Background: In 2010, Thinkers Lodge was designated a Canadian National Historic Site in Pugwash, Nova Scotia, because it is the birthplace of the Pugwash Movement, a global initiative for nuclear disarmament. In July 1957 at the height of the Cold War, Pugwash native and US citizen Cyrus Eaton, an industrialist and philanthropist, hosted at Thinkers Lodge, 22 scientists from both sides of the Iron Curtain in response to a plea from Bertrand Russell and Albert Einstein. In 1955, they, along with nine other eminent scientists had penned the Russell-Einstein Manifesto, charging nuclear scientists around the globe to come together to articulate the peril of nuclear weapons and to take responsibility to speak out and take action against nuclear proliferation. “Thirty-eight years later, after that first conference was made possible by the generosity of Cyrus Eaton and the good will of the little Nova Scotia town that welcomed the scientists, the Nobel Peace Prize was jointly awarded to Joseph Rotblat and the Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs for their efforts to diminish the part played by nuclear arms in international politics and, in the longer run, to eliminate such arms." In 2003 at a public presentation, Rotblat donated his Nobel Prize medal to Thinkers Lodge.
Summary of Table of Contents of Thinkers Lodge: Its History and Legacy
2. Gratitude to the Summer Interns at Thinkers Lodge Photos of the interns who keep Thinkers Lodge running during the summer
3. Peace Begins in Pugwash by Margaret Patricia Eaton Margaret Eaton’s poem was read at 53rd Pugwash Conference on Science and World Affairs
6. Introduction Part One: Summary of how the Russell-Einstein Manifesto lead to the 1957 Pugwash Conference at Thinkers Lodge that begat the anti-nuclear movement. The Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1995 jointly with Joseph Rotblat. Also included is role that Pugwash born, controversial industrialist Cyrus Eaton played as well as statements by Joseph Rotblat, Ruth Adams, Bertrand Russell, Cyrus Eaton, and Julian Huxley. Part Two: The personal journey of author Cathy Eaton (granddaughter of Cyrus Eaton) in interviewing people who worked behind the scenes at Thinkers Lodge and gathering information about the many peace activists whose worked combined to turn Thinkers Lodge into a National Historic Site.
10. Cyrus Stephen Eaton (Pugwash Born Eaton Revitalizes Pugwash & Founds Thinkers Lodge, Retreat for Scientists) This section reveals how a child of Baptist farmers in the village of Pugwash, Cyrus Eaton became the protégé of John D. Rockefeller and a millionaire industrialist who made his fortune twice by engineering mergers in steel, iron ore, coal, railroads, and electricity. Then, fearful of the abominable destruction of nuclear weapons, Eaton marshalled his considerable influence and wealth to broker peaceful co-existence between leaders of communist countries and democratic countries and helped sponsor the early Pugwash conferences. Awarded the Lenin Peace Prize and the Canadian Federalist Peace Award as well as being nominated numerous time for the Nobel Peace Prize, Eaton worked tirelessly as a peace activist while also putting energy into conservation, the raising of Shorthorn cattle, and corresponding with scientists, writers, and leaders around the world.
15. Signers of Russell-Einstein Manifesto and Participants of the 1957 Pugwash Conference Photograph of the 11 signers of the Russell-Einstein Manifesto signers and the iconic image of the 22 scientists who attended the 1957 Conference in Pugwash, Nova Scotia.
16. Joseph Rotblat (Manhattan Project Scientist, Signer of Russell-Einstein Manifesto, Heart of the Pugwash Conferences, and Nobel Peace Prize Recipient) Born a Polish Jew, Joseph Rotblat journeys from abject poverty and dehumanizing discrimination to become a nuclear physicist pioneer who worked on the Manhattan Project until his conscience propelled him to quit the race to create a nuclear bomb and work the rest of his life to fight against nuclear weapons and their dreadful destructive uses, while promoting avenues towards world peace. For his efforts he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize jointly with the Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs in 1995. He conducted break-through nuclear medical research, was secretariat-general of the Pugwash Conferences, and was a founder of the campaign for nuclear disarmament.
