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OSHAWA COMMUNITY MUSEUM & ARCHIVES

1450 Simcoe Street South Oshawa, ON L1H 8S8

Tel: 905-436-7624 Fax: 905-436-7625

Email: [email protected] Website: www.oshawamuseum.org www.oshawahistoricalsociety.org

Oshawa Historical Society - 1 - Annual Report 2011

Table of Contents 2011 At A Glance… .............................................................................................. 2

Your President’s Report .......................................................................................... 3

Executive Director’s Report .................................................................................... 5

Operating Highlights .............................................................................................. 6

Mandate and Governance .................................................................................. 8

Mandate ..................................................................................................................... 8

Governance ................................................................................................................ 8

Highlights & Events ................................................................................................ 9

Curator’s Report .................................................................................................. 12

Archives Report ................................................................................................... 13

Sponsors & Donors .............................................................................................. 14

Donors in 2011 .......................................................................................................... 14

Sponsors in 2011........................................................................................................ 14

Community Partnership in 2011 ................................................................................. 14

Garden Brick Program ............................................................................................... 15

Education Award Recipients ...................................................................................... 15

Public & Education Programming ....................................................................... 16

Public Programming .................................................................................................. 16

Education Programming ........................................................................................... 18

Oshawa Historical Society ................................................................................... 19

Membership Services ................................................................................................ 19

Volunteers ........................................................................................................... 20

Minutes, Annual General Meeting....................................................................... 21

Personnel............................................................................................................. 23

Board of Directors & Standing Committees .............................................................. 23

Staff ........................................................................................................................... 25

In memory of Murray MacKay ................................................................................... 28

Financial Report .................................................................................................. 29

Special Gifts & Memorial (Bequest) Fund ................................................................... 29

Henry House Bequest Fund (Endowment) .................................................................. 29

Volunteer Award Investments (Brick Fund) .................................................................. 30

Society Income & Expenses ...................................................................................... 30

2012 - 2015 Exhibition Schedule ......................................................................... 31


2011 At A Glance…


Your President’s Report

I am pleased to report that 2011 and now the beginning of 2012 has been another banner year for the Oshawa Historical Society. Our membership continues to grow and we see new faces at most of our meetings which seems to indicate that our love of local history is continuing to be contagious. It has been especially gratifying to see a slightly younger crowd starting to take part in our meetings and events which should help to ensure a healthy future for the Society.

A great deal of credit goes to our staff for moving us steadily into the social media age while still making sure that those of us who like to have more traditional ways of communicating such as hardcopy newsletters are taken care of. Our speaker series continues to be very compelling, and there has been a great variety of topics and themes. The museum displays and special events have also been very interesting and popular, and it has been especially encouraging to see so many families out to museum activities and events. Our staff members sure know what people like and how to keep them coming. Those who have been filling in for others on maternity leave have certainly learned their craft well and carry on a fine tradition of quality events and activities. This year I would like to make a special mention of the outreach work that our staff members have been undertaking in the community. From the local history classes that have been offered in local schools and seniors centres to the excellent work that has been done in partnership with Trent University and other post-secondary institutions, the Oshawa Historical Society and its Museum and Archives have added several new dimensions to how our community members can enjoy and celebrate local history. I hear from friends in the community how much they enjoy the local history classes and what a great opportunity they are for people to share their own stories and recollections. This also presents some opportunities for staff to capture and share that oral history which is so important to capture. I have also enjoyed seeing so many of you attending the Trent archeological dig at Henry House as well as the open house at their new campus and lab where we got to experience what they found up close and personal. Touching the artifacts and hearing how the students did their research was exciting for both the Society members and the students themselves. This type of experience helps them to appreciate what they are learning and why it is so important. We look forward to even more to come over the next summer.


I am also pleased that thanks to a government grant, our facilities are now much more accessible and barrier free to ensure that all of our citizens and visitors can experience the Museum more fully. The work was also done with a great deal of care and planning to ensure that the historical integrity of the buildings was preserved. Congratulations to all who were involved, staff, volunteers, contractors and City staff. Every year our facilities are becoming more and more attractive to visitors. At the Lamplight Tour we even had international visitors who were in town from Nepal. We may need to consider multi-lingual audio guides for the future! Ahead of us lies the Waterfront Redevelopment Plan which is under development and which promises a renewed focus on Lakeview Park and what it has to offer. Mayor John Henry has been a frequent visitor at our special events and a supporter, and I thank him for his continued support and active interest in the Society and our operations. I look forward to the Oshawa Historical Society being an active agent in developing the future of Oshawa and its waterfront and being a part of cultural preservation and celebration that will continue to make Oshawa and Durham Region a destination of choice and a great place to raise a family. If you support our vision and enjoy what our staff members have been delivering, even those who work in the background to keep things in good repair and well presented, and especially all of our hardworking volunteers, please let us and them know your thoughts. Also consider a more active role for yourself in recruiting more members to share our joy or becoming a volunteer or donor yourself to enhance your membership experience. Thank you to all of our members, Board Members, volunteers, funders, staff and the general public for your continued confidence and support of the Oshawa Historical Society and its programs. A special thanks to all of our generous donors who help us to take on extra projects and make special acquisitions, such as our acquisition of the grand portrait of Granny Cock and her (its) restoration. Merle Cole President, Oshawa Historical Society


