Trent Valley Archives

10/28/2025

Although not fighting directly at the front lines, The Tin Hats were a Canadian Military Entertainment Unit that made a significant contribution to the Second World War, entertaining their fellow military personnel and lifting their spirits during hard times. Although their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren look back on their military service with pride, their story has been largely overlooked among the extensive history of Canada's involvement in the Second World War.

Fortunately, Ruth Stanley, author of "A Different Type of Bombshell: The Tin Hats Journey Through World War II" and "Ballads, Bombshells and Brotherhood: The Men Behind the Tin Hats Concert Party," has stepped forward to ensure that this remarkable group of entertainers has a lasting legacy. In both books, and in a forthcoming third book, she shares the experiences of her father and the other members of the Tin Hats as they travelled far and wide to entertain Canadian regiments, braving bombshells along the way.

Join us on Zoom on Thursday, November 6 at 7pm to hear Ruth tell the story of the Tin Hats and how she was able to uncover their unique brand of service, including what inspired her to write about this little-known aspect of Canadian military history, her research process, and the impact her work has had on other descendants of the Tin Hats.

This is a free, members-only event and you must be a member to view the presentation. If you are already a Trent Valley Archives member, you will have received an email last Sunday, October 26 with a link to register for the presentation (please register by the end of the day on Tuesday, November 4).

If you are not yet a Trent Valley Archives member, there's still time to become one and view what promises to be an interesting presentation! A single membership costs $60 a year and a family membership costs $75 a year. To learn more about our membership tiers and benefits or to purchase a membership, please visit the membership page on our website, here: https://trentvalleyarchives.com/membership/

10/17/2025

Tomorrow (October 18), we'll be participating in the Kawartha Branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society's Mini Genealogical and Historical Fair in celebration of their 50th Anniversary! The fair will be taking place at the main branch of the Peterborough Public Library from 2pm-5pm in the Friends of the Library Community Room in the Library's lower level.

We will have volunteers at our table at the fair to speak to you about who we are and what we do, as well as copies of some of our newest books for sale (including the Nine Ships Bicentennial Souvenir book, Yesteryear at Young's Point, Peterborough: Spirit of Place and From Whence They Came by the Irish Historical Geographer Christy Roche).

In addition to the fair, the Kawatha OGS will be giving a few presentations, drawing door prizes and serving cake and refreshments. You won't want to miss this special celebration!

09/26/2025

What inspired genealogist and Beyond the Ships' Lists tour guide Gillian Holden to research and write a tour themed around the descendants of the Peter Robinson Emigrants buried in St. Peter's Cemetery? Check out the interview Bicentennial Storyteller Teresa Kaszuba did with Gillian a few weeks before the tour first debuted during Nine Ships 1825's Bicentennial Commemoration Week.

If you missed the tour in August and want to learn more about some of the athletes, clergy, military personnel and more who are tied to the Peter Robinson Emigration, we are reprising it THIS SUNDAY September 28 at 2pm! Tickets cost $20 each and can be purchased on Eventbrite, here: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/beyond-the-ships-lists-st-peters-cemetery-tour-tickets-1681231662159?aff=oddtdtcreator

09/26/2025

The reprise of our popular Beyond the Ships Lists: The Peter Robinson Settlers and their Descendants St. Peter's Cemetery tour is THIS SUNDAY September 28 at 2pm! This is your final chance (this year, at least!) to learn more about the lives and legacies of some of the descendants of the original Peter Robinson emigrants at their final resting places. Tickets to this tour cost $20 each and can be purchased on Eventbrite, here: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/beyond-the-ships-lists-st-peters-cemetery-tour-tickets-1681231662159?aff=oddtdtcreator

If you need convincing to venture to St. Peter's Cemetery this weekend, check out these great photographs of some of the headstones featured on the tour that Nine Ships photographer Linda Cardona took during the tour on August 10!

09/21/2025

The reprise of our popular Beyond the Ships Lists: The Peter Robinson Settlers and their Descendants tour is just one week away! Join knowledgeable tour guide and genealogist Gillian Holden in St. Peter's Cemetery next Sunday, September 28 at 2pm for an unforgettable afternoon learning about the legacy left behind by the Peter Robinson Emigration to our region in 1825.

