Archives for the Trent Valley and Peterborough County area and history book seller
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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
Trent Valley Archives Theatre – Tide of Hope
Trent Valley Archives is commemorating the 200th anniversary of the arrival of the “Peter Robinson settlers” in the Newcastle District of Upper Canada with a production of Tide of Hope for school groups on May 15 and the general public on May 16, 2024. The emigration play is based on the life of David Nagle and follows his flight from turmoil and oppression in Ireland to Upper Canada. It is set in 1825 in the Blackwater district of Ireland at the height of the agrarian rebellion against excessive land rents and church tithes. Please visit our TVAT page more information about school group bookings, public performance tickets, and the content of the play.
Green Routes: Experiencing the Peter Robinson Emigration 1825
Rosemary McConkey has been spinning stories about the Irish in the Peterborough area for many years. As the bicentennial of the major Irish emigration of 1825 approaches, she shares her favourite stories in a book, Green Routes. The stories span some 200 years and showcase the impressive legacy of the Peter Robinson Settlers and their descendants from before, during and after their transatlantic voyage. These families developed a love for Canada over generations.
Green Routes looks at different experiences by the Robinson Settlers of 1825 and their descendants. Stories of the earliest Robinson settlers include that of schoolmaster Patrick Barragy and his brave efforts to persuade the government to support schools for new emigrants. McConkey also writes about the Robinson settlers of Douro Township who were truly thankful for the opportunities that came from emigration. Her fascination extends to descendants whose far-flung paths took them to destinations as far away as Indiana and points in the American mid-west, including Coach Frank W. Leahy of the University of Notre Dame football team.
These stories resonate with Peterborough experiences at other times. The area has a long history of migrations, short and long, coming in or going away. The First Nations, the Colony Settlers, later emigrations of Irish, British, and Italians, those from other parts of Canada, and more recently from diverse parts of Asia and Central America have come to Peterborough.
Green Routes looks at different experiences by the Robinson Settlers of 1825 and their descendants. In part, McConkey pays tribute to the resilience of the pioneers and their enduring values. She also invites others to join her in celebrating their continuing contributions to the life of Peterborough city and county.
Meet the cast and crew of Tide of Hope! Today, we’re continuing to post the headshots and biographies of our Tide of Hope cast and crew. Everyone involved in this production has been passionate about bringing the story of the Peter Robinson Settlers to life on stage, and we’re excited to share their names, faces and stories with you.THE DESCENDANT played by Elaine Day: On stage Elaine has performed in musicals, children's musical variety shows, and dramas. Behind the scenes, she has done sets, props, makeup, and costumes. There are always new things to learn in theatre. Her ancestor John Heffernan was a poor gardener on Lord George Kingston's estate. He had to leave Ireland with his wife Lady Elizabeth Kingston because of the scandal surrounding them. They came to Canada with Peter Robinson.STAGE MANAGER (A character in the play) played by Brogan McKellar: I’m a grade 8 student at Crestwood Intermediate School with a passion for the arts. This is my second play. Last summer I was in The Cavan Blazers (4th Line Theatre, 2023). I am excited to start the Integrated Arts program at Thomas A Stewart Secondary School.If you want to see the fruits of our cast and crew’s labour, there will be two public performances of Tide of Hope on Wednesday, May 15 and Thursday, May 16 at 7:30pm at the Market Hall Performing Arts Centre. A prequel to the Peter Robinson immigration story, Tide of Hope follows Irish land agent and rent collector David Nagle, who must flee to Upper Canada with the Peter Robinson settlers of 1825 to escape the wrath of Irish rebels fighting against English tyranny. Tickets cost $30 for regular seating and $40 for table seating, and can be purchased on the Market Hall website, here: tickets.markethall.org/eventperformances.asp?evt=357. Our Thursday evening performance is now sold out, but we still have tickets available for Wednesday evening! ... See MoreSee Less
