Upcoming Speaker

OxHS Special Presentation: Woodstock Museum NHS 75th Anniversary on Wednesday, May 31, 2023!

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Please join us on Wednesday, May 31st as Karen Houston, Museum Curator, discusses the founding of the Woodstock Museum, NHS and its ties with the community and with the Oxford Historical Society.

From Karen:

“The Oxford Historical Society created a committee to oversee the founding of a museum to highlight the history of Oxford County. The committee consisted of naturalists, historians, university professors and interested citizens. The museum was incorporated in 1947 when artifacts were temporarily displayed in the county courthouse. Members of the committee worked on fundraising, preparing future exhibits, and learning museum best practises.

The committee later acquired a permanent home for the museum on the top floor of the Old Town Hall, which housed the City of Woodstock’s council chambers and mayor’s office on the main floor. Artifacts were moved into the new space and displayed for viewing.

The museum first opened on Jan. 28, 1948, on the second floor of the Old Town Hall.

Originally called the Oxford County Museum, it was renamed the Woodstock Museum in 1985 when the City of Woodstock took over operation of the museum and its collection.

Today the museum continues to reside in the Old Town Hall, which is designated as a national historic site“

Presentation on the Woodstock Museum’s 75th Anniversary will be held at the Woodstock Museum, NHS, on Wednesday, May 31, 2023. Doors open at 6:30pm.
This is a free event, all are welcome to attend.

OxHS Presents: Woodstock Museum NHS 75th Anniversary!

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Please join us on Wednesday, May 31st as Karen Houston, Museum Curator, discusses the founding of the Woodstock Museum, NHS and its ties with the community and with the Oxford Historical Society.

From Karen:

“The Oxford Historical Society created a committee to oversee the founding of a museum to highlight the history of Oxford County. The committee consisted of naturalists, historians, university professors and interested citizens. The museum was incorporated in 1947 when artifacts were temporarily displayed in the county courthouse. Members of the committee worked on fundraising, preparing future exhibits, and learning museum best practises.

The committee later acquired a permanent home for the museum on the top floor of the Old Town Hall, which housed the City of Woodstock’s council chambers and mayor’s office on the main floor. Artifacts were moved into the new space and displayed for viewing.

The museum first opened on Jan. 28, 1948, on the second floor of the Old Town Hall.

Originally called the Oxford County Museum, it was renamed the Woodstock Museum in 1985 when the City of Woodstock took over operation of the museum and its collection.

Today the museum continues to reside in the Old Town Hall, which is designated as a national historic site“

Presentation on the Woodstock Museum’s 75th Anniversary will be held at the Woodstock Museum, NHS, on Wednesday, May 31, 2023. Doors open at 6:30pm.
This is a free event, all are welcome to attend.

Join the OxHS for Tonight’s Presentation: The Big World of Joe Boyle!

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Joe Boyle’s Machine Gun Brigade

Hello Everyone,

It has been a 100 years since Joe Boyle’s Repatriation and Brian ‘Chip’ Martin has prepared a special presentation honouring this event!
Please join the Oxford Historical Society and Chip Martin on Wednesday, April 26 at 6:30pm at the Woodstock Museum, NHS for his presentation: The Big World of Joe Boyle!

He grew up in Woodstock, made millions in the Klondike, challenged for hockey supremacy with miners from there, contributed to the First World war in unconventional ways and hobnobbed with European royalty.

Along the way, Joe Boyle was dubbed the “King of the Klondike,” and “Saviour of Romania.” It was quite the life for an Ontario boy whose efforts saw him decorated by Great Britain, France, Russia and Romania, but was considered persona non-grata by officials in his own country. He became so close to the queen of Romania that was he was forced to leave the country whose Crown jewels, reserves and archives he managed to rescue at the risk of his life.

Boyle caused fits to the Canadian government because he acted as a soldier of fortune and would not follow orders or explain his wartime activities. In the end, he depleted his own fortune and the Queen of Romania stepped in to provide suitable markers for his gravesite following his untimely death in London, England exactly 100 years ago. And it wasn’t until 40 years ago that his remains were brought to Woodstock with the help of the Canadian armed forces that had considered him a rogue pariah when he was alive

Joe Boyle is a figure not unlike Gravenhurst medical doctor Norman Bethune, who was considered a hero in a faraway land, but virtually unknown at home. Boyle’s story is of epic proportions.