Spread out across North America, the descendants of the Peter Robinson Emigrants led diverse and interesting lives, many of them removed from the farming traditions of their ancestors. Some enlisted in the military, joined the clergy, or followed athletic pursuits like Francis "Moose" Heffernan, whose story is told in this video excerpt taken from Gillian's tour on August 10, during the Nine Ships 1825 Bicentennial Commemoration Week. Check out the video to learn about Frank's athletic accomplishments, and his family ties to the Robinson emigration.

If you enjoyed this story and want to hear others like it, then you'll want to purchase a ticket to the tour! Tickets cost $20 each and can be purchased on Eventbrite, here: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/beyond-the-ships-lists-st-peters-cemetery-tour-tickets-1681231662159?aff=oddtdtcreator

Thank you to Linda Cardona for capturing this video during our August 10th Beyond the Ships Lists tour.

09/21/2025

We had a very successful open house and book launch at 567 Carnegie Avenue yesterday! Several people took the time on a beautiful, sunny Saturday to find out what the Trent Valley Archives has to offer and to purchase a copy of Peterborough: Spirit of Place, the newest publication in our bookstore.

Thank you to everyone who visited us yesterday, especially Peterborough: Spirit of Place photographer John McQuarrie, who made the trip to Peterborough to speak about the latest addition to his Spirit of Place book series. We would also like to thank our archivist, Elwood Jones, for speaking about Peterborough after the Robinson emigration and our dedicated team of archives volunteers who helped us prepare refreshments, sell books, and greet visitors.

If you couldn't make it yesterday to purchase a copy of Peterborough: Spirit of Place, we still have copies of the book available! They can be purchased at our archives building at 567 Carnegie Avenue during our operating hours, Tuesday to Saturday from 10am-4pm. They cost $40 each, and every copy includes a bonus copy of McQuarrie's Trent-Severn Waterway book, free of charge,

09/20/2025

Happening today! We hope to see you at 567 Carnegie Avenue this morning.

On Saturday, September 20th from 10:30am to 1:30pm, we will be opening the doors at our archives building at 567 Carnegie Avenue in Peterborough for curious community members and devout TVA supporters alike!

The highlight of this year's Open House will be the launch of Peterborough: Spirit of Place, photographer John McQuarrie's newest addition to his popular Spirit of Place book series. The perfect addition to any Peterburian's coffee table, this 150+ page book features dozens of McQuarrie's gorgeous full-colour photographs of Peterborough and the surrounding area paired with articles written by local authors and historians, including our archivist, Dr. Elwood Jones.

At our Open House, both McQuarrie and Dr. Jones will speak about the book, which profiles the history of Peterborough alongside McQuarrie's photographs. Just in time for the Bicentennial of the Peter Robinson Irish Emigration, this historical profile features a stand-out article written by Patrick Leahy, a descendant of one of the Peter Robinson emigrants, about the emigration.

Don't miss your chance to be one of the first to own a copy of this beautiful book, and to get it signed by two of its major contributors. Copies of the book are $40 each and will be available for sale at our Open House. As a special offer to celebrate the launch of the book, each copy of Peterborough: Spirit of Place will also come with a copy of McQuarrie's previous book, Trent Severn Waterway, free of charge!

The Open House will be running from 10:30am-1:30pm, and you are welcome to drop in anytime (although the speaking portion of the Open House will begin around 11:30am). There will also be light refreshments available. If you have never paid our archives building a visit before, this is the perfect opportunity for you to find out what resources we have, peruse our new and secondhand local history books for sale, and even become a Trent Valley Archives member!

Our president, board, and volunteers are excited to welcome you to our archives building this Saturday. We hope to see you there!

09/15/2025

After hosting four sold-out tours during Nine Ships 1825's Bicentennial Commemoration Week in August, we've decided to reprise our "Beyond the Ships' Lists: The Peter Robinson Settlers and their Descendants" St. Peter's Cemetery tour!

Join genealogist and historian Gillian Holden in the cemetery on the afternoon of Sunday, September 28 to learn more about the descendants of the original Peter Robinson emigrants, whose diverse and interesting lives led them to places across North America and to a variety of professions. Full of tragedy and triumph, their stories highlight the impact their legacy has had on our region in the 200 years since their arrival.

