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Elgin Archive Library

The Elgin County Archives is a great asset to anyone interested in our local history. The vision and effort it has taken to build the Archives is well appreciated by the Elgin Historical Society. We offer our thanks and support in their continuing work.

The Archives have digitized many images, newspapers and books. Here we present some of the books. As always the organization of the material is an ongoing process.

Enjoy exploring our history.

1915

Program for the Consecration of St. John's Anglican Church in St. Thomas. Contains a historical sketch of the Anglican church in Elgin County. 

1930 Fred Landon

Colonel Thomas Talbot by The Ryerson Canadian History Readers.

1999 Clachan Women's Institute

The second volume of the Clachan Tweedsmuir History was compiled between 1985 and 1999. The book covers the history of the Clachan Women's Institute, farm and house histories, information about community members, community services, community facilities, industry, trade, commerce and lifestyle.

2006 Clachan Women's Institute

The third volume of the Clachan Tweedsmuir History was compiled between 2000 and 2006. The book covers the history of the Clachan Women's Institute, farm and house histories, information about community residents, community services, community facilities, industry, trade, commerce and odds & ends from the past. Includes records dating back to 1944 and photographs dating back to 1977.

2014 Clachan Women's Institute

The fifth volume of the Clachan Tweedsmuir History was compiled between 2011 and 2014. The book covers the activities of the Clachan Women's Institute as well as community residents and events. Includes records dating back to 1950, and photographs dating back to ca. 1970 .

1984 Clachan Women's Institute

The first volume of the Clachan Tweedsmuir History was compiled between ca. 1950 and 1984. The book covers the history of the Clachan Women's Institute and the Clachan village itself, as well as the Thames Valley Red Cross Society,Oak Grove School No. 10, the Aldborough Plains Baptist Church, the Knox Presbyterian Church at Kintyre, the Purcell-McLean Cemetery, the Fleming Pioneer Cemetery, and the village of Cashmere.

2010 Clachan Women's Institute

The fourth volume of the Clachan Tweedsmuir History was compiled between 2007 and 2010. The book covers the activities of the Clachan Women's Institute as well as community residents and events.

2009 Clachan Women's Institute

This volume of the Clachan Tweedsmuir History was compiled in 2009. The book is comprised of photographs of Clachan-area farms (especially barns which were at risk of being demolished).

1964

The 100 year history of the Church of Christ (Disciples) in St. Thomas from 1864 to 1964.

1904

Souvenir Directory", 1904. Includes a history of the church and a list of members and their addresses. Also includes many business advertisements.

1975 Donald W. Stevenson

History of the Church Of Christ in Aylmer on the occasion of the 90th anniversary of the church in 1975.

1950 H.R. Rokeby-Thomas

History of Christ Church Port Stanley in connection with the 105th anniversary of the church in 1950.

1925 Anne (Simcock) Bythell

Historical Sketch of Christ Church at Port Stanley as part of the 80th Anniversary of the church in 1925.

1990 Shirley M. Ewanich

Short History of the Christ Church Cemetery and Church in Port Stanley.

2013 Bill Dulmage

History of CHLO Radio in St. Thomas.

1945 The Centenary Committee

Centennial history of Christ Church Port Stanley.

1979 John Jones

A history of Centre Street Baptist Church 1879-1979

1963

A Brief History of the Church and pastoral Anniversary Greetings

1954

Building and Extension program for Centre Street Baptist Church September 1954

1974 Carl Voaden

A history of Central United Church in St. Thomas

1955 Mary Jane Duncanson

Contains a history of Duff Church at Largie.

1994 Karen Collard

175 Years of Frome United Church. The First Congregationalist Church of Upper Canada, 1819-1994.

1979 Wilfred C. Johnson

A history of the catholic churches, cemeteries, and schools, of West Elgin

1981 Patti Binks, Tom Bonanno, Cathy Mahilik, Steve Peters

An index to Canadian Patents of Elgin County from 1824 to 1872.

1863 Archibald McLachlin

Photocopy of Canadian Home Journal Calendar for 1863 and County of Elgin Directory, compiled by Archibald McLachlin. Inscribed with the name Henry Roe, so copy may have been made from his original copy.

1863

County Of Elgin Directory is contained within this Almanac.

1994 Steven Bailey

A history of the Children's Aid in Elgin County.

1921

Souvenir Program of the Brotherhood Of Locomotive, Firemen, and Enginemen Canadian Grand Union Meeting held in St. Thomas between August 1-6 1921. Contains lots of local history, photos, and advertisements.

1991 George Thorman

A history of secondary education in St. Thomas with a particular focus on St. Thomas Collegiate Institute.

