"When You and I Were Young, Maggie"

Photos by contributor Colin Semple - November, 2009

Plaque Location

The City of Hamilton
Inside the Township of Glanbrook building
on Binbrook Road (Road 52) just east of Fletcher Road (Road 614)

Coordinates: N 43 07.752 W 79 50.257

Plaque Text

This is the childhood home of Maggie Clark, subject of the famous ballad "When You and I Were Young". Its author, George Washington Johnson (1839-1917), wrote the poem shortly before his marriage to Maggie in 1864. Published in his volume of verse entitled "Maple Leaves", it was set to music as "When You and I Were Young, Maggie" by J.A. Butterfield, in 1866. It is believed that the mill referred to in this ballad was situated about 1.6 km north of here on the bank of Twenty Mile Creek. Johnson was born in Binbrook Township and taught at Glanford school where Maggie was one of his pupils.

More
Information

More
Arts

---

Here are the comments for this page.

Posted April 17, 2010
I am glad to see the plaque is safe. Maggie Clark is my wife's great-great-aunt. It is time that the Township negotiated with the owner of Maggie's house to re-erect the plaque where it belongs on Nebo Road.
Bob Moore, Guelph, ON

Posted November 29, 2009
I have a copy of an old recording of this ballad sung by John McCormack. Very beautiful indeed! Interesting to learn there is a Canadian connection.

Here's where you can write a comment for this page.

Note: If you wish to ask me a question, please use the email link in the menu.

Note: Comments are moderated. Yours will appear on this page within 24 hours
(usually much sooner).