Stanhope Historical Society holds 2007 Summer Meeting

The Stanhope Historical Society met at Stanhope Place August 27. President Harry Kielly introduced the guest speaker, Helen Kristmanson, from Parks Canada. She is an archaeologist and she spoke about the world of archaeology and Park's activities in the Atlantic area.

Helen emphasized that archaeology is often misunderstood as including for example the study of dinosaurs, or prehistoric creatures, whereas it focuses on human occupation. It is also not so exciting as movies such as Indiana Jones might suggest.

Considerable archaeological work has been undertaken in the Greenwich area and some years ago also on Robinson's Island. Evidence of early aboriginal life was found in shells embedded in the shoreline. She also noted the work at Da Roma in Three Rivers (Brudenell today).

Her appearance at the meeting was very timely as Parks Canada intends to undertake a "dig" on one of the old basements that have been discovered in the Stanhope part of the park by the Farmlands trail. The purpose is to better establish the period when the structure was made. It is thought to be either Acadian or very early Scottish. Members of the Society are invited to assist in the "dig" September 18 to 21.

Following the presentation, members were invited to have lunch together and have a chance to discuss the work with Helen personally. Pictures of the attempt to move the old horse drawn carriage the Tally Ho were also on display. Members thanked Helen for the opportunity to find out more about the work of Parks Canada and in exploring the Island's past, going back into periods hereto undiscovered.

Stanhope Historical Society Spring 2007 Meeting
June 4 Stanhope Place

The Spring Meeting of the Stanhope Historical Society was a busy affair. To begin the meeting President Harry Kielly introduced Kaitlyn Trainor, who not only won the Grade 6 category at the L.M. Montgomery School's Heritage Fair, but also went on to win the provincial championship for her presentation on quilting. She gave an entertaining talk to society members on her pet subject, and showed several samples of quilting work. She is now going on to represent the province in Lethbridge Alberta at the national championships in July. Well done Kaitlyn, all members wish you good luck in Alberta.

Following the business section of the meeting, the president then asked Craig Parsons from Parks Canada to discuss changing policy trends in the National Park. Craig is from the Australian Parks Service and he is on an exchange visit to Canada. He emphasized the present efforts of Parks Canada to engage local community groups in Parks' decisions and programs. He also discussed the Parks and People program, which he said will receive more attention in the future. He suggested that the Stanhope Historical Society is well placed to work with Parks Canada on matters of mutual interest, such as the Heritage Trail project.

Harry then invited Carol MacMillan to introduce the guest speaker for the evening, Erskine Smith, from Victoria PEI.

Erskine is the director of the Victoria Playhouse as well as the star of many of its theatrical productions. He noted that he initially arrived in Victoria in 1979 with the aim of restarting the theatre, but the local community was somewhat skeptical of this, at that time. He was able to encourage them to reopen the theatre in 1981, since when it has been a huge success. He also discussed the major renovations to the theatre itself that he felt have added to its attractiveness.

Erskine's talk was extremely amusing and he regaled members with stories of his own family history and his long experience in the theatre. He emphasized that notwithstanding popular belief he was very much an Islander born and bred. He also thought that non Islanders should be shown more respect for their efforts on the Island and that there should be a special award, perhaps the Great South Wind trophy for deserving persons "from away".

At the conclusion of the talk John Palmer, VP of the Stanhope Historical Society thanked Erskine for his interesting and highly amusing discourse, on behalf of the society. He also suggested jokingly that he might qualify for the award if in due course it were established.

Members then adjourned for an evening lunch with opportunities to speak to Erskine and Craig personally.

Stanhope Historical Society Entertained by John Eldon Green

Members of the Stanhope Historical Society met at the Homestead on the evening of February 26 2007, to listen to a highly amusing and thoughtful talk by John Eldon Green. John used his recent book, " A Mind of One's Own - Memoirs of an Albany Boy" as the basis for his talk. He focussed on the gulf that existed on the Island until relatively recently, between the Catholics and the Protestants. Separate high schools, universities, hospitals and social welfare systems meant that persons from the two religious communities essentially lived apart. This separation also created tensions within island communities and in some cases within one's own family.

He talked about the enormous efforts that were required to break down these barriers and to reconcile the various religious groups to a unitary system. He noted that today's generations would hardly be aware of the struggles that took place to bring these groups together. He remembered them as difficult but rewarding times. He also noted with regret that the drive within the island to modernize and improve its social welfare system now seems to have withered away.

John brought copies of his book to the meeting for signing. Carol MacMillan thanked him on behalf of the Society for a fascinating look into the Island's not so distant past.

During the evening meeting society members also discussed the opportunity for the society to acquire for free, the "Tally Ho", the old horse drawn wagon that was used as ground transport by the MacDonald family at Dalvay Hotel in the early 20th century. Harry Kielly, President, said that it required considerable restoration. Society members thought its acquisition was a good idea, as was its restoration, depending on costs.

John Palmer of the Executive informed the meeting of on going discussions with Parks Canada, the North Shore Community Council and the Province on the planned "PEI Heritage Trail" that would run from the old pioneer cemetery to the Promenade. He noted that the project presently has considerable momentum. Finally the meeting adjourned with lunch and refreshments.

The Stanhope Historical Society holds its Fall Meeting October 30th 2006

The cup commemorates the arrival of the sailing ship The Falmouth, which brought the first pioneer farmers to settle Prince Edward Island from Scotland, landing at Stanhope beach in June 1770.

The 2006 Annual General Meeting then followed with a short address by Harry Kielly, Society President. He noted that the Society had been very active in the past year with four presentations by excellent guest speakers. In addition the Executive has been working with Parks Canada and the North Shore Community Council in pressing for better recognition of the area’s signal importance to the Province’s colonial history. He also raised a thorny issue concerning a bill from the province for highway signage marking the location of the commemorative Cairn, as well as the prospect of raising annual fees unless improved financial arrangements could be found. The meeting voted to discard the signs and called on the Executive to report back on ideas to improve its finances at the next meeting.

Following this discussion Mary Gates, Society Secretary, in recognition that 2006 is the Year of the Canadian War Bride, introduced the evening’s guest speaker, Joyce Paynter to tell her stories as a War Bride. She fascinated the audience with her life’s history, starting from school in England in the Thirties to life in war torn Britain, to marrying her sweetheart, the Canadian soldier Arthur Paynter during the war. She then surprised the meeting when she said that she joined the Canadian Women’s Army Corps while still in England as the British forces would not accept her, given that she had married a Canadian. At that time she had never stepped foot inside Canada. After the war, she came to Canada on the Ile de France via Halifax and train to Kensington, to join her husband in French River where they farmed and raise a family. After Arthur died from a heart attack she moved to Charlottetown where she worked at the Sherwood School for mentally ill children. Following many years of volunteer work, mostly with children, Joyce was awarded the Governor General of Canada-Commendation Award and Insignia in Ottawa on November 7, 2002, of which she is very proud. The audience was very moved by her poignant stories.

Joyce brought several pictures and mementos of her war years, which were displayed in Stanhope Place that evening. She is seen below with Society President Harry Kielly.

Murray Stevenson gave a vote of thanks to Joyce, who received a standing ovation from society members.

The meeting also voted in a new Executive and many thanks were given to Mary Gates who is stepping down as Secretary.