Executive Director’s Report In 2010 the Oshawa Historical Society established the core values that guide the Museum’s service and practice. These values (respected, pro-active outreach, inclusive, education, purposeful presentation and diligence) influence how we do business on an everyday basis. Our 2011 Business and Action Plan provided a clear direction for our Museum, and I am proud to say we have continued to be proactive and seek new ways to manage and disseminate our knowledge. Increased engagement was accomplished this year by making an ever increasing number of artifact records available and viewable online. To help us meet the expectations of our visitors, we introduced self-guided and French language tour options as well as the opportunity to engage with our Curator at exhibit openings. We increased our use of social media adding foursquare and Twitter to our Facebook and blog sites. We also continue to foster partnerships with other groups and organizations that allow us to serve the community in new ways. We were pleased to work with Trent University, Oshawa on an archaeological excavation to explore the settlement history of Henry House. A youth group was also started with the South Oshawa Community Centre and I am looking forward to exciting projects from them. The Board continued to promote good governance practices to ensure efficient and effective management of the Museum. We were successful in receiving a number of grants which allowed us to pursue special projects including Enabling Accessibility Program (accessibility upgrades), a Special Project Grant from Community Museum Operating Grant (digitization studio) and a Social Media Grant with our heritage partners. We are committed to building on our successes by holding true to our values as we define new ways to engage with our audience. To all the members, visitors, donors, sponsors and supporters, I thank you for your strong endorsement and invite you to watch out for what we have planned in 2012.


Operating Highlights The OCMA remains the only museum in Oshawa with a mandate to present and preserve the history of the entire City. Our operating highlights for the year 2011 reflect the varied work we performed: Objective: Continue to improve public knowledge and understanding of the importance and value of the Oshawa Community Museum and the work we do.

Actions Accomplishments 1. Continue to build and

refine the collection as per the Collections Management Policy

• Provincial Museum Standards met • All new artifacts are documented • New acquisitions digitized and uploaded to PastPerfect • Time allotted for collection management

2. Communicate knowledge and information through various means of access

• Vaudeville exhibit booklet produced • Updated blogs to reflect collection and research focus • Over 1800 photos uploaded • Over 15,200 collection records digitized, viewable and researchable online

• Continued to increase use of social media including website, blog, foursquare, Twitter and Facebook

3. Offer new ways to engage with the collection

• Offered two Curator tours of exhibits • Self guided and French language tours offered • Offered some Saturday openings

4. Improve quality of public knowledge and understanding of the Museum

• Updated website with Board and Strategic Direction material

5. Develop plans for research and presentations of collections

• Henry House, Olive French and John Dickie research projects started

• Hosted Voices of the Town: History of Vaudeville exhibit • Demill Ladies College research continued


Objective: Continue to reach out to the community through dynamic partnerships, networks and alliances

Actions Accomplishments 1. Continue strong program

of partnerships

• Feature exhibit Voices of the Town: Vaudeville in Canada

• Vaudeville exhibit booklet produced • Partnership with Trent for Historical Archaeology • Initiated Durham Region Archives group • Downtown walking tour available online, developed in partnership with the Oshawa Public Library (OPL) and the Robert McLaughlin Gallery (RMG)

2. Share expertise and knowledge through partnerships, networks and publications

• 2 exhibits developed for City Hall • 4 newsletters and 1 Annual Report produced • Social Media partnership with York-Durham Association of Museums & Archives (YDAMA)

• Exhibits prepared for RMG, OPL and Legislative Assembly • Trent University Historical Archaeology partnership

Continue to manage the OCM in a responsible manner to ensure resources are effectively utilized and directed.

Actions Accomplishments 1. Continue good

governance practices to ensure effective and efficient management.

• Audit completed in May 2011 • Reviewed human resource, Interpretation / Education, Research and Collection Management policies for compliance with provincial Museum Standards

• Finance and Performance reports prepared for the Board on a monthly basis

2. Continue to promote workplace where staff are productive, satisfied and well equipped

• Number of staff training hours: 80 • Number of staff training days: 18 • All legislative and professional requirements met

3. Continue to seek additional sources of revenues through various means

• Successfully applied to Summer Job Creation Program and Young Canada Works

• Awarded Enabling Accessibility Program grant for accessibility upgrades to the Museum and Park gazebo

• Successfully met requirements for Community Museum Operating Grant (CMOG)

• Awarded additional CMOG project grant for digitization studio

• Social Media grant awarded as part of YDAMA initiative


Mandate and Governance

Mandate The Oshawa Historical Society was founded in 1957 and is an affiliate of the Ontario Historical Society. The purpose of the Oshawa Historical Society is to bring together those individuals interested in the diverse historical aspects of Oshawa and to research, record, retain, preserve and present historical information pertaining to the Oshawa area. The objectives of the Society are:

• Encourage the study and research of the history of Oshawa. • Secure and preserve an accurate account of the historical, architectural and

archaeological heritage of Oshawa. • Promote public interest in the history of Oshawa. • Maintain, as an agent of the City of Oshawa, a community museum and

archives as a repository for artifacts and written records of historical interest to Oshawa.

Governance The Oshawa Historical Society’s governing body is its Board Of Directors whose nine members were elected by the membership at the Annual General Meeting held in April. The role of the Board is to set policy and direction and to provide guidance to the staff of the Oshawa Community Museum and Archives as well as pursuing the mandate of the Historical Society and representing the interests of its members in the community. Standing and ad-hoc committees assist the Board in their duties. These committees report to the Board and bring important matters to the Board for discussion and direction. The Standing Committees are: Finance and Audit Committee, Governance Committee and Human Resources Committee. The day-to-day operations of the Oshawa Community Museum and Archives and the Oshawa Historical Society are the responsibility of the professional staff under the direction of the Executive Director.


