The Board of Directors
Planning and working together, a great team !
A message from our President, Margaret Boyce
The Mandate of the Whitby Historical Society is to encourage research into the history of our area. To promote public interest in history; in the museum; provide a place for children and youth to learn about our past, and preserve and protect the artifacts we have from 1812 to 1960.
To collect research and record all historical records and data relative to the ancestral past of Whitby's citizens and provide suitable cultural activities for all age groups.
The Whitby Historical Society endeavours to maintain continuous, methodical records, in the order of time, of Whitby's most important and public events. It has retained and recorded a whole `chain' of events connected with this town, its pioneers and the many valuable artifacts in its care. There are still many areas of research to be done.
The Historical Society will continue the study of the formation and growth of local communities, the town of Whitby and surrounding area, by following the course of human affairs, and of past and present events in general.
2007-2008 marks our 40th anniversary and we have embarked on an extensive fundraising campaign in order to raise money for a new
Museum Complex. A permanent home for the Whitby History Museum and a centre for children, youth and families, combining an environmental focus and a Fine Arts Heritage Crafts Guild.
Today the primary focus of the Historical Society is to provide an elite, hands on Children's Learning Centre, including school visits, group visits, handicapped groups and social activities.
Schools have access to the traveling museum which moves from school to school, or home; with a presenter, teaching pioneer and Victorian lifestyles. It is our sincere hope to be able to extend this to more history of Aboriginals in this area in future.
The present Whitby History Museum and activities have outgrown the London House and we are struggling for space, consequently the Historical Society has no other choice but to locate to a larger building. We intend to build/renovate so that we can have a state of the art centre.
Whitby Historical Society envisage the future home will be a self contained activity complex containing;
the museum of artifacts,
photographs, maps and documents
relating the ancestral lives of Whitby's peoples.
An area focusing on early settlers, pioneers from 1800 would occupy space to include, a living room, music room, dining room, pioneer kitchen, exhibit and three bedrooms.
Areas to house the Heritage arts and crafts activities from the past, and accessible by a wheelchair lift for the handicapped and seniors.
Area one: for all needlecraft activities, embroidery, smocking, quilting, quilling, cross stitch, rug hooking, weaving, knitting, crochet, jewelry, beadwork and doll making.
Area Two: for wood carving, model building, quilling, picture making, stain glass, basketry, candles and masks.
Area Three: Photography collections, together with a working photography history department with an 80 year display of cameras, tin type photos and traditional film developing etc. Also an area to teach youth about traditional to digital image creation. After all, much of history, is saved through its images.
Area 4: The nutrition area, foods of aboriginals and the pioneer, Victorian, and organic foods, an area to teach young people about healthy eating and preparing food from scratch. Children and youth will make butter, breads, mueseli and menus etc.
An outdoor Garden: Gardening and how natives, pioneers and settlers grew their foods, The natural uses and values of foods, both past and present. Our ancestors loved flowers too, and what a better place to attract tourists and families from our own community, than by having a place to enjoy a garden.
There are twelve fully qualified professional teachers ready to pass on knowledge and talents in courses for beginner, credit and advanced.
Although Whitby boasts a beautiful large new library, with computer sections, also a theatre, an art gallery and a great number of sporting activity centres, Whitby nor Durham has an arts and culture centre of the kind we are planning. The New Museum Complex will encompass museum attractions, artifacts, arts, crafts and cultural activities bringing the past into the future.
People of all ages will be able to come together and enjoy an activity of their choice, at minimum cost and be able to progress to new levels of achievement, self esteem and just plain old having a good and wholesome, time !
Thank you for your support and donations to this worthy project.
Sincerely,
Margaret Boyce
President, Whitby Historical Society
Margaret Boyce is a spirited team leader and innovator who gets things done.
Margaret is an educator in the traditional meaning of the word. Margaret has dedicated her life to teaching. In her work over the last 20 years with The Whitby Historical Society, Margaret has taught children of all ages worthwhile skills for life, using history as a basis.
She not only teaches, she inspires !
Margaret has a
Certification in Fine Arts, she was a Vice Principal in England before moving to Canada with her husband Bernard. Margaret was also a Director of a Private School in Montreal and a Director of a School in Oshawa, teaching school for 33 years, including many children with special needs. Margaret also holds an advanced certificate from
The Institute of Children's Literature from West Redding, Connecticut.
Active in many community organizations over the years, Margaret has spent many years as a volunteer. Now retired, she has not stood still but remains extremely active in the community and the museum is fortunate to have her as their 'Team Leader'.
2007 - 2008
Board of Directors
President
Margaret Boyce
Vice President
David Chambers
Secretary -Treasurer
Irene Clark
Directors
Trina Astor-Stewart
Jim Bradfield
Fred Fernbach
Lynn Palmer
Jane Snyder
Staff & Partners
Consultant - Curator
&
Travelling Museum
Karin Sheppard
Museum Studies Graduate
Executive Treasurer
Jane Lakatos
Auditor
Howard Smith LLP
Consultants -Building Management
Bernard Boyce, P. Eng. Frank Snyder, P. Eng.
Ned Allam, BA Arch OAA,MRAIC
Consultant -Nutrition
Jane Snyder
VP Snyder Construction
Collections Committee
Kathie Vanular
-Chairperson
Museum Studies Graduate
Karin Sheppard
Museum Studies Graduate
Rod Angevarre
Eleanor Rycroft
Frances Castle
Mike Snetsinger
Fred Fernbach
Lynn Palmer
Consultant
Technical Support – Computer Management
Breck Stewart
Our little bear, Perry & Friends visit Thickson's Wood, and urge everyone, "Let's all get going and help raise money for the new Museum Complex
Help Raise Funds
for
The New
Whitby Museum Complex
Larger displays
...more space for
children, youth and family activities.
A Fine Arts Heritage Crafts Guild,
New Interesting subjects from Aboriginal Life
to the Present Day
A warm and inviting place for our community