Trent Valley Archives Theatre Returning in 2026
June 4, 5, 6 and 7 — A Fundraiser for The Trent Valley Archives at Market Hall Performing Arts Centre, Peterborough. Click here for more information.
The Kid from Simcoe Street
In our adaptation of this moving World War II era memoir, James Clarke recalls growing up in the poor and alcohol-ridden neighbourhood of downtown Peterborough.
As a boy, his father had been a foot soldier, but after coming home from the battlefields he turned to manic drinking and belligerence, shattering his wife’s dreams, and casting a dark shadow over James’ boyhood.
This story, told with emotion that is unflinching in its honesty, lets us see just how remarkable it is that James Clarke became not only a man esteemed and honoured as a judge of the Superior Court of Ontario, but as a respected poet, too.
Purchase your copy from Exile Editions
Have you seen the updated Heritage Gazette?
We are pleased to continue and expand on the pioneering work of archivist Elwood Jones and Steve Gavard as we explore the near and distant past in this full colour publication.
View the current and past issues
On the eve of Family Day this year, we want to highlight the fact that our 2026 Trent Valley Archives Theatre production, The Kid from Simcoe Street, is a family story at its heart. ![]()
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Based on the memoir of the same name by James Clarke, The Kid from Simcoe Street focuses on a local family, the Clarke family, who lived in a tenement on Simcoe Street. Navigating the challenges of living in poverty in wartime-era Peterborough, the family (consisting of young James, his two sisters, and his parents) experienced a series of life events that had a huge impact on their lives.![]()
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Young James was particularly impacted by these events, especially the prolonged absence of his father who went overseas to serve in the Second World War, depriving him of a father figure and leaving his mother to care for her three children on her own. Although his family was broken apart, community members stepped forward to support him, proving that family extends to those you choose to surround yourself with. ![]()
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His father returned home from the war impacted by the trauma he had endured overseas and his resulting struggles with addiction, but the support James received from the community at large set him on the right path, a path that would eventually lead him to become an accomplished Ontario Superior Court Judge and poet. Now in his nineties and with a large family of his own, we think the Clarke family story will resonate with theatre-goers from all walks of life and from different family backgrounds. ![]()
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Written by playwrights Ed Schroeter, Gerry McBride and David Francis Clarke (James' grandson), directed by Drew Mills and stage managed by Barb Mills, The Kid from Simcoe Street will be staged at the Market Hall Performing Arts Centre in June of 2026. There will be two evening performances on June 4 and 5 at 7:30pm and two matinee performances on June 6 and 7 at 2pm. Tickets are on sale now, and would make an excellent outing for your family and friends. ![]()
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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: tickets.markethall.org/eventperformances.asp?evt=526 We hope to see you in June for this memorable family story!
Last fall, our archivist Dr. Elwood Jones travelled to the Circus Historical Society convention in Las Vegas to tell the story of a murder that occurred in Peterborough's Market Square in June of 1888. The murder occurred between two employees of the Howe Circus, one shooting another in Peterborough's market square before some 40 witnesses, and the consequences were felt in several directions.![]()
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Now, he has agreed to tell the same story to Trent Valley Archives members as part of our members-only presentation series. Join us on Zoom on Thursday, February 12 at 7pm to hear him share what he has learned from both the story itself and his experience presenting it to the conference. In his words:![]()
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"First, I learned quite a bit about Peterborough, a town that opposed hanging.![]()
Second, I learned that the circus world supports its own.![]()
Third, I learned that there was another murder in the same circus that year.![]()
Fourth, I learned that Peterborough loved circuses.![]()
Fifth, I learned about Ashburnham’s Riverside Park.![]()
Sixth, I learned that I really like circuses."![]()
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The story was well-received both at the convention and on our Peterborough Perpetrators true crime walking tour last summer. It is also featured in a chapter of Peterborough's Unique, published in 2024. It is a compelling look into the Peterborough community, circus culture, and the justice system in the 1880s, and if you have an interest in any of these topics you won't want to miss this presentation!![]()
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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 yesterday (Wednesday, February 4) with a link to register for the presentation (please register by the end of the day on Wednesday, February 11).![]()
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If you are not yet a Trent Valley Archives member, there's still time to become one! 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: trentvalleyarchives.com/membership/