Highlights & Events

January • Outreach Presentation: History of Oshawa,

Cedarcroft Place Retirement Residence • Robinson House hosted the wedding of Visitor

Experience Co-ordinator, Jillian Passmore • History of Oshawa Class, Oshawa Senior Citizen’s

Centre (OSCC) • OHS Meeting:

Darryl Withrow, 1837 Rebellion Memento Boxes

• Education Program: Day in the Life of a Victorian Child

February • Outreach Presentation: History of Oshawa,

Extendicare Oshawa • Hosted a birthday party • Outreach Presentation: General Stores,

Cedarcroft Place Retirement Residence • OHS Meeting: Ron Brown, From Queenston to Kingston: The Hidden Heritage of Lake Ontario's Shoreline

• Open Family Day for tours • Hosted a Victorian Tea • Participated in Heritage Week at the Oshawa

Centre • History of Oshawa Class, OSCC March • Education Program: Candle making

presentation and tour • Laura and Melissa attended the designation of

the Regent Theatre • Outreach Presentation: Mourning After,

Cedarcroft Place Retirement Residence • Jill attended the Durham Region Association for

Volunteer Administration (DRAVA) Conference at the Jubilee Pavilion

• Gave tours during March Break • Outreach Presentation: History of Oshawa,

Extendicare Oshawa

March Continued • Jennifer G.

joined the staff of the OCMA as an interpreter

• OHS Meeting: Dorothy Duncan, Feasting and Fasting

• History of Oshawa Class, OSCC

• Candle making presentation and tour • Jill attended the iMuseum Symposium,

Harbourfront Centre • Jill attended a Garden Workshop, Parkwood • Education Program: Candle making

presentation and tour April • Participated in Archives Awareness Week • Hosted two birthday parties • Outreach Presentation: Mourning After,

Extendicare Oshawa • Laura and Melissa attended the CMA

Conference • OHS Meeting: Annual General Meeting, April

Cullen, Adelaide House

OHS President Merle Cole and Past President Stoney Kudel at April’s AGM

Rebellion Boxes at the January OHS Meeting

Dorothy Duncan and Members at the March OHS Meeting


May • Voices of the Town: Vaudeville in Canada, travelling exhibit from the Peterborough Museum and Archives, opened

• Along with the Jubilee Pavilion, the OCMA hosted the 2011 Durham Region Heritage Fair and ran two workshops

• Member’s Preview for Voices of the Town • Mother’s Day Tea • Education Program: Digging up the Past • Participated at Trash or Treasures, OPL • Hosted a birthday party • OHS Meeting: Melissa Cole, Oshawa’s Theatrical History

• Laura and Melissa attend the Lunch for the Arts • Education Program: Vaudeville Drama • Hosted a Victorian Tea • Harbour Pioneer Cemetery Tour June • Participated at Swing into Summer Senior’s Fest,

Memorial Park • Hosted three birthday parties • Participated at the Children’s Community Fair,

Memorial Park • Union Cemetery Tour • Outreach Presentation: History of Cedardale,

OSCC, Conant Branch • Attended a reception at Trent University • Education Program: Day in the Life of a Victorian Child

• Participated at Métis Celebration, Memorial Park

• Jennifer attended the ACA Copyright Workshop & Conference

• Victoria rejoined the staff of the OCMA as an interpreter

July • Happy Canada Day! Open for tours on Canada

Day • Completed

renovations to pathways to make Henry, Guy and Robinson Houses accessible

• Hosted three birthday parties

• Museum Tour • Melissa attended a YDAMA workshop • Victorian Tea in Henry House Gardens • Hosted Lululemon for yoga in Henry House

Gardens • Vaudeville Drama Day Camp • Program: Day in the Life of a Victorian Child

August • Digging up the Past Day Camp (three days) • Digging up Oshawa’s Past, Trent University

begins an archaeological excavation of Henry House Gardens

• Hosted the Kiwanis Club for a meeting and tour of Voices of the Town

• Victorian Tea

Councillor John Aker, Prof. Helen Haines, Laura Suchan and Councillor Bob Chapman during Henry House Excavation

Voices of the Town in Robinson House

Henry House on Canada Day


September • Tour of the Museum, Mary Morton Tours • Union Cemetery Tour • History of Oshawa Class, OSCC • Hosted a Museum Tour for new staff of the City

of Oshawa • OHS Meeting: Jillian Passmore, Early Education in Oshawa

• Melissa attended a YDAMA workshop • Participated in Doors Open Oshawa

October • History of Oshawa Class, OSCC • Participated in Culture Days 2011 • Union Cemetery Tour, Trent University students • Opening of Milk Stories: Remembering the Oshawa Dairies

• OHS Meeting: Sonya Jones, Oshawa Leisure, 100 years ago

• Jillian begins her maternity leave; Lisa begins role as Visitor Experience Co-ordinator, Victoria begins as Programs Assistant

• Member’s Preview for Milk Stories • Hosted two birthday parties • Annual Halloween

at the Harbour event, with D&D Exotics, Spirit Matters and Sandy Dale, face painting, participating

• Outreach Presentation: Farewell Cemetery, OPL, Jess Hann Branch

• Outreach Presentation: Mourning After, OPL, McLaughlin Branch

• Melissa and Laura participate in Day of Remembrance at the Regent Theatre

• Outreach Presentation: Primary Source Documents, St. Joseph’s Catholic Elementary School

November • History of Oshawa Class, OSCC • Staff attended OMA conference, presenting on

the archaeological excavation • Hosted Humber College students, filming at

Henry House • Madison joined the staff of the OCMA as an

interpreter • Outreach Presentation: Stories from the Homefront, Extendicare Oshawa

• Tour of Museum, Oshawa Community Health Centre, South Oshawa Teen Council

• OHS Meeting: Lisa Terech, Samantha George, John Dickie, RS McLaughlin’s Philanthropy

