“The Scots influence on the Province of Québec”

Lecturer: Ray Baillie, author of  “Scottish Imprint in Quebec”

In 2011, the selected theme for our lectures is "Scots in Beaconsfield" in order to present a more in depth study of this subject with several guest speakers.

• October 2010: Pat Coombes, on Beaconsfield Golf Club, meeting held at the Beaconsfield Golf Club
• November 18, 2010: Clifford Lincoln, on “Can we as individual change our world?”
• January 20, 2011: Alain Ménard, on Vineyards in Québec (1860-1900), including the one in Beaconsfield
• February 17, 2011: Virginia Bell, on the 50 years of the Briarwood Church in Beaconsfield
• April 21, 2011: Allison Irwin, on NOVA Thrift Shops, describing the struggles and the chances they took when opening new stores (4 total) and also innovative ways of what they “do” with unusual items.
• May 2011: Roy Wright, on the Kingdoms of the St. Lawrence Lawrence visited by Jacques Cartier… and their descendents"; from the writings of Jacques Cartier and the Sieur de Roberval, the history and culture of the indigenous Saint Lawrence Iroquoians, Mohawks and Hurons.

• October 2009 - Elizabeth Abbott, "Sir John Abbott"
• November 2009 - Michel Forest, "Frederick Coburn"
• January 2010 - Adrian Willison, "Kensington Gardens: World Class Architecture in Beaurepaire"
  • Adrian Willison talked about the Beaconsfield housing development built by his grandfather Darbyson.

• February 2010 - Valerie Verity, "The role of the Métisse Woman" Valerie came down from Pointe Fortune to speak to us about Magdeleine Poitras the wife of John McDonnell who built the home that is currently known a the McDonnell-Williamson house in Pointe Fortune. They had a total of 12 children, the first six of whom were born out on the land while McDonnell was involved in the western fur trade. A very romantic story.

• March 2010 - Pauline Faguy-Girard - Based on her years of research in our municipal files, Pauline spoke very informatively about Beaconsfield’s development.
• April 2010 - Elizabeth Abbott - addressed the society on Reverend Joseph Abbott, who was the author of 'The Emigrant’, published in 1842.
• May 20, 2010 - Yvonne Cousineau, "Guenet: The Man, The Legend" at Centennial Hall
  
  • Coinciding with the Beaconsfield 100 celebrations our speaker will reveal her findings about Jean Guenet, who was a very powerful, influential seventeenth century official, the procureur du roi, and the first landowner in Beaurepaire.

• November 2008, Elizabeth Abbott, Dr. Maude Abbott, our first woman doctor.
• January 2009, Gilles Perron, “J. Léonide Perron, First Mayor of Beaconsfield, A man destined to be Prime Minister of Quebec", Centennial Hall.
• February 2009, Jean-Louis Denis in the very atmospheric setting of the restored heritage property currently occupied by the Beaconsfield Yacht Club,  addressed the subject of his ancestor who was granted land in Baie d’Urfé in 1678.
• March 2009, Gilles Laberge, "The Iroquoians of the St. Lawrence Valley" and showed some very interesting slides.
• April 2009, Anne Collette, "West Island architects and architecture from the eighteenth century up to the 1950s".

2007-08

• November 15^th, 2007   Adrian Willison, “The American Revolution on Lake Saint Louis and its Shores”; Centennial Hall
• January 2008: Pauline Faguy-Girard, Preview of some of her findings in the Minutes of the Beaconsfield City Council meetings 1910-1957
• February 21^st 2008, Mr. Rudolf Okker, “Benedict Arnold in the West Island”,  Centennial Hall
• March 20^th, 2008: Michel Belisle, “Fief Boisbriant - Senneville”, Media Room, Beaconsfield Library
• April 17^th, 2008: Patrick Campbell and Jean-Louis Denis,” Aviation is in the air of Beaconsfield” and Défilé of TCA/Air Canada stewardesses’ uniforms, the Annexe.

2006-07

• Mar 15th, 2007    Jean Morrison, “Living the Good Life as an oral history interviewer”

• May 17th, 2007  Julie Boivin and Jennifer Ouellet, "Heritage Homes"; Herb Linder Annex

  Julie Boivin, architect, Bureau du patrimoine et de la toponymie, Ville de Monreal, introduced the Maisons rurales / Farm Houses project on the island of Montreal. Jennifer Ouellet, completing her M.A. in heritage conservation, made a PowerPoint presentation in French on "Les anciennes maisons de ferme de l’île de Montréal et de l’île Bizard". Also will be the launch of the new edition of our Walking Tour of Beaconsfield booklet.

2005-06

• February 15, 2006       The Right Honourable Francis Scarpaleggia

• November 16, 2006      Mrs Evelyn McOuat (Bremner) speaking about Douglas Bremner, her father: important figure of our city, artist, musician, philanthropist and member of the Order of Canada

• 2004-05

• November 17, 2004     Mme Françoise Duguay, President of the Quebec Archeologists Association, "Excavations at Pointe Caron"

Mme Françoise Duguay, will report on her continuing excavations of the mission to the parish of Saint-Louis-du-Haut-de l’Isle, now known as Pointe Caron in Baie d’Urfé, as well as her views on the prospects for future  archaeological discoveries on Montreal Island.

