Remembering Tavistock hockey and figure skating through the years

By Gary West

Tavistock has produced many talented hockey players and figure skaters over the decades, leaving behind a rich sports legacy the community can be proud of.

One of the best records of that history can be found in Raising the Rafters, a beautifully produced hardcover book written by Tavistock author Paul Bartlett. The book chronicles 25 years of local hockey history, but as Bartlett himself notes, it is about much more than the game.

“This book is more than a history of hockey in Tavistock,” Bartlett writes. “It is a history of Tavistock itself. It is an account of how arenas and hockey are central to the life and community spirit of every small town in Canada.”

From packed arenas and minor hockey teams to figure skating performances that drew crowds to their feet, the photographs and stories capture generations of athletes in their younger years. While many of those faces are now well known in the community, their contributions on the ice helped shape a strong, close-knit sports culture that continues today.

Bartlett’s work was supported by longtime Gazette owners William J. and Sherry Gladding, whose commitment to preserving local history helped bring the project to life. Together, they ensured the stories, names and moments that defined Tavistock’s hockey and skating past would not be forgotten.

Copies of Raising the Rafters are available at all Tavistock Braves home games for those interested in revisiting — or discovering — an important chapter of the community’s history.