GATINEAU VALLEY HISTORICAL SOCIETY
Photographs from the
GVHS Image bank
Horse pull at St. Stephen's Church
GVHS 2238.001/23
St. Stephen's Church at Old Chelsea
GVHS 2207.006/22
Gatineau Valley Historical Society Newsletter
Summer Newsletter
Number 2010 - 03 July / August / September (also available in PDF format)
47th Annual Auction, Flea Market, Silent Auction & Bake Sale
Saturday, August 21, 2010 at 9:00 am
Rain or Shine
St. Stephen's Church Grounds, Old Chelsea, QC
Auctioneer Revel Stewart will once again lead the bidding on our usual selection of antiques, collectibles, and curiosities to raise money to support the ongoing process of keeping the heritage of the Gatineau Valley alive.
Cash or cheque only
We need your quality antiques and collectibles for the auction, and gently used items for the fea market.
Bring your items* to St. Stephen's Church Grounds on Friday, August 20 between 2:00 pm & 8:00 pm for registration.
Viewing: Friday, August 20 - 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm and Saturday, August 21 - 8:00 am to 9:00 am
Visit www.gvhs.ca to see some of the auction items that are being offered.
For further information or to arrange a pick-up contact:
Marc Cockburn - 819-459-2004 or R.J. Hughes - 819-827-3766
*Donors of live auction items may retain 50% of the fnal sale price or receive a tax receipt for 100% of the selling price.
In Memoriam ~ Douglas Cowden: 1929 - 2010
Chelsea and the GVHS lost a historic link to the Gatineau Valley with Doug Cowden's passing in May. It was his family's ancestral farm in the Meech Creek Valley that gave Cowden Road its name, and Doug was born and raised there.
Doug shared his passion for the Gatineau Valley with everyone. An outdoorsman, poet, fddler and square dance caller, he was also a history buff and source of information about the past. He was a generous donor in terms of his many skills. At a GVHS "show and tell" meeting, he spoke about trapping and brought a collection of old traps to "show." He donated farm implements when we had a museum; he called a square dance at the Healey Farm, he brought old land records to our Archives.
Notably, he brought Private Richard Rowland Thompson's grave in the Pioneer Cemetery to the attention of the military sleuths trying to fnd it. Boer War hero Thompson was the Canadian recipient of one of eight "Queen's Scarves" scarves crocheted by Queen Victoria and awarded for heroism in that war. Thompson had married Doug's aunt Bertha Alexander, and Doug contacted the military and showed them the grave, which was then unmarked. A man of action, he and his son Mark set about cleaning up the rather overgrown cemetery. Recognition of the grave site followed, with a military stone for Thompson, and the GVHS ended up purchasing the cemetery.
Doug composed the following poem and frst read it at the GVHS Remembrance Day Ceremony in 2008. He was there again in 2009 to read it and lay a wreath on his aunt's grave.
"That's all it is, just a piece of cloth. You can count the threads in it and it's no different than any other piece of cloth.
But then a gentle breeze comes along and it stirs and sort of comes to life. It futters and snaps in the wind all red and white.
It has your whole life wrapped up in it. The maple leaf makes you feel just as free as the wind that stirs it.
To me the red bars represent the blood that has been shed and is still being shed for our freedom.
Just a piece of cloth. That's all it is until you put your soul into it and all your soul stands for and what it aspires to be.
For all of us it is a symbol of liberty, decency and justice.
Yes our fag is just a piece of cloth until we breathe life into it, until we make it stand for everything we believe in."
September GVHS Meeting
Monday, Sept. 20th @ 7:30 pm - Archives - lower level, Chelsea Library.
Program to be announced later.
September GVHS Meeting
Tributes: Gatineau Personalities and Historical Events
by Ernie Mahoney presents a selection of stories from his body of work, produced during his career as a writer in the Gatineau Hills between 1985 and 2009. The result is a 136 page book flled with colourful articles and pictures on the passing parade of local people and events Ernie found interesting and worthy of a place in his heritage collection. These stories also touch on the traditions and way of life which were beginning to change and enter the realm of history during his time in the Gatineau Valley.
