We just received this awesome sticker in the mail to put on the door of the Library/Gift Shop. It seems like yesterday, but it was 2 seasons ago that the Museum was on the Amazing Race Canada. If you missed the show look for Season 2, episode 11 "Put the Fun Back in Fundy". The episode aired on September 16, 2014 to 3 million viewers.
Lest We Forget - Albert County's First World War Honour Roll
Aftermath
This poem was written by Pte. Frank Walker just after the battle of the Somme 100 years ago in 1916 and was published in From a Stretcher Handle: The World War I Journal & Poems of Pte. Frank Walker.
The book is a first-person narrative centred around the life and times of Prince Edward Islander Frank Walker (1893-1977), during his service with the Canadian Field Ambulance, Canadian Medical Corps, from its inception in 1914 until 1919, after the Great War had come to a close.
With Desolation and the Stars
I lonely vigil keep,
Over the garner'd fields of Mars,
Watching the dead men sleep —
Huddled together, so silent there.
With bloodless faces and clotted hair,
Wrapped in their long, long sleep!
By uptorn trees and crater rims
Along the Ridge they lie,
Sprawled in the mud, with out-spread limbs,
Wide staring at the sky.
Why to the sky do they always stare,
Questioning heaven in dumb despair?
Why don't they moan, or sigh?
Why do I rave, ‘neath the callous stars,
At their upturned faces white?
I, surely I, with my crimson scars
Slumber with them this night!
Death, with shadowy finger bare,
Beckons me on to — I know not where;
But, huddled together, and freed from care
We'll watch till the dawn of Light.
From the Somme,
1916
Lest We Forget - On this day 100 years ago Roy William Crossman was Killed in Action - 10.09.1916
Roy William Crossman was from Hopewell Cape, New Brunswick and was born December 7, 1894. He was the son of Mr. William D. Crossman. He enlisted with the Royal Canadian Regiment on August 22, 1915. He was first wounded April 4, 1916 with a gunshot wound to the scalp. He was Killed in Action in France at the Battle of the Somme, October 9, 1916. He is remembered on the Vimy Monument and has no known grave.
You can find his complete service record by clicking here.
You can view his internment records here.
You can view the Royal Canadian Regiment's War Diary Entry for that day here.
If anyone has any further information, photos or memories they would like to share please pass them along.
LEST WE FORGET - On This Day 100 Years Ago William Harvey Bannister was Killed in Action - 09.30.1916
William Harvey Bannister was from Forest Glen, New Brunswick and was born July 7, 1893. He was the son of Mr. William S Bannister. He was a Police Officer at the time of his enlistment. He enlisted with the 8th Battery on September 23, 1914. He was Killed in Action in France at the Somme. He is buried at the BAPAUME POST MILITARY CEMETERY, ALBERT.
You can find his complete service record by clicking here.
You can view his internment records here.
You can view the 2nd Canadian Field Artillery Brigade War Diary Entry for that day here.
If anyone has any further information, photos or memories they would like to share please pass them along.
Lest We Forget - On this day 100 years ago Ernest Stockton Jonah was Killed in Action - 09.28.1916
Ernest Stockton Jonah was from Elgin, New Brunswick and was born December 29, 1892. He was the son of Mr. Ezra Jonah. He enlisted November 29, 1914 in the 26th Battalion. He was killed at the Somme September 28, 1916.
You can find his attestation papers by clicking here.
You can view his internment records here.
You can view the 26th Battalions War Diary Entry for that day here.
If anyone has any further information, photos or memories they would like to share please pass them along.
If you missed the Antiques Roadshow you missed quite the show!
On Sunday we held our annual Antiques Roadshow fundraiser, with a number of very unusual items appearing this year. The highlight was definitely this Canadian made Epergne dating from the 1930's. When the couple first brought the Epergne to the front table, everyone was in awe from it's beauty, and when they said it was Sterling Silver we were even more impressed. (Sterling silver means that it is at least 92.5% pure silver). One of the first things an appraiser has to do when appraising something is to check the details out carefully, and when the appraisers inspected the Epergne they found that it was not Sterling Silver but EPNS (Electroplated Nickle Silver), which means it's silver plated. What does this mean value wise? The appraiser's said that if it was sterling it's value would have been around $12500.00 but since it wasn't it was probably worth $1500-2500.00. Still quite an impressive amount for a server.
