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Trent Valley Archives

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Trent Valley Archives

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Some of the resources at the Trent Valley Archives include:
◦Large text collection of regional genealogical and historical resources
◦Cemetery transcripts covering cemeteries throughout the Trent Valley region
◦Family histories
◦Genealogical Research Directory
◦Peter Robinson immigration of 1825: ships lists and land records
◦Local newspapers and extracts from local newspapers supported by significant newspaper indexes (to the Peterborough Examiner, Peterborough Review and Dummer News) and by major runs of obituaries in the 19th century and in the 1990s.
◦Chronologies of significant events in the local area (partially available on this website)
◦Major collection of resources on the Peterborough Irish
◦Extensive microfilm collections of census, church, assessment records,
◦Extensive digital collection of pre-1840 Upper Canada (Ontario) documents.
◦Many of our archival finding aids and indexes to local histories are available in-house and sometimes on our website.
◦The Peterborough County land records, 1867-1950.

11/24/2025

Trent Valley Archives Theatre is excited to announce our 2026 production: The Kid from Simcoe Street!

Written by playwrights Ed Schroeter and Gerry McBride with script editing by David Francis Clarke, this heartwarming coming-of-age story is based on Ontario Superior Court Justice James Clarke's own memoir. Also titled The Kid from Simcoe Street, it describes his youth in Peterborough. Growing up on the wrong side of the tracks in poverty on Simcoe Street during the Depression and the Second World War, young James was forced to overcome many obstacles on his path to becoming a respected lawyer, judge, and poet.

Initially oblivious to the imperfections of adults, young James idolizes his father, Sam. When the Second World War begins, Sam enlists and is wounded, coming home a changed man four years later. Now, witnessing his father's struggles with addiction, James is forced to reconcile his childhood adulation with his growing awareness of his father's shortcomings and the war trauma that has impacted his life.

Although deprived of a father and a traditional boyhood, a close-knit community of Peterborough citizens from all walks of life came together to support James. His mother, local firefighters, teachers, nuns, coaches, hoteliers and lawyers all rallied behind him, steering a young man with potential toward a life of service and fulfillment. The play, replete with references to people and places in Peterborough's past, is sure to appeal to local history buffs, military Veterans and their families, and those who had their own childhood adventures in Peterborough in the 30s, 40s, and beyond.

Directed by Drew Mills and stage managed by Barb Mills (the duo who brought Crossing Over to life), The Kid from Simcoe Street will be staged at the Market Hall Performing Arts Centre in June of 2026, with evening performances on June 4 and 5 at 7:30pm and matinee performances on June 6 and 7 at 2pm. Tickets are on sale now, and would make an excellent gift for the local theatre lovers on your list. Be sure to purchase yours early, as the best seats at each performance will sell out quickly!

Tickets cost $30 for regular seating and $40 for cabaret seating and can be purchased by calling the Market Hall box office at 705-749-1146, emailing the Market Hall box office at boxoffice@markethall.com, or visiting their website, here: https://tickets.markethall.org/eventperformances.asp?evt=526 We hope to see you in June for a trip back in time to the Simcoe Street of yesteryear!

11/18/2025

The latest issue of the Heritage Gazette of the Trent Valley is here! Originally intended to be the August 2025 issue, it was delayed because of the events commemorating the Bicentennial of the Peter Robinson Irish Emigration in August and has now been dubbed our October 2025 issue. Although it took a little longer for our Heritage Gazette committee to produce this issue, we hope that the collection of stories inside its pages will make up for the time it took to get to your inbox!

When reading the issue, you'll discover an article written by TVA volunteer Dana Lynch about correspondence he found in our Howard Pammett fonds between Pammett and a Hollywood Twentieth Century Fox executive; primary sources, with commentary from historian Elwood Jones, exploring the role Hazelbrae played as the hub for Dr. Barnardo's Home Children in Peterborough; Heritage Gazette editor Alicia Bertrand's examination of the Ayotte family's rich farming history in Smith Township; a nostalgic look back at 50 Years of the Peterborough Canadian Irish Club by the Club's President, Shelley Ryan, and much more!

If you're subscribed to our mailing list, check your inbox for an email from us with links to download the issue. If you're not already subscribed to our mailing list, you can do so via the link in our bio. The issue (along with past issues) is also available to download on the Heritage Gazette page on our website. Once you've read the issue, we'd love to hear what you think! Leave a comment down below with your thoughts on this issue and any suggestions you have for our next issue (which is expected in early January, 2026).

11/11/2025

Today is Remembrance Day, a day for commemorating the sacrifices members of our community have made in the First World War, the Second World War, and other conflicts around the world on our behalf. We encourage you to take a moment to reflect on their service to our country.

If someone you know was a member of the military, please share their names and their stories in the comments down below so others can read them.

