Image

November 23, 2017

Sue Wright’s father-in-law witnessed part of southwestern Ontario’s most infamous kidnapping.
The Wrights lived on Egremont Road in what was then Plympton Township in 1934 when two cars came down the road one night. Cars were not the norm on the Egremont so Wright took notice.
He, his family and the rest of the world learned the heir to the beer dynasty had been kidnapped just down the road and the scoundrels were demanding $150,000 for his release. In the confusion of the kidnapping, Labatt was able to find his brother at the hotel where they were to meet the kidnappers without the ransom being paid.
“We knew some of the story and did the research to find some of the details and we decided to do the reenactment,” says Wright who wrote and directed the piece.
Little did Wright know but one of the Labatt relatives, John Scatchard of Grand Bend, the great, great nephew of the kidnapped Labatt heard about it. He arrived in the rain Saturday and watched history unfold before his eyes.  “My dad always told me this story,” he says. But seeing it in person was an event.
“It’s pretty wild,” says Scatchard, “I want to learn more history of the family.”
And Scatchard brought a rare piece of his family’s history, the framed copy of the note sent to Labatt’s relatives. “This is the original kidnapping letter, you see there 1934.”

Share This

Image
Front Page

Greenhill Gardens closed; upkeep of six-acre garden ‘challenging’

June 16, 2025

The Independent Greenhill Gardens – a once privately-owned oasis in Wilkesport – is closed to the public. That from the St. Clair Region Conservation Foundation which took over the grounds in 2024. The gardens were cultivated by Joy Robson for years and her husband, Bill, allowed people to come and walk through the gardens for free. After the death of

Read More

Image
Front Page

Thedford EMS changes years away

June 15, 2025

The Independent Thedford residents won’t be losing their ambulance station for some time. That from Lambton County officials. Last month, Lambton Shores councillors voiced concern about a county plan which would close the Thedford station and have Forest paramedics to cover their calls. Lambton EMS also plans to move the Grand Bend station near Pinery Park hoping to provide better

Read More

Image
Front Page

No ATV rally for Petrolia Ag Society

June 15, 2025

The Independent There will not be ATVs rumbling through Petrolia this summer. Kelly Humphrey of the Petrolia Enniskillen Agricultural Society came to council in mid-May asking if PEAS could host an ATV rally with Greenwood Park as a starting and finishing point and using Petrolia streets to get to the starting and finishing point.  Julie Bullock, director of parks and

Read More

Image
Front Page

Fair banner may not fly

June 14, 2025

The Independent The Moore Agricultural Society has some big plans for the 175th anniversary of the Brigden Fair. But not all of their plans may work out. The ag society has asked for and received several approvals from St. Clair Township council for special events at the landmark fair including allowing a low-level Canadian Armed Forces Flyby and helicopter landings

Read More