​(Note: non-affiliated links)

For the month of March 2024, the Thistle Theatre in Embro, ON had the play Miss Supertest – The Bob Haywood Story written by William (Bill) Butt, directed by Adam Corrigan Holowitz, produced by  Dan Hilborn with Daniel Van Winden as musical director and keyboardist. It was an enjoyable and interactive production with the audience singing a few songs with the emphatic Miss Supertest Gas Service Attendant, played by Kathy Fraser. Individuals, from both behind the scenes and the characters, played numerous roles throughout the play like Bill Butt, who was also the projectionist. 

I knew about the boat Miss Supertest III after seeing it in the Ingersoll Cheese and Agricultural Museum, however, did not know too much about the driver, Bob Haywood, aside from being a chicken farmer from Embro, ON. Nevertheless, in 2011, after attending the Miss Supertest III Stamp Unveiling Ceremony, thanks to Peter Lockyer, former CBC Journalist, I not only became intrigued with the story, but fell in love with hydroplane boats, becoming a groupie. (Refer to an article on my website The Story Behind the Story.) 

I purposefully attended the last day of the play on March 24, 2024, with some friends, to see members of the Thompson and Haywood families and others who I and Marie Avey, who accompanied me, met back in August 2011. It was like a Miss Supertest reunion. 

Musicians, keyboardist Dan, and the saxophone player Michael Riehl, played music from the 1920’s and 30’s. Following the ten-to-fifteen-minute music ensemble, the play began. Pictures on a slide projector ran in the background for the entire production, depicting Bob Haywood’s life in pictures accompanied with music. Miss Supertest and Jim Thompson, played by Peter Johnson, informed the audience that Supertest Petroleum Company had 3000 service stations throughout the country that was a family-owned business. The first Supertest gas station opened on May 23, 1923, at 362 Dundas Street E. in London, ON. 

Miss Supertest encouraged audience participation to sing “The Ballade of Supertest” in which the first verse went as follows:
       It's plenty far to the nearest star,
       A billion miles perhaps.
       It's many a mile to a South Sea isle
       Or Earth's white polar caps.
       It's a whale of a way to Biscay Bay,
       And the dread Great Barrier Reef.
      But it's never far from where you are
      To the sign of the Maple Leaf.
      Yes the gas that's best is Supertest
      And the point of this in brief 
      Is it's never far from where you are
      To the sign of the Maple Leaf.

After singing all three verses of the ballade, the audience saw a young Bob Haywood, Desi vanBeek-Paterson, along with his friend, played by Paul Brekelmans, pretend to ride bicycles on stage. When his friend fell off his bicycle, Bob was able to fix it and the two resumed riding to the theatre.

I liked how the transition from seeing a young Bob Haywood passed his cap over to Alan Buchanan, who played the older version of Bob. As a teen, Bob and his brother Keith transformed a pickup truck into a racing machine, beating competitors racing on Embro Rd. He and his brother also built a boat named Poky II, that had a 22-horsepower engine. Bob knew a lot about boats and engines.

According to the play, as a young man, Bob Haywood purchased a saxophone from a wino and taught himself how to play and played at dances. His love for music led him to meet the legendary Guy Lombard, played by Grace Vincent, who told Bob of how he started in the music industry. During his first jazz concert, the string on his violin broke. He preserved and eventually had his own band, Guy Lombard and His Royal Canadians, playing in Chicago and New York and selling thousands of records. He also stated how he bought a boat that he used to race on the Thames River in London.

Unlike myself, prior to 2011, Bob Haywood knew that the famous Canadian musician and bandleader from London, ON was also a great hydroplane racer with his boats Tempo VI and Tempo VII. Guy Lombard is also indicted into the Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame. 

​Jim Thompson informed the audience that his father started Supertest 25 years ago, a friendly and enterprising business. He further explained that in 1950, “the father of Supertest is the father of the of the fastest speedboat.” Supertest was more than a family business, they wanted to race speedboats to become world champions to beat the Americans.
Miss Supertest had the audience sing the “Esso Happy Motoring Song:”

      When your tires are humming and your motor purrs
      And your car is eager then the thought occurs
      That it's good to be alive in this land of ours,
      Good to drive in this land of ours.
      What a great great feeling, what a wonderful sense
      Of pure enjoyment and of confidence.
      For there's something you're aware of:
      Your car's been taken care of
      At the Esso sign of confidence,
      At the Happy Motoring sign.

