Posting Member: Jenn & Rory Pumpkin
Topic: My AMAZING trip!
Family Name Associations: Stone, Carr
Location: Barrie, Ontario
Mood: Starving!
Music:
A little love for Gleeks everywhere ♥
Those are some shots of Rory Pumpkin during a research session the other night, he deems genealogy sleep worthy! Or maybe sleep-on worthy.
Well, I had an amazing mini-vacation… Not only was the company a laughing riot, and the shopping a grand success on all fronts, BUT I also got some research done. Imagine!
There was a small stop at an old, sweet white church that I managed a couple of clicks at, and then as well there was the vast accomplishment of visiting Niagara on the Lake and speaking to people there about the British Home Children and Our Western Home.
First off, the ladies in the old court house who work with providing public information were so good to us! They explained that the building we were actually in used to the the old court house (But perhaps not the second court house where the actual ‘Western Home’ was located), and then provided us with detailed information on where to find the Museum.
The people at the Museum just bent over backwards for us… It was an amazing experience! I cannot say enough for the kindness and open hospitality of these people at Niagara on the Lake. I can’t wait to go back there to learn more and absorb more of the amazing atmosphere. First off, there was a chest much like our own at the museum. There was also a small write-up about Maria Rye and a few images in the display. We were given a card for the curator and a list of all the ‘Our Western Home’ articles in the Museum’s possession with an invitation to make an appointment the next time we’re there to view anything within the collection. But something we’re really excited about was finding the book ‘The Little Immigrants’ by Kenneth Bagnell (The new edition with a preface by Hon. Roy MacLaren) and I really think we might find some new leads just by reading into all this additional research.
As well, the museum staff gave me a copy of this picture of the original Our Western Home building.
There’s definitely vast differences between this building and the present courthouse which serves as an Information center as well. Which would make sense in our having heard that the ‘orphanage’ had been destroyed previously. I definitely will need to bring all my notes the next time we’re headed in that direction, silly me thinking I’d just be off shopping!
I’m going to sign off on this post now and head to bed, as today was crazy busy with so little actually accomplished (Beyond the discussing of renovations for my office, it might be time to actually re-arrange some space in here, Eeeeee! 😀 I’m so excited about paint an organization!). But before I go, I have to mention we stopped by the Angel Pub for lunch on Sunday, and it did not disappoint! Mum was SO right about the food and the atmosphere. Nothing like eating fish and chips in a place build in 1814 to start off some amazing research! The food was delicious, the atmosphere was perfect and even the ghost story and historical news print with background for the pub was memorizing. I can’t wait to go back and highly recommend it to anyone going to eat in the area. After all, it can’t all just be wine tours… Not that they should ever be discounted! I’ll be back for further updates soon I’m sure, wishing you all well!
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