Fredericton Heritage Trust Talk on War of 1812

Fredericton Heritage Trust is sponsoring a talk by Bob Dallison, former Director of King’s Landing Historical Settlement, on “New Brunswick and the War of 1812,” 2:30 P.M., Saturday, October 22nd, Provincial Archives of New Brunswick. Dallison is a Fredericton Region Museum curator and is currently working on a War of 1812 exhibit for the museum.

A notice from the Fredericton Heritage Trust

Greetings, history and heritage supporters of Fredericton.

Please note the three great events listed below and tell your friends. I hope to see you at some of them.

The November 5 event is especially significant for the city because of growing interest in what might happen to York House (next to Brunswick St Baptist church) regarding its future use. I recently toured through the building to see its ten spacious work/living areas, a large auditorium covering half of the top floor, and dry basement.  A great opportunity awaits here for rigorous community thinking toward a revitalized signature building.

Liz Burge
Acting president, FHT

WEDNESDAY OCTOBER  5, 2011      
At the Fredericton Public Library gallery (September 12 – October 30) the heritage Trust’s 8 panel display in the staircase gallery promotes the October 5 public talk Historic York Street and Its Unique Railway Station by popular historians Ted and Anita Jones.A public reception starts at
6 PM, with the talk at 7 PM.You are most welcome.

SATURDAY  OCTOBER 22, 2011  2:30pm  New Brunswick and the War of 1812.

Bob Dallison is the former Director of King’s Landing Historical Settlement. This talk leads into the 200th anniversary of the War of 1812 and the March of the 104th from Fredericton to Québec and Kingston.

Provincial Archives of New Brunswick, 23 Dineen Drive, UNB Campus.  Refreshments. Free Parking.

SATURDAY NOVEMBER 5, 2011 2pm
Re-purposing heritage buildings (as in re-uses for York House on York St.) 

An illustrated talk by Shane O’DeaShane O’Dea of Newfoundland knows the issues and the ‘greening’ of re-purposing old buildings. He has restored two heritage properties he owns and promoted the development of St John’s, Nfld as a nationally significant heritage-savvy city. He chaired the Board of the Heritage Canada Foundation as well as three Nfld heritage organizations, and served on the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada. He is widely known for his engaging speaking style and his proven arguments for sustainable re-development of old buildings.Professor O’Dea will use illustrative images to discuss past successes and failures in both city and outport, and outline the current pressures, changed attitudes and risks about re-purposing heritage buildings. Audience questions and reactions will follow.

Preceding his talk will be the Trust’s Annual General Meeting at 1pm.

Provincial Archives of New Brunswick, 23 Dineen Drive, UNB Campus.  Refreshments. Free Parking.

The Story of Making the York Street Railway Station

York-Sunbury Historical Society Meeting on September 15, 2011,
7:30pm at Old Government House:

The Story of Making the York Street Railway Station

Presented by Ian Robertson, Curator of the York-Street Railway Exhibit and a Past-Past President of Fredericton Heritage Trust and Jim O’Neil, Circus Historian.

Ian Robertson will present the Exhibit Panels and provide the background to his research and selection of images for the panels. There will also be a presentation on the history of the Railway station.

Jim O’Neil will provide stories on the 1930 circus trains that are shown in the exhibit as arriving at the Station and how he and fellow teenager David Dickson were at the station to take original pictures.

These presentations provide an opportunity to hear a behind the scenes story on our historic railway station and railway trains.

A Celebration of Union Station on York Street Exhibit Opening

The building on the right in the background is the original 1869 station, situated between the present structure and York Street. When the present structure was opened, the archway — for carriages, not railway cars — was removed, and the remainder relocated to the corner of Northumberland and Victoria streets, where today it is housing apartments. This image is from the HF Albright (July 30, 1898), Walter Long Collection.

Fredericton Heritage Trust and Fredericton Region Museum invite you to the opening of their new exhibit: A Celebration of Union Station on York Street. See the eight panels showing historic railway operations and many photos. The Mayor will speak. Tuesday, June 14 at 12 noon; City Hall Gallery on Queen Street. Free admission.

15th Regiment of Foot in Fredericton in the 1860s

If you think you can help us please leave your comments here.  If you have any research queries that you would like posted here, let me know by filling out the form found on our website.

Question:

Dear Sir or Madam,

I was referred to you by Ian … of the Fredericton Heritage Trust. I am the great-great-granddaughter of Private 189 John White who served in the 15th Regiment of Foot in Fredericton in the 1860s. His daughter Mary Anne White was born in Saint John on 31st May 1865 and baptised in Fredericton on 1st July 1865. The family later returned to England in 1879, at the end of John White’s military service. We have his long service and good conduct medal, his daughter’s birth/baptismal certificate and some details of his army record.