From Chip Martin – The Big World of Joe Boyle

Chip Martin’s latest work – From Underground Railroad to Rebel Refuge: Canada and the Civil War; will be available for purchase, $25.00, cash only. For more information about this book go to: OxHS Upcoming Events

This presentation will take place at the Woodstock Museum, NHS. Doors open at 6:30pm and the meeting will start at 6:45pm. This is a free public meeting, all are welcome to attend.

OxHS Upcoming Presentation on Wednesday, April 26, 2023: The Big World of Joe Boyle!

by
Joe Boyle’s Machine Gun Brigade

Hello Everyone,

It has been a 100 years since Joe Boyle’s Repatriation and Brian ‘Chip’ Martin has prepared a special presentation honouring this event!
Please join the Oxford Historical Society and Chip Martin on Wednesday, April 26 at 6:30pm at the Woodstock Museum, NHS for his presentation: The Big World of Joe Boyle!

He grew up in Woodstock, made millions in the Klondike, challenged for hockey supremacy with miners from there, contributed to the First World war in unconventional ways and hobnobbed with European royalty.

Along the way, Joe Boyle was dubbed the “King of the Klondike,” and “Saviour of Romania.” It was quite the life for an Ontario boy whose efforts saw him decorated by Great Britain, France, Russia and Romania, but was considered persona non-grata by officials in his own country. He became so close to the queen of Romania that was he was forced to leave the country whose Crown jewels, reserves and archives he managed to rescue at the risk of his life.

Boyle caused fits to the Canadian government because he acted as a soldier of fortune and would not follow orders or explain his wartime activities. In the end, he depleted his own fortune and the Queen of Romania stepped in to provide suitable markers for his gravesite following his untimely death in London, England exactly 100 years ago. And it wasn’t until 40 years ago that his remains were brought to Woodstock with the help of the Canadian armed forces that had considered him a rogue pariah when he was alive

Joe Boyle is a figure not unlike Gravenhurst medical doctor Norman Bethune, who was considered a hero in a faraway land, but virtually unknown at home. Boyle’s story is of epic proportions.

From Chip Martin – The Big World of Joe Boyle

Chip Martin’s latest work – From Underground Railroad to Rebel Refuge: Canada and the Civil War; will be available for purchase, $25.00, cash only. For more information about this book go to: OxHS Upcoming Events

This presentation will take place at the Woodstock Museum, NHS. Doors open at 6:30pm and the meeting will start at 6:45pm. This is a free public meeting, all are welcome to attend.

OxHS Free Public Presentation on Wednesday, March 29, 2023: Virsa/Sikh Heritage Through My Family Presentation!

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The Saran Siblings, photo provided by Savrup Kaur Saran

Hello Everyone,

Please join the Oxford Historical Society for a special presentation celebrating Sikh Heritage Month on Wednesday, March 29, 2023 at the Woodstock Museum, NHS. Doors open at 6:30pm. This is a free public event open to everyone.

Tonight’s presenter will be Savrup Kaur Saran, a former co-op student at the Woodstock Museum. During her placement Savrup had the opportunity to research Sikh heritage:

“To see the Sikh community represented through the Museum was nice and then connecting that with my own life was really cool,” she said. “I know a lot about Sikh heritage in general from my parents, but not as much about Canadian Sikh history, so it was really interesting to learn more about that.”

During her presentation Savrup will not only focus on her own family’s history, but that of the Sikh’s in Canada:

“I wanted to focus on that common immigrant Sikh story. There’s so much heritage and so many stories,” she said. “Sikh heritage is different for each family, but in my family, it goes back so far and in so many different locations from India to Fiji to Canada, and that same heritage lives through me and my brother today.”

This presentation will take place at the Woodstock Museum, NHS. Doors open at 6:30pm and the meeting will start at 6:45pm. This is a free public meeting, all are welcome to attend.

The month of April was proclaimed as Sikh Heritage Month by the Ontario government in 2013, as April is when the Sikh community celebrates Vaisakhi, a spring festival that also marks important events in the religion’s history.

As part of Sikh Heritage Month, the United Sikhs invite you to their open celebration in Museum Square on Saturday, April 1, 2023 from 1-3pm.

During the month of April the Woodstock Museum, NHS’s exhibit Sikhs in Canada, will be on display!

Information for this blog post was provided by the Woodstock Museum, NHS.

