14

Bell tower brick.
1904
Wesleyan Methodist Church (now St. John's United), Alliston, Ontario

15

Further proof of Fred's mischievousness: These initials, scratched on the inside of the bell tower at St. John's United Church, Alliston, appear to be his and date from 1904 (when Fred was about 13 years old).

The tower now is only accessible by ladder, but at one time there was a balcony inside the Church, and there must have been some sort of stairway access to this part of the tower (and the balcony inside).

According to members of the Church, Edward Banting claimed that the "H.H." inscribed beside was the initials of Fred's first girlfriend.

16

Banting buggy.
1900
Museum on the Boyne, Alliston, Ontario

17

This carriage was donated by the Banting family to the Museum on the Boyne. A new acquisition, the Museum is currently seeking sponsorship and assistance in cleaning and restoring it to its original state.

Excerpts from an interview between Robert (Bob) Banting and Marie Shields:

Bob: Do you remember going to church in a cutter?

Marie: Yes, and I can remember going in a buggy. That would be in the spring and the fall, you would have to use a buggy because the roads were too muddy. In the wintertime it was a cutter with the snow.

18

Banting buggy.
1900
Museum on the Boyne, Alliston, Ontario

19

Marie (Banting) Shields, Don Shields and Robert Douglas Banting discuss traveling to church:

Don Shields (Marie's husband): They would go to church in the wagon or cutter, whatever, they would have a driving shed at the back end of the church there to put the horses in, while you're in church.

B: You had to have some spot to keep them warm.

M: They had this building; I think it was a brick building too.

B: At the back of St. John's.

M: Behind the church, yes.

20

Young men's Bible class.
1908
Alliston, Ontario

21

Thompson Banting stands second from the left, in the top row. His younger brother Kenneth is ninth from the left in the same row.

22

Church group, circa 1896 to 1898.
1896
Alliston, Ontario

23

William Banting, the father of Sir Frederick, stands at the upper right, with the beard.

24

Methodist Hymn Book.
1919
Museum on the Boyne, Alliston, Ontario

25

Marie (Banting) Shields recalls:

"They [her parents, Thompson and Lena (Knight) Banting] were Methodists, yes. But they loosened up a little later. I can remember my grandmother [Margaret Grant Banting] saying, there was never a deck of cards in her house. But I think maybe George Jackson might have snuck in […] a deck of cards and played cards.
Apparently somebody at the school told my dad that Arthur and Edward [Marie's brothers] were playing cards at noon-hour at the school, so what my dad did, he went out and bought a deck of cards and brought them home and put them on the table and said, "Now show me what you've been doing with them, what games you would play." Of course, they were harmless games."

26

Sunday School Class.
1900
Alliston, Ontario

27

Jean Webster, the daughter of Nelson Banting, remembers that the "Sunday School Concert
was a very outstanding event. Our family always took part as Father and Mother always helped a great deal at this time. Father kept order while Mother and the other teachers trained the children. My brother, Alan, was a boy soprano and often sang at these concerts. Brother Angus and I sang 'Dear Little Stranger' when I was three and Angus was five. We just stood and clapped with the audience until Mother called us. There was plays, recitations, and choruses. The Concert usually ended with the Manger Scene and the Christmas Story. Then Santa came and the gifts from the tree and bags of candy for the children brought a close to a wonderful evening."