• May 18, 2005  Douglas Jack, Typonomy of the Native Peoples of this area

1995-96

• Sept. 95           Mr. Este of the Bout D'Ile Society on "The Post Office".
• Oct. 95            Mrs. Noreen Lowe of the Argenteuil Museum on "Victorian Diaries".
• Nov. 95            Mr. Jean-Guy Brossard History of "Old Montreal".
• Jan. 30, 96       Ms. Beth Kirkwood - Royal Bank of Canada "Quick to the future"
• Feb 27, 96        Mr. David Freeman - "History of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital".
• Mar 26, 96        Mrs. Evelyn Peyton-Taylor - "19^th Century Costumes. Male & Female".
• Apr 30, 96        Mr. Robert Benoit – “Tokens and other Dairy Memorabilia”, (Bout de L’Ile hosted)
• May 28, 96       Mr. David Rose - "Architecture of Montreal Ross & McDonald Architects"

1994-95

• September 94      Mrs L. Buck (Megantic County)
• October 94          Panel discussion (Wartime Britain)
• November 94       Mr. N. Cameron (Cosmology)
• January 95           Mrs. D. Williams (Black Community in Montreal)
• February 95         Mr. G. Kelley (Riding Representatives in Quebec)
• March 95             Mr. R. Hodgson (History of Hudson)
• April 95               Dr. M. Gillett (Women at McGill)

1993-94

• September 28, 1993   Mr. P. Campbell. (Sherlock Holmes)
• October 26, 1993       Mr. W. Gutzman. (Postcards of the Lakeshore area) (Bout de L’Ile joint)
• November 30, 1993    Dr. A. Kotaite. (History and Development of the I.C.A.O.)
• Jan 19, 1994             Dr Ashton Kerr “Diving Free in Sky and Sea”
• February 22, 1994      Mr. Lyle Cruickshank.  (N.F.B.films)
• March 30, 1994          Mr. N. Cameron. (A Great Irishman)
• April 27, 1994            Claire Gagné and France Bourgeois of Coup d'Oeil, the City of Maisonneuve and the Chateau Dufresne. Joint Session with Bout de L'Ile.
• May 25, 1994 AGM     Mr. Terence Kerwin, History of Grosse Isle and Irish immigration to Canada.

1992-93

• September 29, 992    Prof. H. Senior "Quebec in 1837" Joint Session with Bout de L'Ile.
• October 27, 1992      Victoria Stewart "The Founding of Ville Marie"
• November 24, 1992   Mrs M. O’Keefe "A History of Tobacco"
• Feb 23, 1993            Miss J. Rosen “Montreal’s Jewish Community”

1991-92

• September/91   Mr. Neil Cameron
• October/91       Mr. Conrad Graham of McCord Museum
• November/91    Mr. Steve McComber
• January/92        Mr. Roy Wilson
• February/92      Mr. G. Decarie
• March/92          Mr. B. Grainger
• April/92            Mrs J. Isherwood

1990-91

• September/90   V. Stewart, Quebec History
• October/90       J. Collins, Sketches of Montreal
• November/90    O. Lavallee, Early Railroading
• January/91        A. Johannsen, Jack Rabbit Museum
• February/91      J. Rogers, Pulp & Paper Research
• March,/91         A. Kerr, M.D., “TheCherry Beret”
• April/91            S. McComber, Indian Legends
• May/91             R. Wilson, Canadiana

1989-90

• Sept/89          Mr. H.M. Marier, Family History
• Oct/89           Dr. R. Estey, MacDonald College Local Agriculture History
• Nov/89           Mrs. G. Cunningham, Costume History
• Jan/90            Mr. R. Gandey & Mr. M. Carter, Beaconsfield's Tri-centennial
• Feb/90            Mr. D. Brown, Antiques
• Mar/90            Dr. R. Bider, St. Lawrence River Valley History
• Apr/90            Mr. 0. Lavallee, The National Dream
• May 29 AGM    Mrs. L. MeAuslane, Quilting History

1988-89

• Sept. 27/88      Dr. Kenneth Mackenzie, Ph.D. – “The Allan Line & Me”
• Oct. 25            Roger Bider - Ecomuseum
• Nov. 29            Robert Baird - History of Beaconsfield
• Jan. 31/89        Grace Cunningham - The Golden Square Mile
• Feb 28             Linda Joyce - Raptor Center
• Mar. 28            Lyle Cruickshank - History of NFB Films
• Apr. 25            Dr. Kenneth Mackenzie, Ph.D. - Railways vs. Waterways: The struggle for supremacy between railways and canals 1880-1903
• May 30            Conrad Graham - "McCord Museum and the value of museums to the public"