Virsa/Sikh Heritage Through My Family Presentation: Wednesday, March 29, 2023!

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The Saran Siblings, photo provided by Savrup Kaur Saran

Hello Everyone,

Please join the Oxford Historical Society for a special presentation celebrating Sikh Heritage Month on Wednesday, March 29, 2023 at the Woodstock Museum, NHS. Doors open at 6:30pm. This is a free public event open to everyone.

Tonight’s presenter will be Savrup Kaur Saran, a former co-op student at the Woodstock Museum. During her placement Savrup had the opportunity to research Sikh heritage:

“To see the Sikh community represented through the Museum was nice and then connecting that with my own life was really cool,” she said. “I know a lot about Sikh heritage in general from my parents, but not as much about Canadian Sikh history, so it was really interesting to learn more about that.”

The month of April was proclaimed as Sikh Heritage Month by the Ontario government in 2013, as April is when the Sikh community celebrates Vaisakhi, a spring festival that also marks important events in the religion’s history.

During her presentation Savrup will not only focus on her own family’s history, but that of the Sikh’s in Canada:

“I wanted to focus on that common immigrant Sikh story. There’s so much heritage and so many stories,” she said. “Sikh heritage is different for each family, but in my family, it goes back so far and in so many different locations from India to Fiji to Canada, and that same heritage lives through me and my brother today.”

This presentation will take place at the Woodstock Museum, NHS. Doors open at 6:30pm and the meeting will start at 6:45pm. This is a free public meeting, all are welcome to attend.

Information for this blog post was provided by the Woodstock Museum, NHS.

AGM Tonight: Wednesday, February 1, 2023 @ 6:30pm, at the Woodstock Museum, NHS!

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Picture provided by the Ontario Barn Preservation

Hello Everyone,

Please join us for the Society’s Annual General Meeting!

The meeting will be held in-person at the Woodstock Museum, NHS. Doors open at 6:30pm.

This is a free meeting and is open to the public, no membership is required to attend Society meetings.

Here is the nomination list for the 2023 Executive:

President: Kathie Richards
Past President: Jim Groulx
Vice President:  Elaine Becker
Secretary: Jim Groulx 
Treasurer: Laura Centore
Communications: Laura Centore
Membership: Judy Klages
Directors: Brenda Boswell, Eleanor Gardhouse, Brian Garner, Don Wilson
Museum Liaison: Karen Houston

Only paying members may vote for the new Executive, so join today and cast your vote!

Membership fees can be paid at tonight’s meeting.
Annual memberships run from January to December. 
A single membership is $25 and a family membership is $30. 
Membership can be paid by cash or cheque to the Oxford Historical Society, or by eTransfer to purchases@oxhs.ca
To become a member complete the Membership Form. Either email the completed form to info@oxhs.ca or mail it to:
Oxford Historical Society
PO Box 20091
Woodstock ON N4S 8X8

Our speaker for tonight will be Krista Hulshof Duynisveld, presenting
Ontario Barn Preservation: Preserving Ontario’s Rural History One Barn at a Time!

Ontario Barn Preservation

The Vision of the Ontario Barn Preservation: ‘Is dedicated to preserving our heritage barns. We are a not-for-profit organization. Heritage barns are not only beautiful pieces of architecture and craftsmanship, they contribute to our rural landscape and as they disappear Ontario’s landscape is permanently changed. Ontario Barn Preservation provides resources, advice, connections, events, and services to preserve our barns.’

Architect Krista Hulshof Duynisveld will outline the work of the Ontario Barn Preservation and the importance of barn preservation and the important stories of Ontario’s pioneering past.

Please stay tuned to our website and posts for the latest information, especially at this time of year as winter storms can unexpectedly move in.

For more upcoming events click on our OxHS Event page!

If the meeting cannot be held in-person on February 1, the meeting will be held via Zoom. We will send out any updated notices about meeting changes by 5pm, on the day of the meeting.

Meeting Rescheduled: AGM will now take place on Wednesday, February 1, 2023!

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Picture provided by the Ontario Barn Preservation

Hello Everyone,

Due to the weather the OxHS’s Annual General Meeting has been rescheduled until Wednesday, February 1, 2023.

The meeting will be held in-person at the Woodstock Museum, NHS. Doors open at 6:30pm.

This is a free meeting and is open to the public, no membership is required to attend Society meetings.

