Monday, December 20, 2010

The Sleepytown Express with Betty Rogers Large

The story of The Sleepytown Express a vintage radio show broadcast over CFCY, is best told by The Storyteller herself - the late Betty Rogers Large. Her award winning book, Out of Thin Air is now available in pdf form as part of the Island Lives Collection at UPEI Robertson Library. The book also tells the larger story of broadcasting on Prince Edward Island which began with Betty's father, Keith Sinclair Rogers a boy with an enthusiasm for wireless communications.

Original recordings of Betty's show were saved and rerecorded by her husband, the late Bob Large, and are now available. Some - broadcast near Christmas - featured a direct voice link to Santa Clause at the North Pole reading letters mailed from listeners, showing the amazing power of radio to track down even the most remote characters and create vivid memories for young listeners. To young people amazed that a box made up of tubes and wires could receive messages from around the globe, these radio communications from the North Pole helped fuel their imaginations further.

Bob selected several Christmas broadcasts to include in these recordings. Each are 30 minute compilations in WMA format which should play directly on your computer.

Side (A) total time 30 min.
Sleepy Town Express Theme
Three Little Pigs (also letters from listeners)
originally broadcast March 17,1947
Christmas Program (Nov. 29,1946)
The Little Fir Tree
Sleepy Town Express Theme
Side (B)Total time 29 min.
How The Glitter Began
Why The Chimes Rang
Peter Rabbit (Broadcast Feb 26,1947)
The Little Red Hen (Broadcast Feb 28,1947)
The Animal Store
Sleepy Town Express Theme
Thanks to the foresight of both Bob and Betty Large these materials were saved. We hope you enjoy this sample of vintage Maritime radio broadcasting.

The Sleepy Town Express theme music

Words and Music by Haven Gillespie

Come on all you kiddies
Put your play things down
Take a trip with me to the jubilee
Down in Sleepy Town
Climb into your nighties close your eyes and rest
Cause we’re going away for a holiday
On the Sleepy Town Express

We’re goin to meet Jack
And we’re goin to meet Jill
They live in a shack on a Punkin Pie Hill
It’s an all night trip on a pillow slip
For the Sleepy Town Express

We’re goin to pick cakes by the lemonade stream
Sail over the lakes full of Honey and Cream
And the Sandman dear is the Engineer
On the Sleepy Town Express

All the little Tots down in SleepyTown
Are wait-in to meet the train
With their Licorice Shoes and Choc-late Hats
And Peppermint Candy Canes
We’ll paddle and splash in the Soda pop Pools
On the Plum pudding beach
Where there ain’t no school
Go to bed don’t wait or you’ll be late
For the Sleepy Town Express

All aboard all aboard for the Sleepy Town Express
Can’t you hear the wheels a click-in on the silver plated rails
While the kitty kats meow “Good-bye” and wave their pretty tails
All the maidens on the milk-y way are shin-in up the moon
Cause they know the Sleepy Town Express is com-in very soon
We will stop and pay a visit to the Woman in the Shoe
And we’ll call on Cinderella and Old Mother Hubbard too
When you hear the wind a toot-y toot-y toot-in down the flue
Then the Sandman will be com-in with his choo-ka-choo-ka-choo
All aboard all aboard for the Sleepy Town Express.

Liner Notes for recording:

Storyteller Betty Rogers Large began broadcasting the Sleepy Town Express in 1925 over CFCY radio, a station that was founded and operated by her father, Keith Sinclair Rogers in Charlottetown Prince Edward Island. Her broadcasting career started at the age of 14 and would continue for 60 years. In retirement she returned to her roots in storytelling with her writing being broadcast over BBC and several revivals at Christmas time of the Story Town Express over local radio stations on PEI.

