If South Frontenac Museum Society secretary Al Boyce had his way, there would be museum buildings all over the Township, and the County, each focusing on a different aspect of Frontenac history.

“But that’s just me dreaming and rambling,” he said Saturday as the South Frontenac Museum in Hartington opened its doors Saturday for the summer season, which runs through Labour Day Saturdays, Sundays and Wednesdays from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Group visits can also be arranged email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Boyce said its been a “busy and dynamic year” for the society focusing on making the Hartington site more accessible.

“We’ve been working on the displays to reduce the crowded feeling,” he said. “So, we picked a theme and topic and you can get a wheelchair around it now.”

The theme, he said, is South Frontenac 1900-1930.

“We chose Doug Lovegrove’s work on the 146th regiment (a First World War unit recruited from the area) as an anchor, including the displays on nursing sisters and women on the homefront,” Boyce said. “It’s kind of a before, during and after the war, with at home and on the farm.

“It’s like this is what Ma was doing while the boys were away, and this is what Pa was doing on the farm, including the tools he used without electricity.”

Boyce said this is only the beginning. They’d like to have more space to display items as well as storage space so they can accept some of the donations they’ve been offered.

“We’re no what we’re going to be in five years,” he said. “We’re hugely indebted to the Township and all they’ve done for us (but) we’re not going to turn somebody away just because their stuff comes from North of Hwy 7.”

Boyce said there’s no way to know just what the museum system will turn into but he sees a great opportunity to preserve parts of history that the Royal Ontario Museum or the seven national museums in Ottawa can’t do.

“Don’t get me wrong, I love the ROM, but I think museums like this one provide a local service you don’t get at the ROM,” he said. “Saws for example.

“I we don’t preserve these things . . .”

He said their mission is to share and catalogue the history of the area, whatever that might be.

“Who knows, in five to 10 years, we might have the world’s best collection of fishing rods,” he said.

Boyce said their biggest challenge is finding people with the skills they think they need.

“The people we’ve got are really keen but we need computer people, graphic arts people and carpenters,” he said. “If you let it go away to the dump, it will be gone.

“But if you take the providence of it, it can be shared.”

On Saturday, August 26, everyone is invited to explore in Cloyne – Ponds, Pioneer Days and Parks. The Friends of the Salmon River will host an afternoon event of interest to lovers of nature and history. Have a tour of Benny’s Pond and learn how it is part of the Salmon River watershed. Enjoy tours of the Cloyne Pioneer Museum and the new Benny’s Lake Park.

At 1pm, local Glen Pearce will lead the pack to Benny’s Pond behind the museum. He will explain the formation of the string of little lakes/ponds that are all in the line of flow from the headwaters and connect to Beaver Creek, Kennebec Lake and hence to the main channel of the Salmon. Glen Pearce was part of the field crew who mapped these waters.

The headwaters are the birthplace and most essential part of any watershed, and these ponds are in the forefront of those headwaters, providing healthy eco-services for the entire Salmon system.
Benny’s Lake Heritage Park – just opened – is a collaborative project to restore the area where a grove of 200-year-old white pines was destroyed by a major wind storm. Many new pine trees were planted to breathe new life into the park.

The Cloyne Pioneer Museum & Archives reflect the history of this area with emphasis on such themes as settlement and pioneer life, mining, logging and tourism. Their staff will provide a tour and gladly answer all your questions.
Refreshments will be served and this will be an opportunity for folks to connect and find out more about the Friends of the Salmon River group.
Come for a day of nature and history; it’s a free event. On August 26, meet at the Cloyne Museum (14235 Hwy. 41 in Cloyne) at 1pm and stay til 3 or 4pm. Bring your friends to the “Friends of Salmon” gathering and learn more about the top of our beautiful watershed. For more information, contact Gray Merriam at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. OR Susan Moore at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Feature article, July 14, 2005

Feature article July 14, 2005

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Central Frontenac Train Museum rolls back to Council

by Jeff Green

Weve certainly had our share of ups and downs over the past four and a half years, said Norm Landry, the chair of the Central Frontenac Train Museum Committee during a visit to a meeting of Central Frontenac Council this week.