We are saddened to share that on Friday, January 30, Karen Carter-Edwards passed away. Karen was an enthusiastic supporter of the Trent Valley Archives and a long- standing volunteer and member, sharing her love of local history with us in many ways. ![]()
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An engaging public speaker, Karen ran several local history tours for us, including a women's history tour in Little Lake Cemetery and a tour chronicling the history Jackson's Park, which were always well received by the community. She also enjoyed dressing up in historical attire and portraying women from Peterborough's past at our annual Little Lake Cemetery Pageant, bringing to life the stories of women like Emma Jane Morrow, Clara Mina Calcutt Rogers and Mary Shaw, alongside her husband Dennis. ![]()
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Karen was also a member of our Board of Directors for several years, taking time out of her busy schedule to help guide our organization with her knowledge and expertise. In 2019, we were proud to celebrate her as the recipient of a Cultural Betterment Award at the City of Peterborough's Civic Awards, for her work with us and with other organizations in the community who benefited greatly from her keen involvement. ![]()
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One of the many topics Karen was passionate about was women's history, and telling the stories of women who made important contributions to our community that would otherwise have been forgotten. We think the same sentiment should be extended to Karen herself; throughout her life, she has made her own important contributions to our community and we want to ensure that she is not forgotten. All of us whose lives she touched at the Trent Valley Archives will certainly miss her. ![]()
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If you have any stories you would like to share about Karen (perhaps you went on one of her engaging local history tours, saw her perform at one our cemetery pageants, or attended one of her informative talks) please share them in the comments.
Calling all local actors and theatre enthusiasts: The Trent Valley Archives Theatre is holding auditions for our 2026 production, "The Kid from Simcoe Street," next month, and we want you to take part! ![]()
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The play is a heartwarming coming-of-age story about growing up poor, and effectively fatherless, on the wrong side of the tracks in an alcohol-ridden neighbourhood in Peterborough during the Great Depression and Second World War. The main character is James Clarke, who later became an Ontario Superior Court Judge and poet, and the play is based on his memoir of the same name. ![]()
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Despite his difficult upbringing, several community members and friends rallied behind James, and as a result, "The Kid from Simcoe Street" features a large cast of different ages. There are 20 roles in total, both major and minor, and we are looking for the following volunteer actors: 9 Males, 5 Teen Males, 4 Females and 2 Teen Females. (Some actors may be asked to take on double or triple roles.)![]()
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The auditions will take place on Monday February 23 & Tuesday February 24 from 6:30pm to 8:30pm in Room 5 at the Activity Haven Seniors Centre, 180 Barnardo Ave in Peterborough. No preparation is required for the audition. Just come ready to read! ![]()
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If you would like to audition, please sign up for a time slot using our audition sign-up form, here: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSetcIfe6u9OwWUKghV-PBq5_ftUVzBOUy0yLSSmT0HTn5ilLg/viewform![]()
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[Image Caption: A young James Clarke in his backyard. Image Credit: The Clarke Family.]
If you're looking to make a difference in your community in 2026, why not consider volunteering with us? We're currently looking for Bookstore Assistant Volunteers and Archival Project Volunteers! ![]()
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We publish and sell several local history books at the Trent Valley Archives, and it is essential that each sale is properly processed and documented. To help keep our bookstore running smoothly, we are installing a Square point of sale system that will be used to process book sales and other payments, and we're looking for a dedicated group of volunteers who have experience with (or are willing to learn) how to process payments using this point of sale system. In addition to using the point of sale system, our bookstore assistant volunteers will help keep our bookstore shelves stocked and tidy and may be asked to perform other duties as required. ![]()
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Preserving the documents, photographs, films, and other materials in our care is at the core of what we do at the Trent Valley Archives, and we are always looking for volunteers who have an interest in working directly with our over 1,200 (and counting!) archival fonds. Our archival project volunteers work closely with our Archivist to process new donations, create finding aids to improve access to existing collections and digitize materials for online access, among other tasks. While volunteering in the archives, you'll experience local history firsthand and learn more about the community you live in, while helping others to do the same.![]()
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If you have any questions or would like to apply for one of these positions, please send an email to admin@trentvalleyarchives.com. You can also find more information about these positions on our Volunteer Peterborough profile, here: volunteerpeterborough.ca/opportunities/