Sergeant James Cyril Stewart

Cyril with his brother Edward, grew up at 28 Willow Street with their parents, Elwyn “Bill” Buchanan Stewart and Jenny Kibble. The parents lived at the same address on Willow Street from approximately 1920 to the 1960s. Bill was a labourer at the Alabastine Gypsum factory and at Penmans Textile Mill. He was a bass drummer in the 2nd and 10th Brant Dragoons Band from at least 1908 to 1927. He died in 1941 and is buried in the Paris Cemetery with Jenny and his son Cyril.

James Cyril Stewart was born in 1906. He worked at Penmans Textile Mill and Spring Valley Dairy. He was a musician like his father, playing the saxophone, clarinet and piano in the MacCammon Band (Paris) and other bands. He also had his own dance band, traveling all over southwestern Ontario. After a playdate, the band drove all night to be home for their day jobs in Paris.

Cyril joined the Royal Canadian Corps of Signals in the early days of the Second War.  He was promoted to Sergeant and was stationed in various places in Canada. His duties included soldiering by day and entertaining at night, playing for the troops and at public relations events. Cyril died in 1962 and is buried in the Paris Cemetery along with his parents.