memoriam. The Hon. William Folger Nickle, Q.C. 1869-1957 (English bulletin).

POEMS:

Glenora: Poem by Wallace Havelock Robb; history of Glenora United Church
An Abbey Dawn Poem 1944. Matte black card wraps with 8 pages of a cream coloured paper in a single stapled gathering. Silver gilt lettering on front cover. No published
noted. Signed in purple marker on 1st (title) page. From that page: "Poem by Wallace Havelock Robb at the reopening of the old and historic church, near Lake-on-the-
Mountain Ontario, which has dominated that part of Kente, since pioneer times. The occasion was a Special Evening Service which was organized and led by the student
minister, Mr. George Tesky, United Church of Canada. June 18th, 1944."
The Tyrian Quill - Abbey Dawn Press, 1969

NATURALIST:
Lecturing in Brooklyn's Institute of Arts & Sciences, Wallace Havelock Robb, poet and ornithologist of Ontario, who likes to call himself "the St. Francis of Canada, the poet of
birdland," showed stereopticon pictures of his conquests over birds. Of a mother plover with her brood of four sitting on his hand, he said: "There is perfect faith there. Don't ask
me how I do it. I don't know, and I can't explain. In my sanctuary all the birds . . . know me now, but that plover didn't know me. She just trusted me. My theory is that there is a
human aureola"....

Honorary Pine Tree Chief (6 Nations)
Wallace worked with Tessa Brant (born Aug 7, 1889) the daughter of Joseph Seth Brant and Mary Ann Brant, on the Tyendinaga Reserve near Deseronto, Ontario, Canada.

Her family was a direct descendant of Captain Joseph Brant. They were the children of Joseph Seth Brant, son of Seth Brant, whose father, Chief Jacob Brant, was the son of
Thayendanegea, or Captain Joseph. On October 3rd, 1906, Teressa married Henry Alexander Brant, a direct lineal descendant of Peter Brant, a brother of Thayendanegea.

She met Wallace Havelock Robb, a renowned Canadian poet, and both being very interested in preserving the Mohawk language decided to cooperate on producing a dictionary.

This endeavour had been requested by the elders of the 6-Nations, who feared the old knowledge and ways would be forgotten (the youth seemed not to be overly interested).
Tessa spent time at Abbey Dawn during the project, and Wallace spent time at both the Tyendinage and Brantford reserves. For his efforts and role in this, as well as some of his
publications that provided their history in different detail, he was made an Honourary Pine Tree Chief by the grateful 6-Nations community.

Not only was he all of the above, he was an historian as well, and established a museum of ancient aboriginal artifacts (as well as Champlain's astrolabe - which Champlain had lost
in the Kingston area and which was found in the muskeg near Abbey Dawn). As well, Wallace had a large bell (at least 5 feet high) cast - and named it Gitchi Nagomi. It tolled
every morning at daybreak, and later at sunset (dawn & dusk). As a poet, he also married many couples, and upon the end of the ceremony, Gitchi Nagomi tolled and the sounds
rolled down the St. Lawrence River in joyful celebration.

W.H. Robb and Abbey Dawn, were the inspiration for Dawn Cove Abbey) more below

"Lang may your lum reek" - one of his favourite expressions upon saying farewell to visitors.

Wallace Havelock Robb was the founder of Abbey Dawn of Kingston, Ontario, Canada,

Abbey Dawn was a retreat, study-centre and sanctuary presided over by the late Wallace Havelock Robb, Canadian nature poet, writer (protégé of the late
Duke of Windsor), historian and naturalist; and most importantly, my friend. Dawn Cove Abbey is modelled on that format.

Wallace Robb authored many books (see above) , poetry, as well as historical novels, featuring First Nations people (Mohawk – 6 Nations). In fact, he was an
honorary “Pine Tree Chief” with the Mohawk Nation (for having preserved their oral traditions in writing).
Abbey Dawn was a gathering place for scholars (including the Sulpicians from Montreal), artists, poets, writers & religious folk of all kinds: creative & spiritual
people.

The entire focus was on the inherent good of people, and the true history of how we came to be, rather than the one promoted normally in schools and in public.
As a poet, he held to the ancient tradition of the role of Abbé - more or less like a priest of ancient times. Many weddings and christenings took place at Abbey
Dawn.

Abbey Dawn was also a sanctuary for birds: Wallace was the first to begin the nesting boxes for Eastern Bluebirds (Canada) program.
Until 2007 Dawn Cove Abbey reflected that with its walking & Nature trails for bird and wildlife watching, as well as for retreats.

Wallace also created a museum of aboriginal artifacts that were discovered on his property and elsewhere.
Wallace had a huge bell made, and called it Gitchi Nagamo – it was the “Poet’s Bell”, and was rung at daybreak and nightfall, as well as for special occasions. It’
s sound rang and rolled across the marsh and down the St. Lawrence River.

Wallace was a deeply artistic, poetic, spiritual man, with a deep reverence for life, and a liking and love for people. See below for more on Wallace Havelock
Robb

Wallace Havelock RObb
1888-1976
In Memoriam

Photo by: Klaas Tuinman circa 1973

Today, his legacy lives on in a number of ways and places.

Another site to visit to see how the legacy continues in contemporary life, is Courtney Hartwig's site
- click HERE to visit.
Courtney also did an article for the Kingston Whig-Standard newspaper that provides more details. You can
read it by clicking HERE. She writes well and you'll enjoy it.

Another excellent site, by WHR's grand-daughter can be seen HERE

Thank you for stopping by.

Klaas Tuinman
Deerfield, NS, Canada 2008