1974 J.A. Herr

A history of breweries & soda Works of St. Thomas from 1833-1933. Also features illustrations of the bottles and additional facts for collectors.

2016 Boxall Women's Institute

Volume 2 of the Boxall Women's Institute Tweedsmuir History. Primarily contains newspaper clippings relating toWomen's Institute meetings, people, or events, but also brochures, general histories, items relating to general Women's Institure history (photographs of the Erland Lee home, booklets on Adelaide Hunter Hoodless), and assorted ephemera.

2007 Boxall Women's Institiute

Volume 1 of the Boxall Women's Institute Tweedsmuir History. Contains histories of the Boxall area and early landmarks, histories of the Boxall Women's Institute, photographs of members and events, and brochures and programs distruibuted by the Boxall Women's Institute.

1978 Gay Lea Foods Co-operative Limited

A look back at 20 years of Gay Lea Dairy. 1958-1978.

1899-1900 F.G. Stanbury

Diary thought to by kept by F. G. Stanbury who served during the Boer War

1955 James Wellington Crane

Biographies of Doctors in Elgin County compiled in a scrapbook by Dr. James Wellington Crane.

1971 Belmont Old Boys' Reunion Committee

Booklet covering the history of Belmont 1815-1971.

1981 Heather Hudson

A history of the village Belmont with special interest paid to heritage buildings and local families.

1984 Heritage Aylmer

A History of the BCATP (British Commonwealth Air Training Plan) in Elgin County 1939-1945

Including a history of RCAF (Royal Canadian Air Force) Base Aylmer 1939-1945

Lyal Tait

Short history on the Bayham Lambs-name coming from scoundrels who ‘helped themselves’ to other people’s property-i.e. stealing sheep

1950

Souvenir booklet of Bayham Township's Centennial. Contains a history of the township.

1967 Elgin County Library

Includes Elgin association of Baptist churches: A History. October 1967, Section 1; First Southwold Baptist Church, 1821-1902; Iona Station Baptist Church, 1903-1965, Section 2; Eden Baptist Church, Hundredth Anniversary, Section 3

1986 George Thorman

A history of Balaclava Street School in St. Thomas.

1984 Malahide Township's Bicentennial Project

History of the Aylmer RCAF station 1941-1956

1987 Aylmer High School Centennial Committee

A centennial history of Aylmer High School.

1987 Aylmer and District Museum

History of the pharmacists in the Aylmer area

1913

Includes a history of Aylmer, photographs and advertisements for local businesses.

Aylmer and District Museum

A short history on the clothing stores in Aylmer at that time

1987 Marie Briggs

A historical profile of the early history of Aylmer's Old Town Hall

1977

Exhibition programme from The Vancouver Art Gallery, April 2-May 1, 1977. 

1993 Jackie Van Ryswyk

A Profile of the Mennonite Community in Elgin County 1993.

1995 Gilbert Anger

The daily journal of Gilbert Anger, a Bayham Township farmer, from March 27, 1901 to April 14, 1912.

1904

A history of New Glasgow Presbyterian Church 1829-1904.

Includes historical essays on Christ Church, Port Stanley, St. Peter's Church, Tyrconnell, and Trinity Church, Port Burwell.

1944 G.N. Procunier

Fourth-Year Thesis by G.N. Procunier. Ontario Agricultural College, 1944.

1906

Semi Jubilee Number of the Alma Quarterly Magazine documenting highlights of the students and staff at Alma College from 1881 to 1906.

1977 Dr Katherine Riddell

the centennial book that was published to document college history in honour of the 100th anniversary of the opening of the college. The book is a history of the college and includes lists of staff, members of the Board of Management, principals, deans, famous graduates, presidents of international council, presidents of alumnae branches, presidents of student's council, chairmen of the board, May Queens, and valedictorians.

Perry Dobson, Alma College Alumnae Association

A booklet on the Alma College Amphitheatre, with a passage written by Perry Dobson titled "Beauty for Ashes". The booklet was printed as a fundraising project for the London, Ontario branch of the Alma College Alumnae Association.

1888

- what appears to be a complete photocopy of Aldrich's Pocket Directory of Aylmer - it is pasted on one side of a page while on the other is typed information about Malahide Township and the village of Copenhagen

Effa Shaw Laing

A Collection of Notes Mainly Concerning Early Days in Aldborough Township and the Talbot Settlement Gathered and transcribed by Effa Shaw Laing

20 typed pages bound into a spiral booklet.

Effa Shaw Laing

A Collection of Notes Mainly Concerning Early Days in Aldborough Township and the Talbot Settlement Gathered and transcribed by Effa Shaw Laing

20 typed pages bound into a spiral booklet.