Over the course of my time working at the West Hants Historical Society, I have perused our shelves often. I peek into cabinets and rifle through drawers, always finding something that can pique my interest. Working here is almost like being Indiana Jones; you’re constantly discovering little treasures (although they usually aren’t made of solid gold). However, on my little excursions to our storage rooms, I have found an abundant
News & Events
With summer being a few weeks underway, I have been hard at work upstairs in the artifact storage room of the Historical Society. One part of my job is to enter the artifacts I find into the museum database. I take photos of the objects and find as much information about them as I can. Anyone can look through the database at http://www.novamuse.ca/Detail/entities/6334 and see some of the artifacts that
Another Summer Ahead
As the days get warmer and brighter, our museum hours get longer and our genealogy services open all season long. We’re excited to be open 5 days a week to offer free museum tours and interactive genealogy help to the best of our abilities. We have extensive records and information on many family names and are always looking to increase our collection so that everyone who comes through is able
Job Title: Interpreter at Fort Edward National Historic Site
Job Title: Interpreter at Fort Edward National Historic Site Location: Windsor, NS Wage: $11.15 per hour at 35 hours per week (Tuesday-Saturday) Start Date: June 19, 2018 End Date: September 1, 2018 Deadline to apply is May 16, 2018. Please email a cover letter and resume to whhs@ns.aliantzinc.ca or write to West Hants Historical Society at 281 King Street, PO BOX 2335 Windsor NS B0N 2T0 or visit in person
Mill Island, Windsor
Mill Island by Eva Mumford, Windsor, NS Prior to European settlement the area that is now called Windsor was a group of islands surrounded by marshland that was covered with salt water on the high tide. Through a system of dykes (levies), ditches, and one-way valves called arbiteaux, these marshes were eventually dyked by the Acadian settlers who came to the region about 1680. The dyked land became very fertile
Acadian Prisoners to the Rescue of British Soldiers
On the 3-4 November 1759, the Maritimes was struck by one of many storms that marked its history. It is comparable to the storm of 1711 and the gale of 1775 gale that killed around 2000 people. Those storms were so severe that they were epoch-marking, so much so that events are dated as “before” or “after” the big storm. The Storm of 1759 happened at the time when Acadians
Flora MacDonald’s Winter in Windsor
This article is taken from WHHS guest speaker Rev. David Curry, March 4 2010, and is based on addresses to the Clan Donald in September 2008. Flora MacDonald’s Winter in Windsor Sorrow and loss, pride and gain are part and parcel of the Scottish Legacy in the land which we call Nova Scotia, New Scotland. I have been told on good authority – it appears on bumper-stickers – that “God
Halifax Explosion, December 6 1917
The Halifax Explosion From wikipedia: The Halifax Explosion was a maritime disaster in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, on the morning of 6 December 1917. SS Mont-Blanc, a French cargo ship laden with high explosives, collided with the Norwegian vessel SS Imo in the Narrows, a strait connecting the upper Halifax Harbour to Bedford Basin. A fire on board the French ship ignited her cargo, causing a large explosion that devastated the Richmond district of Halifax. Approximately 2,000 people were killed by the blast, debris, fires or collapsed
Some Literary Figures from Windsor’s Past
This article is taken from WHHS guest speaker Rev. David Curry, January 5 2006. Some Literary Figures from Windsor’s Past Deborah How Cottnam (“Portia”), Griselda Tonge & Sir Charles G.D. Roberts I want to thank the West Hants Historical Society for inviting me to speak about “Some Literary Figures from Windsor’s Past”. Your President has added the adjective “extraordinary” to my topic. I will leave that to your good judgment,
Thy Sweet Love Remember’d: A Poet & A Church
This address was given by Reverend David Curry on November 1st, 2007 to the West Hants Historical Society in Windsor, NS. ‘Thy Sweet Love Remember’d’: A Poet & A Church “When in disgrace with fortune and men’s eyes,” Shakespeare’s Sonnet # 29 begins, entering into a meditative discourse on the vagaries of human ambition and the vanities of fame and renown, “troubling deaf heaven with my bootless cries,” and even
World War I Project – November 2017
The West Hants Historical Society salutes our local soldiers who died one hundred years ago in L917 during World War 1. We will always remember your sacrifice. Note: You can view their military records online by searching for the Regimental Number (Reg No) at the Library and Archives Canada web site as follows:
http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/military-heritage/first-world-war/personnel-records/Pages/search.aspx
