Presidents Message
The Old Sydney Society begins it 44th year and a new calender decade with vitality and energy. The membership of the Society has provided the direction and strength to the organization and I want to thank you for having the vision to maintain and grow the Old Sydney Society over this period. In the upcoming year we will be working diligently to maintain the quality of museum experience for the residents of Sydney and our visitors from around the world who come to Sydney by cruise ship.
We can take pride in the work that we have accomplished over the last few years with the restoration and facility upgrade to St. Patrick's Church Museum in 2006-07 and the Cape Breton Centre for Heritage and Science in 2008-09.
Our partnership with the Jost House Heritage Society in operating the Historic Walking Tours of North end Sydney for visiting Cruise ship passengers has proved to be a valuable experience for both societies in spreading the history of our area and has also been and continues to be a financially rewarding initiative for both organizations.
The establishment of the Heritage Conservation District By-Law Northend Sydney February 19, 2008 by CBRM helps assure that the historic character of Northend Sydney will be maintained for many more decades.
On behalf of the Old Sydney Society I want to thank you for your support in 2009 and look forward to your continuing support of the Society in the decades to come.
This photo was recently received by email from Richard and Sherrill Smith. The photo shows the Harrington wharf in Sydney Harbour circa 1905.
Update from the Museum Committee
Nancy More, Chair:
The model boats exhibit, on display throughout the 2009 tourist season, was taken down in October, having been on display for visitors from cruise vessels docked at Sydney wharf or anchored in the harbour. Thanks are due to the model ship craftsmen and to the Coastguard College for lending Old Sydney Society their remarkable models.
The Committee then turned its attention to the annual Remembrance display, which featured the phrase "We WILL Remember". A letter from the Chair, published in the Cape Breton Post, resulted in several important loans of memorabilia from veterans of World War II, including those Cape Bretoners who lost their lives in Europe. Their relatives were invited to a special preview of the exhibit, which was well attended and appreciated. Both the CBC and the CTV networks publicised this Remembrance display across the Maritimes.
The current display, titled "Photo Illusions and Natural Phenomena Images", contains works by member Ken Lynds who curated it.
Since September 2009, the Museums Committee has met four times. Included in their agenda have been the following ideas for the future:
A major display about Sydney Harbour, concentrating on its contribution to Cape Breton history and development, for spring 2010.
The RCMP, which has a very strong Cape Breton connection, has asked the Society to mount an exhibit in our Centre of their historical artifacts.
The Museums Committee is consulting the Naturalists Society with a view to setting up some small exhibits which would emphasize the Natural History of Cape Breton.
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
The Old Sydney Society will hold its Annual General Meeting and Elections to the Board of Directors at 7:30 pm, Thursday, April 22, 2010 at the Cape Breton Centre for Heritage and Science. 225 George Street, Sydney, NS.
Members who are interested in volunteering to serve on the Board of Directors can contact the Nominating Committee at 539-1572 or by email: oldsyndneysociety@ns.aliantzinc.ca
Old Sydney Society Winter Lecture Series
| January 28: |
Ken Donovan. "The Marguis de Chabert and Canada's First Astronomical Observatory in Cape Breton 1750-51." Or watch live on the web at the address below http://www.ustream.tv/channel/the-marquis-de-chabert-and-canada-s-first-astronomical-observatory-in-cape-breton-1750-51 |
| February 25: |
Matt Cook " Murder or Suicide? The Mysterious Death of Edie Brailsford, Dominion, 1923." |
| March 25: |
Donnie Ward " James McConnell: Cape Breton Businessman, Politician, Entrepeneur and Humanitarian, 1873-1957." |
| April 22: | Paul MacDougall, "Between the Ropes: An Overview of Cape Breton Boxing, 1940 t0 1960s." |
Cape Breton Naturalists Society News
Winter Schedule 2010
February 10: Birds of the 18th Century in Cape Breton, A Louisbourg Perspective - Ken Donovan
March 10 : Galapagos Islands - Dave Harris
April 14: Humming Birds - Blake Maybank
Meetings begin at 7:30 pm at the Cape Breton Centre for Heritage and Science, the Lyceum 225 George Street Sydney.
The Old Sydney Society and the Cape Breton Naturalists Society held their first ever combined meeting in November at the Cape Breton Centre for Heritage and Science. The guest speaker was Professor Dr. Andrew Reynolds of Cape Breton University, he gave a talk titled ''Charles Darwin and the Origin of Species, Reception and Reaction in 19th. Century Nova Scotia'' To mark the 150th. anniversary of the birth of Charles Darwin. Left to right are, Professor Andrew Reynolds guest speaker, Alice Reynolds-White, Clara Reynolds-White, Catherine Sneddon, Cape Breton Naturalist, Sean Modesto, Cape Breton Naturalist, and Ken Donovan, chair. Raytel Photo.
