Community Events

The Bytown (Ottawa) Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution is hosting a special dinner on Saturday, 8 September 2012. This is a fund-raising event to support the DAR Bytown Chapter History Award at Carleton University. The dinner, at the Museum of Civilization, will feature Victor Suthren, former Director General of the Canadian War Museum, speaking on Ottawa and the War of 1812. The title of his talk is “A Peaceful Place: The Wartime Origins of an Unwarlike Capital”. The evening is a celebration of the visit to Ottawa by Mrs. Merry Ann Wright, President General of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution.

For more information – contact Dorothy Meyerhof at 613-822-2946

On Saturday, November 26, 2011, Sandra Joyce will read from her book “The Street Arab – The Story of a British Home Child” from 7 – 9 pm at the Collected Works Bookstore and Coffee Bar at 1242 Wellington Street, Ottawa.  The book was launched as part of the celebrations of the British Home Child Day on September 28 at Upper Canada Village. 

Sandra Joyce was unaware until the death of her father in 2002, that he was a home child. She and her sister found a family history in Scotland as a result of the records they discovered through their research. After uncovering her father’s story, Joyce was left wondering “how many other home children had similar circumstances.” She wrote the historical fiction novel for “all those who suffered the silent stigmatism associated with home children.” Incorporating various events and circumstances uncovered in her research, Joyce has woven a story that could representative of any number of home children.

Any person interested in British Home Children should find this evening of interest as Sandra Joyce will discuss her own story and how her research led her to write this book.