Perry, Captain Charles

Year Inducted / Année Intronisé:

1977

Province / Province:

Ontario

Category / Catégorie:

Curler, Team

Biography / Biographie:

Captain Charles Perry (1837-1885) was one of the most prominent and successful curlers of his time.  A native of Montreal, he was, during his residence at Kingston in his youth, an active member of the famous “Steamboat” rink of that city which had a remarkable series of triumphs. He made a great contribution to its fine record of only experiencing one defeat during the seven years of existence. When he moved to Toronto in 1861, he joined the Toronto Curling Club, which was then the only curling club in the city, and thereafter he was associated for a good number of years with Mr. John Shedden in skipping the celebrated “Red Jacket” rink of the club.

When he died on May 20, 19885, the Annual of the O.C.A. in its obituary notice paid him this warm tribute:

“Our departed friend, Captain Perry, was a prince among curlers: his manly form, the joyous expression of his beaming face, the cheerful tones of his voice, his undoubted skill as a player, and wonderful reputation as a skip all combined to render him “the observed of all observers’, wherever curlers met. With the almost womanly tenderness of his kindly heart drew to him the warmest affection of those who knew him best. No matter how fiercely a match had been contested, Captain Perry was always ready at its close to express in bearing, if not in words, ‘Here’s my hand: I’m sorry that I beat thee’ and thus every competitor he met became a friend and is now a mourner.”  (source: Curling in Ontario, by John A. Stevenson)

He was a was a member of The Red Jackets team along with David Walker, Major Thomas Gray and Thomas McGraw.

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