Bob and Keith transformed a Rocket 88 Oldsmobile, known as a muscle car in 1950’s, that could beat any car in a quarter mile on Embro Rd. Bob and a teen, played by Carla vanBeek-Paterson, who had four roles, pretended to race one another in their vehicles on stage. Every Sunday, Bob raced at the Cayuga International Dragway Park with his modified 1938 chevy coup with a 300-horsepower engine named Rickshaw, where he made a name for himself winning races. Spectators wondered who this chicken farmer from, pronounced either as “Embryo” or “Ember”.  Bob was interviewed by the local television station, CFPL-TV. Soon he became synonymous with winning Ontario stock car racing events. A comical jab throughout the play was Bob’s mother,   played by Barb Kirwin, correcting people’s pronunciation of Embro, even getting the audience involved. 

In 1950, Jim and his father Gord Thompson purchased Miss Canada IV hydroplane from Ingersoll resident Harold Wilson, who retired from racing. (He is inducted into the Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame.) After refurbishing the boat, the Thompsons renamed it Miss Supertest I and had competed in unlimited hydroplane racing. However, unlike its predecessor, Miss Supertest I not only never won a race, but the boat also never even finished a race from 1951 to 1954 when Miss Supertest II was build. At 31 feet long, 12 feet wide, she was equipped with a 2,000 horsepower Rolls-Royce Griffon motor.

Success finally arrived for the hydroplane, when the driver, Art Ashbury, briefly set a world Canadian and British Empire speed record of 184.494 miles per hour at Picton, ON, on Nov. 1, 1957, becoming the fastest propeller-driven motorboat in the world. A year later, Miss Supertest II was retired and Thompson set his sights on building yet another boat to win the British International Harmsworth Trophy to beat the Americans.  

In the play a friendly banter ensued between the Americans who taunted Thompson and the Canadian spectators by bragging that their hydroplanes could beat the Canadians and how Esso would eventually purchase Supertest Gas Stations. (In 1971, Supertest sold to British Petroleum Canada (B.P.).) The Americans sang a few verses of the “Esso Happy Motoring Song” while the Canadians sang a few verses of “The Ballade of Supertest” which went back and forth a few times.

After the singing duals ended, Thompson adamantly told Miss Supertest of his dream designing and building a new boat but wanted a driver who knew engines and wondered where such a driver could be found. Miss Supertest mentioned Bob Haywood who was a well-known and successful stock car racer who knew engines. Thompson wanted to meet Haywood.

Jim and Miss Supertest attended a dance in London where Bob played his saxophone. At first, Bob was reluctant, claiming he knew about chicken power more then hydroplane boats, but was intrigued with the challenge and eventually accepted being the mechanic for Miss Supertest II in 1957 and future driver for Miss Supertest III, once she was built in 1959. Bob told Thompson that it was not the money that interested him but engines, speed and the thrill of adventure.
At the dance, Bob once again met with Guy who encouraged him. Lombard told Haywood that “speedboat is kind of like music is like boats, you have to get into a tempo.” Hence, Lombard naming his hydroplanes Tempo VI and Tempo VII. Lombard also stated that “sometimes your dreams seek you out.”

​The play certainly illustrated what a multifaceted and talented individual Bob Haywood was. A chicken farmer with over 3000 chickens, he had an extraordinary ability and knowledge fixing anything with an engine, be it a vehicle, boat or motorcycle in which he raced them all.

Another theme throughout the play for Bob's mother, was her constant worry of her son’s safety. At one-point she warned Jim Thompson of exposing Bob to more dangers racing hydroplanes, that with all his racing he never got injured. Unfortunately, her fears would eventually come to fruition.

Haywood knew the potential dangers of racing hydroplanes, which Thompson asked if he was scared but that was a challenge for Bob. In 1961, Bob wrote the article “Two Thousand Horse Power Under Me at 160 Miles An Hour” in Maclean's Magazine.

​Christened in 1959, Miss Supertest III won the 1959 Detroit Memorial Regatta. In that same year, the fastest hydroplane in the world won the Harmsworth Cup three successive years in 1959, 1960, and 1961, ending 39 years of American supremacy. Like Miss Supertest II, Miss Supertest III also was equipped with a 2,000 horsepower Rolls-Royce Griffon motor, she was 31 feet long, 12 feet wide and weighed 7,000 pounds, sporting mahogany, orange, and white colors. Like myself, anyone seeing this beauty for the first-time would be awestruck of her grace, a memorable and lasting impression.

Bob Haywood achieved hero status after his first Harmsworth Cup win. In 1959, then Prime Minister John Diefenbaker, along with Leslie Frost, the Premier of Ontario, attended the race near Long Reach near Picton, ON, which CBC aired throughout Canada. Haywood attended a parade like that of the American Thanksgiving Parade, which was indicative of Canadian sentiments.

​While pretend boat racing occurred in the play, the rest of the cast assembled on stage wearing dressy black clothing with numerous wreaths and flowers placed at the front of the stage. It presented a very somber and dreary feeling that seemed to emanate throughout the theater, with the anticipation of what would happen next, breaking the cheery feeling I had while watching the play. 