The committee developed out of a steering committee that sprung up in January of 2001 out of local enthusiasm for the collection of railway memorabilia that Sharbot Lake resident Gary Cooke has collected over the years.

The committee realised in 2002, under chair Mike Driscoll, that it must pursue incorporation in order to be eligible for government grants, and that was undertaken. When Mike Driscoll died suddenly in 2003, the committee was slowed down for a time, but has rebounded, and under current chair Norm Landry, it has undertaken a membership drive and is developing plans for a 25 by 112 structure to be located where the Sharbot Lake Station used to be located.

I know that Council is aware of ownership issues over that location which is owned by CP, Landry said to Council, so if that cant be worked out we will be looking to move to a triangle of land nearby that the township owns. I have talked to an official from CN in Toronto who did not rule out selling the property, but thats as far as Ive been able to get.

Current plans are to put the museum on the first floor and in the basement of the building, leaving room for a 4,000 square foot library and some rental office space on the upper floor.

One issue that Landry hopes to see addressed soon is the condition of the soil in the area.

While Council once again responded favourably to the museum proposal, there was some concern about tying the museum concept to that of a new library for Sharbot Lake.

A recent consultants report for the Kingston Frontenac Public Library Board called for the construction of a 4,000 square foot library in Sharbot Lake, but tied that recommendation to closing the other three library branches in Central Frontenac.

Any talk of a new library will get people very nervous in other communities, and this will cut into support for the museum project, said Councillor Logan Murray.

Norm Landry said he didnt see why the library/museum concept couldnt go ahead without calling for the closure of other libraries in the township.

The potential for success in a major fundraising venue would be far greater for a museum/library complex than for almost any other multi or single use structure, Landry said in his written report to Council.

Mayor Bill MacDonald, who has been the Frontenac County representative on the Library Board for several years, said, Ive said this before. There is no way that any of the libraries in Central Frontenac will close as long as I am on the Board. The Sharbot Lake Library has the fastest growing circulation in the entire library system, so expansion can be justified without closing any other branches.

In the end, the Library Board amended the consultants report, pulling the calls for Library closings in Central and North Frontenac out of the report before accepting it.

Norm Landry said that he would be returning to Council in the near future looking for a solid commitment towards bringing a train museum about.

Kids of Steel returning

The Sharbot Lake Triathlon weekend is scheduled for August 13 and 14 in Sharbot Lake.

The adult and no-frills Triathlons are scheduled for August 13, and the Kids of Steel Triathlon is scheduled for August 14.

The Kids of Steel is the larger of the two events and has a greater impact on the community, since it involves periodic road closures on Road 38 throughout the Sunday morning running of the race.

A package was sent for the consideration of Central Frontenac Council this week from Amanda MacDonald, this years race co-ordinator.

Aside from mentioning the road closing, the package also asked Council for permission to make extensive use of the Sharbot Lake beach and picnic area, and parking areas in the vicinity of the beach, and for access to electrical outlets.

Last year, the Sharbot Lake event was the provincial championship and over 300 youngsters raced. This year organizers are expecting between 200 and 300 racers.

In considering the package, and its support for the Kids of Steel, some councillors recalled a few complaints about the road closings from last year.

The road closings are not a matter for us to worry about, pointed out Mayor Bill MacDonald, its the OPP that deals with that.

In the end, Council extended their support and approval, pending the organizers attending a meeting with Council and other local parties in advance of the event. Anyone interested in the Kids of Steel, should go to www.ottawakidstri.org. The Adult Triathlon on August 13 can be accessed at www.zone3sports.com)

LOLTA request The Land O Lakes Tourist Association (LOLTA) submitted a request for funding support. Council had earmarked $6,000 for the tourist marketing group in their 2005 budget, and approved sending the money on to LOLTA. The township donated the same amount in 2004.