Mystery item - Approximately 1" (2.5cm) high. The top screws off with a tube going down the centre of the item. The top of the item has a hole which allowed something to come out of the container.
Some other items of note were a ship's lantern, some early tin toys, jewellery, paintings, a wonderful brass microscope, a boxing trophy and WW2 medals, dishes and cups, and this mystery item, which we couldn't identify. If you have any ideas please post them here.
Special thanks to our appraisers: Mike and Belinda Roth of 1st Choice Antiques from Moncton, and Stuart Liptay of Liptay Auctions.
A great piece by CTV Atlantic on the Cape Enrage Figurine presentation last night!
In case you missed the amazing presentation by Dr. David Black of UNB last night on the Cape Enrage Figurine you can still see the piece Cami Kepke of CTV Atlantic did on the piece. Just follow this link.
http://atlantic.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=949023&binId=1.1145463&playlistPageNum=1
The Cape Enrage Figurine - An Enigmatic Object - A SPECIAL PRESENTATION - Saturday, September 10 @ 7:30PM
In 1998, an unusual archaeological artifact was found at Cape Enrage, in Albert County, N.B.. This artifact, the Cape Enrage Figurine, is a small image of a stylized human-like head carved into a piece of mammal bone.
Come join us on Saturday, September 10 at 7:30 PM and discover what we have learned about it, and speculate about its provenance, history and cultural affiliation. With special presentation by retired UNB Professor Dr. David Black.
If you have never heard of this amazing artefact then come and find out what makes it so special!
Entrance by free will donation.
Museum Celebrates 40th Annual Quilt Show and Sale - July 12- 16 9:30am-5:30pm
With the summer weather finally here, cozying up in a quilt may be the last thing on your mind, but quilts are a hot commodity at the Albert County Museum right now as one of its major fundraisers gets underway.
The 40th annual quilt show and sale is taking place this week, beginning on July 12 and lasting until July 16 at the Hopewell Cape Community Hall at the Albert County Museum, 3940 Route 114, Hopewell Cape, NB.
To celebrate the 40th anniversary the museum will feature a special interactive exhibit called “Stitches Through Time” where visitors will be able to try their hand at quilting. The week will be interspersed with demonstrations as well as full workshops on Friday.
A hand quilting workshop will be offered from 10am to noon and a rug hooking workshop offered from 1pm to 3 pm. Pre-registration for the workshops is required. Call the museum at 734-2003 for details.
“The quilt show is the single biggest fundraiser for us,” said museum curator Donald Alward. “We greatly appreciate the support from those who attend this event, as well as the time put in by our wonderful volunteers to organize and keep this show running.”
This year there are more than 100 unique quilts for sale by a number of local quilters. In addition to the quilts, there are quilt tops, youth, crib & lap quilts, afghans and other sewn articles available.
The show will also once again include a raffle for one of the quilts. Tickets can be purchased throughout the summer and the quilt, which features the design ‘Road to Abbey’s House’, can be shipped anywhere in North America.
Admission to the quilt show is just three dollars per person and includes access to the “Stitches Through Time” exhibit. The Quilt Show & Sale is open each day during the museum’s regular hours, from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Come Explore the 1903 Diary of Benjamin T. Carter (1844-1922) - Opening Windows to our Past Series Continues - Thursday, June 30 @ 7:30pm
The Albert County Museum is excited to host our second of five "Opening Windows to Our Past" Diary Explorations, Thursday, June 30 at 7:30 pm. Taking place the last Thursday of every month, the "Opening Windows to Our Past" Series, is going to explore some of the many diaries in the museum's collection. It's a walk through the past as told by the very people who lived it!
Our next diary was written by Benjamin T. Carter (1844-1922). Here is a brief biography as written by Zachary A. Tingley, a student guide at the museum.
It was 1861 in Hopewell Cape Albert County, a young clerk was aiding patrons as they inquired about his father’s masonry work. This young man was Benjamin T. Carter (1844-1922), the son of Christopher and Barbra Carter. Benjamin was baptized at St. John’s Anglican Church in Rustico, Prince Edward Island on 16 March 1845. His family moved to Albert County between 1851 and 1861, the exact timing remains unclear. Nevertheless, in the 1850’s Christopher Carter moved his family to Hopewell Cape in search of work as a stone mason.