• Melissa attended a YDAMA conference • Education Program: Local Traditions • Outreach Presentation: Archaeology in Oshawa, OPL, McLaughlin Branch

• Melissa, Laura and Victoria attend Art of Transition at UOIT

• Open House at Trent University for Henry House Archaeological Excavation

December • Holiday Tours at the Museum • Participated at the Deck the Halls event at the

Oshawa Northview Community Centre • Christmas Tour, Candle making and pen and

ink writing demonstrations • Hosted two birthday parties • Annual Lamplight Tour • Participated at a Volunteer/Career Fair at

Monsignor John Pereyma Catholic Secondary School

• Christmas Tour, Candle making demonstration • Christmas Victorian Teas • Education Program: Local Traditions

Making seed wreaths at Halloween at the Harbour

Member’s viewing artifacts found during the Henry House excavation at Trent University


Curator’s Report Collection Highlights The Museum received several interesting and wonderful artifact donations from a number of patrons in 2011. Here is a glance at some of the highlights of items acquired by the Museum over the year:

• Oshawa & Beatons Dairy tokens, bottles, milk caps and a bowl from the Home Dairy Co.

• Victorian Walnut ¾ bed made by the Gibbs furniture factory – owned by the Gibbs/Bond families.

• Smith Potteries Lamp • Canadian Army Respirator • Scale from Cooper-Smith in Oshawa • Various plates with Oshawa Church Scenes • Extensive collection of CNR and GTR railway items from along

the Oshawa line. We would like to thank all of our donors for making a contribution to the preservation of Oshawa’s history. Your commitment will help us preserve our community’s heritage for future generations. The OCM is proud to offer new ways of engaging with the collection online! In the spring of 2011, the Museum launched the virtual collection that is available online for research and viewing. You can visit our virtual collection at http://oshawa.pastperfect-online.com/ Please remember this site contains only portions of the OCM’s Collection Database. More images and records will be added over time. The Museum received one travelling exhibit through the course of 2011 from the Peterborough Museum and Archives entitled Voices of the Town: Vaudeville in Canada. This display also featured Oshawa’s theatrical history – did you know that in the 1930s, Ernie Marks, one of Canada’s seven Marks Brothers, was the mayor of Oshawa? In the fall of 2011, Milk Stories: Remembering the Oshawa Dairies officially opened to our largest members’ preview with 50 members and guests in attendance including our Mayor John Henry! Four outreach exhibits were created for our community partners including the Art in Transition Symposium, Legislative Assembly of Ontario (Smith Potteries Display) Oshawa United Services – Festival of Remembrance for the Inaugural event at the Regent Theatre, and we had a display of Victorian Clothing at the RMG. Along with this display I gave a talk on Mother’s Day at the RMG entitled, Victorian Clothing an Oshawa Perspective. The Museum has a great line-up of exhibits planned for 2012. During May, which is Museum Month, The Sea Shanty: Exploring Oshawa’s Relationship with Lake Ontario exhibit will open. Watch for more details in our quarterly newsletter, Historical Happenings.


Archives Report The Archives worked to bring together a group of local archives and history resources which became the Durham Region area Archives Group. The group is working towards making the history of Durham Region easier to research. To this end, we have produced a website informing the public what information can be found at each site, and we maintain a Facebook page and a Twitter account that update our followers on local history topics as well as general history topics. The Archives provided research support for the Milk Stories exhibit, researching the history of the local dairies and finding photographs in the collection to use throughout the exhibit. The Archives researched the history of Lot #7 Broken Front Concession. This research was part of the application process to gain approval for the archaeological dig and field school partnership with Trent University. This initial research, along with the planned book on the history of Henry House, has lead to continuing research into the history of the Henry family and the House. This project is ongoing into 2012. Collections management focused on digitizing the oversized photograph collection as well as culling the file boxes. The Archives also wrote a MAP (Museums Assistance Program) Grant to assist with the purchase of a new mobile shelving unit for the storage room. We hope to find out if our application was successful some time in April. Our partnership with the Oshawa Express newspaper continued with articles written by staff. In particular, Archivist Jennifer Weymark wrote bi-weekly articles on a variety of topics, including Oshawa’s dairies, the War of 1812, and one based on the research into the history of Lot #7 BF Concession.

We were also fortunate enough to purchase Christmas Cards sent home from Earl Hann to his family while he was overseas in Italy during World War II.


Sponsors & Donors

Donors in 2011 The Oshawa Community Museum and Archives would like to extend our thanks to the following individuals and businesses for their support during 2011:

• Anonymous • Francis & Pearl Cooper • Sandra Gaskell

• Ted Hann • Marlene Malish

The following individuals donated to the Museum in memory of Murray MacKay, and for that we would like to extend our sincerest thanks.

