When the Bradford West Gwillimbury Local History Association meets, it’s usually to hear guest speakers share their expertise on topics that, this year, have included the pioneer Wilson’s Hill Cemetery, and Nursing Sisters of the First World War.
But once a year, the members take centre stage, sharing family stories and heirlooms, treasures and auction finds at an annual Show and Tell.
A treasured handmade quilt and woven blanket joined a family Bible, fashion scrapbooks, Lula Kneeshaw’s sewing sample book, plus crockery, cruets and presentation pieces, as the items brought in to share at the April 18 event.
Historian and craftsman Louis Theriault brought his hand-crafted model of The Sampson, the first steam locomotive in Nova Scotia, that for 26 years hauled coal from the Albion Coal Mine in Pictou to the wharf. The engine put 100 horses out of work, noted Theriault.
He was asked how long it took him to build the model. “Five hours,” said Theriault. “Five hours to make it, and 15 hours to figure it out.”
Art Janse brought in Saturday Evening Post magazines from 1958, providing a time capsule of what life was like in the 50s.
“You’re all younger than this magazine was,” Janse said, to general laughter from the room.
Iron rails and chains from Wilson’s Hill Cemetery, in the process of being restored; a tea kettle and coffee pot awarded to a local in Belgium; Wilcox family samplers from 1832 and 1932 – the items were an intriguing part of local family history.
Franz Aschwanden brought in a 1953 Sapper’s uniform – and a ‘gizmo’ that was used to wind metal wire into a coil for use in old pre-transistor radios.
Ann Campbell shared several artifacts that had been handed down in husband Tom Campbell’s family, including his grandfather John T. Campbell’s 1902 coffin plate, a covered vegetable dish, and a 1904 beaded pincushion – none of them very valuable, she said, but all of them a link to the past.
And Dr. David Chambers brought in three posters from the Bond Head area that he had “rescued” at a local auction – including an 1872 poster announced the opening of a new Presbyterian Church in Bond Head, a brick building that was demolished to build the existing Bond Head United Church on County Road 88.
It was an evening of storytelling, questions and answers, and a look back at local history, and the day-to-day lives of local families.
Coming Up: The next meeting of the BWG Local History Association will be Saturday, May 18 at the BWG Public Library, 425 Holland St. W. Patricia Blackstock will present a talk on The Rebellion of 1837. All are welcome to attend.