Broadcasts of the show sparked a demand for copies of the original shows which had survived as transcriptions on soft acetate discs and had been stored in less than ideal conditions for 50 years. Re-recorded onto tape using modern facilities the stories and music recaptures a time when radio was magic. The result of three years work the tape makes available vintage radio and preserves Island history. Out of Thin Air authored by Betty Rogers Large recorded in words and pictures the history of radio on PEI, the tape through voice and music is a fitting companion. In a similar way that Betty and Bob Large had been life companions as husband and wife as well as working partners the production of this tape by Bob Large is a fitting memorial to Betty, known to many Maritimers as “The Storyteller”.

Active in local theatre productions Betty brought her own creativity to her radio productions recruiting local actors or training children as needed. Some of the voices on this tape are the Storyteller herself, announcer Bill Brown, Mary Trainor as the Bubble Fairy, Austin Trainor as Santa, and George Scantlebury as Mickey.

Betty's sister Marianne (Rogers) Morrow, also fulfilled the role of storyteller on the show. During a period in the 1930's when Betty and Bob lived in Sackville, NB, Marianne kept the show going until Betty returned to the role again.

- Note in 2016. CBC Radio conducted an excellent interview with Betty's daughter Kathy Large, herself a retired CBC broadcaster, about Betty's Sleepy Town Express broadcasts. The news article remains on the CBC site and a recording of the interview is accessible on Soundcloud.

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Creation - by Katherine Govier

The 2002 novel Creation - by Katherine Govier, includes a character of great importance to Prince Edward Island history. Henry Wolsey Bayfield, later Admiral Bayfield played a key role in Island life. He was also an individual who functioned on a broader stage. When John James Audubon traveled in the Gulf of St. Lawrence it was with Bayfield that he traveled and therein lies the connection to Govier's novel.

Synopsis:

Running two steps ahead of the bailiff, alternately praised and reviled, John James Audubon set himself the audacious task of drawing, from nature, every bird in North America. The result was his masterpiece, The Birds of America. In June 1833, partway through his mission, he enlisted his son, Captain Bayfield of the Royal Navy, and a party of young gentlemen to set sail for nesting grounds no ornithologist had ever seen, in the treacherous passage between Newfoundland and Labrador. Creation explores the short, stormy summer throughout which the captain became the artist's foil, measuring stick, and the recipient of his long-held secrets. It is an exploration of that fateful expedition, a probing and imaginative narrative that fills in a gap in the visionary naturalist's well-documented life.
In this atmospheric and enthralling novel, Katherine Govier tells the story of a man torn between the lies he has lived by and the truth he now needs. She recreates the summer in which "the world's greatest living bird artist" finally understood the paradox embedded in his art: that the act of creation was also an act of destruction.

Monday, November 15, 2010

Harrington House - A Twice Moved Building

Harrington House is a great example of the tradition of salvaging and reusing older building by moving them to a new site. Harrington Presbyterian Church dates back to the 1864 and has been moved twice. Many people recall it as an abandoned yellow church across from the Charlottetown Airport where it sat for several years. It is currently located in Rice Point, Prince Edward Island.



An article on the building and other relocated churches was recently published in Saltscape magazine.

The main website for the property, which is a vacation rental unit, shows the interior and exterior work on Harrington House.

Sunday, November 14, 2010

Lyle House Restoration


The award winning Lyle House - a restoration project in Port Hill, Prince Edward Island maintains a website of their ongoing activity in bringing back to life this important structure.

Thursday, November 4, 2010

William Henry Weeks (1864–1936) - Island Born Architect

An article on Prince Edward Island-born architect, William Henry Weeks (1864–1936) indicates that:

He was an early 20th century architect who designed hundreds of buildings including many schools, banks, and libraries. He was well-known for his monumental Greek Revival neoclassical style of architecture, although he also employed other architectural styles. His offices were based in various parts of the San Francisco Bay area throughout his career. Weeks designed hundreds of structures in over 161 Californian cities, as well as several buildings in Nevada and Oregon. Many of his buildings are still standing and some are still in use.


See the article.

