At The Museum

Punkeydoodle's Corner - a most unusual name

Submitted by admin1 on

On June 26, 1982 the 14 permanent residents of Punkeydoodle’s Corner welcomed an estimated eight thousand visitors, including the Conservative Leader of the Opposition, Joe Clark and his colleague and friend, the Member of Parliament for Oxford, Dr. Bruce Halliday. Activities abounded on the 5 acres of land associated with Punkeydoodles and it was difficult to be everywhere at once. If you attended the dedication of the cairn then you likely missed the frog-jumping contest and the Little German Band and so much more.

Commercial Hotel

Submitted by admin1 on

Mens' pockets have always held a wide assortment of interesting items. In the early 1900s it would have been commonplace for Tavistock men to have a Commercial Hotel fob stashed in their pocket, readily available for any number of good uses.

Souvenir of Tavistock

Submitted by admin1 on

This small 5 1/2" plate was an early donation to our collection. The wording reads:

LUTHERN CHURCH, SEBASTOPOLE, AND
SOUVENIR OF TAVISTOCK, ONT.

The picture is a well-rendered drawing of Trinity Lutheran Church surrounded by maple leaves. It doesn't take an experienced curator to quickly note two interesting aspects:

(1) Look at the wording. Put on your schoolteacher glasses for a closer inspection. Two spelling errors in a two-line title? Yes, there are. It should be Lutheran, not Luthern and Sebastopol, not Sebastopole.

The AHA Moment

Submitted by admin1 on

This picture was a mystery. It's obviously a Post Office but which Post Office? The answer came unexpectedly one day while waiting for the traffic light to change in Shakespeare. Looking at the buildings on the northwest corner it was suddenly very obvious. One of them was the Post Office in our picture. The Shakespeare building has changed over the years. It's no longer a Post Office. A second story was added on. And, of course, the bunting and decoration recognizing Queen Victoria's death in 1901 is long gone. Overall, it's still recognizable.

Pass The Popcorn

Submitted by admin1 on

Do you like old movies? If so, chances are good you've seen a movie produced or directed by Armand Schaefer, a Tavistock boy. Armand was born in our village in 1898. He spent his adult life in California where he produced over 100 films between 1931 and 1956. He directed 24 more. Armand died in 1967.

If you have a famous (or even infamous) ancestor with Tavistock roots, we'd like to hear from you. You can contact us at info@tavistockhistory.ca

What do you know about "The Washboard Band"?

Submitted by admin1 on

Some years ago an individual left this photo at the museum with the words "I know the group was called 'The Washboard Band' but that's all I know. I don't know their names or when or where they played".

This photo remains a mystery. They are an interesting looking group. We rather like the man (maybe lady) who plays the washtub.

Might you be able to provide even a small clue? If yes, please contact the Historical Society at info@tavistockhistory.ca. Thank you.

Pages