Noise Bylaw exemption Paul Osborne submitted a request for an exemption from the townships noise bylaw for a wedding scheduled for Camp Kennebec on September 3. The request is for permission to play music until 1 or 2 am on that date.

There have been noise complaints about Camp Kennebec in the past and some councillors, particularly Councillor Jack Nicolson, thought it unwise to circumvent the noise bylaw in this case, but the majority voted to approve the exemption in this case.

Fencing at Crow Lake School The Crow Lake Community Association, which operated the Crow Lake School (a township building) under an agreement with the township, requested that the township pay for materials to build a fence around the property. The Community Association would then put the fence up themselves. The Public Works department estimated the cost of materials at $1425 plus $125 for delivery. The request was accepted, with only Councillor Snyder voting against it.

Feature Article - October 27, 2005

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October 27, 2005

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Gray MerriamLegaleseGeneral information and opinion on legal topics by Rural Legal ServicesNature Reflectionsby Jean GriffinNight Skiesby Leo Enright

Township easing into major role with Railway Museum

by Jeff Green

Norm Landry, the chair of the Central Frontenac Railway Museum Committee, came to Central Frontenac Council this week to give an update on recent efforts by the committee, as he has several times in the past. The last time the Railway Museum Committee appeared before Council, Council voted to approve in principle the building of a railway museum/library.

But this time Norm Landry wanted a commitment from council to actually make the project happen.

While he didn’t walk away with a formal commitment on this occasion, he might have one in as little as two weeks. Council passed a resolution asking township staff to work out how the township can offer assistance to the venture.

In the past year, as Norm Landry informed Council this week, the railway museum has conducted a membership drive. “To date we have over 200 members signed up, which we consider to be a great success.”

“We intend to proceed, in the new year, with plans for a broadly based fundraising campaign,” according to Landry’s report to Council, but “before we do so, we need certain undertakings to be made by Council.”

The museum committee made several requests of Council. First, it asks that Council provide a building site for the railway museum. The site where the Sharbot Lake railway station originally stood is owned by the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR), and the committee has so far been frustrated in its attempt to get the CPR to reveal whether it is wiling to part with the land. There is a parcel of land adjacent to the CPR land that is owned by the township, and this site would also be suitable for the museum.

The committee also requested that the township grant extra land for outdoor displays and storage. As well, the township is being asked to agree to buy the museum, for a nominal fee, once it is built, and to commit to maintain it as a museum. The museum committee would be free to oversee museum programming and its collection of railway memorabilia.

The committee also requested that it become a committee of Council, so that its activities could then be covered under the township’s liability insurance.

In bringing these requests to Council, Landry said, “Without these basic assurances from Council, our Committee is of the opinion that further progress on this project will be severely compromised if not entirely curtailed.” As a whole, Council was receptive to the Railway Museum’s requests as a package, with one notable exception: Councillor Bob Harvey said he opposes the Railway Museum entirely.

“I’m not in favour of the museum,” he said, “even though I grew up across the road from the railroad and recognise how important the railway is in our history. But, if you look at the Smiths Falls [Railway] Museum, you see that is not an attractive building, and it does not bring in the tourists, either. I do not think that, in the long run, it would be an asset for the community.”

“We don’t intend to put up an ugly building,” a surprised Norm Landry responded.

In contrast to Harvey, most of the other councillors were supportive, and understood that the township will be required to start putting resources into the project.

The fact that the museum is connected to the building of a new library carries an extra benefit for Mayor Bill MacDonald.

“We realize that we are in need of more administrative space,” said Mayor MacDonald, referring to the space taken up currently by the public library in the basement of the township office. We also have a library that is bursting at the seams. This project might help us to solve our own space problems.”

Councillors Jack Nicolson and Logan Murray again expressed concerns that a new library in Sharbot Lake had been connected in a library consultant’s report to the closing of libraries elsewhere in the township, but Mayor Bill MacDonald again assured them that those concerns are unfounded.

“I’ve been a member of the library board for 18 years,” MacDonald countered, “and I can assure everyone that none of the libraries in Central Frontenac will be closing.”

