The Oxford Historical Society is very pleased to announce that ‘So They Came: Young Men Farmers’, is now at the printers and will soon be available for sale!
Elaine Becker will be at the Market Square in Woodstock, ON at the BIA tent on Thursday, August 19th from 1-2pm, for the first sale of the book.
The cost is $20.00 (includes HST).
This is the story of the brave young men who left family and country to begin a new life in Canada.
Elaine wishes to thank all of the contributors for the information that has helped to put real faces on these young men. She hopes to see you at Market Square.
After August 19th, the book will be available for sale at the Woodstock Museum, NHS.
Please share this post with others who might be interested.
Thanks again to everyone for their support and contributions!
As President of the Oxford Historical Society, I would like to introduce the Executive Board for 2021:
President:Kathie Richards
Vice President: Vacant
Treasurer: Elaine Becker
Secretary: Laura Centore
Membership: Judy Klages
Archives: Eleanor Gardhouse
Communications: Laura Centore
Members at Large: Don Wilson & Jim Groulx
Museum Liaison: Karen Houston
These are the same people who served in 2020 with the same vacancy in the Vice President’s position. We do encourage members to nominate someone who would be willing to serve on the Board.
While 2020 was a difficult year due to Covid-19, we are hoping for a better 2021.
Since we are unable to hold in person meetings at this time, your board is working towards offering presenters via Zoom. We hope to have the first of many public meetings in March.
Even though the Society had to scale back operations, we were able to respond to numerous research questions, produce 4 Pattullo Press newsletters, and keep in touch with our members through our blog. We will continue to do so during 2021.
In 2021 we hope to publish a new book and possibly republish an old favourite! In keeping with the modern times, we are looking at offering some of our publications as eBooks.
It was decided that over the next few years we will look at digitizing our collection and allocate the holdings to other appropriate organizations, with the goal of eliminating the Resource Centre. This decision was based on several factors – not enough volunteers to staff the centre, the expense of maintaining the centre (in excess of $6000.00 annually between rent and insurance), and there are now other organizations better suited to maintaining an archival collection like the Woodstock Museum, NHS and the Oxford County Archives.
Even without the Resource Centre the Society will still participate in events like the Spirit of Christmas Tour of Homes, publish member’s works, organize speaking events, publish the Pattullo Press, respond to inquiries and perform many other functions as we do now.
The Society is continuing to research grant and funding opportunities. In the past we have received grants from the City of Woodstock, the Federal government, and Oxford Community Foundation.
We will keep you informed. Do keep in touch with us and other Historical Society members.
The Woodstock Museum, NHS is requesting assistance to determine what types of programs to offer next year. They would very much appreciate you taking the time to complete the short survey.
This survey is also being sent to Museum members, so some of you may receive it twice but you only need to complete it once.
If you have any questions about the survey please contact Kerrie Gill, Education Office, Woodstock Museum, NHS. She can be reached at 519-537-8411 ext. 2903.
The Woodstock Museum, NHS thanks you in advance for completing the survey.
The Oxford Historical Society would like to thank the Canadian Heritage Museum Assistance Grant Program for the generous grant that we received. This grant will be used in maintaining our Resource Centre, which is home to a large number of documents and records relating to Oxford County.
Along with the Canadian Heritage Grant the Society also receives grants from other organizations like Oxford Community Foundation and the City of Woodstock. These grants enable us to publish books, bring in guest speakers, hold special events like the Christmas Tour of Homes, and take part in many activities throughout the year.
The Society throughout the year works with many different organizations to bring about various events and publications. The Pattullo Press newsletter is published with the Woodstock Museum, NHS, as were the books Quizzical History and Defined Under Pressure. Together with the WERC centre we offer a Person’s Day celebration, an event held in mid-October to honour women being recognized as Persons and therefore could sit in Canada’s Senate. Tours and teas with the Woodstock Public Library and Château la Motte.
There are many more examples of how the Society and other local organizations have worked together to bring events and share local history with the residents of Oxford County. In honour of these associations a new page was added to our website: Community Partners & Sponsors page!
