Wallace Havelock Robb

Wallace Havelock Robb (May 19, 1888 – January 29, 1976) was a Canadian poet, naturalist, and philosopher known for his poetry and prose on Canadian life and Iroquois lore. He was the founder of Abbey Dawn – a bird sanctuary, museum, art gallery, and poet's retreat – located approximately five miles east of Kingston, Ontario.

Early life Robb was born on May 19, 1888, to Montreal-born parents William Doig Robb and Catharine Haggart Black. His father was an official at the Grand Trunk Railway. Robb was the third of six children his family lived near the Grand Trunk Railway Station called the Belleville Junction on Station Street in Belleville, Ontario. In 1894, the family moved to a more upscale neighbourhood at 60 Alexander Street. In 1897, the Robb family moved to Toronto to follow William's advancing career. Robb returned to Montreal where he and his wife had one daughter and two sons. Robb had been given one dozen wild geese by Bellevillian bird keeper Jack Miner, and found they had been shot to death one morning in 1928. Robb took his anger to Belleville's City Hall who had refused to recognize Robb's location as an official bird sanctuary. While there he flung a bag of the dead geese on the mayor's desk and later published a long and violent poem about Belleville, in which he damned the city and all its citizens. The site was also the first bird sanctuary for birds of prey in North America.

Abbey Dawn closed to the public in 1962 due to vandalism. Robb and his family continued to live there until his death in 1976.

The bell was cast to Robb's specifications, and was mounted at Abbey Dawn. It was rung twice every day at dawn and dusk, at 4:30 daily for a pastoral and then again by visiting poets and pregnant women, and then again if they day were a holiday. It was also rung when a baby was baptized at the site.

Robb claimed this bell was a symbol of love and happiness, representative of 'the Bluebird of Happiness.' The bell was originally commissioned out of inspiration and respect for the 'first poet of North America,' who according to Robb is simply a 'redman'.

Robb has been identified for his efforts in preserving and celebrating Mohawk culture. Mohawks from Six Nations of the Grand River (near Brantford, Ontario) had granted Robb the title of 'Honorary Pine Tree Chief,' and he held an honorary Mohawk name meaning 'Great White Eagle' as he was adopted as a brother of the Mohawks. ' His obituary was also featured in The Globe and Mail on January 31, 1976, where he was remembered for his conservation work.

His legacy remains as a vibrant Canadian poet. When performing his poems at events, he wore a 'wine-red-purple' gowned donned with native symbols on the arms. This gown was made and given to him by the woman's literacy club in Saint Catherine's. Robb had even received letters from Queen Elizabeth II congratulating him on his poetic work. The Queen had received a copy of 'Hail Canada!' after it was forwarded to her by the Governor General's residence in 1967. The letter of acknowledgement read 'Her Majesty was delighted to accept these poems. The Queen enjoyed reading them very much and thought they were a most appropriate commemoration of Canada's Centennial Year.' The Queen had also mailed Robb earlier in 1959, after Robb had written a poem about the royal yacht that the Queen was touring Canada in. The Queen had received a copy prior to her departure, and one week later Robb received a letter of thanks for the poem.

Published work Wallace Havelock Robb published multiple collections of poetry about Canadian flora and fauna and Indigenous lore, including: The Quill and Candle (1927) The Door of Dawn (1937) Indian Christmas Carol (1940) Thunderbird (1949) A Far Bell Calling (1949) Indian lore of the Bay of Quinte (1952) Tecumtha (1958) Kayanokonte (1961) Hail Canada! (1967)