Staff was directed to evaluate the museum committee’s requests and prepare a township response for the next meeting of Council.

Feature Article - September 1, 2005

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Gray MerriamLegaleseGeneral information and opinion on legal topics by Rural Legal ServicesNature Reflectionsby Jean GriffinNight Skiesby Leo Enright

Maberly Fair:Photos

(click photo for larger image)Mrs. PeePee, a poisonous 6 lb. Cane Toad, and her handler fromLittle Ray's Reptile Zoo at Maberly Fair. A13 lb. cane toad has been documented as having eaten a Chihuahua. If they have trouble swallowing, cane toads are able to dislocate their eye balls so they can better stuff food into their mouths. At Ray's Reptil Zoo there is a fine line between very, very cool and very, very gross.

(click photo for larger image)Highland Dancers took part in the Maberly Fair parade.

(click photo for larger image)Lois Webster promoted the Central Frontenac Railway Museum at the Maberly Fair last weekend.

(click photo for larger image)The horse pull was a popular event to watch at the Maberly Fair.

Feature Article - November 17, 2005

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November 17, 2005

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Gray MerriamLegaleseGeneral information and opinion on legal topics by Rural Legal ServicesNature Reflectionsby Jean GriffinNight Skiesby Leo Enright

Garrison Shores: a problem that just won't go away

by Jeff Green

Paul Chaves from the Garrison Shores Property Owners’ Association appeared before Central Frontenac Council this week in search of something most other waterfront property owners take for granted: deeds to their own properties.

Garrison Shores was a development that came into being in the early 1980’s. It originally included 108 lots, some of which were never built on. Originally the people who bought into the project built homes on leased land, but the project went sour at some point and legal title has never been established. Trying to make the existing dwellings at the Garrison Shores Development into legal properties perplexed Kennebec for many years, and has been an ongoing problem for Central Frontenac Council. At one point, three years ago, a zoning proposal was forwarded to Frontenac County Council for approval, but it was never approved.

Frustrated Garrison Shore property owners have again approached Council, but nothing has come forward so far. Paul Chaves and members of the Association Executive met recently with Councillors Jack Nicolson and Logan Murray. Nicolson and Murray agreed to bring a proposal to Council that a steering committee be formed to try and work through the necessary issues to make the Garrison Shores development legal and give the property owners deeds.

But Logan Murray’s proposal, which was submitted in the form of motion, was not brought before Council. Clerk Administrator Heather Fox said it contradicted a motion that had previously been passed at an in camera council meeting. This invoked the ire of both Logan Murray and Jack Nicolson, who questioned the validity of refusing to bring the motion forward.

Meanwhile Glen Tunnock, the township’s planning consultant, was also in attendance at the council meeting. He said he will have a tentative plan prepared in the next month or so that will include an amendment to the township’s official plan, and will create special zoning for Garrison Shores. When pressed, Tunnock said he could have this document prepared by mid December.

Paul Chaves said “We have been waiting for over 20 years, so I guess we can wait until mid-December.”

It’s too early to say, however, when this issue will finally be resolved.

Train Museum Committee Chair blows his stack

Norm Landry, the chair of the Central Frontenac Train Museum Committee made his second appearance before council in the last month.

The first thing Landry was looking for from council was confirmation of a building site for the museum/library that is envisioned. The ideal plan calls for building the museum, an exact replica of the original rain station, on the site of the original station. The problem is that some of the land the station stood on is still owned by Marathon Realty, the real estate arm of the “Canadian Pacific Railway, and some of the land is owned by the township. Even as of the most recent council meeting, the exact dimensions of the township-owned property are still not known.

Councillor Frances Smith said she might be seeing an official from Marathon this week who could tell her if the CPR land can be sold to the township.

“I wouldn’t get my hopes up, though, I first talked to this man over 20 years ago about buying this land. I can’t believe he’s still working there,” Smith said.

Discussion ensued about whether a suitable alternate site could be configured using township land.

