Article content Duncan Fremlin was born to bring his tribute to Stompin’ Tom Connors to Richards Landing. He was brought into this world by Dr. H.
S. Trefry. The community centre on St.
Joseph Island is named after the physician who served the community and Matthews Memorial Hospital for 25 years. He retired in 1961. “ It’s kind of cool” to do a fundraising date for a venue named for “a remarkable fellow” who offered medical care and operations for $2.
50 per person per year. Fremlin’s aunt, Beth Bruce, volunteers at the centre that is celebrating its 30 th anniversary on C Line Road. The retired Plummer Hospital nurse got the idea to recruit her nephew and his band, Whiskey Jack, for a fundraising show for the centre after they performed with Cindy Church, The Good Brothers and Russell DeCarle at Sault Community Theatre Centre in 2019.
Fremlin still has relatives on the island. His great-grandfather, William Fremlin, came to St. Joseph Island in 1840.
The island is also home to a work-related mystery for Fremlin. Connors and guitarist Ray Keating went missing “for a night of partying” after a May 1990 date at Memorial Gardens in Sault Ste. Marie.
The musical duo was spirited away to the island by persons unknown. Fremlin would like to learn who they are. “ I’d love to find out what happened,” he said.
Fremlin, who toured with Connors from 1990 until his death in 2013, continues to chip away at songs the Canadian icon and songwriting partner Gaet Lepine .