Meet the cast and crew of Tide of Hope! Today, we’re continuing to post the headshots and biographies of our Tide of Hope cast and crew. Everyone involved in this production has been passionate about bringing the story of the Peter Robinson Settlers to life on stage, and we’re excited to share their names, faces and stories with you.LADY MARGARET/MIDNIGHT played by Carling Dulder: Carling’s last time on stage was 7 years ago at the John Candy Box Theatre at Second City Toronto. She has performed at Blackfly Theatre (Too Many Cooks) and the University of Guelph (Swollen Tongues). She is terrified to be back. Be gentle.THE MUSICIAN played by Michael Ketemer: Michael Ketemer is a Peterborough-based musician. He plays lyrical and lively tunes from various folk traditions, as well as ragtime and classical. He is a multi-instrumentalist on fingerstyle guitar, hammered dulcimer, tin whistle, and concertina.If you want to see the fruits of our cast and crew’s labour, there will be two public performances of Tide of Hope on Wednesday, May 15 and Thursday, May 16 at 7:30pm at the Market Hall Performing Arts Centre. A prequel to the Peter Robinson immigration story, Tide of Hope follows Irish land agent and rent collector David Nagle, who must flee to Upper Canada with the Peter Robinson settlers of 1825 to escape the wrath of Irish rebels fighting against English tyranny. Tickets cost $30 for regular seating and $40 for table seating, and can be purchased on the Market Hall website, here: tickets.markethall.org/eventperformances.asp?evt=357. Tickets are selling out quickly, so you’ll want to grab yours before it’s too late! ... See MoreSee Less
Meet the cast and crew of Tide of Hope! Today, we’re continuing to post the headshots and biographies of our Tide of Hope cast and crew. Everyone involved in this production has been passionate about bringing the story of the Peter Robinson Settlers to life on stage, and we’re excited to share their names, faces and stories with you.PETER ROBINSON played by Lucas Pronk: Hello! My name is Lucas Pronk and I am a Grade 12 drama student at Thomas A. Stewart. I first started acting in 2018 and loved it! I have enjoyed being part of the local theatre scene, with groups such as the Peterborough Theatre Guild, 4th Line Theatre, and St. James Players. I also have experience with professional acting, with appearances in shows such as American Gods, Disasters at Sea, and The Haunted Museum as well as a CIBC commercial. Outside of acting, I enjoy skiing, biking, and playing games such as D&D. My favourite subjects outside of Drama are Sciences, especially Chemistry. I hope you enjoy the performance of Tide of Hope with the Trent Valley Archives as much as we have!LORD KINGSTON played by Nathan Govier: I began doing theatre at Peterborough’s Union Theatre in the early 1990s, appearing in a dozen or more original productions. I was also a founding member of the MYOB comedy troupe, performing shows at the Union and the Gordon Best Theatres, including a sold-out election night MYOB comedy show during which I ran for Mayor of Peterborough. I also appeared in several dance shows choreographed by “scooter” (a.k.a. Wes Ryan). In the 2000s I performed at Dubai’s month-long Shopping Festival and busked in Europe. Since returning to Peterborough 18 years ago I have performed in plays such as Incident On Gun Mountain (2017, Planet 12 Productions) and Appropriate Audience Behaviour (2018, Planet 12 Productions) at The Theatre on King (TTOK) and in the annual “Granny and The Starchild Winter Solstice Celebration” and lantern parade (Atelier Ludmila artist collective). My latest project is stand-up comedy under the name #fixieG. I perform every Sunday from 9 to 11 PM at Bar 379.If you want to see the fruits of our cast and crew’s labour, there will be two public performances of Tide of Hope on Wednesday, May 15 and Thursday, May 16 at 7:30pm at the Market Hall Performing Arts Centre. A prequel to the Peter Robinson immigration story, Tide of Hope follows Irish land agent and rent collector David Nagle, who must flee to Upper Canada with the Peter Robinson settlers of 1825 to escape the wrath of Irish rebels fighting against English tyranny. Tickets cost $30 for regular seating and $40 for table seating, and can be purchased on the Market Hall website, here: tickets.markethall.org/eventperformances.asp?evt=357. Tickets are selling out quickly, so you’ll want to grab yours before it’s too late! ... See MoreSee Less
