Events

Upcoming Public Meetings 2025

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING with GUEST SPEAKER

Monday, June 23rd

Doors open at 6:30pm for pickup of the annual Journal. Meeting and speaker at 7:00pm. Past Museum Director, Ken Seiling - 50+ Years and Growing, on the founding and development of the Wellington County Museum and Archives.

For more information contact Ron Hattle, ronhattle@gmail.com.

All are Welcome

Sunday, September 28th

Walking Tour - Palmerston. Details to be announced later

Sunday, October 19th

From Venue to Museum - History of the Palmerston Museum. Speaker Rob McEachern. 1:30 pm Aboyne Hall, WCMA

Sunday, November 9th

The Soldiers Project. Speaker Erin Doupe, history teacher, Erin District High School. 1:30 pm Aboyne Hall, WCMA

MEETING DETAILS

Apart from the AGM our public meetings are usually held on Sunday afternoons at the Wellington County Museum & Archives (WCMA). Walking tours meet at the starting point of the walk. There is no charge to attend meetings and the public is always welcome at our events.

past events

Sunday, May 4th Public Meeting

Aboyne Hall, WCMA - Doors open 1:00pm Speaker at 1:30om. Dale Hamilton performs her one women show - She Won’t Come In From the Fields. Eden Mills resident Dale Hamilton has been touring her latest play across Canada. Created for her Masters in Environmental Studies dissertation, this play promises to inspire conversations and awareness on how regenerative agriculture growing practices can impact food security and create climate solutions.

Sunday, April 13th Public Meeting

Aboyne Hall, WCMA - Doors open 1:00pm Speaker at 1:30pm. Pursuing Play:Women’s Leisure in Small-town Ontario 1870-1914 presented by Author Rebecca Beausaert. University of Guelph Professor, Rebecca Beausaerts’ new book explores small town life in the towns of Dresden, Tillsonburg and Elora and the role women played in creating leisure activities. Ms. Beausaerts presentation promises a glimpse into the fascinating lives of some women in small town Ontario at the turn of the last century.

Unveiling of the restored Richard Pierpoint plaque

Below are photos taken at the unveiling of the restored Richard Pierpoint plaque that took place Thursday May 2nd, 2024 at John Black Public School in Fergus. Photo credit: Lorraine Bride.

Peter Meyler, Rosemary Sadlier from the Pierpoint Community Working Group and the Ontario Black History Society and David Meyler.

The original heritage plaque was an initiative of Peter Meyler and restoring the worn and damaged plaque was a project taken on by the Wellington County Historical Society with the assistance of a grant from the County.

Peter and David Meyler authors of A STOLEN LIFE Searching for Richard Pierpoint.

Kathy Bouma & Raymond Soucy were instrumental in removing the badly damaged 30 year old plaque, having it refurbished and reinstalling it.

TEXT OF THE PLAQUE:

Richard Pierpoint c. 1744-1838.

Richard Pierpoint, an early pioneer, settled here in 1822.

Born in Bondu (Senegal), Pierpoint was captured and shipped to North America around 1760. He was bought by a British officer, then fought as a free man for Butler's Rangers during the American Revolution.

When the War of 1812 began, Pierpoint petitioned authorities to establish an African militia unit. As a member of the "Coloured Corps" he fought at Queenston Heights and elsewhere.

In 1821 the elderly veteran requested repatriation to Africa as a reward for his military service. Instead he was granted land in the new township of "Garrafraxa". By 1826, Pierpoint - then in his eighties - had cleared five acres and built a house on the east half of lot 6, concession 1.

Erected with assistance from the Ontario Heritage Foundation.

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