Zoom Meeting Wednesday, October 27, 2021

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Please join the Oxford Historical Society at our next Zoom meeting as Elaine Becker discusses the research and stories that went into So They Came: Young Men Farmers.

Excerpt from the book: “Destination Woodstock – The stories of young men who left home and family to make a new way of life in Canada is both thrilling and encouraging. They were not outstanding in any other way than that they had a hope for the future. They came from families facing untold challenges of unemployment, illness and death, as well as the lack of hope for the future”

Learn about the role that the Salvation Army played in bringing the immigrants to Canada, what was involved in researching Burnside Lodge, tracing family members, creating the list of immigrants and many other aspects of the book.

Virtual Curator Talk: The History of the John White Building

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Hello Everyone,
This is a guest post from the Woodstock Art Gallery:

Virtual Curator Talk: The History of the John White Building

Thursday, October 14
3pm

Registration Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_rp5CksgdRyyVU96eBdKLyA

Join Assistant Curator of Education Julia deKwant for a virtual curator talk on the current exhibition, Ten Years in the Building: The John White Co. Inc.

This exhibition celebrates the 10th anniversary of the Woodstock Art Gallery’s move to the historic John White Building. With artifacts and photographs from the Woodstock Museum NHS and Oxford County Archives, the exhibition traces the building’s history of commerce and enterprise beginning with the formation of the John White Co. Ltd., which spanned three generations of the White family and 100 years. Follow along as Julia explores the curatorial practices used in the creation of the exhibition and the unique challenges of placing historic artifacts within an art gallery space. Q & A to follow.

The exhibition is currently on view until January 22, 2022.

George Leslie Mackay 2022 Calendar

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Hello Everyone,
This guest post is provided by Michael Stainton, in honour of George Leslie Mackay.

To commemorate the 150th anniversary of George Leslie Mackay’s arrival in Tamsui on March 9, 1872, and the beginning of Canada’s engagement with Asia, the Canadian Mackay Committee has produced a bilingual English-Chinese wall calendar with historic and contemporary pictures from Taiwan and Canada, plus informative text and dates.

To order this commemorative calendar, please see the contact information in the ad below.

Street Names of Woodstock

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Ever wonder where some of Woodstock street names came from?

Mrs. E. J. Canfield did too! So she did some research and in 1932 presented a paper to the Oxford Historical Society at the AGM. Her paper was subsequently published in its original text by the Society and in the Sentinel Review on Friday, May 20, 1932.

In 1970, Mrs. W. R. Ward added to Mrs. Canfield’s research. Her supplement was added to the original document and was published by the Oxford Historical Society.

Then, between 2017 and 2021, Kathie Richards and Elaine Becker, both of the Oxford Historical Society, updated the research to include the majority of Woodstock’s street names.

The Oxford Historical Society has made both of these documents, the 1970 version and the 2021 available for download. They are also located on our Resource Page.

Mrs. Canfield’s Street Names of Woodstock 1932 & OxHS Street Names of Woodstock 2021.

So They Came: Young Men Farmers

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Hello Everyone,

The Oxford Historical Society is very pleased to announce that ‘So They Came: Young Men Farmers’, is now at the printers and will soon be available for sale!

Elaine Becker will be at the Market Square in Woodstock, ON at the BIA tent on Thursday, August 19th from 1-2pm, for the first sale of the book.

The cost is $20.00 (includes HST).

This is the story of the brave young men who left family and country to begin a new life in Canada.

Elaine wishes to thank all of the contributors for the information that has helped to put real faces on these young men. She hopes to see you at Market Square.

After August 19th, the book will be available for sale at the Woodstock Museum, NHS.

Please share this post with others who might be interested.

Thanks again to everyone for their support and contributions!