The announcer animatedly provided blow by blow commentary of the races to the audience. In the 1960 race, the announcer informed the audience how Miss Supertest III set a world lap speed record of 126.226 miles per hour in the first lap of the first heat. In the last race however, the announcer’s voice become very serious as he reported that Miss Supertest II flipped right over. He described how one of the racers immediately went to the boat that was not moving and questioned if Haywood was dead. It did not take long for the confirmation.

​The play Miss Supertest – The Bob Haywood Story ended with Bob Haywood’s funeral with many people on the second balcony where I sat, gave a standing ovation when the characters came out. I through enjoyed the play and felt that noteworthy events and details of not only Bob Haywood, but that of Miss Supertest boats and even the Thompsons, was beautifully captured.
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To honour Bob Haywood, the driver, Miss Supertest III, the hydroplane and Jim Thompson, designer, builder and owner, Canada Post issued a commemorative stamp in 2011.

Other accolades include all three being inducted into the Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame in 1960 where Miss Supertest III, became the first non-human to be honoured; a cairn erected on the former Hayward farm, dedicating his international fame; renaming the Long Reach Bay near Picton, ON to Haywood Long Reach; the YMCA situated at 1050 Hamilton Rd. in London where Bob tried out his life jackets in their pool was renamed in his honour, sadly, after 60 years of service that location was closed in Nov. 2023; and in 2000, Hayward was posthumous inducted into the Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame.
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Following the play, President of Thistle Theatre, John Turvey, invited the audience to treats and refreshments and to meet the honoured guests. 

At the illustrious age of 94, Jim Thompson died on May 13, 2021. A trailblazer for Canada in hydroplane racing, his legacy, as that with Bob Haywood the Miss Supertest boats, will continue to live on and inspire further generations of Canadians. The person on the other side of me, informed me that in June 2024, The Canadian Race boat Hall of Fame and Event Centre will have a grand opening in Bracebridge. A tremendous event that I will look forward to attending, reminiscing of August 2011.

Related Links:
Miss Supertest stands the test of time | Belleville Intelligencer
Canadian History - Miss Supertest race boat | The #FastestRaceBoat In the World It was an August weekend in 1960 when Miss Supertest III with its driver #BobHayward won victory, setting a world... | By HistoryMomentsFacebook | Facebook
Miss Supertest Documentary by Peter Lockyer, History Lives Here Inc | History Lives Here Inc
Muskoka’s Unbeatable Miss Supertest III Back in Cottage Country (luxurymuskokas.com)
Miss Supertest at the Ontario Science Center - YouTube
Miss Supertest (youtube.com)
Miss Supertest III | Canada Post (canadapost-postescanada.ca)
Miss Supertest III - the Best Boat in the World - Canadian Boating
About Miss Supertest III - The Scuba News
Bob Hayward - 35 Years Ago . . . (hydroplanehistory.com)
Canada’s most famous racing boat set world speed record at PEC 60 years ago Nov. 1 : Prince Edward County News countylive.ca
Videos of Guy Lombardo and His Royal Canadians
 
Books:
The Supertest Petroleum Company's Racing Boats
Volume 1, Volume 2, and Volume 3: Miss Supertest III (1959-2021)
by John Joseph Kelly Blurb Books

Sources:
Supertest Chronology (tripod.com)
Supertest Petroleum | Detailed Pedia

Quote: “I’ve always thought of Miss Supertest III, Jim’s latest design, which has never been beaten in her three races, as ‘my’ boat.” ~ Bob Haywood 

For the first time, the Ingersoll Cheese and Agricultural Museum held a Cheese and Verse Poetry Night on Thursday March 14, 2024. Museum Manager, Stephanie Conron, was surprised but pleased with the turn out of over 50 people who attended.

The museum was transformed into an ambient subdued lighting, strung throughout the entranceway, all the way to the back of the museum with the soothing sounds from Brian singing and playing his acoustic guitar. An enticing table of various delectable cheeses, crackers and jams, provided by The Wine & Cellar Cheese shop, met visitors, where beverages, alcohol and a delicious raspberry drink was served.

A staff member read a poem Shelby wrote about her almost one year old son which was read during the open mic portion of the event.
​
Ingersoll Mayor, Brian Petrie, opened the evening with a brief welcome. Well known multitalented artist, Duane Kumal-Thomas, the highlight of the show, read his poem which accompanies his art insulation in town of train tracks coming out of the earth, located across from Dollarama. 

Duane read a second poem. His baritone voice and words captivated the audience, and he received a warm applause. Volunteer Don sang a few country tunes while playing his guitar. New Ingersoll residents, Barbara Blower and her husband, a professional photographer who took pictures throughout the evening, read her poem. Barbara later returned to read two more of her poems, one a tribute to her three daughters. 