• Sandra Anderson • David Andrews • Anonymous • Frank & Penny Bannister • Keith & June Buchanan • Lions Club • Ted & Fanny Collis • Judith A. Cook • Francis & Pearl Cooper • Mary & Joe D'Addario • Lisa & Giuseppe D'Annunzio • Janet Dowson • Jeff Elik • Christa Fleury • AWCCU Fruit & Flower Fund

• William & Robin Galbraith • Sandra Gaskell • Ted Hann • Ronald & Irene Hele • Marlene Malish • Janet & Dave McGill • Jim Richards • Raymond & Tammy Robinson • Lorne & Marianne Sellick • Donna & Mike Shields • Angela Siebarth • Ray Smith • Ron & Eleanor Templer • Harry Tresise • Kirstie Wagland

Sponsors in 2011 The following sponsors assisted with various special events at the Oshawa Community Museum and Archives during 2011:

• Robert Bell • Lisa Cooper & Family • D & D Exotics • Janet Dowson • The Lions Club of North Oshawa • Ontario Power Generation

• Oshawa Harbour Commission • Robert McLaughlin Gallery, Thomas

Bouckley Collection of Photographs • Suchan & McQuaid Financial Services • Stephen Young

Community Partnership in 2011 Throughout the year, the Museum worked with the following groups on various projects:

• City of Oshawa – Art and History Committee

• Durham Region Area Archives Group • Lululemon • Oshawa Camera Club • Oshawa Community Health Centre • Oshawa Express

• Oshawa Public Libraries: McLaughlin Branch

• Oshawa Seniors’ Camera Club • Oshawa United Services • Robert McLaughlin Gallery • Trent University, Oshawa Campus • York-Durham Association of

Museums and Archives


Garden Brick Program In 2011 the Museum re-launched the Garden Brick fundraiser. For a tax deductible donation of $50, the Museum had the names of recipients engraved on a brick that was placed in the Henry House Heritage Herb Garden. A special thank you to Mona Peters and Terry Palmer who together donated $150.00 and had 3 bricks added to our garden pathways.

Education Award Recipients The 2011 awards were as follows: Monsignor Paul Dwyer Catholic High School .......................................... Tiffany Harrington G.L. Roberts School of Environment ............................................................... Cristen Smith O’Neill CVI ............................................................................................... Meaghan Turner Awards were also sponsored at the following schools. The names of the recipients were not known at the time of printing. Maxwell Heights Secondary School R.S. McLaughlin CVI Monsignor John Pereyma Catholic Secondary School Eastdale CVI


Public & Education Programming

Public Programming The Programming Department had a busy year at the Museum and out in the community during 2011! We attended numerous events across Oshawa and Durham Region, including Heritage Oshawa’s Heritage Week Display at the Oshawa Centre, Swing Into Summer, Children's Community Fair, and Métis Celebration at Memorial Park. We also participated in Doors Open Oshawa and Culture Days at the Museum. We visited a number of community groups for outreach presentations ranging from Stories of the Homefront, to The Mourning After to Archaeology; 6 groups and over 200 attendees. The Museum produced 149 hours of public programming and outreach in 2011 with over 3,000 participants.

On Family Day and over March Break, staff led tours of the site for nearly 50 visitors. Two summer camp programs were offered: a Vaudeville Day Camp in July, and a three-day Archaeology camp in August, and they were attended by 7 and 14 children, respectively. This year, Victorian Teas were offered near Mother’s Day, Christmas and throughout July and August. Teas have also been a popular option for private parties throughout the year. For the low price of $10 for adults, $5 for children and $8 for Members of the Oshawa Historical Society, guests

were treated to a light lunch of sandwiches, scones, desserts and tea followed by a guided tour of the Museum by a costumed interpreter. In 2011, 167 people attended the teas. The Museum has been actively increasing its profile through social media. Throughout 2011, we have maintained a Facebook fan page, a Twitter account, a foursquare account and several blogs. Participation through these social media channels totalled 567 followers (Twitter/Facebook/foursquare) and 2,079 blog views as of early January 2012. We hope to expand our presence online throughout 2012!

Interpreter Ashley at Halloween at the Harbour’s popular “Goo Guts and Gore” station

Aspiring thespians in the Henry House Gardens, participating in July’s Vaudeville Drama Camp


Museum Programming Statistics, 2011

Month Casual Tours Partner

Events/Outreach Archives Museum

Events Community

Groups School Groups

(# of People) In Out # In Out #

January 38 12 0 27 80 40 98 6 80 18 3

February 94 21 217 26 160 31 96 7 0 0 0

March 227 40 0 34 43 53 72 8 69 0 1

April 155 16 8 19 51 33 18 4 0 0 0

May 195 12 190 29 64 23 105 4 38 0 2

June 665 51 375 2 1 47 465 8 11 30 2

July 1290 52 431 6 29 59 0 5 0 0 0

August 992 116 230 0 87 25 0 1 0 0 0

September 335 17 464 14 111 45 0 2 0 23 1

October 478 21 261 23 370 25 112 9 0 238 2

November 149 14 140 14 64 22 293 5 10 440 4

December 401 9 0 7 240 57 80 3 49 83 2

Total 5019 381 2316 201 1300 460 1339 62 257 832 17

Comparison: 2010-2011

Month Casual Tours Partner

Events/Outreach Archives Museum

Events Community

Groups School Groups

(# of People) In Out # In Out #

Total 2010 4967 442 1970 172 770 507 386 52 242 390 16

Total 2011 5019 381 2316 201 1300 460 1339 62 257 832 17 Difference: 2011-2010 52 -61 346 29 530 -47 953 10 15 442 1


Education Programming The Programming Department was busy in 2011, offering many diverse programs to educators. Classes came in to view the Voices of the Town exhibit and they put on their own vaudeville style show; grade three children learned to make butter, candles, plant herbs and scrub laundry the pioneer way! Grade five classes made pinch pots and wrote stories using native pictographs after visiting the Archaeology in Oshawa gallery, and a number of classes came through the Museum at Christmas time to partake in the Local Traditions program. We have exciting education programs in development, specifically to tie into the Sea Shanties exhibit, and we anticipate that they will be ready for delivery in early to mid 2012. The Museum’s collection of education artifacts, which are organized into different kits by theme and available to educators by way of loan, were a popular option for teachers this school year, as in the past. A number of the education artifacts have been placed throughout the exhibits as interactive stations for visitors on tour through Robinson and Henry Houses.

