Kingarf church marks 150th anniversary with tribute to Bishop who ate his boots

The congregation of St. Matthew's Anglican Church, Kingarf, celebrated its 150th anniversary, Sunday afternoon, paying tribute to Bishop Isaac O. Stringer, the infamous Bishop who ate his boots.

The Story of the Bishop who ate his boots explains that, "In early September, 1909, returning from the Mackenzie River Diocese to the Yukon Diocese, Stringer, accompanied by Charles F. Johnson, set out from Fort McPherson to Dawson City. Ahead was a 500-mile trek through muskeg, dense bush, and over a steep mountain divide. They were dressed in light clothing and carried provisions for eight days though they expected to complete the trip in five. Little did they know they would be lost in the mountains for 51 days and be on the brink of death.

"There came a day when no food was to be found; thus it was that the Bishop decided it was time to eat his boots. It is well-known in the North that the skin of an animal that has not been tanned, can be eaten and will sustain life. Both men had brought their light, hairless, sealskin boots with walrus skin soles. The boots were cut into pieces that were then boiled for hours and then roasted."

And, apparently, Stringer and Johnson survived the ordeal, and Stringer became famous as the Bishop who ate his boots.

The link to Kingarf church lies in the fact that Stringer grew up on the 7th Concession of Kincardine Township, and his wife, Sadie Alexander, grew up on the 6th Concession of Greenock Township. They met at a Bible Study at Kingarf, and the rest, as they say, is history.

In honour of this connection, the Kingarf congregation welcomed descendants of the Stringer family: Lynn Wilcox of Thedford, Paul and Joanne Trudgen, Glenn and Judy Magee, Jody Froese, and Cliff Trudgen and Isabel LeClair of Chatham. Representing Sadie's side, were Heather and Allan Bedford of London, descendants of Sadie's sister.

They brought with them extensive memorabilia about the Stringer-Alexander clan, including numerous newspaper clippings, photos, souvenirs and mementos. The highlight was a silver tea service presented to Stringer's sister, Ellen, who was the organist at Kingarf in August, 1904.

"We found these items in a box that had been passed down for generations," said Wilcox. "It's exciting to share them with the congregation here at Kingarf."

In honour of the 150th anniversary, the Kingarf congregation published a cookbook, entitled "Everything But the Bishop's Boots," and a history book.