Tickets cost $20 each and can be purchased on Eventbrite, here: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/beyond-the-ships-lists-st-peters-cemetery-tour-tickets-1681231662159?aff=oddtdtcreator. NOTE: This is a walking tour in St. Peter's Cemetery that covers a large portion of the cemetery grounds. It stays on the main roadways whenever possible, but covers some uneven ground and may not be accessible to everyone. Wear comfortable shoes and dress appropriately for the weather, as the tour will run rain or shine. If you have any questions about the accessibility of this tour, please email us at admin@trentvalleyarchives.com or call us at 705-745-4404.

[Image Caption: Beyond the Ships' Lists tour guide Gillian Holden telling the tour group a story about one of the many Crowley families on our August 10th tour. Image Credit: Linda Cardona]

09/14/2025

On Saturday, September 20th from 10:30am to 1:30pm, we will be opening the doors at our archives building at 567 Carnegie Avenue in Peterborough for curious community members and devout TVA supporters alike!

The highlight of this year's Open House will be the launch of Peterborough: Spirit of Place, photographer John McQuarrie's newest addition to his popular Spirit of Place book series. The perfect addition to any Peterburian's coffee table, this 150+ page book features dozens of McQuarrie's gorgeous full-colour photographs of Peterborough and the surrounding area paired with articles written by local authors and historians, including our archivist, Dr. Elwood Jones.

At our Open House, both McQuarrie and Dr. Jones will speak about the book, which profiles the history of Peterborough alongside McQuarrie's photographs. Just in time for the Bicentennial of the Peter Robinson Irish Emigration, this historical profile features a stand-out article written by Patrick Leahy, a descendant of one of the Peter Robinson emigrants, about the emigration.

Don't miss your chance to be one of the first to own a copy of this beautiful book, and to get it signed by two of its major contributors. Copies of the book are $40 each and will be available for sale at our Open House. As a special offer to celebrate the launch of the book, each copy of Peterborough: Spirit of Place will also come with a copy of McQuarrie's previous book, Trent Severn Waterway, free of charge!

The Open House will be running from 10:30am-1:30pm, and you are welcome to drop in anytime (although the speaking portion of the Open House will begin around 11:30am). There will also be light refreshments available. If you have never paid our archives building a visit before, this is the perfect opportunity for you to find out what resources we have, peruse our new and secondhand local history books for sale, and even become a Trent Valley Archives member!

Our president, board, and volunteers are excited to welcome you to our archives building this Saturday. We hope to see you there!

09/06/2025

LOW STOCK ALERT! We have just two copies left of Green Routes: Experiencing the Peter Robinson Emigration 1825 by Rosemary McConkey in our bookstore. We will not be reprinting this book, so this is your last chance to add this fantastic resource on the Peter Robinson emigration to your library.

The book can be purchased for $35 at our archives building at 567 Carnegie Avenue Tuesday-Saturday from 10am-4pm or on our website, here: https://trentvalleyarchives.com/shop/green-routes-experiencing-the-peter-robinson-emigration-1825-2/

While you're there, you can also peruse all the other fabulous books on the Peter Robinson emigration we carry, including the Nine Ships Bicentennial Souvenir Book, Peterborough: Spirit of Place (featuring an article by Patrick Leahy on the emigration), and the Homecoming 75 souvenir book.

08/24/2025

On Sunday, August 10, Trent Valley Archives (TVA) held their second of two Beyond the Ships' Lists tours in St. Peter's Cemetery. The tour was a fitting closure to our Bicentennial Commemoration Week, as it profiled the descendants of many of the original Peter Robinson Emigrants, discussing the places they moved to and the career paths they took and highlighting the incredible legacy, spanning 200 years, of Peter Robinson's emigration experiment.

Although it was a hot afternoon, tour guides Gillian Holden and Maddie More entertained their tour groups by telling stories of tragedy and triumph and explaining how the descendants buried in St. Peter's Cemetery were connected to the original Peter Robinson Emigrants who sailed across the Atlantic on nine ships in 1825. Many of the tour participants learned more about their ancestors during the course of the tour!

Thank you to the Trent Valley Archives for enriching visitors' historical knowledge with their walking and cemetery tours throughout our Bicentennial Commemoration Week. If you're local to Peterborough and didn't get an opportunity to attend this tour during our Bicentennial Commemoration Week, make sure you're following TVA on their social media. They're planning on reprising the tour once more this fall!