Trent Valley Archives Theatre Returning in 2026
June 4, 5, and 6 — A Fundraiser for The Trent Valley Archives at Market Hall Performing Arts Centre, Peterborough
Learn about last year’s play: Crossing Over: Sequel Tide of Hope
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
After hosting four sold-out tours during Nine Ships 1825's Bicentennial Commemoration Week in August, we've decided to reprise our "Beyond the Ships' Lists: The Peter Robinson Settlers and their Descendants" St. Peter's Cemetery tour! ![]()
![]()
Join genealogist and historian Gillian Holden in the cemetery on the afternoon of Sunday, September 28 to learn more about the descendants of the original Peter Robinson emigrants, whose diverse and interesting lives led them to places across North America and to a variety of professions. Full of tragedy and triumph, their stories highlight the impact their legacy has had on our region in the 200 years since their arrival. ![]()
![]()
Tickets cost $20 each and can be purchased on Eventbrite, here: www.eventbrite.ca/e/beyond-the-ships-lists-st-peters-cemetery-tour-tickets-1681231662159?aff=oddt.... NOTE: This is a walking tour in St. Peter's Cemetery that covers a large portion of the cemetery grounds. It stays on the main roadways whenever possible, but covers some uneven ground and may not be accessible to everyone. Wear comfortable shoes and dress appropriately for the weather, as the tour will run rain or shine. If you have any questions about the accessibility of this tour, please email us at admin@trentvalleyarchives.com or call us at 705-745-4404.![]()
![]()
[Image Caption: Beyond the Ships' Lists tour guide Gillian Holden telling the tour group a story about one of the many Crowley families on our August 10th tour. Image Credit: Linda Cardona]
On Saturday, September 20th from 10:30am to 1:30pm, we will be opening the doors at our archives building at 567 Carnegie Avenue in Peterborough for curious community members and devout TVA supporters alike! ![]()
![]()
The highlight of this year's Open House will be the launch of Peterborough: Spirit of Place, photographer John McQuarrie's newest addition to his popular Spirit of Place book series. The perfect addition to any Peterburian's coffee table, this 150+ page book features dozens of McQuarrie's gorgeous full-colour photographs of Peterborough and the surrounding area paired with articles written by local authors and historians, including our archivist, Dr. Elwood Jones. ![]()
![]()
At our Open House, both McQuarrie and Dr. Jones will speak about the book, which profiles the history of Peterborough alongside McQuarrie's photographs. Just in time for the Bicentennial of the Peter Robinson Irish Emigration, this historical profile features a stand-out article written by Patrick Leahy, a descendant of one of the Peter Robinson emigrants, about the emigration. ![]()
![]()
Don't miss your chance to be one of the first to own a copy of this beautiful book, and to get it signed by two of its major contributors. Copies of the book are $40 each and will be available for sale at our Open House. As a special offer to celebrate the launch of the book, each copy of Peterborough: Spirit of Place will also come with a copy of McQuarrie's previous book, Trent Severn Waterway, free of charge!![]()
![]()
The Open House will be running from 10:30am-1:30pm, and you are welcome to drop in anytime (although the speaking portion of the Open House will begin around 11:30am). There will also be light refreshments available. If you have never paid our archives building a visit before, this is the perfect opportunity for you to find out what resources we have, peruse our new and secondhand local history books for sale, and even become a Trent Valley Archives member!![]()
![]()
Our president, board, and volunteers are excited to welcome you to our archives building this Saturday. We hope to see you there!
LOW STOCK ALERT! We have just two copies left of Green Routes: Experiencing the Peter Robinson Emigration 1825 by Rosemary McConkey in our bookstore. We will not be reprinting this book, so this is your last chance to add this fantastic resource on the Peter Robinson emigration to your library. ![]()
![]()
The book can be purchased for $35 at our archives building at 567 Carnegie Avenue Tuesday-Saturday from 10am-4pm or on our website, here: trentvalleyarchives.com/shop/green-routes-experiencing-the-peter-robinson-emigration-1825-2/ ![]()
![]()
While you're there, you can also peruse all the other fabulous books on the Peter Robinson emigration we carry, including the Nine Ships Bicentennial Souvenir Book, Peterborough: Spirit of Place (featuring an article by Patrick Leahy on the emigration), and the Homecoming 75 souvenir book.
On Sunday, August 10, Trent Valley Archives (TVA) held their second of two Beyond the Ships' Lists tours in St. Peter's Cemetery. The tour was a fitting closure to our Bicentennial Commemoration Week, as it profiled the descendants of many of the original Peter Robinson Emigrants, discussing the places they moved to and the career paths they took and highlighting the incredible legacy, spanning 200 years, of Peter Robinson's emigration experiment. ![]()
![]()
Although it was a hot afternoon, tour guides Gillian Holden and Maddie More entertained their tour groups by telling stories of tragedy and triumph and explaining how the descendants buried in St. Peter's Cemetery were connected to the original Peter Robinson Emigrants who sailed across the Atlantic on nine ships in 1825. Many of the tour participants learned more about their ancestors during the course of the tour!![]()
![]()
Thank you to the Trent Valley Archives for enriching visitors' historical knowledge with their walking and cemetery tours throughout our Bicentennial Commemoration Week. If you're local to Peterborough and didn't get an opportunity to attend this tour during our Bicentennial Commemoration Week, make sure you're following TVA on their social media. They're planning on reprising the tour once more this fall!
Rubidge, Hilliard, Stewart, Fairbairn. These are names most Peterburians will know, as they'realso the names of some of Peterborough's well-travelled streets. But as you're driving, biking, or walking through town, have you ever thought about the people these streets are named after, and why a street was named in their honour? ![]()
![]()
On our Movers and Shakers tour in Little Lake Cemetery, join local historian Karen-Carter Edwards to find out what contributions these "movers and shakers" made to the Peterborough community, alongside other prominent Peterburians with last names you might recognize. A diverse group, they include pioneers, businessmen, politicians, military personnel, religious leaders, patrons of the arts, and more. Each one contributed to shaping Peterborough into the vibrant community it is today. ![]()
![]()
The tour is happening TOMORROW, August 23, at 11am. It's also the only time we're running the tour this year, so you won't want to miss it! Tickets cost $20 each and can be purchased on Eventbrite, here: www.eventbrite.ca/e/movers-and-shakers-tickets-1337358728959?aff=oddtdtcreator![]()
![]()
[Image Caption: Cropped image of J. R. Stratton's home on George Street, now Sadlier House, taken in 1909.]