The Cape Breton Naturalists invite all members of the Old Sydney Society to attend the Feb. 10th presentation by Ken Donovan, this is a reciprocal invitation due to the successful joint meeting of the two organizations in November.
It's Alive
The Old Sydney Society in cooperation with the Fortress of Louisbourg have experimented with a live webcast of the October and November monthly lectures. With the technical assistance of Blaine Aikins from the Fortress of Louisbourg the lectures audio and video have been streamed live to the web using the ustream.tv live video website. There have been over 100 visitations to the site during the meetings with over 20 users remaining on the site to watch and listen to the lectures. The sessions are archived on the UStream site so if you are interested in viewing:
Archaeologists Becky Duggan and Bruce Fry, 22 October 2009, The title of the talk is: "The Louisbourg Battlefield in 1758: From Documents to Terrain" http://www.ustream.tv/channel/louisbourg-battlefield-1758
Andrew Renyolds ''Charles Darwin and the Origin of Species, Reception and Reaction in 19th. Century Nova Scotia'' http://www.ustream.tv/channel/charles-darwin-reception-and-reactions-in-nova-scotia-in-the-19th-century
BCA Venture Capital Inc., part of the BCA Group, is Cape Breton's newest community economic development investment fund (CEDIF) company. BCAVC is holding its campaign at the Cape Breton Centre for Heritage and Science (The Lyceum) in Sydney, from January 4th to February 28th, and is aiming to raise $1 million dollars for local business development. Through the provincial government's CEDIF program, BCAVC is now able to offer investors a 35% non-refundable income tax credit toward their provincial income tax payable (with the option of receiving an additional 20% in year 5).
Investing locally is an excellent way to retain capital within the community of Cape Breton, while helping to reverse the social and economic drain from our island to major metropolitan centres.
For more information, please contact Kelsey Peters at (902) 567-0000, e-mail bca@ns.sympatico.ca, or visit our website at www.BCAGroup.ca
Website Updated
The Old Sydney Society has updated its web site as part of the upgrade to the Cape Breton Centre for Heritage and Science, local firm ICON Communications created the design. New pages have been added and OSS staff have received training so that we are able to update the web site in house. One change to occur is that the Society newsletter will be available on the Old Sydney Society web site at www.oldsydney.com. We would appreciate any comments and information to be added to the site.
Book Launch
Dr. Richard MacKinnon will launch his new book Discovering Cape Breton at the Cape Breton Centre for Heritage and Science (The Lyceum) 225 George St. Sydney.
Friday, February 19, 4:00 - 6:00 pm.
For more than two decades, folklorist Richard MacKinnon - Canada Research Chair in Intangible Cultural Heritage, Cape Breton University - has researched Cape Breton's rich cultural heritage: from log houses to company houses and co-operative housing, from cockfighting to folksongs and nicknames. In Discovering Cape Breton Folklore, professor MacKinnon revisits some of his research and exposes us to some new. The books essays include the following topics:
Cape Breton Folksong Collecting,The Dynamics of the Cape Breton Piano Style, Protest Song and Verse in Cape Breton, Humorous Nicknames in Cape Breton, Cockfighting in Cape Breton, Log Architecture on Cape Breton Island, Company Housing in Cape Breton, Tompkinsville: Co-operativism and Vernacular Architecture, Public Image and Private Reality in Cape Breton Folk Traditions.
Special Event for Old Sydney Society Members
Old Sydney Society Field Trip to the Louisbourg Battlefield Sites in 1758
Members of the Old Sydney Society are invited on a special field trip for the Louisbourg 1758 Battlefield Sites on Saturday, 12 June 2010. We will meet at the Visitor Reception Centre in Louisbourg at 10:00 am. The tour will last until 1:00 PM. Please wear hiking boots or comfortable sneakers. The 19th of June will be the alternative date, in case of rain on the 12th.
Cruise Ship Schedule
Tues., Apr. 20 - Atlantica
Thurs., Apr. 29 - Atlantica
Sat., May. 22 - Maasdam
Wed., June 2 - Maasdam
Tues., June. 8 - Maasdam
Wed., June. 16 - Maasdam
Tues., June 22 - Maasdam
Wed., June 30 - Maasdam
Tues., July 6 - Maasdam
Wed., July 14 - Maasdam
Tues., Aug. 24 - Maasdam
Wed., Sept. 1 - Maasdam
Tues., Sept. 7 - Maasdam
Sat., Sept. 11 - Crown Princess
Tues., Sept 14 - Atlantica
Wed., Sept. 15 - Maasdam
Thurs., Sept. 16 - Jewel of the Seas
Sun., Sept. 19 - Norwegian Jewel
Tues., Sept. 21 - Maasdam Eurodam
Thurs., Sept. 23 - Crown Princess Emerald Princess
Fri, Sept. 24 - Poesia
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