Oxford County’s Old Jail House
Photo courtesy of Heritage Woodstock
Taken by Eleanor Gardhouse
Welcome to the Oxford Historical Society.
Throughout the year the Society presents free talks, usually historical in nature, on a variety of topics. The majority of these presentations are held on the last Wednesday of the month at 6:45pm at the Woodstock Museum, NHS. On this page you will see a listing of the newest presentations. For a complete listing of upcoming talks and events please click on the Upcoming Events tab.
If you have a topic that you wish to present to the Oxford Historical Society (OxHS), please contact us at info@oxhs.ca
If you wish to volunteer or become a member of the OxHS please click on the following tabs: Volunteer or Membership.
About Quizzical History:
To celebrate Canada’s 150th Birthday, the Oxford Historical Society and Woodstock Museum, NHS, have co-operated in a project to compile into a book, Quizzical History, a complete series of questions and answers about local history. They were originally published in a weekly quiz contest as articles in Woodstock’s Oxford Review newspaper from late 1999 to early 2003. Chris Packman, member of the original Quiz Committee, was responsible for compiling and editing its text; Adam Pollard, Woodstock Museum, found suitable pictures.
The questions and answers in the book cover a sampling about Oxford County people, places and events from the early 1800s until more recent times. Its contents have been grouped into 16 Topic sections, e.g., Business, Crime and Disasters, Entertainment, Military, Oxford Men and Women, Places, Politics, Recreation & Sports, etc. There is a table of contents at the front of Quizzical History that lists the page start of each Topic; an index at the back that gives a complete listing of all the questions, grouped by Topic.
Quizzical History is available for purchase either from the Woodstock Museum, NHS or from the Oxford Historical Society for $20 (taxes included). It will also be available for purchase at the Pavlo in the Park event on Saturday, September 2, 2017 at Victoria Park, Woodstock ON.
Upcoming Events:
Pavlo In the Park!!!
Saturday, September 2, 2017 at Victoria Park in Woodstock ON:
Proudly presented by the City of Woodstock. The Oxford Historical Society will be providing tours and information about the Courthouse, the old jail and some of the historic homes surrounding Victoria Park. Volunteers are needed for this event. Please contact the Society to find out how you can help out for this event.
More information about this event will be posted as it becomes available.
Wednesday, September 20, 2017:
Please join us tonight for our annual joint dinner meeting with the Ontario Genealogical Society, Woodstock Branch.
Tonight’s keynote speaker will be Professor Alan MacEachern’s speaking on:
The Dominion of Nature: How Canadians Thought about the Environment at Confederation.
What did Canadians think of the environment in 1867? How have the ideas about nature evolve of the last century in a half? Professor MacEachern, from the University of Western Ontario, will present a lively, visual history of our environment in celebration of Canada’s sesquicentennial.
Professor MacEachern, teaches at Western Univeristy, and has published many books and papers on Canadian history which emphasiss the importance of the environment and climate as it has shaped our nation. He is a founding director of NiCHE: Network in Canadian History & Environment, and the author of ‘The Associate’ column in University Affairs and the editor of the Canadian History & Environment series at University of Calgary Press. Two or his most recent publications include (with Robert Wardhaugh): Origins Canadian History to Confederation (pictured on the left), and Destinies: Canadian History Since Confederation (information about Prof. MacEachern provided by University of Western Ontario’s website history.uow.ca/people/faculty/maceachern).
Our other honorary speaker will be Chris Packman, who will be presenting his new book: Quizzical History.
A sign up sheet will be in our office at the Resource Centre and tickets will be available to purchase towards the end of August. Please sign up by Tuesday September 12 by telephoning the office at 519-421-1700 or emailing info@oxhs.ca.
Wednesday, October 25, 2017:
Laurel Beechey will talk about Life in Tillsonburg during WWI. This is the 4th Commemorative talk honouring WWI.
Wednesday, November 29, 2017:
Kerrie Gill, from the Woodstock Museum, NHS will present her collection of historic jelly molds, complete with historic recipes and some tasty samples.