OPENING - Norma Geggie Research Centre

Tuesday, September 16, 2025 from 5 pm - 7 pm
Fairbairn House, Wakefield QC

The Fairbairn House Heritage Centre and the Gatineau Valley Historical Society are pleased to announce the creation of the Norma Geggie Research Centre.

Located on the 2nd floor of the Fairbairn House, this new facility will bring together archival and library resources, computer terminals, and free on-line genealogical services for local researchers and museum visitors to discover the Gatineau Valley’s rich history and its stories. In time the Norma Geggie Centre will be a space to host workshops, expert presentations, and to form a local genealogical association.

Please RSVP to fairbairn.coord@gmail.com

Explore Chelsea's historic cemeteries
with Sentiers Chelsea Trails

Saturday, September 27, 2025 - 10-12am in Chelsea

The GVHS and SCT will co-host this walk, where you’re invited to explore the fascinating history and significance of Chelsea’s three cemeteries - The Protestant Burial Ground in Old Chelsea, St. Stephen's Cemetery & The Chelsea Pioneer Cemetery. The tours will be led by knowledgeable Society members André Renaud, Suzanne Gibeault, and Marc Cockburn.

This walk will begin at The General Store in the centre of the village across from the Protestant Burial Ground. Parking is available in the village. More information will be shared closer to the date.

Low Cultural Association Event

Saturday, September 27, 2025 - 10-12am in Chelsea

On Saturday, September 27 the Low Cultural Association is planning an afternoon of activities at the Heritage Hall in Low, Quebec.

Plans include a display of images that highlight the 1926-1929 construction of the Paugan Falls Power Development.

Visitors are also encouraged to share their personal Low heritage photos of the past which will be to scanned, recorded and returned that same afternoon.

Further details later...

Crossing the Golden Bridge:
Voices of the Barnardo Children (British Home Children)

Sunday, September 28, 2025 - 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm
La Grange de la Gatineau, 80 ch. Summer, Cantley QC

Speaker: Allan Thompson

Allan has been the head of Carleton University’s journalism program since 2020. He joined Carleton in 2003 after 17 years as a reporter with the Toronto Star, where he specialized in covering foreign policy, defence and immigration.

More than 100,000 "British Home Children" from poor and destitute families were sent to Canada between 1869 and 1939. Most were designated as orphans but two-thirds had a parent in Britain, many of whom lived in workhouses. Britain shipped these children to its colonies through different charities with the promise the children would have a better life abroad. Many Home Children ended up as farm hands and domestic servants. Some were exploited and others adopted into families. Dozens ended up on farms in the Gatineau region including at least 23 identified in Cantley, as shown in this article.

Crossing the Golden Bridge: Voices of the Barnardo Children, is based on Allan's interviews with surviving "Bernardo Children", children brought to Canada by the Barnardo charity. Their experiences were shared by Home Children everywhere.

Allan first created this presentation as a radio documentary based on one of his first major pieces he attempted as the final project of his Bachelor of Journalism degree at Carleton University in 1986. It was never broadcast. After September 28th was designated as British Home Child Day in Canada, Thompson returned to his original material to turn the documentary into this fascinating audio-visual presentation.

His presentation is in English.
Please register if you plan to attend - info.cantley1889@gmail.com.

The Tenàgàdino Zibi Talks

Sunday, October 26, 2025 at Larrimac Golf Club
from 1:30 pm - 4:00 pm

In the context of Chelsea's 150th anniversary, join the GVHS and members of the Tenagadino Alliance for a program of multimedia presentations on the indigenous and contemporary history of the Tenàgàdino Zibi / Gatineau River.

More program details to come later.

Des Collines Health Foundation Christmas Craft Fair

Saturday, November 8 and Sunday, November 9
Centre Vorlage, Wakefield, Quebec

The Christmas Craft Fair is a fundraiser for local health care hosted by the Des Collines Health Foundation in collaboration with Ski Vorlage. The Gatineau Valley Historical Society will again have a table at his event for the display and sale of its publications.

Videos from recent speaker series

posted on GVHS Facebook

April 26, 2025
A Thousand Years in a Word: An Interactive Journey Through Irish Language and History

April 9, 2024
The Irish of the Gatineau and Ottawa Valleys

November 22, 2023
Tessouat, Chief of the Kichsipperinin Algonquin-Anishinabe Nation

October 24, 2023
An Ancient Cultural Landscape in the Heart of the Capital Region

September 27, 2023
Challenges in the Protection and Conservation of Archaeological Resources In the National Capital Region