Sunday, October 24, 2010

Lieutenant Governors of Prince Edward Island

A pdf guide to the individuals who have served as administrator, governor or lieutenant governor of the province, and colony is now available. It covers the period from 1769 to the present.

This provides the same content as the Lieutenant Governor Gallery in an additional format that is printer ready.

Thursday, September 2, 2010

Islanders in the Dictionary of Canadian Biography

Prince Edward Islanders in the Dictionary of Canadian Biography
List compiled by Gary Carrol for The Island Register

Surname Given Name/Years
Anderson Alexander 1836-1925
Aplin Joseph 1740-1804
Archibald Walter Palmer 1860-1922
Arsenault Joseph-Octave 1866-1918
Arsenault Joseph-Octave (Senator) 1828-1897
Arsenault Pierre-Paul 1867-1927
Bagnall James 1783-1855
Bain Francis 1842-1894
Bannerman Alexander 1786-1855
Bayfield Henry Wolsey 1795- 1885
Bayfield Fanny Amelia (see Wright)
Bell Herbert 1818-1876
Bell John Howatt 1845-1929
Bellecourt George Antoine 1803-1874
Bertram Alexander Charles 1852-1908
Binns Charles 1786-1847
Blake Patrick 1846-1909
Brecken Frederick de St. Croix 1828-1903
Brecken John 1800-1847
Brenan Daniel 1796-1876
Brennan William Arthur 1851-1916
Buote Gilbert 1833-1904
Burke Alfred Edward 1862-1926
Butcher Mark 1814-1883
Byers Peter 1796-1815
Callbeck Phillips 1742-1790
Calonne Jacques-Ladislas de 1742-1822
Cambridge John 1748-1831
Campbell Donald, Sir 1800-1850
Campbell Duncan 1818-1886
Carmichael John Edward 1790-1828
Chanter Thomas Burnard 1797-1874
Chappell Benjamin 1740-1825
Clark Robert - d. 1794
Colclough Caesar 1764-1822
Coles George 1810-1875
Conroy Nicholas 1816-1879
Cooper James Barrett 1811-1888
Cooper William Cooper 1786-1867
Cowperwaithe Humphrey Pickard 1838-1924
Cormack William Eppes 1796-1868
Cotton William Lawson 1848-1928
Crawford Alexander 1786-1828
Cundall Henry Jones 1833-1916
Currie Donald 1831-1880
Curtis James d. 1819
Dalrymple George R. 1790-1851
Daly Dominick 1798-1868
Davies Louis Henry 1845-1924
Dawson William Eddison 1829-1902
DeBlois George Wastie 1824-1886
Desbarres Joseph Frederick Wallet 1721-1824
Desbrisay Theophilus 1754-1823 (son)
Thomas 1732/33-1819 (father)
DesRoches Gilbert 1848-1915
Douglas James 1757-1803
Douglas Thomas (Earl of Selkirk) 1771-1820
Douse William 1800-1864
Doyle Lawrence 1847-1907
Dubuc Sophie-Louise 1826-1908
Duffy James W. 1798-1860
Dundas George 1819-1880
Eagleson John (fl 1765-1790)
Ellis William 1774-1855
Fanning Edmund 1739-1818
Farquharson Donald 1834-1903
Ferguson Donald 1839-1909
Fitzgerald David 1813-1894
Fitzroy Charles Augustus 1796-1858
Gallant Joseph 1839-1923
Gaudet Placide 1850-1930
Gallant Xavier 1760-1813
Gisborne Frederic Newton 1824-1892
Godfrey George 1852-1901
Goff Fade 1780-1836
Gordon Daniel 1821-1907
George Nichol (1822-1861)
James Douglas (1832-1872)
Gourlie Jessie Winnifred 1861-1915
Gray John Hamilton 1811-1887
Gray Robert 1747-1828
Hall Thomas 1867-1919
Hardy George 1740-1803
Harper John Murdoch 1845-1919
Harvey John 1778-1852
Harris Robert 1849-1919
Harris William Critchlow 1854-1913
Haszard James Douglas 1797-1875
Haviland Thomas Heath 1796-1867
Haviland Thomas Heath 1822-1895
Haythorne Robert Poore 1815-1891
Heartz Richard Jacob 1816-1908
Hensley Joseph 1824-1894
Higgins David - d. 1783
Hill John 1754-1841
Hodgson Robert 1765-1811
Hodgson Robert 1798-1880
Holl John Myrie 1802-1869
Holland John Frederick 1760-1845
Holland Samuel Johannes 1728-1801
Holman Robert Tinson 1833-1906
Howatt Cornelius 1810-1895
Howlan George William 1835-1901