The annual Durham Region Heritage Fair was a highlight of last spring, with the Museum and the Jubilee Pavilion playing host to the number of schools which participated. The Museum gave tours of Henry House for families during the adjudication process, and the following day we gave two workshops: working with primary sources and cemetery studies.

Students performing a vaudevillian style sketch

Primary sources workshop at the 2011 Durham Region Heritage Fair


Oshawa Historical Society Members of the Oshawa Historical Society were treated to interesting speakers and fortunate to have many new faces out to their monthly meetings. Meetings are held on the third Tuesday of every month at 7 p.m., except June, July, August and December, and typically take place at the McLaughlin Branch of the Oshawa Public Library. Featured speakers for 2011 and meeting attendance:

Date Speaker Topic Members Non-Members

Total (estimate)

Jan 18 Darryl Withrow 1837 Rebellion Memento Boxes +/-36 19 +/-55 Feb 15 Ron Brown From Queenston to Kingston: The

Hidden Heritage of Lake Ontario's Shoreline

+/-47 +/-100 +/-150

Mar 15 Dorothy Duncan Feasting and Fasting 39 4 43 Apr 19 April Cullen Adelaide House +/-46 5 +/-51 May 17 Melissa Cole Oshawa’s Theatrical History 39 0 39 Sep 20 Jillian Passmore Early Education in Oshawa 31 0 31 Oct 11 Sonya Jones* Oshawa leisure, 100 years ago 30 3 33 Nov 15 Lisa Terech,

Samantha George Research Symposium: John Dickie, Parkwood

+/-42 +/-12 54

*The Dunlops, from ASI, were going to be presenting the Hangman’s Grave – Don Jail Archaeological Investigation, but had to reschedule. Sonya Jones presented in their absence. The Dunlops were rescheduled for January 2012.

Membership Services In addition to assisting in the preservation of Oshawa’s history, being a member of the Oshawa Historical Society offers: free admission to the monthly Speaker Series, addressing a variety of heritage topics; the Society newsletter Historical Happenings; free admission to the Oshawa Community Museum; a 15% discount at the Museum Shop; and, early notice of historic tours and special events sponsored by the Society. As of December 31, 2011, the total number of Society memberships was 133 with 36 new memberships throughout the year. Membership Fees: Individual $20 Family $25 Student $5 Friends of the Society $60 ($40 tax receipt) Life $300 ($200 tax receipt) * PLEASE NOTE: After the 2011 AGM, new members who do not provide an email address for e-newsletters had their membership fees increased by $5. This DOES NOT apply to those who were members prior to the 2011 AGM.

Membership Breakdown of 2011 Individual ............................... 64 Family .................................... 36 Friends of the Society .............. 1 Community .............................. 1 Corporate ................................ 1 Life ......................................... 13 Complimentary ..................... 17 (Volunteer/City Council/Reciprocal) Total Membership .............. 133


Volunteers The Museum had a fantastic group of volunteers in 2011. They spent countless hours helping in the garden, in the collection and archives, on tours, baking for Victorian Teas, and helping with children’s programs. The 2011 Earl Hann Volunteer of the Year award recipient was Pat Davies. Throughout 2011, she accumulated 92.5 hours helping Jennifer in the Archives, and her dedication and enthusiasm was unrivalled. In addition, Karen Albrecht dedicated 56 programming hours to the Museum, and for that, her name was put forth as a nominee by the Oshawa Community Museum for the Ontario Medal for Young Volunteers. At our Annual General Meeting in April, we commemorated Uwe Schneider as our recipient of the Earl Hann Volunteer of the Year for 2010. We continued to partner with the Durham Region Association of Volunteer Administrators, began a youth partnership with the Oshawa Community Health Centre, and brought six new volunteers on board! Thank you to the following volunteers for all of your assistance throughout 2011! 2011 Volunteers Karen Albrecht Tyler Angi Dylon Angi Mary Ellen Cole Pat Davies Gale D'Souza Jacqueline Frank Sharon Henderson Kathryn Holden Christine Hutcheson Dorothy Kitchen Peter Martin Lisa Mercier Kay Murray Shawn Perron Alex Riorden Susanne Sutton Erika Suchan

Programs Assistant Lisa Terech (right) with 2010’s top hour earner, Pat Davies (left), who accumulated 103.25 hours working in the archives through 2010

Staff member Victoria, left, volunteer Karen, right, and three visitors during Doors Open Oshawa in September


Minutes, Annual General Meeting Held on Tuesday, April 19, 2011, in the Auditorium of the McLaughlin Branch of the Oshawa Public Library, 65 Bagot Street, Oshawa at 7:00 p.m. 1/ Welcome: Merle Cole, President of the Board, called to order the 53rd Annual General Meeting of the Oshawa Historical Society, and drew attention to last year’s minutes printed in the back of the Annual Report.

2/ Motion was called to accept the Minutes of the April 20, 2010 Annual General Meeting as distributed. Moved by Josephine Geraghty; seconded by Brian Gough. CARRIED.

3/ Merle then asked the Membership to review the information contained in the 2010 Annual Report. He noted that the full audit of the financial report is available upon request. Motion was called to adopt the 2010 Annual Report as written. Moved by Dorothy Kitchen; seconded by Linda Bazowsky. CARRIED

4/ Merle called upon David Dowsley to present the Nomination Committee report. Motion was called, “That the report of the Nominating Committee be approved and the following nine candidates for the 2011 Board of Directors be elected by acclamation: John Beirness, Merle Cole, David Dowsley, Janet Dowson, Val Foster, Erin Gendron, Brian Gough, Jennifer Green, & Gary Challice. Moved by Gary Bazowsky, seconded by Brian Gough. CARRIED

5/ David welcomed the new Board of Directors for 2011, introducing those present. David then called upon Stoney Kudel, retiring as the Past President of the Board, to come forward. David presented a card to Stoney & thanked him for his years of service on the Board.