1987-88

• Sept.29/87 -    Ann McKinnel-Walker, the Harpell Press of Ste. Anne de Bellevue from an historical perspective.
• Oct. 27 -         Ben Shara, Treasurer of the College of Pharmacy 'The History of Pharmacy" will be presented.
• Nov. 24 -         Father Tom McEntee of St. Edmund of Canterbury Roman Catholic Church; Rev. and Canon Frank Toop of St. Mary's Anglican Church; Rev., The movement of English Protestant and Catholic churches out to the West Island.
• January 26/88- Graeme Decarie "Leisure"
• February -        Doris Montour of Kahnawake

1986-87

• September 30/86   Wayne McKell of the Chateauguay Valley Historical Society on the history of that region
• October 28            Valerie Benham, Mr. Les Sawyer, Bank note designer and miniaturist.
• November 25         Paul-Emil Cadorette of Parks Canada on the history of the Lachine area
• Jan 27/87              Roy Wilson slides on the old houses of Quebec
• Feb 24                  Henry Harwood, St. Michel de Vaudreuil church
• Apr 28                  Dr. F. Schlossher on the history of fashion
• June 8 AGM          Guy Vadeboncoeur, curator of the David Stewart Museum on St. Helen's Island and Le Vieux Fort

1985-86

• September 24/85    History of Ste Anne de Bellevue Brian Matthews
• November 26          "The Need to Preserve Older Buildings in Montreal", Mark London
• January 28/86         "Food Through the Ages" Margaret Goldik and Wendy Mason
• February 25            "Fur Trade and the Northwest Company" Victoria Stewart
• March 25                "A Pageantry of Fashion", Prof. Francesca Shlosser
• April 29                  "Early Arts in Canada" by France Bourgeois
• May 27 AGM           "Building of Canals in Canada" Paul-Emile Cadorette of Parks Canada

1984-85

• SEPT. 25/84          “Fur Trading" by Armour Landry- historian
• OCT. 30               Old Montreal by France Bourgeois of Coup d'Oeil sur l’Art Lecture and slide projection at Gibby’s restaurant.
• Nov. 27                History of the Mohawk Indians of Caughnawaga and the Chateauguay area and brief history of Lachine by Gerry Rogers
• Jan. 29/85           History of Beaurepaire-Beaconsfield by Gisele Hall with slide projection of old and local pictures
• Apr. 30                History of Ste Anne by Josee Derepentigny slides and pictures will be shown

1983-84

• Sep 27   France Boungeois        - Faison revivre nos ancestors
• Oct 25      Ann Lachance                      - The history of Dorval
• Jan 31    Robert Baird                - Cartography pertaining to the West Island
• Feb 23   Prof. R. Diubaldo           - Inuits and history of its people.
• Mar 29    Dr. Graham. Decarie       - The English population in Montreal
• Apr 19   Julia Gersovitch of Heritage Montreal        - Victorian Architecture Slide show
• May 29 (AGM) Prof. Hereward Senior - The United Empire Loyalists in Quebec

1982 - 1983

• Sept.28, 1982              Gisele Hall Visual presentation of our local history (old pictures and maps)
• Oct.26, 1982                Prof. John Bland “The French Canadian architecture”
• Nov.30, 1982                Prominent historian: Sister Estelle Mitchell, Grey Nuns
• Mar. 29, 1983                Rene Chartrand -Curator and historian from the Military Museum in Ottawa
• Apr. 26, 1983                Expose on the family genealogy by local Quebec Family History Society

• 1978-79
• • Sept. 11, 1978             “A Trip Through History”, Mr. David Stewart
  • November 28, 1978    Historic House Tour, Trestler House in Vaudreuil, P Roy Wilson as guide and speaker.
• February 13th, 1979   Slides and movies of Beaurepaire 300

• 1977-78

• Sept. 29, 1977               (First AGM)   A slide and talk presentation by Mr. Earle Moore entitled "The Restoration of a 19th Century Quebec Village". This gave an insight as to how interesting our past could be.
• Jan. 12th, 1978             Mr. Claude Hoskin, former owner of The Grove, circa 1810, gave a talk and slide show about the Beaurepaire-Beaconsfield area, with emphasis on the history of The Grove Hotel. Besides shedding a lot of light on our early days, there were many humorous anecdotes about happenings during Mr. Hoskin's quarter century ownership of The Grove.
• April 26th, 1978             Mr. Chester E. Beachell of the National Film Board spoke about his underwater exploits and also showed a film about the so-called "Killer Whales" which, we learned, are actually most gentle creatures. Mr. Beachell also mentioned there were wrecks of ships in local waters and he hoped that some day more relics of our past would be recovered. Apparently, most of the wrecks are located in swift water, which is understandable and difficult to reach.
• June 28, 1978                (AGM)  Sally Weary, a McGill History graduate, gave a brief outline of her current work in preperation for Beaurepaire 300.