Huestis George Oxley 1821-1905
Hunter-Duvar John 1821-1899
Huntley Henry Vere 1795-1864
Hutchinson Robert 1802-1866
Irwin Thomas ? -1847
James Philip 1800-1851
Jarvis Edward James 1788-1852
Jenkins Stephen Rice 1858-1929
Johnston Richard 1830-1903
Johnstone Walter ca.1795-1824
Johnston William 1779-1828
Jones Robert 1778-1859
Keir John 1780-1858
Kelly Francis 1803-1879
Laird Alexander 1797-1873
Laird Alexander 1830-1896
Laird David 1833-1914
Landry Israel J.D. 1843-1910
Lane Ambrose 1791-1853
Lawson David 1720-1803
LePage John 1812-1886
Lewellin John Lewellin 1781-1857
Little Philip Francis 1824-1897
Lockerby Elizabeth Newell 1831-1884
Longworth Francis 1766-1843
Longworth Francis 1807-1883
Longworth John 1814-1885
Lord William Warren 1798-1890
Mabey Paul 1786-1863
MacAulay Angus 1759-1827
Macdonald Andrew Archibald 1829-1912
McDonald Angus 1830-1889
MacDonald Bernard Donald 1797-1859
McDonald Donald 1795-1854
McDonald Francis John 1815-1900
MacDonald Helen 1750-1803
MacDonald James 1819-1905
Mcdonald James Charles 1840-1912
MacDonald John 1742-1810 of Glenaladale
McDonald John 1796-1874
Macdonald John Small 1791-1849
Macdonald Sir William Christopher 1831-1917
McEachern Emanuel 1816-1875
MacEachern Angus Bernard 1759-1835
Magowan Peter 1763-1810
Macgregor James Drummond 1759-1830
MacGregor John 1797-1857
McIntyre Peter 1818-1891
Mackieson John 1795-1885
MacKinnon Donald Alexander 1863-1928
MacKintosh John 1790-1881
Maclean Duncan 1799-1859
MacLennan John 1797-1852
McLeod Henry Collingwood 1851-1926
Mcleod Neil 1842-1915
McMillan Angus 1817-1906
McPhail William 1830-1905
Mellish Mary 1849-1901
Milligan George Seaton 1828-1902
Mitchell Albert William 1868-1906
Montgomery Donald 1848-1890
Morris Charles 1711-1781
Morris Charles 1731-1802
Murray Isaac 1824-1906
O’Brien Cornelius 1843-1906
Owen Elizabeth Lee 1835-1901
Owen Lemuel Cambridge 1822-1912
Oulton Robert Trenholm 1835-1920
Palmer Edward 1809-1889
Palmer James Bardin 1771-1833
Patterson Walter 1735-1798
Perrey Sylvain-Ephrem 1800-1887
Perry Stanislaus Francis 1823-1898
Peters Arthur 1854-1908
Peters James Horsfield 1811-1891
Plaw John 1746-1820
Plessis Joseph-Octave 1763-1825
Pope James Colledge 1826-1885
Pope Joseph 1803-1895
Pope Joseph 1854-1926
Pope William Henry 1825-1879
Prowse Benjamin Charles 1862-1930
Rankin Coun Douly 1774-1852
Rankin William ? -1837
Ready John 1777-1845
Richardson Harry Alden 1862-1923
Robertson James 1747-1816
Robinson Joseph 1742-1807
Robinson William Cleaver Francis 1834-1897
Roubel William ca.1775-1834
Schreiber Collingwood 1831-1918
Schurman William 1743-1819
Simpson James 1853-1920
Sinclair Alexander MacLean 1840-1924
Sinclair Peter 1819-1906
Sleigh Burrows Willcocks Arthur 1821-1869
Smith Charles Douglas 1761-1855
Snodgrass William 1827-1906
Sterling Alice Jane 1839-1921
Stewart Charles 1759-1813
Stewart John ca.1758-1834
Stewart Peter 1725-1805
Stirling David 1822-1887
Sullivan William Wilfred 1839-1920
Sutherland Hugh McKay 1843-1926
Swabey William 1789-1852
Thorpe Robert 1764-1836
Thresher George Godsell 1780-1857
Townshend William 1745-1816
Tremlett Thomas 1770-1830
Valentine William 1798-1849
Warburton Alexander Bannerman 1852-1929
Whelan Edward 1824-1867
Waugh Wellwood 1741-1824
Wells Emma Lucy 1854-1926
White John Henry 1797-1843
Wightman Joseph 1806-1887
Williams James fl 1803-1815
Worrell Charles 1770-1858
Wright Charles 1782-1828
Wright Fanny Amelia 1813-1891
Wright George 1779-1842
Wright George 1810-1887
Wright Thomas 1740-1812
Yeo James 1789-1868
Young Aretas William 1777-1835
Metherall, Francis 1791-1875