22. The Women of Pugwash: Anne Eaton and Ruth Adams by Sandra Ionno Butcher (Inspirational Roles of Anne Eaton & Ruth Adams at 1957 Pugwash Conference) Sandra Butcher, a senior program coordinator of the Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs and friend of Joseph Rotblat, describes the roles that Anne Eaton (wife of Cyrus Eaton) and Ruth Adams (editor of the Bulletin of Atomic Sciences) played in inspiring a generation of young men and women in the significant roles they could play in raising their voices against nuclear proliferation and urging women and African Americans to seek equal rights. These two young women attending the 1957 Pugwash Conference were central in creating the congenial atmosphere that reduced tension and encouraged honest exchanges of ideas in a situation that fostered trust.
30. Betty Royan (Executive Assistant to Cyrus Eaton, Director of the Secretariat of Pugwash Conferences) Betty Royan blazed a path in roles not open to women from her degrees in nuclear physics, to her acumen in international business negotiations, Shorthorn cattle breeding, railroad industry, steal mergers, and her indispensable role in forging lines of communications between scientists of both side of the Iron Curtain. Also, she assembled the findings of the Pugwash Conferences. She was invaluable in easing the tensions between Cyrus Eaton pursuing a strident political agenda and the Pugwash scientists who worried about being aligned with such controversial ideas. Additionally, Royon helped organize and coordinate Pugwash Conferences on education, the Islamic Culture, China, and India.
34. Sir Julian Huxley (Pugwash 1955; UNESCO Director-General) Julian Huxley, close friend of Cyrus Eaton, lead the discussions of the 1955 Pugwash Conference that brought together educators from Great Britain, Canada, and the United States. An eminent biologist and chemist, he was a signer of the Humanistic Manifesto. As Director-General of UNESCO, he played a significant role in guiding the institution to educate the underprivileged, address over-population, and coordinate efforts towards social and cultural progress throughout the world. Huxley maintained close ties with the Pugwash Conferences of Science and World Affairs.
38. Charles Aubrey Eaton (Pugwash Born, Baptist Minister, New Jersey Congressman, and United Nations Charter Signer) Charles Eaton, uncle to Cyrus Eaton and born in Pugwash, followed his calling to serve his fellow man first as a Baptist minister and then as a New Jersey Congressman and chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. Confident of President Roosevelt, he was an architect of the Marshall Plan, a signer of the United Nations Charter, and achieved the passage of every bill he sponsored. As pastor to John D. Rockefeller’s church, he inspired Rockefeller to be a philanthropist, and throughout his career as a minister, he actively assisted poor parishioners to find work, shelter, and dignity.
43. Thinkers Lodge – History of Additions and Renovations (Pineo Home Transformation from B & B to Thinkers Retreat and National Historic Site) Thinkers Lodge, a National Historic Site, is renown as a physical reminder of the courage and hard work that has the potential of making a nuclear-free world a possibility. Built in the early 1800s in Pugwash, Nova Scotia, it has been the home of pioneer settlers, merchants, shipbuilders, and dedicated politicians. In 1930, Cyrus Eaton, in an effort to rebuild the village of Pugwash devastated by fires, purchased the home and turned it into a bed and breakfast. Then, in 1955, he turned the seven-bedroom building into a think-tank that over the last sixty years has hosted scientists, peace activists, educators, climate change activists, and artists from all parts of the globe. Its serene location on the Northumberland Straits inspires people to imagine a better world and then find a way to achieve that vision.
49. Andrew Cobb – Halifax Architect (Architect of Thinkers Lodge, Margaret King School, and Eaton’s Summer Home) Andrew Cobb, a good Samaritan who helped rescue victims of the Great Halifax Explosion in 1917, designed university buildings, homes, and schools throughout Nova Scotia, Cleveland, Ohio, and Newfoundland. He was known for his distinctive style of shingled exteriors, steep roofs, dormer windows, and verandahs. His exemplary vision resulting in the 1930 expansion and renovations of Thinkers Lodge created a spacious building in which light, positive energy, sea views, and lovely ambiance invite guests to relax, share mindful conversations, and be inspired.
