Canada Day in the Bag!

Hello Everyone,
please see the guest post from Annandale NHS.

Annandale NHS and Sobeys Tillsonburg are EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE that they have
“CANADA DAY IN THE BAG!”

Families can create their own Canada Day Fun Fair with the purchase of a $20 + ($22.60 Total) “Canada Day in the Bag” kit

Contents are based on some of the most popular booths at the museum’s annual Canada Day Fun Fair

  • A cake mix & can of icing (Complements of Sobeys Tillsonburg)
  • Canadian Flags (paper)
  • Canadian Flag pin (one per family member – will supplies last)
  • Otter pictures to create your own Otter Find in your home
  • Canada Trivia Quiz
  • Jar of Jelly beans  (Jelly bean counting game) with sealed answer
  • Supplies to make a “Mountie” craft
  • Balloons and insert papers to create “Balloon Pop” game
  • Bag of prizes
  • Assortment of Canada Day temporary tattoos
  • Small bag of sparklers
  • All in a reusable Bag compliments of Sobeys Tillsonburg

In honour of Canada’s 154th Birthday there are 154 Canada Day in the Bag kits available for purchase.

To reserve your “Canada Day in the Bag” email Kathleen Watkin, Culture & Heritage Program Coordinator at kwatkin@tillsonburg.ca no later than 3 pm on Thursday, June 24, 2021.  

Payment and pick-up in the museum parking lot between 9 am and 4 pm Tuesday, June 29 and Wednesday, June 30, 2021

Total cost with tax $22.60 (Cash ONLY, please)

Reminder – Zoom Meeting Tonight – Wednesday, May 26, 2021 @ 6:30pm

Don’t forget to join the Oxford Historical Society in welcoming George Emery, Scott Gillies and Vicki Brenner for their presentation on George Emery’s newest publication: Public Festivals in Ingersoll, 1855-1930.

The presentation will take place on Wednesday, May 26 at 6:30pm via Zoom. The Zoom information is listed at the bottom of this post.

From the book’s introduction by George Emery: “The book enriches the literature on Ingersoll’s local history. It describes Ingersoll’s street festivals in their late-19th-and early-20th-century times and furnishes guidelines for their interpretation.  It supplements newspaper descriptions with photographic images, drawn from the rich archives of Ingersoll’s Cheese & Agricultural Museum and the Ingersoll Library. In the process the book showcases those archives as gateways for research on our community’s local history Gateways, indeed! The digital files on the Oxford County Library local-history website offer access to documentary sources –from the comfort of one’s home.  Moreover, the Ingersoll Historical Photo Gallery, developed in collaboration with Scott Gillies of the Ingersoll Cheese & Agricultural Museum, provides a brilliant introduction to 30 some dimensions of Ingersoll’s past. The library’s rich digital files, in turn, lead directly to photographs and artifacts in Scott’s Cheese & Agricultural Museum–simply a gem of a place to visit.  Through its several book publications, the Ingersoll & District Historical Society is an essential third agency for promoting knowledge of our local past.

The Zoom link is: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81906248857

The Zoom link will open approximately 10 minutes before the start time of a meeting

For all Zoom meetings use this ID#: 81906248857, no password is required.


If you have pictures and articles concerning the history of Oxford County that you would like published on the Society’s blog please email us at info@oxhs.ca.

Zoom Meeting Wednesday, May 26, 2021

Please join the Oxford Historical Society in welcoming George Emery, Scott Gillies and Vicki Brenner for their presentation on George Emery’s newest publication: Public Festivals in Ingersoll, 1855-1930.

The presentation will take place on Wednesday, May 26 at 6:30pm via Zoom. The Zoom information is listed at the bottom of this post.

From the book’s introduction by George Emery: “The book enriches the literature on Ingersoll’s local history. It describes Ingersoll’s street festivals in their late-19th-and early-20th-century times and furnishes guidelines for their interpretation.  It supplements newspaper descriptions with photographic images, drawn from the rich archives of Ingersoll’s Cheese & Agricultural Museum and the Ingersoll Library. In the process the book showcases those archives as gateways for research on our community’s local history Gateways, indeed! The digital files on the Oxford County Library local-history website offer access to documentary sources –from the comfort of one’s home.  Moreover, the Ingersoll Historical Photo Gallery, developed in collaboration with Scott Gillies of the Ingersoll Cheese & Agricultural Museum, provides a brilliant introduction to 30 some dimensions of Ingersoll’s past. The library’s rich digital files, in turn, lead directly to photographs and artifacts in Scott’s Cheese & Agricultural Museum–simply a gem of a place to visit.  Through its several book publications, the Ingersoll & District Historical Society is an essential third agency for promoting knowledge of our local past.

The Zoom link is: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81906248857

The Zoom link will open approximately 10 minutes before the start time of a meeting

For all Zoom meetings use this ID#: 81906248857, no password is required.


If you have pictures and articles concerning the history of Oxford County that you would like published on the Society’s blog please email us at info@oxhs.ca.

Oxford County Archives Online Resources

Hello Everyone,

The information for this post is provided by The Oxford County Archives.

The Oxford County Archives has a new “online resources” section of our website which includes a variety of resources we have made available to help researchers find local history information. These resources include: a searchable County Council database; list of Ingersoll Mayors; list of Tillsonburg Mayors; list of District of Brock Council Members; list of County Wardens; and more. We will continue to add resources to this new page of our website in future. To check out these new resources visit Oxford County Archive Online Resources.