If the meeting cannot be held in-person on February 1, the meeting will be held via Zoom. We will send out any updated notices about meeting changes by 5pm, on the day of the meeting.

Here is the nomination list for the 2023 Executive:

President: Kathie Richards
Past President: Jim Groulx
Vice President:  Elaine Becker
Secretary: Jim Groulx 
Treasurer: Laura Centore
Communications: Laura Centore
Membership: Judy Klages
Directors: Brenda Boswell, Eleanor Gardhouse, Brian Garner, Don Wilson
Museum Liaison: Karen Houston

Only paying members may vote for the new Executive, so join today and cast your vote!

Membership fees can be paid at tonight’s meeting.
Annual memberships run from January to December. 
A single membership is $25 and a family membership is $30. 
Membership can be paid by cash or cheque to the Oxford Historical Society, or by eTransfer to purchases@oxhs.ca
To become a member complete the Membership Form. Either email the completed form to info@oxhs.ca or mail it to:
Oxford Historical Society
PO Box 20091
Woodstock ON N4S 8X8

Our speaker for tonight will be Krista Hulshof Duynisveld, presenting
Ontario Barn Preservation: Preserving Ontario’s Rural History One Barn at a Time!

Ontario Barn Preservation

The Vision of the Ontario Barn Preservation: ‘Is dedicated to preserving our heritage barns. We are a not-for-profit organization. Heritage barns are not only beautiful pieces of architecture and craftsmanship, they contribute to our rural landscape and as they disappear Ontario’s landscape is permanently changed. Ontario Barn Preservation provides resources, advice, connections, events, and services to preserve our barns.’

Architect Krista Hulshof Duynisveld will outline the work of the Ontario Barn Preservation and the importance of barn preservation and the important stories of Ontario’s pioneering past.

Please stay tuned to our website and posts for the latest information, especially at this time of year as winter storms can unexpectedly move in.

For more upcoming events click on our OxHS Event page!

OxHS AGM – Wednesday, January 25, 2023!

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Picture provided by the Ontario Barn Preservation

Hello Everyone,

Welcome to 2023!

This month our Annual General Meeting will be held on Wednesday, January 25, 2023 at the Woodstock Museum, NHS. Doors open at 6:30pm.

Nominations are now being accepted for the 2023 Executive, email us at info@oxhs.ca if you wish to become a member of the Executive.

The following Executive positions are available:

President
Vice President
Treasurer
Secretary
Membership
Communications and Newsletter
Board Members at Large

Only paying members may vote for the new Executive, so join today and cast your vote!

Membership fees are due at this time. 
Annual memberships run from January to December. 
A single membership is $25 and a family membership is $30. 
Membership can be paid by cash or cheque to the Oxford Historical Society, or by eTransfer to purchases@oxhs.ca
To become a member complete the Membership Form. Either email the completed form to info@oxhs.ca or mail it to:
Oxford Historical Society
PO Box 20091
Woodstock ON N4S 8X8

Our speaker for tonight will be Krista Hulshof Duynisveld, presenting
Ontario Barn Preservation: Preserving Ontario’s Rural History One Barn at a Time!

Ontario Barn Preservation

The Vision of the Ontario Barn Preservation: ‘Is dedicated to preserving our heritage barns. We are a not-for-profit organization. Heritage barns are not only beautiful pieces of architecture and craftsmanship, they contribute to our rural landscape and as they disappear Ontario’s landscape is permanently changed. Ontario Barn Preservation provides resources, advice, connections, events, and services to preserve our barns.’

Architect Krista Hulshof Duynisveld will outline the work of the Ontario Barn Preservation and the importance of barn preservation and the important stories of Ontario’s pioneering past.

This post and the attached poster: OxHS AGM 2023, can be shared with others.

This is a free event and open to all, no membership required to attend our public meetings!

For more upcoming events click on our OxHS Event page!

Oxford Branch of Ontario Ancestors October Meeting: A Tour of European War Memorials

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Hello Everyone,

This guest post is from the Oxford Branch of Ontario Ancestors.

Please join them on Monday, October 17, 2022 at 7pm for their Virtual October meeting:
“A Tour of European War Memorials” presented by Dave MacLeod

Visit their website to register: Oxford County Branch of Ontario Ancestors

You will be sent a separate link to join the meeting.  Everyone, members and non-members alike, are welcome to attend.

Please contact them directly for additional information and upcoming events.