G&DHS ‘Meet & Greet’ on Zoom Jan 11 at 7 p.m. EST

Our 2022 Zoom   –   Meet & Greet

 

Tuesday, January 11th 7 p.m.

 

We want to say hello and to let you know that we’re still here.  Now that all these online meeting tools are available, we think it’s time to try them out.  

 

We urge all our local history enthusiasts and friends to join us.  The Directors are going to tell us what they’ve been working on during the pandemic and we want to hear about your work too.  

 

Zoom Instructions: 

Jan 11, 2022 07:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting at 6:55 p.m. 

https://zoom.us/j/98464986531

Meeting ID: 984 6498 6531

We Need a County Archives

Middlesex County does not have a county archives to protect our history for future generations.

Report from the Committee To Establish A Middlesex County Archives (CEMCA):

Unlike other counties that have established a County Archives (Lambton, Kent, Elgin, Oxford, Norfolk, Perth, Huron etc.) to house municipal as well as important historical materials, Middlesex County has not. In February 2020, representatives of historical societies and interested citizens from across Middlesex County gathered to ascertain the interest in establishing a Middlesex County Archives. The group had concerns about what would happen to their precious historical documents due to aging volunteers and lack of resources.  The group gave resounding approval to the initiative and the Committee to Establish a Middlesex County Archives was born. After two meetings, Covid-19 halted those for the year but work remained ongoing.  In February 2021 virtual meetings commenced via Zoom. 

How best to achieve the goal? The primary focus had to be municipal records. Through legislation, County and Municipal governments are mandated to officially store public records for legal, governance, and historical purposes.  The Ontario Municipal Act 2001, S.O. 2001. C. 25 Section 254 further states that municipal offices must preserve certain documents, and that they are to be publicly accessible.  Those records need to be properly stored and available in a timely manner.  It further indicates that municipal offices could deposit their records in an archive, to be secured. In addition, many historical societies hold historically significant documents and still more remain in private hands. Without a County Archives, there is concern about the location and condition under which many valuable historical documents are being stored.

CEMCA, through a survey to Mayors and Clerks, and another survey to Historical Societies within Middlesex County, ascertained much data – most materials were not stored in secure, environmentally-safe areas and most were not easily accessible.  That is a problem for municipal as well as local historical documents.

In June, CEMCA developed a series of “Facts Sheets” and other pertinent information to be sent weekly to County and Municipal Councillors and Administrative Staff. Information included: Municipal Act and Responsibilities, What is an Archives? How Will the Municipality and Clerks Benefit? Where Are the Records Now? Who Would Use the Middlesex County Archives, Resources Required and Challenges and Opportunities. To see any of this information, please check Middlesex Centre Archives webpage: www.middlesexcentrearchive.ca or email proposedmiddlesexcountyarchive@gmail.com.

Committee representatives from each municipality are contacting their councillors and/or making presentations to their councils. On September 28, 2021, CEMCA will be making a presentation to County Council to formally ask that a Middlesex County Archives be established.

Who benefits from a County Archives? Municipal clerks, town planners and developers, lawyers and architects, heritage advocates, scholars and educators, genealogists and family historians, tourists. The biggest benefactors will be our future generations!!!!!!!

How can you help? Contact your county councillors by writing, email or telephone to express your support for the Archives. For more information, please email proposedmiddlesexcountyarchive@gmail.com.

Let us lose nothing of the past, it is only with the past that one builds the future. Anatole France

The Fenians are coming!

The 1866 Fenian Raids under Captain Anthony O’Malley.

Ken Willis will talk about the Wardsville Volunteer Infantry Company. The Company was actively protecting southwestern Ontario along the Saint Clair River in Sarnia area from March – June 1866 for fear of an invasion of the Fenians.

Everyone welcome! 7:00 p.m. at The Archives, 178 McKellar Street. Glencoe.

Gough Cemetery

July 28, 2019.  Community Memorial Service.  Gough Cemetery, 5018 Scotchmere Drive, Glencoe, Metcalfe Township, ON.  2:00 p.m. Bring a lawn chair. No rain date.   In case of rain, the event will relocate to The Archives, 178 McKellar Street, Glencoe, ON.

Underground Railroad Code

Underground Railroad Code

Underground Railroad quilt code: fact or fiction.  

Presented by quilter, Micki Angyal.

7:00 p.m. The Archives, 178 McKellar Street. Glencoe.    

After the U.S. Congress passed the Compromise of 1850, the law forced free northern states to return escaped slaves.  Conductors like Harriet Tubman and Frederick Douglass led many escapees to Canada. The journey north was not easy. Secrecy was necessary for escape and information could only be passed by word of mouth, using codes, signs and signals created by slaves. One such code was using quilts.  Various blocks in the quilts gave the slaves clues as to where they had to go.

Micki Angyal will select 10 quilt blocks and explain the code and meaning of each pattern.  Join us to learn about the mystery of how quilts may have helped  those travelling North.

