Lest We Forget - On this day 100 years ago Albert Harry Steeves was Killed in Action - 11.17.1915

Albert Harry Steeves was from Hopewell Hill, New Brunswick and was born January 7, 1892. He was the son of Mr. Judson W. Steeves. He enlisted with the 26th Battalion on November 5, 1914. He was Killed in Action in France. He is buried at the La Laiterie Military Cemetary in Belgium.

 You can find his complete service record 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. 

"Christmas in the Parlour" - An Evening Spent by the Fireside - Tickets still available!

The Albert County Historical Society will present "Christmas in the Parlour" Concerts at the Albert County Museum, 3940 Rte 114, Hopewell Cape, NB on Saturday, Nov. 21 at 7pm & Sunday, Nov. 22 at 2pm.
 

“Come sit by the fireside in an old-fashioned parlour to enjoy festive singing, toe-tapping music, step-dancing, and storytelling. Performers include: Close Harmony, Maple Sugar, Mac & Kim Wilmot, Judy Ayles, Sara & James Nelson, Justin Bannister, Joe Gallant, Lori Joudrey, Dawne & Connie, Len LeBlanc. In keeping with tradition, following the concert program, everyone is invited to enjoy home-baked cookies and hot mulled cider as they chat with friends. ”

Tickets $12. To reserve tickets call Dawne McLean 734-3105 or call Museum 734-2003 and leave a message.

The Answer is in the Search.

In our continued effort to improve our visitor experience we have just added the ability to Search the Museum's Website. If you look in the header of the site, just click on SEARCH and a new Search page will open. It's really amazing what you can find by a simple search. For example if you search Steif (the original spelling of Steeves), it brings up three different articles from the website. I encourage you to give it a try and see what amazing things we have hidden away online. 

Lest We Forget - Albert County's Honour Roll - Updated

We have found two more Albert County men who paid the supreme sacrifice during the First World War. Both men from Elgin when they joined the 145th Battalion (Moncton, New Brunswick) and both fought with the 10th Battalion in France. 

Wiley Freeman Dives of Elgin, NB was killed in action July 16, 1917. 

Dallas Alfred Crandall of Elgin, NB was killed in action August 13, 1917. 

Lest We Forget - Albert County's First World War Honour Roll

Albert County's First World War Honour Roll

“We Shall Keep the Faith

Oh! you who sleep in Flanders Fields,
Sleep sweet - to rise anew!
We caught the torch you threw
And holding high, we keep the Faith
With All who died.

We cherish, too, the poppy red
That grows on fields where valor led;
It seems to signal to the skies
That blood of heroes never dies,
But lends a lustre to the red
Of the flower that blooms above the dead
In Flanders Fields.

And now the Torch and Poppy Red
We wear in honor of our dead.
Fear not that ye have died for naught;
We’ll teach the lesson that ye wrought
In Flanders Fields.

by Moina Michael, November 1918”

There is a WINNER in Albert County!

After a long drought of the prized Quilt Show quilts travelling to other destinations (last year's went to Ontario, and the year before to Texas) there was finally a winner right here in Albert County. We would like to congratulate Noreen Bateman of Osborne Corner, New Brunswick on winning the lovely Lone Star quilt.  A big thank you to Noreen and everyone who bought a ticket on the quilt, as the Quilt Show is the single biggest fundraiser the museum has. 

Election Day in Albert County - Interesting Look at Fundy Royal

It really is amazing what you can find on Wikipedia, a quick search on Fundy Royal brings up the entire voting history since the riding was formed in 1917.  You can view it all by clicking on this link which will take you to the Fundy Royal page on Wikipedia. 

If you haven't voted yet, Please do so! It's important to exercise your democratic rights! 

Have an interest in History? Want to Contribute to your Local Community? Join the Board!

The Albert County Historical Society is actively seeking people with an interest in local history and the preservation of our past to serve as Members of the Board of Directors for the Albert County Historical Society, which oversees the Albert County Museum and RB Bennett Commemorative Centre.

The Albert County Museum tells the stories of ‘The People of the Tides’ – the human and industrial history of Albert County. The RB Bennett Commemorative Centre highlights the accomplishments of RB Bennett, Canada's 11th Prime Minister 1930-35. The Museum is located in Hopewell Cape, New Brunswick, and consists of 9 buildings from the original Shiretown of Hopewell Cape.

The Board of Directors has four primary functions:

1. Purpose — establishing and implementing the museum’s mission and vision;

2. Continuity — providing continuity for managing and implementing the museum’s affairs;

3. Progress — setting the rate of progress the museum takes in reaching its mission and vision;

4. Identity — securing community support and appreciation for the museum’s mission, vision,mandate, beliefs and long-term direction.

As a member of the Board you would be required to attend regular scheduled Board meetings (Generally the First Monday of every Month) and to attend the Annual General Meeting (AGM) held once a year in October.

Experience – NO experience is necessary, just a love (or interest in) of history.

The existing board members will be happy to guide you and answer any questions you may have. If you have any questions or concerns please don't hesitate to contact us. Phone 506-734-2003 or email

PS THE A.G.M. IS THIS THURSDAY, OCTOBER 15 @ 7:30pm in the Community Hall 

A Daily walk with the 26th Battalion - on Facebook!