51. Lobster Factory: Transformation to Dining Hall (Lobster Canning Factory Transformation to Pagweak Tearoom & Dining Hall) When the lobster industry was significant in Pugwash’s economy in the early 1920s, Frank Allan built a lobster canning factory on the shores of the Northumberland Strait employing local lobstermen and New Brunswick canners. Cyrus Eaton purchased the building to serve as a tea room for the adjacent B & B he had acquired. In 1955 the long, rectangular building with magnificent views of the harbour and Northumberland Strait was turned into the dining hall for the many conferences and workshops held at Thinkers Lodge. Many inspirational discussions were held here while guests enjoyed the savory cuisine of Nova Scotia. The chefs and waitstaff were integral in the success of the conferences.
56. The Empress Hotel and Eaton Park: Cycles of Fires and Building (Thelma Colbourne Recounts Grandfather Benjamin Mattinson’s Role in Pugwash) Benjamin Mattinson, recognizing the beauty of the Pugwash Harbor, built the Empress Hotel in the 1918 so his soldier son could have employment upon his return from World War I. After the hotel and many adjacent buildings burned in the 1928 and 1929 fires, Cyrus Eaton returned to his birthplace and hired locals to turned the charred landscape into a lovely park for the villagers of Pugwash to enjoy. Mattison, like Eaton, was hard-working and pivotal to the building of homes, businesses, and schools. His granddaughter, Thelma Colbourne, recounts how he manufactured all supplies needed for building, survived Indians trailing a train he rode with his family, and resourcefully supported his family despite major calamities.
61. The Margaret King School by Sherman Williams, Pat Williams Briggins, Jean Thomas, & Margaret Macleod (Andrew Cobb – Architect; Cyrus Eaton – Funder) Cyrus Eaton hired Andrew Cobb to design a modern school for students from Pugwash and surrounding communities. For 30-years from 1930 to 1960, airy classrooms, a science lab, gymnasium, and a library as well as in-door plumbing and electricity provided the opportunity for its many students to excel and pursue careers in engineering, nursing, and education. The school was named after Eaton’s favorite teacher, Margaret King, who was the sole teacher in a one-room school.
66. Masonic Lodge Transformation to Peace Hall (Wayne Arsenault Shares History of Masonic Lodge) The Masonic Lodge housed the activities of the philanthropic activities of Masons for nearly 100 years until in 2017, John Caraberis and Bonnie Bond rescued the building from a state of sad disrepair and renovated it so that it could be used for activities embracing peace, music, art, and community gatherings.
70. Yuri Gagarin – Welcomed to Pugwash after Circling the Earth, 1961 The first cosmonaut to circle the earth was welcomed in Pugwash and hosted by Cyrus Eaton to honor his pioneering space flight and his message of peace between communist Russia and democratic countries. Despite mistrust, he was greeted by adoring crowds.
73. Levi Eaton and his Brigantine, the George Henderson, 1860 (Eaton Ancestor, Pugwash Ship Builder and Immigrant to New Zealand) Pugwash was the home to many shipbuilders including Cyrus Eaton’s ancestor, Levi Eaton. With his family and members of the Pugwash community, Levi journeyed from Pugwash to South Africa to Australia to New Zealand. The account of the voyage of the George Henderson and the storm that destroyed the valiant brigantine captures the resiliency of these pioneers finding a new life because the era of wooden ship building was coming to an end.
78. Donald McKay and Clipper Ships (Eaton Ancestor, Nova Scotian, Clipper Ship Builder) Another shipbuilder and ancestor of Cyrus Eaton, Donald McKay moved from Nova Scotia to Boston, Massachusetts, to design and build glorious Clipper Ships that swiftly carried merchants, cargo, and gold miners to California, Europe and Australia. McKay revolutionized the science of merchant ship design and construction, making significant changes to hull design and ship sparring. These glorious ship broke many sailing records.