Harold’s Photos of Glencoe

Harold’s Photos of Glencoe

On Wednesday evening April 17, 2019, the Glencoe & District Historical Society hosted the Annual Meeting at the new ARCHIVE facilities. President Lorne Munro welcomed those attending and introduced the guest speaker, our own historian Harold Carruthers. Fifty people attended this event, the first program to be presented at 178 McKellar Street, Glencoe.

Although President Lorne introduced Harold, no introduction was needed. Harold mentioned that the presentation is a continuation of one that he did last April 2018 at Glencoe’s Historic Train Station.

Harold showed 300 images spanning the period between the 1880’s and the 1960’s, focussing on the street scenes of Glencoe Ontario. Harold also focused on the human perspective, highlighting parades and social events. Many people, long gone, were recognized by members of the audience.

Upon conclusion of the display at 8:15 p.m., President Lorne Munro thanked Harold for his interesting narrative. A time of fellowship followed the presentation and audience members enjoyed exploring the new facility. The Annual Meeting and Election of Executive Officers led by President Lorne Monroe followed.

The Lands and The Lucas’s

October 16, 2019. at The Archives. 7:00 pm
The Robert Land / Clement Lucas Family Trees

JoAnn Lucas Galbraith, Charter Member of The Glencoe and District Historical Society, Charter member of the Ekfrid Museum, member of the London Branch U.E.L., Strathroy Historical Society, Author, Genealogist, and Historian, will take folks back in time beginning in the 11th century at the time of the Norman Conquest in the British Isles.

JoAnn will tell of the family’s voyage from the British Isles to America, their achievements, their similarities and the talents of her United Empire Loyalists families.

Black History

February 20, 2019. “I Continue the Journey”.

Stan Grizzle and his father both have devoted their lives to fighting racism.

Join us for this important event during Black History month. 2:00 pm. 178 McKellar Street, Glencoe.  

WWI Sites of Europe

November 21, 2018.   Jim and Jane May,

“World War I Sites: Belgium, France, and Germany”

2:00 pm. Glencoe Train Station, 

Jim and Jane will take us on a virtual trip of important Canadian locations.  

Melbourne Legion 70 Years!

Melbourne Legion 70 Years!

Come out to hear JoAnn’s history of the Melbourne Legion

October 17, 2018.    “The 70th Anniversary of Melbourne Legion Branch 510.  1949 – 2019.” Melbourne Legion presented by JoAnn Galbraith, Melbourne historian.   7:00 p.m. 21884 Melbourne Road, Melbourne, ON.

“Flagship Erie” Plaque Unveiling near Lawrence Station

“Flagship Erie” Plaque Unveiling near Lawrence Station

Article written by Ken Beecroft:

Lawrence Station, ON: On Sunday September 9th at 2 p.m. there was an unveiling of a commemorative plaque at the site of the area’s most serious air disaster. Although a cold, windy and blustery day, at least 200 people were on hand for this solemn occasion.

On October 30, 1941, while on route across southwestern Ontario from Buffalo to Detroit, American Airline’s DC-3 “Flagship Erie” suddenly fell from the skies just east of the rural Elgin County hamlet of Lawrence Station, on the Southwold Township farm of Thompson and Viola Howe. In all, twenty American citizens on board perished. Local citizens along with fire, police, military, and media respondents along with many more were remembered for their efforts. Inquiries by Canadian and American officials never determined the cause of the crash. In 1941, there was a designated landing strip in nearby Mosa Township at the corner of Longwood’s Road and Old Airport Road, southwest of Glencoe, that could have provided refuge. They never made it there. This awful disaster lead to the development of flight data recording technology.

To most people passing by, this has always been another farmer’s field, as time has eroded memories. We can now acknowledge that this place holds a significant place in Southwold Township history. The plaque recognition Project is a combined venture by Greenlane Community Trust, Southwold Township History Committee, S.S. #12 Southwold School Alumni, along with many others…..Well done Southwold !!!

McKellar Family Celebrates 180 Years

 

This story printed with permission from Marie Williams-Gagnon.

The descendants of Archibald and Nancy McKellar gathered together, Saturday, August 25, 2018 to celebrate the milestone anniversary of their arrival and settlement in Metcalfe Township. The reunion was held at A.W. Campbell Conservation Area at Alvinston. Although it was a rainy and inhospitable day, about 100 interested family attendees enjoyed food, games, contests, stories and photos, and exchanged genealogy information.

The McKellars, both natives of the parish of Kilmicheal-Glassary, Argyll, Scotland, migrated to Canada in 1831 and eventually made their way to Metcalfe Township in west Middlesex County. This was certainly a time of hardship and toil for the early pioneer family.

The original homestead farm located at Lot 24, Concession 6, was purchased and carved from the forest in 1838 and has been continuously in the family since then, handed down, inherited and purchased by direct descendants. The current owners are sixth generation, Hugh McKellar and his wife Andrea Boyd.