6/ Merle then called upon Janet Dowson, Treasurer. Motion was called “to reappoint Deloitte and Touche as auditors for 2011”. Moved by Armour Hanna; seconded by Susanne Sutton. CARRIED.

7/ Merle then called on Lisa Terech, Programming Assistant, who announced that Uwe Schneider will be the recipient of the 2011 Earl Hann volunteer award, and his name will be added to the plaque in the Verna Conant Gallery.

8/ Merle then asked Lisa to present volunteer recognition awards as follows:

(i) Membership Service pins were presented by Lisa to the following long standing members: 5 years – Tom Burnett, Ray Smith, Olivia & Scott Smith, Kathy Ranstead; 10 years – John Beirness 15 years – Jamie Crosmas, Frank & Pearl Cooper, Mary Smith


(ii) Volunteer Certificates were presented to Melanie Abrey, Pat Davies (103.25

hours in archives), Jacqueline Frank, Sharon Henderson, Kathryn Holden, Dorothy Kitchen, Peter Martin, Kay Murray, Uwe Schneider, Cheryl Seltzer, Irene Stone, and Susanne Sutton.

9/ Merle called for a Motion to adjourn the 53rd Annual General Meeting of the Oshawa Historical Society. Moved by David Dowsley; Seconded by John Beirness. CARRIED.


Personnel

Board of Directors & Standing Committees The OCMA is administered by the Oshawa Historical Society through a duly elected Board of Directors as an agent for the City of Oshawa. The Constitution and By-Laws of the Oshawa Historical Society detail the election process and the roles and responsibilities of the Board. The Board consists of nine members elected annually at the Annual General Meeting by the Oshawa Historical Society. Board of Directors and Standing Committees 2011

Merle Cole President The President is an ex-officio member of all committees Retired from the Federal Public Service, Merle enjoys travel, photography and his family. He attributes his interest in local history to his wife Mary Ellen.

John Beirness Vice President Governance Committee (Chair)

Janet Dowson Treasurer& Acting Secretary Finance and Audit Committee (Chair) A Life member of the Oshawa Historical Society, Janet has served on the Board of Directors for a number of years in capacities of: Treasurer, Secretary, Finance & Audit Committee and Human Resources Committee. Born and raised in Oshawa, Janet has a keen, natural interest in preserving Oshawa’s history. Retired from the City of Oshawa’s Human Resources Branch, Janet continues to enjoy helping people as a realtor at the Oshawa branch of Urban Landmark Realty.


David Dowsley HR Committee Chair Human Resources Committee (Chair) Finance and Audit Committee A former teacher in Oshawa, David Dowsley has served on the Oshawa Historical Board as treasurer. He is a member of the Finance and Audit Committee and is currently chair of the Human Resources Committee.

Jennifer Green Director at Large Human Resources Committee

Brian Gough Director at Large Human Resources Committee Brian has served on the Board of Directors since 2000. He is now retired from municipal government and is keenly interested in preserving community and military history and transport.

Erin Gendron Membership Secretary Erin has managed fundraising, communications, and records management programs in non-profit, corporate, and government organizations. She is in her final year of the Master of Information (Archives) program at the University of Toronto.

No Photos Val Foster Director at Large Gary Challice Director at Large


Staff Executive Director, Laura Suchan 905.436.7624 ext 104 [email protected]

Laura has been employed at the Museum for 23 years and is responsible for the day-to-day administration of the Museum. She has a Bachelor of Science (Honours) degree from Trent University majoring in Anthropology and a Master of Arts degree from York University in History. Archivist, Jennifer Weymark 905.436.7624 ext 100 [email protected]

Jennifer has been employed at the Museum since September 1999 and is responsible for the administration and presentation of the Museum’s archival collection. She has a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) degree from Trent University, a Museum Management and Curatorship Certificate from Sir Sandford Fleming College and a Master Degree in Museum Studies from Leicester University. Curator, Melissa Cole 905.436.7624 ext 103 [email protected]

Melissa joined the staff in August 2000 and is responsible for the administration and presentation of the Museum’s collection of artifacts. She has a Bachelor of Art (Honours) degree in Anthropology from Trent University and a Museum Management and Curatorship Certificate from Sir Sandford Fleming College. Visitor Experience Co-ordinators, Jillian Passmore, Lisa Terech 905.436.7624 ext 106 [email protected]

Jillian has been employed at the Museum since September 2002 and is responsible for the planning, monitoring and evaluation, as well as the design, fabrication and delivery of tours and activities to ensure visitor experience is positive, engaging and meaningful. As part of her duties Jill manages the volunteers, gift shop and Henry House garden. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Brock University majoring in History and Classical Studies. She began a maternity leave in October 2011. Lisa started with the Museum in 2007 as a volunteer and joined the staff in October 2010. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in History (Honours) and Canadian Studies (General) from Wilfrid Laurier University and a Museum Management and Curatorship Certificate from Sir Sandford Fleming College. She is the acting Visitor Experience Co-ordinator while Jillian is on maternity leave, and she is responsible for the planning, monitoring and evaluation, as well as the design, fabrication and delivery of tours and activities. As part of her duties, Lisa manages the volunteers, co-ordinates the Oshawa Historical Society membership, manages the gift shop and the Henry House garden.


