User:Geo Swan/John Hooper Meade

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John Hooper Meade was a British sea captain best known for his role in the tradition of presenting a traditional top hat for the captain of the first ocean going vessel of the shipping season to visit Toronto to wear during a ceremony celebrating their arrival.^[1]^[2] In 1861 Meade donated the top hat. According to Angus Armstrong, the current Toronto Harbour Master, Meade's hat is “... very small. It almost never fits any of our captains.”

References

^ David Plotz (2014-05-27). "David Plotz: We are in a golden age for journalism". National Post. Retrieved 2015-12-15. Toronto's beaver hat was made by Christy's & Co. Ltd. of London, England, and donated by Captain John Hooper Meade for the ceremony in 1861.
^ "First Saltie of the Season Arrives in Toronto". Boatnerd. March 2006. Retrieved 2015-12-15. The top hat, made of beaver fur felt, originally belonged to Capt. John Hooper Meade, who moved here from England in 1828. Meade donated the hat in 1861 for the ceremony. When the tradition began, the captain would keep the hat for 24 hours. However, after several mishaps -- once the hat was found filled with beer in a waterfront pub -- the tradition changed. Now the irreplaceable hat is returned after the ceremony.

[NatPost2014-05-27-1] David Plotz (2014-05-27). "David Plotz: We are in a golden age for journalism". National Post. Retrieved 2015-12-15. Toronto's beaver hat was made by Christy's & Co. Ltd. of London, England, and donated by Captain John Hooper Meade for the ceremony in 1861.

[Boatnerd2006-2] "First Saltie of the Season Arrives in Toronto". Boatnerd. March 2006. Retrieved 2015-12-15. The top hat, made of beaver fur felt, originally belonged to Capt. John Hooper Meade, who moved here from England in 1828. Meade donated the hat in 1861 for the ceremony. When the tradition began, the captain would keep the hat for 24 hours. However, after several mishaps -- once the hat was found filled with beer in a waterfront pub -- the tradition changed. Now the irreplaceable hat is returned after the ceremony.

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