11/06/2025

Pay your respects to our veterans and those who sacrificed their lives in conflicts around the world with us this Sunday, November 9th at 3pm on our Military History tour in Little Lake Cemetery.

On the tour, knowledgeable tour guide and military historian Don Willcock will tell the stories of military personnel who fought in the Napoleonic Wars, the American Civil War, the War of 1812, and (of course) the First and Second World Wars.

You'll learn about people like Judge Huycke (whose stone is pictured here), the chairman of Peterborough's original War Memorial Committee and the father of four young men who served in the First World War; brothers Harry and Heber Rogers who were both taken prisoner in the First World War, one of them enacting a daring escape from his prisoner of war camp; and Colonel Agnes Campbell Neill, who became the highest ranking woman in the Canadian Army during the Second World War in her role of Matron-in-Chief of the Canadian Military Nursing Sisters.

Tickets to this tour cost $20 each and can be purchased on Eventbrite, here: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/honouring-our-military-history-tickets-1347248790399?aff=oddtdtcreator This is the last tour of our 2025 tour season, so you won't want to miss it! If you have any questions about accessibility or the content of this tour. please email us at admin@trentvalleyarchives.com or call us at 705-745-4404.

11/02/2025

This Remembrance Day, we encourage you to learn more about our community's involvement in conflicts around the world. Although it can be difficult to find resources that focus specifically on the Peterborough region's contribution to the war effort, we do have a few publications by local authors in our bookstore that focus on this topic.

The first book, "A Cruel Bargain: The Commuted British Soldiers in Upper Canada" was written by Robert J. Gordon and illustrates the implementation of the British Government's commutation scheme and the veterans it impacted, outpatients of the Royal Chelsea Hospital who would become known as the "Chelsea Pensioners." [Copies are $25 each.]

The second book "Nicholas Scott: From Chandos to Méricourt with the 93rd Battalion" was written by Michael C. Doran and documents the life and wartime activities of the Author's great-uncle, Nicholas Scott, who served with the 93rd Battalion during the First Wold War. Born in Chandos in 1894, Nicholas was just 21 years old when he enlisted in March of 1916 and was one of countless soldiers who never returned home to his family. [Copies are $50 each]

The third book, "Captains & Colonels of Peterborough County" was also written by Robert J. Gordon and documents military activities that took place in the Newcastle District (and later Peterborough County) in the 19th century, a time when militias were formed across Ontario to counteract rebellions and assist the government in other ways. [Copies are $25 each]

Copies of all three books can be purchased in-person at our archives building at 567 Carnegie Avenue during our operating hours (Tuesday-Saturday from 10am-4pm). Copies of "Nicholas Scott" and "Captains & Colonels" can also be purchased on our website for local pick up or shipping, here: https://trentvalleyarchives.com/shop/

10/31/2025

Happy Halloween 🎃 We're getting into the festive spirit today, unlike this dog photographed in 1963 who looks very unenthusiastic about his costume!

Whether you're venturing out into the rainy night tonight looking for treats or staying in to cheer on the Jays, we hope you have a safe and happy evening!

10/30/2025

Remembrance Day is just around the corner, and so is the return of our Military History Tour in Little Lake Cemetery. On Sunday, November 9 at 3pm, join knowledgeable tour guide and military historian Don Willcock to commemorate Remembrance Day and learn more about the Peterborough citizens who bravely fought in conflicts for our freedom.

Although most Peterborough citizens who enlisted fought in the First or Second World Wars, and they are given the recognition they deserve on the tour, the tour also includes people who served in many different conflicts. As you walk through the cemetery and pay your respects at each soldier's final resting place, you'll learn about people like Captain Andrew Simon Fraser who served with the Duke of Wellington at Waterloo; Colonel John Wesley Miller who enlisted in the American Civil War and was captured at the Battle of Gettysburg; and Achilles Turner, son of J.J. Turner, who served in the Boer War and was awarded the South African Medal by Queen Victoria.

Tickets to the tour cost $20 each and can be purchased on Eventbrite, here: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/honouring-our-military-history-tickets-1347248790399?aff=oddtdtcreator Please note that this is a walking tour in Little Lake Cemetery that covers a large portion of the Cemetery grounds. It stays on the main roadways whenever possible, but covers some uneven and hilly 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.

The tour covers difficult and sensitive material and may not be appropriate for everyone. If you have any questions about accessibility or the content of this tour. please email us at admin@trentvalleyarchives.com or call us at 705-745-4404.

Highland Park Funeral Centre & Little Lake and Highland Park Cemeteries

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

Address

567 Carnegie Avenue
Peterborough, ON
K9L1N1

Opening Hours

Tuesday	10am - 4pm
Wednesday	10am - 4pm
Thursday	10am - 4pm
Friday	10am - 4pm
Saturday	10am - 4pm

Website

http://www.trentvalleyarchives.com/

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