The Windsor Academy Haig Cadet Corps was formed following the Boer War and honoured General Douglas Haig, who in World War One led Canadian troops in Europe, including Windsor’s soldiers in battles in France. The Bugle Band of the cadet corps was popular with students and town citizens alike. In fact, during World War One […]
Haig Cadet Bugle Band Read More »
John Watson Maxner was born in 1829 at Windsor, NS and died 6 May 1904 at Windsor, NS. He was the son of Henry Mixner [Maxner?] (1808-1837) and Mary Ann Snyde (1808-1869). Henery Mixner died in a drowning accident at Long Pond, Windsor, on 28 July 1837. John Watson Maxner (1829-1904) married his cousin
John Watson Maxner Read More »
Hon. Michael Francklin Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia 1766 “If historians have been unable to reach a consensus about Michael Francklin, it is perhaps because they have failed to grasp the role that he played. He was in many ways a typical colonial merchant-politician, meshing private and public concerns in an age when such intermingling
By Jessica Carver for the West Hants Historical Society Generally described as a grand old building, the Opera House was located on the corner of Gerrish Street and Grey Street. After the Great Fire of 1897 devastated the town of Windsor, efforts began to rebuild the town and its infrastructure. Many saw the fire as
Windsor’s Old Opera House Read More »
Born in Windsor in 1825, William Smith lived a life of travel and adventure on the West Coast that few of us can dream of. Along the way, he changed his name to Amor deCosmos (“over of the world”). Following is an article printed in the Victoria Daily Colonist at the time of his death.
The Strange but True Story of William Alexander Smith Read More »
The West Hants Historical Society is trying to compile a list of all the men and women from Hants County who served in World War 1 and 2. We plan to publish a book with all these names and we don’t want to leave anyone out; if your relatives or friends served in the military, please send us their details as described here.
World War I Project – January-March Read More »
In Europe, the War continued with no victories after two years of heavy fighting. The Battle of the Somme was taking hundreds of thousands of casualties. In Windsor, our men in the 112 th Battalion were preparing to join the battle.
The 112 th Battalion was formed in November 1915 with headquarters in Windsor, Nova Scotia. Men were recruited from all over Hants County, from the Annapolis Valley, and from the South Shore. Over 1500 men volunteered for service but only 1200 were accepted. The commanding officer was Lt Col. Hedley Tremaine of Windsor.
World War I Project – July Read More »
The West Hants Historical Society salutes our soldiers from Hants County that died in June 1916. June 1916 – Battle of Mount Sorrel : Canadian soldiers were defending Mount Sorrel, a 30-metre hill with a commanding position overlooking the city of Ypres in Belgium. On June 2 nd 1916, German troops attacked and overwhelmed the Canadians. They captured Mount Sorrel along with nearby peaks Hill 61 and Hill 62. The Canadians tried to retake the Hills on June 3 rd but the Germans repelled the attack.
World War I Project – June Read More »
Newsletter: December 2015 – The museum may be getting ready to slow down for the winter but we are still busy at work. We are excited to share with everyone the details on various projects we have been asked to participate in that will commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Great War.
On June 10-11, 2016, there will be a symposium sponsored by the Nova Scotia Museum and hosted by the Town of Windsor with the theme of Nova Scotia Communities in the First World War. The West Hants Historical Society is happy to be involved. Our first priority is to develop a biographical sketch, accompanied by good quality pictures, of five local soldiers. The plan is to have these sketches mounted on interpretative panels to be exhibited at the symposium.
Newsletter: December 2015 Read More »
FOR GENERATIONS, hoofs, feet and tires have tread on the, often pothole ridden, streets of Windsor, Nova Scotia. If you’ve lived here since birth, you know exactly where every short-cut is. You know that the driveway that cuts between the curling rink and the bottle depot saves you at least 4 minutes of walking time. And you can probably tell when you’re talking to someone who hails from Chester Road. But, what you may not know is how your street became a part of history.
Windsor Family Powerhouse: Windsor streets and the families who named them Read More »