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Broadcast pioneer brought television to PEI in 1956

Broadcast pioneer brought television to PEI in 1956
Published in The Globe and Mail
By -- ALLISON LAWLOR
PUBLISHED JULY 1, 2009
UPDATED APRIL 28, 2018

Robert F. Large (1918-2009)
Robert (Bob) Large may have been the man who introduced television to Prince Edward Island in 1956 at a time when television sets didn't even exist in island homes, but it was radio that truly captured his heart and mind.

Mr. Large died in Charlottetown on June 4, 2009, from lymphoma. He was 90.

"A portion of every day was spent listening to radio," said his daughter Kathy Large. "He had a true appreciation of talk radio. Music wasn't what he turned the radio on for."

In 1936, Mr. Large landed his dream job. At 18 he walked into the office of CFCY in Charlottetown and was hired as an announcer and operator. He had already been dabbling in the medium. At 14, he built a one-watt radio station on which he played lively band concerts for family and neighbours in a three-block radius around his Charlottetown home.

At CFCY he not only launched his broadcasting career, but fell in love with the boss's daughter, Betty Rogers, a fellow broadcaster known as "the storyteller." In 1924, her father Colonel Keith Rogers had started the station - which adopted the radio slogan "the friendly voice of the Maritimes"- from his living room.

"It was a unique radio station. It was a family affair," said veteran broadcaster Eric MacEwan, whose syndicated radio show has been running on CFCY for 35 years.

He married Betty in 1939, and the couple moved to Sackville, N.B., where Mr. Large got a job with the CBC. But their love of PEI soon brought them back to CFCY, where Mr. Large became part of The Early Birds radio program.

The five-member radio host team, which did everything from play music to recite poetry on air, became widely popular throughout the Maritimes. The show's signature theme, "Keep on smiling ... cause when you're smiling the whole world smiles with you," captured the enthusiasm of the youthful group. They developed a loyal audience and honoured them whenever they could.

On one occasion they travelled to New Glasgow, N.S., where they broadcast from the bedside of a dedicated listener who couldn't leave her home. Another time they played music for a wedding taking place at listener's home in rural Nova Scotia.

"I would be so grateful to our favourite radio station, CFCY, if you would play the Wedding March for me on the air," the listener wrote. The hosts assured the bride-to-be that at the precise time, on the correct date her wish would be carried out. They were true to their word. And while the Wedding March played, they let curious listeners know what was happening.