Program Assistant, Victoria Michalowsky 905.436.7624 ext 106 [email protected] (email for Jillian as Visitor Experience Co-ordinator and Victoria as Program Assistant while Jillian is on maternity leave)

Victoria started at the Museum as a summer student in 2007 and continued each summer until her graduation from the Studio Arts program (Honours) at the University of Guelph in 2010. Victoria rejoined the staff in June 2011 and is now acting as Program Assistant while Lisa is covering Jillian’s maternity leave. She is responsible for assisting with public programming, tours, events and art projects around the Museum. Interpreter, Jennifer Goodine Jennifer started at the Museum in March 2011. She is a graduate of the Queen's University Drama and Concurrent Education programs and brings extensive historical tour and drama experience with her (Haunted Walk of Kingston; Pickering Museum Village's Christmas programs). Jennifer's duties at the Museum include leading tours, running programs, and helping with all things dramatic. Jennifer is the lead Drama and Musical Theatre teacher at Pickering High School in Ajax, a member of the Council of Ontario Drama and Dance Educators (CODE) Committee, and is the Chair of the 2012 CODE Conference, Think Global: Drama and Dance. Interpreter, Madison Cawker Madison joined the Museum staff in 2011. She has a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Film Studies from Ryerson University and is hoping to soon pursue a diploma in Arts Management from the University of Western Ontario. As an interpreter, Madison is responsible for providing tours and information about the many exhibits in the Museum. She has also recently taken on additional responsibilities as a Media Director by producing and editing short podcasts for the Museum. Maintenance, Wayne Rundell Wayne has been employed at the Museum since February 2009. He is responsible for maintaining the Museum’s physical facilities and takes a leading role in maintenance and exhibition projects.


2011 OCMA Staff

Back row: Laura, Jillian, Jennifer G., Madison, Jennifer W. Front row: Melissa, Victoria, Lisa Not pictured: Wayne


In memory of Murray MacKay Laura Suchan Originally published in Summer 2011 Historical Happenings

On March 18, 2011 Murray MacKay, long time employee of the Museum, passed away after a battle with cancer. I knew Murray for over 20 years and he became a very important part of our team. Murray had a wonderful sense of humour and his own way of expressing himself which led to some very humorous moments. He took great pride in his work and we knew we could always call on him to fix whatever was wrong or build whatever needed building. Although I will miss him I know his memory lives on in all that we do here at the Museum. Thank you to Murray’s family who asked for donations to be made to the Museum in his memory. Over $1,000 was raised and I will work with the Board to come up with an idea to remember Murray’s contributions. Murray was well loved by present and past staff members as well as members of the OHS.


Financial Report

Special Gifts & Memorial (Bequest) Fund This fund was established in 1990 and is financed entirely by contributions and bequests from individuals, organizations and businesses interested in the preservation of Oshawa’s history. The Special Gifts and Memorial Fund finance the work of the Society in preserving the history of Oshawa. The income earned from the fund is used towards projects that result in a tangible, permanent product and communicate a message regarding the history of Oshawa. Examples of the projects for funding include, but are not limited to, plaques, markers, books and videos. Donations in excess of $200 are recognized on a plaque located in Guy House. In 2011 Murray MacKay (in memoriam) was added to the plaque. The principal is invested in a TD Canada Trust Investment Certificate. Interest from the certificate is deposited annually in the Fund’s interest account. This investment is held at TD Canada Trust. Financial Statement Dec. 31, 2011 Balance $7,010 A copy of the administrative guideline may be obtained by contacting:

President Oshawa Historical Society 1450 Simcoe Street South

Oshawa, ON L1H 8S8

The 2011 auditor’s report completed by Deloitte and Touche is on file and available upon request.

Henry House Bequest Fund (Endowment) In 1973, the Society received a bequest of $2,000, the interest from this is to be used to finance projects that result in a tangible product and communicate a message regarding heritage of Oshawa through Henry House. Examples of eligible projects include, but are not limited to; design projects to enhance the period look of the house or the purchase of artifacts for the house. The principal is invested in a GIC with TD Canada Trust. The interest from the certificate is deposited annually in the fund’s interest account. Financial Statement Dec. 31, 2011 Balance $2,990


Volunteer Award Investments (Brick Fund) In 2007 an investment was started at DUCA Financial Services by Tedd Hann in memory of his uncle Earl Hann. The interest from the investment funds the purchase of a garden brick to commemorate the recipient of the Earl Hann Volunteer of the Year Award. Financial Statement Dec. 31, 2011 Balance $1,250

Society Income & Expenses The Society’s income is based on membership fees, 50/50 draws, fundraising and donations. The Society also received a heritage Organization Development Grant from the Province of Ontario. The majority of the expenses in 2011 were for speaker honorariums, history awards and auditorium rental. Total Income $3,167 Total Expenses $1,609


2012 - 2015 Exhibition Schedule

Opening May 2012 The Sea Shanty Exhibit: Exploring Oshawa’s Relationship with Lake

Ontario

2013 Tails from the Tracks: The Oshawa Railway

2014

Spring/Summer: Stories from the Collection Fall/Winter: Lace Up: Canada’s Passion for Skating

Travelling Exhibition from the Canadian Museum of Civilization

2015 The Return of Mourning After: The Victorian Celebration of Death


OSHAWA COMMUNITY MUSEUM & ARCHIVES 1450 Simcoe Street South Oshawa, ON L1H 8S8

Tel: 905-436-7624 Fax: 905-436-7625 Email: [email protected] Website: www.oshawamuseum.org www.oshawahistoricalsociety.org

Twitter: @OshawaMuseum Facebook: Oshawa Community Museum and Archives

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