Discovering Your Oxford Roots: Paths to the Past

Hello Everyone,

Please see this guest post from to of the Oxford Historical Society Members, Janice & Doug Ferguson, for the Ingersoll 50+ Activity Centre.

Back in the Day…

Discovering Your Oxford Roots: Paths to the Past – Tuesday, May 18 at 2:00 PM

An on-line presentation hosted free of charge for all district residents over 50 years of age by the Ingersoll 50+ Activity Centre. (You do NOT need a Centre membership for this presentation.)

Presented by Vicki Brenner, Digital Literacy and Local History Technician, Oxford County Library Ingersoll Branch

A treasure trove of Oxford County’s past is available through Oxford County library resources, whether you are a serious researcher or simply curious about family, people, places and events of long ago. Better still, much is as close as your computer. This is your opportunity to discover these paths back in time. A question and answer period follows.

Reserve your spot by Friday, May 14 at 519-485-3869

This is a Zoom event. After you register, you will be sent an email with a link. At presentation time, simply click on the link and you will be connected.

Zoom Meeting Wednesday, April 28, 2021

Please join the Oxford Historical Society in welcoming Brenda Boswell for her presentation: Women and The Bicycle Craze – Change and Resistance in 1890’s Oxford County, for a Zoom meeting on Wednesday, April 28, 2021 starting at 6:30pm.

Bicycles took much of the world by storm during the late Victorian age. The bicycle provided a tool for women to ride into a whole new world. This presentation will explore how the bicycle helped women move into this new era and the societal resistance that came with it.

It includes research by Rebecca Beaisaert, on turn of the century bicycle clubs in Ingersoll and Tillsonburg.

The Zoom link is: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81906248857

The Zoom link will open approximately 10 minutes before the start time of a meeting

For all Zoom meetings use this ID#: 81906248857, no password is required.

Oxford Local History Day!

This guest post is provided by Oxford County Library.

Please join Oxford County Library on Saturday, April 24, 2021 as they celebrate Oxford Local History Day through social media. Connect with them on their Facebook page to view presentations from the Oxford Historical Society, Oxford County Library, Oxford County Archives, Zorra Heritage Committee, Ingersoll History Book Launch and many other organizations.

Public Meeting Wednesday, April 28, 2021

Please join the Oxford Historical Society in welcoming Brenda Boswell for her presentation: Women and The Bicycle Craze – Change and Resistance in 1890’s Oxford County, for a Zoom meeting on Wednesday, April 28, 2021 starting at 6:30pm.

Bicycles took much of the world by storm during the late Victorian age. The bicycle provided a tool for women to ride into a whole new world. This presentation will explore how the bicycle helped women move into this new era and the societal resistance that came with it.

It includes research by Rebecca Beaisaert, on turn of the century bicycle clubs in Ingersoll and Tillsonburg.

The Zoom link is: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81906248857

The Zoom link will open approximately 10 minutes before the start time of a meeting

For all Zoom meetings use this ID#: 81906248857, no password is required.

Ingersoll Street Names: Their Stories

Hello Everyone,

Please see this guest post from to of the Oxford Historical Society Members, Janice & Doug Ferguson, for the Ingersoll 50+ Activity Centre.

Back in the Day…

Ingersoll Street Names: Their Stories – April 20 at 2:00 PM

An on-line presentation hosted free of charge for all district residents over 50 years of age by the Ingersoll 50+ Activity Centre. (You do NOT need a Centre membership for this presentation.)

“ON THE STREET WHERE YOU LIVE”

Presented by Scott Gillies, Curator of the Ingersoll Cheese & Agricultural Museum

Ingersoll resident or not, these and other stories behind street names are fun. Both famous author Jane Austin and the war of 1812 are linked to one Ingersoll street. The town’s main business area was not on Thames street, for a logical reason. Another street reflects an understanding between two large property owners (hint: it was a …..… agreement). A question and answer period follows.

This is a Zoom event. After you register, you will be sent an email with a link. At presentation time, simply click on the link and you will be connected.

Public Meeting Wednesday, March 31, 2021

Join Oxford County Archivist Liz Dommasch and Archives Technician Megan Lockhart for an evening with the Archives. Liz and Megan will be discussing the variety of programs and services the Archives offers to their patrons and community members.

The Oxford County Archives is the official repository for archival records created by, for and about Oxford County including municipal and community records from community organizations, businesses, personal archival collections, schools, churches, and more. The Archives offers a variety of research services and has a reference library available for patrons who are looking for family history information or information on the general history of Oxford County. Staff at the Archives also provide basic conservation services and have developed a variety of educational and public programs which allows members of the Oxford County community to learn about local heritage and culture, and engage with archival collections.

The Oxford County Archives’ website contains a number of online exhibits about local history, educational resources for teachers, students, and families, as well as fun interactive activity pages and online puzzles: www.oxfordcounty.ca/archives.  Learn more about what the Archives is and what they do with guest speakers Liz and Megan.

Join the Oxford Historical Society and the Oxford County Archives for a Zoom meeting on Wednesday, March 31, 2021 at 6:30pm.

The Zoom link is: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81906248857

For all Zoom meetings use this ID#: 81906248857, no password is required.

The Zoom link will open approximately 10 minutes before the start time of a meeting