Born in Charlottetown on Aug. 21, 1918, Mr. Large lived and worked on the same block of Queen Street, just down from City Hall, most of his adult life. Living so close to work allowed him to duck out at noon every day for lunch, followed by a quick nap before heading back to the station.

After starting off on air, Mr. Large moved into management at CFCY, eventually becoming manager and program director. Mr. MacEwan remembers walking into the station in the early 1960s as a brash 17-year-old with a dream of becoming a rock 'n' roll disc jockey. Mr. Large gave him a job, and along with it some advice that stuck. "You have to be versatile," he told the young radio hopeful, encouraging him to learn to write everything from news to commercials.

With his radio on at all times - even when he was out of the office - Mr. Large had no patience for sloppiness or carelessness on air.
Bob Large at Radio Station CFCY on Kent St. in Charlottetown

"He was quite strict," Mr. MacEwan said. "He didn't suffer fools lightly."

In the early days, Mr. MacEwan worked the Sunday morning shift. His job was to ensure that the religious programming coming in from the United States was running smoothly on air.

Not interested in the preaching, one day he decided to duck out of the studio while the tape ran to grab a coffee and cinnamon bun at a nearby coffee shop. While he was out the tape broke and all that could be heard over the airwaves was the flipping sound of the broken tape. Mr. Large flew into the studio in a rage. He didn't fire Mr. MacEwan, but came close.

"He felt a tremendous responsibility communicating to the public," Mr. MacEwan said.

Mr. Large was station manager when CFCY-TV went on air in 1956. The initial dream of bringing television to PEI had started with Col. Rogers. But in 1954, he died suddenly of a heart attack, just three days after celebrating his 62nd birthday. At the time of his death, Mr. Large had already done close to five years of feasibility studies on the idea.

"Dad had to pick up the pieces," said Kathy Large. "A lot of people said 'you can't do that in PEI.' It was such an ambitious project."

But Mr. Large had made his decision. He had thoroughly studied the idea and knew his good relationship with General Electric meant he could buy equipment at a decent price. After investing more than $250,000 and constructing a new tower, located a few kilometres west of Charlottetown that could direct power along the entire length of PEI and toward Nova Scotia, Channel 13 went on the air on July 1, 1956.

Staff at the station had to learn quickly how to work in a visual medium. Money was in short supply in the early days. "No money for sets. Okay? No kitchen cupboards. Is that understood?" Mr. Large told Henry Purdy, the station's first full-time artist, just before Helen Herring, who had done women's shows on radio for years, was to be launched into television with her show Today at Home .

After the show, Mr. Large confronted Mr. Purdy, Betty Rogers Large recounts in her book (co-written with Tom Crothers) Out of Thin Air: The Story of CFCY 'The Friendly Voice of the Maritimes.'
CFCY-TV goes on the air

"I thought I told you there were to be no sets, no cupboards," Mr. Large said to Mr. Henry, who insisted that there weren't. But Mr. Large said he saw them and wanted an explanation. "What you saw was a painting," Mr. Henry said. Still not believing him, Mr. Large ran back to the studio to confirm.

CFCY-TV, which was sold to the CBC in 1969, helped develop several talented broadcasters over the years, including former political commentator Senator Mike Duffy. Having the best collection of records in town, Mr. Duffy started at the station with a Saturday afternoon teen dance party. Don Messer and His Islanders moved from radio to television at CFCY before they were propelled to national fame on the CBC.

"He was a visionary in so many ways," Mr. MacEwan said.

Until his death, a beloved radio rested at his bedside. With his eclectic tastes, Mr. Large listened to everything from BBC newscasts on shortwave to New York City traffic reports.

Mr. Large leaves his daughters Brenda, Daphne and Kathy; five grandchildren; and brother Bill. He was predeceased by his wife Betty.

Special to The Globe and Mail

© Copyright 2020 The Globe and Mail Inc. All rights reserved.