“This is silly,” said Norm Landry, “how can you wait for 20 years for 3,000 square feet of land. Never mind that, for now. What I want to know is, is council prepared to provide us a site we can use? Not in Arden, not in Tichborne, but near, or preferably on, the site where the train station originally stood.”

Landry then turned his attention to a complex resolution that was being considered by council concerning building costs, upkeep costs, and other matters. He was unsure how much could be determined before a site is finalised, and was particularly unhappy with a request that a feasibility study be carried out.

“We don’t need another feasibility study; we’ve been doing that for years now,” he said.

He then read a prepared statement, (see letters page) concerning comments made at the previous Council meeting by Councillor Bob Harvey about the Smiths Falls Railway museum being an unattractive building.

“I’m taking a break from this for about a month and a half,” Landry concluded. “I can’t stand any more of this.”

Councillor Smith, and township staff, will be trying to straighten out the building site situation in the near future. The resolution concerning further details of the project was tabled.

Letters to the Editor - November 17, 2005

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November 17, 2005

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Letters to the Editor

Attractive train museum

As reported in the Frontenac News (Township easing into major Railway Museum role, Oct. 27, 2005), an objection was raised to our proposal which said: " If you look at the Smiths Falls [Railway] Museum, you see that it is not an attractive building and it does not bring in the tourists, either."

Before this argument, such as it is, gains any currency in the community, I would like to briefly reply. As I stated at the council meeting on Oct. 25, I find it difficult to see any necessary correlation between what exists in Smiths Falls and what our group plans to build. Also, since no formal plans exist as yet, it's difficult to understand how our proposed structure can be deemed unattractive.

Nonetheless, I went online to the Smiths Falls Railway Museum website and found it very informative. You can take a virtual tour of the place, view the building, find out about the collection, see what programmes are offered and all sorts of other information. From what I was able to see, the building was quite attractive. The Town of Smiths Falls website invites people to "visit our four main attractions: Hershey Chocolate, Rideau Canal Museum, Heritage House Museum and Smiths Falls Railway Museum."

I later called Dennis Staples, the mayor of Smiths Falls, who said: "the Railway Museum is a key part of our tourism system." The Smiths Falls people apparently see the Museum as quite important.

Then, I drove to Smiths Falls to have a look. Personally, I think that their building, both inside and out, is a very nice looking station. A great deal of restoration work has been done and more is in the plans. I suppose that ugliness, like beauty, is very much in the eye of the beholder. While there, I spoke with three long-time volunteers, who gave me an extensive tour of the place. They own a wide variety of rolling stock, some of which is admittedly in a decrepit state. However, these are being restored as funds are raised; in fact, this aspect of their programme is a big attraction for tourists.

In terms of tourist numbers, a cursory glance at the entry log shows that while the majority of visitors come from Eastern Ontario, home towns can be found from Halifax to B.C., from Florida to Kansas to Washington State, from Ireland to Austria to Holland; in fact, from all over. The visitor tracking numbers I was provided with show that from 2001 to 2004, the Museum averaged 7,900 visits a year; so much for doing nothing for tourism.

Even if our much smaller operation were to attract just a fraction of these numbers, it would be a considerable plus for our community. Hopefully these few facts will allow us to proceed with the task at hand without what appears to be a baseless allegation clouding our efforts.

- Norm Landry, ChairCentral Frontenac Railway Museum Committee

Feature Article - April 20, 2006

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Feature Article - April 20, 2006

Spring at the Pioneer Museum inCloyne

by Karyl Waldie Steinpatz

It’s a recognized fact that things and people do lie dormant, or the equivalent of dormant, during the months of ice and snow, but stirrings around the Pioneer Museum were being felt as early as last month, when the Cloyne and District Historical Society surfaced with its spectacular line-up of events for the coming warm season. Well, on second thought, maybe I misspoke when I employed the word “dormant”. I think the fundraising and entertainment committee kept itself awake throughout the winter months by formulating its intriguing summer line-up. More about that…

Under the tender ministrations of its dedicated volunteers, the Pioneer Museum will soon be opened up, aired out after its winter hibernation, and all gussied up in anticipation of the hordes of tourists and us local folk who will visit throughout the season. Artifacts which have been lovingly wrapped and stored during the winter months will be proudly placed on display, and on June 24, beginning at 11am, the C&DHS will celebrate the season’s opening with guided tours, a barbecue, and a speaker of note. Watch Northern Happenings and other advertising space in this journal for more details. Or borrow a copy of The Pioneer Times (April 2006 issue) newsletter from any member of the Cloyne and District Historical Society and check page 11 for times and places of all upcoming events. During the summer, the newsletter is available, gratis, in the Pioneer Museum .