Benjamin’s experiences in Hopewell Cape helped shape him into a successful master mariner and community steward. His position in the community allowed him to form intimate relationships with the Bennett family in Hopewell Cape, and this only augmented his status within the community.
Benjamin was first married to a Julia A. Dickson (1850-1870), it was with his first wife that he had his first two, and only, children Charles and Lillian. After Julia died in 1870 Benjamin was left a widower with two children, this was not an ideal situation to be in during the mid-1800s. As a result, Benjamin married again in 1872, his second wife was Althea M. Bennett (1836-1906). Althea was the sister of Henry J. Bennett, R. B. Bennett’s father. The reasons for Althea’s death remain unclear; however, what is clear is that it took some time before Benjamin was ready to marry again. Yet in 1911, Benjamin was married again to his third and last wife Jessie McNaughton. She remained his wife until his death in 1922.
Not much is presently know about Capt. Benjamin Carter’s time as a sea captain; however, Benjamin did receive his captain’s certificate in 1895 in Saint John, New Brunswick. His diaries seem to reveal more about his life as a farmer and community leader in Hopewell Cape rather than as a Captain on the high seas. Capt. Benjamin T. Carter was a father, farmer, captain, husband, and even a sheriff. Capt. Benjamin Carter currently is resting in the Jonah Cemetery in Dawson Settlement, New Brunswick with his first wife Alice.
Come on out Thursday, June 30 @ 7:30pm and find out what he has to say!
The Next Opening Windows to Our Past Series is:
Thursday, July 28 @ 7:30pm
Thursday, August 25 @ 7:30pm
Thursday, September 29 @ 7:30pm
Museum to Celebrate 75th Anniversary of Viscount Bennett's Elevation at 6th Annual RB Bennett Day - July 2
The RB Bennett Commemorative Centre at the Albert County Museum is hosting the 6th annual RB Bennett Day on Saturday, July 2 in celebration of the only Canadian Prime Minister from New Brunswick. Located in Hopewell Cape at 3940 Route 114, just before the famous Hopewell Rocks, activities begin in the morning with the weekly Farmers and Crafters Market and continues with activities planned throughout the day. With the feature presentation at 2pm by noted historian and current Secretary to the Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia, Dr. Christopher McCreery.
75 years ago on July 23, 1941, Richard Bedford Bennett, Canada's 11th Prime Minister was elevated into the British House of Lords as the 1st Viscount Bennett, of Mickleham, in the County of Surrey and of Calgary and Hopewell, in the Dominion of Canada. In honour of this momentous occasion, Dr. Christopher McCreery, editor of the recently published book “The Authentic Voice of Canada: R.B. Bennett in the House of Lords.” will speak on Bennett.
The Centre will also offer a presentation on Bennett's rise to the peerage, with notable artefacts on hand from Bennett himself, including his gifts to the Garter King at Arms, Sir Gerald W. Wollaston K.C.B., K.C.V.O. a large impressive silver salver and sterling cigarette case. In addition to these the museum will bring to life the elevation ceremony, through a visual media presentation.
Directly following the activities, the annual birthday cake will be served celebrating RB Bennett's 146th Birthday (July 3, 1870).
The Farmer's Market & Breakfast is from 9am-1pm. Family oriented games and activities will be hosted the whole day (9:30am to 4pm). The main presentations will begin at 2pm followed by cake and homemade ice-cream.
The museum will offer free admission during the day to see all the displays and interactive exhibits.
Did you hear our HUGE Steeves family announcement? If not read on!
On Opening Day we opened our fantastic "Steeves Family 250 years in Albert County Exhibit", (Have you been in to see it? It's not to be missed, especially with the guided tour which features stories built on stories built on stories) and we made our major announcement regarding that exhibit. It seems that we never actually posted here what our BIG announcement was... so drum roll...
“The Albert County Museum is pleased to announce as part of the Steeves 250 years in Albert County Exhibit, with the help and support of Libraries and Archives Canada, that all 138 men (and women!) with the family name Steeves who fought in the First World War service records will be digitized and made available in time for the Steeves Family Reunion” ”
These records are an amazing source of information for anyone doing research on their relatives, and are fascinating to read in their own right. They list all the men who enlisted and also the women who served as nurses. The files are huge, some over 75 pages, so they are a wealth of information on each of the people. Here is a sampling of the Attestation paper for a couple of the Steeves. These are just a sampling of the information. Come to the museum to see the rest!