351 King Street East, Suite 1600, Toronto, ON Canada, M5A 0N1

Phillip Crawley, Publisher
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
P.E.I. television pioneer dies at 90
The Guardian -- SaltWire Network
Published: Jun 15, 2010 at midnight
Updated: Sep 30, 2017 at 3:48 a.m.

The man who first introduced television to Prince Edward Island in 1956 died Thursday at his home in Charlottetown. Robert F. Large was 90.

He was station manager and part of the family that introduced TV to the province in 1956 when CFCY-TV first went on air.

While most of his contemporaries in the radio field warned of the high risks involved with the unproven form of new media which had no established track record in generating revenue, Large, his wife Betty, along with family support forged ahead and built the Island's first TV station at a time when television sets did not even exist in Island homes.

The initial dream of bringing TV to P.E.I. had begun with Betty's father, Col. Keith Rogers, the owner of CFCY, who had introduced radio to the Island decades before.
Large's career began at the age of 18 as an announcer and operator in 1936 when he joined the staff of CFCY.

At the station he became close friends with Betty Rogers, a fellow broadcaster known as The Storyteller, and, in 1939, they married and settled in Sackville, N.B., where he held a staff position with CBC.

Their love of the Island soon brought them back to CFCY where Large would eventually become station manager.

Large was the last surviving member of the "Early Birds'', a five-member radio hosting team that was widely popular throughout the Maritimes.

Based on a format now known as "talk radio," the five men kept Islanders entertained and informed. Their signature theme on CFCY, "Keep on smiling . . . cause when you're smiling the whole world smiles with you,'' captured the youthful enthusiasm of the lively team.

After CFCY was sold to Maritime Broadcasting and CFCY-TV to the CBC, Bob and Betty Large enjoyed an active retirement, with travel being a regular part of their annual cycle until Betty's death in 1990.

A family spanning three generations of broadcasters, Bob and Betty Large saw two of their daughters follow in their footsteps with successful media careers.

Large's fascination with all forms of broadcast media continued in retirement with a special interest in international radio stations.

His remains are resting at the Belvedere Funeral Home. There will be no visitation by family request. A memorial service will be held on Saturday at 2 p.m. from the Kirk of St. James.


Friday, April 30, 2010

The Prince Edward Island Magazine

Digital editions of the Prince Edward Island Magazine are now on-line covering issues from 1899-1904. The digitization project was undertaken by UNB and UPEI.

Monday, March 1, 2010

Island Archives

Island Archives (islandarchives.ca) is a wonderful digitized collection of Prince Edward Island resources, many of which were out-of-print but thanks to the ongoing efforts of UPEI to provide material from its collections in digital form are available.

Here are some examples:


Chapters in our Island Story
by William Lawson Cotton. Charlottetown, 1927. Revised and republished.


Trinity United Church, Charlottetown, 1809-1964 Glimpses of glory and grace / by Flora Smith Rogers. Charlottetown, P.E.I, 1964.


The Island family Harris : letters of an immigrant family in British North America, 1856-1866 / prepared and edited by Robert C. Tuck. Charlottetown, P.E.I, 1983.


Out of thin air / by Betty Rogers Large and Tom Crothers. Charlottetown, P.E.I, 1989.

PEI Historic Places

  • A growing resource for those interested in Prince Edward Island's history is the provincially operated peihistoricplaces.ca
  • As well the same resources are being uploaded to the national site Canadian Register of Historic Places which operates historicplaces.ca

Sunday, February 28, 2010

Historic Charlottetown

One of the great research tools for architectural history in Charlottetown is the vast set of records researched by Catherine Hennessey over many years, and digitized by the City of Charlottetown.

The material is available through several search methods on the main search page. Entering a street name will produce results for all references to that street. You can also search by architect, or the exact address of the property.

As well a Map Search is also available.

Dawson House Bed & Breakfast - The Model Cottage, Charlottetown, PEI

  Dawson House Bed & Breakfast operates as a tourist business located at 122 North River Rd. in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. It...