Did you know you can follow the 26th New Brunswick Battalion daily journey  through World War One: day by day 100 years later on Facebook? If you're on Facebook you can find them by searching for newbrunswick26th or if you're not on Facebook just follow this link. CLICK HERE   

Here is the entry for today, September 18th, 1915: 

“Sept 18/1915 The men of the New Brunswick 26th Battalion are now in boxcars on a train moving slowly toward Flanders. (From New Brunswick’s Fighting 26th) “En route, the men crowded the partly open door of the car and, in spite of the language differences, exchanged greetings with the French inhabitants as they passed through, or stopped at, towns and villages. The children called out for “souvenir, bisk-wee” while the soldiers tried to buy extra food wherever they could. To keep up their spirits, they frequently resorted to singing many well-known songs of the day, together with their own soldier’s songs.”
Please like our page to get updates on the 26th Battalion as the war unfolds.
”

Now that's a story worth following! 

And just a reminder to check out our own 26th Battalion Stories and the Victory Cannon Campaign on our website. 

The Victory Cannon Campaign is raising funds to restore the two captured World War One cannons situated in the square in Hopewell Cape. These cannons were captured by Canadians during the Great War, and were awarded to the people of Albert County. You can donate online to the Victory Cannon Campaign here, and best of all you'll be sent a tax receipt!  Click Here to Donate!

The New Brunswick Connection Behind the Captured Vimy Ridge Cannon in Hopewell Cape Just Got Better

The New Brunswick connection to the First World War cannon captured at Vimy Ridge on April 9, 1917 and now found in Hopewell Cape, New Brunswick, just got better. Recent research completed on the German 105 mm K14 cannon, shows that the damage on the barrel of the cannon was probably caused by shells fired by the 4th or 6th New Brunswick Siege Batteries .

View fullsize

The exact location where the K14 was captured on Vimy Ridge is well documented in the war diaries of the 27th Winnipeg Battalion. In fact the diaries give the exact coordinates where the cannon was captured, and when checked against fire mission records for both NB batteries it was discovered that both New Brunswick Batteries fired heavy concentrations of 8 inch high explosive shells on those very German gun positions. Thus it is very possible that the fire that cut the gouge in the barrel was inflicted by New Brunswick's not nearly famous enough Heavy Artillery!

Those NB Siege Batteries were formed in Saint John and included many men from Albert County, including Cyrus Gaskin (d. April 11, 1917). Gaskin is commemorated in the museum's First World War Roll of Honour, and was killed with the 4th Siege Battery not long after Vimy Ridge was captured as the heavies moved forward to help defend it. 

The 4th and 6th New Brunswick Siege Batteries are perpetuated by the modern 3rd Field Artillery Regiment (The Loyal Company) in Saint John and Woodstock. 

The large German First World War 105 mm K14 Cannon that sits in the square in Hopewell Cape, was captured at Vimy Ridge, April 9, 1917, and won by the Citizens of Albert County during the Victory Loans Campaign of 1919 for raising the greatest percentage of monies over their set goal. The people of Albert County raised $347,000.00 tripling their goal of $110,000.00. That is a pretty impressive resume for a gun.

Now that's a story worth saving!

The Victory Cannon Campaign is raising funds to restore the two captured World War One cannons situated in the square in Hopewell Cape. These cannons were captured by Canadians during the Great War, and were awarded to the people of Albert County. You can donate online to the Victory Cannon Campaign here, and best of all you'll be sent a tax receipt!  Click Here to Donate!

 

“This information was provided to us thanks to a joint research project between The Gregg Centre for the Study of War and Society at the University of New Brunswick and 3rd Field Artillery Regiment, RCA (The Loyal Company). The complete findings of this research project will be published in 2016 as a book tentatively titled “Loyal Gunners: A History of 3rd Field Artillery Regiment (The Loyal Company and New Brunswick’s Artillery, 1893-2012.” Once it is published we’ll do a Blog on it. ”

The Sparks Were Flying in Hopewell Cape this Week!

If you were driving through Hopewell Cape this Thursday, you would have seen the sparks flying around the large German First World War Cannon as repairs were made to its metal work.  The almost 100 years sitting in the square in Hopewell Cape were not the kindest to the large cannon, with considerable rust and corrosion around the base of the cannon where it rests on the concrete pillar. 

Thankfully we have local expertise to take care of that, Todd Steeves of TP Downey & Sons (Hillsborough) was able to come to the museum and make the necessary repairs without having to move the cannon. It is fantastic that we were able to find someone local with the skills and equipment necessary to do the job right so that it lasts another 100 years.

Todd replaced the center brace and carriage bolts, the 2 brackets above center brace, and fixed the  holes on side of cannon facing the road. When asked how the work went, Todd said, "The metal is a bit soft but with proper paint the metal should last another hundred years."

The large 10.5 Cm K14 German Cannon was captured at Vimy Ridge, April 9, 1917, and was won by the Citizens of Albert County during the Victory Loans Campaign of 1919 for raising the greatest percentage of monies over their set goal. They raised $347,000.00 tripling their goal of $110,000.00. Pretty impressive for a county of less than 10000 people!

Next on the list of repairs are the concrete pads!

Now that's a story worth saving!

The Victory Cannon Campaign is raising funds to restore the two captured World War One cannons situated in the square in Hopewell Cape. These cannons were captured by Canadians during the Great War, and were awarded to the people of Albert County. You can donate online to the Victory Cannon Campaign here, and best of all you'll be sent a tax receipt!  Click Here to Donate!