Manager Stephanie threatened the audience she would continue to read poems by James McIntyre to encourage them to sign up to participate in the open mic. McIntyre was a Ingersoll resident who wrote hundreds of poems, all about cheese, was known as the "world's worst poet". After the reading, audience participated in the open mic. Cassandra read a poem, not her own but one she loves on trees and someone else read a poem about nature. 

Afterwards, Duane returned to the stage to read one of his works in progress, a poem about Christopher Columbus. Aside from volunteers, one on sound, staff members from the museum also participated in the open mic, like Collections Coordinator Dorothy and Museum Programmer Kealy.  Brain played a few selections of 90s music to an enthusiastic crowd. 

Stephanie read a poem not from James McIntyre but from his daughter Kate Macintyre, who unlike her father, wrote good poetry. Stephanie explained how Kate lived an unconventional life ​for a woman of her times, divorced three times, never had children, she wrote non-conformist topics. While the museum had Kate’s “Girls Don’t” poem on display, Stephanie read the poem “Boy’s Don’t”. 

Duane’s last poem for the evening consisted of one he read when he spoke at the launch of his art installation at the Ingersoll Library last year. A poem I thoroughly enjoyed which he remembered. Duane explained how his perception was changed a few years ago after reading Joyce Pettigrew’s book, A Safe Haven: The Story of the Black Settlers of Oxford County. He also mentioned his experience giving a presentation of his poems and Black History at Woodingford Lodge recently.
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An elderly woman accompanied him on the elector at the nursing home. After his presentation, Duane showed the video clip “The Last Stop - Ingersoll,” where Joyce is also featured. It was a surreal moment when Duan found out the woman in the elevator and present for his talk was no other than Joyce Pettigrew herself. 

Duane incorporated titles of several Negro Spirituals into his last poem like "Wade in the Water Children" and "Follow the Drinking Gourd". Duane received a round of applause after his reading.

​Since there was only one person signed up to participate in open mic, Stephanie read a poem McIntyre wrote for a friend that rhymed with Wiggles, his friend’s last name. According to Stephanie, McIntyre was famous for sitting at the back of the tavern writing on pieces of paper.

Volunteer Don returned to the stage to perform a few more songs. Stephanie followed by saying despite making fun of James McIntyre’s poor poems, if it was not for him tonight’s event would not occur. As a tribute, she read the poem “Ode to James McIntyre” by Shirley Lovell, the Ingersoll Cheese and Agricultural Museum’s first curator who was also a poet.

​Appropriately, the last song Brain performed for the evening was “Closing Time”. Stephanie mentioned it was a successful evening with Ingersoll residents and surrounding area, coming out to support. She also gave a heartfelt thanks to both the volunteers and her staff for their help.

A delightful evening was had by all. Brain stated he was having fun. Hopefully, the Cheese and Verse Poetry Night will become an annual event at the Ingersoll Cheese and Agricultural Museum.  I definitely will look forward in attending this event again; an opportunity to listen to talented local poets. 

Gallery of pictures taken at the the Cheese and Verse Poetry Night

​(Photos by Heather A. Rennalls)

Quote: "... Grant has here a famous work Devoted to the cure of pork, For dairymen find it doth pay To fatten pigs upon the whey, For there is money raising grease As well as in the making cheese." ~ James McIntyre's poem “Hints to Cheesemakers”


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Ryan ended his stunning presentation discussing light pollution. How 11 years ago one could see the Milky Way by naked eye but now must drive to Tobermory or Algonquin. Light pollution also interferes with migrating birds. He explained how the industrial section in London, ON is using more lights then residents after business hours. Ryan approached a car dealership and asked to turn some of their lights off. They compiled by changing their lighting system, aiming lights down rather than up and cutting the wattage. Daria thanked Ryan for his presentation to warm applause by the audience.
 
For rambles, Richard Skevington asked what people are seeing. Jeff Skevington saw butterflies in Long Point. Other sightings included bees going to skunk cabbage and pussy willows to turtles sunning themselves.
 
Berry Merkley read out the winning ticket for the 50/50 draw which Jerome Van Erve won $28, which he donated back to the club.
 
Roger concluded the evening by stating how explorer and author Adam Shoalts, will present “From Lake Erie to the Arctic, a 3,400 km Canoe Journey” at the next meeting on Monday, April 8,  2024.
 
After the meeting, I made sure to join up for the rest of the season. Aside from meetings and outings, the Woodstock Field Naturalist Club also has their annual Christmas Bird Count. Something that I continued to participate in. Check out my blog post “WFN 81st Annual Christmas as Bird Count” to learn more. Anyone interested in becoming a member can visit the Woodstock Field Naturalist Club website. An enlightened experience you will thoroughly enjoy.