Every month (except July and August), third Monday, the Historical Society meets in the Barrie Township hall in Cloyne, and every meeting produces a super-interesting speaker. As I write this, I am still marveling at the expertise of Master Gardener Nancy Newman, who yesterday gave a most erudite and interesting talk on Heritage Gardens. Ever since we added the new and big and airy extension to the original Pioneer Museum, we have been working at beautifying the lawns around it with flora, some which were already growing wild here hundreds of years ago, and other species brought in since 1800 by pioneers and now almost extinct in our area. To some degree we have already succeeded, but Nancy gave us a list, and described, many more plants we can hope to find and grow in our gardens and we eagerly look forward to adding at least some of them over the next few years.

The Financial Report in the April 2006 issue of The Pioneer Times tells the immediate world that “during the year 2005 the Cloyne and District Historical Society turned an important corner in its development”…”in only six years, the Society has emerged from debt and ended last year with a very respectable bank balance”… in the black. And even after building the large extension to the museum, and populating it with even more artifacts, it is very much in the black, mostly because of the unflagging work of its volunteers.

Some great upcoming events, to which the public will be most heartily welcomed, include a field trip to the Eganville museum, a Blueberry Brunch in Cloyne, an annual Heritage Bus Tour (what you’ll see is a well-kept secret even as you board the bus in Cloyne AND along the route) and the Third Annual Toonie Christmas Party, to name just a few. So come and enjoy.

The Cloyne and District Historical Society encompasses a good chunk of territory, from Kaladar to Griffith and Flinton to Plevna and Ompah, but its beloved baby is the Pioneer Museum in Cloyne, the repository of artifacts and genealogical information of the area. Plans are in the works to open the museum to the public earlier this season, on weekends beginning with the Long May Weekend (as it is known), then every day from June 24 throughout the season, so watch this newspaper for more details.

Spring has already sprung. Summer is almost upon us. This season do make it a plan to come visit the outstanding, quiet and lovely Pioneer Museum in Cloyne and absorb pioneer history, and perhaps your family’s roots.

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Feature Article - June 22, 2006

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Feature Article - June 22, 2006

Cloyne Pioneer Museum opening for season by Karyl Waldie Steinpatz

Dust and chips were flying last week as the members of the Cloyne and District Historical Society readied the Pioneer Museum inside and out for its summer season. Bravely taking a peek inside, and standing well back out of harm’s way, one saw dustcloths and brooms brandished, boxes carried, mannequins dressed, and best of all, priceless artifacts placed lovingly on shelves, on walls, and on anything else that would hold them. Gosh, even the extension to this museum, built only four years ago, is full! Outside, the chinks in the log walls were being seen to, and old bark stripped off.

Every year the Historical Society hosts special displays of privately-held collections in its Pioneer Museum . This year’s opener is an outstanding display of antique clocks―just part of the collection owned by Hans Steinpatz of Verona , who specializes in clock repair and restoration. This interesting and intriguing collection will be on display until July 31, and from time to time the owner will be on site to answer questions on their intricate workings and the provenance of each timepiece.

Flower gardens are flourishing too, in front of and beside the museum. The park has been neatly mowed and some new trees planted to replace those taken by the microburst which decimated the ancient pines a few years ago; so finally the grounds all around the museum are looking healthy.

This year, opening day is slated for Saturday, June 24 at 11am, and will feature a delicious barbecue served up with a smile by members of the Historical Society. Free tours of the museum are offered.

