Hello Everyone,
It has been a 100 years since Joe Boyle’s Repatriation and Brian ‘Chip’ Martin has prepared a special presentation honouring this event!
Please join the Oxford Historical Society and Chip Martin on Wednesday, April 26 at 6:30pm at the Woodstock Museum, NHS for his presentation: The Big World of Joe Boyle!
He grew up in Woodstock, made millions in the Klondike, challenged for hockey supremacy with miners from there, contributed to the First World war in unconventional ways and hobnobbed with European royalty.
Along the way, Joe Boyle was dubbed the “King of the Klondike,” and “Saviour of Romania.” It was quite the life for an Ontario boy whose efforts saw him decorated by Great Britain, France, Russia and Romania, but was considered persona non-grata by officials in his own country. He became so close to the queen of Romania that was he was forced to leave the country whose Crown jewels, reserves and archives he managed to rescue at the risk of his life.
Boyle caused fits to the Canadian government because he acted as a soldier of fortune and would not follow orders or explain his wartime activities. In the end, he depleted his own fortune and the Queen of Romania stepped in to provide suitable markers for his gravesite following his untimely death in London, England exactly 100 years ago. And it wasn’t until 40 years ago that his remains were brought to Woodstock with the help of the Canadian armed forces that had considered him a rogue pariah when he was alive
Joe Boyle is a figure not unlike Gravenhurst medical doctor Norman Bethune, who was considered a hero in a faraway land, but virtually unknown at home. Boyle’s story is of epic proportions.
From Chip Martin – The Big World of Joe Boyle
Chip Martin’s latest work – From Underground Railroad to Rebel Refuge: Canada and the Civil War; will be available for purchase, $25.00, cash only. For more information about this book go to: OxHS Upcoming Events
This presentation will take place at the Woodstock Museum, NHS. The meeting will start at 6:30pm. This is a free public meeting, all are welcome to attend.