The Last Stable in Lowertown/ La dernière écurie de la Basseville: Cundell Stables, Ottawa
This bilingual book, written by Karen Bailey and Marc Aubin and published by Red Setter Publishing in 2021, is currently available at Karen Bailey’s exhibition at the Gallery of the Ottawa School of Art. It tells the story–in words and images –of generations of a Lowertown family and their working horses. Both the text and the artwork evoke the sights, sounds and smells of the last stable operating in Ottawa.
The Cundells were a founding family in Lowertown and starting with the first William and his wife Mary, the family saw Ottawa through its transition from a rough lumber town to the nation’s capital. They witnessed the ByWard Market change from an area crowded with farm produce and livestock to a location known more for its restaurants and bars. They watched as the horses that laboured in our community delivering milk and bread and other essentials were replaced by gas-propelled vehicles.
Johnny Cundell, who lives at 113-115 York Street, took over the horses from his father, Fred, who had followed in the footsteps of his father, the second William. The stories of multiple generations of Cundells are interspersed with background on Lowertown’s schools, churches, streets, and people. But what is dominant is the tale of the York Street stable and the work involved in its operation.
The unfolding saga recognizes in historical photos and Bailey’s recent paintings the work with many horses nurtured by the family over the years. But it is the artwork that reveals the personalities of Jake, Jill, Janelle and other people living at the Cundell stable. Through the colourful images, you can also meet Rosebud, an endearing miniature horse, and Chip, a magnificent Belgian draft horse. And you can see the hands-on attention and care provided to both small and big animals by family members and helpers.
This book, created by two residents about one of our notable families, deserves a place on every coffee table in Lowertown and beyond. The artist and the historian have given us an intimate look into a “rare piece of Ottawa’s living history.” It is a remarkable tribute to the past and present Cundell family, their many horses, and a changing way of life.