Meet the cast and crew of Tide of Hope! Today, we’re continuing to post the headshots and biographies of our Tide of Hope cast and crew. Everyone involved in this production has been passionate about bringing the story of the Peter Robinson Settlers to life on stage, and we’re excited to share their names, faces and stories with you. PATRICK played by Paul Baines: Paul Baines is an uninvited settler guest in Michi Saagiig Nishnaabeg territory and is also an inheritor of colonial privilege and resistance with a lineage rooted in England and Ireland. While this is his first theatre role, he has been performing as a student, educator, and activist for decades with a focus on social and ecological justice. As one of the ancestors of this territory and the British Isles, Paul dedicates his performance to the Atlantic Salmon who feed the bodies, cultures, and spirits of all those reciprocating the gift of life. See the emergence of his current work at www.kinadian.me.ELIZABETH played by June Govier: June Govier’s acting debut began in 2014 here at Market Hall in the play, “Once Upon A Time.” She followed this up playing Elizabeth Armour in The Little Lake Cemetery Pageant for three consecutive years. June dons her animal costume in the yearly Peterborough Winter Solstice Lantern Parade, playing a variety of animal characters. Her stage work also includes parts in “Austin and Ally,” “Matilda,” “Hercules,” and most recently, she played The Wicked Witch of the West in the Edmison Heights production of “The Wizard of Oz.”If you want to see the fruits of our cast and crew’s labour, there will be two public performances of Tide of Hope on Wednesday, May 15 and Thursday, May 16 at 7:30pm at the Market Hall Performing Arts Centre. A prequel to the Peter Robinson immigration story, Tide of Hope follows Irish land agent and rent collector David Nagle, who must flee to Upper Canada with the Peter Robinson settlers of 1825 to escape the wrath of Irish rebels fighting against English tyranny. Tickets cost $30 for regular seating and $40 for table seating, and can be purchased on the Market Hall website, here: tickets.markethall.org/eventperformances.asp?evt=357. Tickets are selling out quickly, so you’ll want to grab yours before it’s too late! ... See MoreSee Less
Meet the cast and crew of Tide of Hope! Starting today, we’ll be periodically posting the headshots and biographies of our Tide of Hope cast and crew. Everyone involved in this production has been passionate about bringing the story of the Peter Robinson Settlers to life on stage, and we’re excited to share their names, faces and stories with you. DAVID played by Drew Mills: Drew has acted in and directed multiple shows in Peterborough over the last decade – mostly focusing on musicals. His more standout roles include Paul in Theory of Relativity (2020), Ernst in Spring Awakening (2019), The Man in 7 Stories (2018), and Scarecrow in The Wizard of Oz (2016). Drew was previously the Spring Show Coordinator for the St. James Players and has produced or directed a dozen shows. Currently Drew has multiple brain injuries and is taking theater one step at a time; he is proud of the work he put in and the dedication of all the volunteers to make this show a success.MARY played by Lauren Murphy: Lauren has been acting within her local community for over 20 years. She has participated in many theatrical productions, ranging from drama to comedy to musicals. She graduated from Humber College's Acting for Film and Television program in 2012. She also received the Bancroft Theatre Guild Award for Acting Excellence for the EODL festival in 2018. When she's not acting, she's pursuing her other career as a realtor. Lauren is very pleased to be acting again with The Trent Valley Archives. She hopes you enjoy this important part of Peterborough's history.If you want to see the fruits of our cast and crew’s labour, there will be two public performances of Tide of Hope on Wednesday, May 15 and Thursday, May 16 at 7:30pm at the Market Hall Performing Arts Centre. A prequel to the Peter Robinson immigration story, Tide of Hope follows Irish land agent and rent collector David Nagle, who must flee to Upper Canada with the Peter Robinson settlers of 1825 to escape the wrath of Irish rebels fighting against English tyranny. Tickets cost $30 for regular seating and $40 for table seating, and can be purchased on the Market Hall website, here: tickets.markethall.org/eventperformances.asp?evt=357. Tickets are selling out quickly, so you’ll want to grab yours before it’s too late! ... See MoreSee Less
Green Routes looks at different experiences by the Robinson Settlers of 1825 and their descendants. Stories of the earliest Robinson settlers include that of schoolmaster Patrick Barragy and his brave efforts to persuade the government to support schools for new emigrants. McConkey also writes about the Robinson settlers of Douro Township who were truly thankful for the opportunities that came from emigration. Her fascination extends to descendants whose far-flung paths took them to destinations as far away as Indiana and points in the American mid-west, including Coach Frank W. Leahy of the University of Notre Dame football team.