82. Saving Thinkers Lodge: Fire – August 3, 1996 (Firefighters Bob Messenger, Lisa Betts, Wayne Smith, and Craig Mundle Douse Blaze) On a hot summer day, Thinkers Lodge burst into flame and could have been destroyed like so many buildings during past fires in Pugwash. Instead, firefighters from four towns rushed to extinguish the blaze with their heroic efforts while villagers helped rescue all the furniture and treasures. Ironically, many of these firefighters and villagers had never set foot in Thinkers Lodge.
88. The Jamieson Family and Thinkers Lodge (Leo, Donnie, and Mary Jamieson) Numerous members of the Jamieson Family over a period of fifty years worked in many capacities at Thinkers Lodge preparing it for visitors, maintaining the building, landscaping the property, and waiting tables. Their industry, graciousness, and generosity of spirit were essential to the success of the conferences and the upkeep of the lodge.
92. Glenda Newson Kent: A Summer Working at Thinkers Lodge - 1959 (Daily Routines, Friendships, and Relaxation Time) Fortuitously, Glenda Newson Kent kept a diary and took photos during the years she worked waiting tables and cleaning the Thinkers Lodge. Her account gives a first-hand view of the daily tasks, the interactions with guests, and the comradery amongst the staff.
97. Terry Smith “The Spirit of the Times” (Man About Town” 1949-2017 – History Teacher, Conference Driver) Terry Smith lived his entire life in Pugwash and as a history teacher inspired generations of students. Perhaps his interest in history got its genesis when he drove such conference attendees as Joseph Rotblat, Mark Oliphant, Linus Pauling, and Mark McGuigan. His charm, engaging smile, and love of a lively discussion endeared him to all. He made a point of teaching about the Cold War and role of Thinkers Lodge in the peace movement.
101. Raymond Bourque (Cyrus Eaton’s Butler and Companion) Raymond Bourque was a popular representative in the Nova Scotia House of Assemble. From 1956 until shortly before his death in 1998, he served as butler for Cyrus and Anne Eaton. MacLean’s National Magazine described Bourque as a major domo at the Pugwash Conferences, who troubleshot any problems, and was a friend and confidant to the participants. Many employees recounted his humor and central role at the conferences.
105. Raymond Szabo (Cyrus Eaton’s Executive Assistant) Ray Szabo worked closely with Cyrus Eaton from 1957 until Eaton’s death in 1979. Also loyal and discrete, he assisted Eaton in his correspondence, speeches, articles, and travel plans. After Eaton’s death, he served as a Pugwash Park Commissioner and president of the Cyrus Eaton Foundation, continuing to carry on the vision of Cyrus Eaton.
108. Celebrating Teresa Kewachuk (History Teacher, Thinkers Lodge Coordinator, and Recipient of Sovereign’s Award) Teresa Kewachuk has been a beloved history teacher at the Pugwash District High School. She has been instrumental in designing curriculum based on the role Thinkers Lodge and the role participants of the conferences played in nuclear disarmament and the end of the Cold War. As onsite manager of Thinkers Lodge and coordinator of the interns and volunteers at Thinkers Lodge, she has become the “heart and soul” of the birthplace of the efforts to rid the world of nuclear weapons.
111. Giovanni Brenciaglia (Grandson of Eva Webb, Pugwash Park Commissioner, Nuclear Physicist) Giovanni Brenciaglia, a nuclear physicist and grand-nephew of Cyrus Eaton, has spent decades working towards nuclear disarmament and towards maintaining the legacy of Thinkers Lodge as a member of Canadian Pugwash and a Pugwash Park Commissioner. His kindness, gentle humor, and loyalty define him.