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Alden Nowlan – The Forgotten Poet of Stanley, NS
The following article was a WHHS Heritage Banquet address by Rev. David Curry in 2003. It has been converted from a pdf file to be shared here. Alden Nowlan: The Forgotten Poet of Stanley I would like to thank the West Hants Historical Society for the privilege of speaking this evening and to commend the Society for recognising the very important part that literature plays in our heritage. I have been asked to speak about Alden Nowlan, one of Canada’s great but almost forgotten poets and writers. Born on January 25, 1933, he was largely selfeducated, having left school in the midst of grade five to work at a variety of labouring jobs – pulp cutter, farmhand, sawmill worker, night watchman, ditchdigger and logger – before landing himself a job in journalism at the age of
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A History of Hants
The county of Hants was established June 17, 1781, on territory taken from Kings County and consisted of the townships of Windsor, Falmouth and Newport. The name Hants is an old abbreviation for the English county of Hampshire, from the Old English name Hantescire. The Mi’kmaq were the first people of Hants County, having arrived several thousand years ago. They were semi-nomadic and hunted, fished and gathered to make their living. They made their encampments along the rivers at the “head of the tide” where the fishing was easy.
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Summer Project: Short Documentary Film
Our summer student, Fadila Chater, has been tasked with a project that will creatively incorporate the diverse cultural history of Hants County. She is looking for people to interview in a short documentary film. She is looking for individuals from different cultural or ethnic backgrounds to share their personal stories or ancestral stories from either the Mi’kmaq, Acadian, African Nova Soctian, or new immigrant communities from the Hants County area.
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Call for Stories of Women involved in Halifax Explosion relief efforts
Does your family have a story? A Nova Scotian performance ensemble is seeking out information about of local women who helped in the relief efforts of the Halifax Explosion. Xara Choral Theatre Ensemble will be touring a show called The Hours Turn to Nothing to Annapolis Royal at Kings Theatre on June 10, which tells the story of nurses and midwives who came to the aid of pregnant women and many others who were hurt in the 1917 disaster. Historical documentation has revealed that women were specifically requested to support the relief effort, in part because many pregnant women within range of the blast were jolted into labour.
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World War I Project – April 2017
Vimy – April 9, 1917: What Every Canadian Should Know. We have all heard the name Vimy but most Canadians know very little about it. Here are the facts that every Canadian should know. The Location: Vimy is in northern France. It is about 270 Km north of Paris near the Belgian border. It is a land of rolling hills with the peak only 145 meters high.
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World War I Project – January-March
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.
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World War I Project – November
With Remembrance Day occurring this month, we have a special video from Tim Reed to honour the 112th Regiment who were based in Windsor and spent many months training at Fort Edward before going overseas. The Flags of the 112th still hang in Christ Church in Windsor. They were honored at a special service in June 2016. Please enjoy watching this video and remember the men of our 112th Regiment.
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World War I Project – October
One hundred years ago, on October 11, 1916, the Nova Scotia Highland Brigade left Camp Aldershot and boarded the troop ship “Olympic” in Halifax Harbour. They arrived in Liverpool, England on October 19, 1916 and continued their intensive training at Witley Camp in Surrey. There were 4 Battalions in the Nova Scotia Highland Brigade – the 85 th , the 185 th , the 193 rd , and the 219 th Battalions. That was over 4000 men, – all volunteers from Nova Scotia.
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World War I Project – September
Hants County Soldiers – Where Were They From?
The Soldiers were farmers, clerks, labourers, teachers, lumbermen, and ship builders. They came from many places in Hants County – from Hantsport to Shubenacadie and Vaughan to Noel – and every village and town in between. Many never returned.
One hundred years ago in September 1916, there were 15 soldiers from Hants County killed in action…
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