My brothers and I are coming to Canada shortly and will be visiting Fredericton on Tuesday 24th August, primarily to visit historic sites associated with the 15th Regiment, such as the Guard House which has a display of items used by the 15th Regiment. We are interested in any records or other sources of information about the 15th Regiment of Foot in Canada between 1862 and 1868, and would be very grateful for any pointers you might be able to give us. We will be bringing the medal with us, along with the various documents we have, and wonder whether you might be interested in seeing these?

Regards, Katy (Trowbridge, Wiltshire, UK)

August 3, 2010

Gary,

Do you have any suggestions for Katy?  

Ruth (Executive Director, York Sunbury Historical Society & Museum)

August 3, 2010 … later that day …

Dear Katy and Ruth,

First, I think that it is a wonderful that Katy and her family are going to retrace her ancestor’s footsteps in New Brunswick! Second, Ruth – thank you for inviting me to participate.

According to my notes, the 1^st Battalion of the 15^th Regiment deployed to New Brunswick in the winter of 1862 as part of the troop reinforcement in response to the Trent Affair of 1861.  This link will take you to an article about this event – http://www.army.forces.gc.ca/caj/documents/vol_02/iss_4/CAJ_vol2.4_14_e.pdf.

The regiment was stationed in various locations in New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island.  The two main garrison locations in New Brunswick were Fredericton and Saint John.  The 15th was involved in the Fenian Raid of 1866.  You can find out more about their role in Turning Back the Fenians: New Brunswick’s Last Colonial Campaign (Robert L. Dallison. Goose Lane Publications, 2006).  This book is available from Westminster Books on King Street in Fredericton, just a couple of blocks from the York-Sunbury Museum.  The regiment left for Bermuda on 21 April 1868.

While you are in Fredericton, I would highly recommend you tour the Historic Garrison District where the 15th was stationed.  Besides the Guard House, a visit to the York-Sunbury Museum would give you a better sense of garrison life in Fredericton.  If you have time, I would suggest a visit to the Provincial Archives of New Brunswick that is located on the campus of the University of Fredericton.  They currently have an exhibit on Juliana Horatia Ewing, who lived in Fredericton in the late 1860s.  There are period photos of Fredericton and copies of her drawings. Her husband, Alexander Ewing, was the Commissariat officer here. The archives also have files related to the regiments that were here and, if time allows, you might wish to have a look at the file for the 15th.  Again, depending on time, you might wish to travel to Saint John where the regiment was also stationed. A visit to the Carleton Martello Tower might be of interest to you. It has some information on the military history of Saint John. The 15th had a small detachment stationed there in the 1860s. 

As a historian and collector, I would be most interested in seeing your ancestor’s medal and papers.  It would be interesting to see if he was also entitled to the Canada General Service Medal that was issued for the Fenian Raids. Many soldiers, who qualified for it, did not receive it as it was issued in 1899 and only to those who were still alive. 

I hope that this information will help you to plan your trip to Fredericton. I am looking forward to meeting you. 

All the best, Gary 

… August 3, 2010 continued …

Dear Ruth and Gary,

Thanks so much for your speedy and helpful responses.   …

I’m just working through the various emails from Gary before replying properly, so this is just to say to both of you how grateful we all are for your generous help – and interest. John White was just a private in the 15th Regiment of Foot, nobody special (except to us) and it’s amazing to encounter such a warm and enthusiastic response.

More soon, once I’ve digested all the info sent, Katy

… August 3, 2010 continued …

Hello Gary and Ruth,

Just to say John White was certainly alive in 1899. He died on 29th Jan 1914 of chronic Bright’s disease and gangrene of the legs. Not a pretty way to go but at least he missed seeing his grandsons go to Flanders.

I have his full posting details from the medical records in his discharge documents, showing location and date of arrival:-

28 Apr 1867 Aldeny (Alderney?)

16 June 1860 Ireland

24 Mar 1862 Saint John, New Brunswick

6 June 1862 Fredericton, New Brunswick

28 Apr 1868 Bermuda

28 Dec 1870 Birr [where??]

26 July 1871 Curragh Camp

21 Mar 1872 Dublin

28 Sep 1872 Cork

22 Sep 1873 Guernsey

1 Jul 1876 Sheffield

3 Jul 1777 Preston

7 Oct 1778 Mullingar

21 Feb 1779 Tipperary

So he was definitely in Canada at the time of the Fenian Raid in 1866. Maybe the records for the 15th regiment at the archives may shed some light. This is fascinating!

More later – I have to go out now Katy