Laura Centore

Invitation: Donor Presentation for Reconstruction of the Old Gaol

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Hello Everyone,

I am forwarding on an invitation from Oxford County Council:

County Council will formally acknowledge the Flowers family on March 11 for a generous $250,000 donation from the estate of the late R. Bruce Flowers to restore part of the Old Gaol on Buller Street in Woodstock. A light reception and archival display will take place beforehand.

When:     Wednesday, March 11, 2020 
                9:00 a.m. Light reception and Old Gaol display
                9:30 a.m. Council presentation       

Who:        David Flowers, Jim Flowers and Shelagh Morrison, siblings of Bruce Flowers, will be in attendance, with David Flowers speaking 

               Warden Larry Martin will present each family member with a framed photograph showcasing the Old Gaol’s reconstructed features, accompanied by a miniature replica of the donor recognition plaque now affixed to the building

Where:     Oxford County Administration Building
                 21 Reeve Street, Woodstock
                 Main lobby and Council Chamber

The reconstruction project funded by the donation was used at the request of Bruce Flowers to restore the chimneys and bartizans (overhanging turrets) that were removed from the Old Gaol in 1954, a century after it was constructed. The Old Gaol, which currently houses public health services, was built in the Italianate Romanesque style and retains many architecturally significant features, such as Tuscan Gothic detailing and a central pillar foundation that carries the entire weight of the building.

For more information contact:                                        
Chloe Senior, Clerk, Oxford County                                 
519-539-9800, ext. 3001 | csenior@oxfordcounty.ca

Norwich & District Historical Society

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Hello Everyone,

Here are some upcoming events happening at the Norwich & District Museum.

They are offering a Lunch & Learn session on Wednesday, March 11, 2020, from 11am-1pm, featuring Jeff Tribe. Jeff Tribe will talk about the use of drone photography in marijuana farming. Jeff Tribe went from newspaper fella to video communication and ended up at a cannabis factory. In this Lunch & Learn event he will talk about his experiences, give an overview of the cannabis market, and delight everyone with his story. For more information about this event go to N&DM’s Facebook page. This event will take place at the Norwich & District Museum.

The NDHS’s AGM will be held on Tuesday, March 17, 2020 from 7-9pm at the Norwich & District Museum. Matthew Lloyd, Curator of the Norwich & District Museum, will be presenting on Greek Archaeology. More information about this event can be found on the N&DM’s Facebook page.If you wish to attend either event contact the Norwich & District Museum at 519-863-3101 or email Norwich & District Museum.

Leslie MacKay Commemorative Stamp!

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Hello Everyone,

George Leslie MacKayHere’s some information that will be of interest to some of our members.

The Canadian MacKay Committee is petitioning Canada Post to dedicate a stamp in 2022, commemorating the 150th anniversary of George Leslie MacKay arriving in Taiwan (then Formosa). Leslie MacKay was born in Embro, Ontario in 1844 and was one of Oxford County’s most influential citizens. There is a statue of him, pictured on the right, which can be seen on the lawn of Oxford County’s courthouse here in Woodstock, Ontario, Canada.

The Canadian MacKay Committee has provided the header picture of the MacKay family. Text from their site is below in italics. Afterwards is a link to their site.

“On March 9, 1872 Canada first set foot in Asia, in the person of Rev. George Leslie Mackay (1844-1901), a man who founded the first Canadian overseas mission and is now a national hero in Taiwan.

“Mackay of Formosa” was the most famous missionary of his generation, noted for his unusual yet successful methods. He established the first hospital, first modern school, first school for women, and first museum in Taiwan. He is remembered there in school textbooks, on a 2001 stamp, in statues, a museum, commemorative days, and Mackay Memorial Hospital.

It is a surprise to people from Taiwan to learn that Mackay is unknown in Canada today. Commemorating him on a stamp for the 150th anniversary of Canada’s engagement in Asia would be a small step to reviving this forgotten history.”

If you wish to read more about this petition, click on this link, Commemorate George Leslie MacKay on a Canadian stamp!, and then follow the prompts.

 

Welcome to the OxHS Blog!

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Hello Everyone,

Welcome to the very first blog post for the Oxford Historical Society! We will be using this space to let you know about upcoming events, projects we have going on, volunteer opportunities and many other exciting things to come. Our blogs posts are replacing the email blasts that you previously received.

Our website has also been updated. We now have a page dedicated to OxHS Happenings. This is the page where our blogs will appear. The volunteer page will also be updated as new volunteer opportunities come along, so keep checking it to see if there are projects or events you can assist us with. Our current event pages lists all our upcoming events and there is a drop down menu, Annual Events Summary, which tells you where the Society has been the last few years.

The Society wishes to thank everyone who was able to attend our AGM on Wednesday, January 29, 2020. Peter Harrison read out the nominations for the 2020 Board and Scott Gillies gave a wonderful presentation on the History of Cheese Making in Oxford County.

The 2020 Executive Board members are:

  • President – Kathie Richards
  • Vice President – Vacant
  • Treasurer/Research – Dr. Elaine Becker
  • Secretary/Communications – Laura Centore
  • Membership – Judy Klages
  • Archives – Eleanor Gardhouse
  • Members at Large – Jim Groulx & Don Wilson
From left to right: Front row: Kathie Richards, Laura Centore
Middle row: Jim Groulx, Elaine Becker, Karen Houston, Judy Klages
Back row: Don Wilson
Absent: Eleanor Gardhouse

Stay tuned for more exciting events in 2020!