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
Trent Valley Archives Theatre Returning May 2026
Learn about last year’s play: Crossing Over: Sequel Tide of Hope
— A Fundraiser for The Trent Valley Archives at Market Hall Performing Arts Centre, Peterborough
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
As we inch closer to our official Bicentennial Commemoration Week of August 1-10, we want to put a spotlight on each event happening during that week so you're aware of everything you can see and do! Today, we want to focus on the third and final walking tour hosted in partnership with the Trent Valley Archives on Monday, August 4 from 7pm to 9pm and Sunday August 10 from 1pm to 3pm.![]()
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Entitled "Beyond the Ships' Lists: The Peter Robinson Settlers and Their Descendants" this walking tour goes beyond the ships' lists to talk about some of the Peter Robinson Irish Emigrants and their descendants buried in the picturesque and historic St. Peter's Cemetery. Led by knowledgeable tour guide Gillian Holden, you’ll learn their names, their stories, and the overall impact their legacy has had on our region (and beyond!) in the 200 years since their arrival.![]()
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Tickets to both tours cost $20 each and can be purchased on Eventbrite. Click here to purchase tickets to the tour on August 4: www.eventbrite.ca/e/beyond-the-ships-lists-st-peters-cemetery-walking-tour-tickets-1297285047499?... and here to purchase tickets to the tour on August 10: www.eventbrite.ca/e/beyond-the-ships-lists-st-peters-cemetery-walking-tour-tickets-1297584302579?... Both tours are selling out quickly so we recommend you purchase your tickets soon to avoid disappointment.![]()
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NOTE: The tour will run rain or shine so please dress appropriately for the weather. The tour route is on relatively flat ground but requires some walking and standing for long periods of time, so it may not be appropriate for everyone.
As we inch closer to our official Bicentennial Commemoration Week of August 1-10, we want to put a spotlight on each event happening during that week so you're aware of everything you can see and do! Today, we want to focus on the second of three walking tours hosted in partnership with the Trent Valley Archives on Friday, August 1 from 9:30am to 12pm and Friday August 8 from 10am-12pm. ![]()
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Entitled "Peter Robinson's Peterborough" this downtown walking tour led by local historians Elwood Jones and Don Willcock will paint a picture of what Peterborough looked like in Peter Robinson's day, which he referred to as "The Depot" in 1825. The tour will end in the aptly named Peter Robinson Room at Princess Gardens for refreshments. ![]()
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On Friday, August 1, the tour will also include a stop in Millennium Park to attend the Peterborough Canadian Irish Club's unveiling of a commemorative plaque in honour of the 200th anniversary of the arrival of the Peter Robinson Irish emigrants to our region, in combination with the 50th anniversary of the PCIC. ![]()
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Tickets to both tours cost $20 each and can be purchased on Eventbrite. Click here to purchase tickets to the tour on August 1: www.eventbrite.ca/e/peter-robinsons-peterborough-walking-tour-tickets-1291580404759?aff=oddtdtcre... and here to purchase tickets to the tour on August 8: www.eventbrite.ca/e/peter-robinsons-peterborough-walking-tour-tickets-1297553319909?aff=oddtdtcre... Both tours are selling out quickly and will only be run twice this year, so we recommend you purchase your tickets soon to avoid disappointment. ![]()
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NOTE: The tour will run rain or shine so please dress appropriately for the weather. The tour route is on relatively flat ground but requires some walking and standing for long periods of time, so it may not be appropriate for everyone.
As we inch closer to our official Bicentennial Commemoration Week of August 1-10, we want to put a spotlight on each event happening during that week so you're aware of everything you can see and do! Today, we want to focus on the first of three walking tours hosted in partnership with the Trent Valley Archives on Monday, August 4 from 10am-12pm. ![]()
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Entitled "The Story of Peterborough's First Cemetery" this downtown walking tour led by local historians Elwood Jones and Don Willcock will tell the story of Peterborough's first cemetery, which was located in what is now the site of Confederation Park, the Armouries, and the former Peterborough Collegiate. Established in 1825 and used as a cemetery until 1854, the grounds have had a long history which will be highlighted in detail on this tour. ![]()
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Tickets to this tour cost $20 each and can be purchased on Eventbrite, here: www.eventbrite.ca/e/the-story-of-peterboroughs-first-cemetery-walk-talk-tour-tickets-129609390475... The tour is selling out quickly and will only be run once this year, so we recommend you purchase your tickets soon to avoid disappointment. ![]()
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NOTE: The tour will run rain or shine so please dress appropriately for the weather. The tour route is on relatively flat ground but requires some walking and standing for long periods of time, so it may not be appropriate for everyone.
It's been a month since our production of Crossing Over set sail at the Market Hall Performing Arts Centre, and we wanted to take a moment to reflect on Crossing Over's success! Over the past month, we've been hearing rave reviews from people who went to see the show, and we wanted to share a few of them with you today (along with a few of our favourite photographs taken at our final performance on Saturday, May 31). ![]()
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A huge thank-you to Brendan Moher, Chair of Nine Ships 1825 Inc., and Maureen Crowley and Dennis Carter-Edwards, board members of Nine Ships 1825 Inc., for sharing their thoughts on Crossing Over with us. Click/tap on each of the images below to read their reviews. ![]()
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Our Trent Valley Archives Theatre Committee is now on summer break, but we've already started planning our next production, "The Kid From Simcoe Street" which will be performed at the Market Hall in June of 2026. The play, written by local playwrights Ed Schroeter and Gerry McBride, shines a light on James Clarke’s experiences growing up on Simcoe Street in Peterborough in the 1930s and 1940s, and is based on his memoir of the same name (available for purchase online). It’s a heartwarming tale of growing up poor on “the wrong side of the tracks” and the role the community played in helping Judge James Clarke to overcome adversity and become a published poet and Ontario superior court judge.![]()
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Lets continue the conversation in the comments! If you had a chance to see the show, let us know what you thought of it in the comments below.
Our first Tragic Tales tour in Little Lake Cemetery is tomorrow (June 20) at 7pm! ![]()
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At the turn of the century, Peterborough was a rapidly expanding city, embracing industrialization with its influx of factories and retailers and the expansion of City services like public transportation, electricity, and access to running water. However, this rapid expansion also meant that some members of the community were left behind. ![]()
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Join knowledgeable tour guide Mona Wilkes on our tour tomorrow evening to hear the stories of some of these people, including Janet Hunter, a woman who did everything she could to provide for herself and her newborn son, only to be let down by society, and William Waldron, an outsider struggling to stay employed due to his addition to alcohol. ![]()
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Tickets cost $20 each and can be purchased on Eventbrite, here: www.eventbrite.ca/e/tragic-tales-tickets-1336956445719?aff=oddtdtcreator. If you can't make this tour date, or would prefer to attend the tour in the afternoon, we'll be running it again on Sunday, July 20 at 2pm.![]()
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[Image Caption: Water Street looking toward Market Hall]