Price: $20.00 (+ postage if required)
To order please contact:
GVHS Publications: Harold & Margaret Reid
reidh@travel-net.com or phone: 819-827-0138
or write to: Gatineau Valley Historical Society
P.O. Box 1803, Chelsea QC J9B 1A1
GVHS Annual Dinner & Awards Ceremony - May 17, 2010
The following GVHS Members and supporters were presented with certificates at the annual dinner held at the Dunnderosa Golf Club in Old Chelsea.
- Lifetime Memberships
- ...to Michael Cooper in recognition of his many years of service and support for the Gatineau Valley Historical Society. His knowledge of the history of the community, his leadership, loyalty, and enthusiastic approach in all matters have been an inspiration to all who have the good fortune to work with him.
- ...to Annette Brand in recognition of over twenty years of outstanding volunteer work with the GVHS Archives, beginning with the Patrick Evans photograph collection, and continuing with the present digital Image Bank. Throughout this time, her helpfulness and pleasant personality have endeared Annette to her fellow volunteers.
- Awards of Honour
- ... in memory of Ernie Mahoney to Fred Ryan and the West Quebec Post and to The Low Down and the Mantell family for their on-going support and promotion of the Society's mission and for contributing to preserve an important historical record of Gatineau Valley society and its significant stories.
- ...to Margaret Phillips in appreciation for her contributions to the Society while serving on the Executive Committee. Her leadership has contributed to inventive program activities reaching an increasingly broad audience, while continuing to maintain the Society's roots and traditions.
- Certificates of Appreciation
- ...to Brigid Phillips Janssen for your efforts to make the The Grange a community meeting place for Cantley and especially for continuing the Society's tradition of welcoming and honouring the troops of the Royal Canadian Regiment at the Society's Remembrance Day Service.
- ...to John Spears in appreciation for your efforts welcoming and honouring the troops of the Royal Canadian Regiment to The Grange at the Society's Remembrance Day Service.
- ...to Louise Lebrun & Hector Leblanc - GVHS members, supporters, and especially good and vigilant neighbours of the Chelsea Pioneer Cemetery and Cenotaph. The GVHS Cemetery Committee greatly appreciates your assistance in watching over and maintaining the beautiful gardens at historic Chelsea cemetery and war memorial for the Society's Remembrance Day Service.
- ...to Peter Jessen in appreciation for your care and concern for the Chelsea Pioneer Cemetery this past year and in previous years. The GVHS Cemetery Committee greatly appreciates the assistance you provided by helping repair the Thompson grave enclosure and for providing us with the means to conduct the GVHS Remembrance Day Service.
- Arthur Davison Prize - the outstanding contribution of the year to Volume 35 of Up the Gatineau!
- ...presented to Michal Anne Crawley in recognition of her article "Lights! Camera! Action! - A Brief History of Crawley Films," The Gatineau Valley seemed the perfect home for Crawley Films and the Crawley family to grow. Their story is entwined with the development of film-making in Canada, events on the world stage, and extensive social changes that took place during this time. The breadth and scope of this article is impressive, and it is written with engaging warmth, humour and honesty.
Coming Events - Hither & Yon...
Sept. 10-12 - Annual BIFHSGO family history conference featuring Ireland - www.bifhsgo.ca for more information
July - September - Various walking tours with Heritage Ottawa - 613-230-8841 www.heritageottawa.org for more information.
Genealogy Inquiries
Evelyn Mohr's great-grandfather, Edward Latimer, left Wakefield at age 14 for Calgary, and later settled in Wetaskiwin, AB. Members of the Latimer family of Wakefield are invited to contact her at: evelynmohr@hotmail.com
Debby (Spallin) Was would love to hear from persons associated with the Spallin, Moorehouse/Morehouse and Chamberlin families. She is hoping to identify some old family photos found in John & Hannah (Morehouse) Spallin's farmhouse near Fort Saskatchewan, AB, after they passed away. Contact: debbywas@shaw.ca.
The GVHS Archives is closed for the summer. Call 819-827-6224 or email info@gvhs.ca