114. Paolo Brenciaglia (Grandson of Eva Webb, Village Commissioner, Photographer, Margaret King Society) Another grand-nephew of Cyrus Eaton, Paolo Brenciaglia, has dedicated much of life to the community of Pugwash. As a teen, he worked at Thinkers Lodge and was fascinated to interact with the participants. Always lively, he infused energy into every endeavor, including his work on the Pugwash Village Commission and the Margaret King School Society which built a memorial to the school. His lovely photographs are paintings with light.
117. John Eaton (Grandson of Cyrus Eaton, Pugwash Park Commissioner – Restoring Lodge & Revitalizing Mission) John Eaton, grandson of Cyrus Eaton, became a Pugwash Park Commissioner in 2005, and he has dedicated much of his time to raising money to restore the lodge, to promote its use to host meaningful conferences and workshops, and to involve local people in legacy of Thinkers Lodge. He is a peace activist and an environmentalist.
122. Cathy Eaton (Granddaughter of Cyrus Eaton, Writer, Interviewer – Preserving the Legacy of Thinkers Lodge) Cathy Eaton, granddaughter of Cyrus Eaton, spent all her summers with her grandfather in Deep Cove, Nova Scotia. Since 2010, she with the help of local historians and students, has interviewed over sixty people who have a heart-felt connection with Thinkers Lodge. She has been determined to capture their stories that are intertwined with Thinkers Lodge as well as the histories of the peace activists, environmentalists, and scientists who met here and then returned home to focus on ideas that would enhance the world. Like her grandfather, she believes that this peaceful spot and historic building can inspire the energy and belief it takes to have peaceful co-existence in a world that spends so much time being destructive.
126. Family in Pugwash Photos of Eaton family members connected to Thinkers Lodge
127. Appendix A: Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs (Mission, Statement of Purpose, and List of International Conferences 1957-2017) “The mission of the Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs is to bring scientific insight and reason to bear namely, the catastrophic threat posed to humanity by nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction.” Over thirty countries around the world have hosted Pugwash Conferences on such diverse topics as Appraising the Dangers from Atomic Weapons, Advancing Human Security, Current Problems of Disarmament, Biological and Chemical Warfare, Striving for Peace, Confronting Challenges of the 21st Century, and Nagasaki’s Voice: Remember Your Humanity.
131. Appendix B: Conferences, Retreats, Workshops, Meetings at Thinkers Lodge: 1955-2018 For nearly seventy years, Thinkers Lodge has hosted conferences and workshops on education, the Middle East, Historians and Men of Letters, the Culture of China, Civilization of India, Nuclear Free World from the Cities, Peace Institutes, Writing Workshops, Creative Nova Scotia Leadership Council, Film Festivals, and Climate Change.
134. Appendix C: Brief Biographies & Photos of 22 Scientists at 1957 Pugwash Conference and the Signers of Russell/Einstein Manifesto This section provides a glimpse into the genius, discoveries, inventions, and life-long dedication to science and peace that a group of courageous individuals from many countries displayed.
141. Appendix D: Thinkers Lodge Histories Website & Information (Access additional information on people, events, sites: complete articles, interviews, photographs) ThinkersLodgeHistories.com provides hundreds of articles, interviews, speeches, biographies, and photographs of Cyrus Eaton, Anne Eaton, Charles Eaton, Joseph Rotblat, Bertrand Russell, Yuri Gagarin, the Pugwash Conferences, and the people who worked behind the scenes at Thinkers Lodge.
142. Cyrus Eaton: Champion for Peace by Richard Rudnicki; Pugwash by Vern Thiessen Richard Rudnicki in his children’s book recounts the childhood and life of Cyrus Eaton with wonderful illustrations. Vern Thiessen captures in his play the 1957 Conference in Pugwash with a tale that has village children interact with a Russian scientist, a Japanese scientist, and Cyrus Eaton.
143. Books Available by Cathy Eaton: Curse of the Pirate’s Treasure; Snags and Spill (Purchase Information) Other books by Cathy Eaton.