In addition to the barbecue and museum tours, there will be a very special treat in the form of an address by the dual-titled personage known to the Goulbourn Historical Society in Stittsville as The Duke of Richmond and The Earl of Lennox. Arriving in full dress regalia, the Duke will explain his part in the rich and glorious history and settlement of Ontario . Although this is a serious presentation with every detail historically correct, the Duke (Robin Derrick) is also known for his sense of humour. The C&DHS invites everyone to this special presentation. Try not to miss it!

To arrive at the Cloyne Pioneer Museum, motor north on Hwy 41 from Kaladar, traverse the village of Northbrook, arrive in Cloyne five minutes later, and just stop where you see all the people and cars gathered―right across from the village post office.

Saturday, June 24, 11am. Everybody welcome! See you there!

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Feature Article - July 6, 2006

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Feature Article - July 6, 2006

Cloyne Pioneer Museum opens in style

by Karyl Steinpatz

As always, the annual opening day celebrations of the Pioneer Museum were great fun. This year’s festivities took place on June 24, and although the starting time was slated for 11am, by 10:30 the museum was teeming with folk who were eager to tour the museum and view both the permanent and special displays.

There’s so very much to absorb in this museum as it’s full to the brim with local artifacts. Tourism through the years is exceptionally well represented, as is logging, mining, and of course there is a whole room dedicated to the pioneering of the area. Lots of attention was given to the Heritage Quilt that, for the first time, graced a wall of the museum just inside the main entrance. The quilt, a project of the C&DHS, has been in the making for four years and its squares, embroidered with names of people and places, honour the memory of many of our ancestors, businesses, and birthplaces as well as the founders of the original Pioneer Club. Many people have worked on this beautiful work of art, but special kudos to Eileen Flieler who conceived the idea of the heritage quilt, and carried it through.

The display of clocks from the private collection of Hans Steinpatz, a collector and restorer of antique clocks and music boxes, was highly admired, as were all the donations from painter Carol Brown, including one of her original works of art which is housed in the portion of the 1840s schoolhouse the C&DHS has resurrected, and rebuilt, in a prominent corner of the museum.

Around noon the sweet perfume of barbecued goodies lured the artifact-lovers to the picnic tables. Barbecue chef Hugh Rose did a fine job on the “exotic hotdogs”, as he so named them.

Just as the barbecue was drawing to a close, a very strange but somehow familiar male figure hove into view across the parking lot. His cocked hat and red uniform somehow smacked of the olden-times British uniforms in our history books. The dashing figure headed for the hall, so lunchers headed after him, wondering who and what he was all about.

In the hall, the white-wigged, red-coated figure was found to be none other than Charles Lennox, Fourth Duke of Richmond, who had been dead for 147 years and was the guest speaker. Very alive he became, in the person of Robin Derrick, who is President of the Goulborne Historical Society and has done an intensive historical study into the life of the Duke and his part in the British move into “The Colonies” (us).

The audience was held spellbound as Mr. Derrick truly acted out his part. When wearing his cocked hat he was the Duke of Richmond and Lennox . He apologized for his clothing (red uniform jacket and white breeches) being dirty. That had happened, said he, when his wagon had broken down on the very rutty Addington Road and he and his wife had had to push it in order to get to the hall. He recounted many a tale, all historically correct, of how the Duke of Richmond, from being Lord Lieutenant of Ireland and then commanding troops to protect Brussels in the battle of Waterloo, had been sent by King George III of England to Canada to check on the loyalty of colonialists. Many streets and outlying areas near Ottawa are named for the Duke of Richmond. Robin Derrick’s knowledge and recounting of his life, took the audience back in time. A perfect speaker for an “old time day”.

The Cloyne and District Historical Society, that same afternoon, received another great treat, when Faye O’Brien, Worthy Matron of the Order of the Eastern Star (Tweed Chapter) presented President Margaret Axford with a cheque for $600. Every year the Chapter chooses a worthy charitable organization to assist, always keeping donations local if possible, and this year the C&DHS was the proud recipient.

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